New Opportunities (open)

[Brenton]

Konner thought carefully about the prospect of gems in the hidden blades and whether or not they would mess with the functionality of them when the time was most important. He looked at how they were forming and as he gathered his thoughts to start the second spell he shook his head slightly. Gems will hinder them when they are in use and therefore are not practical in my line of work. Slowly he started the second spell, his voice rising and falling in pitch as the air seemed to shimmer around the blades and a soft red glow grew on the metal while the sound of whispering filled the forge. He wiped his brow and his hair seemed to stand on end as if energy gave it reason to stand at attention.

The walls grew darker with shadows even though the fire still cast light and the room grew cold as the spell continued to drain heat from the surroundings but the entire time the spell sounded musical and sweet to the ear. Konner stood tall as he spoke and finally he finished spell with a soft groan and sag of his shoulders to herald his ever increasing weakness.

[Quetzal]

Throkk listened to the words of the second spell, finding the musical chanting oddly soothing as a background to his work. If he were richer, he might work to music more often. He was no good singer himself, although he did know a few good dwarf songs he liked to hum under his breath on occasion at the forge. At first the spell sounded good, but the heat seeping out the room into the blades and growing collection of tiny cogs and springs made him doubt that. Cold was normally associated with evil, as was the dark of night growing in the sky outside through the small high window. The shadows made him feel uneasy. "What's that spell doing? This cold and those shadows aren't exactly pleasant," he asked gruffly.

The metal in the furnace was left there at a reasonably constant temperature, Throkk taking some once he was done with another part of the mechanism. Two strips of metal as long as the blade itself were made to go either side of the weapon when sheathed, and it was from these that all the mechanisms were fixed. Tiny pieces were slotted into place when cool and soft, then left unable to move once cooled and hardened. He was nearing completion when he drew out a long thin wire from the ductile heated metal and began coiling it round a short thin wooden cylinder to make a spring. Noticing Konner had finished the spell and looked tired, he spoke. "You all right? Sit down if you want. Perhaps we could go for some ale after this, unless you'd rather get going or sleep," he offered.

[Brenton]

Konner smiled wearily, his eyes showing that he had endured far greater than just casting two spells like this, and shook his head slowly while he tried to clear his mind of the encroaching fog that threatened to overcome him. If it succeeded he would pass out or worse he would get angry for some odd reason and then untold horrors could happen to all involved. To ensure that didn't happen, Konner placed his hand over three gems placed on his gauntlet and slowly drew energy from them and into his body, feeling the heat and strength flood into him once more.

With a slight sigh he stood up and stretched to ease the uncomfortable kinks from his back and loosen the muscles and joints that were often used for every day activities such as running jumping or fighting. That spell wasn't evil in any way. It was meant to increase the metals capability to contain energy but because it is not a gem then it took more energy than I originally thought so I had to drain the energy from the heat and light of the room. It wasn't heralding death or anything like that so you have nothing to worry about, Throkk, for I don't normally use spells of such a degree.

With a thought onto the dwarf's offer of going for ale later, Konner rested his hand upon the satchel and then felt the coins rattle around as well as the gems that he was planning on selling for more money. With a barely perceptible nod, the rider opened the satchel and pulled out 150 gold royals as well as ten medium sized diamonds. He handed them over to Throkk with a slight smile and shrug of his shoulders that stated the dwarf had done a good job with these blades as of so far. Plus a few gems and some gold from a large chest in the market was nothing when he could easily get more if he needed it at a later date.

You did a good job, Throkk, and I'm certainly going to enjoy that ale but please don't fret over payment or such as I'm quite certain I can afford that if need be. Still what are your plans for the future when this war is over and there is less of a need for weapons as there is now when we have fighting every day? Have you ever thought about maybe finding work for a group that will have constant need of weapons and armor even in days to come after Galbatorix? I will have a base off by the Hadarac if you are ever in search of such a job but do not expect it to be an easy life if you are caught by some of the people who remain Empire loyal because they will still exist.

Konner closed the satchel and watched as the weapons were being finished with delicate movements, now that the dwarf was on the finer pieces that required more care to make. It was fascinating to see someone take a piece of metal and turn it into something so close to a machine of death and destruction that it scared even the bravest men where they slept and felt the safest. Konner of course dealt with such people who acted brave on a day to day basis but even this art would scare him if Throkk ever deemed him unfit to fight and instead made a weapon to kill him because it was well known a dwarf could do such a thing and not care.

[Quetzal]

Throkk was relieved to hear the spell wasn't anything so dark as its visible effects made it seem, and sure enough some warmth and light returned to the room. The agreement to going for some ale after the job was completed was a happy prospect, too. Gruff no-nonsense dwarf though he was, even he loved company and was all for making new friends.

Dwarves were notorious for their love of gold. Throkk was no exception. His love for gold was second only to his love of the glittering jewels mined out the ground. His eyes widened with surprise and deep happiness at the sight of the gold and diamond. Wordlessly, he found a small brass chest and locked them away. "My goodness, I can't thank you enough, sir. That's more than I could hope to make in a long time indeed," he could scarcely get a word out in his excitement.

"I haven't really thought about what I'll do after the war, I confess," he admitted as he fashioned leather strips into a strap for the blade, and set about the delicate task of arranging all the little pieces withing. "For now the Varden offer employment enough, and I suppose you as well now. Should the Empire win, I suppose I shall be forced into servitude to them. The use of my skills should save my life, I hope. If the Varden win, I'll have less work, but I thought I'd branch out into more decorative work. Working for your group by the desert sounds promising. Why would you be in constant need of weapons in peacetime, though?" he wondered.

After a little more tinkering, he strapped the blade around his wrist. He had to fasten it tightly as his wrist although thick in proportion to his own body was a good deal smaller than Konner's. Flexing, he smiled as nothing happened. He passed the hidden weapon over to Konner. It was thin enough to be concealed beneath a baggy sleeve or cloak, and the springs would push the blade out with enough force to do some damage. "Your spells must have worked. You try. Flex your wrist, and the pressure on the strap should release the blade for you," he smiled proudly, a little tense in case it did not work.

[Brenton]

Konner nodded as he watched the dwarf work on the very last details, assembling the pieces, while he discussed his options and thanked him for the gold and jewels that in a normal situation he wouldn't even have. The assassin smiled sadly at the last question though a he took the hidden blade and strapped it on his arm. With a single motion, the tension of the straps made the spring react and the blade sprang forth like it was moving of its own accord without being told what to do. Even in times of peace, insurgents and enemies thrive in the streets like the scum they are, searching for a way to the throne. If the Varden wins then I will be searching the streets for such a group and eradicating any Empire friendly survivors who wish Nasuada harm. It is how it must be for an assassin to live but the truth is that once the war ends I will probably spend more time building the guild and expanding onto the base near the Hadarac. You would be welcome because part of it will be underground and I know little about the rock besides what I learned under Farthen Dur.

Releasing the tension, Konner let the blade slide back into the sheathe and he pulled his sleeve down over it to inspect the way it was hidden from view. Even a truly experienced eye would have trouble seeing that he had anything under that sleeve and that was what he needed. It was perfect skill and made with great hands that knew what each piece needed to do to get the desired effect for the weapon to work properly. This was one dwarf smith that he would love to have in his service for a little more time.

[Quetzal]

((Are we done here? Seems a nice place to end it.))

Throkk's work was his greatest pride. As much as he loathed arrogance, he had to admit he found it in himself sometimes; when he started talking about his work, it often turned to boasting. Seeing the hidden blade slide out at its owner's command was like watching a friend or relative achieve something for the first time. A surge of pride and satisfaction swept through him to see that Konner was happy with his weapon. The dwarf stood tall, beaming. He liked this Konner. They got each other, and he could appreciate a fine weapon when he saw one. The prospect of this future in the desert could prove exciting too, although he'd have to look into it and think carefully before he made any commitments. Things could change between now and the end of the war.

"Thank you for bringing me such an interesting job. Normally it's just making many identical swords, and both you and the man from earlier have given me more interesting tasks," swords were nice to make, but he liked to make them each unique, not all the same for uniform distribution amongst soldiers. He put out the fire in the forge and cleared away some leftover metal for scrap. "Well, now, I believe it's high time we relaxed. Come, there's an excellent tavern I know," he grinned leaving his work for the day.[/blockquote]

[Brenton]

((Yeah I'd say so))

Konner smiled warmly at the dwarf as he saw him stand taller with pride at the way that the man was examining his weapons now that they were finished. Well it wasn't exactly like he had any reason to not be pleased with his work when someone else was pleased, now was there? Konner hoisted the satchel higher and then nodded briefly at the words that Throkk was saying to him at that exact moment. You are welcome, Throkk, Master Metalsmith. I am very pleased with the work and I am sure that so is Belock because he had the same person craft his weapons. Now then, relaxation sounds good right now. The man looked out at the city and sent a thought to Talon about how he would be safe as long as he was with Throkk and that maybe he could even introduce the two sometime at a later date. With that done, the rider assassin and knight followed the dwarf who made his weapon.