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“He was the height of two men. He never spoke. His face? His helmet? His head was of resin. The steel man. He was not a man. Armor and sinew as one. Again he did not speak. Acted only. He acted against the trio. Helpless as newborns in a tempest. The man carried all three away. To bury? To consume? His intentions… his own…
I ran.”
THE ARMORED BEAST WAITS IN THE FOREST. HE WAITS TO KILL AND DEVOUR ALL WHO COME INTO HIS SANCTUARY. THOSE THAT DOUBT HIS REALITY OR HIS PURPOSE ARE FOOLS AND NOTHING MORE. GAZE NOT INTO HIS EYE OR FORFEIT YOUR LIFE. FEAR THE SILENT GIANT. THE FOREST IS HIS. LET HIM HAVE IT. YOUR LIFE IS NOT WORTH THE RISK.
⊗ BY THE ORDER OF THE OF SANVIKKA SETTLEMENT, TEL-ET OTIGOS
“Rrrgh… …great.”
“Hm?”
“Messed up. Didn’t get it straight.”
“It happens. Just try again. It’s not a big deal.”
It was a big deal. Rokur was just being nice. We were on a pretty tight schedule. The client was coming in less than a week to pick it up.
“How can someone be so big and have such skinny arms? Is he a dusa?”
“Hehhh… heh.”
“I can’t even seam it. Look how much space there is.”
“Lemme take a look at it. …can barely read these measurements. Heh. Too bad they’re mine. Twenty-eight four?”
“Yeah. …Hopefully.”
“Heh. And his bicep is a fourteen… oddly shaped guy. Yeah, this happens sometimes where the pauldron has too much overlap to move properly and it won’t give you enough room to meld it. This is my fault, we shoulda sp- er.. cut a half or so off these. We’re gonna have to recast both. mm.”
It really wasn’t his fault. I didn’t catch it either.
“Ugh. Do we- hh- need to recast the entire s-”
“Nah. No. I think we can keep the rest. Just melt the two halves and cut the template down that much.”
I went ahead and melted down the two plates into the blend. Was still pretty pissed but I was also glad we didn’t have to redo even more work. Powdered up the mold and poured the hot onto the template. Made extra sure to cut down the excess this time. It doesn’t take that long but there’s so many pieces on the entire pauldron assembly that it adds up under a deadline.
“Good.”
“Thanks.”
Needed to hurry. Don’t get sloppy though. Made sure to paint the trim the exact blue he wanted (the highs are usually picky about that sort of thing) before gluing and seaming. You need to paint before you glue or else you can’t get between the seams and it looks bad. Handed it off to Doa so she could paint and cut in the coat of arms. I can do basic designs in a pinch but animals and stuff give me trouble. She was way better at it than Rokur or I were. Sat in her corner, working silently and diligently as always. I’m glad he was with her, it’s always nice to see a couple compliment each other so well, especially with their work. My wife’s talents aren’t really in the workshop but she cooks well, so can I really complain? Anyway.
The sun sets as we (finally) connect the pauldrons and barely finish the whole manica. I try both on to see if the articulation works well. We’re good to go thankfully even if it’s way bigger than my size. Was going to pull my ridge out if we had to redo it again.
Rokur is mostly done with the main cuirass. He finishes another layer on the haidate and calls it a night. I still love the smell of the newly hardened resin even after these years. Probably an acquired taste.
“Geez. Finally.”
“Hehh. Well. Glad that’s out of the way. …Wait.”
“What”
“Are you sure that was supposed to be a fourteen?”
“I-”
“Kidding. Kidding. Sorry. Everything’s good. ”
“…Geez… almost hadda heart attack…”
“Hehh. .. Come by for dinner? Just eggs but we need to make them so you can show up aft-”
“-Ah- sorry, Iona is waiting for me.”
“Right.”
“-Actually. Why don’t you come over to us? I know she’s made enough. Stew’s ready too. She’ll be glad to have you.”
“Oh. We would love to. Thank you.”
“See you there.”
“I’ll lock up and get my coat.”
“…it seemed that even the stars were in a rage, and that the fires rained from every corner of the sky, so that in days the wicked kingdom was in ruins. Shavali turned his eyes toward that window of the heavens and boasted, mocking Athaclem to strike down his chosen son if He were displeased with the despicable actions Shavali touted as achievements. Before he could finish his peace, the ruler was utterly erased.”
The Chronicle of Yuo 115:52
Few prouder men have walked this earth than the old ruler of Lothis, the infamous lord Shavali. Born of no regal blood, he was chosen under influence of a vision by the 16th Prophet of Lothis to defeat the current despot. Incredibly, he was able to eradicate the old regime with the support of the people.
What followed was nearly twenty years of even harsher oppression than his predecessor. Though born a commoner, he was a master of playing both the political scene, and that failing, the military. It is said that nearly one in ten of his people died under his rule. Only by the intervention of the gods themselves were the people of Lothis spared.
Was it all true? It is difficult to say. Regardless, kings and rulers of all positions have studied this short account for centuries for insight and introspection. How could one from a poor upbringing have such little sympathy for his own kind? Or was it because of his background that he sought to distance himself from his past? Was Shavali just a pawn to show that commoners are not fit to rule? Is the tale only a lesson to not mock the gods?
Who is to say?