Time blurred as she was taken to the barracks, got settled in and met her senior brothers in arms. This barracks was better than her house, and was more akin to some middle-class house than a barracks. Fine dining room - not a mess hall like most, for Greatswords did not make a mess - quality bedding, additional rooms to meet and play with your brothers. While they were still soldiers and the cards and dice were found, Estaria could also see more intricate games of chess, checkers and the like. Truly, these Greatswordsmen were a cut above the rest. She felt awkward among them, and so retreated early to her bed, rising early and heading over to the Master Smith who had been working on her blade and armour.
Dwarf-forged Full Plate was too expensive, too time-consuming to be made on order for each individual Greatsword. And so suits were on hand, and adjusted to the height and girth of new recruits. Estaria, looked over the greatsword and instantly knew that despite the reputation attached to it, it was inferior to her blade. Which was to be expected, Orange was the highest rank she had seen in the shop, and damned expensive to boot. Half a million thrones, in real world money.
“How many swords could you make with half a million thrones?” Estaria casually asked. The Master Smith laughed a deep - all Dwarves were deep, but this one was deep even for a dwarf - laugh and looked up.
“You have a hidden tunnel into the bank of Altdorf? I could make ten thousand swords of the purest steel out of that. Fit to impress a Karak Dwarf, even!” The Master Dwarf looked up, and shook his head. Such an amount was absurd.
“It’s about the market price for this” she said, drawing Ulric’s Fang and showing it to him. The Dwarf looked amazed, and studied it intimately for many moments.
“That would be selling it shortly. I would not put a price on this, it would be like buying a Runefang” The Dwarf then looked to the greatsword he was forging, and shook his head. “Ack, and this pile of scrap is no use in comparison!” The Dwarf took up his hammer in anger, as if to bash it to pieces and restart his work from scratch.
“Don’t, worry about that” Estaria said, the first word coming out quick, and the rest following after a short delay. “Greatsword is mostly ceremonial. And if you truly want to make a Greatsword comparable to this sword, then I shall finance you. Gather the price of everything you need, and I’ll gift you the coin” she told him, before walking up to the Full Plate. “Assuming that takes you more than an hour, how does this work? I’ve never had armour so fine”
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The Dwarf was stunned at Estaria’s claim. Even a quick thought would have a blade like that cost him thousands of Crowns and years of work. Still, he focused on what he knew, and showed Estaria the intricacies of her armour. It was quite the chore to get in, one did not have a giant suit of metal without some difficulties in utilizing it. Once in, she got a popup.
Heavy Armour reduces Agility by 20 when worn
Not entirely surprising, it was very heavy after all - between the metal and the internal padding to reduce the impact of the metal - and the rivets, while giving some flexibility, lacked the true dynamics of movement. One could move well in it in any given situation, but to wear it for more than a few minutes to show off that range of movement would truly begin to tax. Testing how everything went, rolling shoulders and bending knees, then finishing up with a few swings, Estaria nodded to the Master Dwarf, and picked up the Greatsword, putting it in her sheath.
“Thank you for the work, Master Dwarf. I shall be in the barracks when not on duty, so come to me with the list when you have made it” she then tapped her head, and left his place. Her duty, such as it was right now, was to be Major Tal’s bodyguard. Greatswords were not always designated to guard Elector Counts, most of the time they would guard those of other important positions as well. And being a Sargent-Major, she would lead a large Regiment when the time came to lead it.
However, while she thought it might be boring to stand around and do nothing but watch him paperwork all day, she was quickly given something to latch on, as he was discussing a recent report with another when she entered.
“Ahh, Zashira. Good. I was just talking to Captain Holl about this report. Apparently a small Chaos Band has breached the defenses and are pillaging the countryside around Marienburg. Usually we would just sort this out among ourselves, as you are still technically on leave, but there is a name that correlates with yours. The reports claim that the boss of this group proclaims himself to be Zarh, Skull-grabber of Khorne”
That name. Estaria’s eyes widened and she took a deep breath, her hand sliding to stroke the hilt of her blade as if she wanted to slay the very words used to speak it.
“I shall lead the men in defense of Marienburg and rid the Empire of this threat to it’s prosperity” She spoke orderly, but her eyes were alight with the prospect of revenge.