Wildfire Riders

They're gonna look like savages, elf.

Haemon paused, his needle halfway through the layers of furred leather. He took a moment to regard his work. "I do not know, I think they will look very fine." There was little rugged or savage about the tiny blanket; two carefully trimmed rectangles of worgskin in deep black, sewn in with well combed wool for comfort. They would be winter-born in an underground house, so the eldest Drachmas children would need to be well insulated from the start. "Does it look somehow unkempt?

Oh, no, no, elf, it looks great. Era's opinion was not really one to go by anyway. His idea of dressing up was putting on a loincloth and painting his face with the blood of his enemies. Like any man, he never minded looking like every other guy at the party. The blanket's fine, he assured against his twin's doubt. It's the blanket, plus the hats, plus the muffs, plus the booties...

The wardrobe of the unborn was arrayed beside him, from the pair of shadowhide caps and toddler-sized talbukskin cloaks to the mittens and booties crafted of lovingly prepared rabbitskin and lined with thick clefthoof leather. Thirteen weeks to go and the long-awaited babies were nearly set for their first winter, with plans and skins already in line to clothe them for several winters to come.

The elf resumed his stitching. "At worst, they will look like Kalu'ak," he decided aloud. "Rotund little packages held together with fur. Or perhaps seal pups. I think Tara will approve." She did so love fuzzy things. She could pretend she'd birthed felines, if it pleased her.

Not that everyone would be pleased with the idea. Laurus is gonna hate it, the cat reminded him. He's gonna say they look like wildkin. Demand they put on somethin' made of...I dunno, somethin' expensive.

The elf kept right on sewing. "Then I will charge him for it. Problem solved."

...Yeah, that works.

(( lawl. Let me know if they need any of that stuff enchanted. ))

((Fells's bebies are gonna look like owlkin. I'll be awesome. ...Someone needs to market outfits like that.))

((Co-written with the lovely Denne.))

"I have an odd request," he'd said over the box. "I need a few enchantments."

"No' so odd," Denne had replied, holding up a silencing finger to the clerk beside her. She was a difficult woman to pin down for a business discussion, and the poor man seemed to sense that his chance was rapidly fleeing. "Ye've been bringin' me new pieces o' armor much more often o' late. Are we talkin' thin's fer yerself or tha' catself o' yers this time?"

"Um..." Haemon paused. "I think this will require visual aids."

"A'ight, well, meet me at 'ero's Welcome t'night 'n bring 'nough fer two rounds, I'll set ye righ'. One sec, (Nay, I said WESTguard Keep. They keep breakin' theirs. Nay, it's on the east part o' the cont'nent. I don' know! I dinnae name it! Jus' see to it they git their order filled!) Is eight good fer ye?"

It took a moment for the elf to gather that the slightly-louder portion of the transmission was for him. "Oh, yes. I will see you then."



Following a pause, Denne looked back to the elf from the garments he'd spread gently over the long beer garden table. "I don' think these'd fit even the catself," she ultimately stated.

"You are very observant. They are in fact for Fells's children." The elf seated himself across from her as the first of several rounds arrived. "I am attempting to make them as valuable as possible so as to dissuade Laurus from rejecting them out of hand. I would also like them to be useful just on general principle." He leaned in on his elbows. "I am obviously not seeking strength or anything...adventurous, but...well, what do you think might be useful for an infant?"

Once she was sure he wasn't joking (a grown man doesn't gingerly display his collection of doll clothes in an adventurers' bar without good reason), Denne studied the apparel again. She'd never been asked what enchanting services she could extend to infants. Enchant Bib: Resist Slobber wasn't the kind of knowledge she'd been offered by her mentors. "This'll..." she began, choosing her words with care. "This'll require a bit o' experimentin' an' 'magination, I figger. Also, likely a bit more booze'n I was 'nitially 'spectin'." She kicked back the night's first gulp of ale.

Haemon shrugged. "Whatever it takes." He reached for the most convenient bit of clothing at hand: a pair of booties. "What can you do with these? Assume they act as normal boots."

"Well, I kin imbue 'em suchat they'd be able t'run more quickl... nay, tha' won' appeal t'the parents, willit? I kin make 'em more surefooted so they slip less." She looked to the elf for his thoughts as she took another large swig.

He paused, thoughtfully sipping at his honey mead. "Hmm. That would be nice, but...they will likely have outgrown these boots by the time they reach the age of walking. Perhaps something...more general? Protective, in a sort of passive manner?"

"Like a boost t'the immune system? I kin pro'lly git them t'improve the wearer's vitality or..." The dwarf stopped mid-sentence and spied one of the larger items, a black square of fur. "Izzat meant as a blanket?" The booze was beginning to hinder her skill in the art of tact. "I wunner if'n a formula meant fer a cloak would work." Without waiting for a response, Denne produced some materials from her pouch, including a large portion of residual flame. Spreading these thickly upon the lovingly-crafted item, she motioned at the concoction with her enchanting rod and willed the components to imbue it with passive magic. Without explanation, she then flagged the barmaid over, ordered a glass of water on the rocks (the server was unamused but did as she was asked), and proceeded to empty the drink onto the soft, brushed fur.

The elf watched, nearly as unamused as the waitress, as the water seeped over the surface of the fur. "I was going to say that I did not realize you knew water resistance to cloak," he commented dryly, "and I am not yet convinced of its effi--"

There was a soft hiss, a small cloud of steam, and the cloak was very suddenly dry as a bone.

"...Oh. Well then."



Eight rounds and one stumbling, giggling errand to the Wonderworks later...

DISCOVERY! Denne has learned the following new enchantments!

Enchant Blanket - Superior Frost (and liquid) Resistance
Enchant Booties - Vitality
Enchant Overcoat - Superior Health
Enchant Mittens - Riding Skill
Enchant Bracelet - Fortitude
Brilliant Baby Oil
Enchant Rattle - Demonslaying