Tales of the Exalted

"Thank you Master-Smith, you do Hunahpu's spirit proud." He took the elegant handiwork with care. Eida had no intention of wearing it, however. The possessions of the deceased are still theirs. It would be in bad taste to steal from a Nahuatl. He made plans to burn it in ritual to return it to the man.

Jill’s mind had been wandering again, too many new and wondrous items running through her head. She like mechanics and devices but sometimes she felt as if she could really make something wonderful if she really put herself into it. Her attention came back when he said her name and implied he had moonsilver. What she could do with just a bit of that, some Lunars didn’t even need to forge it to create items from it. As it was, her armor had been dug up from an old shrine playing homage to the great Moon’s Bloody Shadow, the bat and her shard’s previous incarnation.

”I’m sorry, did you say Jade? Of course it doesn’t speak to them. If my experience with the Seneschals is correct, the only thing good enough for their mates is orichalcum, pure and simple as that. The Sun Metal.”

Nezhno's jaw dropped momentarily at Jill's revelation. He looked at the others warily.
"That is an interesting claim, my Lady.... I uhm... I have one such item on hand, but I cannot give it to any of you. But perhaps it would put this claim to the test." he said. He rose and gesture for them to follow him deep into the forge, to his own personal workroom.
"This item was won hundreds of years ago from Mlungisi, the patron God of my people. He is a scavenger, the god of Things Made New. It is the symbol of my people's leadership, but none have been able to attune to it since the man who won it." he said, scrawling runes onto the floor. The wards lowered and a stone pillar rose out of the circle. He pulled out a key and placed it into the slot, turning it until a sharp click was hear. Then at the center of the stone pillar a hole appeared, and a golden blacksmith's hammer rose from within.
There was no doubt about what the metal was, nor how priceless.
"See if it will work for you. If it does... we shall have our work cut out for us."

Ruby's eyes lit up at the sight of the flawless smith's hammer. "Oh! May I?
Something like this was once in a lifetime, a relic of who knows how long ago made. Her heart stuttered with the thought of owning something this rare.

At the smith's nod of approval, Ruby reached out to take it from the pedestal with loving hands. The hammer was slightly warm to the touch, as if it had been under a noonday sun before it was picked up. It was at the same instant, heavy as the anvil it was meant to crash on, and light as air.

Thinking about the projects she could work on with a prize like this, golden essence flowed from her hand and wreathed the hammer, illuminating the entire room around them. She stared in wonder, not quite sure how she did it, but it was not unlike the feeling between her and Kaleidoscope, just different somehow. "this is amazing! It feels like it's part of my hand. Do you think I'd be able to try it out? That sword your apprentice was working on should be able ready for heat-treating and the final shaping, right?"

She was expecting a No, but you can't gain anything from sitting there wishing. Really, why would she waste an opportunity like this? The hammer was practically an extension of her mind, Ruby could feel the strokes it would take to give the blade she saw earlier a perfect edge.

Nezhno stared in wonder as Ruby lifted the hammer. It reacted as if she answered a call it had been making for years. He nearly bowed down to her on the spot.
She asked to use the hammer and Nezhno was.... torn.
"This hammer is sacred to my people... the sacred metalworking techniques that define us.... I.... on the one hand I would love to see it used. On the other... you do not know our techniques, are not indoctrinated into our ways. And... well... you are a woman. As much as it may honor the spirit of the hammer of Ogun... it would anger the spirits of those who owned it before." he said solemnly.

Ruby couldn't really hide her disappointment at being told she couldn't. Especially because of a cultural barrier. "I...guess I understand. I'm sorry for asking."

She went to put the hammer back where it belonged, and it took a good amount of willpower to let go of it. As her fingers left the molded grip, it's light slowly faded, like a candle being extinguish because it had burned up all of the air around it. It was almost depressing the way it died out.

Nezhno sighed, he too was disappointed.
"I apologize, and it is no problem that you asked. Would that I could make that desire a reality, but it is for the best that I do not." he said, hoping that would bring some finality to it.
"This brings us another problem though; all Orichalcum my people have ever come across is given to Mlungisi, as part of his ancient pact with the Ogun. And he is.... a lazy and selfish God. I have no idea how to work with such a metal. In order to find the armaments you need.... you will need to make a deal with a God who has neglected his duties for nearly two hundred years." he explained, clearly a bit upset.

Velvety lips drifted along his jaw and he could feel the warm breath roll across his cheek as the fiery haired man jerked into wakefulness. ”For crying out loud Speedy you scared me,” he sighed reaching up to stroke the furry muzzle next to his face.

”No I didn't, you were having one of those dreams again,” the horse replied matter of factly.

Cion groaned and ran his hand through his hair. He was paranoid, constantly worried his brothers would show up to destroy him and all he had become. Taking his father's weapons had been a terrible idea because eventually he would notice their absence. It was bad enough that after he had traveled to several towns with Alchred and his family he had struggled learning that he had become an Anathema. Possessed by the demon god. It was the merchant's kind words and wisdom that had seen him through his conflict. Cion understood now that he was not being controlled by some infernal creature but the many storied of Wyld Hunts his family told haunted him.

This was not what he had dreamed of though. This dream had been almost real, so vivid he could have sworn that there was more to it than too much wine and not enough sleep. He had been dining at a table much like the tea they had and to him it was all the same people, the princess, the knight and all the rest aside from the cat girl. Except they weren't them. There was a large serious man with his arm around a lovely petite woman and another with a melodic voice singing a tune while holding a chalice up. All the same but vastly different. Then there was violence and confusion. Blood and the feeling of betrayal. The same but not.

”While I appreciate the company, I think it would be much more convenient and comfortable for all parties if we both stayed in the palace. I've seen that building and I'm fairly sure I would have no problem navigating it. I'm sure their food is far superior…”

”Maybe later,” he said distracted. ”Wait. No… no horses is the palace! Please do not do anything to get us sent away. Should my brothers come looking for me we will need all the help we can get.”

”Alright, but I want to go for a ride today,” he said as Cion nodded and began to pull his tack out.

"Last I had heard, Mlungisi has become a nearly permanent fixture of Fa-Shen, the city that never sleeps." Nezhno explained.
"He hates to work, and has been known to come up with dangerous tasks for those seeking a boon from him, in hopes they decline... or fail." he added.
"You should make arrangements with Khal Shono to travel there."

"Thank you once again, Nezhno. This time for your wisdom. We will try and seek out your wayward God, and perhaps we can convince him to return to you as thanks for the work you do for us." Callista bowed deeply before leaving. She waited a moment to see if any of the others desired to walk with her back to the palace before leaving.