For this trip, Alex went to Gavros. If there was a crafter that could build him a generator and battery then they would be found in Gavros, the only city Alex had traveled to in the Tower. Alex had saved up over 3000 Tower Points, enough he hoped for new daggers and this custom request.
Alex decided not to speak to any of the human crafters in the city. His choice was influenced partly by his reluctance to alert the Golden Doves of his return, and partly by his expectation of finding more favorable rates among the Aarakocra artisans. Despite his eagerness, Alex was acutely aware of the enormous risk he was undertaking merely by entering the city. Several months had elapsed since the opening of the Tower, during which it had become a bustling hub of human activity. Guilds had effectively established their dominance across all the cities on the first floor, controlling resource territories, hoarding Tower knowledge, monopolizing human craftsmanship within the Tower, and much more. Alex did not know any independent artisans, but he was certain they existed somewhere within the sprawling city and the broader Tower.
Alex wished he could find an independent crafter but knew little about how to find them and was not sure how difficult it would be without exposing his return to the city. He kept himself hidden in part because of his pride and because of the want for the surprise. By now Rich and the others had entered the second floor by Alex’s estimation, and he wanted to catch them by surprise. Alex wanted his appearance and vengeance to be as sudden and swift as Rich’s betrayal.
Alex walked the streets of Gavros careful of where he stayed around. He was by no means an expert on the layout of the city, but he was able to stay out of the most populated areas. His cloak was pulled up and hid some of his features as he passed by other climbers. He avoided the inns and taverns and instead entered the crafter’s corner of the city at a quick pace. Alex checked the names of a few places until he found one he recognized.
The Resting Knife was a place he had visited once before to get his daggers repaired. Satisfied with their previous work Alex hoped to call upon their services again.
Alex leaned on the counter of the blacksmith's shop. His worn daggers were clutched tightly in his hands. “I’m looking for new daggers to replace these," he began, his fingers absently running over the dented hilts and chipped blades of his current weapons, each imperfection marked a battle that he fought and won. "They need to last me for a while longer when I am up on the second floor. They should be sturdy, reliable, and well-balanced like these so that I can throw them on occasion.”
Across from him, the Aarakocra blacksmith, a massive bird-like creature with a sharp beak and piercing eyes, regarded him curiously. The blacksmith's shop was filled with the rhythmic clanging of metal on metal, the smell of burnt iron, and the heat of the forge, but his attention was solely on the human before him. "You and many others have come in here prepping to enter the next floor," the blacksmith observed, his voice a gravelly rumble. "Do you think you are ready?"
Alex paused. "I would hope so," he responded his voice a measured mix of caution and readiness. "I know of the undead that appears on the second floor and fought against them on my home world Earth when the initial invasion occurred. I wasn’t as strong as I am now, but I have leveled up and grown since then.”
The blacksmith nodded, his talons clicking together in contemplation. "It is good that you have confidence. Pass me your daggers and I will see what sets I have in the back," he offered, extending a feathered hand. "May I ask what price range you are looking for?”
Alex considered for a moment, the barest hint of a grim smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. “Whatever resale value you will give for those plus 1000 Tower Points."
The Aarakocra blinked, his large eyes momentarily widened in surprise before a low, appreciative chuckle echoed from his beak. “That should cover most of them I have," he said, his gaze flicking to the worn daggers now resting on the counter. "Give me a minute and I’ll bring out two sets that you might like."
As the blacksmith disappeared into the back of the shop. When he returned he brought out two dagger variations.
The first was a set of sleek, shadow-black daggers, the blades seemingly drinking in the forge’s light, rendering them almost invisible in the dimly lit shop. Their hilts were wrapped in charcoal-black leather, providing a secure grip. The second set had a more traditional design, the steel shimmering silver under the glow of the smithy. The blades were slightly broader, with intricately etched markings along the flat of the blade that shone brighter than the surrounding metal. The hilts were of polished mahogany, lending them a sturdy, old-world feel.
Alex picked up the first set, the black blades feeling cool and weighty in his hands. He balanced them, testing the throw by giving a swift, underhand flick of his wrist. The daggers spun in a perfect arc before he caught them effortlessly, a small smile of satisfaction gracing his features.
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"Good balance, decent weight, sturdy grip," he murmured appreciatively. "But I’d like to see how the other set feels."
Setting the black blades back on the counter, he picked up the second set. These daggers felt different – a tad heavier, but the balance was still excellent. He repeated the same movement, the steel blades whistling through the air before he caught them with practiced ease.
The blacksmith watched, his sharp eyes taking in Alex's handling of the weapons. "The black blades are made from obsidian from the Gavros Mountains, giving them the ability to blend into the darkness. The other ones are made from forged steel, etched with runes of strength and endurance," he explained, his gaze never leaving Alex. "They might not have the stealthy advantage of the former, but they are as sturdy as they come. Both sets are well-balanced and reliable, as you requested."
Alex considered, his gaze shifting between the two sets of daggers. After a moment of contemplation, he reached out, his hand closing around the hilts of the steel blades. "I’ll take these," he decided.
The Aarakocra nodded, an approving glint in his eyes. "A wise choice," he said, as he carefully wrapped the daggers in a piece of oilskin. "These will serve you well on the second floor, I guarantee it."
Alex traded away 900 of his Tower points and stowed his new daggers away.
“One more thing for you if you don’t mind. I am looking for someone to take on a custom request. I am hoping that you can take care of it or point me to the type of crafter that can do it,” said Alex.
“I don’t do many custom requests. You got your new daggers, don’t you? What else could you need?” asked the blacksmith. He returned to the edge of his counter.
"I need a generator and a battery," Alex said, his words stark and confident against the rhythmic backdrop of the forge. The blacksmith blinked at him, his beady eyes narrowing as he considered the request. "A battery is a storage device of energy. In this case, I need it to be electricity and the generator able to do the same. It will need to be lightweight and portable."
“A generator and a battery?" The blacksmith echoed, a frown creasing his beak. "I know the basic concept, but the creation of such things is beyond my understanding. I craft with iron and steel, not energy and nature. At most, I carve some of the runes I know into weapons and some armor. This is far from a simple blacksmithing task. It falls more into the realm of the tinkerers and artificers. Probably would need a specialized mage crafter as well.”
Alex nodded, understanding the blacksmith's limitations. "I figured it might be a long shot," he admitted. "But I thought it worth asking anyway. The items I need are to collect and store energy, like battery stores a charge.”
The Aarakocra tilted his head, the gears in his mind visibly turning. “Hold on, I might have a different idea. This is the world of the Tower after all," he offered, his talons tapping thoughtfully on the counter. "What if we used a mana stone?”
Alex's eyebrows rose in interest. "A mana stone?" he was reminded of games and stories from fiction but had yet to see one in the Tower. "How would that work?"
The blacksmith leaned forward. His interest was piqued. "Mana stones are often used to store magical energy. It’s possible, with the right enchantment, to store electrical energy instead. I’m no enchanter, but I do have some contacts who might be able to assist.”
It was an intriguing proposition, one that aligned with the magical inclinations of this world. But Alex had a crucial question. "How much would it cost?"
The blacksmith scratched his beak, eyes distant as he calculated. "A mana stone of decent size would be expensive, likely more than you paid for those daggers. And the enchantment... it could easily double the cost. Plus, there's a drawback - mana stones can't be reused. Once you've depleted the energy, the stone breaks. They are mined on other floors of the Tower you see. They can only be shipped down here for the few sellers wanting to buy them. As you are going to the second floor soon I would suggest finding an enchanter and source of mana stones up there.”
The potential cost made Alex hesitate. He had a reasonable amount of Tower Points left, but he didn't want to spend them all in one place. However, the prospect of having a portable energy source was enticing, especially considering the potential threats on the second floor. "So, if I get them on the second floor it will be a little cheaper, but the work cost will be the same. How much energy can they hold?"
"The energy capacity or the mana reserves that they can accumulate is directly proportional to their magnitude. Simultaneously, an increase in their size would inevitably result in a proportional escalation of their market value. A rough estimation, grounded on the standard worth of mana stones pegged at 1000 Tower Points. Though for storage power my limited knowledge suggests that fire mages that often utilize these during critical situations can discharge a pair of fireballs. However, I remain uncertain as to how this capacity would equate to the containment of lightning-based energy. For that, a consultation with a specialized expert would be necessary."
Alex frowned at the news. He paused realizing that that his search would be harder to finish. It wasn’t just a matter of gathering enough money but finding a solution that could be used for longer and in the long term.
"Your reaction indicates a financial constraint preventing you from investing in such an endeavor. Regardless, it's quite an intriguing concept to contemplate. I should clarify that I am not the sort of artisan that possesses the skills to create these energy batteries and generators. I would suggest seeking out an artificer on the second floor. They might just have the expertise to aid you in this matter."
“Thanks for the advice. I’ll search them out and see what I find. And thanks for the new daggers. I hope to be testing them out on some undead soon. Have a good day.”
“You as well,” said the blacksmith as Alex exited the shop with his newest purchase.