Ely edit Dec 17 2023:
1-8 qps, depending on length and quality.
Rplizer +1 qps : x
Extra meticulous edit +1 qps : x
Length bonus +1-2 qps : o
Part of a series +1 qps: o
Summary: +1 qps : x
Total: 7 qps, because I assume some research was done (mainly wrt coal having to be chopped up, happened to know that myself). Awarding Maddy, Amarea, Annika, Twixt as well.
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Chloro Sedai holds an informal class open to the public at the gracious Master Cyril’s forge on how to properly keep a forge and craft a blade. In an attempt to teach tower girls that the shawl is not the only path in life and to help young Amarea work on her fear of fire she commandeers the dormant secondary forge.
View of: Chloro
Participants: Chloro, Maddy, Amarea, Annika, Twixt
Cameo: Aelrena
Cyril's Fine Armor
Lining the walls are racks and racks of various types of armor. Shiny
breastplates of many different metals hang off the walls. Several types
of chain mail with different types of chain links twinkle from the racks.
Gauntlets, shields, and helmets adorn the rest of the shop. It looks
like there are also other incompleted armors being custom altered for
discerning clients. To the north, those done with their business exit
out the doorway.
[ obvious exits: N ]
Zone: Tar Valon
A plate of tasty looking pork steams here.
A plate of tasty looking pork steams here.
A plate of tasty looking pork steams here.
A plate of tasty looking pork steams here. [2]
A chunk of sandstone lies on the ground.
A fine-grained oilstone lies upon the ground. [3]
A stout wooden barrel stands nearby.
Twixt of Illian is standing here.
A Tower Guard watches for signs of trouble.
Amarea Helsen the Fledgling Novice is standing here.
Maddy the Fledgling Novice is standing here.
Annika Locke - Tower Accepted - White Ajah Apprentice is standing here.
A sailor is here.
An armorsmith's assistant stands here, ready to trade.
Cyril the metalsmith hunches over an anvil, forging armor from red-hot steel.
The forger for the Gaidin and Valon Guard sweats here as he works.
A merchant guard eyes you warily, intent on keeping order.
A merchant guard eyes you warily, intent on keeping order.
Chloro brushes some coal dust off her thin gray woolen dress, it was older with stains at the bottom and a slight rip in the left of the bodice. With deft hands she took down a leather apron and secured it around herself. "Today Mistress Lara's has asked for a new meat cleaver. While we could commission one from master Cyril, it is high time you girls learn that not everything needs to be done with the one power."
Maddy nods at you.
Annika holds up a hand.
Twixt mutters something about being one of the girls.
Maddy opens her bag and scrummages around for her notebook and pencil.
Chloro walks quickly the strike of her boot heels producing a click as she leaves the shop and enters into the back area, a large square forge with canopy sits dormant. "Before I came to the white tower, I was the daughter of a blacksmith. Today you will learn proper care of a forge and how to craft a blade. Now, does anyone else have experience in this trade?"
Maddy shakes her head.
A fire roars in the forge.
Maddy says 'I have seen them at work from a distance but not up close.'
Chloro raises an eyebrow looking at those assembled. "Don't all speak at once now..."
Maddy squinches back a bit on the counter backing away from the heat.
Annika shakes her head.
Annika drawls 'My parents were vintners.'
Chloro looks to Amarea, "Child, have you had any experience in a forge?"
Twixt looks at Amarea.
Maddy says 'My parents kept your parents rich.'
Chloro looks to the lit furnace of Cyril's main forge and nods, before looking back at the dormant secondary forge.
Maddy beams a smile at Annika.
Annika grins evilly.
Maddy swings her legs back and forth biting on her pencil whilst watching Chloro Sedai closely
Chloro purses her lips at the daydreaming novice before moving on with the lesson, she did not have time for dilly dallying, neither should a novice. "Now can anyone guess what the key to forge keeping is?"
Twixt says 'A key with gold inlay!'
Twixt arches an eyebrow.
Annika drawls 'Keeping the fire correct?'
Twixt says 'I may have misunderstood the question.'
Maddy nods at Annika.
Maddy says 'I concur with Annika.'
Chloro looks flatly at Twixt then returns her attention to the girls. "Safety, is the key to keeping a forge. You are working with elements in their rawest form, much like the one power, intention and knowledge are your skills."
Twixt looks at the Tar Valon forger.
Amarea beams a broad smile from ear to ear.
Maddy begins jotting notes in her book, looking up at the fire occasionally.
Amarea blushes furiously.
Maddy beams a smile at Amarea.
Amarea awakens from her idle daydreaming, so lost in thought that she missed her name.
Annika examines the forge closely.
Amarea says 'Beggin' your pardon, Aes Sedai, but I do not have any experience with keeping a forge fire.'
Chloro moves to a large pile of coal and picks up a chunk. Lifting it she examines the coal, then taking up a hammer from the work bench she chisels away at it till it is the size of a large egg. "This is the correct fuel for forging weapons. Notice the size and shape. Forging pots and pans will take larger lumps that burn slower. For weapons we want hot and fast."
Maddy looks at Amarea and pats the place next to her on the counter, saying come sit with me I will pinch you if you need it. Beaming a smile at Amarea
Twixt whispers something to Amarea.
Chloro nods to Amarea and continues.
Chloro pulls down four hammers of the same size from the work wall and places them on the bench. "I would like all four of you to create a lump of coal the size and shape of the one I have done as an example."
Maddy says 'Chloro Sedai do all forgers use the same fuel to keep the fire going'
Chloro says 'Majority of them use coal, some will attempt to use wood. '
Maddy nods in agreement.
Annika takes the hammer and begins carefully knocking the coal into shape, flaking off shining pieces.
Annika drawls 'Does it break the second oath to forge a weapon?'
Chloro says 'It does not break the oath for an Aes Sedai to forge a weapon without the use of the one power. '
Twixt grabs a hammer.
Aelrena has arrived from the north.
Amarea eyes the fire nervously, standing in the back of the circle of initiates studying the forge.
Twixt strikes a pose and flexes.
Amarea curtseys before Aelrena.
Aelrena slips in the door, quietly folding her hands behind her back as she leans against the doorframe.
Maddy looks around and finds some gloves. putting them on grabs the hammer and moves the coal in place and beings to tap it slightly.
Twixt grabs a chunk of coal.
Annika curtseys gracefully.
Twixt strikes his thumb with a hammer.
Annika carefully rolls up her sleeves to avoid coal dust.
Chloro nods in respect to the brown sitter as she watches her charges. Out of the corner of her eye she can see two attendants loading the dormant forge with the correct coal.
Twixt sighs loudly.
Amarea reaches forward and grabs one of the hammers proffered by the Gray sister. She looks around at what the others are doing before tentatively stepping forward and striking at one of the lumps of coal, working on whittling it down to the right size.
Maddy looks at the door behind her and curtseys to the Aes Sedai
Chloro says 'Master Twixt, your thumb is not a lump of coal, please try again.'
Twixt spins effortlessly into Bundling Straw, obliterating a lump of coal.
Twixt says 'Huh. That shouldn't have worked with a hammer.'
Twixt grabs another piece of coal.
Chloro sighs watching twixt closing her eyes for a moment then continues watching the girls.
Amarea snorts and quietly giggles in spite of herself.
Twixt taps gently at the coal until it takes on the vague shape of an egg.
Annika produces a lump of coal approximately the right size.
Maddy continuing to tap the coal until she produces a someone similar lump as the examples near the forge.
Aelrena nods to herself, she must need reassurance.
Twixt wipes his hands on his dress.
Aelrena slips around the side of the room, leaning in briefly to speak to the grey sister before returning to the doorway.
Twixt says 'Ugh.'
Twixt stops using a decadent white leather dress with a plunging neckline.
Twixt says 'This is ruined.'
Chloro Nods and watches as she. "Good for the most part you have produced what we need. Now each of you may take your lump and place it on the forge among the others."
Amarea looks at Twixt archly.
Maddy looks at Twixt with a smile.
Chloro nods and whispers back to Aelrena.
Annika sets the coal in the flame with a careful motion of the wrist.
Aelrena's lips twitch up slightly at the corners.
Twixt solemnly obeys Chloro Sedai's instructions with no tomfoolery.
Aelrena nods at you.
Amarea freezes, standing back in place instead of moving towards the roaring forge fire as instructed. She has a death grip on the small lump of coal in her hand.
Aelrena looks at Amarea.
Amarea looks like a cute, brown deer eyeing a hunter with a bowstring drawn.
Chloro looks to the girls then unbuttons the upper part of her bodice scandalously low. "The forge is no place for modesty, and I will not have any of you catching the vapors. Be sure your neck and chest are able to breathe. It will get very hot once the forge is lit."
Chloro says 'Amarea, child place it on the non-lit forge, we will lite it once you are finished.'
Amarea blushes furiously.
Maddy jumps back n the counter to watch Amarea work her coal.
Maddy pats her dress down as she picks up her pencil and notebook to continue writing.
Amarea finally walks foward, setting down the coal on the forge, as if awaiting any second for flames to erupt from it. She successfully tosses it in an undignified manner, then scurries to her place in the back of the class.
Aelrena moves over to allow Hadis to enter the building, her eyes unmoving from the class.
Maddy beams a smile at Hadis.
Twixt shows a decadent white leather dress with a plunging neckline to Hadis.
Twixt says 'Take off anything nice. I've ruined my dress.'
Hadis eyes the crowd suspiciously and departs.
Chloro reaches behind her left ear and pulls out a match. "Please stand back from the forge, remember, safety is first."
Maddy moves as far back on the counter as she can and shields her face from the heat to come.
Annika steps back a little eyes intent on the forge.
Amarea tenses in anticipation, her eyes fixed on the forge.
Chloro with ease picks up a jug of lamp oil from the back wall of the shop. Giving the jug a jostle, she sprinkles lamp oil onto the coal before returning the jug to its proper place. "May the creator light our way to a fine product this day." With quick motion she strikes the match off her left hip watching it light. With a deep exhale she toss the match into the middle of the forge watching the lamp oil catch.
Twixt nudges a fishmonger suggestively with his elbow.
Twixt says 'Thinking of changing careers?'
Maddy peeks through her hands as the flame of the lamp oil expands.
Aelrena adjusts her shawl about her shoulders, pulling it closer about her body as she folds her arms across her chest.
Chloro feels the warmth begin to grow as she turns back to the class. "Now we will spend the next few moments while the entire forge warms up selecting out metal to temper into a cleaver for Mistress laras."
Amarea reaches out to catch one of Maddy's hands, squeezing tightly, and she whimpers softly to herself at the sight of the fire.
Maddy says 'what metals do we have to choose from?'
Annika's single eye glints in the firelight as she watches the flames transfixed.
Twixt looks at Annika.
Maddy puts her other arm around Amarea squeezing her shoulder in encouragement.
Twixt scoots away from the girl who is way too into fire.
Chloro motions the class to flow as she moves to a large stone slab with bars of steel ready to be molded. "For today we will choose from steel bars. It will last close to thirty years if taken care of."
Maddy says 'Are most kitchen tools made from Steel?'
Aelrena slips out of the building after a final glance about the room, her umber eyes moving quickly between the students.
Chloro carefully looks over the bars picking on one to feel the weight, lifting another towards the sun to judge density. "It would depend on the region, lower income families tend to use copper or aluminum, middle incomes steel, rich use gold which is the softest of those metals."
Aelrena leaves north. ^^
Maddy nods in agreement.
Annika arches an eyebrow.
Annika drawls 'A gold kitchen knife?'
Amarea's eyes are stuck on the fire for some time, but she eventually remembers to breathe and is able to redirect her gaze to the steel ingots awaiting their turn in the flames.
Annika drawls 'It would be heavy and never keep an edge.'
Maddy jots some notes in her book quickly as she watches Chloro Sedai choosing her steel.
Twixt says 'The rich don't often use knives at the dinner table. The cutting is done before the food hits the table.'
Chloro selecting one bar she holds it out for the class. 'This bar is weight perfectly, has no porous edges to denote oxidization, and is smooth to the touch."
Maddy says 'may I feel it please.'
Amarea looks at Twixt.
Chloro passes the bar to Maddy before walking to the left side of the forge, her eyes inspecting the bellows for rips or ware.
Maddy runs a finger lightly over the steel held lightly in her hands, offering it to Amarea to feel next
Amarea accepts the bar of steel, pressing her fingers along it and studying it closely with a curious expression.
Chloro nods, finding no ware to the forge and deeming it safe. "We will work together to temper and form the metal."
Maddy nods in agreement.
Chloro says 'Amarea and Maddy will work the bellows together, Twixt if you would fetch a bucket of water, and Annika grab the long tongs from the tool wall please.'
Annika blushes.
Twixt looks around for a bucket.
Maddy smiles at Amarea as she jumps off the counter to move to the bellows.
Annika pulls her eyes from the flames with visible effort.
Twixt looks behind Amarea and sees a bucket.
Twixt says 'Aha!'
Amarea squeezes Maddy's hand again, tighter this time. But to her credit, she takes a step closer to the forge, then another.
Annika takes the tongs down from the wall.
Twixt says 'Oh, there's another one in the corner.'
Twixt grabs a bucket from the corner.
Maddy sgrabs both handles of the bellows and squeezes them to see how hard they are to move.
Maddy braces one-foot in front of the other and starts to pump the handles steadily
Maddy beams a smile at Twixt.
Chloro pulls a large headed smithy hammer off the stone slab, her arm hefting it even though she did not look strong enough to. "Good, now Maddy and Amarea I want you to slow pull down and slow let it up, count to four and repeat."
Maddy pulls down while counting under her breath quietly.
Maddy beams a smile at Amarea.
Amarea nods slowly, shivering.
Amarea bites her lip as she steps forward, sharing the work with Maddy, lifting and lowering the handle to the bellows in a rhythm.
Chloro looks to Maddy and Amarea, "Like a waltz, One, two, three, four, pump."
Maddy takes a sec to wipe sweat from her brow as she continues to work with Amarea.
Chloro nods smiling warmly as the forge heats evenly with the rhythmic pump of the bellows.
Amarea quietly snorts at the comparison to a dance but keeps working.
Maddy grins at Amarea.
Maddy says 'you snorted hahahaha'
Maddy stops moving the bellows to pass Twixt a towel from her pack.
Maddy Looks at Amarea saying sorry shall we start again.
Twixt snickers softly.
Annika drawls 'I understand Cyril.'
Chloro nods to the novices working bellows "Now Annika, please lift the bar with the long tongs and place it onto the coals.
Maddy giggles at Annika's silly antics.
Twixt says 'Let me see those tongs. Tongs, t-tongs, tongs, tongs.'
Annika carefully lifts the iron bar with the tongs, turning slowly to set the bar in the glowing coals.
Amarea nods at Maddy, following her lead as they try to fan the flames by slowly lifting and lowering the bellows.
Chloro looks at the bar watching it begin to heat, "Master Twixt, where is that bucket full of water I requested?"
Twixt holds up a bucket of water.
Twixt sips water from a bucket.
Chloro looks to twixt and points to a large anvil, "Please place it next to the anvil."
Twixt wipes his mouth on his sleeve and places the bucket next to the anvil.
Maddy still steadily moving the bellows with Amarea, watches intently at what Twixt and Annika are doing
Annika drawls 'I wonder if I could do this with the Power...'
Chloro watches the steel bar on the coals begin to turn a dull red then glowing bright red. "Annika very carefully pick up the bar with the tongs and place it on the anvil leaving the tongs there."
Twixt looks at Annika archly.
Annika makes a mental note.
Twixt throws back his head and cackles with insane glee!
Maddy looks up quickly to Chloro Sedai anticipating the answer to Annika's question Amarea frowns.
Chloro raises an eyebrow look to Annika, "I raise the same question you posed earlier Accepted. Would the second oath allow that?"
Annika drawls 'It depends on if I believe it does.'
Annika drawls 'The nature of Truth might allow it, if I fundamentally believed the Oath referred to weapons that use the Power.'
Chloro maintains a mask of Aes Sedai calm. "See Alison Sedai and debate this topic. I would be interested to see the answers from both sides."
Annika nods in agreement.
Annika drawls 'Yes Aes Sedai.'
Maddy says 'could a kitchen tool be considered a weapon.'
Amarea keeps the bellows going but looks over at the Accepted and contemplates her response.
Twixt says 'Just to satisfy my curiosity, could someone tell me what the Second Oath is?'
Amarea recites, 'To make no weapon with which one man may kill another.'
Amarea blushes furiously.
Chloro says 'Now please place the bar on the anvil and leave the tongs.'
Twixt nods in agreement.
Annika drawls 'Let us not derail the lesson.'
Maddy nods in agreement.
Amarea nods at Annika.
Annika lifts the hot iron from the fire, placing the shimmering hot metal on the anvil.
Maddy arches her back to ease the cramp forming there as she continues to move the bellows.
Twixt says 'That brings up another question. Where do words like "derail" come from? What is being...un-railed?'
Twixt says 'Oh, sorry, not the time.'
Maddy grins at Twixt.
Amarea shoots Twixt a look and shakes her head with a sigh.
Annika drawls 'We derive it from the age of Legends.'
Maddy nudges Amarea and says this is harder than I first thought.
Chloro carefully takes over the cool end of the tongs from Annika, keeping hold of the bar with them she places it in the center of the anvil and lifts the smithy hammer high. With a bone crushing downward strike she hits the bar, the hammer striking then skipping down the bar. Three times she pounds one side before turning it clockwise to pound the other. "To forge a proper blade will take days. This is the first pounding of many."
Twixt says 'Ah, the mysterious sho-train.'
Annika drawls 'The translation from the Old Tongue is inelegant.'
Twixt flinches.
Twixt whispers, 'She seems handy with the hammer, we'd better pay attention.'
Maddy smiles quickly at Twixt as she turns to concentrate on what the Aes Sedai is doing.
Amarea flinches with each hammer fall, at least for the first minute. The longer it continues, the more she starts to take it in stride.
Maddy says 'oh oh I am sorry Amarea I feel a sneeze coming on.'
Maddy sneezes.
Amarea blinks her eyes innocently.
Twixt says 'Ew.'
Twixt says 'I had my mouth open and everything.'
Chloro placed the hammer down after several swings. She raises the tongs lifting the bar before placing it into the cold water. The water within seconds begins to boil rapidly drawing heat from the steel bar. "Cyril luckily was commissioned to complete a blade for us. Now, you all know the workings for a forge, how to fuel it, light it, and how to properly place metal in and take it out. Should the shawl not grace your shoulders in the end, you have learned part of a trade."
Maddy sniffs slightly as she pulls out her hankie to wipe her nose before continuing with the steady rhythm of the bellows.
Chloro says 'Novices you may stop pumping the bellows.'
Amarea sighs in relief, immediately stopping and taking a few steps back away from the flames of the forge.
Maddy moves back from the bellows, jumping back on the counter, she wiggles her arms and stretches her back to get the kinks out
Chloro looks to Amerea "You managed to face your fear and pump the bellows of a large forge. I suggest you meditate on this while doing the task, I assigned you."
Chloro says 'I thank you all for coming, does anyone have any questions before we depart for the night?'
Amarea blushes furiously.
Twixt says 'Do I get a cleaver?'
Maddy says 'Thank you for taking the time to give us this lesson Chloro Sedai'
Amarea replies meekly, 'Thank you, Chloro Sedai.'
Twixt says 'I wonder if I can do blade forms with a cleaver.'
Chloro says 'You do not Twixt, there are times I wonder if you know which of the edges is sharp.'
Annika drawls 'Certainly the sharpness is purely a literal quality.'
Twixt says 'All the edges should be sharp!'
Amarea whispers to you, 'Beggin' your pardon, Aes Sedai, but if you have time, I would like to know if I could meet with you privately when we are done here.'
Chloro thinks over the Accepted's comment before responding. "That is one way to put it."
Twixt says 'I don't have much cooking experience.'
Twixt says 'But I'm beginning to see how a double-edged cleaver might make for a difficult time chopping onions.'
Amarea says 'You are a peculiar man, Twixt.'
Amarea frowns.
Maddy says 'maybe you should ask Mistress Laras for instructions Twixt'
Chloro says 'That is a blade for another time Twixt, for now you are all dismissed.'
Twixt thanks you heartily.
Maddy curtseys before you.
Annika curtseys gracefully.
Twixt says 'Thank you for having me.'