Visitors from the Empire

5th day of Erntenir (Autumn),

Clang! Clang! The red-hot black metal glowed in the evening dusk as Logan pounded the sword to give it shape. He puts the sword back into the forge to heat the metal again to obtain its forging color and repeats the hammering until it is the shape he is satisfied by. He dips the sword into oil for rapid cooling of the hot blade. He didn't like to use water because it was more violent due to the much faster cooling rate than oil. It may be faster, but the severity at which they do it can distort or even crack the steel alloy. Logan also liked how the oils are very adjustable. Their viscosity, temperature, and other properties can be modified with additives for different purposes. The fact they can be controlled so well means that it's very versatile, which streamlines the entire metalworking operation.

Several small beads of sweat dripped off his nose as he was finishing up giving the sword its heat treatment. He knew adding decorations to the item prolonged the crafting time, but this buyer wanted flourishes over the base of the sword. Nissa, his aunt, taught him how to fold metal to show off layers of it, add certain chemical acids to create minor effects and transitions, and finally also do engravings. However, he was never good at making the sword "beautiful" but he knew how to craft a very usable sword. It may never hang as decoration in a lords hall, but you can bet you can cut a goblin in two.

Jameson whistled at him to get his attention. Logan looked up and wiped the sweat from his brow and said, "Aye, I'll be at the Drunk Duck in an hour." Jameson was his good friend that was in his unit. He always liked to booze it up and then pretend he knew how to play the lute. It was always a good time at the Drunk Duck. However, he missed the Imperial City and his grandma's old place, the Crummy Crab. He remembered that place as a kid growing up. He practically lived there. There were tales of adventure every weekend some were made up and some were real he reckoned but when you are a kid every story was true.

Logan was in the back of the smithy washing up in a basin and putting on some presentable drinking clothes when a rap on the door startled him. "Jameson, I'll be out in a minute hold your britches, man!" The door opened up and it was his old man, Cole Marekson. He was balding with a barrel-shaped mid-section but was strong like an ox. He was in his uniform and looked concerned. 

"I see you are going out to drink ale and mead with your friends again. I want you to know you shouldn't get too hammered tonight son," he said with a grim-looking face. "Why is that father? Will I embarrass you if I do? Are you afraid a lord or lady will see me do something demeaning?", Logan said while lacing his boots. Cole throws a rolled-up parchment his way. "As you know the raiding is getting worse and we are getting important visitors all the way from the Imperial City to help deal with this problem. I want you to be on your best behavior and be very presentable tomorrow.", he states. 

Logan unrolled the parchment and it was from his commanding officer, Corporal Myers. Logan glances through the scroll and looks up at his father with dismay. "So, I am going to be scouting for them?", he says as he rolls up the parchment. 

Cole takes the parchment from his son and says, "You are the best Scout in Taline and you need to be at your best, so as I said, don't get too hammered tonight for you have important business tomorrow. Get your gear in order for I do not know when you will be headed out to the 5 Peaks region to investigate these raids." With that Cole exits and shuts the door behind him. Logan sat back down on the bench and looks in the mirror and grimaced. I will have to burn some incense tonight for good luck. He knows there is something large and scary out in the 5 peaks and they will need all the luck they can get.