Chapter 340: Craftswoman (2/2)
“I’d love to.” Iana immediately said with a big smile, “Would I be moving to Ravenhall?”
“I can introduce you to Claire, she’s the head administrator of the city. You can have a house or apartment, whatever you want. Funding and workspace as much as you need.” She said, happy to hear the girl wanted the job.
Balduur smiled and spoke, “Ilea, I’m happy that you can offer such a position. The girl has been growing bored in the village.” He turned to Iana, “As much as I hate to see you go, I can tell this is not an opportunity you want to miss.”
“What about you, Balduur? I know you normally only work for the village but you’d be supplying my own organization.” She explained.
The smith nodded, “I can work with you, depending on what your organization aims to accomplish. Supplying healers already sounds better than all the rest of the offers I got over the years. What I can’t do however, is move to Ravenhall. Too many people.”
“What about Morhill?” Ilea asked seriously.
“I… why would I move to that ghost town?” He asked.
“Not just you, Balduur. The whole village. Iana, are there enchantments here that prevent people from listening in?” She asked.
The girl nodded, “Except high level rogues or scryers, we’re fine… probably.”
Ilea trusted her work more than the girl herself it seemed, “The war will come to an end at one point or another.” She started, “When that happens, either Baralia or the Empire will prevail. My gold is on the empire with everything I’ve heard. Ravenhall has recovered and grown considerably, not just in population but in influence, gold and power too. What would you think of joining us, taking over Morhill and governing the city?”
Balduur was quiet for a moment, staring at her as if she was crazy, “Leaving the empire? You speak of treason.”
“I swore no allegiance to the empire, nor do I feel particularly connected. The Hand retook the city and cleaned up the demons summoned by one of the previous elders. I know the leaders personally, Balduur and I think this is the best thing for the region. The empire abandoned Morhill as well as all the villages around here. The war has sucked them dry. It would take years or even decades for them to invest in these parts again. With you lot as well as perhaps some other villages you trust, we could rebuild and strengthen the city.”
The smith at least considered, more than she had expected considering his previous words, “The area is good, walls already standing as well as the infrastructure. Yet, we aren’t city people, Ilea. I don’t want to live among thousands of people either.”
“Then don’t. People will flock to Ravenhall anyway. What you could provide is gear and another starting point for adventurers in the region. A supply station, place to rest and refuel for the merchants and Hand members. Training areas too maybe, there’s space enough.” Ilea suggested.
“And a wall between you and the empire.” He said.
“That too. But would you really prefer the empire over the Hand and Ravenhall? Contracts will be forged and the empire won’t care about us as long as trade is flowing and the mercenaries are still available for them. They don’t have the power to oppose us, not after the war.” She said.
“What about in five years though, ten?” He scratched his beard, “What stops you from expanding, conquering?”
Ilea shrugged, “I have a veto and I will only agree to defensive wars. I can see you’re thinking about it at least. I’ll tell Claire to visit you and talk about the details. I can’t tell you anything about the long term plans or expectations. Just thought you would be a good guy to have.”
The burly man laughed, “Well thank you. I don’t get offered a city every day. I have to warn you, I might just stay in Indur. The only reason I’m even considering is because you’re the one asking and because it’s in the region.”
“Fair enough. It’s fine too if you want to stay, I can have Trian send the requests for the organization directly.”
She went on to talk about the healing order and her goals with it, Balduur approving of the rule against fighting sentients. It would have to be seen if Claire could convince him in regards to Morhill. At least he had agreed to work with Ilea directly and that was the major goal she had in her meeting with him.
“I was thinking.” Ilea said, talking to Iana after they had a drink together and talked about her order as well as some of her adventures in the north. Balduur was even more interested in meeting Goliath by now and Iana kept asking questions about the Taleen, especially the Praetorian shields. Recovering the runes would be impossible of course, not until Ilea could securely destroy one of the machines before they exploded, a task likely not possible for many years to come.
She summoned the dark obsidian hammer forged by Goliath, “Can you give it an enchantment that could bring it back to me?”
Iana touched the metal, “There are no enchantments on it yet. High quality but the structure is so dense it doesn’t allow much. Perhaps something that would allow you to make it fly back to you. No spacial magic.”
“That’d be alright.” Ilea replied.
“You would need quite a bit of mana to make it work.”
“I also thought about having my armor enchanted. It’s bone though so I’m not sure if it’s possible.”
“Of course. Show it to me.” Iana replied.
Ilea put on her Eternal Guardian armor onto one of the work benches, each piece separately.
“Timeless… beautiful work… this isn’t carved, it’s molded. A bone mage? And a smith as well?” Iana commented as she ran her hand over the gear.
“Not the same person.” Ilea commented. She noted Iana lingered on the symbol carved into the helmet’s cheek.
“This is elvish, I’m pretty sure.” She was stating it, not overly concerned.
Ilea still decided to explain, “I met some in the north. Cerithil Hunters, exiled from their domains, their only purpose to hunt and destroy Taleen machines. I suspect the elf you were previously owned by was one such hunter.” Ilea said, looking at Aki.
“The name… it’s familiar, yes.” The dagger said, “I believe you might be right. Although… it’s weird. Somehow I feel negative towards it, as if they were… cursed? As if I wanted to, hunt them, kill them.”
She nodded, “I would assume non Cerithil elves would think that way. It’s possible your previous owner wasn’t quite convinced yet or you changed owners among the elves as well.”
Balduur seemed concerned, “Elves too… Ilea. I do trust you, yet I must ask. What do you intend to do if those creatures invade? What will you do if Ravenhall ignores your veto?”
“I will fight them, both the elves and those that would break their promises. I can see why you would be concerned, I really do. I wasn’t convinced by the idea immediately either. Still decided to join, mostly because I know all of them. From the empire, I know nobody. Just talk to some of them and think about it.” She replied. “I’ll try to set up a meeting between you and Goliath too.”
He nodded, the suggestion likely more important to him than any of the politics. At least she thought as much considering his facial expressions.
“What enchantments would you want, Ilea?” Iana asked, turning away from the bone gear.
She shrugged, unsure what would be helpful, “Can it give me stats or make me faster?”
Iana shook her head, “No stats, something like that could only develop over a long period of time and only for high end gear. I think this set of armor is capable of growing such an effect, yet it’s hard to say. Same with the speed effect. I can of course make it lighter.” She glanced at Ilea with a questioning look.
“How common is that? Developing stats or effects? Never heard of it and I’ve talked to plenty of librarians and powerful beings.” Ilea said.
The enchantress chuckled, “Perhaps you haven’t asked the right questions. Though I suppose it is rare to know about this, even more so to see it. Powerful family heirlooms might bear such effects, long forgotten and guarded treasures in ancient dungeons or kept by monster tribes. Some adventurers stumble upon such items from time to time.”
“I do ask to few questions. What enchantments would you suggest?”
“Stat bonuses, at least those I have seen wouldn’t give you much. Perhaps five to ten points for a whole set of armor. The fact that the gear can develop an effect like that speaks for its quality, the item itself being the actual benefit.” She paused, “Resistances to heat or mana intrusion, perhaps another element. Bone is rather versatile so I could accommodate to a lot. Simple hardening or durability is possible as well.” Iana suggested.
Ilea walked to the table and checked the helmet, “I don’t think lighter gear would help, I barely notice it as is. Resistances don’t matter much either. Can you do both hardening and durability?”
“I could make it heavier as well. And yes, if you want that. I would leave it at three enchantments, to make sure we’re not overburdening the material.” She suggested, “Hmm… well, you being a healer, I could add a mana flow enchantment.” Seeing that Ilea didn’t know what that is, she explained, “It negates any mana flow or mana intrusion resistance the material has.”
“That’s be great.” Ilea replied, “How much would it have reduced my healing or attacks anyway?”
Iana checked again, her mana flowing into the chest piece of the set, “Not much. The maker made sure of that. Still, an enchantment would remove whatever is left of the resistance.”
“Do those three then.” Ilea said, quite happy about the upgrade for her new gear.