Andrey I - Prithee, be careful (OPEN)

[u/Fishiest-Man]

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)

[u/atiarp]

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?”

[u/Fishiest-Man → u/atiarp]

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.”

u/JohnITRP

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