Reforged Weapons for the Newly Ranked

[Mallory]

There have been changes on the grounds of the Battlefield Park baronial manor since Mallory took control of the old armory, including strange lights in the windows and the glowing shapes of ghastly sentinels patrolling the grounds. Lately smoke has been seen rising over the treeline, a sign that the armory's forge has been restored.

Around the same time, a message was attached to the corkboard. It read:

Duel of Swords combatants,
The armory of Battlefield Park has a massive cache of weapons and other pieces that are still intact and can be reforged. As Baroness, I'd like to offer them as prizes to anyone who gains rank from this point forward. Send me a message or post it here, and I'll make sure it gets to the smith for this project, Izumi Takamine (no relation to Lisa).
Mallory St. Martin
Baroness of Battlefield Park

((These prizes confer no in-game benefit of any kind and are purely for RP purposes, but I thought it'd be a fun way to use the Battlefield Park Barony! If your character gains a new rank in DoS, either reply here or PM me to request a prize. You can request something specific, or I can come up with something, your choice, though prizes will differ based on the rank attained.

• Swordsman: a simple weapon such as a dagger, hand axe, mace, staff, or spear.
• Master-at-arms: a martial weapon such as a battleaxe, flail, sword, warhammer, or halberd.
• Grandmaster: a key, stylized to your preferences, which grants access to an officers' training room on the grounds (rumored to contain a secret passage to a long-forgotten wine cellar).
• Warlord: a symbol, such as a pauldron, clasp, or pendant of non-precious metal bearing crossed swords and your initials, or a mark of your choosing.

Feel free to use the training room + wine cellar for scenes or posts, have your character bring in guests, whatever -- just don't burn it down. Let me know if you have any questions!))

[Mallory]

An addendum was posted to the original note on the Arena corkboard:

Duel of Swords combatants,

After my squire conducted a survey of the grounds, we discovered several new weapons caches, and now the armory is full to bursting — so I’m relaxing my standards about new ranks. Whether you’ve attained rank since I attained this Barony in November, or you’re returning from a hiatus and are looking for the right weapon to get back into the mix, either reach out to me or post a request here and we’ll reforge it for you.

Additionally, those who stand at the rank of Warlord may also request the prize conferred to Grandmasters.

Mallory Maeda
Baroness of Battlefield Park

((Relaxing the standards to be more flexible. People are welcome to continue to use the guidelines set out in the first post if they like, but if you’re a returning Warlord and you want a battle axe from Battlefield Park, knock yourself out. You can use this thread for requests, and I’ll post their delivery.))

[Mallory]

When Nat brought lunch to Mallory at Battlefield Park, the witch wanted to be sure he didn’t leave empty-handed. She let him select a horn-handled axe, the head reforged by Izumi, the handle shaped from one of the antlers left to her by a nomadic band leaving the area at the end of Orktoberfest:

[Riho Matsuda]

Riho came by to visit the armory in the afternoon, and to have a look at the sights there to be seen while paying a visit to the Baroness.

[Mallory]

Mallory didn’t leave Riho empty-handed, either. As a master-at-arms, Mallory felt confident that Riho could simultaneously manage two weapons with the precision and skill she’d displayed in and out of the ring.



Though the weapons had clearly seen action before, Mallory assured her that the kukri had been expertly reforged; and she’d used that process to label both blades in kanji with the names of Lucky and Sumire.

“Happy hunting.”

[Jonn Revelator]

After a lazy survey of his new manor, and left with an afternoon to do something with, Jonn decided to visit some of his new peers. Given his lack of interest in religion, economics or anything else beyond the end of his sword and the bottom of his purse, the natural first stop would be to the armory at Battlefield Park.

Seeing smoke rising from what appeared to be the forge area, Jonn entered and, surprisingly given his general air of vagabond menace, was quickly able to find himself in Mallory's presence. In the course of a tour of the armory and it's wonders, Jonn's initial perception of Mallory as a dangerous force was confirmed in his mind, but he was surprised to find himself feeling a certain unaccustomed level of respect for the woman. Perhaps there would be opportunities ahead. After a relaxed conversation about fighting styles and philosophies, Jonn was on his way back to Dockside to find other entertainment, but his mouth fixed in a semi-smile of amusement which those who encountered him in the fighting rings might have found unnerving!

[Mallory]

And again, Mallory was not in the habit of leaving her visitors without something from the armory.



"This is a flame blade... not literally, like Drachenbane," she said as she relinquished the massive two-handed weapon to the newly minted Baron, "but named for its wavy shape. Its first wielders called it a Flammenschwert. When you parry, or mirror your swings, or stop a lunge in its tracks, it vibrates the other weapon, which doesn't feel very good on your opponent's hands. Might loosen their grip, or put them on their back foot. Now, any Zweihander takes a great deal of physical strength to use effectively, so it suits you... but sometimes sadism can be as subtle as the curves in the blade.

"Wield it well."

[Mallory]

A note found its way to Alasdair the afternoon after his fifteenth win, written in Mallory's hand on thin, bright red paper:

Alasdair,
Congratulations on Warlord -- as of this Sunday, at least! Come by the armory when you can. I have something to trade you for your spear.
Mallory

The witch was at the armory until a little while after dusk that day, but whenever her (soon-to-be-ex) Squire arrived, there was a weapon waiting for him.



While the blade seemed simple, its curved cross guard had a number of segmented grooves that resembled the horns of a ram, not unlike the pair that sprouted from Mallory's own brow; and as soon as his fingers closed around the hilt, green speckles of what appeared to be starlight twinkled along the weapon's surface. Upon closer inspection, the twelve constellations of the western zodiac could be discerned among the hundreds of pinpricks of faintly glowing light.

Though the witch would explain in person if she could, there was a note to go with the sword, too, for Alasdair's future reference:

This is Aries, and I have been preparing it since you agreed to become my Squire, in anticipation of your inevitable graduation. With the assistance of a skilled smith and an alchemist, I attuned this reforged weapon to the heavenly bodies that mark the passing of each year.

Right now the zodiac aligns with Aries, the ram, a fitting portent for the end of your service to a horned baroness. When you wield it, you will be able to call upon an element depending on the time of year: fire, for green flame that will strengthen your blows; earth, for stony skin to protect your flesh and root you to the ground; water, for gouts of it to stagger your foes and make them slip; and air, for the wind to push you out of harm's way.

It will take time to master, but having seen your talents, I have no doubt that you and Aries will go far together. Wield it well.

Yours very sincerely,
Mallory Maeda

P.S. Thanks again for the glove.

On the reverse side of the note was a handy reference list:

Aries - Fire - March 21 to April 20
Taurus - Earth - April 21 to May 20
Gemini - Air - May 21 to June 21
Cancer - Water - June 22 to July 22
Leo - Fire - July 23 to August 23
Virgo - Earth - August 24 to September 22
Libra - Air - September 23 to October 23
Scorpio - Water - October 24 to November 22
Sagittarius - Fire - November 23 to December 22
Capricorn - Earth - December 23 to January 20
Aquarius - Air - January 21 to February 18
Pisces - Water - February 19 to March 20

[Mallory]

Following a violent incursion the night before, Mallory posted the following addendum to her note about weapons on the corkboard:

I’ve been happy to give the Baron of New Haven a weapon from my armory, the same as others who have come here for the same. I was less happy when he returned here at night with a friend with that same weapon, to drive out or kill whoever they found at my manor.

After dealing with the trespassers, I’ve decided that the manor gates will be closed and locked, and additional security has been added. Ask before you enter — anyone else who trespasses does so at their own risk.

And as a general rule, don’t threaten to kill me or mine with a sword I give you. It’s really freaking rude.

Mallory Maeda
Baroness of Battlefield Park

By the time of the announcement, a number of armed delinquents from Kabuki Street — paid out of Eri’s pocket as mercenaries, and thus devoid of any rengou-kai insignia — patrolled the Battlefield Park manor.