one, two... no fifty seven reasons...

[kaioinazuma18]

It was a warm day, and the city of Illrea was quite active, despite the warmth of the sun and the progressing of the day. Kaio had only recently arrived, having traveled all over, even passing through Broddring (disguised as a human albeit). He was glad to be at least somewhat welcome. He had bought a house near the center of town, something large enough to hold his forge. He had all of his belongings with him, and he was ready to start his trade again. Traveling wasn't exactly the life for him. His belongings sat at the forge, the forge itself locked up to protect its contents. Two days of work had not been wasted. Kaio sat under a tree, sighing gently as he crossed his arms and keeping a wide-brimmed hat over his face to protect his face, a piece of wheat in the corner of his mouth as he dozed lightly in the shade.

A slight musical tone came from his mouth as he spat the grass out, a song of sorts being muttered softly from his lips. "Oh never, oh never, oh never again, If I live to a hundred or a hundred and ten, I fell to the ground and I couldn't get up, After drinking a pint of the Johnny Jump Up...." He hummed the rest, foot tapping out a melody as he rested in the shade. Kaio was his name. He was a relatively good sword smith, and now that he had his own forge, he was ready to enjoy his trade. However, today was his off-day. He had spent some time at the tavern earlier, a couple pints of ale did the trick on a nice warm day.

His forest green tunic covered with a traveling coat made of leather that would keep the wind out. His burnished silver hair was tied back into a long ponytail so as to keep it out of his way. His hair had grown long with his travels, and yet Kaio did not care. He was the carefree type, the one who would spend hours at a tavern drinking merrily, then run off and immediately handle fire and sharp objects. However, Kaio was intelligent and always had a smile on his face and a pint in the hand when he wasn't working. His humor was crude to say the least, but most of it ran the border between sarcasm and wit. He was crude for an elf, but his skills were not to be discounted because of it. He was a hard worker and he managed to produce fine works of art and war. Kaio understood that swords were as much of an art as they were a tool of war, and he aimed to make them just as beautiful as the dragons of the riders. A very difficult feat, but he understood his goal.

[wilddog]

I walked the streets of Illrea, beside myself in excitement. Here, I could be myself, an elf. All around me, were elves and humans, all willing to learn. The city was watched over by the Dragon Riders. Such heroes of legend that I longed to study them. To ride a dragon would be the time of my life. Here, this dream could be a reality. But, that was just wishful thinking. I am a traveler, a vagabond. It did not matter that a dragon rider would have respect. Respect is just a cover up for jealous thinking. But, as I gazed up into the sky, these feeling rumbled in me. In my trench coat, I was hot, yes. But not un-comfortably so. The reason I wore it was the item in my pocket. The Book. My life’s work in my grasp. A guide to this land. I travelled all over, recording events, inns, and prime gold mining spots. In fact, my gold hunting came up with a spot of good fortune. On my back, lay a sack, filled with ten gold nuggets, about as big as your fist. Such good fortune only came by once in a life time. And I didn’t want to waste it. Thus, the reason I came here. Over a while, I fought many people. My knives weren’t holding up. Humans are clever, but they can’t seem to figure out how to make a decent weapon. I was in search for a swordsmith. Pulling out my book, I traveled around the city. Nobody seemed to think that creating knives was a task worth pursuing.

Finally, disgusted to the core, I stopped at a bar. “Yes, I would like a pint of hard cider, yes?” The bartender peered at me, and ran to fetch me my drink. Surveying the crowd, I spoke up. “Everybody, I have one quick question and then you can go back to your enjoyments, yes? I am in great need for a weapon smith here, and by chance do you know anybody who is one?” Many eyebrows were raised, but the mood of the bar told me that it was fine. A drunken man stood up and said, “Yea, I saw one a few hours ago. By the name of Kaio. Find him and he might make you whatever you need” Tossing him a coin, I grabbed my drink and left. The customers all returned to whatever business they were doing.

As I walked close to the house of said smith, a song rang out. The singer wasn’t in sight, but I would bet anything in by pack that it was Kaio. "Oh never, oh never, oh never again, If I live to a hundred or a hundred and ten, I fell to the ground and I couldn't get up, After drinking a pint of the Johnny Jump Up....” The music faded and humming ensued. Smiling, I went to forge and knocked on the wood. The dozing form of the elf seemed fit. His hat shaded him from the sun. A stalk of wheat stuck out of his mouth. “Are you Kaio? I have a weapon need right now, a knife, fit for throwing, and I can pay anything you want, yes? Can you do it?”

[kaioinazuma18]

Kaio's ears perked up as he heard someone knocking on the door, then turn to look at him, he lifted a hand to his hat and tipped it up slightly to show one of his bright sapphire blue eyes. "Aye, I am Kaio. I can make you a throwing knife, but it all depends on what size and what range of distance you will be throwing it." He said as he stood up, removing his hat as he opened the door. "Please, come on in." Kaio walked inside setting his hat on the hat rack and heading over to the furnace, coals gleaming still.

His eyes trailed over to the anvil and then back at his customer. he stood, arms behind his back and waiting for his customer's response eagerly, glad to have someone to work for.

[wilddog]

"Aye, I am Kaio. I can make you a throwing knife, but it all depends on what size and what range of distance you will be throwing it." He invited me in his home and I gladly stepped in. Inside, the house had a warmth to is. Unlike certain people, this home really was what is looked like. The forge has a mess to it, but to say, it created an orderly chaos. You could jump right into it and start working. immediatly, I knew he was Blowed-in-the-glass type of person. one that you would trust immediatly. "Look, i am on the road a lot, padding the hoof, so to speak. So I need a pratical weapon made by the best. Something that won't break nor rust, see. So, can you do it and what is your price?"
Hobo lingo
Blowed-in-the-glass: a trustworthy person.
Padding the hoof: walking by foot

[kaioinazuma18]

Kaio said nothing, but simply turned and walked towards what seemed to be a scrap pile and began digging through it. The iron had already been smelted from ore and was piled up in an unusually organized stack, two bricks long, three bricks wide. The iron was stacked according to its properties. one stack was for softer but more flexible iron while another would create a harder but more brittle blade. He grabbed a few bricks and went to the anvil, splitting the two bars in half with his bare hands immediately. "So you want something concealable, but practical, huh? Sounds like you need a four inch blade." He said , setting the iron down and rummaging through his tools. "Of course I can make the blade, but as for my price, that remains to be determined once it is made. If it is one of my better works, it may go for quite a bit more than a normal dagger, but if it isn't, well, it will all depend on how much you are willing to pay for it. I don't have set prices." he said as he instigated the fire again, turning it into a raging inferno into which he would insert the iron to start working them.

[wilddog]

"So you want something concealable, but practical, huh? Sounds like you need a four inch blade." He said, setting the iron which he was fiddling with on the table and rummaging through his tools. I leaned back on my feet, just in time to see a shadowy character walk by. All I could see was his nose. A fine specimen of a nose, it was quite long and distinct. Kai didn’t see him and kept on walking. "Of course I can make the blade, but as for my price, that remains to be determined once it is made. If it is one of my better works, it may go for quite a bit more than a normal dagger, but if it isn't, well, it will all depend on how much you are willing to pay for it. I don't have set prices."

“Fine. Fine, I will be back and we can talk about the price, yes?” Not waiting for an answer, I walked out of the house. On the street, the mid-afternoon chores were being taken care of. No sign of the long nosed person. But, on the fence post of Kaio’s forge, lay a symbol. Four scratches, in the shape of a box, with two more forming the roof. Traditionally, this symbol was used to signify that the house was already burned out, meaning a hobo tricked this house. But I knew the Shady elf by reputation, so I knew something major was going to happen. So it was either catch him, or pull Kaio out and run away. Knowing the elf, I needed to catch him. Gathering my wits, I ran down the street.

[kaioinazuma18]

Kaio was silent, he may have not seen the man walk by, but he did know that someone passed by and marked his fence post. His beautiful fence post! He was irked now. If the man meant trouble and he returned, well, it wouldn't end prettily. Kaio was strong, intelligent, and fast of all things. He knew how to fight, and if he got into a pinch, he was going to use it to his advantage. He had ways of scaring the fecal matter out of people, and he enjoyed using every method he could get his hands on.

Kaio definitely was not your typical kindly, courteous elf. He was one to be blunt in his descriptions and sharp in his mocking and interrogation (when he was angry of course). He did not know the man who asked him to make the blade, all he knew was that the old man had an honest heart. They overlooked the fact that he could sense their intentions just at a swift mental glance, but the man that walked by... the man that walked by had his mind shielded, meaning his intentions were either malicious, or he was hiding something valuable or important. Kaio needed to know.

[wilddog]

Noticing Kaio following, I motioned him to take follow him directly, then I veered off. The elf seemed to be just as interested in him as I was. Quickly, I ran through my head everything I knew about my target. His nose, which I already noted, seemed to be the best part about him. He wore a black robe with red designs decorating it. His hands were nervously dry-washing and he had a small limp. I could have been mistaken. Nothing really all that menacing. But the symbols scratched into the fence scared me. A little. The hobo seemed oblivious to all this. Which was a fine thing. It is hard to stalk somebody who knows it. Briefly acknowledging an elf passing my, I snatched my knives from my sleeves. Finally, the alley emptied onto a street and I ran forward. Before long, I was ahead to the hobo, and lay in wait. Now, it was all up to Kaio to lure him into my trap.

[kaioinazuma18]

Kaio continued walking, following the odd man that had vandalized his fence post. He now had to fix it, but before he did, he wanted to find out exactly what was wrong with said man. Who vandalized other people's property without leaving an obvious key as to why they did? It made absolutely no sense to him. Kaio's job was simple: lead the hobo into the trap. It wasn't really in his way of treating a problem, but it was what he had to do. (damn...muse is dead)