The not-immortal Blacksmith

Vast-Listen here again. There aren’t any written records for this portion, so all we have to go off of is…never you mind. Just…you better enjoy it, because…feet…ugh…I’m going to have nightmares…

2290 Years since the New gods came.

Sam, Molly and Hesh walked down the steadily growing road. On one side a lush and well-maintained forest grew, the other was well cared for farmland as far as the eye could see. The trio talked quietly as they walked.

“What do you think we should do when we reach town?” Molly asked.

“Food, bed, and bath.” Hesh replied. “In that order.”

“Shouldn’t we resupply?” Sam tried to argue. “We are out all of our weapons and stuff.”

“Do you want to spend more money than we have?” Hesh countered. “We look like shit. We smell like shit. And we are dead tired.”

Molly looked too Sam, “I think they’re right. If we look good and are well rested, we make a better impression, and make better decisions.”

“Point.” Sam said, a bit of weariness settling in his voice. “I think a bath, then food would be better. That way we don’t get charged more for looking like vagrants.”

“Point.” Hesh responded. “I wish my dad could see this. He always liked fantasy stories.”

Molly and Sam just nodded, not wanting to stir any more memories in Hesh’s head.

-

The small town of Heartfogue was a new scene for the trio. They took in the rustic atmosphere, the sounds, and the smell.

“Does this place have to smell this bad?” Molly asked after her first whiff of the town air.

“It’s like a barnyard. But worse.” Sam added.

“The outskirts of cities of this type are always worse than the inner areas.” Hesh said, looking at the road in order to avoid the piles of manure.

“The history books always say that “period” towns were a cesspool.” Molly retorted.

“And they are wrong.” Hesh said, and started going into lecture mode. “In 1371 the city council in York forbid butchers from discarding waste products in the river. In Norway, In 1284, King Eirik Magnusson prohibited people from throwing their garbage and dung from the quays in Bergen. In Trondheim they were banned from tossing waste into the River Nidelva.”

“Alright, Mr. Know it All.” Molly and Sam said in near unison.

As foretold by Hesh, the inner part of town was much cleaner than the outskirts.

-

A bath and food later, the trio checked into the only Inn in town. Sadly, the only accommodations were either a large communal bed, or the common room. Molly demanded the bed, and Sam and Hesh opted for the common room. Around midnight, Molly came down and bedded down between the two, claiming something about bug bites and “handsy people”. Otherwise, the night passed easily.

After a breakfast of eggs, salted pork, and country fried bread, the trio departed the Inn and made their way to the general store. Where they ran into a strange cat relaxing in a sunbeam.

“That cat is wearing an eyepatch.” Molly noted loud enough for the other two to hear.

“And that ear is badly notched.” Sam said, slightly louder.

“But he sure is a puffy boy!” Hesh added in their normal volume. At which, the cat stood up, gave the trio an obvious stink eye glare and trotted off.

“Well, that was rude.” Molly said, sticking her tongue out at the departing cat.

Sam snorted. “Typical cat, always thinking they are better than real people.”

Hesh just smiled about the cat as they entered the store, and approached the counter. “Good day, sir!”

“G’day.” The man at the counter replied, “What can I do for you children?”

“We are in need of camping supplies and weapons, as we, as young as we look, are adventurers!” Hesh replied.

The storekeeper looked over the three youths, “A tent, four blankets, three packs, soap, six water skins, a shovel, an axe, flint and steal, pry bar, hard rations, a pot and a skillet. I don’t sell weapons; you will have to see the smith Johan on the west side.”

The three kids stared at the man. “How did you know all that?” Sam asked after a few moments.

“You have nothing but the cloths on your back, and what that young’un,” He pointed at Hesh, “is carrying.”

Hesh nodded. “Good eye you have there. How much of a discount can we get, since we’re just a small group of kids?”

“None.” The man replied. “I don’t like sending kids out to their doom. It’s dangerous out there, what with the arsonists burning down the Grey Forest, and driving all those monstrous beasts out into proper people’s lands.”

Three sets of eyes stared at each other for a moment before Hesh spoke up again, “How about if we help out hauling something heave for you? Maybe a big rock? Or a dozen trees?”

“Oh, are you the three-man demolition crew I’ve heard so much about?” The counter man asked.

“That would be us!” Sam enthusiastically responded. “The three strongest kids in the world!”

“Well, too bad. I got nothing that needs moving.” He replied. “Eight silver, three copper, and two iron.”

Hesh dropped his head, “We are short the two iron coins.” They said as they pulled the coin purse out from Molly’s pocket.

“Meh. That’s fine.” The counterman said, holding out a hand. “Just pass over what you got.”

They packed up the supplies and left the store. “What a grumpy old man!” Molly said.

“I ain’t old!” They heard from behind them, “I’m just well-seasoned!”

No money, and no jobs in town, the three left Heartfogue and followed the road west, eventually finding a large farm hold that offered food and sleeping space in exchange for moving several large boulders and a fallen great pine out of a field. Jobs that they easily managed. They left in the morning.

“So, do we keep heading east?” Hesh asked, “Or do we set off, off road, and see where our feet take us?”

Looking at the continuing forest to the north, and farms to the south, Sam replied, “I’ve spent more than enough time in the woods. Let’s just follow the road.” He looked to Molly, “What do you think?”

“Road.” Was Molly’s simple reply.

-

Several hours, and a rest stop later, the trio heard the sound of horse hooves thundering towards them from the way they had come. Soon a tall thin man, wearing a plethora of colors on his cloths pulled up next to them.

“Excuse me, are you the strong adventurers and do-gooders I’ve heard so much about?” The thin man asked.

“Yes?” Hesh tentatively answered. “We haul and move things that most people can’t lift.”

“Excellent!” The man replied. “I’m count Irving, and I hale from a distant country to the southwest of here, and I have been scouring the continent for someone, anyone really, who would be strong enough to overthrow the evil ruler of my home. A poor, despoiled, rotted land, ruined by that…that thing, the Lich King of Dys.”