Chapter 3. Getting A Dwarf On Board
It had taken me two days to take stock of all options available at home and nearby. Now I can finally venture to the town nearby. I have a project in mind, while at it - collect as many different seeds as possible. Flower-growing is a big thing in this kingdom, given that ikebanas are the base of magic, but they're surprisingly behind on finding gastronomic and pharmaceutic uses for the herbs. Which I'm going to ruthlessly capitalize on. There is not much of note in the town, admittedly. Blacksmith, inn, bazaar. That's about it. Merchants are all based in or around the bazaar, which makes sense because why won't you live next to your job if you can swing it? Inn is facing the bazaar for much the same reasons. A number of more established shops all face the square bazaar is on, and the surrounding quarters are all residential. Blacksmith is on the outskirts, and well away from other buildings. Fire precautions, I guess. If the ledgers are right, the tannery is further along the river, downstream thankfully. Not really looking for leatherworking right now, though.
The big question is, where is the mill? We have a river nearby, and there is no shortage of wind either, so why I'm unable to find anything bigger than personal millstones? Do NOT tell me that a civilization that is by all the looks approaching Renaissance advancement had somehow failed to consider a centralized mill. Please. The place is enough of schizotech as is.
Actually, while we are at it, do we have a quarry? I mean, I am ironclad-sure quarries are a thing in this world, because the estate is good masonry, but... Later. (Note to self - bug father for ALL economic assets the province has. We are supposed to be a pretty rich province, I have to see what we are rich in, and what I can multiply with some finagling and clever hints.) For now, let's see what a blacksmith can do. Oh. Wow. That dude is a dwarf?... Wait, what!? REALLY? Dwarves are a... oh. Oh shit. Oh, that's nasty. On the other hand... Refugees? I'm reasonably sure I can kickstart dwarven civilization again, and having them think of me as a mother of the nation is going to be good politically.
"Good morning to you." - no reason not to talk a bit, right? He does not look particularly busy - "In case people haven't pointed it out to you yet, I'm Alyssa Gillespie. Can I have a suitable name for you to address you with?" Dwarves are particular about true names. Asking for a suitable one here is polite, it implies I acknowledge his true name privacy and ask for publicly acceptable token. A lot of friction with dwarves is because people tend to demand true names out of them, not minding the fact it's about as polite as demanding to see their wives' knickers. I am not actually sure why, there has to be some reason for this, because the usual dwarven answer for such demand is a fist to the face, and yet people provoke them like this with depressing regularity. Oho, that's one interesting expression.
"Why, top'o'the'morn to ya, lass." - he rumbles back - "Mah trade name be Rory. What can I do for ya?" Nice. I would like to say he's well adjusted, but wariness is obvious, even though he hides it. But that hasn't become depression, paranoia or defiance yet. Meaning if I set an example, he's bound to develop some loyalty to me. Maybe attract other dwarven refugees. Must be a lot of them poking around after that eruption.
"I'm familiarizing myself with available artisans." - I offer to him - "People claim you are a competent blacksmith, but no one knows how good are you with detail work, so I came to ask." His brow creases as he considers my sketches. I have a number of little things I want to be made for my personal use and for house improvement. Pepper mill, in particular.
"Moity fine me-ka-nisms there, lass." - he finally retorts - "Might take me a bit of practice to get it right. Fine work takes patience. If yer willin' ta wait a week or so, I might construct those. Provided me iron shipment comes through. I'm a little low right now, with darn apprentice turning out a batch of pig iron and all."
Pig iron? Hm. He speaks as if it's worthless. Could it be that steelmaking is comparably hampered? Hm. "Let me see this pig iron." - I request - "I have read about a way to recover metal from a failed smelting before, it might work." This is, strictly speaking, a lie - it's not a failed smelting. But coming out and teaching blacksmith a whole new method of steelmaking without any background to justify it? People are gonna talk about it. I don't really want a reputation for "divinely touched" or something similarly... inviting of presumptions and expectations.
Dwarf grumbles a bit, but eventually brings out a bunch of slag. On poking some of the pieces (And discreetly eating a snap for in-situ chemical analysis, shoggoth bullshit biology for the win!), I do determine that this is in fact suitable for pattern-welded steel. Provided he has some low-carbon steel to use as the other half of equation. "Right. You have any steel ingots?" - I inquire, getting a nod back for my trouble - "Good. Here is what you do - you put this into furnace until it's yellow like the sun. Put an ingot of steel next to it, pull them both out in the same time, hammer them together flat, fold in on itself, hammer more. Repeat until the lines of dark and light are hair thick. It's going to be a hard task, but in the end you will have very good steel, if what I read is right." He looks skeptical, so I bring out the ultimate persuasion. Gold. "I know it sounds odd, but I will pay you to attempt it, regardless of outcome. If it works, make me that little mill from the steel you get, if it doesn't, well, then make my mill when you get more iron. I'll wait. When you have it, visit the estate."
With any luck, he will end up with some sort of passably working pattern-welded steel and it will be both fancy and durable. Not holding my breath for actual Damascus steel, that would be ridiculous. Might ask him if he does any magic while working if it pans out. Doubt he'll give me a straight answer right now, but the well-tiled flower bed outside the smithy does imply gladioli do something for him.
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Well, that is.. interesting. Rory's here, and agitated. Excited. Nervous. Interesting mix. And, of course, father invited himself over for this conversation because me chatting up people in the village randomly is one thing, and a man coming to visit ME in the estate is quite another. Proprieties and all that. But to wit, I've never expected to see a dwarf hovering with nerves. What it's all about, I wonder? It's been just two days, after all.
Oh, and here he brings out the pepper mill. Nice. Guess my hunch paid off, given the steel pattern. Huh, what's with the reaction? Why father is so excited over it?
"Yer lordship, yer ladyness." - well, that's an interesting way to start. Rory swallowed and continued - "Yer lordship, I have to ask. Do you, perchance, have any dwarven manuscripts in your library? For this here is ripple steel and I was plumb certain these secrets perished when the Red Mountain erupted."
Father shook his head slowly. "Not that I know of." - he replied - "Alyssa, did you find something I have had forgotten about?"
Welp. Apparently, pattern-welded steels are lost dwarven secret. That I accidentally rediscovered. Thankfully, the bit about reading is not quite a lie. I even remember which... Aha. Here it is. Pulling off a thick volume, I crack it open. "The myths and legends of the ancient era." - I read out to them - "It is a well known work, actually. The legend we want is the story about Throm the dragonslayer... Ah, here. Let me read this excerpt. '...For no man's steel was ever strong enough to pierce dragon's hide. He sat there for three days and four nights as the dwarven forgemaster folded the steel again and again, beating it with the great hammer until the ripple revealed itself out of sun's shine...'. This, of course, refers to the forging of ripple steel. The folding is mentioned as is. Sun's shine is obviously heating the steel until it is bright yellow. The bit about using dark and light pieces of iron is just my guess, but given the mill, I presume my hunch paid off, isn't it so?"
...And Rory looks like he just received divine revelation. Father, meanwhile, is grinning again. Profit, profit, here we come. "Lass, yer the greatest scholar I have ever had the honor of talkin' ta." - smith managed finally, his eyes full of wonder as he looked at the mill again - "The lost secrets..."
Winking to father to let him know I have a cunning plan, I offer - "I was going to breach the topic later, but... Rory. Would you be willing to spread the word to your compatriots discreetly? We are interested in financing a construction of a new forge hall, provided you can get together enough of your people to work it. I imagine being able to forge ripple steel again will quickly pay off on that investment. I might have other ideas about forging you might explore, if that takes off the ground." And now both of them are staring at me in awed befuddlement.
Father comes to his senses first. "A capital plan, Alyssa!" - he gushes - "Rory, I will pledge to feed and shelter your people if they are willing to come live at my county and work the new forge hall."
And now the smith looks like he's about to go pop with excitement. "Ye have mah hammer, yer lordship!" - he bellows - "I shall spread the word immediately. There are four of my clansmen I know of that live in the city. They will be willing to travel and collect our people once they see the ripple steel for themselves."
As he proffers hurried farewells and skips out of the door (Is that so much of a big deal? To make a grown dwarf skip like a little girl?), father turns to me. "That, my daughter, was an inspired move." - he offers happily - "I was wondering about gathering more of the dwarves here myself, as we have many lodes of iron in the mountains, but ripple steel? That will have them come running from all four corners of the earth. First a cure for cold, and now this? You seem to have gotten a revelation, Alyssa. Be sure to let me know of any other secrets you might think of. This is pure gold. We just might become ducal house if it is us who brings the ripple steel back into the kingdom."
I grin at him. "Ah. Funny you mention that... I had some ideas I wanted your input on." - I offer, and his grin grows to match mine. Well, that is going to be interesting.