The vault was right where Aelriva said it would be, just a couple of passages down from the vault. Pleasantly it opened in the same manner as the vault and soon the single iron-bound oak door opened to reveal the room within. Xavier stepped inside with the sprite and looked about. Surprisingly, it was not quite what he had expected. The immediate room was small and had a couple of benches along the walls, however, it was the window with the iron grating and the iron door beside it that caught Xavier’s attention. It struck him more like a police or military armory than he would have expected. He moved over to the window and used his torch to light the two bracketing it before leaning to look through the bars.

Inside made a small smile come to his lips again. He could see numerous racks and shelves. Many had the tell tale forms of weapons or armor stored within or upon them. He turned to comment to Aelriva but she had already left to preform the other task he had given her and fetch Braegor.

Shaking his head, having already forgotten he had asked her to retrieve the smith, Xavier moved to the iron door and looked for how to open it. Like the vault and the outer door to this room, he soon found the small plate with the sigil upon it. Pressing his palm to the sigil he received the same prompt asking if he wanted to open the door. He chose yes and made his way inside.

The room was larger than his initial impression had led him to believe. Larger, but far less supplied. He was busy searching through the room when he heard footsteps approaching. Looking up from the current rack of dust covered weapons he saw not only Aelriva and Braegor but Rilsa, the young dwarven apprentice to the smith, enter the room.

Braegor held his head under his arm as he walked but lifted it over his shoulders to look about the room appreciatively. Rilsa, let loose a soft whistle at the quantity of items in the room, neither had been expecting anything of this sort when they accepted coming to start a new settlement.

It was not long, however, before the amazement cooled. The two smiths quickly confirmed the worst of Xavier’s suspicions. The majority of the weapons and armor, though well made, were mundane steel and iron. They may have been quite serviceable in the past, but age and lack of care had left them pitted and corroded. Xavier supposed it was too much to ask for an armory of superbly crafted weapons and armor just to be lying about waiting to be claimed for his village.

Between the three of them, they started sorting through the items. Several hours later they had identified a small collection of mostly leather armor and a handful of swords and daggers that would be easily repaired and restored to working condition. A good start towards outfitting a small guard for the village. Rilsa and Braegor had agreed to take the rest of the items and break them down into components for future crafting. This would result in a small stockpile of cut leather pieces to patch or build armor and numerous iron and steel ingots.

As they had neared the end of their work they found another small cabinet in the back. When opened it held three swords, two of them short swords and one long sword. Along with a pair of daggers. All five pieces glimmered darkly under the torchlight. Rilsa gasped and Braegor set his head on his shoulders, one hand reaching out to delicately touch the dark metal weapons. The craftsmanship was exquisite, but it was clear that they had felt the ravages of time as well. When Xavier touched them his field of view was obscured with prompts:

You have discovered: Adamantine Short Sword x 2

Item Class: Rare

Item Quality: Well Crafted

Weight: 1.2 kg

Durability: 50/100

Damage: 42-68 (21-34)

Damage Type: Piercing or Slashing

Description: A sleek short sword forged from adamantine, its blade gleaming with a dark, polished luster. Despite its inherent resilience, centuries of neglect have dulled its edges and loosened the hilt slightly, but its craftsmanship ensures devastating strikes.

Traits: - Unyielding: The blade is nearly indestructible, capable of parrying the strongest strikes.

- Armor-Piercing: Bypasses conventional armor with ease, delivering devastating blows.

You have discovered: Adamantine Long Sword

Item Class: Epic

Item Quality: Superb

Weight: 2.0 kg

Durability: 45/100

Damage: 51-102 (56–110 when wielded with two hands) (26-51)

Damage Type: Slashing

Description: A masterfully crafted long sword forged from adamantine. Time and exposure to the elements have slightly dulled its edge and caused minor corrosion on the hilt, but its exceptional material and design make it capable of tremendous damage.

Traits: - Unyielding: Nearly indestructible, ensuring it remains reliable in any battle.

- Enhanced Reach: Allows precise strikes at a longer distance.

- Armor-Piercing: Effortlessly penetrates heavily armored foes.

You have discovered: Adamantine Dagger x 2

Item Class: Rare

Item Quality: Well Crafted

Weight: 0.7 kg

Durability: 40/100

Damage: 22-51 (11-25)

Damage Type: Piercing

Description: A compact and deadly dagger forged from adamantine. Years of abandonment have left its edge nicked and its grip slightly worn, but its adamantine construction ensures it delivers precise and powerful attacks.

Traits: - Unyielding: Resistant to breaking, ensuring reliability in any scenario.

- Piercing Precision: Ideal for slipping through small gaps in armor.

- Lightweight: Allows for swift and silent attacks.

The weapons were amazing. Xavier was gob smacked by the sheer damage potential. He figured the numbers in parenthesis were due to the damage they had taken but even with that, they were incredibly dangerous.

“By the gods,” The Gan Ceann spoke softly, “Its adamantine. I have heard of the metal but never thought I would see so much in one spot. Stories of the richest lords or kings having weapons made of this metal are told but not even the king of Arenvalis has such a weapon.”

Hearing a new location name Xavier glanced to Braegor. “Arenvalis? Where is that? I have yet to have a chance to read the books we brought back from Bramblegate.”

Braegor, still enthralled by the weapons, spoke off-handedly. “To the north of the Silverwoods lies an area known as the wildlands. It is a land of few settlements, mostly home to nomadic tribes. It is accepted that they all swear fealty to King Ironthorn of Thandor’s Reach and the collection of peoples make up the kingdom of Arenvalis. Bramblegate was unofficially a part of the kingdom as well though we were on the edges.” His voice held an odd tone when he spoke of his former home, destroyed by raiding slavers.

“Somewhere I should visit in the future. Do you think we could find more individuals there who would be willing to relocate to our village?”

Braegor finally set down the sword he had been inspecting, if reluctantly. “The city is home to thousands of individuals, at least last I visited. Slaves, homeless, refugees, and others all call it home. Some would likely be happy to have a chance at a better life here.” While he spoke, he picked up one of the daggers his attention to his lord trailing off in awe of the master-crafted weapon. “I never thought I would hold something of this quality.”

“Are they serviceable? I can see that they are worn and damaged. Could you restore them to full strength.?” Xavier asked as he gave a few practice swings with one of the short swords. He marveled at how light the weapon was, every book he had read spoke of how heavy adamantine was.

“Nay, I do not have the skill yet to even try to work this metal. I am only a Journeyman Blacksmith, while I can make above-average and well-crafted items out of iron, steel, and some of the other easier-to-work metals. I can not even hope to forge any of the elemental metals like this.” Came the reply from Braegor.

Rilsa added in quietly, "Some o' the master smiths under th' mountains hae been said t' craft usin' mithril, adamantine, an' other elemental metals. It’s fiercely protected an' rarely allowed t' leave th' clans. Control o' th' ability t' work such metals be part o' why other kingdoms hold th' dwarven clans in such high regard. They be th' only folk able t' get items made o' such. It’s also rumored ye need t' use one o' th' legendary forges t' get it hot enough t' work th' metals. These be nae mundane weapons, my lord. These be pieces o' art as well."

Xavier smiled slightly remembering what Aelriva had told him about the forge the two smiths were currently inhabiting. “Legendary forges? I do remember hearing about them. How do we get access to one, or better yet how do we make one for ourselves?”

Braegor and Rilsa both regarded him as if he had just calmly asked how one ascended to the godly planes or counted the drops of water in the oceans.

After several minutes of being stared at Xavier made a motion with his hands, “Well? How do we do it?”

Braegor finally spoke, “There are only three great forges that I know of. Khazrak’s Crucible in the dwarven kingdoms beneath the mountains, Ashenforge of Sal’tarak to the far southwest in the center of the desert in the Saltwind Citadel, and the third supposedly is on the other side of the world, The Skyforge of Eryndral in the isles of Aelinthar. Myths say there was once a fourth, but it was lost millennia ago and even its name is no longer remembered.”

It was Aelriva who spoke up now. "The Celestium Forge, it was lost when th' empires fell at th' end o' th' Age o' Empires. Some o' th' items crafted there were rumored t' be th' most exquisite an' powerful ever made. 'Tis said th' forge was a gift from a goddess herself."

Xavier took in what each was saying, he looked to the weapons sadly, knowing they could not be repaired, not yet at least. After the sprite had spoken he looked to her curiously wondering if the forge outside was the one she spoke of. A subtle nod from the flying woman confirmed his suspicion and only enforced his need to grow the village before restoring it. “I really need to make time to learn more about the history and lands. I am woefully ignorant it seems.”

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

“As to how one is made my lord.” Braegor started. “Again, the stuff of legends, supposedly it requires powerful artifacts and relics.”

Rilsa spoke up again. Her voice distant as she remembered the old story. "Gather close, an' hear th' tale o' Khazrak's Crucible, born in th' deep halls o' th' Ironspire when th' world was yet young an' th' mountains still whispered th' secrets o' th' gods. For its heart, th' daring King Khazrak wrenched th' Molten Core from th' fiery grasp o' Ignavyr, th' dread Titan o' Flame, his beard singed but his resolve unbroken. Its flames hungered for a purpose, an' so he fed 'em with Eversteel Ore, th' unyieldin' metal sung into existence by th' Stonefather’s breath. But even fire an' ore couldnae birth legends without a steady hand upon th' Anvil o' th' Stonefather, carved from th' world’s heart an' imbued with th' wisdom o' th' mountain’s soul. Thus, in th' roaring depths, Khazrak’s Crucible was born, a forge that shaped nae just metal, but th' destiny o' all who dared wield its creations."

Xavier listened raptly but he understood what the pair was telling him. Building legendary buildings of craft was next to impossible. Luckily, he didn’t have to build one, just awaken the one the village already had. It did make him wonder if there were other buildings besides forges, however. “So, there are three legendary forges. What about the other crafts? Do they have legendary buildings as well?”

“Aye, my lord,” Braegor answered. “Every crafting archetype has a series of legendary buildings. Much like the forges though they are few, only two or three of them in the whole world. The stories about how they came into being are much like what Rilsa said about the crucible though. I can only think of one, The Clockwork Bastion, even on the continent besides the two forges and it is for artificers. Though none have been able to figure out how to get its doors to open.”

Xavier sighed as his hopes of eventually building one of each of the crafting buildings in his village were cruelly dashed. He turned his attention back to Braegor. “Speaking of crafting archetypes, I recently reached the level to allow me to pick a gathering and a crafting one. I have no idea which one to pick of either. I was kind of hoping that since you obviously have one you might be able to provide some advice.”

Braegor lifted his head from his shoulders and set it on the table between the two men, his face angled to be able to look at Xavier while he spoke. “Often that is something that comes from your upbringing. Core skills seem to regularly follow the maternal line, My grandfather, my mothers father that is, was a smith and I apprenticed under him learning much of what I know today. My mother’s mother was a miner and I have some skill in that as well though not nearly as progressed as my smithing.”

“It be th' same for me. Me mother’s line is full o' smiths, all th' way back t' th' founding o' th' clan." Rilsa added as she leaned on the table.

Xavier scowled slightly. “Well, that is less than helpful for me. I do not know what my mother was skilled in.” He obfuscated the fact that he wasn’t from this world. Something told him few would be understanding about that. He remembered books from back on Earth. In one series the main character was an enchanter to make powerful weapons for his village, another series focused on a smith, and yet another followed an alchemist. He really liked the series about the shaper, someone who could mold material into whatever shape he desired, but that MC ended up being a god so it wasn’t really feasible, nor did he have access to a skill like that. “Thank you for your help and advice, it wasn’t as helpful as I hoped but I seem to be without the guidance you both had. Please see to the weapons and armor as we discussed. I have a feeling when we get more guards it will be important. I am going to give you both access to the armory so you can stock it and retrieve the old gear from here. I will also be giving access to Coren, as he is the Captain of the Guard.”

Both smiths held their right fists to their chests and bowed slightly as Xavier turned to leave. He made his way back through the warrens to where Ella lay resting. Taking up his vigil at her bedside he looked up to see that Aelriva had followed him. She hovered in the air near the foot of Ella’s bed.

“Aelriva, why have I not seen any enchanted weapons or armor? I have found several pieces of jewelry and my satchel but that is all.” Xavier turned his attention to the sprite for a moment before returning to his interface and studying the archetypes once again.

"Enchantin' is a complicated craft, aye. Not only do ye require th' item t' be enchanted, ye need t' ken th' enchantment ye mean t' place upon it. Then ye’ll need essence stones, filled with th' right level o' essence for what ye’re enchantin'. More complex enchantments require more essence, mind ye. Finally, essence crystal must be ground, an' th' powder used. With essence crystal bein' what’s needed t' make essence stones, it’s nae easy t' come by for th' average crafter. Powdered essence crystal is needed for higher versions o' other crafts as well, so it be a rare an' precious commodity." The small sprite ticked off each point on her fingers as she spoke.

Xavier scowled slightly, he hadn’t heard of essence crystal or essence stones until now. It sounded like more complications to figure out if he wanted to improve his village. It also made him realize that enchanting likely would not be for him. Smithing, while appealing in a make his own weapons and armor sense also was dismissed. He didn’t think he would be able to spend hours and days toiling over a forge and anvil. There was too much that needed to be done for the village and his own growth to be stuck in one spot. He had always enjoyed cooking but it seemed it would eventually have the same issues as smithing the crafting tools being too hard to move about easily limited its growth for his needs. That only left a couple that really interested him. Artificer and Rune Engraver both stood out mostly cause he hadn’t really read or played games that dealt with them often. He knew artificers were often tinkers who came up with amazing techno-magical devices. Rune engravers on the other hand were similar to enchanters though often with shorter-term effects. He also hadn’t met anyone yet who knew either of those archetypes. Something about them spoke to him on a deeper level.

“Can you tell me anything about Artificers or Rune Engravers Aelriva?” He returned his gaze to the little sprite.

"I am sorry, Ard'Maelor. Much has been lost t' me over th' centuries as th' Syr'Vailen fell into dormancy. I do nae remember much beyond th' fact they be craftin' archetypes. They were both respected by th' Sylmyrians, aye. All craft was, however. As ye wake more o' th' ley lines an' level th' village, more should return t' me." She replied, once again there was a tone of sadness to her voice and Xavier wasn’t sure if it was due to the lost memories or the fact she couldn’t assist him.

Xavier sighed and looked back to his interface. The two archetypes had been singled out and he focused on them in turn hoping to learn more.

* Artificer: Masters of Arcane Craftsmanship

* Artificers are inventors who blend magic and mechanics to create devices, constructs, and tools. They are engineers of the arcane world, always pushing the boundaries of what is possible by fusing innovation with magical theory. "Why choose between magic and machines when you can just use both and call it brilliance?"

* Sub-classes include – Gadgeteer, Machinist, Magitech Engineer, Tinkerer, and Rune-Tech Smith.

* Rune Engraver: Masters of Magical Inscription

* Rune Engravers are arcane artists who channel ancient power through symbols and glyphs, inscribing runes onto weapons, armor, scrolls, and even the land itself. Their craft shapes the very fabric of magic, bringing spells to life through precise etching and mystical design. "Yes, it’s just a squiggle, until it blows up your face."

* Sub-classes include – Weapon Sigilist, Ward Crafter, Rune Artificer, and Scripter of Scrolls.

Xavier was amazed at how much the two seemed to overlap. He smiled wider and decided to take a gamble, the trait Unbound Possibilities clearly stated that he wasn’t limited by the rules of this world. Maybe he could get both archetypes eventually. With a village to support him, he could become a major industry in and of himself. His thoughts ran away with all of the gadgets and runes he could craft and trade. Let alone what they could do for his people. Sure, the little forest golems summoned by Aelriva were great but what if he could craft actual golems? They would never tire or vanish. He made his selection and suddenly he was provided with new skill prompts.

Congratulations! You have learned a new skill – Rune Channeling, Level 1, 0% to next level. The ability to infuse runes with magical energy, activating their latent power and enhancing their effects. This skill is central to the Rune Engraver's craft, as it determines how effectively a rune performs its intended function. "You don’t just poke random runes. That’s how you become tomorrow’s explosion story." +2% chance to successfully etch a rune. +2% rune efficacy.

Congratulations! You have learned a new skill – Rune Deciphering, Level 1, 0% to next level. The ability to analyze, understand, and even counter runes created by others or found in ancient relics. This skill allows Rune Engravers to unlock the secrets of forgotten magic or disarm dangerous glyphs. "Oh, this glyph is ancient magic? Well, now it’s my magic." +2% chance to successfully learn a rune. -2% chance to trigger the rune being studied.

Having selected his crafting archetype and possibly a future one as well, he felt certain there was only one gathering archetype that would support both. He studied the information for Scavenger.

* Scavenger: Masters of Salvage and Recovery

* Scavengers are resourceful individuals who thrive in ruins, battlefields, and desolate landscapes. They specialize in extracting value from the overlooked and forgotten, uncovering hidden treasures, repurposing scrap, and turning the remnants of the past into tools for the future. "It’s not garbage—it’s pre-crafted treasure. You just lack the vision."

* Sub-classes include – Urban Picker, Battlefield Scavenger, Relic Hunter, and Scrap Alchemist.

Xavier nodded to himself; this gathering archetype was the perfect support. He mentally accepted it as his gathering selection and received another set of skill prompts.

Congratulations! You have learned a new skill – Keen Eye, Level 1, 0% to next level. The ability to identify hidden or valuable items, resources, or opportunities in an environment that others might overlook. This skill is crucial for scavengers as it maximizes their efficiency in resource gathering and treasure hunting. "Oh, you missed the treasure chest because of a little tripwire? Guess I’ll take it."+2% chance to spot hidden or valuable items, resource,s or opportunity.

Congratulations! You have learned a new skill – Trap Awareness, Level 1, 0% to next level. The skill to recognize, assess, and disarm traps in environments such as ruins, dungeons, and battlefields. This ability is vital for scavengers who often operate in dangerous locations rife with protective mechanisms. "Traps are just puzzles with sharp, pointy edges. And I love puzzles." +2% chance to disarm or set a trap. -2% chance to trigger trap.

Done with those choices, Xavier turned his attention to his attribute screen, he still had another six points to distribute before he lost them to the will of the universe. He looked closer at what each did given his new skills and class archetypes he wanted to make sure he was getting the biggest bang for his efforts. After a while he smiled and allotted two points to intelligence, two points to wisdom, and his final two points to luck. When he selected yes to apply the changes his grin grew as the numbers updated. He also decided to apply his new twenty percent of skill growth to one of his new skills and keen eye changed to indicate that it now was twenty percent closer to becoming level 2. Satisfied with his changes he thought of a new question for his guiding sprite.

“Aelriva, I learned the skills for Life and Death magic when the Syr’Vailen came to life, however, I didn’t learn any spells for either type of magic. How am I supposed to level those skills without spells?”

"I was wonderin' when ye’d ask about that, Ard'Maelor. It’s nae difficult. I can teach ye a basic spell for each. It should be enough t' get ye started on th' path toward mastery o' the skills. I can teach ye how t' cast Blooming Touch an' Wraith's Whisper." As she spoke her form shifted embodying the essence of life at first before withering to her deaths form. As each form took shape she pulsed with energy and Xavier’s mind was filled with knowledge.

You have learned a new Life Magic spell. – Blooming Touch.

* Casting Time – 6 seconds

* Range – Touch

* Duration – Instantaneous

* Cost – 15 Mana

* Description: You channel the vitality of the ley lines into a single touch, infusing life into a creature or object. Choose one of the following effects:

* Healing Surge: Restore a small amount of health (18 - 24 hit points) to a creature you touch. This magic can mend minor wounds, remove bruises, and invigorate the target.

* Revitalize Flora: This will cause a small plant or patch of earth to burst into vibrant growth. Wilted flowers will bloom, dead grass will revive, and barren soil will become fertile.

You have learned a new Death Magic spell. – Wraith’s Whisper.

* Casting Time – 6 seconds

* Range – 30 feet

* Duration – Concentration – Up to 1 minute

* Cost – 15 Mana per 10 seconds of channeling

* Description: You conjure the essence of the Death Ley line to instill dread in your foes. Choose one creature within range that can hear you. The target is wracked with ghostly whispers that sap their resolve:

* The creature takes 15 necrotic damage every 5 seconds for the duration or until it successfully resists.

* While affected, the target has a disadvantage in attacks against you.

Xavier’s mind reeled with the new information. Complex hand gestures, precise words and inflections of tone, and even intricate knowledge of what the energy of the ley lines was changing to affect the spells surged to life within his mind. Just as sudden the burst of knowledge ebbed, and left Xavier slightly stunned. He knew for certain that he could recall either spell at a moment’s notice.

Unable to stop grinning at how much he had learned today, Xavier sat back in his chair and took Ella’s unconscious hand in his once again. He was tired, and it had been a helluva long day. He had earned some rest, he thought before he closed his eyes, slipping to the land of Nod and sleeping.