The Sounds of Anvil

[Mariya Fleischer]

Planet Name: Tem​

Region: Outer Rim Territories​

System Name: Meissa System​

Accessible: Crusaders Way Hyperlane​

Location: Vur Tepe Temple, 8:57 am​

​

"The Gods have spoken."

Those were the words of the tall and muscular Valkyri who called herself Thorve Emberfall. She had came over to Tem last night for a routine check, making sure that the forging equipment were well kept even though no one had been using them for a while. In her dream, she remembered seeing the burning fires and hammering done by the mighty Teign in the high heavens. The mighty God of Smithing had gently reminded her of her duties to keep the tradition of smithing alive, to remind others that a steel blade was sometimes more worthy than a lightsaber. By the time she had awaken, Thorve noticed that the fires in the forge were lit by themselves, a sign that steel would be cast and hammered by new blood.

The planet of Tem was far away from the core worlds, but Thorve knew that distance was never going to be an obstacle to students who wished to seek out her knowledge. Of course, there was a price to pay, to endure the heat in the surrounding lands where lava raged. The Je'daii Master herself had to endure the same fate, but she had spent her lifetime forging weapons of the finest for the Gods, trained to endure the blaze that was always coming from the forge. She enjoyed the sweat, the hammering, the excitement in seeing her creations coming to life. And yet sometimes she missed the snows and cold weather of Midvinter, preferring to leave the forge and escape into the winter.

For now, she had a mission to do. The Gods had spoken and they were never wrong. She would be expecting visitors today, perhaps from the Je'daii Order who were still around. Or perhaps outsiders who had chosen to seek her out. She would only accept those who bore no evil in their hearts and understood that the weapons being created were a blessing of the Gods themselves.

Roleplaying Objectives:

The Je'daii Order [ [member="Caedyn Arenais"] | [member="Kurenai Yumi"] | [member="Tom Taff"] ]

• Thorve Emberfall is a great blacksmith and will show her mastery. Forge a sword, an axe or a warhammer. Complete your Vur Tepe Trial.
• Explore Tem and learn more about the mysterious planet. Find new species or learn the customs of the Valkyri from Master Thorve. Complete your Bodhi Trial.
• Help out Master Thorve. If you are skilled in blacksmithing, why not show your ropes to the rest who are new? Complete your Padawan Kesh Trial.

Others [ Open to Silver Jedi Order, Confederacy, Neutral / Light Siders ]

The Je'daii Order is a neutral faction with focus for characters to write their development stories on learning about the neutrality of the Force. Please, no fighting or trouble.

• If you wish to join the Je'daii Order, feel free to join in. We have accepted Sith characters in the past for learning because they wish to learn about the light as well.
• If you wish to seek out a roleplaying thread to make your weapon submission to the factory meaningful by learning from the Je'daii, join in as well.
• If you wish to just hang out, feel free to do so.

 

[Ronak]

The predator hunting his prey is neither good nor evil, nor is the prey being hunted termed by any such terms. Both exist in a cycle of life and death balanced - for without the prey the hunter would die, without the hunter the prey would reproduce too fast killing themselves by overusing their own nourishing nevironment. The real hunter took no more than he needed, never bereft the prey's herd of their strongest but rather their weakest members strengthening them through his actions. Neither did he selfishly gourge himself in blood or lust for the suffering and joy of killing as the Sith did, no did he believe that not culling the weakest among his prey improved the herd's strength as a whole more than taking them out to improve the other's living condition, as the Jedi did. Nature had a balance and so had the force - that was what Ronak believed. Without light, no shadows could be cast, without darkness light lost its meaning as a contrast. What he had not found was a way to lead him towards such balance and stability between the extremes of light and dark in the ways of the force.

But it seemed the force had found a way of its own to guide him towards such a goal. When the smuggler's ship he worked on to earn his passage got stranded on the planet Tem he had felt an urge deep inside him driving him forward through the lava lands. Panting and suffering from the heat even more due to his fur, the Shistavanen scout searched for a way through this harsh terrain to lead him where his inner voice, the force whispering to him, called.

The harsh cry of a flying predator split the air, as he dove to attack a small critter on the ground. "My friend, could you tell me where a home of two-legged dwellers such as me can be found", he asked with a growling voice reaching out to the beast with the force. The predator fixed him with orange eyes glowing like the lava flowing in some parts of the planets he had crossed before. Offering a chunk of dried bantha meat as a bribe finally turned the beast onto his side. Gulping down the meat it screeching approvingly. "Show me the direction!", Ronak asked it gently.

With another screeching cry the beast soared into the sky and started to turn into a direction, circling after a while to give the earth-bound hunter a chance to catch up with it. Briefly, the wolfman considered running on all fours to increase his speed, but decided against it to keep an eye on his guide more easily. In such a way, he was led through the territory for several hours, before a peculiar sound reached the sensitive ears of the wolfman: metal clashing onto metal. Was there a fight going on? But duelled with pure metal weapons nowadays?

Reaching a knoll, Ronak could finally make out the source of the sounds: an actual forge! The screech of his flying guide made him turn back to him and thank him with words and another meat piece, before turning to the mysterious location. This was the place where the force had led him to meet who fate wished to introduce him to. You will never know, before you take the first step and approach your fate.

[member="Mariya Fleischer"]
[member="Caedyn Arenais"]
[member="Kurenai Yumi"]
[member="Tom Taff"]

 

[Kurenai Yumi]

The Jed'aii were always a strange ground to spend time with, even if she was apart of them. They were mysterious, everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Not even the strongest Empires or alliances could track down their location. One only found them through contact by a member or having many years of knowledge to call on if needed. The latter was her means of finding the order, but being accepted was certainly an interesting aspect, were not most members neutral?

Once again she found herself in the minds of the order, this time with the notion of blacksmithing being present. It was a skill she had already learnt quite a lot about, but was far from a master and despite her age she was more then willing to learn a few things from some skilled children. Thorve was quite the muscular and strong looking women, even giving Kurenai a run for her money on body mass and tone, her height though being more then Kurenai. She assumed it was just part of their species, or perhaps she had gained such a body from all the heavy lifting she had done as part of a blaksmithing job, either way the women seemed just as capable as using the weapons she made.

For the most part the Kurenai had been following the master for some time, making sure to be among the first to take part in the lessons to be given, herself half interested to hear what techniques she employed with metal work. Perhaps bringing Tana, her eldest son would gave been a good idea, he loved this type of work, a note for another day, on this one she was more interested to see the skill set of the Jed'aii master at work. "So, who is it that you expect to see here today? fellow ones form the order? or are you hoping that some new faces stumble across and join the ranks"?

[member="Ronak"] [member="Mariya Fleischer"]

 

[Tyra Ashen]

Tyra gently ran her hand across the axe head resting in her lap. Her fingers took in every detail, from the warn metal to the inset carvings, clear to every knick and dent on the blade. The weapon had seen much in its time, just like the man who used to wield it, Arvid the Bear.

Arvid the Bear was a giant of a man, even amongst his own people. As big as a mountain they said, with the strength to cleave a man and his shield in two with a single swing of his great axe. Unfortunately, as with all things, time can wear down even the biggest of mountains. Dulling their sharp edges and carving away at their strength.

This is why Tyra was here. Her adoptive fathers health was ailing fast and he soon feared he would be joining his ancestors. Tyra was now tasked with bringing his armor and weapon to the blacksmith for repairs, so he could join his ancestors looking 'halfway decent', as Arvid once said. Letting out a small sigh, Tyra wrapped the axe in the soft leather hides and tied it closed. This was not an easy journey for the mind, the knowing what it lead to and the realization that it couldn't be prevented.

The floor shook beneath her feet as the shuttle finally touched down. Gathering her things, Tyra made her way down the loading ramp an into the unbearable heat of the planet Tem. She wasn't a fan of such warmth, growing up on Midvinter and all. At least she remembered to dress for the heat. Dark brown boots and cargo pants, with a black tank top. Even still, she was already sweating and she just stepped off the shuttle.

Hosting the large axe onto her back and picking up Arvids armor, before making sure her own sword was securely at her hip, she made her way towards the forge. She couldn't help but muse that this entire planet was just about one giant forge in itself. From the forge itself, she could hear the sound of metal meeting metal. The telltale song of hot metal being forged into something a new.

[member="Mariya Fleischer"]
[member="Ronak"]

 

[Mariya Fleischer]

"No idea. We must be patient and wait. They will come," the Valkyri nodded her head at [member="Kurenai Yumi"] who had been staying around for a while now. Thorve always spoke about her visions from her gods that would guide her path. To her, everything she had learnt about blacksmithing was a gift to be taught to the right students. As for how she determined the students to be appropriate, no one had any idea, not even Thorve herself. All she knew was that when she set her eyes upon a new prospect, her gut instinct would decide whether he was worthy or not. It was a strange way to choose her students, but no one actually questioned her way all these years, not even the other Je'daii Masters.

Perhaps there was some truth in the existence of her gods, a manifestation of the Force according to the way she viewed her world like many other Valkyri.

"I see one approaching. A wolf guided by his destiny," she stood in front of the Temple and pointed towards the direction of [member="Ronak"] who had somehow stumbled towards the forge. "And another fellow Valkyri who seeks to better herself in the glory of Teign." Thorve turned her head around and nodded at [member="Tyra Ashen"] who was obviously from her homeworld with the blue war paint markings on her face.

"Come now. Let's head into the Temple and have some refreshments before introducing yourselves," Thorve welcomed the new students with a hearty laugh and gestured them to follow her. She had already prepared some food beforehand, simple dishes that followed the traditions of her homeworld. Porridge served with dried fruits and leftover stew from last night.

The person who had been tasked to set up the table was a lanky blonde who was dressed in a modest robe.

"Welcome to the Vur Tepe Temple. I'm Mariya from the Je'daii Order. Please, help yourselves to the food," she introduced herself to Ronak and Tyra. Kurenai needed no introduction as the two of them had already met yesterday when they followed Thorve to come over to Tem.

 

[Ronak]

Fate must truly have led him here, as the women at the building which he had readed by now greeted him like a guest they had expected. The ways of the force were unfathomable and brilliant at the same time. As the Shistavanen stepped closer he bowed in respect and greeting. Aside from the women's appearance he also picked up their scents which told a story of their own, of strong bodies and wills, no fear or doubt noticeable.

Curiosity showed in the yellow wolf eyes, as they took in not only the appearances of the people present but also the architecture of the building, he followed the tall Valkyri inside. At the sight and smell of the food his stomach reminded him with a wolfish growl of the hours spent without eating. Inspite of his hunger he waited according to wolfish etiquette for others higher in the hierarchy to take from the food first, while taking in the odour of the hearty meal.

"Thank you for your warm welcome and the food", the wolfman yelped trying to cover his embarassment, but still appearing a bit sheepish. "My name is Ronak and I am here as a searcher, but I do not know what the Vur Tepe temple or the Je'daii Order is. I just ended up on this planet by chance. So, could you please explain a bit about this place to me?" Honest curiosity was clear from his voice and appearance.


[member="Mariya Fleischer"]
[member="Tyra Ashen"]
[member="Kurenai Yumi"]

 

[Tyra Ashen]

Tyra wiped the sweat from her brow as she closed in on the forge. She hoped that it was at least somewhat cooler inside then out here. The sound of a voice drew her attention to another woman, a Valkyri like herself. Finding someone from her home world in a forge like this was unsurprising, how she stood all this heat was something Tyra would have to ask later.

She gave a nod to the woman who had greeted her, before turning her attention to the second arrival. He was a large wolf like being, a Shistavanen if she remembered correctly. His species was probably just as rare off their home world as her people were from their's.

Together the trio made their way into the temple. The building itself looked very much like something she would have seen on her home world, but also held elements of different architecture as well. She took in as much of the sights as she could as they walked through the building. Only when she smelled food, did she turn her attention to what was ahead of them. There, standing by a table, was another woman. She introduced herself as [member="Mariya Fleischer"], and offered them food.

Tyra gave the food a quick glance before giving the woman a slight bow. "Thank you. My name is Tyra Ashen." She turned her focus to [member="Ronak"] and let him tell his story first. Form the sounds of it, he was stranded on this planet and made his way here by mere chance. That or the gods had guided him here much the same they guided Tyra here. She couldn't help but be just as curious as Ronak about the temple itself and the Je'daii Order that occupied it.

 

[Mariya Fleischer]

"This place is a Temple for members of the Je'daii Order to train, but it is also a forge to make weaponry and a place of worship for the Gods. And I refer specifically to Teign, the God of Smiting in my culture. I am sure Tyra understands who I am talking about."

Thorve replied to [member="Ronak"] in the most straightforward manner that she could think of. There would be no need for quarrel or argument whether whose beliefs were closer to the truth, because the truth was always coloured by one's perception. The Valkyri had always been holding onto her notion about the Gods' existence and no one could ever persuade her to think otherwise.

She turned her attention to [member="Tyra Ashen"] and smiled. "It's not often that I meet another sister of the clans. I think we will have plenty to drink about at night."

She then turned her attention back to the group which included [member="Kurenai Yumi"] and Mariya.

"Since the Gods have guided you all to be here, you are welcome to stay as long as you like. We have enough guest rooms for everyone. In an hour's time, I will be giving the first lesson on the basics of making a simple dagger. If you are interested to learn how to work metal, that's the best place to start. But for those who already know the basics, I will teach you how to curve metal instead to make a shield."

 

[Kurenai Yumi]

Kurenai stood idly to the side as two people approached, patient was never something she was keen on, but considering her age time was very aloof to her. A few days passed in what seemed like but a few minutes when looking back in the past, kind of an odd way to see things, though at least it worked and made waiting seem much faster.

Stationed to the right of Throve her blue eyes scanned the two new arrivals, the latter being a women apparently of the same race as the master blacksmith herself. Quite ironic, but perhaps that was the will of the 'gods' which were constantly talked about by the master, what ever name they went by, she didn't know, nor really care, to each their own.

The first arrivals though was of more interest, not because of his appearance and differing race but due to his name, "[member="Ronak"], where have I heard a name like that before"? Her memory flashed back to her last holo call with Sukai, one of the women's daughters and a Jedi in the SJO made mention of a wold man by that name during an expedition to ancient temple. It didn't seem like a coincidence, no doubt the force sensitive individual was the same person, seemed [member="Tyra Ashen"] wasn't the only ironic arrival to the temple.

"Ronak was it"? she asked, walking closer to the black fur being, "you wouldn't happen to be linked to the Silver Jedi by any chance would you"? A small way to break the ice, Kurenai putting on a calm look, a small smile across her lips while looking at him.

[member="Mariya Fleischer"]

 

[Ronak]

Ronak tilted his head slightly, as he listened to the clear explanation the Valkyri gave him. That was the way he preferred people tell him things - straightforward without much unnecessary talk. He respected her believes in gods - who could dare insist that they knew whether gods, the force, fate or whatever were the actual truth behind things. That the two Valkyri women, Thorve Emberfall and [member="Tyra Ashen"], wished to share their joint memories of their making them almost family compared to the rest of the galaxy, was a sentiment Ronak defintitely shared. What he would not give to be reunited with the members of his pack, his family he had searched fruitlessly for months now.

The prospect of learning to smith a weapon from pure metal sparked his curiosity. That was definitely something he had never done before. With pricked ears he followed further explanations intently. "I have never done this before, but I am really looking forward to trying it", he yelped eagerly. The chance to try out something new always made him itch with the urge to start right away.

As [member="Kurenai Yumi"] asked him about the Silver Jedi Order, the wolfman turned around in surprise that he would have mentioned by people of such importance compared to his own. "I have joined the Silver Jedi on a few expeditions in the past. But I am not one of their order or follower of their ways, if you think that", he growled as an explanation trying to return her smile by baring his wolfish teeth to a smile of his own. "My profession is that of a scout. I have worked with Sith or Jedi, hunters or rebels. I have no prejudice, as long as my principles are kept. I do not murder, attack unprovoked or help any slavers or tormentors of beasts or men." Ronak was surprised at his own openness. Typically, he spoke far less, but he somehow felt that this was relevant to share.


[member="Mariya Fleischer"]

 

[Tyra Ashen]

Tyra cast her gaze about the building, taking in every detail. So this place functioned as more than just a forge, but also a Jedi training facility and place of worship. She turned to [member="Mariya Fleischer"] when she mentioned her name and Teign, the God of smithing. Tyra gave a small smile and spoke in a joking manner. "I've heard the name a time or two."

Spending time with someone from her home planet sounded alright in her mind. Especially since she was so far from home. "If we do share a drink, then we'll have to swap stories of our adventures."

Forging knives and daggers was something Tyra knew how to do. Her adoptive father made sure of that. Always telling her that it was a good skill to learn just in case of emergencies. Shields were a different story. She knew how to fix them if needed, but not how to actually make them. This was definitely a skill worth learning, and maybe she'd learn some more while she was here.

 

[Mariya Fleischer]

The introductions were well underway, though no one had actually touched the food, possibly out of courtesy. Thorve walked over to the table and took a seat, filling up her own bowl with porridge and stew, grabbing a handful of dried condiments to toss in. "There's time to be courteous, and there's time to eat. I highly suggest everyone eat their fill before starting the lesson. You are going to need it." She laughed aloud, making a gesture for the rest to join in at the table. Mariya smiled and heeled the recommendation, knowing that the Je'daii Master probably knew the amount of work that everyone would be going through for the rest of the day.

******​

"Behold the Great Anvil of Tythos," Thorve Emberfall led the students into the depths of the Temple where the Force was the strongest. Mariya could distinctively feel the difference in the aura when she stepped in, though she was unsure if the newcomers could sense the same presence, excluding [member="Kurenai Yumi"] who was already well versed in connecting with the Force.

"The Anvil was used by Tem Madog, the first Temple Master of Vur Tepe. We won't be using it yet though, not until you are ready to forge your own blade with the power of the Force. For now, we start from the basics."

The Je'daii Master let the students admire the ancient relic for another moment or two before moving the group to another room with a more modest looking setup. The forge was already lit up, surrounded by a couple of anvils and several tools lying around.

"If you are new, go slow and start off with the dagger. You can find a simple dagger design in the holopad nearby. For others who wish to make a shield, we will do a simple heater shield. I will be around to answer any questions and assist you."

The Valkyri nodded her head and began giving a demonstration on how the steel was being put into the forge before placing onto the anvil. Her muscular arm grabbed the hammer and swung it easily on the anvil, shaping the metal quickly into a dagger shape and showing the students how to use the grinder to sharpen it. She then took another flat piece of molten metal from the forge and hammered it on the anvil, explaining the effort one would need to make the metal bend into the right angles for the shield to work.

"If it's too difficult, try making the base using wood instead. Doesn't mean it's easy to bend wood either, you will know it when you get your arms dirty." Thorve laughed aloud, remembering the times when her students repeatedly struggle with the simple solid woods.

Tags: [member="Tyra Ashen"] | [member="Ronak"]

​

Roleplay Objectives:

• Use your imagination and creativity to write out how your first item is being made. Details are up to you.
• Throw in a challenge or two for Thorve Emberfall if you think it's too easy.
• Chat with your new friends.
• Have fun

 

[Kurenai Yumi]

Kurenai silently listened to the wolf mans explanation, seemed he was one of those wandering force user mercenary types, helping where it was needed, and where there was pay. Was quite the common occurrence these days, it was how her family used to live before finally settling down. "I see, well it is nice to see your path has lead you hear, the Jed'aii are quite the interesting people to be in". It was a very mysterious order that did more then just teach the force, almost any skill could be passed on by one or more members, case in point today's blacksmiths class.

She flashed a somewhat small smile, something she rarely did to people she had only just met, continuing to follow [member="Mariya Fleischer"] towards the main temple. The women stood beside the master as she explained the anvils and their workings, a very noticeable area of the force surrounding them as her eyes met with the metal constructs. "Hmmm shields, always an interesting absence from Atrisan culture, if you do not mind I'd insist on making myself a Kodachi with the tools, and do not worry I know how to forge one". She'd be a laughing stock if such a skill wasn't second nature considering the man she had married.

Never the least she continued to watch the demonstration by the master, nodding slightly to her skill with the hammer, her muscles sure cam in handy for such a task. Kurenai continued to watch the demonstration as it came to a close, it was clear the master was making things simple for the newcomers. "I see that you didn't fold the steel and only forged it, interesting, is that just because you wanted to make things more simple for the students or is it just different methodology"?

[member="Tyra Ashen"]

 

[Tyra Ashen]

A small smile tugged at Tyra's lips when Thorve said that there was a time to be courteous and a time to eat. These words were true in most cases, and this was one of them. Tyra sat down and began to fill her bowl with stew. She didn't realize just how hungry she was, so focused was her mind on her fathers health, that she forgot about her own needs. The Valkyri ate her fill, and thanked Thorve and Mariya.

Thorve led them into the deeper into the temple where the Great Anvil of Tythos rested. Tyra wasn't the strongest in the force, but she could feel it in this room. Radiating from the anvil, the ground and even from what felt like the planet itself. She had had only ever felt the force this strong once before, and that was in another forge ironically. After several moments, she was able to pull her gaze away from the anvil and follow the others into the next room.

They entered into a smaller room with a forge already ignited and surrounded by several anvils. She listened as Thorve went over the basics of making a dagger, even showing them a demonstration. Then she showed them the basics of forming a heater shield. The shield is what Tyra chose to forge, or at least attempt to.

Tyra retrieved a flat piece of heated steel from the forge with a set of tongs. She placed it on the anvil and began to hammer the sides first in an attempt to get a slight curve. She'd start slow with a few bends at a time, then work her way into actually shaping the shield. Tyra didn't realize it, but she was slowly sinking into the force. Each stroke of the hammer made her more focused and her hand moved more by feel.

She didn't take her eyes off her work as she spoke to Thorve. "So, what brought a Valkyri all the way to Tem? This is a far cry from anything like Midvinter."

[member="Mariya Fleischer"]

 

[Ronak]

[member="Kurenai Yumi"] listened intently to what Ronak had to say and even awarded him with a smile and an answer: "I see, well it is nice to see your path has lead you hear, the Jed'aii are quite the interesting people to be in." Whether those words would be true, was still for him to find out. From his previous experiences with Sith, he had learned that they were not the people he liked to be with, they lacked the wish to cooperate which was strong for the Shistavanen. Having lost the protection and support of his own pack, ever since he left his home and tried to find his way in the galaxy as well as his lost family members, he had felt the increasing wish to find a "pack" to run with, be loyal to and be loyally supported by. If he would find this here, was still to be seen, but like other people and traditions he had met before, the wolfman wanted to give them a chance of presenting themselves to him, before judging whether he would get along and not trust in hearsay or prejudice of others. Although not sharing his own musings with [member="Kurenai Yumi"] , Ronak gave her a smile back baring wolfish teeth which might look intimidating for some people who do not know his people well-

"There's time to be courteous, and there's time to eat. I highly suggest everyone eat their fill before starting the lesson. You are going to need it." The recommendation sat well with the wolfman whi knew the importance of taking a chance of eating after a successful hunt to gain strength for the tasks to follow. The two Valkyri women, [member="Tyra Ashen"] and Thorve Emberfall seemed to share his spirit of familiarity when meeting a fellow person away from home, as they shared food and drinks. Greatly understanding and respecting that, he did not wish to interrupt, although he was curious about their homes or the gods they worshipped - an interesting concept.

Entering the forge with the great anvil of Tythos, Ronak felt a presence, a change he could not really place, until Thorve explained that it must be the force he felt which was connected here with weapons forged on the tool. The explanation about the anvil definitely sparked Ronak's curiosity - forging a blade with the force was an unknown concept for him and very intriguing. Forging a blade oneself felt more personal and connected than getting a mass produce weapon typically used nowadays - like the shortbow he carried with him, he had built with an Ewok hunter.

As they entered the next room, Ronak immediately noted the change of temperature - the emitted by the lit forge. If only the smithy was not that hot, it would be a lot more bearable for the furred hunter. Panting, he listened and watched every of Thorve's movements trying to imprint them in his mind. The introduction to smithing was definitely new to him, he knew a lot about working wood, maybe bone and stone as well for improvising in the wilderness, but smelting metal and hammering it into shape was a completely new concept for him. This was the main reason why he wanted to focus on the metal work itself and thus forge a dagger, not a shield with wooden parts in it.

Most interestingly, each of them had in this way chosen to forge something different, as [member="Kurenai Yumi"] spoke of forging a Kodachi - a weapon he had seen his friend Oda [member="The Wayfarer"] wield previously. Apparently, she was a much more experienced weapon smith than [member="Tyra Ashen"] and most surely than himself, as hardly anyone would have less experience with it. Chosing different paths could be a weakness and strength depending if they led apart or united the wanderer with different experiences.

Leaving the metal in the until it was heated to reddish colour, he delicately retrieved it with the tongs having quite great respect of the hot metal. Flattening the piece out was more tiring than he would have thought having to reheat the metal piece in the forge again and again to keep it shapeable. Still, he felt neither content nor really sure of what he was doing and finally, when he looked at the slightly flattened and deformed metal piece, he turned to look at the holopad info again. Thorve had flattened it from both sides, but his had a different shape.

Observing [member="Kurenai Yumi"] gave him a hepful idea - instead of trying to make it symmetric, he edged out a single side leaving the opposite thicker and added a more purposeful curve to the deformation the blade had developed during his first unskilled strikes. This way the weapon would allow to put pressure on it from a single side, making it better for cutting and still dangerous in stabbing, although straight pierces would not be perfect any more. The more had relied on his common sense and intuition instead of trying to follow the instruction by the book, the better the work seemed to develop, until he felt quite content inspite of panting heavily from both the onslaught of the heat and the hard work.

Seeing that both Valkyris were involved in conversation, he turned to Kurenai Yumi instead, waiting for a moment when it would not be harmful for her work to interrupt her. "You seem to know a lot about smithing as well. Do think that this progressing in a reasonable way?"

[member="Mariya Fleischer"]

 

[Mariya Fleischer]

"Hahahaha, an excellent question!!!"

Thorve laughed aloud when [member="Kurenai Yumi"] posed a question that required some detailed explanation. The Jedi Master had shown her knowledge in making a good blade, possibly even a good katana with her understanding. The Valkyri put down her hammer and pointed to the forge itself which had been burning brightly in blazing heat.

"A traditional forge is powered by coal, making it difficult to maintain a high temperature capable of melting iron and metals. So to overcome this limitation, the blacksmiths of the past will mix coal with iron. This impure iron has a significant lower melting point, allowing the blacksmiths to melt and fold the impure iron multiple times to increase the blade strength."

She paused, letting that bit of information sink in among her students before continuing.

"Notice the heat coming from the forge we are practicing with? The heat is extremely high, thanks to technology. That means it is sufficient to melt the steel we are using here. Ain't going to start from scratch using iron for now. Not until the rest have built their confidence."

Thorve smiled and turned her attention [member="Tyra Ashen"]. "The Gods, darling. The Gods called out to my soul and led me here. It was here that I learnt about the ancient techniques taught by the Gods themselves. When you are ready to forge a weapon from the Gods using the Anvil of Tythos, Valhalla will call out for you."

Meanwhile, Mariya was hard at work at her own anvil. She had never done any metalcraft before, her face feeling the intensity of the heat from the forge as she placed the molten steel onto the anvil and started hammering furiously, stopping a little to hear the explanation from the Je'daii Master. It was hard work and she found herself dripping with sweat after a while, her steel looking more like a metal rod than a dagger.

She sighed and tossed the steel back into the forge to reheat it. [member="Ronak"] seemed to be doing much better.

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

The Je'daii Temple of Vur Tepe,​

Tem, Crusaders Way Hyperlane.​

[member="Mariya Fleischer"] | [member="Ronak"] | [member="Tyra Ashen"] | [member="Kurenai Yumi"]​

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It had been a long time since Caedyn had been to Vur Tepe, the last time being to forge his Bo Staff alongside the guidance of [member="Ignis Imura"]. Back then, the Je'daii Order had been in full swing and his Master [member="Asha Hex"] was still with them. Today, things were of a completely different nature; He had done his best to continue to live by the way of the Je'daii, yet he didn't have the contacts nor the experience of a leader the likes of which his Master had been.

The Prophet began it's descent down upon the world called Tem, it's IFF Transponder Codes were well known to the Je'daii, for this was the vessel that once belonged to Asha herself. Everything that Caedyn was today, was thanks to her mentorship more-so than his upbringing and being raised on Commenor. Only when he had come into the Je'daii did Caedyn feel as though he had found his place of belonging, and when he got the call by [member="Mariya Fleischer"] to return to Vur Tepe, he couldn't ignore it.

Any chance that the Je'daii were making a return was worth returning for. Caedyn had longed for the day that they might share in the learning of the Force, exploration of the Galaxies greatest and most interesting places once more. He had sent out the call so many times, waited so long and yet nothing had come back until yesterday when he had returned from a week long holiday with [member="Asaraa Vaashe"]. Together they'd locked their com's and technological attachments to the outside Galaxy within the ship in favor for some real personal time. Who would've known that he'd be called back here, of all the times.

The Freighter landed with a strong hiss from the landing gear, heat being expelled from the vents beneath the ship as the engines slowly started to whine down. Leaning back in the pilots chair, Caedyn took a lasting look at the Temple ahead of him while the vessel gradually quietened down at his fingertips. With the final sound from the engines dying out, he turned to trigger the vessels stand-down before removing himself from the cockpit and heading for the landing ramp.

 

[Tyra Ashen]

Tyra gave a slight smile when Thorve gave her explanation as to how she got here. "The Gods do tend to push us in the directions we least expect sometimes." She began to wonder if that was what brought her here as well. There were blacksmiths on Midvinter, that much was true, but something drew her to this place. Thoughts for another time perhaps.

The sheet of metal found it way back into the forge once it started getting to cool. Tyra watched the forge for a moment before turning to see how the others were fairing. [member="Mariya Fleischer"] seemed to be doing her best, while [member="Ronak"] was getting the hang of it pretty quickly. [member="Kurenai Yumi"] asked if she could forge a weapon that Tyra had never seen before, one she'd have to ask about once they were done.

Once the sheet of steel was flowing orange, Tyra removed it from the forge and began to carefully give it shape. She was mainly going by memory of all the heater shields she had seen in her life. This one wouldn't be as good, but everyone needed to start somewhere. So it was here, where each hammer fell wrang out like a heartbeat, giving the forge the sound of a living beast.

She tilted her head some towards Ronak, not wanting to take her eyes off her work. "You said that you were stranded here. Were there any others with you?"

 

[Kurenai Yumi]

She gave small nods to the women as she talked being respectful, even if she already knew the reasons for the whole folding metal. At her family stronghold such as still common due to the volcanic state of the mountain, or what is was, most ore was not the best of quality requiring such methods in the pre-imperial times. "I understand what you are saying but their are still many strength to doing such with a blade, also their a sub styles of folding and the production of a Katana and similar weapons, some that involve having hardened folded point while keeping the core unfolded and forged, giving the blade a strong putting side while not making the entire weapon brittle".

"Sorry I would have told you I have reasonable knowledge on weaponsmithing, my husband is quite... enthusiastic about it", to the point that he'd quite literally kill himself if he were to ruin a sword during the forging process out of honor. "Even so I thank you for the talking points, if you would excuse me Ill be making a blade, perhaps a present for my youngest, she will be getting to that age soon were learning to wield a weapon and training with a blade is viable". Giving a small bow she left the master to talk with [member="Tyra Ashen"], herself going over to the forge, removing her outer garments and grasping hold of some metal and tools. This would be a rather long process, so she'd probably miss out on the rest of the lesson being undertaken by the rest of the students.

[member="Tyra Ashen"] [member="Caedyn Arenais"] [member="Mariya Fleischer"] [member="Ronak"]

 

[Ronak]

As [member="Kurenai Yumi"] told of her family, her husband and youngest child she wanted to give the blade to, Ronak bared his teeth in a sympathetic, yet sad smile. Family, pack was important for the Shistavanen. As his travels continued, he sometimes forgot the original reason for leavin his home, but not it was back in his conscious mind bringing the pang of sadness with it.

Things worked well, once he had grasped that forming metal with the hammer was not completely unlike forming wood with the blade of a knife - the method of hitting the metal with the hammer was completely different, but the basic idea of how something emerged from basic material without any form yet was similar. Turn his eyes away from observing the master's work by [member="Kurenai Yumi"] who was so focussed that she did not notice anything except her work, he observed the other students.

[member="Mariya Fleischer"] sighed loudly behind him. From her look that she shot at the dagger, she seemed at bit frustrated, but he was definitely no expert in reading human emotions. "Mine is not working at all like the design either", the wolfman decided to try and cheer her up. "It's not symmetric, but there nonsymmetric blades as well. 'Always use the shape your stone or log provides you, don't try to enforce you own', a friend told me when he showed me crafting from stone and wood. This is similar, but it's metal. But even metal has a will and shape of its own. It's better to go with it than try to enforce your own will, unless you're as good as the masters." Baring his wolfish teeth in a smile which often looked frightening to humans unacquainted with the Shistavanen, he hoped that this would have encouraged her.

"You said that you were stranded here. Were there any others with you?", [member="Tyra Ashen"] asked him, while she still kept her eyes focussed on her shield. Ronak hit the metal piece which finally turned more and more into something akin a curved knife's blade without the edge, before responding, while a reheated the steel. "Some smugglers who owned the craft I was flying on. They assumed that they would be ready with repairs within a few hours, so they should be leaving the planet soon", the wolfman responded calmly. "They were no friends, just people I hired with to earn my passage from one planet to the next and do some odd jobs for." Observing the work on the shield develop, Ronak tried for building a bridge with a friendly comment: "This looks quite good. It really lets you see the shape of a shield already." Unable to contain his curiosity much longer, he also asked the question: "What brought you to this place?" With a smile, he added panting from the heat: "You seem to dislike the hot place as much as I." Cocking his head, he waited whether she would respond, before taking his steel work from the forge again once it looked reddish glowing enough to be moldable again.


The sounds of hammers hitting steal hid most other outside sounds from Ronak and gave him a slight headache after a while, but a ship landing was still hard to be missed by his sensitive ears. Pricking his ears, the wolfman growled for anyone closeby to hear: "I think a ship has landed or something with engines loud enough to be heard beyond the hammering."

[member="Caedyn Arenais"]