The Quest to Knighthood: Part I

[MrMojoMordor 2413]

 

-Witold-Leszek making a Rondel Dagger under the tutelage of Kato Enkai-

 

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23rd of Snow’s Maiden, SA 277
 

The Squire of Ser Merle Altwegg-Winburgh, Witold-Leszek - took his first steps towards Knighthood by learning what a sword is made of. Ser Merle taught the young squire what a blade is made of.

“Many warriors mistakenly assume that the blade is a singular piece, from blade to the crossguard, and down to the pommel. But such is wrong, for the blade itself is a slender, long piece of metal that is shaped, then sharpened. The crossguard, handle & pommel are all separate pieces that are attached onto the ‘tang’. Which is an unsharpened extension of the blade.”

From there, The Hedge Knight would speak of each part separately - pointing at them, answering the young squires questions when they came up. The young squire learned what’s the purpose of each part & their usage for battle.

Then finally:
“My first task to you, Squire. Learn what you can about the anatomy of different weapons, each weapon that you own or do not own. Then use such knowledge to forge a dagger or shortsword for yourself, si?”
 

 

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20th of The First Seed, SA 277
 

The Squire of Ser Merle Altwegg-Winburgh, Witold-Leszek headed out and looked far and wide for a blacksmith to teach him the secrets & art of weaponsmithing. His first destination was Norland, after meeting Lord Petyr Weiss at a tourney in Ildon. Lord Weiss spoke of two notable ones in Norland - Ulfric & Iulius-Thegn.

However, the squire's search was short. The gates were closed & the resident with whom he spoke, claimed they’ve not seen either man in days. Thus Witold-Leszek ventured on - visiting many cities in the Empire, yet found no smith available or willing to teach. It was then when an Imperial Guard, hearing the squire’s woes, suggested going to the Kurai-Kuni Shugonate. The young squire turned his horse far south & rode on a ferry over the inland sea of Azuras.

Within The Kurai-Kuni Shugonate, two guards met Witold-Leszek as he stepped off the boat & guided him to a man known as Kato Enkai, who was willing to teach the young squire the craft. With the heat rising as Kato Enkai pulled a handle that blew air into the forge & Witold holding the tongs, the making of a dagger began. Kato Enkai would entrust two bars of refined iron to the boy, the squire asking how they’re made.

The weaponsmith would teach: “You would need raw ore, then you place the ore in a special container called a crucible, from there you let the ore melt down and remove the leftover stone that separates from it. That is what is called slag. Once enough slag is removed from the liquid metal you can then pour what you have left into a mold that is the shape of an ingot and let the metal cool.

But, that is just the general process. Each metal has different heats required for refining and some need extra care, daemonsteel is one such metal. And then there is special metal, those have very strange and odd ways of refining. Today is just regular steel so it will be pretty straight forward.”

And thus began the process, the squire would do as the smith said as the smith taught and explained what each step is for. First the squire would heat the metal in the forge until Kato Enkai told him the temperature was right - the ingot glowing a fiery orange. Then, Witold would take it out, bringing it to an anvil & strike it with a hammer till it was shaped into a form of a crude rondel dagger, making sure to shape out the tang for it as well.

Then, Witold was ordered by the Master-Weaponsmith to quench the blade, putting it into the fire to heat up again before blunging it into the water bucket - pulling away & covering his face as the hot steam suddenly arose. Kato Enkai gave a nod and then grabbed the bucket of water once Witold took the half-finished rondel out.

“Now, the final part involves the forge once more. Only this time the heat will be lower, your blade will sit at this longer heat to temper the metal so it becomes fully strong. After that you can finally sharpen it.”

The young squire did as was told, letting the experienced Master-Weaponsmith guide him & teach him through the process of sharpening - asking questions about the making of other armaments, the smith answering his questions & pointing and different tools used. Once sharpened, Witold-Leszek paid 30 mina to Kato Enkai for his knowledge & time, travelling back to Norland.

 

 

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11th of The Grand Harvest, SA 277

 

The Squire of Ser Merle Altwegg-Winburgh, Witold-Leszek would spend time in both Norland & Alba, working on the hilt & pommel of the Rondel Dagger. He made the handle of Apple Wood at the suggestion of Ithmere Aldor, buying the wood from one of Norland's merchants. The pommel he fashioned out of scrap metal he bought off of a man in Alba after the defeat of Dwarven Lords in Urguan’s Capital.

The Squire used the knowledge he gained from Kato Enkai - shaping, quenching, tempering the pommel. Before he quenched & tempered it however, the young squire would use a chisel & hammer upon hot metal and attempt to decorate the pommel.Its end result a crude symbol of the sun onto the flat pommel.

As Witold-Leszek worked on the weapon, finishing it - a song had formed in his head, humming it in Alba’s forge.

 

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The Dagger Song:

Every adventuring Hedge Knight, Should have a dagger upon their belt.
Or hide it close to their chest, so greetings may stay heartfelt.

This weapon is a strange amulet, that cleanses you of all doubt & fear.
And cuts through all the binds, the binds besides that which stay sincere.

Those binds that stay sincere, are binds that push you onward.
Onward towards danger that you hear, In honor of your Knights vow and word.
 

 

 

 

Item Description:

Spoiler

Witold-Leszek Helvets Jagellion

[Hom 1987]

Spoiler

I LOVE MOJOPOSTING