*Date: 33,480 Second Quarter - Iron Confederacy, Secluded Valley*
Demir rushed to the forge on another hot day in the secluded valley. Second quarter must be ending, Demir thought. Summer is upon us.
He inspected the cooled blades from the week's work. Seven uncracked swords lay on the bench, actually looking decent. He picked them up and placed them on the desk when Durnak and Brovick came.
He lit the forge and loaded it with coal. He readied the billets, but no one showed up yet.
Today he was gonna try something different. He'd counted the cooling skill, but unlike charged skill it was based on luck. Demir realized after that [Bzzt!] his cooling success increased. So he readied a hot billet and started swinging to the middle where it didn't matter. And when he felt the charge build, he used them on the shaping edges.
He continued alone for hours and produced two blades with charged skills. When he cooled them, he saw one emerge uncracked and looking shiny.
One voice shouted, "I'll take those. How much ye be wantin'?"
Demir turned to the voice and said, "It's not for sale." He saw Moradin standing there.
"By the Mountain god's beard! Ye can actually learn craftsmanship, lad," Moradin said.
Demir dropped the sword on the anvil and ran to Moradin, hugging him till his feet left the floor.
"Drop me, kid. I am a grown man. A grandpa," Moradin wheezed.
Demir set him down. "Congrats. Are your grandkids okay?"
"Aye, for now they be."
Durnak was walking behind them. "Quit yer chit chat. Show me what ye made, boy. These idiots took all our day."
Demir showed all the week's survived seven swords. "Aye, these be swords but useless. What be that?" Durnak pointed to the newly finished one on the anvil.
Moradin picked it up, testing the weight. "That be lookin' like it'll fetch serious coin."
"Yeah, is it good? I poured my soul into it," Demir said.
Rest of the dwarves were coming out of the inn. Two confederacy guards, well geared and looking high level with good equipment, were inspecting the crowd from the city mine entry shaft.
"What is going on? Why are you here?" Demir asked.
"Not fer visitin' ye, that's fer sure. Ye saved yer friends from goblins?" Moradin asked.
"I did."
"Now it be my time. I came to offer Durnak to run fer Iron Prince title."
Durnak's eyes narrowed. "I be sensin' now that they sent ye. Ye know I cannae win or run fer it because o' me age. What do ye really want?"
"Maybe pull eyes here. Where others..." Demir started.
"Shhh. Smart kid," Moradin said.
Durnak pointed his cane at them. "Brovick, get over here. Take yer deceivin' nephew and bring a handle fer this sword. I be wantin' to test it."
Brovick walked over and frisk-hit Moradin. "Ye stupid brat. What did ye do this time? That gatherin' was horse shite, now distractin' me disciple. Did ye bring what I asked of ye?"
"Aye , take it uncle" Moradin produced different lookin papers from his bag and gave it to Brovick.
"They dunnae want me to run actually. They have a real horse inside the city. They just be wantin' eyes here," Durnak said.
Moradin chuckled. "Wasnae me idea."
"I know ye dunnae have much brain cells," Brovick muttered.
Brovick attached the handle to Demir's latest creation. "Och, its balance be good. I be likin' it."
"Give me that." Durnak took the weapon and took a couple practice swings, testing the balance. Then with one move, he jumped and cut through straws mid-air.
"Aye. It passed me tests. I'd be givin' these to soldiers. Good job, Demir. Now we can move on to the second lesson, etchin' a rune and placin' a rune stone that synergizes with that."
"Right now?" Demir asked.
Durnak laughed. "Nay, make ten as good as this. While etchin' ye'll ruin some. Call me when ye be finished."
"It will take at least three days."
"Then call me in three days. I'll send meats to offer Asena. Dunnae miss our offerin's. I dunnae want to piss off the spirits."
When Durnak left, Demir opened the situation and tried to understand with Moradin.
"What's with the elections? I thought you had a Prince?"
"Aye, Iron Prince. It be a title. Every ten years, guilds gather and choose our leader. And this idiot got too strong with the game closin' and all. And he be tryin' to prevent elections," Moradin explained.
"So you are trying to bring false candidates?"
"Candidates. He cannae openly attack. Durnak be a legend. Almost every high-rankin' military man carries his craft. They cannae seize him."
"But he is too old to actually run?"
"Aye. Also too cranky to get votes. But the real danger be holdin' the elections. But we'll hold the elections, whether he allows it or not. When he be at the summit."
"Summit?"
"In a couple days there'll be a summit o' Eleven Kings. Those who showed their faces in the Stat Freeze Law. Well, I hear Augustus be dead."
"Won't he leave military here to prevent you guys, if it's too tense?"
"Ironfell be in the middle level zone. He cares more about high level zone city Mytros. His focus'll be there. We coordinated our election to the same day."
"I wish you luck then."
"Thanks, lad. We'll get free o' that goblin-lovin' idiot."