Posted by Civilian Seamus McKenzie (Future Citizen) in Earth - Midnight Calls and Mayhem Introductions.

Posted by Civilian Ragna Idun McKenzie (Future Citizen) in Earth - Midnight Calls and Mayhem Introductions.

Posted by Civilian Seamus McKenzie (Future Citizen) in Earth - Midnight Calls and Mayhem Introductions.
Posted by… suppressed (9) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Once back on Bømlo, Oddvar stepped out of the building with Revna. She waited for Mike and her sisters. Oddvar was waiting for Seamus. As Mike and Cuyler wandered off Oddvar moved to walk beside Seamus as the girls wandered off on their own. “Mike needs a sword, don’t matter if he can use it or not, it’s a sign of the office. Think your sister would want to help me make one. It’ll take all day but we can do it, and I’m willin’ to work through the night. Something that will be a sign of both his clans.” Oddvar was already making his way towards his forge. The fire always stayed banked and he began to work the bellows brining the fire up and and coals blue white.

Oddvar

Seamus shrugged and said “Hang on. Let’s call her and ask. You may be able to convince her more than me.” He pulled up the communicator so the screen framed them both and both could see the screen when his sister answered. There was nothing for a moment, and then the screen came to life in a series of shakes and drops. The sound from the other side was a female voice seemingly very… well… excited… and then a face and bare torso appeared on the screen. A beautiful redhead woman with piercing blue eyes, probably in her late twenties (and definitely not wearing clothes) filled the screen. She was sweating and out of breath as she said “Aye, Seamus. This better be good, dammit.”

Oddvar’s brows went up and well, like he told Cuyler, he wasn’t dead yet, but as far as he was concerned she was a child. Younger than his Ragna. But she reminded him of a younger Tara. And with that thought he was staring at the space above the communicator.

Seamus shook his head and said “For the love ‘a… DAMMIT BLAIRE PUT ON A SHIRT! I ain’t alone, here. Oddvar Edman is with me ‘an he wants a word.” The woman Blaire on the other end cocked an eyebrow and said “Aye, I know of ‘em. If a man his age ain’t seen a pair of breasts before now, he should just curl up and let the ground have ‘em. Whats the use of livin’? Put ‘em on!” Seamus looked at her and she rolled her eyes but adjusted the view so it wasn’t as… personal… and Seamus looked at Oddvar “Oddvar Edman, Blaire Floortje McKenzie. My sister and royal pain in the arse.”

Seamus

Oddvar chocked on a laugh, coughed and gave Seamus an appologetic look. “Perhaps not in the same way but you’re glutton for punishment aren’t you? Ragna’s just as much a pain in the arse.” He looked back at the screen. “I’ll get right to the point, seen’ as your ‘busy’. Michael needs a sword, and I thought it would be fittin’ if the best blacksmiths from both clans worked together to make it. Catch is, we got till tomorrow night to get it done. You in or out Master Smith Flaire Floortje McKenzie?”

Cuyler

Blaire’s eyes widened and a smile any blacksmith worth their tongs would understand fell on her lips. She leaned back and unthinking showed Oddvar a lot more of her than one should on a first call.. but it didn’t seem to phase her. “I’M IN.” she said with a different kind of excitement that that which she answered the comms. Looking over her shoulder, she said “Vance! Get you and your fraternity brothers outta here!” there was a muffled mumble of something and Blaire made a sarcastic face and said “Oh boo hoo! We’re all chained to the bed… waa waa waa…” and she looked back at Oddvar. “I’ll get this mess cleaned up and I’ll be there in an hour. Tell Seamus to send me your transporter code.” She dropped the communicator on the bed so it was looking at the ceiling and Oddvar and Seamus heard “OH SHUT IT! YOU said you could take it! Gods above!! Four of ya and I barely broke a sweat! Any women you all have in the future is cursed, I say! Not a moment of satisfaction will they enjoy!” and the comms went dark.

Seamus looked at Oddvar and said “She’s… um… comfortable… with her physical self.”

Seamus

Oddvar shrugged, “Ain’t nothing wrong with that. Long as that’s her doin’ and not someone else’s. But I think Vance and his fraternity brothers might have dodged a bullet.” He gave Seamus the transport codes and sent one of the older kids who was passing by to inform the guys running the transporter of who was coming to visit.
Oddvar started pulling out different billets and looking at material for the guard, hilts and pommels. Then stopped, “She will be dressed when she works won’t she? I don’t need the lads or some of the girls hanging around ogling and gettin’ in the way. That’s dangerous in a forge.” He rummaged around the forge looking and muttering. “BAH! I bet Ragna took them again,” and he chuckled. “Come on Seamus, I gotta go find some really old tools that your wife probably hid in the archive from me, again.”

Oddvar led them to the large building near Ragna’s house. The inside was a technological marvel of environmental controls, protective forcefields and antique storage. Thankfully Ragna was meticulous about the records. He scanned the entries, “AH! Found it.” And the big burly man moved down an aisle can came back with a box of small metal cylinders. “Forging punches, Gaelic alphabet.” he said holding them up for Seamus. Half an hour later they were back at the forge.

Oddvar

Seamus helped Oddvar get the forge going, and soon there was a commotion outside and the door flew open and a young Edman boy, maybe seventeen, fell through and on his back. A familiar voice said “I told ya I’m here to see Oddvar Edman and you ain’t gonnae stop me, pup!” and Blaire came in (dressed) carrying a large wooden box and a leather bag. She looked in and saw Seamus and said “Hey, Seamus.” as if it was an everyday occurance and then walked in and set the bag and box down. She walked up to Oddvar and looked up at him with a steely glare and said “Oddvar Edman. A pleasure. I’ve studied your work. A great honor to be invited to your forge, sir.” and she took his hand in her calloused one and gave him a firm handshake.

The older teen jumped to his feet, already tall and on his way to being very muscular, turned to Oddvar, shame on his face. “Master Oddvar, I swear by Tyr I only asked her name and if she here to see you, so I could run ta the archive to fetch you if you weren’t back, just like you told me. I wouldna’ insult a guest that way.” It was a matter of personal and clan honor to treat guests well. “It’s alright Terje. We’re still learnin’ to meld our two clans together. No harm done. Go check the wind and get the shutters off and the forge open.” Oddvar turned to Blaire hoping she was smart enough to take the lesson for her own personal knowledge from Terje. “Blaire McKenzie. Your brother, and my niece as well, has shown me your work. Beautiful. I’m honored to have you in my forge. I’ve got two going and room for 4 more if needed.” He shook her hand.

“I brought somethin’ may interest ya.” She picked up the bag and dumped it on a nearby table, spilling metal ingots across the surface. The forge light glinted off the mercurial-colored metal, showcasing the intricate swirls and lines infused in it…

Damascus steel.

Oddvar picked up a couple of the ingots and stared with reverence at it. “It’s hard to come by these now.”

“Should be enough for Michael’s blade, and maybe some presents for the new in-laws and wives and such. Whaddya think, Master Edman?”

Blaire McKenzie

Oddvar grinned happily as only a fellow blacksmith could. “I think these will be perfect. Now, I’ve made some massive weapons in my time, but never a claymore. Shall we get started?”

Oddvar

Blaire grinned and said “Let’s. We need a clean crucible for the ingots. Damascus steel doesn’t react well with iron or regular steel. Now… I know that this is your forge. And I’m gonna try to be respectful. But I am not used to working with others. If I start getting pushy or running over you, tell me. Forewarning, when I’m in it? I’M IN IT. Tunnel vision. Don’t hear anything over the metal. But all that bein’ said, I would love to learn from you. I’m just kind of a difficult student.” and she laughed as she opened the wooden box and started pulling out her tools.

Blaire McKenzie

Oddvar grunted his understanding. “That’s why I put us on opposite sides.” He moved over to a far corner and opened a cabinet and walked back over. “I only use this one to work Damascus. How many folds are you thinking? Full tang or hidden? I’m thinking wrapping the handle in leather, any idea on color? Gotta send Terje over to the tannery to get it, and if they have to dye it we’re in trouble.” He stuck a poker into the coals urging the fire higher and then grabbed a photo. It was a the merged McKenzie/Edman crest that Ragna had discovered, but without the Inguz rune on it. A round shield crossed with a bearded axe and claymore. “I was thinking brass, and working this into the pommel, then brass for the cross piece. Something in Norwegian and something in Gaelic punched into each side.” While he talked Oddvar grabbed several slips of copper and then zinc and then he unrolled a thick case that was full of small hammers and chisels and picks. “I can handle the brass if you can handle the Damascus. I just need the size measurements for the pieces.”

Oddvar

“Claymores need a full tang. Brass is good, but let’s do a mix of surgical steel with it. Makes it non-magnetic and can take a blow better. 42 inches on the blade and 13 on the grip is normal, but Micheal is a big guy. I’m thinking 45 and 15. Thoughts?” Blaire said as she set the crucible to heat up. She was quick, efficient, and seemed to flow with the heat and energy of the forge around her.

Blaire McKenzie

Oddvar nodded, “Yeah that sounds about right.” He wrote the measurements down, “Terje!” The young left the bellows and walked over. “Alright I need every color of died leather they have, it has to bee at least 15 inches wide. And then dyed cording. I need them to start working a back scabbard for the the blade for these measurements. Get goin’!” Terje took off and would return about an hour later with the leather and cording, the tanner working on the scabbard. Oddvar went to another work bench and opened a drawer pulling out bars of surgical steel. “Blaire you ever make brass or only work with it? I’m happy to show you.” Working the bellows he combined the copper and zinc into a billet. He set the surgical steel into the forge as well. Once the billet was done and the brass removed he took the two metals and began to twist them together, heat and then hammer, and repeat.

Oddvar

Blaire yelled “Nope! Let’s see what ya got, Old man!” and grinned as she walked over. As she did, there was a loud pop and embers leapt out of the fire and one landed on shoulder. It burned immediately through her shirt and she reached up and slapped it away with nary a thought.

She watched Oddvar and nodded and watched. As he started combining the metals she said “Listen, I’m not gonna try and be a know it all, but if you drop those twists in the coals between working ‘em? They’ll take on some carbon in the surgical steel and it’ll bond closer. Just sayin’.” and she walked back to the other side.

Blaire

Oddvar didn’t even blink at the ember. Hazard of the work. He worked the brass and just rolled his eyes at the woman as the metal went into the coals for the third time. Youth…always had to open their mouths. Oddvar worked long into the night combining the steel and brass , then sperating into two pieces. The hand guard came first as he worked it into shape and then he placed it on the anvil. The first side he took the runic punches and hammered the phrase “I den mørkeste timen kjemper vi sammen (In the Darkest Hour, We Fight Together).” Then he heated the piece again and on the other side with the Gaelic punches was “Tha mi nam sheasamh airson cagailt agus an dachaigh (I stand for Hearth and Home).” Next came the tricky part. Heating the brass again Oddvar placed the cross piece over the anvil and then using a chisel hammered I to the hot metal creating an opening for the sword to slide through.

It was the pommel that took the longest, It was near down when he started and it would take him all day to slowly hand etch, chisel, and hammer the combined crest into both sides of the piece. “Terje! Get over here and keep shaping this for me.”

Oddvar moved over to the forge Terje had been working the bellows on and got to work casting and then making a mold. He was making Mike a weapon that would suite him. Once that was done he set Terje to create more brass for him while he continued to work the design into the pommel. “Hey Blaire!” He looked up and she was IN IT. He took a deep breath and only as a black smith and a man with massive lungs could “BLAIRE!” Once getting her attention. “I need to make sure the hilt fits on the blade before I quench it so let me know when you’re ready for me to do that.”

Oddvar