Tin Soldier; Wooden Horses- A Toyshoppe for All Ages

[Maddyn]

There comes a day in every being's life when the old body just doesn't work the way it used to. The mind is still sharp, and the spirit is still bright with the spark of life, but the back and legs and arms just won't stand up to the same sort of punishment that the young'uns seemed to thrive on. For a dwarf, this was twice the difficult position to be put into, for within the dwarven heart lies the desire, no; the need to create.

Ahira Mountainheart found an outlet for his creativity, and his failing youth, by opening a small shop near his home of Frigid River. After the purchase of a small cottage within the village limits, Ahira converted it slowly into a store for children of all ages. Out behind the cottage, a hearth burned during his working hours, settled next to a small anvil, and an assortment of hammers and tongs neatly held on a wooden rack.

The door to the cottage was wooden, and carved with a fantastic design of children at play. There were no visible chisel marks apparent, and the surface was as smooth as silk to the touch. The wood was lovingly polished with oils, and retained a deep warm glow despite the age of the work. Above the door, a wooden sign danced in the wind, of the same skill and style of carving as the portal below. Tiny men on charging horses held the neat letters aloft.

Tin Soldiers
Wooden Horses
Mountainheart Toys

Inside the store, the large windows were framed by neat curtains. Light fell inwards, displaying shelves full of simple and detailed toys for children of any age. The middle of the floor was empty but for a large rug woven in bright colours. To the back of the shop, sat an stout dwarf whose hair and long beard were shot through with grey. His throne was a tall-backed rocking chair, and in his hands rested a small knife and a bit of wood. Shavings dropped down rhythmically as he whittled away bits from the wood. A lingering smell of lacquer and paint hung in the air.

Around him, neatly arranged on shelves and placed on the floor were the toys of his creation. Rows of detailed little tin soldiers in blue and red stood at attention as they smiled at the children who came to gaze at them. Pretty maidens in decorated skirts smiled shy smiles at the brave soldiers. On the shelf to their side pranced dozens of lovingly carved wooden horses; some painted to a lifelike finish, and some left the original colour of wood. Horses as tall as the dwarf himself rested on curved wooden rails, to rock a happy child forward in his play at riding.

There was a rack of long wooden swords, blunt so as to not harm any child who played with them. Wooden bows and arrows rested, with brightly feathered arrows and blunted tips. Round shields with fanciful designs rested upright against the wall. A row of houses for dolls stood proudly, with tiny windows and doors that were sized just about right for a faerie to reside in. A table held furniture meant for the dollhouses; little beds, tiny chairs and tables. Wooden faced dolls smiled outward from the shelf they nestled together in. There was even a family of cloth bears just waiting for someone to take them home.

The dwarf Ahira glanced upward from his work, and a knowing smile danced across his lips. His hands didn't stop their work with the wood, as he let the customers browse and play with the assorted toys, until it became apparent that they either had questions, or had decided to make a purchase.

OOC:
Until a new GM takes over, please self moderate or find someone willing to peer moderate this - Callig won't be doing doing so anymore in addition to her usual moderation. (Thanks *heaps* for everything though Callig ^__^*)