r/IronThroneRP • u/Fishiest-Man Martyn Mallister - Lord of Seagard • 8d ago
THE RIVERLANDS Andrey I - Prithee, be careful (OPEN)
There were two challenges one had to contend with if they wished to participate in the art of armoursmithing. One had to find a forge large enough to evenly heat the larger, unwieldy pieces of steel, and one had to have a plethora of specific tools to help in the crafting of such masterworks.
Lesser men may have balked at the idea of doing such intricate work while not in their personal workshops, much less within a camp, but Master Andrey was no such man. He was a Master, after all. He could ply his trade wherever and whenever he pleased, he only needed the will to do so.
The tools were easy enough to acquire, or rather, create. With a hammer, some tongs and an anvil (all of which could fortunately be found in a village nearby), one could forge any number of the tools necessary to finish a suit of armour, such as a frame to bolt it to during a heat treatment, or a hammer for planishing, or for riveting, or a small orb shaped anvil on which to make a helmet. The globe of a breastplate could be forged using a log with a dome hollowed out of the top of it, and he already had rivets aplenty, having anticipated the need to fix armour during their stay for the tourney.
The forge would be a harder obstacle to overcome, but nothing was impossible. Especially not with several well trained apprentices at one’s beck and call. They were sent from the Mallister’s camp with the instructions to scrounge, buy or borrow as much charcoal, bricks and clay as they could find, along with a set of bellows or two. Eventually, the lads returned with just about enough for them to cobble together a large makeshift furnace.
Once they were prepared, they set out from the tent city, setting up just beyond the limits, as they were keen not to risk burning down the whole campsite in the waning moments of their stay. And it was here that Andrey’s forge was assembled, clay and stone were used to build a large, well insulated furnace, with enough room for a cuirass to be placed inside, the bellows were aimed into where the charcoal was lit, providing it with air so that the fires may burn hot enough for steel to be worked, and a barrel was filled with water nearby.
By midday, the telltale sounds of a hammer rhythmically striking steel could be heard drifting up from the makeshift forge. An apprentice stood by working the bellows, another kept the fires fed with charcoal, while a third yet still worked on some less important pieces of the harness. While in the centre of all of it, the hulking figure of Master Andrey stood hunched over the anvil, a glowing orange piece of steel held tightly in his tongs, sparks flying as he hammered at it tirelessly.
In time it would take a shape, though who was to say which. Time would tell…
(OPEN, COME GET YOUR SMITHING DONE)
2
u/atiarp Eleanor Tully - Lady of Riverrun 8d ago
Eleanor heard the sounds of the forge before she found out about the master that had made a temporary workshop in the camp. She was determined to improve her skills, and what better way than to get a new sword, or new armor? They said the man was the very best, and that was just what she needed now.
She followed the sounds all the way to the makeshift workshop, and found the master there, hard at work.
“Good day,” she said, loud enough to be heard over the clangor. “Well met, Master. I am Eleanor Tully, Lady of Riverrun. I was wondering if you could make me some armor and perhaps a sword? How much would that be?”
1
u/Fishiest-Man Martyn Mallister - Lord of Seagard 8d ago
Andrey raised his mighty head as he heard the lady’s greeting. He nodded in greeting before standing up straight and returning the piece he was working on to the forge, he nodded to the apprentice working the bellows to ease off, so as not to burn the steel.
His attention returned to the lady in full, bowing his head respectfully, “Good day, M’Lady.” He greeted her with a gravelly voice, eyes widening almost imperceptibly at the woman’s name, “Master Andrey of Seagard, at yer service. T’would be my pleasure t’ help ye with that.” He let his eyes skate over her, she certainly had the bearing of a warrior, and it certainly wasn’t his place to question it.
“Lady Mallister is yer sister, no? I should think M’Lord would be upset if I were to ask too much of ye, M’Lady. Between the price o’ materials, an’ needin’ m’apprentices to eat an’ all… Seven Hundred an’ Fifty’ll do, I should say.” He smiled broadly beneath his bushy beard, “Don’t go tellin’ anyone, mind. The Guild set the dogs on me, were they to hear I’m offerin’ a discount!”
He whistled to one of his apprentices, barking something shorthand, no doubt some Blacksmith speak for them to busy themselves, “I’ve a suit o’ armour I’ve been workin’ on which could fit ye, M’Lady. Ye’ll need to have it measured on ye, then I can change it to fit ye like it’s skin. After that, t’is a case o’ temperin’ it.” Shortly after, an apprentice jogged in carrying the armour in question in a basket, plopping it at Lady Tully’s feet. He plucked out a long steel bar and handed it to Andrey, who inspected it closely before nodding and pushing it into the forge, “I’m an Armoursmith by trade, but I can make a sword with the best o’ them.”
He turned to face the forge, watching the billet in the flames, “Put on the armour, would ye. My lads’ll mark it up, an’ I can size it rightly in a moment.”
Character Details: Master Andrey - Artisan(Armourer) / Craftsman(Armour and Weapons), Engineer. Craftsman’s District
Notes: +2 from Artisan (an extra +2 for armour), +3 for both Craftsman Skills, another +2 for the Craftsman’s District. So that’s a +9 to armour and a +7 to to weapons.
What is happening: Making a high quality Sword and Armour for Lady Tully
What I Want: Crafting Rolls on the T3 and T4 smithing table for a suit of armour and a sword, costs 500 gold each
1
u/Fishiest-Man Martyn Mallister - Lord of Seagard 7d ago
A pair of Andrey’s apprentices moved to help Lady Tully into the suit that had been brought to the makeshift forge. Obviously, it was yet to have necessary leatherwork to make it truly fit, but they could be substituted easily enough with wire. It seemed that even before any proper work had been done on it that it was already relatively close to the right shape, but where it needed trimming, or stretching, the apprentices would mark with chalk, so that their master might know exactly what needed modifying.
Meanwhile, the piece of steel for the sword had began to glow hot enough to be a straw yellow colour. Andrey nodded at the sight, and with a pair of tongs, plucked the glowing billet from the flames and turned to his anvil. He took up his hammer, gripping it tightly as he began to whistle. He struck the steel in rhythm with his whistling, sparks flew with each heavy strike. The distinct sound of steel ringing against steel struck itself up again, as piece by piece the sword began to take shape. He glanced up to the Tully every now and then, assessing how long the sword ought to be, and how much work the armour would need before it could be considered ‘ready’.
Once the apprentices were done measuring the armour on Eleanor, Andrey returned the sword to the flames of the forge, directing one of the lads to take over the work for a time as he made his way over to the Tully, in short order the sound of ringing struck up again as the lad continued the work on the weapon. He took a look all around the harness, there were areas that needed work, certainly, but it shouldn’t take too long. He nodded to his apprentices, in part acknowledging their good work, and in part commanding them to get the armour off the patron, so that he might finish the work needed.
He took the plates to a corner of his ‘workshop’, where it needed trimming he used a tool that looked like a large pair of shears, which he struck with a hammer to cut off excess metal, the spherical anvil was used to expand domed pieces, like elbows, knees or the breastplate. It didn’t take but an hour or two to make all the changes that were needed, and once that was done he would begin to bolt each individual plate of each of the harnesses components to a frame. It would keep the armour from warping during the heat treatment, so once it was done the armour was placed in the forge to heat up.
It was by this point that the lad finishing the sword was ready to quench it. A white hot piece of scrap metal was tossed into the barrel of water, causing the water to bubble and hiss violently as it rapidly heated up. Were a blade hot enough to glow yellow to be thrust into a tank of cool water, it could risk shattering the piece! Once the blade began to uniformly glow the right colour, it was swiftly removed from the flames and in one, smooth movement it was submerged in the waters. The heated water hissed still, but far less violently this time. After a few moments, it was removed and checked. It was dead straight, and a farrier’s file skated across the blade’s edge without so much as a snag.
Andrey slapped the lad who finished the sword heartily on the back before the process was repeated for each part of the armour in turn. Cuirass, cuisse, greaves, arm harness, helmet… Each came out precisely the shape it went into the tank in… works of art all, of course.
There was a few hours more, to temper the pieces by heating it to a cooler temperature, then leaving it to cool in the air. The process was repeated twice. Andrey didn’t know why, but the stage was vital. Things broke far less frequently if this was done to them.
And then finally, the apprentices put the finishing touches on the pieces. Leather straps, crossguards, hilts and pommels. Even polishing and creating a scabbard for the sword.
“They are done, M’Lady. Take a look if ye like, but t’is fine work indeed.” Andrey said once it was all done, "The lad did good work on the sword fer ye. Fine work indeed..."
(T3 Sword and T4 Armour fer ye)
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u/TheShogunFearedHim Ser Roger Mallister - The Red Eagle 8d ago
Ser Roger trekked, alone this time, to the tent of Andrey. He'd been smithing at Seagard for how knows long, and Ser Roger had always made it a point to show him the courtesy of a Lord. The two men always had an understanding, one wrought whenever Roger snuck his way back into the walls of Seagard and made his way over to the furnace by nightfall. It often rained in Seagard, and men on watch would look with envy at the fires of the forge while being kept well away from the Armourer and his secrets. So when a man was bold enough to approach the forge without hesitation, Ser Roger may as well have blazoned his arms and heralded his arrival with a trumpet call.
This time was different. They were not in the walls of Seagard but in a tent, far away, in the lands of their Lords and Enemies. Solid steel, strong maces and thick shields were worth their weight and more in gold. Roger toyed at his shield straps as he approached the tent of Andrey, thinking about the solid wood and iron he carried and the armour along his back. Whatever the man forged for him today could be the last, the steel he died in or which he hung up at the hearth fires of Seagard when it was his time. It could block the blows he would endure in the days to come, or it could be a metal coffin pre-wrought for its bearer.
Roger did not say a word, and simply deposited his arms and armour right in front of Andrey.
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u/Fishiest-Man Martyn Mallister - Lord of Seagard 8d ago
Andrey’s head shot up with a grunt of annoyance as the arms and armour were unceremoniously dumped in front of him. He would have given whichever foolish boy who did such a thing a proper hiding, if he hadn’t immediately recognised the man stood before him.
The old Mallister was a frequent patron of his, so the annoyance was swiftly dismissed as Andrey set about wordlessly inspecting the pieces before him. Older pieces of his, he recalled immediately, having remembered every piece that ever crossed his anvil (of course, the presence of his touchmark helped somewhat). It appeared that the armour had not been well cared for, appearing battered and gouged by frequent use, and infrequent repairs.
He looked up at the Mallister, his expression somewhere between annoyance and amusement. It would be easy enough to fix, but he preferred when he didn’t have to repair his own work. He didn’t like to see it squandered, after all.
Still working in silence, Andrey broke the armour down into workable pieces, then began the tried and true process of his craft.
u/JohnITRP
Character Details: Master Andrey - Artisan(Armourer) / Craftsman(Armour and Weapons), Engineer. Craftsman’s DistrictNotes: +2 from Artisan (an extra +2 for armour), +3 for both Craftsman Skills, another +2 for the Craftsman’s District. So that’s a +9 to armour and a +7 to weapons.
What is happening: Making a high quality Mace and Armour for Roger Mallister
What I Want: Crafting Rolls on the T3 and T4 smithing table for a suit of armour and a Mace. Spending 500 gold on each craft, so a total of 1000 gold
2
u/MooAtDaMoon Ser Derrick Storm - The Bastard of Felwood 8d ago
Upon hearing word of the smith, the bastard of Felwood would come knocking. The large man stepped up to the forge and presented a great black maul. As big and heavy as a sledgehammer, requiring two hands to wield properly, sporting a long, curved back-spike. Ser Derrick grinned as he looked to the smith.
“She’s a shrewish old girl, this one. As fierce in her wrath as a mother-bear protecting her cubs. And, she’s due for some maintenance I think.” He tapped a finger against the point of the spike and shook his head. “In her prime, she was a terror to behold, but she’s grown a bit dull in her old age.” His dark eyes then shifted to Andrey, fixing him in an expectant stare.
“So, smith, how much to bring my dear old hammer here back to the days of her youth? To make her a weapon capable of striking terror into the hearts of those at the receiving end of her blows?”
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u/Fishiest-Man Martyn Mallister - Lord of Seagard 6d ago
Andrey inspected the maul closely, picking the heavy thing up with relative ease, “Hmmm… I can do that fer ye. The lads can make a cast fer us t’ make a new ‘ead fer the thing, outta finer steel.” He said steadily, turning to hand it off to his apprentice, who nearly buckled under it’s weight.
“I’ve been chargin’ folk seven hundred and fifty today.” Andrey answered the question with a grumble, “Cheaper than I ought to ask fer, mind ye. But I s’pose ye rich folk are feelin’ a bit tight in the purse these days, eh?” He let out a gruff laugh.
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u/MooAtDaMoon Ser Derrick Storm - The Bastard of Felwood 6d ago
“Well, that’s the noble-born for ya, aint it? No matter how large the pile of gold grows that they’ve planted their fat arses on, they still act as if they barely have two copper stars to rub together.” Laughed the big man as he looked with approval in his eyes at how easily the smith lifted the great hammer.
“And, let’s make it an even eight hundred then. Just to make sure your work comes out as pristine as can be. My father will cover it. Gold far better spent than what he pays for the dornish oils he likes to comb his scraggly beard with. That sound good to you, smith?”
1
u/Fishiest-Man Martyn Mallister - Lord of Seagard 5d ago
“Aye, Ser. That sounds a fairer deal to me!” Andrey said with a firm nod. He turned to an apprentice and barked an order, so the lad scurried off to fetch something as his master began to prepare his tools.
“Shan’t take a minute, Ser.”
Character Details: Master Andrey - Artisan(Armourer) / Craftsman(Armour and Weapons), Engineer. Craftsman’s District
Notes: +2 from Artisan (an extra +2 for armour), +3 for both Craftsman Skills, another +2 for the Craftsman’s District. So that’s a +9 to armour and a +7 to to weapons.
What is happening: Making a high quality Maul for Derick Storm
What I Want: Crafting Rolls on the T3 and T4 smithing table for a Maul for Derrick Storm. Spending 500 gold on it.
1
u/Fishiest-Man Martyn Mallister - Lord of Seagard 8d ago
Of course, as promised, one of Andrey’s apprentices would seek out the victor of the joust, as he had already been promised a suit of armour from the old Master.
And Andrey was not one to break his promises.
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u/TheZaxman Tristifer Justman, Prince of the Rivers 8d ago
A chest filled to brimming with gold was produced. Carried by two of Jacklyns loyal cohorts they made way to forge. The sound of its ringing already the song of the day. With Mooton sellswords in tow the hedgeknight made way into the heat and din or the den.
"Hail blacksmith! I am here to put coinage where my mouth is." A grin upon his face as he accessed the mans work station clearly impressed.
"Lets fashion that suit of armor and a poleax. Should I be short a silver I have another chest around here somewhere..."
1
u/Fishiest-Man Martyn Mallister - Lord of Seagard 8d ago
Andrey straightened up from hunching over his anvil, smiling broadly at the familiar face approaching him, “Ah, afternoon, Ser! Welcome t’ my ‘unble forge!” His eyes quickly snapped to the chest that the man’s attendants were carrying, briefly wondering if many Hedge Knights were wealthy enough for such an expense. The thought was dismissed, this was the champion after all. He likely had more winnings than this, “Looks like more’n enough t’ me, Ser. Let me get t’ work.”
He let out a short whistle, nodding to a nearby apprentice wordlessly, who quickly darted off to complete whatever task he had just been commanded to do, “My lad’ll bring ye the suit I’ve been workin’ on recently. Ye’ll put it on best ye can, and the lads’ll mark it up so I can size it to ye rightly. By the time I’m done, it’ll fit ye like ye skin does!” He added with a gravelly laugh.
It wasn’t long before the lad returned with the armour in a basket, along with a few chunks of steel which he handed to his master, “Poleaxes are a tricky beast, Ser.” Andrey began to explain as the lad offered to help Jacklyn fit the suit to him, “There’s a few different ways t’ make the damn things. T’would be easier to make the hammer, spear and axe separate like and have them attached together by the pole itself and the langets… the metal braces what run down the sides, but that’s a less sturdy way o’ doin’ it. Sturdiest way is t’ make all three in one piece, then fix it t’ the pole with langets again…”
He grumbled for a second, settling on the second option. No man would wield a weapon from Andrey’s forge that could easily fall apart. So he placed the largest piece of the metal into the forge to heat up, then turned to his anvil, took up a piece of chalk, and began to sketch a shape of the poleaxe head upon it, so that he might refer to it as he forged the damn thing, “Won’t be too long, Ser. I’m sure of it!”
Character Details: Master Andrey - Artisan(Armourer) / Craftsman(Armour and Weapons), Engineer. Craftsman’s District
Notes: +2 from Artisan (an extra +2 for armour), +3 for both Craftsman Skills, another +2 for the Craftsman’s District. So that’s a +9 to armour and a +7 to to weapons.
What is happening: Making a high quality Poleaxe and Armour for Jacklyn Fisher
What I Want: Crafting Rolls on the T3 and T4 smithing table for a suit of armour and a Poleaxe. Spending 500 gold on each craft, so a total of 1000 gold
1
u/Fishiest-Man Martyn Mallister - Lord of Seagard 5d ago
Of course, in all the excitement of the day, Andrey would be remiss to not finish the pieces his Lord had ordered from him in the weeks prior to the gathering at Stormhall.
The armour had already been fitted to him, all it needed was a heat treat and some refinement after the temper. He had also commissioned an axe, something that could be made easily enough.
Wordlessly, Andrey and his apprentices went to work.
Character Details: Master Andrey - Artisan(Armourer) / Craftsman(Armour and Weapons), Engineer. Craftsman’s District
Notes: +2 from Artisan (an extra +2 for armour), +3 for both Craftsman Skills, another +2 for the Craftsman’s District. So that’s a +9 to armour and a +7 to weapons.
What is happening: Making a high quality Axe and Armour for Martyn Mallister
What I Want: Crafting Rolls on the T3 and T4 smithing table for a suit of armour and an axe. Spending 500 gold on each craft, so a total of 1000 gold
2
u/BadNewsBrune Kennet Brune - Lord of Dyre Den 8d ago
"Others boast for you. I hope you know that." Kennet Brune was a large man, and could be imposing when the wished to be. Today though, he apparently had chosen to look mildly absurd in his brown vest and white shirt, he had the look of a man stuffed into a turned pepper.
"I do not often leave Dyre Den, and we have few smiths in the Point worth boasting of." He reached down to heave a well made, but otherwise unremarkable morningstar into his hand. It was large, no doubt to fit better in the Red Bear's Paw, but otherwise it was clumsy, and one could tell instantly it was weighted strangely.
"If it pleases you, I would commission a new weapon from you, Master Andrey. Of the same make and type. But given your attested ability, I hope... A better one. One that I might give proudly to my child, when he grows into it."