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Salt and Blood - Chapter 39
🕑 Added 2024-10-10 08:55:55 +0000 UTC<< Chapter 38 | Table of Contents | Chapter 40 >>
1.39 - Sunsplitter
Nothing in this world captures my heart and soul more than gazing at the sun. Never directly, of course. That’s the beauty of the sea, though. She offers a reflection of that cold mistress, one that offers us sailors a glimpse into its true beauty.
-Quoted from Villian Flamespear, The Demon Admiral
Simply gazing at them was enough to leave her stunned. The flickering flames of the forge refracted through the intact crystalline structure of the cutlasses, painting the walls in vibrant rainbow hues.
Skill up!
Light Attunement 3 > 4
“Wha-” she started to exclaim, but then stopped. Trying to fumble for an answer would only spoil whatever inspiration had led to her skill levelling up.
“I appreciate your compliments. They are far from my best work, but I was a little out of practice,” chimed the mysterious smith. “Perhaps if you visit me again I will be able to craft you something truly awe inspiring. Using the real techniques of my people.”
He seemed wistful—no, mournful—as he mentioned his people. She had known from the moment she’d seen his grey skin and gemstone eyes that the man wasn’t human, but it was sobering to hear him speak that way.
“I never did ask for your name,” said Rose.
“You did not,” he replied. “Then again, my name is not so important. I will share it with you, since I know you humans are fond of such things. It is Zut Rubysoul.”
It was a strange name, but Rose supposed that was her judging it from her own cultural perspective. How odd it felt, having to contend with that knowledge in her own mind. She had read about other species, but this was her first time encountering one.
Your profession has advanced!
Apprentice Scholar 8 > 9
She hoped it wouldn’t be the last time this happened, it was truly fascinating. Her profession advancing wasn’t so mysterious, but it was surprising. It was supposed to increase as her skills levelled up, but it seemed that her own insights and experience could push it along too.
Zut lifted the fur from the table and wrapped it around her shoulders. In its raw state the pelt had been scratchy and tough. He had transformed it into a luxuriously soft and perfectly tailored cloak.
The fang necklace laid on top of the cloak and clasped around her neck without any loose chain. Rose wondered how the smith had managed to accurately size them without measuring her, but she relaxed and allowed herself to be impressed.
“You should be able to inspect them. Just use whatever appraisal skill you have and the tide should do the rest.”
Rose paused. She didn’t have a skill like that.
However, she didn’t want to embarrass herself in front of the man by exposing her lack of knowledge. Perhaps having an appraisal skill was basic for people here, but in Emerlan Isle it was unheard of.
As far as she was aware there were only a few elite merchants and appraisers by trade back in her home country—almost all of whom lived in Greengate, the capital. Zut saw her hesitation and smacked himself in the forehead.
“Ah, I forgot how young you are. It is a bad habit of mine—assuming that others have the same depth of knowledge that I possess,” he said.
After that, he took hold of her hand and moved it until it was pressing against the cloak. Her fingers sank into the soft fur and she revelled in the feeling. This was by far the highest quality piece of clothing she’d ever owned.
“Close your eyes and follow my lead. It will help to let me guide the skill the first time. I would recommend trying to earn a similar skill yourself in future—appraisal is exceptionally useful.”
As she let her errant thoughts out of her mind, Rose wondered if her occupation would help her with the appraisal. The description had said it would give her greater insight into the world, after all.
The feeling was strange. Not quite arcane in the way the convergence had felt, or the strange archway, but certainly magical.
It was like extending a sixth sense she hadn’t known existed into the very fibres of the cloak and delving for secrets. With Zut leading the charge, it wasn’t difficult to uncover them. Soon after they began, the magical feeling faded; in its place was a whorl, describing the virtues of her new cloak.
Cloak of the Alpha 28
Beast Aspect
A thick fur cloak fashioned from the hide of an alpha wolf by an expert artificer. Provides protection from adverse weather conditions and slashing strikes.
There was nothing special about the cloak, other than the fact that Zut had somehow squeezed an extra 6 levels out of her treasure. Having some extra protection against storms and her enemies was nothing to scoff at.
Next was the necklace. Seeing the information actually surprised her this time, because the man had somehow turned the worst of her loot into a truly potent accessory.
Mark of the Wolf 34
Beast Aspect
Combining fangs taken from an alpha wolf and a chain forged from truegold, this necklace gives the wearer the ferocity of a wolf in battle, increasing their reaction times and ability to sense weakness.
Rose wasn’t sure what to make of it. Clearly Zut had gone above and beyond when crafting it, taking a measly level 19 treasure and transforming it into the highest levelled piece of gear she owned. Although she was sure the cutlasses would soon blow it out of the water.
“This is incredible. Thank you,” she muttered while reading through the description once more.
The effects were a little intense and she frankly hoped to avoid fighting as much as she could—with other humans, at least. Rose had no doubt they would encounter far more wild beasts, and probably pirates, in the future.
Having this necklace would give her an edge on the competition, one that she sorely needed. Of course there was always her Murderer title to fall back on, but she saw that as a last resort. A nuclear button that she hoped to never press again.
He had clearly used some of his own materials as well, since the Mark of the Wolf was apparently forged from a metal called truegold. It sounded expensive.
“Don’t worry about it. Fate brought us together after all,” he mused, gemstone eyes shimmering in the light of the forge.
Last, but certainly far from least, was the twin cutlasses forged from the crystal antlers. Her steps were hesitant as she made her way towards the end of the table, where the grey skinned smith stood waiting.
With a delicate touch that no longer surprised her, he flicked one of the blades into his thick hands and then passed it to her, handle first. Her fingers nestled into the grooves as though it had been moulded for her—she supposed it had been.
The wide basket shaped guard curved just above her knuckles, joining back at the point where the handle held the blade itself. Zut had sharpened the sides of the antlers into a lethally sharp cutting edge, but he hadn’t needed to make any modification to the stabbing end.
Evolution had seen to it that the stag had antlers that could shatter tree trunks. While Rose lacked the same physical strength as the beast, she could do plenty of damage to a stray pirate.
Wanting to see the full extent of her new cutlass’s capabilities, Rose took the second blade from the table. After she held both in her hands, she tried to repeat the appraisal that Zut had led her through before.
At first, precious little happened. She found herself unable to shift the magical undercurrents that danced around her, imitating whatever he had done to inspect the equipment. Closing her eyes, she drew on her focus and let everything except her awareness of the twin blades fade away.
She could feel the cold crystal in her hands, the grooves that nestled against her fingers and palms. But she wanted to go deeper than what her sense of touch was telling her—she needed to tap into that sixth sense once more.
There was some resistance, clearly this wasn’t something that came naturally. However, she remembered how it had felt when the blacksmith had led the way. All she needed to do was retrace his steps with her own mind.
It took almost a minute of intense focus, but her efforts paid off. That magical feeling as her mind delved right into the cutlasses in her hands and exposed their secrets. Well, most of them. She opened her eyes as the splash sounded in her ears and observed the whorls.
You have learned a new skill!
Appraisal 0 > 1
Sunsplitter 51
Light Aspect
Twin cutlasses forged from the antlers of a crystal stag by a master blacksmith. These twin blades are separate, yet they form a single entity. Cleave through the rays of the sun as you deliver death blows to your foes.
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