The Birth of a Forge in Totomi (Open)

[Ichimura Ryunosuke]

Within the largest market district in Totomi, there was a small commotion at its eastern side. Formerly a somewhat conspicuous residence due to its large extent but made of materials that one thought could be hauled in from nearby areas, the stone-walled area now became the front of a shop, its name written on a wooden plank attached to the wall: "Ichimura's Metalworks".

When one would enter the building that had been erected in between the walls of the area, the smell of newly-forged steel could be sensed around the interiors. The reason for those could be surmised when a person would look around the building: many kinds of metal implements could be seen adorning the walls of the shop. Within some of the cabinets near the shop were small ornaments made of a yellow metallic material; shined or matted to perfection. But behind the desk of the shopkeeper, who had the appearance of a child, were two cabinets, and mounted within those cabinets were some weapons with their scabbards and their mountings, and they were all ornately decorated. As displayed within those cabinets, the shop also sells all kinds of weapons, but only after a direct scrutiny of the shopkeeper if he would allow them. All who would attempt to question the judgments of the shopkeeper will...

A sound of a howitzer being fired was heard near the area of the shop. All of those who would hear the sound would utter gossip with each other, and the contents were almost all the same: "Looks like Ichimura-kun blew away another bandit in his shop."

[Brandt Solveig]

Aside from fighting, Brandt had other interests as well. The tools of warfare were amoung them. He had stumbled upon a blacksmith forge by accident, but the smell from within was all too familiar. Those pale green hues would catch sight of a flying bandit as he was knocked away by somethjng producing a familar sound, as well.

He had heard it on the battlefield and it only served to pique his interest even more. As the giant moved forward, his mass would take up most of the doorway, the light filtering in from behind the Nord. Large brownish red cloak hung on his shoulder, looking as if it was hiding something at his back. Once inside curious eyes would cast their gaze about as he would soak up his surroundings.

He would fjnd himself eyes everything finished or unfinished. Running his fingers down the edges of blades, grasping at handles. It seemed like whomever the smith was, had quality wares. Turning toward the clerk, he would nod and his gruff voice would sound out.

"Hey kid, Where is the owner?"

[Ichimura Ryunosuke]

The bandit, still holding his katana that he meant to plunge onto the shopkeeper's body, ran away after being thrown out of the shop by the ammunition of the howitzer, uttering words of revenge when he would come back again. The boy just sat down, chewing on a reed, thinking, "He should be glad that I didn't finish him on the spot. That was a wooden ball that I shot at him. If that was a metal ball, he would be killed on the spot."

There might be an attack by bandits sooner or later following this incident, but the boy, though he knew it, just kept calm. He had heard those threats many times, but he knew that the militia could always defend any village from bandits. The militia's fighting capability had grown to such an extent that they could repulse any threat that could be hurled at them, and there were a lot of excellent blacksmiths in the city that could supply them superior weapons. The leader of the Totomi militia, Ichimura Ryunosuke, was a very veritable blacksmith himself, and did not hesitate to arm his militia with the best weapons possible. And those works were the very nature of this smithy in Totomi that was handled by the boy: to provide the best for the most honorable citizens of Totomi.

The red-haired boy just continued overseeing the metalcrafts shop, waiting for another costumer to pass by in there. After some minutes, a giant of a man entered the shop. By looking at his stature and green eyes, the boy would never make a mistake to think that he was a foreigner. The giant then proceeded to look at the wares, and he seemed interested on the originator of the wares. And that was confirmed when he moved towards the table where the boy was sitting, and asked about the owner of the place. Although the boy was the owner of the place indeed, he would never recklessly give that information to a stranger, never less a foreigner of the land.

"Even if I say that I am the owner of this metalcrafts shop, you will never believe me, right?" The boy said, smiling. "If you ask about the owner of this shop, he is on a community monitoring mission. After all he is the head of the militia in the whole Totomi province. But although I am but a child, I could guide you in what crafts are well-made, for I am with the owner while those pieces were crafted." 

[Brandt Solveig]

"I see.. Well.."

Those pale green eyes would beam down upon the clerk behind the counter for a few minutes, as if to size up his ability by lookibg at him. He was honestly unsure of whether or not this was actually a good idea. Toshi's craftmanship was some of the finest in all the land. He would never forgive himself if an average smithy were to work the blade into junk. 

Before he finished speaking he would draw his blade over his shoulder and then rest the Zanbato on the counter with quite the thud. He would then finish speaking.

"This blade was forged by the Daiymo's own smithy. I just need the edge refined.. I do not want to waist his smithy's time if I do not have to.. Can you do it without compromising the blade? Else I will take it elsewhere.."

He would continue to stare toward the man, the behrmoth allowing his eyes to wander around once again. This region of the Hörö was quite varied in it's weaponry, and he couldn't help but admire them all as he awaited an answer.

[Ichimura Ryunosuke]

Understanding that with such a large weapon comes great weight, the red-haired boy gave a quick breath before lifting the weapon out of the counter with his right hand. But it would seem that he just lifted the weapon without any difficulty as he looked at the sword with keen eyes. It was not apparent with his stature that he could do so, but beneath his small frame was a very great core strength. He then continued to stare at the weapon as he said, "As expected from the blacksmith Kanbe-san that was revered by the Daimyo himself. What could be originally done by the ordinary blacksmiths with the katana, Kanbe did with a very large sword like this. And he made great additions on this sword. If I'm not wrong, what's inside these capsules at the back of this sword was..." He then touched one of the capsules with a finger of his left hand and then licked the finger. "Gunpowder, as expected. But I would dare think Ichimura-sensei could produce weapons similar to this, so..." The boy then stared at the giant, "What refinement do you desire with the edge of this weapon? It's still very sharp, so ordinary sharpening would never make any sense other than chipping its edge. The sword is a tough one, but it could get tougher so that ordinary sharpening could give it a keener edge. We have the necessary materials to do that, and it comes for a minimal price. What could you say about that?"