[The next morning. People have woken up at their own pace. Tiffany is already gone, being tested for sorcerous blood. Harold is likewise gone, off on an expedition strongly suggested by the mayor. Emmet is, unfortunately, still missing. You hope to remedy that before too long. There are three people left, and they're all in the common room of the Swimming Dwarf.] [Mini... start.] * Sophie yawns and looks about the common room. Perhaps she'll spot that peddler? * The peddler either has not yet risen, or has already gone out peddling his wares. * Fadi looks around the common room thru his shades. * Nick sits at a table, stretching. * Fadi takes a seat at the table where Nick is, and sits on said seat. "Sleep good?" Extremely. I need new clothes, though. These aren't going to hold up here. That wouldn't be a bad idea. * Fadi rubs his eyes, removing his shades in the process. He yawns. "Too quiet out here." No kidding. My CD player's gonna run out of batteries, soon. Maybe I can sell it for scrap. * As if triggered by that observation, a frying pan clatters loudly in the kitchen. * Sophie looks over that way. "Hm?" * Fadi snaps up and awake at that. At least you got a CD player. * Nick slowly turns around, blinking. Yeah. Maybe I can throw it at some goblins. * Fadi pulls out a bottle of Mountain Dew from one of his many pant pockets. "Might as well drink it while it's still one piece, eh?" * Sophie gets up and wanders that way to investigate. * The kitchen is separated from the commons by a bar, which is currently untended. There's a small gong with a wooden mallet to get the attention of the cook, or whoever she deigns to send. Save a little bit of that for me. 'm gonna make sure she doesn't get hurt. * Sophie peers into the kitchen. "Hello? Everything okay back there?" * Nick stands up slowly, following Sophie. * Fadi opens it and starts drinking. "Sure." * Sophie is beaned by an uncooked meatbun as she sticks her head somewhere it doesn't belong. * Sophie rubs her head. "Ugh." * Fadi shakes his head from the jolt of caffine and sugar. He turns to the two who ran to investigate a clanking of metal on floor. "You okay there?" * The cook, a middle-aged woman well into her rounder years, glares at Sophie. "Bang the gong, that's what the damn thing's there for!" * Sophie withdraws from the kitchen. "My apologies, then." * Nick looks about ready to bust a gut, but manages to keep his mouth shut. * Sophie sideglances at Nick. "Not a word from you." She heads for the exit. "I'm going to Alfred's. No sense in putting this off. * Nick nods and straightens. "I need to check out what he has in the way of weapons." * Fadi gets up and drinks some more of the soda. "Let's get going then." * Fadi starts heading to the exit. "Comming, Nick?" * Nick nods and follows. * Fadi hands the half-empty bottle of Dew to Nick. "Ya neet to wake up, man." Heh. Thanks. * It takes little time to get to Alfred's smithy, and he's already up and about, and appears to have been so for some time. * Alfred looks up as you turn the corner. "You slept in. I was beginning to think you weren't coming." I'm unused to having to wake so early. Well, you're forgiven, for what it's worth. * Fadi yawns as he removes his shades. He pockets them in his jacket. "Ya don't have an alarm clock or somethin' do you?" Alarm clock? * Fadi puts his hand up to his head. "Oh, right. You don't have that stuff." Well, we're here. What kind of weapons do you have available? I've got lots of weapons. It all depends on what you're looking for. If I have to, I can make one to specification, too. * Alfred walks to a rack covered by a thick tarp and whips the cover off, revealing dozens of weapons neatly arranged for perusal. Um, just out of curiosity.. How much would a standard gold piece buy you? * Fadi scratches his head. "I don't think they're called that. What was it... Solars?" * Sophie inspects them, looking for a certain kind in particular. "Hmm... Not a whole lot, I'm afraid. Fortunately for you, you get the starting hero discount. * Sophie says, without looking up. "Solars, Lunars, and I believe the other one was Commons." * Alfred winks broadly at you all. * Fadi chuckles. "How nice of you." Discounts are great. * Nick goes and checks the display of weapon. * Fadi starts lookin' at the sharp pointy implements of destruction. We appreciate it. * There are lots and lots of swords on display, from daggers to greatswords and rapiers, maces, flails, warhammers, and all manner of other primarily metal weapons. * Sophie takes one of the rapiers. * Sophie frowns a bit. "Hmmm..." She looks over the weapons and sighs. "I may have to ask you to make one according to my own specifications, Alfred." Can you.. make any recommendations, sir? * Nick looks confused, scratching the back of his head and peering blankly at the rack as he sips the Dew. * Fadi surveys the weapons... "Decisions decisions. To try something new or use what I know how to use..." I figured you'd need one. All true swordsmen require a sword made to their personal style. You move like one. An inexperienced one, mind. * Alfred quirks an eyebrow at Nick. "Reccommendations? I'm afraid I can't tell you what will suit you best. I don't know you well enough." I'll take it as a compliment. ..Oh. Well, dunno about the big stuff.. Never been too strong. If you have no real preference, your best bet is to keep it simple. How shall I begin? * Nick hums and taps various blades. Pick something that is near to your desire, and describe how you would like it modified. * Fadi starts looking at the blades, going from the smallest to the biggest. * Sophie opens her case and retrieves her sword. "Like this, except more durable, and more leathal. The same dimensions? * Sophie nods. And the same weight, as well. * Alfred nods and goes to work heating an ingot. "I'm afraid it will take a bit of time. A few days." * Nick picks up a small mace and peers at it. * Fadi reaches the biggest swords. "I wonder..." * Sophie considers. "Hmm..." Alfred? Might I get back to you? It might be best if I looked at this peddler's wares first." * Alfred looks up at Nick. "Yes?" Who around here can teach us how to use these? Well, it depends on how you want to use them. I'm a fair hand with weapons myself, and Blind Edward is a fair hand with swords and daggers. ..'Blind' Edward? A nickname from his adventuring days. He claimed to be a fair hand with machinery, but the poor boy couldn't spot a trap when it was pointed out to him. He was good enough at setting them, though, and his contraptions rivaled gnomish ones for sheer complexity. How does he fight? He puts the pointy end in the other man. Or woman. Or thing. Sounds like a good idea. * Nick sighs. "Er, I'll just ask him later." * Fadi makes sure everyone else is a good distance away from him, and then starts to slowly pick up a greatsword off the shelf, to test its weight. I'm not sure I'd be good just walking up to someone and swinging.. * The greatsword is heavy. Not heavy enough to make you drop it, but it's heavy. * Sophie heads for the exit. "Well, now that that's taken care of, I'm going to look into buying new clothes. ..All right, how much for the.. er.. * Nick holds up the mace. Take it. It's simple enough to replace. ..Really? Excellent. * Fadi puts the sword back. "Okay... Those things are heavier than they look." * Nick also selects a short sword. "And this?" Three pieces of gold. Do they come with little.. holder-things? * Alfred snorts and rolls his eyes. "The thong on the handle of the mace goes around your wrist, or on a hook on your belt. There should be a sheath for the sword behind where you got it. * Fadi scratches his head. "Hmmm..." * Nick smiles sheepishly, and grabs the sheath for the short sword, sheathing the blade and putting both weapons in his backpack. * Fadi points his thumb at the swords. "Alfred? How hard is it to learn how to hold one of these things properly? 'cuz I bet I wasn't doing it right earlier." * Nick pulls out three pieces of gold and holds them out to Alfred. Learning how to hold your weapon is the most basic lesson, but it takes practice to keep the proper grip. * Fadi hmmms... "Think you could teach me how to hold this? Or is it beyond my price range?" * Alfred takes the gold from Nick and tosses it into a bowl sitting on a table across the smithy. "Which blade? The greatsword?" Yeah, the big one. Figure I might as well try the two extremes, see what I like more. * Nick exits the smithy, stage right. * Alfred snorts. "If you think you can handle it, fine. Ten gold." * Fadi checks his money and chuckles. "Never know until you try, right?" True enough. * Fadi takes the blade up, and puts the ten solars on the table. Don't forget the baldric. And come back at sundown. I'll give you a lesson or two. * Fadi nods. "I can't carry this thing around all day any other way. And thanks." * Alfred nods. "I do what I can for budding do-gooders. * Fadi takes the baldric, puts the sword in, and walks out, slinging on the baldric. "Hey, we all try to do good sometime, right?" He waves to Alfred. [Mini... end!]