It had taken two days to take stock of all options available at ho and nearby. Now I can finally venture to the town nearby. I have a project in mind, while at it - collect as many different seeds as possible. Flower-growing is a big thing in this kingdom, given that ikebanas are the base of magic, but they're surprisingly behind on finding gastronomic and pharmaceutic uses for the herbs. Which I'm going to ruthlessly capitalize on. There is not much of note in the town, admittedly. Blacksmith, inn, bazaar. That's about it. rchants are all based in or around the bazaar, which makes sense because why won't you live next to your job if you can swing it? Inn is facing the bazaar for much the sa reasons. A number of more established shops all face the square bazaar is on, and the surrounding quarters are all residential. Blacksmith is on the outskirts, and well away from other buildings. Fire precautions, I guess. If the ledgers are right, the tannery is further along the river, downstream thankfully. Not really looking for leatherworking right now, though.
The big question is, where is the mill? We have a river nearby, and there is no shortage of wind either, so why I'm unable to find anything bigger than personal millstones? Do NOT tell that a civilization that is by all the looks approaching Renaissance advancent had sohow failed to consider a centralized mill. Please. The place is enough of schizotech as is.
Actually, while we are at it, do we have a quarry? I an, I am ironclad-sure quarries are a thing in this world, because the estate is good masonry, but... Later. (Note to self - bug father for ALL economic assets the province has. We are supposed to be a pretty rich province, I have to see what we are rich in, and what I can multiply with so finagling and clever hints.) For now, let's see what a blacksmith can do. Oh. Wow. That dude is a dwarf?... Wait, what!? REALLY? Dwarves are a... oh. Oh shit. Oh, that's nasty. On the other hand... Refugees? I'm reasonably sure I can kickstart dwarven civilization again, and having them think of as a mother of the nation is going to be good politically.
"Good morning to you." - no reason not to talk a bit, right? He does not look particularly busy - "In case people haven't pointed it out to you yet, I'm Alyssa Gillespie. Can I have a suitable na for you to address you with?" Dwarves are particular about true nas. Asking for a suitable one here is polite, it implies I acknowledge his true na privacy and ask for publicly acceptable token. A lot of friction with dwarves is because people tend to demand true nas out of them, not minding the fact it's about as polite as demanding to see their wives' knickers. I am not actually sure why, there has to be so reason for this, because the usual dwarven answer for such demand is a fist to the face, and yet people provoke them like this with depressing regularity. Oho, that's one interesting expression.
"Why, top'o'the'morn to ya, lass." - he rumbles back - "Mah trade na be Rory. What can I do for ya?" Nice. I would like to say he's well adjusted, but wariness is obvious, even though he hides it. But that hasn't beco depression, paranoia or defiance yet. aning if I set an example, he's bound to develop so loyalty to . Maybe attract other dwarven refugees. Must be a lot of them poking around after that eruption.
"I'm familiarizing myself with available artisans." - I offer to him - "People claim you are a competent blacksmith, but no one knows how good are you with detail work, so I ca to ask." His brow creases as he considers my sketches. I have a number of little things I want to be made for my personal use and for house improvent. Pepper mill, in particular.
"Moity fine -ka-nisms there, lass." - he finally retorts - "Might take a bit of practice to get it right. Fine work takes patience. If yer willin' ta wait a week or so, I might construct those. Provided iron shipnt cos through. I'm a little low right now, with darn apprentice turning out a batch of pig iron and all."
Pig iron? Hm. He speaks as if it's worthless. Could it be that steelmaking is comparably hampered? Hm. "Let see this pig iron." - I request - "I have read about a way to recover tal from a failed slting before, it might work." This is, strictly speaking, a lie - it's not a failed slting. But coming out and teaching blacksmith a whole new thod of steelmaking without any background to justify it? People are gonna talk about it. I don't really want a reputation for "divinely touched" or sothing similarly... inviting of presumptions and expectations.
Dwarf grumbles a bit, but eventually brings out a bunch of slag. On poking so of the pieces (And discreetly eating a snap for in-situ chemical analysis, shoggoth bullshit biology for the win!), I do determine that this is in fact suitable for pattern-welded steel. Provided he has so low-carbon steel to use as the other half of equation. "Right. You have any steel ingots?" - I inquire, getting a nod back for my trouble - "Good. Here is what you do - you put this into furnace until it's yellow like the sun. Put an ingot of steel next to it, pull them both out in the sa ti, hamr them together flat, fold in on itself, hamr more. Repeat until the lines of dark and light are hair thick. It's going to be a hard task, but in the end you will have very good steel, if what I read is right." He looks skeptical, so I bring out the ultimate persuasion. Gold. "I know it sounds odd, but I will pay you to attempt it, regardless of outco. If it works, make that little mill from the steel you get, if it doesn't, well, then make my mill when you get more iron. I'll wait. When you have it, visit the estate."
With any luck, he will end up with so sort of passably working pattern-welded steel and it will be both fancy and durable. Not holding my breath for actual Damascus steel, that would be ridiculous. Might ask him if he does any magic while working if it pans out. Doubt he'll give a straight answer right now, but the well-tiled flower bed outside the smithy does imply gladioli do sothing for him.
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Well, that is.. interesting. Rory's here, and agitated. Excited. Nervous. Interesting mix. And, of course, father invited himself over for this conversation because chatting up people in the village randomly is one thing, and a man coming to visit in the estate is quite another. Proprieties and all that. But to wit, I've never expected to see a dwarf hovering with nerves. What it's all about, I wonder? It's been just two days, after all.
Oh, and here he brings out the pepper mill. Nice. Guess my hunch paid off, given the steel pattern. Huh, what's with the reaction? Why father is so excited over it?
"Yer lordship, yer ladyness." - well, that's an interesting way to start. Rory swallowed and continued - "Yer lordship, I have to ask. Do you, perchance, have any dwarven manuscripts in your library? For this here is ripple steel and I was plumb certain these secrets perished when the Red Mountain erupted."
Father shook his head slowly. "Not that I know of." - he replied - "Alyssa, did you find sothing I have had forgotten about?"
Welp. Apparently, pattern-welded steels are lost dwarven secret. That I accidentally rediscovered. Thankfully, the bit about reading is not quite a lie. I even rember which... Aha. Here it is. Pulling off a thick volu, I crack it open. "The myths and legends of the ancient era." - I read out to them - "It is a well known work, actually. The legend we want is the story about Throm the dragonslayer... Ah, here. Let read this excerpt. '...For no man's steel was ever strong enough to pierce dragon's hide. He sat there for three days and four nights as the dwarven forgemaster folded the steel again and again, beating it with the great hamr until the ripple revealed itself out of sun's shine...'. This, of course, refers to the forging of ripple steel. The folding is ntioned as is. Sun's shine is obviously heating the steel until it is bright yellow. The bit about using dark and light pieces of iron is just my guess, but given the mill, I presu my hunch paid off, isn't it so?"
...And Rory looks like he just received divine revelation. Father, anwhile, is grinning again. Profit, profit, here we co. "Lass, yer the greatest scholar I have ever had the honor of talkin' ta." - smith managed finally, his eyes full of wonder as he looked at the mill again - "The lost secrets..."
Winking to father to let him know I have a cunning plan, I offer - "I was going to breach the topic later, but... Rory. Would you be willing to spread the word to your compatriots discreetly? We are interested in financing a construction of a new forge hall, provided you can get together enough of your people to work it. I imagine being able to forge ripple steel again will quickly pay off on that investnt. I might have other ideas about forging you might explore, if that takes off the ground." And now both of them are staring at in awed befuddlent.
Father cos to his senses first. "A capital plan, Alyssa!" - he gushes - "Rory, I will pledge to feed and shelter your people if they are willing to co live at my county and work the new forge hall."
And now the smith looks like he's about to go pop with excitent. "Ye have mah hamr, yer lordship!" - he bellows - "I shall spread the word imdiately. There are four of my clansn I know of that live in the city. They will be willing to travel and collect our people once they see the ripple steel for themselves."
As he proffers hurried farewells and skips out of the door (Is that so much of a big deal? To make a grown dwarf skip like a little girl?), father turns to . "That, my daughter, was an inspired move." - he offers happily - "I was wondering about gathering more of the dwarves here myself, as we have many lodes of iron in the mountains, but ripple steel? That will have them co running from all four corners of the earth. First a cure for cold, and now this? You seem to have gotten a revelation, Alyssa. Be sure to let know of any other secrets you might think of. This is pure gold. We just might beco ducal house if it is us who brings the ripple steel back into the kingdom."
I grin at him. "Ah. Funny you ntion that... I had so ideas I wanted your input on." - I offer, and his grin grows to match mine. Well, that is going to be interesting.
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