To Be An Apprentice..Maybe

From Redwall MUCK Wiki


  • My first log with my sea otter Silverstorm*

Silverstorm walks around the abbey grounds and has grown curious of the forge area.

Zork is working on a couple what looks like long hinges, he studies them and lays them down with one of his tools and using his cane makes his way over to pick up another tool.

Silverstorm has been watching Zork for a half hour till she finally is curious "What ya workin' on?" She is unsure of how he will respond, but she could always leave if she needs to.

Zork turns and looks at the otter maid "Oh..You again, and yes I know you been there for a little while, wot is it ya need and I be workin on...a project." He walks over to a wheeled chair and walks around it leading on the cane some as he does so, using a special tool, long tongs, l to place the long hinge beside it "Hmmms...needs longer and...more up and down action" He says testing it some."

Silverstorm walks closer, " I..seen one of those things befor'..it’s an umm..wheeled chair.. don’t like em' injured beasts use it and what are ya doin' to it?" She seems surprised he knew she was there "And sorry, use to watch my dad work his forge, he taught me a little before he..." she frowns "Died"

Zork says, "Sorry ta hear it lass and..I am makin' a way ta still sort uh..half stand and still work me forge “He adjusts the hinge some, taking his time and seeing the length and smiles finally after about an hour and slowly sits down in a chair nearby as he sighs, "Me legs hate me sometimes."

Silverstorm watches him "Why is that?..wait it’s for you ..isn’t it?" She then frowns "Sorry, dumb thing to say forget I said it."

Zork nods "Yeah and tis ok, Me strength is not as good as it use ta be and..mainly it be standing and me legs be weaker...I had something happen ta me heart over de summer, or was it late spring...I don’t remember fer sure when it were, long story fer another day must ere' know it, ya can ask one of em'. wont brother me any." He looks at her, now it’s his turn to be curious "Wot do ya know of forges lass. since ya so curious of mine and ya said ya father taught ya some, how much?"

Silverstorm smiles "I know a fair amount, like how ta start it up and make charcoal outta wood, it takes a while to do and to always keep the forge clean"

Silverstorm says, "I also know what the tools are called and I never really did much but start my dad's up a couple times for him"

Zork nods, "Well, you know tools huh ok.." He stands from his chair and walks over to a tool shed, pulling out a key he unlocks it and gets out the rest of his tools "Name them.." He says simply.

Silverstorm blinks and walks over looking at them, she points to each one "Anvil, the main part of a forge. The vice helps to keep things in place like metal and such. Hammer uses to pound and shape the metal and this, tongs holds the metal" She adds” This is a slack tub, which rapidly cools the work piece in a large body of water. The slack tub also provides water to control the fire in the forge.”

Zork nods and grins "Knowledgeable, that’s good lass, very good"

Silverstorm smiles, "Thanks"

Zork says, "Wot have ya done, besides getting de forge fired up..make or attempt ta make anything?"

Silverstorm frowns at this, "Not..really, my father never got a chance to show me, he got ill the last season I was in the holt and..well I couldn’t stay, they told me to leave"

Zork blinks as he leans on his cane "Why did they say ya had ta leave? "

Silverstorm sighs, "They...didn’t like me there, I was an outcast, my father was the only reason I could stay, my mother died when I was young or maybe she would of told them no, I don’t know. I left and that was a little over a season ago and been going here or there and..not really been welcomed anywhere."

Zork nods, he fiddles with the wheels on the chair he is finishing up and sits on the wooden chair he keeps out here, "Well...I am not one to ask details that be up ta de beast telling de tale, not me"

Silverstorm nods slowly "Yeah, it’s for the best....no one would understand or think me an outcast here as well."

Zork asks, "Why would they call you an outcast here?"

Silverstorm frowns, "I..am tried gonna go get some rest.." She just walks off without saying anything further.

Zork watches the otter walk away and hmmms, he leans back in his chair holding his cane. He will have to talk more with the otter tomorrow as he yawns himself, "Ok..time ta get up and get ta bed" He slowly stands and using the cane he makes his way to his room to sleep for the night.

Next Morning

Silverstorm, the early riser out and about..again on the abbey grounds and again by the forge.

Zork is once more working on the wheeled chair, right now adjusting a seat where hinges will go to make the seat go up and down using a level on the side as he hmms trying to figure out how to do it correctly, all the while sitting in his wooden chair.

Silverstorm walks up, always the early riser and she couldn't sleep last night, she watches him and decides to talk "Hi, you’re up early"

Zork looks at the otter maid and nods "I always be up early, why ya curious of that, plus I wants ta get this chair done while I still can." He looks at her "So...you know a lot of de forge huh?"

Silverstorm nods as she explains and seems to go on for a while, “Well like said this is the anvil where the metal to be forged is placed. And the square hole is called the hardy hole, where the square shank of the hardy fits. The smaller hole is called the punch hole, used as a bolster when punching holes in hot metal.”

“There be two hammers one for smaller jobs and de bigger one or sledge hammer for hitting what your worin; on at the time.”

“Chisels, two of em’ hot and cold.. The cold chisel is used for cutting cold metals while the hot chisel is for hot metals. Tongs are used for holding hot metals securely. Fullers are forming tools of different shapes used in making grooves or hollows. They are often used in pairs, the metal is placed on the bottom fuller and the top is placed on the work and struck with a hammer. The top fuller is also used for finishing round corners and for stretching or spreading metal. The hardy is a cutting tool similar to the chisel. It is used as a chisel or hammer for cutting both hot and cold metals. “ She smiles as she finishes, “Sorry I..ramble at times sir”

Zork grins "Like I said, ya be very knowledgeable fer..well someone so young, then I started ta learn at age 3 seasons, all de details and wot ta do, I got me first chance ta work de forge when I was 4 seasons, made a sort of not so perfect circle shield, but hey good fer me first time. Also found nails were sort of easy ta make and even practiced on small thin and thick sheets of metal to maybe made simple shapes"

Silverstorm nods and smiles some " I tried to make a dagger, made it too thin, I did learn to repair one that tip got chipped off"

Zork nods as he smiles, "Thar, gets it ta work good" He chuckles and looks at the wheelchair, "Now all it be needin' is a place ta hold a flask of ale and a like snack try sort of thing"

Silverstorm blinks confused "Ale?..Snack tray?"

Zork grins and nods "Yeah.." He stands and shows how it works, carefully of course “See de level sort of moves wee little at a time de hinge and see if go up, then this one makes it go back down." As he shows the seat goes up and then down" De snack tray and ale be on one of de arms of de chair, It could...course a place ta hold tools too"

Silverstorm shakes her head "You’re strange, you know that?"

Zork grins, “I know”

Silverstorm says, "Your forge is interesting..so how you gonna work it if you end up in that" She points to the chair "Even with the odd...ummm..add ons"

Zork looks at her "Well..tis will help but I came ta a decision and gots ta talk to Lorimis, the abbot and Benar..head elder, I be getting an apprentice soon"

Silverstorm says, "Oh, well good luck with that..they should learn a lot from ya""

Zork walks over, he doesn't have his cane today, well yet, "Well I don't have one yet but I have a beast in mind..if she be interested in learning de trade...course be up ta her and if she be stayin' around or not" He studies the otter maid as he speaks, "She sees ta know a good deal already on how it works...she just needs a teaching and hands on training"

Silverstorm starts to walk away and turns as she stares at him "Wait..ya mean me?"

Zork nods "Yes, ya have a lot of knowledge and that be de first thing ya need ta work a forge"

Silverstorm shrugs "I don't know, I would have ta, ya know..think on it"

Zork nods "Course lass..course, no need ta worry just an idea, sides...de abbey will still need a black smith I mean I won't be around forever and I know that, hopefully I be around a long time still"

Silverstorm ask, "But you have to take it easy right? The other day ya..well you had a long day didn’t you and I made you grumpy and rush over here and that was a bad idea, I am sorry""

Zork says, "Tis the pass lass and ya didn’t know, it be my fault fer rushing over like I did and after a not so good day and yeah I needs ta take it easy and that’s hard at times. Thar not be much work fer de forge now that de gate be done..maybe nails, hinges and small odds and ends. No weapons are ta be made or repairs, nor weapons made or repaired unless maybe de abbey is ever at siege which hope tis be for seasons from now , we just got over a takeover fer almost a season, we gots de abbey back and that’s good"

Silverstorm listens and nods" There is a forge in the market place, I wonder if they would let ya..use that, well if taught me or...someone ta make and repair weapons and armor?"

Zork lays a paw on the wheelchair for support, "I...hmms, ya are interested arnt ya, ta learn ta be a blacksmith?"

Silverstorm nods "Yes sir."

Zork nods "I could..look inta it, maybe but ya would learn ta make nails and maybe a pot or pan..practice on small rectangular sheets of metal ta shape first..then maybe see if I can speak ta someone in de market place, thar be this beaver thar..I know im', hee had ta fix his forge couple seasons ago, may be good ta check on old Milo and he could teach ta as well..well de weapons and armor part of let me show ya on his forge "

Silverstorm smiles "That be great!" I mean..." Her volume lowers by, well a lot.." Yeah, be good ta learn, thanks"

Zork nods "Ya be welcome lass, let's get some breakfast, and de fact I need ta drink me tea." He walks towards the abbey building, making sure Silverstorm follows.

Silverstorm nods and follows the badger inside.