Read Online Sea of Death: Blade of the Flame - Book 3 by Tim Waggoner - Free Book Online
Authors: Tim Waggoner
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Solus had been protecting them since their arrival in Kolbyr, did that mean psiforged was the only thing that had been keeping the citizens from attacking them? And if so, what did that mean for Diran and the others now that they no longer had Solus to shield them?
“Fear not, my friend,” Solus said. “The protective aura I extended around the others will linger for some time yet, and the citizens of Kolbyr have much experience at resisting the dark magic that hangs over their city, though I sense that it is stronger this day than usual. We should all be safe enough—for the time being.”
Tresslar nodded, though he could’ve done without Solus’s qualification of “safe.”
“So where are we going?” Hinto asked.
Tresslar didn’t want to answer the little pirate’s question, but heknew if he didn’t the halfling would only keep pestering him.
“Tinker’s Room.”
“Is that a tavern?” Hinto said. A chill breeze wafted down the street, and the halfling shivered. “It’s a bit early in the day to start drinking, but I
could
use a little something to warm me up inside.”
“No, it’s not a tavern, and Tinker’s Room isn’t its real name. It’s a customary nickname. There’s a Tinker’s Room in every city across Khorvaire, and while they’re a bit rarer in the Principalities, Perhata has one, and so does Kolbyr.”
Hinto frowned. “If they’re that common, why haven’t I heard of them before?”
Before Tresslar could reply, Solus said, “Because you aren’t an artificer, my friend.”
Tresslar scowled at the psiforged. “It’s impolite to read people’s minds without their permission, you know.”
Solus bowed his head. “My apologies, master artificer. I’m finding it more difficult to block out the thoughts of my new friends than I anticipated. The more time I spend in your company, the more my mind becomes … accustomed to yours, causing me to sense your surface thoughts without intending to.”
Tresslar, somewhat mollified by Solus’s referring to him as
master
artificer, decided to accept the psiforged’s apology. “Very well, but I’d appreciate it if you would allow me to keep my thoughts to myself in the future. Now, to return to Hinto’s question, while the existence of Tinker’s Rooms isn’t precisely a secret, it’s not something that artificers go out of their way to publicize. While both wizards and artificers work with magic, wizards deal with the more theoretical aspects of the craft, while artificers take a practical approach. Wizards research and study magic for the sake of acquiring knowledge and increasing their own personal power. Artificers, on the other hand,
use
magic, applying it for practical purposes. Wizards tend to work in isolation and guard their secrets jealously, but artificers—because of their more pragmatic approach to magic—are much more open about sharing their knowledge. Hence the existence of Tinker’s Rooms, places where artificers gather to talk shop, admire one another’s craftsmanship, and trade for materials and supplies as needed.”
“And you hope to learn something of your missing wand at the Tinker’s Room in Kolbyr?” Solus asked.
Tresslar shrugged. “No one at the Tinker’s Room in Perhata had any news about my wand, but someone here in Kolbyr might. Whenever an artificer is unsure how to begin tackling a problem, we have a saying: ‘Go to your room.’ So that’s what I’m doing.”
“Are you sure the people there won’t mind if we accompany you?” Hinto asked. “Neither Solus nor I are artificers.”
“Don’t worry,” Tresslar said. “While outsiders aren’t encouraged, they aren’t forbidden.” He then smiled at Solus. “In fact, I think you will be especially welcome, my bejeweled friend. Psiforged are extremely rare, and there’s nothing artificers love better than seeing a magical device—or in your case, a construct—that they haven’t encountered before.”
They continued walking
“Fear not, my friend,” Solus said. “The protective aura I extended around the others will linger for some time yet, and the citizens of Kolbyr have much experience at resisting the dark magic that hangs over their city, though I sense that it is stronger this day than usual. We should all be safe enough—for the time being.”
Tresslar nodded, though he could’ve done without Solus’s qualification of “safe.”
“So where are we going?” Hinto asked.
Tresslar didn’t want to answer the little pirate’s question, but heknew if he didn’t the halfling would only keep pestering him.
“Tinker’s Room.”
“Is that a tavern?” Hinto said. A chill breeze wafted down the street, and the halfling shivered. “It’s a bit early in the day to start drinking, but I
could
use a little something to warm me up inside.”
“No, it’s not a tavern, and Tinker’s Room isn’t its real name. It’s a customary nickname. There’s a Tinker’s Room in every city across Khorvaire, and while they’re a bit rarer in the Principalities, Perhata has one, and so does Kolbyr.”
Hinto frowned. “If they’re that common, why haven’t I heard of them before?”
Before Tresslar could reply, Solus said, “Because you aren’t an artificer, my friend.”
Tresslar scowled at the psiforged. “It’s impolite to read people’s minds without their permission, you know.”
Solus bowed his head. “My apologies, master artificer. I’m finding it more difficult to block out the thoughts of my new friends than I anticipated. The more time I spend in your company, the more my mind becomes … accustomed to yours, causing me to sense your surface thoughts without intending to.”
Tresslar, somewhat mollified by Solus’s referring to him as
master
artificer, decided to accept the psiforged’s apology. “Very well, but I’d appreciate it if you would allow me to keep my thoughts to myself in the future. Now, to return to Hinto’s question, while the existence of Tinker’s Rooms isn’t precisely a secret, it’s not something that artificers go out of their way to publicize. While both wizards and artificers work with magic, wizards deal with the more theoretical aspects of the craft, while artificers take a practical approach. Wizards research and study magic for the sake of acquiring knowledge and increasing their own personal power. Artificers, on the other hand,
use
magic, applying it for practical purposes. Wizards tend to work in isolation and guard their secrets jealously, but artificers—because of their more pragmatic approach to magic—are much more open about sharing their knowledge. Hence the existence of Tinker’s Rooms, places where artificers gather to talk shop, admire one another’s craftsmanship, and trade for materials and supplies as needed.”
“And you hope to learn something of your missing wand at the Tinker’s Room in Kolbyr?” Solus asked.
Tresslar shrugged. “No one at the Tinker’s Room in Perhata had any news about my wand, but someone here in Kolbyr might. Whenever an artificer is unsure how to begin tackling a problem, we have a saying: ‘Go to your room.’ So that’s what I’m doing.”
“Are you sure the people there won’t mind if we accompany you?” Hinto asked. “Neither Solus nor I are artificers.”
“Don’t worry,” Tresslar said. “While outsiders aren’t encouraged, they aren’t forbidden.” He then smiled at Solus. “In fact, I think you will be especially welcome, my bejeweled friend. Psiforged are extremely rare, and there’s nothing artificers love better than seeing a magical device—or in your case, a construct—that they haven’t encountered before.”
They continued walking
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