The forge was a sheer inferno of flame, and Rivyn tended the fire as heat exuded from the metal. He worked with dogged effort, concentrated, as he shaped the last bits of iron plating. His shop looked humble, although it could be made slowly but surely into a sanctum in which he could create and secure his art from the dangers plaguing the streets of Velira.
Rivyn wiped away the sweat off his brow and looked back, taking in the sight of the last steel plate being clamped over the door. Every window now had a firm iron bar placed over it, and the shop had firm steel hung over the door. It was not impenetrable, but at least this would be good enough to protect his equipment and resources.
[Task Completed: Reinforce the Workshop.]
[Reward: 5 System Points Earned.]
Familiar was the chime of the System, echoing in his mind; a warm surge greeted Rivyn as more points were added to his total. He let out a deep exhale as satisfaction and relief swirled through him; finally, obtaining his workshop came to an end.
[Current System Points: 17]
Finally, the reinforcement was over and done with – the shop was now finally his. The structure had finally changed to something else: a medium to etch his name upon, make art on, and his destiny. He allowed himself the pride for a moment, standing back to behold the newly reinforced area.
But before he could sleep, the System started chiming again.
[Main Quest: Becoming a Professional.]
[Conditions for Success:]
[Create and sell 10 skill books.]
[Create and sell 20 accessories.]
[Create and sell 10 potions.]
[Reward: 50 System Points.]
Accessorize and create them into 20.
Brew and vend 10 Potions.
Reward: 50 System Points.
His breath caught in his throat as the new quest formed before his eyes. This was no ordinary task; it was a Main Quest - the requirements for it reaching further than Rivyn had ever even thought of reaching. Create and sell skill books, accessories, and potions? He'd never made such crafts, and never really seriously considered the thought. He was used to forging weapons and armor, tangible and forthright creations. But this… This was a whole different territory.
His hand had curled into a tight fist as he stared at the glowing letters. Fifty points. Nice reward but still not enough to bring his crafting up a level. The halfway point was 100—at least. Yet, completing this quest would bring him halfway there, closer than he had ever been.
But the enormity of the quest accessories, potions, and skill books was far beyond what mere swords and armor required in terms of magical imbuments, scrupulous crafting, and finesse not as yet fully within grasp.
It had to be this way; Rivyn knew very well that he could not consider expanding his horizons while he clung to the familiar comforts. The System had delivered the quest to him for a reason, and now the onus was on him to prove he was worthy of the title: master craftsman.
This time he wanted to check the crafting skill info again. One flick later, the System interface popped in front of him again, and this time it contained some Basic Crafter Skill information.
[Basic Crafter Skill: Level 1]
[Proficiency: 13.2%]
He breathed deeply and looked at the percentage number under proficiency. After weeks of forging swords and armor, he had increased the meager number to 13.2%. It occurred to him that even crafting a few hundred more weapons would not raise this average by much. He would need to do something different if he wanted to better his crafting proficiency and have access to more complicated skills.
His eyes returned to the Main Quest. The System had prepared him for those tasks as best it could, to bring him toward them for a reason. Accessories, potions, and skill books all fell under his Basic Crafter Skill, but they would require so much more than simply working with metals-precision, creativity, and even understanding over magic. Just making swords and armor would not cut it if he wanted to get further ahead. He needed to embrace the entirety of his crafting ability.
This was especially pertinent in potion brewing, which seemed to linger in his mind as some insatiable tug he couldn't ignore. Alchemy had always seemed to have some select few artisans dedicating themselves to above all else. However, as Rivyn stared at the System's interface, it suddenly came to him - alchemy had been implicated with his current abilities. He didn't have to learn it, because he knew how to brew potions.
That was what the System had told him the moment he reached Basic Crafter Skill. His hands knew the movements, and his mind was already well-steeped in alchemical principles; all he had to do was apply all the knowledge.
An odd sense of relief washed over him with this realization. At least he wasn't starting from ground zero. If alchemy were that much part of his crafting skills, then he could just start brewing potions-no other training or enhancing of skills would be needed.
Yet the task that was before him was mountainous. Accessories, magical items, and skill books were so much the more intricate in nature compared to the simple banging away at steel. This, though, was the very reason the System had given him this quest—pushing him further into growth as a craftsman.
Rivyn firmed his jaw and went rigid. He would not quail; he would not back down. He could little afford to, for a want of those 50 points-though more-so, he needed to learn his craft past the mere basics of blacksmithing.
Rivyn went to the back of the store, where he had packed boxes with everything he had gathered from the village, carefully placing them within crates. He opened the first, pulling out assorted common metals, other magical components, and his worn tools. A modest collection indeed, but enough with which he could begin his quest.
His main interest would be in accessories. Rings and enchanted amulets of this sort were bordering the delicate, and it did stretch his borders, but it still was crafting-if on a more refined level. Insetting a bit of strength into his creations required gemstones, enchanted metals, and magical reagents; all of them were easily purchased at the teeming supplier markets of Velira.
He drew a sheet of parchment from his workbench and began to make a list of what materials he would need:
Gemstones (for enchantments)
Fine metals (gold, silver, platinum)
Magical reagents (crystals, herbs, powders)
Basic alchemy ingredients (for potion-making)
Magic Quill and Enchanted book (For Skill books)
Rivyn completed his list, folded it, and stuck it inside his pocket. He rose up; his legs were still aching from the hours he had taken to reinforce the shop, but resting was not an option. The System had been pretty clear about his quest, and the clock was ticking away. Long was he going to be away from even being a professional.
The Ironworks Market was as boisterous in Velira as the day before, filled with merchants crying their goods and wares, the smell of burning metal and magic thick in the air, even more adventurers dashing between stalls, dickering over weapons, potions, and supplies. Rivyn elbowed his way through the throngs, his eyes scanning the booths for what he needed.
He first came to a halt before a merchant of gems. The woman at the stall had bright eyes and a feral smile as she showed him a variety of glittering stones.
"You looking for something special?" she asked in a smooth, polished voice.
"Rivyn drew out his list. "I need gemstones for crafting of magical accessories. Have you anything to suggest?
The vendor's eyes lit up, and she reached behind the counter, pulling out a velvet bag and upending it on the table. Out tumbled a jumble of bright, shining stones, each one glowing softly in the dark with magic.
"Mana-infused gems," she said, pointing to the stones. "Perfect for basic enchantments. They hold enough magic to power rings, amulets, or charms. I've got rubies, sapphires, and moonstones. Take your pick."
Rivyn picked one of the moonstones and studied the faint glow that flowed below its surface. It was light, but he could feel coursing magic through it. Just what he needed for his first attempts at making accessories.
"How much?" he asked, knowing full well he couldn't afford to overspend.
"Twenty silver each," the vendor responded, her arms crossed. "Purchase five, and I'll include the pouch at no extra charge."
Rivyn pondered the offer before him. Though his coin purse had grown light after bolstering the shop, the gems were essential for his fresh endeavor. After a brief moment of indecision, he carefully counted out the silver and placed it in the other's hands.
He pocketed the gemstones within his satchel and continued on down the market until he paused before a booth that sold alchemical ingredients. The vendor himself was wiry, with dark eyes glancing up as Rivyn approached.
"Need something for potions?" he stated in a husky voice.
Rivyn handed him his list. "Basic ingredients for potions. Just something to set me on my way."
He nodded to the merchant, who quickly pulled out a myriad of jars and vials lining the shelves behind him. "These herbs are good for concocting simple healing potions. This powder here is for mana restoration. It's pretty easy to make, if you know what you're doing." He paid for the ingredients, carefully adding them into his pouch. The materials were expensive, but the need for them was clear. He needed to get started on his journey-and waiting was not an option. Not until the afternoon was high and the sun directly overhead did he return to his workshop. He set the gems and metals and the various alchemical supplies on his bench, where the dance of light through the room indicated that the forge was warm. His mind whirred with ideas—ring upon ring, amulet upon amulet, potion upon potion. But he would start small, taking one piece at a time. With Rivyn about to commence crafting, the main quest of the system flashed once again before his eyes.
[Main Quest Progress: Create and Sell Accessories – 0/20]
[Main Quest Progress: Create and Sell Potions – 0/10]