Weapons and Inventions
Log Info
- Title: Weapons and Inventions
- Place: A07: Lower Alexandria Market District
- Summary: Rune comes to pick up her newly enchanted sword from Alaryn, and is given a sales pitch for a number of other (mostly) useful items.
The work had been fun and time consuming. But not difficult. Alaryn has made a routine out of enchanting weapons. The short sword she had been provided to enchant was of such quality, that it made it easy. Humming to herself, she went through the motions with goggles firmly down fishbowling her eyes.
With the quartz and semi-precious gems afixed properly, she went about doing -one- cosmetic thing. She'd prefer to make it light up but that would defeat the purpose of being done the way the client wants. But there -is- a strip of the black quartz powder running along the fuller on both sides. Not fully filled in, but when the weapon is used, there may or may be a dark shadowy flash of aura that trickles along the length of the blade. It is one of her favorite pieces she's done... and she finished it all last night, throwing a silver coin to one of the urchins about to run and find Rune to tell her the weapon was ready.
Today, she is working on her next project. Black iron ankle-bands with red and black lava crystals, the whole of each band made to appear as if lava were glowing and trying to seep out from under the surface. Cosmetics are important.
It isn't long before that same urchin comes back up the street, nearly dragging Rune in tow. Despite her role as a rogue, Rune has a certain soft spot for kids, especially those who happen to come from a harder upbringing. So much so that once she's been delivered to Alaryn's remarkable booth in the Market District, she offers the kid a very generous few coins.
"So, I heard it's ready?" She asks, looking curious even as it's obvious that Alaryn is working on something else entirely. Her brow lifts, easily spotting the familiar lava-stones that are very characteristic to a certain Sith-Makar. "I see Harkashan found his way to you, as well? I passed your name along as a recommendation." Motioning at the ankle-bands, "I'd recognize those lava-stones anywhere."
Grinning behind those goggles that make her eyes look three times larger, Alaryn turns her head and reaches to lift said goggles off of her eyes. "Indeed he did! What a nice guy he is! So patient and cooperative."
That said, she snaps her fingers and nods, "Right. The sword!" That done, she reaches a hand out, gesturing to open a concealed panel in the cart, and then a shelf slides out. The shelf is large enough for bigger weapons, but she doesn't like to keep magical items out in the open. Laying there is the scabbarded weapon. "That's for you!"
The sight of those enlarged eyes is a little disconcerting, enough to have Rune flinch slightly. Thankfully she gets used to it relatively quickly. "Mmm. He usually ends up having more in the way of funds than I do. People pay well for healers, these days. Especially given the state of things in Alexandros." What she means is, all the danger lurking around seemingly every corner. "So those are to help him get around a bit faster?"
As the compartment opens, Rune leans down to pick up the weapon, feeling the weight of it in her hand. Her hand grasps around the handle before she slides it out smoothly, checking the weight and the feel of the blade. "It's gorgeous." High praise from Rune. After giving a glance down the street to make sure she has a bit of room, she spins the weapon in her hand and gives a couple of practice swipes with it, making sure to leave plenty of room between her and other merchants and passers by. "It's perfect!"
The smile that she offers is bright, obviously quite happy with workmanship. "I've almost got enough to get the second one enchanted. I probably need another good scor-- job before I can afford that, though." That phrasing makes it obvious that she may not always have been so 'honorable' in her work.
Grinning proudly, Alaryn nods, "You've a good eye. I call these my... Floor is Lava Bands. He doesn't wear -boots-, so these will go on his ankles, and trust me, if the ground was super hot, you'd run faster, right?" she asks with a chuckle.
But she sets that workbench aside and rotates her stool around to observe the swordsmanship demonstration. "Looks good in your hand too." she remarks. And, when you have the money, I actually managed to keep enough of the quartz powder and the crystals to make the other one match that one perfectly... if that's what you want."
"Most definitely." Rune agrees as she slides the weapon back into the scabbard. "He just got that new set of shiny armor, so I think he started realizing just how much it weighs him down." The rogue explains, "Then again, Hark's fighting style is mostly wading into the thick of things while giving off auras of badassery to everyone around him. Most of the time he doesn't even swing that Khopesh of his."
She unbuckles the strap which holds her swords to her back, then begins to buckle the new weapon in next to its unenchanted sibling. "I think that would work. I've had these two blades for years now, so I feel a little like I owe it to them to keep fighting with them, even if they need some work every now and again."
Then, she admits, almost sheepishly, "Though, I did pick up a silver and cold iron blade recently as well. If only because we keep running into creatures that seem resistant to regular blades. So it's less a matter of loyalty and more one of staying alive."
"Function is important. Utility and usefulness. Trust me." offers Alaryn with a chuckle. "There is no reason to feel like you -must- keep using something that's not working right. At least right for the given situation."
"Have you ever thought about alchemical firearms?" she asks as she reaches into a pouch no larger than a foot deep and pulls out a four foot long Thunderbelcher. "They're only sneaky on the first shot, but... boy, I bet that you could make that first one count."
"That's why I've been saving whatever coin I have to better outfit myself. When your life is on the line on a regular basis, you can't really afford not to." Rune catches her lower lip between her teeth, her expression thoughtful. "I'd like to remain breathing, at least for a good long while. So I'm sure you'll have a repeat customer for quite a while."
And then Alaryn draws out that huge firearm from within a far too small container. "How did you..." Her brows furrow. Rune is still very new to unusual magical effects. "That's... one of those things that is bigger on the inside, right?" So she must have encountered /something/ like it at some point.
"I'm afraid I don't know much about firearms, other than to point the blasty bit away from yourself and towards the person you want to die." It's as basic as 'stick them with the pointy end' when it comes to a blade. "I do have a bow, but I'm fairly rubbish with it. I mostly use it for hunting wild game when we're on a job."
Nodding her head, Alaryn grins, "Yes, larger on the inside. It's designed for storing bulky things like firearms." The pouch is attached to a belt that has loops for lots and lots of firearm cartrdges. She wears a criss-crossed bandolier of the same things over her chestpiece. "Trust me. I.." She pauses and inclines her head, "I presume you have the best quality -tools- you can get for your profession, yes?" she asks. "Because I've an idea."
"I've only ever seen something like that once, and it wasn't a bag like that one." Rune explains, "Someone had been trying to smuggle monsters inside it, and the monsters broke loose, destroyed the thing." Pulling the straps tight on her holster, she starts to slide her arms back through it, testing the weight and fit across her back. Overall, for how diminuative Rune is, she does seem to carry a lot of weapons. There are two clips for attaching additional swords to her belt, and she has a dagger in each boot.
"I've got a set of picks and other tools for disarming traps that I commissioned from a master crafter years ago, if that's what you mean?" Rune offers. Reaching over, she opens up a large pouch that hangs against her hip, pulling out a rolled up set of tools and offering it out for Alaryn's appraisal. It seems to be quite finely crafted and well maintained.
Wincing at the description of that destruction, Alaryn shakes her head, "Wow. Transporting live beings in one of these is very problematic. For one, while it is open, there is air in it, but once you close it, that's all the air you have. So maybe anything alive might have a few minutes of air. Also, if they destroyed it from the inside... if they had sharp claws or teeth that ripped the 'fabric' from the inside, the odds are it would rupture and take everything within a few feet into the Astral realm... permanently."
She tsks softly and shakes her head, "Not for me. No thank you." she adds. But then is distracted by the picks and tools. "Aye. Just so. I was thinking... that maybe you'd like to have such devices magically concealed upon your person. So that if you are searched, they are nowhere to be found."
Wincing at the description of that destruction, Alaryn shakes her head, "Wow. Transporting live beings in one of these is very problematic. For one, while it is open, there is air in it, but once you close it, that's all the air you have. So maybe anything alive might have a few minutes of air. Also, if they destroyed it from the inside... if they had sharp claws or teeth that ripped the 'fabric' from the inside, the odds are it would rupture and take everything within a few feet into the Astral realm... permanently."
She tsks softly and shakes her head, "Not for me. No thank you." she adds. But then is distracted by the picks and tools. "Aye. Just so. I was thinking... that maybe you'd like to have such devices magically concealed upon your person. So that if you are searched, they are nowhere to be found."
"I know. Apparently it was how they managed to sneak the creatures past the security at the Am'shere portal." Rune explains, "I think they opened it to let air in for the creatures and they tore their way out. At least, that's what we could get out of the only survivor." With a shake of her head, her dyed hair sways slightly. "If you hear of anyone trying to commission more of those sort of things that seem... sketchy. Maybe pass that along to the Guild?" Alaryn likely had more knowledge of those sorts of goings on than most.
Rolling back up the set of tools, Rune tucks them away again, "I don't tend to get searched very often, at least not these days." She admits, "Back when I used to run with thief crews, yeah, but... I was able to sneak into a dinner party with two daggers in my boots and no one even batted an eye." With a lift of one shoulder, Rune laughs softly, "I guess going straight has some benefits."
Smirking, Alaryn shakes her head, "I am not really in the loop on all of other craftspersons. A lot of them don't really like me. Artificers think I am not Artificey enough... wizards think I'm not magical enough." But she shrugs, "I will keep my eyes and ears open however."
As she is speaking, she stands up, putting away her bigass rifle thingee into the pouch once more. "But what I mean is.." she reaches a hand to the clasp of one of her leather bracers, murmurs a soft word and then peels the bracer off, looking like a rolled up set of the same sorts of tools Rune just showed off. "Now, I may just be a fan of having something magical about it all. But I find these very useful."
"That's a shame." Rune's brows furrow. "It seems to me that people who develop things like this should work together. Wouldn't that make it easier to create entirely new inventions or enchantments?" Of course, what does she know about such things. Rune doesn't have a magical bone in her body. You know, except for those strange things that have started to happen around her. But we ignore that.
Her head tilts as Alaryn peels off the bracer, revealing the hidden tools. "Huh." It's more of an exhalation of surprise than anything else. "I can see how that would certainly be useful." She does seem fascinated by the crafter's inventions, "I think my other sword has to be my first priority, though. Maybe after that's taken care of, I can scrape together some extra gold for something like that."
Grinning, Alaryn shrugs her shoulders, "Oh of course, the sword. But you can't blame me for just trying to make more sales down the road, eh?" she asks with a smile.
"But when I finish those ankle bands, I'm going to start setting up for the second sword. So that when you are ready, it will progress easy and simple. Is there anything more you might be in the market for?" she adds, "I've got a schematic for something called a 'Hat of Disguise'..."
"Of course. You wouldn't be a good sales person if you didn't try to upsell me on more things." A soft laugh carries as Rune smiles, not seeming bothered at all. If nothing else, it seems to give her more ideas on how she might be able to better handle whatever strangeness Alexandros throws at her next.
"Not sure I'd get much use out of that one, but I do now an Egalrin who has a propensity for disguises. Then again, I think she may use some sort of magic. She disguised herself as a Gobber once. It was impressive." That, or Rune is simply easily impressed by magic. Perhaps it is a little of both.
"You wouldn't happen to be able to make anything that could... grow scales or otherwise toughen up my skin?" It sounds like an odd request at first, "I spend a lot of my time around the Makari, and they're always teasing me as a 'softskin'." There is a roll of her blue eyes, her smile lingering. It's obviously playful teasing that goes on between them.
"Funny you should ask." remarks Alaryn with a little knowing grin. It's strangely offputting how innocent she looks while at the same time so devious.
She lifts her left hand to her neck and pulls a pendant out from under her silvery breastplate. "I made this one that I wear myself. That's exactly how it works."
"Do you know, they tried to convince me that Bloodbroth would give me scales?" There is more laughter in Rune's voice, sharing that tidbit of her odd relationship with the Makari. "Would be hilarious to trick them into thinking it /actually/ worked." You can can't really take the trickster nature out of a rogue completely, even one who has turned around as much as Rune has.
Peering a bit closer at the pendant, there is a low, appreciative sound as she nods her head, "Good to know. That would be another one on my list when there's more gold to be had. Last time I went out on a job, it turned out the one that hired us was a Fey wearing someone's face. So it didn't exactly pay out what we expected."
"Well, when you figure out the finances, I can make these with different levels of power. The most basic will run you 1200. The next one up will be four times that a 4800. Beyond that is more than likely out of reach for quite some time. I am talkin' another 6 thousand on top of that." suggests Alaryn.
"Mine is the cheap one, because... you know. Cheap." she adds with a smirk. "But I would love to see you pull one over on your friends.... and to help with it."
"I think it'll be a while, regardless." Rune does one final adjustment on the straps for her swords, then gives an incline of her head. "But I appreciate the sales pitches. It's given me a few ideas."
With that, she smirks, "I'll let you get back to your work. Hark and I have some things we need to attend to in town, so we'll likely be around for a few days, either way. So I'm sure either He or I will see you soon enough." With that, she raises a hand before heading back off into swell of people in the Market district.