Torsten of the Gray Hills's page

Not far. Morda's Pass is one day's travel from here, the 'Roost, a day farther, and that's assuming by wagon. The Furrow is maybe a long day the other way.

(You were in the 'Roost, and went through Morda's Pass before finding the party...)

He examines the axe closely, and tests the edge with parchment, which cuts surprisingly cleanly.

That axe is an odd one. Blade's awful thin...an'...steel don't look like that, but it's a bunch sturdier than iron, fer sure. Style is just durn strange. It ain dwarf work, nor human or elf, I'd wager. It damn sure ain't orc, far too good fer their likes. I dunno.

Well, me father kin actually fold magic into a blade, e'en though he cain't cast nary a spell. He don't do it often, though, nor do it come cheap.

He stops for a moment, and scratches his head. Armor ain't me father's specialty, but he's still likely better'n any in the area. Still, iff'n coin is tight, there's armorsmiths in Morda's Pass an' the Deep Furrow - dwarves, there - not ta mention the 'Roost. A few in the city, mind ya.

Torsten shrugs.

My bodyguard. You'll have to talk to him...unless you'd be happy with my crafting leathers.

Torsten taps at the thick apron he wears.

Torsten looks rather blandly across his wares, raising an eyebrow.

Drokart! This fine dwarf thinks he needs some armor, and seeing as you wear the only dwarven armor in the village...

A stout dwarf appears some distance away, amidst the wagons and animals, and movees up quickly. He's outfitted in an excellent breastplate, and carrying a waraxe and heavy shield.

The hell you say?

His voice carries over the subdued crowd.

Sadly, the closest Baldek can find is a dwarf merchant in the festival grounds - he has a nice, suitable array of high-quality weaponry on display, but no armor.

Armor, ye want? I'll need some measurements. What style be ye lookin' for? A breastplate? Segmented? Full plate? Me father makes it. Weapons be his specialty, but no fear - he's the greatest smith in the northlands!

Torsten had nodded in agreement at Antonio. I'll be headin' home as soon as the festival is over.

Me father creates 'em all, he does. Well, except for me crossbow, he don't do those. I dunno 'bout swords like this - it's na very sturdy lookin'.

Torsten steps forward and takes a closer look. It's one 'o those duelin' swords popular in the human kingdoms to the south, right?

As he speaks, he examines the blade closer than you've ever seen, muttering about the steel, and guessing at the techniques involved.

I think me father could reproduce it, an' mayhaps improve on it, but it's na like a dwarf'd do, ye see. It might could take 'im a while. Now - there's some fine smiths to the south, as humans go, an' a couple that specialize in skinny blades like this'n. They don' do dwarfwork, but they do okay.

Torsten looks at Varuk, and grimaces.

Me father...he...he does na make crossbows. I've got the axes - ye can have two 'o them.

Pausing, and looking troubled, Torsten looks back into the tent.

Ye're goin' after ogres, are ye? It's what I hear...he steps back into the tent, stepping back out a moment later with a large crossbow.

This is mine own. It's quality work, dwarfmade, an' a fair bit heavier. If ye want it...ye can have it, as one of the weapons. I'll miss 'er.

Torsten presents it for examination. It's a mw heavy crossbow, definitely dwarfmade.

Finding Torsten isn't actually that difficult - he's in the same place he was, and business is brisk. It seems that people suddenly want weapons to defend themselves with...though he doesn't provide proficiency.

The big problem, however, is that he doesn't deal in missile weapons, and really doesn't have much experience with them, though he does have a crossbow of his own. Think 'dwarf', and you'll have a good idea of the weapons he does have. Most are sturdy and durable. You aren't likely to find a rapier, but there are a very wide variety of axes.

Ach, the heroes come to visit the humble merchant. Please, allow me to gift you with a fine weapon. Make me father proud!

He pulls out a wide variety of melee weapons, and a few good throwing weapons, all of excellent quality, and gestures toward them.

Me father kin make most anythin', but it'll take time, sad to say, and 'es not 'ere, but at home, in the hills. Let me know what I kin do ta help.

Aye, I've got stout daggers wit' good parryin ' guards. All masterwork, so they ain't cheap.

He pulls out a couple of large daggers...one more of a cinqueneda, very broad...the other closer to a true main-gauche, longer and narrower...both have the traditional dwarven heavy feel.

That? 'Tis a curious blade. I bought it from a wandrin ' merchant, just today...it ain't dwarf work, but I figgered my fadder might wanna see it. There's another fella with one like it...done wandered up to tha Giant's Mug.