[spoiler]Pyre's theme btw[/spoiler] [i]A triangle of fire appears once more in the square of Four Winds in Offtopic. The flames rise and fall like before, and out steps several figures. One is tall, humanoid, wearing ashen black robes. She has a plain sword at her side, and wears a bright red Jewel on her breast. Another is shorter, but tall for human standards. She wears a golden mask, covered in ornate engravings. Clean, white robes flow around her. A small bundle of red cloth lies curled up in her arms. The other twelve are like dwarves, but their skin is brassy and metallic. All had beards and hair of fire, and wore kilts of gold. Each carried either a sword and shield, or a large chest in their arms. Where the woman in black is haughty, aristocratic, her white counterpart is calm, almost incorporeal. The duo walked to the center of the square, ready to review what the swordsmiths of Offtopic have prepared for the princess of Fire. [/i] [i]A Mandalorian, a Grey Lord, a Proxy, an Automaton, a Ranger, and another Mandalorian stood before them, their weapons glistening in the sunlight. Impressive at first glance, but beauty is only skin deep. [/i] “Take it away, mom,” [i]said Countess Pyre. [/i] [i]Azruphêl gently passed her the bundle, and strode forward. She bowed to the first Mandalorian as a sign of respect. He returned the bow, and offered her the weapon. She accepted the blade, and stepped back to give herself some room. Rapidly cutting and slicing at imaginary targets, she tested the blade’s strength, speed and power. Satisfied, the white woman ran her hand along the edge, scanning for magical properties. When she was done, the white woman bowed once more to the Mando, and returned the weapon. [/i] [i]This process continued until she had tested all seven weapons, at which point she returned to Countess Pyre. The two spoke not a word, but meaning came across in an instant. Smiling, Pyre handed her the bundle, and approached the smiths. [/i] “You have all made impressive weapons, but only one of you is walking away with the egg. A weapon fit for a princess is hard to come by, and the decision was tough. However, I will divulge why I chose the winner, and why I did not choose the others.” [i] Pyre stood with arms crossed, and unfolded her fiery wings. The heat was not painful, but mildly uncomfortable. None of the smiths budged an inch. [/i] “Good, you have all basked in the flames of a forge. I’ll start with the Mandalorian. Your blade is strong, and most importantly resistant to fire. My daughter is half Fire-Seraph, which makes it enticing. However, the lack of enchantments will prove… less desirable as she grows. If she had no innate magical affinity, this would have ranked much, much higher. A fine blade for a mortal, one I would not scoff at even at my age. Excellent work, but not enough.” [i]Pyre bowed to the Mandalorian, and moved to the next contestant, Sylver. [/i] “This blade was felt before I arrived, it’s nullification echoing like music to my ears. It is mighty, and well enchanted. In the right hands, I would fear this Blade of Black Lilies. Because of this, I cannot in good faith let my daughter practice with such power at an early age. Later in life, with a couple hundred years of discipline, this would be an invaluable tool at her side. But currently, it is simply too powerful for her. A fine edge, but too fine.” [i]Pyre bowed to the Grey Lord, and moved to the Proxy. [/i] “Intrabeam, a mighty weapon indeed. It resonates with Despair and Cruelty, bringing all around it into a void of sadness. For much the same reason as the Grey Lord’s, this blade is simply too much. The unrefined power within is dangerous for even one such as me to hold, and I will not allow my daughter to wield it. Impressive for sure, especially with what haste it was made in, but too sharp for her needs.” [i]Pyre moved to the next contestant, the Ranger ex-president, and bowed to him. [/i] “Plebian, a sword for the masses. It is not the strongest blade here, the flashiest nor the most powerful. But it has a soul, the spirit of the blade. When my mother grasped the hilt, she could feel the lives it held in the palm of its hand. Strength, protection and security surround this blade. I have a habit of losing things, and I believe this will be passed one to my daughter. As such, the ability to return to its wielder is most appropriate. A fine work, one you should be proud of.” [i]Pyre bowed deeply to the ex-president, and moved to the next contestant, the Automaton. [/i] “A strong blade, evidently dwarven work. You should be proud of this weapon, my friend. The power to enthrall an opponent is fascinating, but in her case is not very desirable. She will have subjects and power to last a hundred human lifetimes. That is not to say this is a bad blade, in fact, quite the contrary. This is a magnificent sword, maybe a masterpiece even. But for my daughter’s first hundred years of adventuring, I do not believe she would have much use. A fine work, one I would not deny a place in my arsenal.” [i]Pyre bowed to the Automaton, then moved to the last contestant, a Mandalorian. [/i] “Branndød, a sword of fire. This blade, like Plebian, has a spirit. Like music, the pounding of hammers it was forged with ring in my ears. Dedication and your own aura have brought this into existence, and I applaud your work. The shield, shred and flame abilities are excellent, a balance of defense and attack. This came very close to winning, and I gift you a consolation prize of 100 pounds of living gold, a rare commodity even at its source within the Azer mines. I hope you craft many great things with these.” [i]Pyre bowed deeply to the Mandalorian, and stepped back to take the bundle of cloth in her arms. The azer servants deposited two heavy boxes in front of the Mando, and bowed as they returned to their places. A figure called from down the street, and all turned to see a man in shining armor running across the square. A covered blade was firmly in his grasp, and he bent to one knee as he offered it to the Countess. [/i] “A surprise indeed, Watson,”[i] said Pyre as she rather abruptly backed away from the blade, sheltering the bundle in her arms. [/i] [i]The woman in white bowed to Watson, and tested the blade. After some swinging, she returned the blade with a bow and motioned him back in line. Pyre laughed as she looked at her mother, and walked towards Watson. [/i] “A mithril frostbrand with a tale behind it. If I did not detest the blade, I would have one in my arsenal. But, because of its potential danger to myself and my brood, I cannot accept this blade. Certainly a fine work, no adventurer should scoff at this weapon. You labored much for this blade, so I will offer you a consolation prize.” [i]Another azer came forth, and deposited a small box in front of Watson. [/i] “Inside are several pouches containing dust of disappearance. I hope they fit you well.” [i]The Countess smiled, and walked underneath the sphere of force. With a wave of her hand, the shere descended and followed her back the center. Pyre moved it in front of Ring, and gently set it down in front of him. The sphere faded, and the egg was his. [/i] “My daughter will never lose this blade, and I could not be happier. Thank you, Ring, and I hope you enjoy your heldrake.” [i]Azruphêl approached Ring, and knelt before him to accept the blade. Ring bowed, and Plebian was placed in her hands. Another exchange of bows, and Az returned to her daughter. [/i] “Thank you all, and may your forges never grow cold.” [i]The azer placed the remaining chests before the smiths, and returned to the triangle of fire. The Countess and her mother bowed to the smiths, walked to the triangle, and disappeared in a wave of fire.[/i] [spoiler]Thank you all so much for participating, I hope you had as much fun as I did. All of you have a small gift, we can either rp it here or in pms. And congratulations Ring![/spoiler]