RP: The Gift of the Sword
Daeusites are handing out Yule season gifts of clothing and toys for children, mostly, as well as offering a free meal to anyone who comes to the temple. They're also, of course, taking donations from anyone able to give to help defray the costs of these efforts, as well as to provide ongoing charity throughout the rest of the year. As such, there's quite a bit of money and goods trading hands in the temple area at the moment, and guards are needed to prevent theft or robbery. As such, the more martial-minded and capable of the Daeusites are taking shifts standing guard. Among these guardians is Elisabeth, standing in her armor near the main entry path into the temple grounds.
Duthei arrives, looking fabulous as usual - or handsome, as it happens, in their tunic and breeches. And generous, for they tote a sizable bag in one hand, and a large bundle of furs in the other! "Hello hello," they chime, coming up to a guard, and then diverting that course to approach Elisabeth directly. "Hello hello, darling," they chime, "I have something for you!"
"Hello, Duthei", says Elisabeth, smiling. "If you'll take your bags of donations, if that's what those are, over there...", she says, gesturing to one of the temple's buildings, outside and in front of which is a clear 'donations are being taken here' area.
"Well, yes. Money for the children, and some fur cloaks. Uh...just a moment." They trot over to the donation station, unloading said jingles and bundles to receptive parties - and then return, bearing what is unquestionably a sword, and unquestionably an odd one. "Right," they say, "It's finished!"
"What's fini...?", starts Elisabeth having been distracted by pointing someone else to the part of the charity drive that they were seeking within the temple. When she turns to look at Duthei, again, she stops, because there's clearly a sword in Duthei's hands. "Oh...! Is this the sword you said you were making for me?", she questions.
"Quite!" Duthei reaches for the sword and draws it slowly, so as to show it off; first, there is the dazzling piece of cut amber which is socketed into a curved grip made of a strange, knobbed substance that looks suspiciously like bone. There are no quillions, only a flared piece of gold-chased steel that serves as a kind of lip that protects the hand, more like a hunting knife than a sword itself - but this is somehow forged into the blade, melding into one piece. And then there is the blade itself! Long and sinuous, it is a flattened, single-edged s-curve of steel whose heavy spine gives it great strength from tang to upturned point. In the middle of the blade, a sun has been worked out in brilliant gold, and its rays - actually spears made of flame with darkened contrails of 'smoke' - run in every direction down its length. It is, to say the least, a work of art as much as it is a weapon, and laying it upon its deceptively plain sheath of metal wrapped in red leather, it is...well. It is worthy of Elisabeth's post, to say the least.
Elisabeth is taken aback by the sword. In fact the other few Daeusites who are on duty at the gate also take pause to look at the sword, before they turn back to deal with the people coming in and out of the temple grounds, while leaving Elisabeth to finish her dealings with Duthei. "This... is an extremely unique-looking blade!", she says, "... and the artfulness of the work is exquisite!" Glancing over to the other guards, to make sure she can step away, she then gestures away from the entrace to the temple grounds and moves that way, making sure Duthei follows.
Once away from there, and out of the general traffic flow, Elisabeth removes her shield from her arm and sets it down. Then, she reaches with both hands for the blade being shown to her by its creator. At first, she simply holds it in both hands, looking at the blade and then the grip and pommel -- clearly, she's looking at the artwork and craftsmanship of the weapon. Then, finally, she shifts one hand over to take hold of the grip, turning away from Duthei to lift the sword into the air, then, slowly, move it from side to side and about.
"This blade is magnificent! The balance is superb, and the grip's all but a perfect fit to my hand", she says. "It's lighter than other blades I've wielded of this general size, too. This is better than I could've hoped for!", she adds, lowering the blade to turn and reach for the scabbard, into which she slides the blade, before moving to attach the sheath and blade to her belt on her left hip... where her previous sword had once been sheathed.
"Well, I don't shirk," says Duthei, obviously pleased. "I'm very happy that you like it. You should have no trouble having enchantments laid upon it or whatever, it's certainly of the appropriate quality." Not really /bragging/, just saying what's on the tin. The quality speaks for itself. "Even if you don't have a sword forged from adamantine, this should last for a very, very long time. I'm happy to have made it for you." That said, Duthei executes a little half-bow.
Elisabeth hangs the sheathed sword at her hip, then slowly draws the blade out and holds it in a one-handed grip, then in a two-handed grip... then re-sheathes it. "This is a finer blade than I could have asked for!", she says, still smiling. "Thank you very, very much, Duthei!", she adds.