Custom Fittings

Lower Trades, Morning.

Slatesteel Services

The workshop was at a mild standstill as the owner was leaning over a workbench, the khzad woman staring bug eyed at a middle aged Eldanar man. Upon the table was some worn armor, neatly laid out, along with a well used longsword. "I'm serious."

Slatesteel rubs her face. "But, lad, this is our standard issue, got you through lots."

"And you, of all people, know how well standard issue holds up. This adventuring stuff needs a cut above that."

A sigh leaves her, her looking over the equipment. "So what'dya want?"

"Your best to replace it."

A groan leaves her. "Fuuuuuuck." <Khadzdul>

The workshop in question was a bit emptier than usual, at least for a moment, but that wasn't too long going. Not too long after an elf poked their head into the workshop, carrying one large bag over their shoulder.

Hello miss Slatesteel! I got the leather shipment you were needing to finish off some of the grips, and I bought some extra to try out with your permission. One of the fishermen came into town with this giant shark, and I bought a large chunk of the hide from it to have the tanners work on it. I heard it works really well!" They ramble, before catching the general demeanor of the room.

"Oh, hello Warrick, Slatesteel, is everything alright? Do you need some repairs for your armor?" They wonder.

Slatesteel looks up from Warrick over towards Schara. "Huh? Ah. Tha's good, Lass. Go ahead and give it a try. Shark leather really good fo' that kinda stuff. If it turns out well, lemme know where you got that, might get more. When ya get a minute, can ya set aside ten pounds of nine part iron, one part carbon, and grab a handful of nickel and silver? Gon' teach ya somethin'."

Warrick blinks, him raising a hand. "Hello Schara. Everything is fine." He looks down to his armor, shoulders slumping some. "No. I'm selling and placing an order."

"Of course! Just give me a moment, and I'll get that taken care of!" The artificer nods. "And I'm always happy to learn something new, but, well-"

They turn to Warrick, and instead frown. "Are you sure everything is fine? You don't look fine and, are you selling your armor? Do you need the gold or something?" They wonder. "Miss Slatesteel has been paying me well and if that's the case I'm sure I can spare something, it's the least I can do since you got me working here in the first place."

Warrick rests a hand on the splint mail, thumb brushing over where the Alexandrian crest should be. "No, Schara, I appreciate the offer, but I am not lacking funds. I am just... nostalgic, and am in need of an upgrade."

Slatesteel smacks the armor twice, turning to the elf. "Alexandrian standard issue serves pretty good, but ya know, the shite tha Guild goes through needs tha best of tha best."

"Oh, I'm not sure I understand entirely, but I do somewhat, in that case." Schara sighs. "But getting an upgrade to your armor is a good idea, I agree with miss Slatesteel. Do you need to sell it though? Why not hang on to it if it seems to bother you to get rid of it and you aren't short on funds?"

She nods to the khazad and disappears behind the workshop to return shortly with the requested materials. "I wasn't sure if you wanted a khazad sizedd handful or not of the nickel and silver, so I got a bit extra." She states while setting everything down where she could.

"It's just gotten me through a lot is all," Warrick explains. He's lacking his overcoat, making it easy to see him rub his scarred left arm. "I'd rather someone else have it to keep them safe than it gather dust."

Slatesteel bobs her head along, looking at what Schara brings out. "Mmm. Mmmm. Good. Aight. Sooo..." She moves the bars about. "Steel's 'bout two percent carbon, yeah? Lil' trick of the trade here is..." She picks up a few grams of the silver and nickel. "This here is the secret. It makes the steel a teeny tiny by more flexible and malleable. And when its cured, makes it bend to take blows better and easier to sharpen."

"I should trust that you know that, miss Slatesteel, It's in your name after all." The elf laughs. "Oh! But I'm just, yes, you're right."

The artificer peers at the metal, and she digs into a pocket of her coat for a journal , set into one hand , and grabs a pen with her teeth to jot down several notes. "That's amazing! I don't know how the alloys affect the structure of the metal, but I wouldn't have thought to mix silver in with the steel like that."

"And that's a good idea Warrick. I hope it will be of use to someone." She nods to the man.

Slatesteel grunts, "Yep, ain't most gonna figure that. Nickel binds it ta the steel and the silver. Such a trace amount ain't gonna get picked up or make it mo' expensive. You've been doin' some good work, figured ya might could use that knowledge in yer artificery. And that's why I didn't let ya look at m'ledger just yet," she grins.

Warrick gives a light sigh. "As do I. Though, I'm... going to apologize in advance, as the armor I'm going to request is going to have a lot of special requirements."

The dwarven women blinks at him. "... oh Reos's bloody pecs, not again..."

"That makes sense, though I'm not sure why that would mean looking at your ledger was a problem still. It's not like I was going to do anything bad with the information." The elf muses, stopping her writing to speak.

"You shouldn't need to apologize for that, should you? Miss Slatesteel is an excellent smith, and it's not like you aren't being charged for any extra time spent on it, right?" They ask. "What sort of special requirements, though?"

Slatesteel waves a hand. "Because you're bloody smart, and woulda figured it out pretty quick."

But, she scoffs and crosses her arms. "Ohohoho, no no, it's getting charged for extra time. Because-" she turns to Warrick, "-Let me guess: plated left, scale mail body. Armet helm without the visor?"

He shakes his head. "Visor. Make the eye slot a little wider. I.. also have colors."

She sighs, turning to Schara and gesturing towards Warrick. "Retz keeps more armor on one side ta offset the crossbow so he's not off balance. And it's a pain the arse 'cause its asymmetrical."

"No, no, I meant of course you would pay for the extra time taken, so I was wondering what the problem is." The elf sighs. "And I don't know what the issue would be there still."

Schara shakes her head and refocuses, back to scribbling down a few notes as she listens. "I didn't know that there were so many corrections to make for someone shooting a crossbow." They note. "It makes a lot of sense though, and I know you'll do a good job with it."

Slatesteel looks at Schara with a raised brow. "The issue is that it's going to be annoying as shit to make. They aren't corrections. It's a special order. Which means lots of trial and error. But I appreciate ya vote of confidence."

"I shoot right handed, so my left faces the enemy a lot. Crossbow is heavy, so don't want my right to tire out. Any too many people don't wear a helme-"

"Alright! Alright! We get it!" Slatesteel laughs, slugging him in the shoulder. He chuckles, rubbing his arm. "Well, Schara, ya ready ta get this started? Gonna be tough as shit."

"Well yes, I'm just saying that I don't doubt your capability to do it." The elf nods back. "And I can learn all sorts of things about armor alteration, when I'm not busy with other work and the like that is. But if I'm going to be busy helping you with this, then that works out really well!"

"Don't worry, I wrote down everything you mentioned Warrick. And of course! I'll go get my armor sorted, and I'll be ready to help." She replies to the dwarf, already disappearing back into the workshop.

"Ya, can learn a lot about armor alteration, best we do ta get our man here sorted and safe," Slatesteel grins to Schara as the elf vanishes into the shop.

She turns to Warrick, her face softening. "You better stay safe," she murmurs, glaring at him.

He holds up a hand. "I am. Why do you think I came to you two?"

She taps her finger on the workbench, continuing to glare at him before she nods slowly and turns to head back inside. "Tomorrow night, Fernwood, we talkin'. 'side from that, get yer ass in here, we gotta hammer out details. What the fuck color you want this shit anyways?"

-End Scene-