[Mkguild] MK Story - part 1

[Christian Okane]

A new MK Story. This starts in February and stretches till April. It has no
name yet but I'm hoping one comes to me before the end! It takes place
mostly in Marigund - Misha's homeland. 

I want to thank everyone who help me on this, Especially Stealth who read
and reread it countless times! THANKS

Chris
The Lurking Fox



   The figure arrived on a bright, sunny day in February. She was tall,
almost six feet in height with her blonde hair wrapped tightly in braids
pinned close to her skull. Her clothing was the nondescript clothe and fur
needed to keep out the winters biting wind. It was only when she had entered
the warmth of main room of the Jolly Collie inn that the woman removed her
jacket and furs. This revealed her to be wearing a wool tunic and pants died
a dark red and edged with golden floral patterns. Without hesitating she
made her way across the crowded room to where Misha was.

   The fox scout was seated at a corner table. Next to him was a tall,
middle aged woman who was dressed in simple, working clothes and her hair
was tied back into a pony tail. Spread on the table in front of them were
the papers and account books of the Inn. Misha kept a close eye on the inn
and all of its affairs. Misha closed the books and piled them along with the
papers in front of the woman. "Thank you Jimmy. The records are fine. You've
done well with the place."

   The innkeeper took the papers and books and stood up. "Thank you Misha.
It's a good place." And then the innkeeper turned and left Misha alone with
the new arrival.

   The woman herself was thin and well muscled like a soldier but her skin
had the softness of a person who had spent most of her life indoors. This
was not some average wandering merchant or adventurer. She was not carrying
any weapons, not even a knife which was so common among people. Her clothing
was distinctly oriental but she had the blonde hair and pale skin of a
northerner.

   She placed a small box of black, lacquered wood onto the table in front
of Misha. "The lady I represent wishes you to repair these," she said in way
of greeting. The woman opened the box and slowly removed the contents
placing each item on the table between them. In front of Misha was six
gears, each of a different size and material.

   Misha picked up a small gear; one smaller then the palm of his hand and
examined it. It was a fine piece made of a brass/gold alloy. He noted that
three teeth had broken off and several others were badly cracked. There were
fine fracture lines through all of the gear and it had the patina of grime
and corrosion. "It's made of vansir. Not commonly used anymore. These are
old and well worn from use."

   "Which is why my lady needs your services to repair them," the woman said
slowly in a voice that had a trace of an odd accent he couldn't quite place
the origin of.

   He picked up another gear and found it to be even more worn and
fractured. Misha shook his head. "I cannot repair these. They are far too
worn. I could patch them but they'll fail again fairly quickly. I'll need to
replace them. I can melt them down and recast them into the same forms."

   "You can do this?" she asked with the first hint of emotion in her voice.

   "Of course," Misha answered without looking up from the table. "I've
dealt with these alloys before."

   The woman smiled and nodded her head. "Good. The cost? The time?"

   The fox picked up a third gear and this one looked to be a mix of gold,
silver, brass and electrum. There was a faintly visible pattern of flowers
etched into one side. "What are these gears for? They are most unusual. Not
the clock gearing I usually deal with. This one is made of an alloy called
Alusier and two of the metals in it are themselves alloys."

   "They are part of a family heirloom, a great clock gifted to an honored
ancestor centuries ago by the emperor," she said.

   Misha nodded slowly. "I see. This must be a really fine clock," he said
slowly, still more intent on the gears then the conversation. "Emperor?" he
asked and looked up. "How far have you traveled?"

   "From Zhonglu," the woman answered. "We have heard of your good works for
a while but only with the recent decline of Nasoj has the journey been
possible."

   "Ah! I see. that's a long way to travel for such a simple task," Misha
said and returned to inspecting the gears.

   "Hardly simple," the woman answered. "You are the first to correctly
identify the metals used."

   Misha gave a yip of laughter. "I'm not surprised. No one uses these
anymore. Few ever did."

   "The cost?" the woman said in reply.

   Misha pondered that for a moment. "It will take at least a month of work
and cost 2000 gold coins."

   The woman nodded and extended her hand. "Agreed."

   The fox extended his own hand and shook her hand. It felt warm but
strong. "Good!"


******************


   Misha watched the woman till the closing of the main door of the Jolly
Collie cut off his view.

   "What did she want?" Caroline asked. The otter had watched the entire
encounter from a discrete distance.

   Misha pointed to the gears resting on the table in front of them both.
"She wanted those repaired or replaced."

   She bent over and examined the gears for a moment. "For what? A clock?"

   "That's what she claims," the fox answered without taking his eyes off
the door as if expecting the strange visitor to return.

   "Do you believe her?" The otter asked as she sat down next to the fox.

   "No," was the flat reply. "You do not come half way across the world for
clock parts. I don't care which highly esteemed emperor gave it to you."

   "Did you even get her name?" the otter asked.

   Misha just shook his head. "No, she was not inclined to give it to me.
But it doesn't matter." He tapped one of the gears on the table in front of
them. "She'll be back for these."


********************


   Misha opened the letter and read it carefully.

   "Dear sir,

   We have, as you requested examined the samples for both style,
composition, age and material content. They are all well worn from long use.
Objects 2 & 4 are made of Alusier. Objects 1, 5 & 6 are of  Vansir. Object
3's material content took considerable investigation to indentify. It is an
alloy of 12% brass, 28% gold, 20% silver, 15% electrum, 10% mithril and 15%
jade. We have only seen such an alloy once before; object 122457 in the
guilds collection. Object 122457 is a circlet of the alloy with a diameter
of 9 1/2 inches. There are irregularly spaced  ridges on both the inside and
outside edges that look remarkably like gearing except for the irregular
nature of their spacing. It is listed in the records as a necklace but that
label seems to have applied for lack of any other reasonable one. We have
had that label changed to 'unknown' to reflect our doubt of it being a
necklace. I am including several detailed diagrams and a cast of the object.
We would like your professional Automicant opinion of it.

   "Of the objects themselves we can offer little more. They have been dated
to circa -1700 to -1800 CR. a more exact dating is not possible. The styling
does bear a faint and I do mean faint resemblance to eastern styling. Our
belief is that the items probably came from the east or were created by an
artisan from there. Enclosed are the 6 items themselves. In the same
condition you sent them."

   "Sincerely,
Sir, Carlisle Baldren
Headmaster of the Automata dept. Marigund Mages Guild."

   Misha quickly opened the package that came with the letter. To his relief
the six items were in exactly the same shape that they been in when he had
last seen them. Also included were a score of carefully inked drawings and a
bronze circlet. The bronze piece was very finely crafted and would if
offered for sale fetch a very high price. But it was nothing more than a
model of the original piece.

   He examined the piece and saw that the piece was a perfect circle. Both
the inside and outside edges were covered with the  fine teeth of gearing
except the spacing and size did not remain the same overall. Misha counted
at least four different types of teeth on the outside alone. "Oh, now this
is interesting!"


***************


   "Dear Sir Baldren,"

   "I have extensively studied the images and model you sent of object
122457. It is most certainly NOT a necklace. I have seen similar gears in
some texts but never of that alloy. I do not understand the irregular
spacing of the ridges but the item is most certainly a gear. Is it possible
to send the object here for my further study? I am including with this
letter 8 pages of illustrations and 4 pages of text concerning the item.
Also what is the history of the piece?"


***************


   The clock that hung in the main room of the Jolly Collie was a large and
elaborate thing. On the hour it chimed as little figures in an orchestra
played a tune and others danced a waltz. The last of the small dancers had
just disappeared into the clock through a small door when the woman arrived.
A servant brought word to Misha. The young girl telling the fox that the
eastern lady had arrived, walking through the single gate and into the
courtyard of the inn.

   The mysterious lady looked no different than the last time he had seen
her. Even the clothing she was wearing looked the same. Her hair was clean
and neatly combed and her clothing had none of the grime and dirt of  the
road a traveler should have. If she had traveled half way across the world
it was not by walking, riding or flying. Nor had anyone seen her arrive by
those methods.

   "Good morning," she said in a level tone and sat down across the table
from Misha.

   The fox gave a nod of his head and pointed to a large bundle on the table
covered with a wool cloth.

   The visitor unwrapped the cloth revealing the six, brand new gears.
Complete duplicates of the originals ones down to the smallest decorations.
The woman examined the new gears intently, going over each one extremely
carefully. Each gear tooth was examined and measured. Misha waited patiently
enjoying several mugs of tea and nibbling on some muffins. It was over an
hour before she looked up and smiled at the fox. "These are wonderful. My
lady will be greatly excited by this fine work." She handed Misha a small
lacquered, wooden box. 

   Upon opening it he found the box filled with gold coins. The coins had
been sorted into stacks, each of 25 coins. Each bundle was neatly held
together with fine copper wire. "Thank you. I'm glad you like them but they
were hardly a challenge. I'm sure there are others who could do better
work."

   "No," the woman answered bluntly. She slowly and carefully placed each
gear into the box she had brought the old ones in. "Once my lady has
approved of this craftsmanship she might have some more demanding work for
you."

   Misha nodded. "I look forward to the challenge."


**************


   "Again you didn't get a name," Caroline said as she sat down next to her
fiancé.

   "She's not one to be pushed," Misha said in way of answer as he hugged
her.

   "You already have a good idea of who she is," the otter femme said.

   "A good idea. She's the servant of someone powerful whose taken an
interest in my metal crafting skills," the male explained.

   "An enemy?" Caroline asked. "The last to take interest in your skills was
Bolva and he was not a friend."

   "Good point," Misha replied. "I know this is not Bolva. I already asked
Madog."

   "And what did he say?" She queried. "Something confusing?"

   "Ugly bird in pretty cage," Misha said in a fair imitation of Madog's
sing song tone. "He stay till he rot away."

   Caroline gave a chirp of laughter. "How can Madog be so sweet and yet so
harsh?"

   The fox just shrugged and didn't speak.

   She recognized that silence. He was thinking of something besides his
mysterious visitor. "What's wrong?"

   "Remember the Amber order fortress?" he asked. "The one Bolva was so nice
enough to show us."

   "I do. I also remember it was a creepy and haunted ruin," she answered
shaking her head. "And Bolva is imprisoned underneath it."

   "I meant to go back and explore the place thoroughly," the vulpine
commented. "But I never did."

   Caroline chirped in laughter. "We have had some serious distractions like
the Yule assault and the plague."

   "It's time to finally explore the place," he said. "And see what else
lies hidden there."


***************


   The main home and headquarters of the Marigund Mages guild is located in
the city of Marigund and occupies a large area in the center of the city.
The official name of the location is Menomenta Gul which means Magic
Crossroads but it's more commonly called The Mages Hall. The Marigund mages
guild hall is actually a complex of buildings of many shapes and sizes
tucked into the property as defined by the ten foot high stone wall around
the properties edges. In one corner of the outer wall was a wooden door.
Over it was the word 'Museum admission 1 copper." Behind that door was a
complex of rooms filled with tables and display cases holding a wide
assortment of items. Some items were old, others historically important and
others were just odd. These items were collecting dust in some forgotten
storeroom until it was realized they could make money by letting the public
pay to see them. And in a city of merchants no one ever turned down a chance
to make a profit.


   Just inside the entrance and to the left was another door. This one had a
bright shiny brass plate bearing the words "Cecelia Armhurst, Curator." The
room beyond was small and contained a desk, chair and a few tables and a
locked cupboard all piled high with a wide variety of objects.

   "Sir, I really wish I could help you more," she said. "But we have little
information on the item." The woman was the wearing a dress of dark blue.
The thick wool of the dress helped keep her warm in the often cold and
drafty halls and corridors of the complex. Her dark brown hair fell loosely
around her shoulders and had blonde highlights at the tips that matched
perfectly the silver ribbons mixed in.

   "Why?" Carlisle Baldren snarled. "You pride yourself on the completeness
of your records." He was shorter than the woman with his black hair cut
close to his head. The elegance of his dark blue tunic and pants was
accented by the necklace that dangled from his neck. It was made of a metal
that was too light to be iron and too dark to be silver.

   "There is the matter of a fire," the woman said and paused. "In 608."

   Carlisle slowly nodded his head and muttered a soft curse. "Another
victim of the Burning."

   "Yes sir," the woman added. "We lost a lot during the infighting that
took place here then but we are slowly rebuilding the records. I might have
something similar. If you are interested."

   "Similar?"

   "We are in the middle of an inventory of our collection and doing a
complete and extensive search of our storage areas. We've been uncovering
all sorts of interesting items. Recently I have noticed several items of the
same material scattered about. Also I can think at least 5 other objects
with a similar floral pattern to them that are unidentified. Are you
interested in them?"

   "You're joking right?" Carlisle shot back. "Of course I am!"


*******************


   The hallway stretched off for at least a hundred yards. Spaced evenly
some 5 feet apart on both walls were at least 40 doorways.

   "How many rooms do you have?"

   "127 main storage rooms but not all of them are here. We have subsidiary
facilities in the Sylvan mountains and a small place in Tol Doron."

   How many items?"

   Cecelia shrugged as they walked down the hallway. "We're not sure and
that is one of the reasons for the inventory. The guild seems to attract all
sorts of odd artifacts and items, either brought here by members or
given/sold to the guild. Some have been in guild hands since it was formed
and were inherited from five older, Suielman collections." She stopped in
from of a door. The only markings on the wooden door was the number 112. The
lock on the door was old and it took some effort to get the key to turn. The
hinges squealed loudly in protest as the door swung open slowly. It revealed
a small room lined with shelves packed with a wide assortment of items.

   The box Ceclia pulled down from a shelf was battered and covered with a
fine patina of dust. She placed it on a convenient lower shelf. A moment's
work with the lock and the lid came up. Carlisle looked into the box and a
shiny object on top caught his attention. It was an irregularly shaped sheet
of bronze colored metal about 6 inches wide. He recognized it instantly. It
was a patch of skin like that used on armor and automatons. "Find all those
other pieces," he ordered. "I'll call in my own department and a dozen of my
trusted students and we'll search the entire room."




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