Lauder's hides- Lindy buys leather. Salak joins in.

[Lindy Ravenswing]

Lindy brought her new Katars with her to visit Lauder's hides. Without sheaths, it was somewhat awkward to carry them. She didn't want to hold them like she was about to run amok, but the blades were too sharp to be carried in a pocket. She decided it best to carry both blades in one hand, so it was clear she was just transporting them and not looking for trouble.

Entering the store, she said "Serale! Lork at the L&G anvil recommended I come here for custom sheaths." She displayed her weapons. "How much would you charge for fitting these out?" It suddenly occured to her that sheathes weren't all she needed. "Also, I'd be interested in a weapon belt to hang them from."

[Charlie Wallace]

A small building near the docks reeked of strong chemical. The wooden sign hanging from the porch roof read: Drohan's Leather.

The obnoxious scent of dyes and curing agents permeated the nostrils. The wooden floor was clean, but stained. Dire Drohan was large. His hands were roughened by the liquid in the oaken vats and the rough animal skins. He had a gentle grace in his movements.

Racks of tanned leather, some colored, some natural, hung on wooden pegs on the rear wall. A cutting table was slightly smaller than the vats of dyes and up the majority of the black-tiled room, racks of scissors and blades bolted to three sides for easy reach. Dire Drohan's wares were evident on the large stretching racks positioned around the room.

A small woman sat behind a table sewing leather. The needle was large and her delicate hands pushed the stiff barb through the tough leather. Henrietta Drohan said, "Those daggers are peculiar. It might need a custom sheath. May I look at them closer?"

[Lindy Ravenswing]

Henrietta Drohan said, "Those daggers are peculiar. It might need a custom sheath. May I look at them closer?"

"Certainly." Lindy held the daggers out hilt first, so as not to point the blade at her. "Make all the measurements you need, I am in no hurry." She looked at the various sorts of leather stocked by the shop, and decided that a natural shade of brown would look best.

[Charlie Wallace]

Henrietta viewed the odd-handled blades. Dire Drohan pulled his gloved hands from the vat to get a closer look. He said, "Does the grip improve with the encompassing handle?"

Henrietta pondered how she would create a snap that would encompass the large handle. She said, "Let me draw a silhouette of the dagger hilt so I may get the strap right." The hilt was traced onto paper. Henrietta asked, "Will you want a specific color. My husband can dye close to any color, as leather always maintains a little of its own hue."

[Lindy Ravenswing]

"Does the grip improve with the encompassing handle?"

"Yes, although the idea is more that it allows you to use a punching motion when you wield them." Lindy demonstrated a jab in the air. You generate more power that way, and it is easier to penetrate armor."

Lindy stood by patiently while Henrietta traced the daggers. "I was thinking that a dark but fairly natural looking shade of brown would be nice." She indicated a leather sample that she found to be an agreeable color. "I'll trust your judgement as to what the best sort of leather to use would be. It would be nice to have something that weathers well."

[Charlie Wallace]

Dire noted Lindy's selection. He said, "The salt-air wreaks havoc on leather and metal alike. Fortunately the remedy is the same. Keep your blade and sheath rubbed with light oil. The oil will protect both from the ravages of salt-moisture."

Henrietta said, "I shall have the sheaths finished tomorrow, but the dye will need to dry, so don't come for them too early in the brightening."

Dire said, "You can pay when you retrieve the sheaths. Expect to pay ten crowns for the pair."

[Lindy Ravenswing]

"Thank you for your time and advice. I shall be by in the early evening. I am also interested in a belt to hang the sheaths from. I don't require anything fancy, but as long as you have your dyes out perhaps I could get one in a matching color."

[Charlie Wallace]

Dire said, "Since I'll have the color ready, it will be no problem to dye a belt." Dire Drohan pointed to a rack of leathers. There were three belts on display. The difference between them was the buckles. One was a golden color, another was silver...the third was a dark gray metal.

Dire said, "Belts cost between five crowns and one hundred, depending on the value of the buckle."

[Lindy Ravenswing]

"I shall take the 5 crown version. I don't need anything fancy, just something to keep my weapons attached. I'll be back tomorrow a candlemark or so before closing, to give the leather good time to dry. Thank you for your help."

[Charlie Wallace]

Henrietta took the leather belt from the display rack and handed it to her husband for dyeing. Dire said, "See you next brightening."

Henrietta looked at her template and began to cut leather with a sharpened tool. Dire prepared a vat with the natural-brown color that Lindy requested. Working into the darkening, the sheaths were completed with strong thread and expert hands. Dire laid the sheaths and belt on the drying rack.

Dire and Henrietta had no fear of the darkening on the docks. They lived behind the shop with their daughter Harwen, so there was no need to travel when the docks were unsafe.

[Lindy Ravenswing]

Lindy too had no fear of the docks at night, although her reason was somewhat less valid: she was ignorant of the dangers and felt that somehow her life had become charmed.

She arrived the following brightening at the time she had promised, a candlemark before the store closed. She examined her new gear with satifsaction, the work was everything she had hoped it would be. She brought fourth 15 crowns that she had already counted out from her pocket and set them on the table, and strapped the belt around her waist.

[Charlie Wallace]

Henrietta took the crowns and put them into a leather pouch behind the counter. She waited for acknowledgment the items met Lindy's approval.

Dire watched too. The daggers were peculiar, but the girl seemed average. Dire asked, "Where did you learn of such daggers? I've never seen them before."

[Lindy Ravenswing]

Dire asked, "Where did you learn of such daggers? I've never seen them before."

Lindy Blushed slightly at the seemingly innocuous question. "My father is a merchant and sponsors several wagons in a caravan. One of the guards wore daggers like these, and they always struck me as a good desgin. I had them made at the L&G anvil."

She did not add that that same caravan guard had told her what were almost certainly made up tales of his daring exploits with them, and then kissed her for a good half a candlemark behind the wagons. Someone had seen them and reported them to her father, and her ears were still ringing for the scolding she'd recieved. She felt it was a minor miracle that she had escaped having to wear a chastity belt.

"The only trouble is that I'm not sure where I'll go to find a teacher to train me with them. Still, no doubt something will turn up."

[Charlie Wallace]

Dire frowned. He said, "Yes that grouchy dwarf is good at his trade."

Henrietta said, "Doesn't Lork Bonshatter train in dagger? I remember hearing that from one of our customers."

Dire said, "If you can stand his brusque mannerisms, he is very proficient with most blades."

[Charlie Wallace]

Dire frowned. He said, "Yes that grouchy dwarf is good at his trade."

Henrietta said, "Doesn't Lork Bonshatter train in dagger? I remember hearing that from one of our customers."

Dire said, "If you can stand his brusque mannerisms, he is very proficient with most blades."