It's more that Zhi's stuff doesn't have much thematically. I think this is probably something more like a Dao, or being a sage in Cradle. Some thematic way in which you fit into the world that's more conceptual than anything else.
When they described Warlord as becoming what you are 'meant to be', or words to that effect, that's what I think they were going for. Techniques that all add up to make the narrative of you. It's probably one of the reasons warlords get those titles like "the Astral Paragon".
His Core is very coherently Charmcrafter themed because Smoke and Steel and Time put together is the time and effort put into creating something great, of the toiling process eventually resulting in an amazing finished product greater than the sum of its parts.
...but we also sorta lucked into having that because people were making use of the Natural Wonder vape stick we won off backstabbing Mei so that was just a thing of convenience that turned out great in hindsight.
He just insists on engaging in direct combat himself with an Anam malus making things cost a little bit more than they should which... like the Masters say, is a self taught warrior trying to do things he's not built for in present but has the talent to eventually achieve.
It also doesn't help that people can never agree on what his Charms should be so we can't really plan his specialties out in the long run to complement his Core/techniques with his identity as a Charmcrafter. Especially since it took this long to even decide to make an Anam battery and even then we're still going to argue about what it should look like and do.
'Self taught warrior' was them looking at BSA/NAO. It is a Warrior technique that he created himself.
Zhi isn't a self taught fighter. Mei Daiyu taught him.
Anyway, resolving this 'discordance' isn't something critical. It is something for Zhi to think about over his whole next Step. A baby Soldier doesn't need to have his Path set.
If the situation was critical, Master Warrior wouldn't have used most of the time advancing Zhi's martial stance and then tacking on the filtering lesson as a spare-time extra.
Although Zhi hasn't left yet, so more advise may come.
It isn't critical but it's there. And honestly I'd rather listen to the in game characters telling Zhi he has a problem rather than to hear an ooc insistence that it's overblown.
Hopefully we do get more of an explanation on the why it is but it feels kinda weird to think otherwise and insist Zhi has nothing wrong with his build.
Mechanically, having as much of Zhi's toolkit be time-aspected seems desirable. Narratively, this seems not to be the case.
Time (and presumably all other 12th order anam types) is by all accounts absurdly powerful and absolutely dangerous. Mainlining it too much might lead to an inherently unstable Path.
Time and its techs being more of feathers in Zhi's cap/crown jewels in his collection while most of his arsenal being of the other aspects might be preferable, even in the long run.
There might be narrative payoff for Zhi being familiar with a lot of different aspects. With crafting if not for anything else. At this point of Zhi's advancement, him having a lot of aspects might not really be a weakness.
After all, technique masters of the Zhuan are extremely skilled and knowledgeable, but their POV is really long-term as well as their expertise seeming best tailored to the Zhuan advantages.
Which doesn't make them wrong. But it is something to keep in mind.
Anything can be an anam type. Iirc someone was maintaining a list of all of the types we have encountered for some amount of time, but I don't remember who or where in the thread
Anything can be an anam type. Iirc someone was maintaining a list of all of the types we have encountered for some amount of time, but I don't remember who or where in the thread
Never. Not until my Bee Lantern genius is recognized.
....it was gonna send out tiny glowing bees that'd light up the cavern like that one scene in the first Guardians movie, and it was gonna be beautiful.
Never. Not until my Bee Lantern genius is recognized.
....it was gonna send out tiny glowing bees that'd light up the cavern like that one scene in the first Guardians movie, and it was gonna be beautiful.
Just an idea of what a time focused NOA evolution could be.
Bull In Waiting (Strength ?)
Warrior Technique ? (War ?, Time ?)
Cost: 2 Anam
Current Phase:
Description: A flurry of blows thrown with crushing force land with less weight than a feather. A heartbeat later the impacts register, battering a target no longer braced against them. Kong Zhi angles his strikes along that most unpredictable angle: time.
Anything can be an anam type. Iirc someone was maintaining a list of all of the types we have encountered for some amount of time, but I don't remember who or where in the thread
The Lament of Entropy (Resolve ?)
Scholar Technique ? (Sound ?, Time ?)
Cost: ? Anam (Requires in conjunction with Stallion's Enclosed Garden to be used safely)
Current Phase:
Description: As one of Time's Herald, no other artist have known its distinctive melody than your fellow Heralds.You might have been taught to deafen yourself to it once it begins- But for the briefest of moments before the Garden envelops you, you hear it- sticking out like a beacon in your mind. It is but the barest of a melody but it is enough. Breathe and sing ruin upon your foe.
The World Stood Still (Constitution ?)
Sage Technique? (Time?) Cost: ? Anam ???
Current Phase:
Description: Push Time Anam through your mortal coil and into the world. Spend an eternity and an instant like a thousand cats suddenly released from a bottle. An area around Zhi becomes flushed in Time anam. All within stalls to a stop except Zhi.
A/N: A big thanks to the 37 people who have pledged to me on Patreon! If you'd like to join them, you can do so here. Or, if you'd like to support me without the monthly commitment, you can buy me a cup of Ko-Fi here.
> Yes, filtering a technique seems most wise. The loss in power will be negligible compared to the gain in efficiency. (A further subvote will be called should this option win)
>> Searing Chariot
>>> Rain
----------------------
The next morning, as the household servants escort us through the maze and back to the temporary testing ground, Clerk Ni has a hunch that he decides to grandly share with the world. "It is on the second day of any complex plan that the errors become apparent," he states. "On the first day, the men are motivated and everyone is carefully attending to their duties. But on the second day? On the second day, attention wanders, urgency dulls, and rules become more relaxed."
"Mark my words," he proclaims, looking very reluctantly apologetic. "Today's examination will be a far tougher time than yesterdays."
Unfortunately, he is correct, but not for the reasons he 'feared'.
Everything seems to hurt. My legs feel as if they are ready to fall off. My head throbs at the least sound. My arms are in agony, and my fingers are unsteady when they write names in the logbook. I'm barely able to keep a pained grimace from my face as I dip my brush, carefully marking another failure before lowering my arms back to the table.
"Zhi!" Daiyu hisses, concern heavy in her voice as she glances at me from her position near the entrance. "If you cannot do this today, there is no shame in standing back! Zhuan Kun and I are more than capable of adding the logbook to our duties!"
I would reassure her, but I need all of my focus to continue writing. Each symbol is a new exercise in discipline, each character an expression of bonedeep soreness. I record the next name with the handwriting of a young boy and lower my hand again, thankful beyond all belief for the mild relief. Only then do I glance at Daiyu and wearily shake my head. "I'm fine," I attempt to reassure her, not for the first time today. "I am just… I am just feeling the effects of yesterday's training. I… it is already fading."
There are no falsehoods in my words- save for the assurances I am feeling better. That is most certainly a lie, and not a very convincing one if the judgemental look Daiyu is giving me is any indication. But the physical training with Master Warrior was truly strenuous. It was rewarding and satisfying in a way not unlike the way shaping a breastplate might be, but still far more taxing than I've grown accustomed to in recent weeks. The last time I was this worn out was… it must've been after my initial instruction by Daiyu, Xu Yun, and Fa.
The door to Clerk Ni's testing chambers cracks open and Zhuan Kun emerges once more, beckoning the next prospect. Somehow the noble, who underwent far more difficult and intensive training that I did with two technique masters, is walking around as if nothing troubles him. Either his normal stony countenance serves as the perfect veil, hiding any signs of discomfort or pain he might feel, if he feels any at all.
It matters not which is accurate; I cannot help but seethe with jealousy as he walks back and forth with no signs of discomfort. I'm only able to stop glaring at the door he vanishes behind when the next prospect arrives.
Eventually, Daiyu no longer takes my refusal for an answer. I am gently yet firmly pushed from my desk and told to take up her position as doorguard- or rather, take up her position standing out of the way, for the Zhuan are providing several layers of guards. It is by far the easiest role to fill, and one I reluctantly take up as Daiyu takes over the logs. I move to help her and get only a glare for my trouble. Message received, I stand back and let the testing take place around me.
Had my training with Master Warrior ended with only the reforging of the Charm in Full Flight, that would have been perfectly sufficient. I would have been in pain, but not the agony I currently find myself going through. Unfortunately, we did not finish with the Charm in Full Flight. Master Warrior ended our training with a tutorial in the 'delicate art of technique refinement'. More specifically, we finished with the refinement of the Searing Chariot, the technique acquired from the archives in Honeydrenched Hills. There was only one small problem: before yesterday, I had yet to actually learn the Searing Chariot.
It had seemed like such an elegant idea at the time. I only had notes on the Searing Chariot, so how better to learn it than under the tutelage of one of the Zhuan Clan's vaunted technique masters? And once it was firmly ensconced in my spirit, it would doubtless be the weakest of my techniques, and most in need of refinement. I could begin integrating the Searing Chariot and then remove the rain aspect from it before truly internalizing any of its lessons, both streamlining the Chariot and learning how to properly expel aspects from my techniques in one fell swoop.
Master Warrior had agreed that my plan made perfect sense. Then, with painful efficiency, he drilled the Searing Chariot into my spirit and almost immediately drew part of it out. It had been…
"You may wish to bite down on something, Disciple Kong. This will be unpleasant."
...excruciating.
Every time a new technique is learned, it is like something new is grafted on to my spirit. The Blooming Spear was an arm. Elegant Plume added new legs. The Stallion's Garden blinded my eyes while adding new ones, while Shatter the Mirror provided… some kind of tail? Claws? Regardless, what matters is that every technique adds something new to my spirit, and the more it is integrated, the more my spirit takes on these new additions as its own.
The Searing Chariot was not part of my spirit long enough to begin approaching true integration. But when Master Warrior taught me how to ruthlessly excise a portion of the technique, it still felt as if a part of my very soul was removed along with it, leaving my spirit just as pained as my physical body. It is a dull, constant pain that accompanies every breath I take, one I cannot soothe or dull. Master Warrior assured me that the pain would pass in time. He did not mention how much time, precisely, but clearly not enough of it has passed.
But even though Master Warrior's training caused this dull agony that seems to fill everything from my toes to my teeth, it was also effective. Though my spirit seems to mourn the loss of the Searing Chariot, it will recover in time as it adapts to the technique it has become.
Technique Altered! Searing Chariot -> Sear!
Sear (WIT 2)
Archer Technique 1 (Fire 13) (13 Remaining)
Cost: 1 Anam
Current Phase: 1/6
Description: The Artist unleashes a plume of fire towards their foe.
Searing Chariot (WIT 2)
Archer Technique 2 (Fire 12/Rain 3)
Cost: 2 Anam
Current Phase: 0/6 (LOCKED)
Description: The Artist weaves a cloud of flame which soars high before showering its very body down upon their foe.
The new Searing Chariot lacks even the small sense of grandeur that the previous version held. Before, the Chariot was at the very least a great cloud that soared into the sky and let loose a shower of fire. Its end result was not the most impressive thing in the world, but one could easily see how such a technique could capture the imagination of an onlooker. But this new form? When I first used it, it released but a small tongue of flame that licked at the air before fading, without even the courtesy of leaving smoke in its wake.
It is no longer a Searing Chariot. There is no chariot, no vehicle for the flame to ride before reaching its destination. It simply… sears.
Still, integrating it should be a much easier task this way, and perhaps its simplified nature will lend it towards more intriguing evolutions. Besides, it is not like there is anything wrong with simply throwing fireballs. It may lack the general aesthetic sense of some of my grander techniques, but that is something that can be improved upon.
As I stand and contemplate the nature of my new technique and the wound its creation inflicted on my spirit, the testing continues around me. New applicants file in, Daiyu takes their name, Zhuan Kun escorts them back to meet Clerk Ni, and I… stand there, arms crossed, leaning against the wall. Though it is hard to admit, in my current state, it is by the far the best thing I can do. Daiyu is just as capable of writing things down as I am, and she is not hampered by a body that argues with her every decision. At least from my new vantage point, I can pretend that I am assisting the guards in the same way a small child with a toy hammer believes they are 'assisting' their parents in repairing their home.
…which does make me wonder if the 'additions' I made to the family compound when I was younger were as truly welcome as Mother and Father made it seem.
Regardless, the testing itself is a fairly seamless process. The first group is summarily dealt with, and the second is polished off just as quickly. By that point, it is late enough to call for the afternoon meal, which takes the form of a light soup and several cuts of lamb, all bursting with anam. It does me a great deal of good, and by the time my plates are clear I feel well enough to exchange casual conversation with my companions and a few of the guards alike. When the third group arrives, I feel well enough to at the very least walk around the testing annex without biting my lip to keep from screaming.
The third group is dealt with within an hour. Clerk Ni emerges from his rooms, stumbling with weariness and holding tight to the cask containing the testing treasure. He barely looks at us before staggering away, heading directly towards his rooms where he will doubtless sleep until woken for dinner.
Zhuan Kun follows in his wake. The noble nods his head at the Clerk, sending a small squadron after him for his own protection, before turning to address today's neophyte artists. Again, the number of passing applicants is a bit smaller than one would have expected from a city this size, but then again the Zhuan are far more diligent in testing prospects on their own than the Honeydrenched Hills were. The small number of new Ninth Circle members does nothing to dampen their enthusiasm; each of the six Servants practically vibrates with excitement, and they hang on Zhuan Kun's every encouraging word.
Once the noble's admirers are dealt with, he approaches Daiyu and I. "Yesterday's training was productive," he states. "I would benefit from additional tutelage. Kong Zhi, would you-" He pauses, and whatever he sees on my face changes the words in his mouth. "-though perhaps it would be wise not to overdo it. I will return to the technique masters another day."
Instead, he turns to Daiyu. "Did your own exploration of the Summit bear fruit?" he asks. "I have been told that you spent a great deal of time at the Crimson Mane Pavilion. Was your reception adequate? Were you seeking other schools with a similar focus?"
My partner pauses and silently mouths 'you were told?' before shaking her head. "Your offer is appreciated, but unnecessary," she states. "The disciples of the Crimson Mane were quite helpful. Their insight will be most useful when Yuebing reaches maturity." As if in answer, the perpetually furious owlet sticks its head out of its customary pouch on Daiyu's belt and turns its head wildly, stopping only to shoot me a fierce glare.
…what could I possibly have done to earn that?!
Zhuan Kun escapes Yuebing's scrutiny glare free. He ignores the owlet's appearance and reaches up to rub his chin in thought. "Then… perhaps…" he nods sharply. "The citizens of the Summit have expressed a desire to throw a festival. I would enjoy escorting both of you through it after I perform the opening rites."
I consider the offer. The guards had mentioned the festival during the afternoon break, and once I heard the news of it, an idea had begun to percolate in my mind. Zhuan Kun is being very kind, offering to show us his city at its best, but… honestly, it would be nice, but something about the idea of Zhuan Kun chaperoning Daiyu and I as we wander through a festival sounds… less than appealing. "I am certain we would enjoy such a tour," I say after a moment. "But, um, if I…"
I trail off and shake my head, fighting back the pain and the embarrassment already seeping out of me from the words on the tip of my tongue. "If it would not trouble you, I was, um, considering asking Daiyu if I might serve as her escort through the festival, if she would be interested."
Daiyu's near-blinding smile is enough to tell me that I have made the correct decision.
Thankfully, Zhuan Kun does not seem offended. He simply nods. "Very well," he states. "My duties will occupy much of my time regardless. But then… is there anything you wish to see in Jingyi's Summit? You need not hold back; I assure you, my knowledge of the Summit is as comprehensive as possible, and I would be a poor host if I did not allow you to bear full witness to the city."
"That is greatly appreciated," Daiyu answers after a moment. Her smile is not quite as wide as it was a moment ago, but it is still a kind look she turns on Zhuan Kun. "But do not overextend yourself on our account simply to walk us around your city. You've been away from home for some time; we do not need you to serve as a guide when you could be spending your time with your friends and family."
"You need not worry," the noble answers promptly. "This is a far better use of my time, and the role of a guide is one I enjoy taking."
Zhuan Kun pauses. "The view from the walls is an impressive one," he states after a moment, clearly wracking his brain for ideas. "Or we could tour the Forewarning. It serves as both an important tactical location and a reminder of battles past. There is also the Emberflow Pagoda… though it is closed currently for the hunting season. The Forge District would have some activity at this hour, as would the-"
A sudden noise manages to escape my throat, and the noble turns towards me. Beside me, Daiyu glances over, a fond expression on her face. I glance between the two of them and rub the back of my head, willing the flush away from my cheeks as I say, "The Forge District, you say? Would I be correct in assuming that it is-"
"-the home of our artisans and craftsmen, yes," Zhuan Kun confirms. "They are normally fairly reclusive, but I would be able to escort you through their workshops. Would that be something you have interest in?"
Daiyu raises a hand to her mouth, fighting to keep her laughter covered as I bounce up on my heels. My sore body and aching spirit seem like a distant memory as I say, "There is some chance I would find such a place of interest… if it is not too much trouble, of course."
***
One day, hopefully far in the future, I will leave this realm and wander the lands of my ancestors. Most likely it will be as a spirit of some kind, or perhaps in the flesh if I am skilled and fortunate enough to reach the heights of the Warlord and beyond. But regardless, at some point, my mind and spirit will flee the Radiant Empire and see sights I cannot imagine, experience things beyond my current understanding, and bear witness to what some would call paradise.
Perhaps on that day, I will witness something that rivals the Forge District in Jingyi's Summit.
No matter where I look, my eyes fall upon an artisan hard at work. Near the gate is a blacksmith plying their trade, striking sword after sword upon their anvil with almost automatic precision. Two doors down stands a dyeworks with a dozen boiling pots on display, each with the purest pigments I have ever seen. Across the lane stands an enormous statue of clay and bronze, denoting the presence of a sculptor of no small skill. I cannot focus on one sight for long; as Zhuan Kun leads the way through this wonderful place, my head swivels from workshop to workshop, delight flooding my heart at the sheer number of crafts being practiced in such a small space.
Small is a relative term, of course. The Forge District sprawls across a full quarter of one of the Summit's larger pillars. Bracketed by a tannery on one side and a bell-foundry on the other, the Forge District is a veritable hive of constant activity, of which we only make up a small portion. The rest of Jingyi's Summit's streets may clog with admirers whenever Zhuan Kun passes, but nothing seems to even give the artisans of the Forge District pause. They merely nod at the noble when he passes. They've far too much to do to fall weeping to their knees.
At first, Zhuan Kun seems to want to conduct some form of orderly tour. I know not why; what need have we for facts and history when one can watch an entire tree the size of a warship be rendered into intricate pieces with a flurry of sawdust? Any sense of order is abandoned as I dart from workshop to workshop like a small child let loose after three days of consuming naught but sugar.
Though my excitement is nearly overwhelming, my companions do not seem to share that same glee. Daiyu is thrilled, but she seems more happy that I am in my element than anything else. On the other hand, Zhuan Kun seems more bemused than anything else. Thankfully they are not my only companions, and others share my appropriate level of glee.
<Mughi> Chui Dao crows as it soars ahead of me. The small kukuni seems to wiggle in the air as it leads the way, darting forward like a shining, squealing crier as it fixates on one of the workshops. Its current favorite is a small armorer working with bronze, which Chui Dao float over with no regard for personal space while exclaiming <Gi! Gi! Mumumughi!> again and again.
I run after Chui Dao without thinking and join it, staring at the smith as he plys his trade. Now this could prove promising. His forge is banked not with coals, but with burning blocks of dark wood that seem immune to the flames covering their form. Further blocks are set under a metal enclosure that resembles an oven more than anything else. After striking the plate, the armorer slides the entire piece inside the enclosure, waits a few moments, and pulls it back out again to continue shaping the metal. It seems to just be helping to keep the armor in a moldable state- Chui Dao takes it upon itself to float into the metal box just to check for anything else- but that seems to be an interesting solution to a common problem.
My tongue burns with questions unasked, but I manage to hold it. Besides the metal enclosure, the smith seems fairly unremarkable, if skilled. The only thing I could learn about here would be his equipment, and I can experiment on my own with it later. Regardless, there's no sense in distracting the man while his piece is at a crucial stage. I back away, Chui Dao reluctantly floating behind me as we move on from the armorer without bothering him.
The kukuni's reluctance only lasts for a moment before another workshop catches its eye, and it moves quickly through the air towards the new object of its affections. Again, I follow it eagerly, dragging Daiyu and Zhuan Kun behind me. This time, Chui Dao is not interested in a forge, or indeed any metalwork. Instead it stares avidly at a young woman standing over a scarred table, a knife in one hand, the other floating over a basket containing hundreds of small fuzzy balls.
As we watch, the worker's knife flashes and a ball is sliced in two. She drops her knife and pulls out a small metal spike, which she uses to pluck something from the ball's center. The newly retrieved thing is tossed into one wooden bucket while the two halves of the sliced ball go into another. Over and over again, the process repeats, but the pile of untouched balls never seems to shrink.
Chui Dao lets out a curious <Muuuuuu?>, and I can't help but echo him… slightly. I crane my neck until I can see into the pails. The one with the things removed from the orbs is closer, and I peer at it carefully until I can make out what the stuff filling the bucket actually is. Dozens upon dozens of small, bisected worms stare up at me from inside the pail, and I glance from them to the worker. "Are these silkworms?" I ask.
"Of a type," she answers easily, a thick accent decorating her words. "These are murmurworms, a type of silkworm strong in wind anam. Those are destined for the refinery; the refiners use them in all sorts of more complex elixirs."
I nod along with her words. "But you are no refiner yourself, so those are not your goal," I answer, thinking out loud. "Which must mean you're after the cocoons."
The worker smiles at my enthusiasm and nods along. "Indeed," she agrees. "Murmurworms only spin their silk when they're preparing to nest. The best way to get genuine murmurworm silk is to part the worms from their cocoons and then tease the threads out by hand. It is a challenging process, but one well worth doing."
Thankfully, the worker is more than capable of talking while she works. Her knife never stops moving as she answers question after question. Perhaps it's Zhuan Kun's presence, or she's charmed by the kukuni slowly orbiting my head, or it could be that she simply enjoys talking about her craft. Whatever the case is, she proves to be a font of information on the entire silk farming process, ranging from the birth of the murmurworms to the process of spinning out the thread itself. She even allows me to help harvest one cocoon, which proves to be an arduous process as I slowly tease gossamer threads from the orb as it soaks in an ice cold bath.
By the time the cocoon has been rendered to a small pile of ephemeral thread, my hand is cramping- but more importantly, I've learned more about silk than I did before. That's more than enough to have me nearly skipping away from the silk farmer's workshop.
Skill Up! Craft (Clothwork) +1!
My excitement over the silk farmer nearly makes me miss another interesting workshop. I almost move right past it before Chui Dao's shrill trill brings me up short and I turn, glancing at the shop it's fixated on. At first glance, it appears to be nothing more than another forge, with a smith hammering a small blade against their anvil. The more I look, though, the odder the workshop appears.
Daiyu follows my gaze. "Is there aught amiss?" she asks.
After a moment, I shrug. "It's just… this one's quite interesting. There's no bucket for the quench. There are no spare ingots. There are very few reagents near her forge, and the fire seems completely normal… but that dagger is coming together far too quickly for that to be a normal forging process."
I move towards Chui Dao and the workshop, my eyes fixed on the smithing on display. A strange smell tickles my nostrils that gets stronger and stronger the closer I get to the workshop. It is not an unpleasant one; it is as if I am standing on the shore, and the air is heavy with the ocean spray. Beneath the scent of salt and seafoam is something lighter, smokier, like a wood fire. It doesn't take long to realize that the scent is coming straight from whatever the smith is hammering.
The material she is working with is no common ingot. With each hammer blow, a shower of small sparks leap from the white-hot weapon being forged. The heat seems to fade from them instantly the moment they're no longer part of the greater mass, and they rain down on the workshop floor with a sound not unlike that of hailstones on a roof. I squat down to get a better look and reach out, pressing my finger against one small piece and lifting it up for inspection.
A small speck of black stands out in contrast to my ivory-white skin. I roll the fragment back and forth between two fingers to test its texture and feel. It's coarse and rough, not unlike a metal shaving, but it's far too small. If it wasn't for the dark color and sharp edges, I would think this was a single grain of sand.
The thought tickles something at the back of my memory, something from my lessons at Father's knee long ago. Something about deposits of metal carried down from the mountains by a strong current, ground into a coarse powder, and harvested by artisans without ready access to mined metals. "Is this… ironsand?" I muse outloud. "I've never worked with ironsand before."
"I'd be shocked if you had!" comes a cheery voice. "The ironsand is a specialty of the families; we tend to keep a close eye on the supply, and no one can work it for long without us finding out about it. Still, you've got a good eye-" The voice suddenly cuts out, and there's a loud sound of flesh on flesh.
Confused, I glance up at the speaker. It's the smith who was working the ironsand. Now that the ironsand isn't so distracting, a closer look at the smith reveals her to be fairly young, perhaps even younger than we are. But she still towers over her anvil- and over Zhuan Kun as well, making her by far the tallest person in this workshop. Her arms, on full display through torn sleeves, are thick and heavy with corded muscle from what must be long hours working at her forge. Her hair is cut practically short for the most part, with the sides shaven clean and the top left a bit too long; it is drooping to one side, and must get in her eyes when she looks forward.
The smith also has one hand clapped over her mouth. Her eyes are wide with horror, and she shakes her head wildly when my eye meets hers. "Ancestors above," she breathes out. "You have my deepest apologies. I didn't see your- I am so very sorry."
I just stare at her nonplussed for a long moment. What is she…? It is Daiyu who finally clues me in. "She is worried that she offended you," my partner murmurs. "Because of your eye."
My eye? She said… oh! Of course. She thinks I only have one good eye due to Ta Riou's gift. I straighten up and shake my head. "No, no, it's fine," I assure the smith. "All is well. Both of my eyes function perfectly well; this one just… let us leave it at: most people prefer that I keep it covered, so I oblige."
The smith stares at me for a long moment, judging my sincerity. A sigh of relief escapes her, and she reaches up, brushing her overlong fringe of hair from her eyes. She glances towards the heavens and mouths a silent thanks before glancing back at me. "That… good! That's good! I am glad that you have… two eyes," she states, trailing off as she seems to struggle for words. "But… um, yes! As I was saying, you've got a good eye! Most people wouldn't recognize our ironsand just from sight and feel."
I offer her the barest hint of a shrug. "I've not seen it before, but it seems quite distinctive," I answer. "Is it difficult to work with?"
"It can be a challenge at first," she admits. "Novices tend to just heat the entire bucket without any preparation. That just leaves you with a pool of molten metal so thick with impurities that it's good for little more than slag. You need to wash it first, then wash it again, and then a third time."
The smith pauses, tapping her hammer against her lips in thought. "It's like rice," she states after a moment's thought. "You have to wash it thoroughly or it clumps and winds up sticky. The ironsand is the same- only instead of clumping together, it becomes entirely unworkable. It is a lot of effort, but well worth it in the end."
"Oh?" I prompt her. "Really? It is a fascinating way of forging, but using simple mined metal seems more efficient. Is there some other benefit to the ironsand?"
A chuckle is my answer as the smith nods along with my words. "Mined metals are so… inflexible. Ore hewn from the stone is as much earth as it is metal. Ironsand, on the other hand, is accustomed to shifting its form with the tide," she states confidently. "It is an excellent conductor of anam, and can take on the nature of any anam-rich materials it is fired with."
I idly roll the grain of ironsand on my finger back and forth, getting a true feel for its texture. "I see," I answer contemplatively. "But how do you shape it once it's molten? Do you cast it into ingots? Does your family have dozens of molds?"
"Molds?" the smith repeats, a snorting chuckle following the word. "We have a few, but only for the youngest ones to train with. No, shaping the ironsand is a bit of a trick. I can't go into much detail about it, but…" She pauses and glances around before giving me a conspiratorial grin. "I can show you a few things."
And so she does. Once the dagger she was working on is finished, the smith walks me through the entire process of working with ironsand. Incidentally, to shape the iron sand, one has to put an already solid length of metal in the middle of the raw sand before firing to serve as a sturdy core to grow around. That is but a single thing the smith shows me. Despite her youth, she clearly knows her business, and not just about ironsand either. Her insights on proper blade forging technique are quite interesting- wrong in several places that lead to arguments, but still, interesting.
Skill Up! Craft (Weapon) +2!
After finishing her second dagger, the smith smirks at me, a friendly challenge in her eyes. "So, now that you know 'the secrets of ironsand'," she states. "Do you want to give it a try yourself?"
Chui Dao is in my hands before she's finished speaking. Still, I manage to hold myself back. "Are you certain?" I ask. "I would not want you to get in trouble with your family."
The smith waves off my concern with an idle hand. "If they didn't want me to show people how to forge things, they shouldn't have left me alone at a forge," she says. "Besides, they may get mildly annoyed at me, but that's the worst they could do."
The silver hammer spins in my hand, and Chui Dao lets out a joyous <Muuu!> from behind me. I glance over my shoulder, through the near-translucent body of my companion, and find Zhuan Kun and Daiyu. "Do we have the time?" I ask. "We need not linger if you are growing bored."
Zhuan Kun does not dignify that with a response, while Daiyu just shakes her head. "The entire reason we are here is for you to enjoy yourself, Zhi," she says, a smile on her face. "So go enjoy your-"
Daiyu's words are cut off by the trudging of heavy feet. A newcomer strides into the workshop, arms straining against the weight of the buckets he's carrying. I dodge out of the way so that he can place the containers, heavy with ironsand, next to the forge. The newcomer barely seems to notice me or my companions as he looks at the smith. "There," he sighs. "That's enough to clean out the furthest deposit. Do you think we will have enough to complete the order, or should I search for more?"
The smith answers him, but I barely hear her words. There's something about this newcomer that seems almost familiar, even though I doubt I've seen him before in my life. Where his relative is towering, he is short. Where she let the top of her hair grow out, he is completely bald. The only true similarities are their arms; the newcomer is just as muscular as the smith, if not more so. I rack my brain as I stare at his back. Perhaps he spent some time in Harmony and guested with us? No, that can't be it; he barely looks older than the smith. So why does he…
As I fight with my memory, the smith is explaining things to her cousin. "-were touring the Forge District and showed exemplary taste by noticing the ironsand. I was considering offering him a turn, if you think that's wise." The newcomer nods along with her words, but his shoulders slump, as if he's preparing himself for an argument he knows he won't win.
"Uncle will not look kindly upon you teaching the clan tricks to outsiders, no matter how well connected they may be," the newcomer answers. "You should at the very least consult with him first, to save yourself from the lecture if nothing else."
He turns and offers the three of us a polite nod. "It is nothing against any of you specifically," he states apologetically. "But clan secrets must be preserved, or we-"
The newcomer trails off as he seems to fully register our presence for the first time. His eyes land on Zhuan Kun and widen slightly as he takes in the sight of the city's Young Master. They dart to the left, to Daiyu, and widen further- and then even more so when he glances down at Daiyu's belt sash.
No. At New Moon.
In one quick, sudden motion, he spins to face me. The newcomer's eyes scan me closely before staring past me. I turn my head to follow his gaze and find him staring at the Dance on my back as if it has done him a personal wrong.
The newcomer's formerly polite face twists into an angry snarl. The new expression, so familiar to the one he so often wore in the Heart, is enough to jog my memory. I see it now. I know who the newcomer is. The arrogance. The disdain. The eyebrows.
"You," Jin Yazhu hisses, jabbing one finger at me.
Jin Yazhu, Kong Zhi's first rival and opponent, stands before him. How does he greet his old foe now that he knows who he is?
[] "Jin." (Polite)
[] "Jin." (Dismissive)
[] "JIN." (Angry)
[] "Jin!" (Write-In)
That's a little bit up to y'all to decide now, tbh. Do you all have any genuine respect for the Jin Yahzu and what he crafted? If so color the vote that way.
I think we have to be polite here. Even in Yazhu is completely not worth our time, the smith here is related to him and clearly competent. She's owed a respectful tone even if he is not.
[X] "Jin!" (As though you're seeing an old friend. It will be all the more amusing to see his reaction.)
I genuinely think this will be hilarious. I would like to add something about having some slight respect for the Jin style, even if it differs from the Kong's ways, but... well, that'd be OOC for Kong Zhi, IMO.
(For the record, the Jin are good at mass production, where the Kong are artisans who make masterworks, but each one is unique. Different approaches for different problems.)
