“What’s that rune you’re putting into that arrowhead?” Conyn Ashforge leaned closer, trying to see what Daniel was inscribing into the tiny glowing piece of metal.

“Aldr,” Daniel answered him flatly, focusing on his work. The arrowhead was so small that he was using a toothpick sized chisel. He could only see it by squinting through a jeweler’s monocle, an eye patch covered his other eye to help him focus.

“Ambitious,” he heard his master grunt in approval.

Daniel had completed the Runecarving class quest several weeks ago, but he’d declined to return to Startesgarde. He was spending every second he could in Conyn’s forge, perfecting his technique with the foreign runes. Learning Dwarven had been hard, he’d been chastised hundreds of times for using the wrong inflection on a word.

“Thank you,” he whispered as he gently tapped the chisel with his small hammer.

“You’re aware of the risks of that particular rune, aren’t ye boy?” Conyn crossed his arms over his chest as he watched his apprentice.

“Aye,” Daniel answered him in a hushed tone. Every rune had to be inscribed hundreds of times to confer the next level of mastery for that particular one. His skill with Aldr was still only Initiate level, but when he finished this one, there was a high chance it would increase to Apprentice. The change in mastery would increase the effect of the rune when he inscribed it in the future.

Daniel held his breath as he gently tapped the last line of the rune. If it was going to react negatively, it would happen as soon as he breathed the breath of life over it.

Gingerly he removed the tool and turned back to the fire. He inhaled deeply, taking the heat of the forge into his body and turned back to the arrowhead on the anvil.

Slowly, forcefully, he breathed the blazing air onto the metal. He could see the rune glow brilliant red against the orange of the hot metal through his monocle.

Energy flared brightly and Daniel feared the worst. He raised his hands to protect his face, but then he heard Conyn’s deep laugh.

“Looks good boy,” his master clapped him on the back. “Not like last time.”

“Yeah, thank Krom,” Daniel smiled as he relaxed his cheek, the jeweler's monocle fell into his hand. He didn’t bother to remove his eye patch. “The last time” had actually been forty arrowheads ago. He’d incorrectly scribed the Aldr rune and it had exploded in his face.

Magical fire had burned his face, destroying his eye. The patch protected it as it healed. But even away from the forge, he had almost no vision in his damaged eye. He was beginning to doubt he’d ever regain his sight in his left eye. The healers had managed to repair most of the damage, but a shiny scar still covered most of his face.

“You work with flames, and sometimes you get burned,” was all that Conyn Ashforge had said as he removed one of his gloves, revealing two and a half missing fingers. But he’d treated Daniel with slightly more respect since then.

“What next?” The burly dwarf asked him as he tossed the now cool arrowhead into a mound of similar ones.

“More Aldr runes,” Daniel answered. Arrowheads could only hold one rune, there just wasn’t enough metal to inscribe a second rune. But by repeating the devastating rune of explosion into the tiny piece of metal, he was rapidly gaining mastery over it. His thought was to distribute the exploding arrowheads to any of his guild mates who took the Ranger Archetype, enhancing the damage of their arrows.

“Not going to eat?” Conyn’s voice was hopeful. The only things he loved more than runes were: beer, his daughter and food. In that order. Luckily, lunch afforded him the opportunity to enjoy all three. “Umoewn has been in here twice already to let me know food is ready.”

Daniel’s heart skipped. The pretty dwarf woman had been more than affectionate in the weeks since he’d been living in Ungor Orhim, and surprisingly Conyn Asheforge hadn’t hit Daniel with any hammers or tongs for returning her attention.

“I, mean, I guess I could take a break,” Daniel smiled sheepishly, his burned cheek raising his eye patch.

Umoewn Asheforge had been one of the primary healers helping to restore him back to health. Her ministrations were always more gentle than the rough hands of the Dwarven Priests who helped attend to him.

Their meal was simple and rustic, by Dwarven standards, but that didn’t mean it was light. Roast potatoes and duck, a creamy porridge of something similar to grits with a sharp cheese, grilled mushrooms and a crusty bread. Complete with a large tankard of dark beer.

“How goes the forging?” Umoewn asked him kindly as he took his seat at the small, overladen table. He’d had to cut several inches off his chair when he’d first arrived, the height difference between Dwarves and Humans didn’t always make life comfortable in Ungor Orhin. The corridors of the mountain city were wide and tall, but doorways, beds, and chairs were all fitted to Dwarven measurements

“It didn’t explode today,” he smiled at her as he made himself comfortable. “So that’s a plus.”

“That’s good, I’d hate to have to start my healing all over again,” she kissed him lightly on his unburnt cheek before her father walked in, for once not having to stand on her tiptoes to reach him.

“Lass, you’ve outdone yourself yet again,” Conyn hugged his daughter as he caught sight of their lunch.

“Of course, pater,” she smiled at him. “Can’t have our guest starving.”

Daniel was far from starving. The amount of food he ate on a regular basis was double what he usually did in Startesgarde. If it weren’t for the strenuous work in the forge, he’d probably have gone up several pant and shirt sizes.

Their lunch conversation was light and fun during their break from work. Daniel loved being in Ungor Orhim, he felt at home living amongst the Dwarves in a way that he didn’t always back home with his guild.

“Just about time to return to work, lad,” Conyn announced an hour later, as he finished the last of his beer.

“Aye, Master,” Daniel pushed his plate back and finished his own drink. “Do you want me to help clean up?” He asked Umoewn, as she began clearing the table.

“Go swing your hammer with me da,” she shushed him, “just make sure you don’t swing it too hard so you’ve got some strength for later.” Her flirtatious comment was whispered softly so her father didn’t hear. “And be careful.”

“I will,” he grinned as he rose. Momentarily distracted, he forgot about the low ceiling and smacked his head into a wooden beam.

“Back to yer arrowheads?” Conyn asked when Daniel reentered the forge, still rubbing his the back of his head. “Aren’t ye bored by them yet? Don’t ye want to forge a nice axe or sword?”

Daniel chuckled at his master’s usual chiding. He’d been forging arrowheads for days, the pile of Aldr rune inscribed ones was just one of the small mountain of arrowheads he’d forged. A major draw to being in the Dwarven capital had been that he was never short of gold for his own projects. Dwarves came in constantly for repairs or Runecrafted items and once Daniel had “finished” his apprenticeship, Conyn Asheforge had started paying him for the work he did.

“Not yet sir.”

Daniel forged and inscribed four more Aldr heads before he got a game motivation.

***Your skill with the Rune Aldr has increased! Aldr Runes are promoted to Apprentice. Fire damage increased by 10%, Explosion radius increased by 1 foot.***

“Very good, lad,” Conyn clapped him hard on the back. He wouldn’t have understood the in-game significance, only seeing that the lines of Daniel’s runes were cleaner, the depth of the inscription deeper.

“Thank you, sir,” Daniel genuinely loved the praise of the Master Runesmith.

A small bell rang in the front of the forge, alerting the pair of them there was someone in the front of the shop.

“Perfect timing,” Conyn Asheforge nodded at the bell, “looks like you’ve got someone to see you.”

As the apprentice, one of Daniel’s responsibilities was to tend to the sales aspect of the shop. Conyn had told him that he couldn’t be “arsed to deal with idiots who don’t know a blade from a pencil”.

Daniel switched into a clean apron before entering the sales area of the forge. He was surprised to see a human man in a dark traveling cloak standing in the small demonstration area. Usually, their customers were dwarven. He actually hadn’t seen another human in the months since he’d been in Ungor Orhim. This man had to be another player.

“Good afternoon,” he said cheerfully, perhaps a little too excited to see another actual person. “How can I help you?”

The man turned around startled, clearing having expected to be greeted by a dwarf.

“I’m sorry, I thought this was the forge of Conyn Asheforge, formerly of Startesgarde,” he said, his dark eyes appraisingly Daniel.

“It is,” Daniel answered him with a smile, “Master Asheforge is in the back, as his apprentice I get to help out our customers.”

“Ah,” the man smiled knowingly, “class quest?”

“Something like that,” Daniel answered him.

“Well, I’d like to place an order with him,” the man pushed his cloak to the side, revealing black and gold plate armor under the heavy cloth, and removed a scroll. “Sometimes the role playing side of this sucks.” The man groaned as he held the scroll.

“It’s not always so bad,” Daniel shrugged, thinking of Umoewn.

“Anyway,” the man handed him the scroll, a red wax seal held the paper shut. “We used to use him back in Startesgarde, his weapons were always top notch. You think you could help us out? Maybe get us a discount, since, you know, we're all on the same side here?”

“Raid clan?” Daniel tilted his head towards the man as he inspected the scroll. Impressed in the crimson wax was a tiny dragon. Something about it stirred an uncomfortable memory in him, but he was unable to place it.

“Yeah,” the man nodded. “Raid Clan.”

Again, Daniel felt uncomfortable. The raid clan didn’t usually buy weapons from NPC crafters. They relied on the higher level and quality magical items that dropped in The Tower. There was something about this man that wasn’t adding up.

“I’m sorry,” he said, pushing his feelings to the side as his finger slid under the wax seal, “I didn’t get your name.

“Oh, it’s Caleb,” the man answered, extending his hand again to shake Daniel’s.

“Right on,” Daniel paused to shake his hand before reading the scroll. “Daniel.”

The list was extensive, hundreds of swords, axes, spears, armor and shields. There were enough weapons on the list to fully equip a large army.

“Wow,” Daniel said in shock as he finished reading through it. “That’s, um, that’s a lot.”

“We want to be prepared,” Caleb assured him. “We’re bringing in a whole host of new recruits, have to make sure they’re geared.”

“Oh, no doubt,” Daniel furrowed his brow and smiled “is there any quality you’re looking for?”

“Rare or better.”

“I think we can do that,” Daniel nodded again. His skill in Blacksmithing, even before his Runeforging, had risen to the level that he could make, at minimum, Rare quality weapons. “I’ll have to talk to Master Asheforge though.”

“Of course,” Caleb’s answer didn’t surprise Daniel at all. For this much gear, there was no way a lowly apprentice could approve such an order.

“One thing though,” Daniel paused before returning to the back of the forge, “Master Asheforge specializes only in mundane weapons and armor. None of this will have magical properties.” That was, of course, not the whole truth. Conyn Asheforge had impressed upon Daniel that, with very few exceptions, he was not at all to mention the Dwarven art to any races other than Dwarves until he’d finished his apprenticeship. And while he technically had, Caleb’s off putting request had him slightly on edge and not wanting to expose the secret. Of course, he also wanted the first players to know about the rare class were his own friends, as well.

“Not a problem,” Caleb shrugged away what Daniel thought might have been the dealbreaker with a smile. “We’ve got several Enchanters who can boost the power of a well crafted sword.”

“Alright, cool,” Daniel smiled back at him, “I’ll go ask him.”

As he walked to the back of the forge, his unease grew. Raiders wanted top of the line everything, to eschew magical weapons in favor of mundane, even if they were enchanted, was bizarre. He didn’t feel completely comfortable with the strange man who had shown up requesting so much weaponry.

“Master,” Daniel approached the dwarf, who until then had been busy picking the right piece of metal to use for whatever his next project was going to be. “Got a request, and, well, it’s huge.” He held out the parchment scroll.

“Let me see ‘at, lad,” Conyn took the loose scroll from him and scanned it quickly. “By Krom!” He exclaimed. “Is there a representative of some king out there, lad? It looks like they’re trying to outfit an entire military!”

“I mean, kind of?” Daniel answered, the truth wasn’t that far from the dwarf’s suggestion. Non player characters wouldn’t be able to comprehend what Caleb’s request was actually for.

“I dinnae, lad,” Conyn shook his head. “Me forge isn’t really large enough to accommodate such a large order. It would take months to complete.” He paused and looked at Daniel, “but I’ll let the decision be yours. There’s more than a fair amount of gold to be made, and you’d get paid right handsomely.”

Daniel paused and thought for a moment. Master Asheforge had never treated him with this much respect before, it was a completely new experience for him. But, if or when they completed the order, Daniel’s proficiency in Blacksmithing would surely rise even higher, giving him access to better quality recipes.

“If we do accept, how long do you think it would take to complete?” Daniel asked the dwarf. “And how much do you want to charge?”

Conyn reread the last and began ticking numbers off of his seven and a half fingers.

“Tell the lad out there,” Conyn featured to the front of the forge, “it will take at minimum, two months. And cost,” he shook his head and grinned greedily, “two hundred and fifty thousand gold pieces.”

Daniel nodded, shocked at the obscene amount of gold his master was requesting. But he said nothing and returned to Caleb.

“Master Asheforge has agreed,” he announced triumphantly, his greed outweighing his earlier discomfort. “He said it will take two months and cost two hundred and fifty thousand gold, half up front of course.” Conyn had not specifically stated this, but Daniel knew from experience this was his master’s standard operating procedure for anything extremely valuable or especially large orders.

He half expected Caleb to laugh in his face and storm out. But the armored man simply smiled.

“Done.” He held out his hand to seal the bargain. “Can you have them delivered?”

“I believe we can arrange that, for an extra fee of course,” Daniel shook his hand once again, elated at the amount of skill and gold he was about to receive. “Where would you like them shipped to?”

“Fuerte de Playa,” Caleb said, producing another piece of paper. “They can be delivered to Castillo de la Pared.”

“I don’t know where that is, but I’m sure we can find suitable transit,” Daniel nodded his head. “That just leaves the initial payment of one hundred and twenty five thousand gold.”

Caleb grinned and moved rapidly through the air, instantly a very large and very bulging bag appeared in his hand.

“A pleasure doing business with you, Daniel,” he said, dropping the heavy sack on the counter before turning and walking out, his dark traveling cloak billowing behind him.

“Very much appreciated,” Daniel agreed, as he hefted the bag back to Master Conyn Asheforge.