Hammer's History



The fire crackled softly. It was well past sunset, when the small child ran up with a bottle of ramsberry rolling rock wine. She dropped down and looked over to me. She was the daughter of a leather worker, from the look of her clothes. She sat there, with the large bottle hugged close, and then thrust it out to me. There was a look of fear, but that fear was overwhelmed by a determined expression

"Mother says... She says that You are Wild, that You are.. Were a smith for a time. I guess I looked at her like she was crazy, because She laughed, and told me to ask You myself, and see if it were true, But I know You are a Haruspex"

She almost whispered the word, a mix of awe and fear. Her tiny eyes shot a glance over to the oldest and the strongest of Us all. Brunhillde's wagon. A shiver rippled through her before her light eyes shot a look back towards me. " So..?"

She obviously didn't want to call her mother a liar, but she was also, obviously curious about Me. I blinked a moment unmoving in the deep pile of sleen furs that I was cuddled in as I sat before the fire.

Why not? After all She did bring Me some wine. Snatching the bottle with the hand that was covered in a black leather glove, the shape of a ring like form below that and gripping the cork with My teeth, it was spat out into the fire. I knew there was no need to keep it, the bottle would be well consumed long before I was done with My tale, and I knew, if I told it well enough that She just might, be hopping off for some food and another bottle to keep Me talking. I watched the hell spawn from the corner of My eyes. I could see her watching that hand a moment, the stiffer movements of the fingers as they gripped to the bottle

"Its rude to stare." I muttered softly. Her eyes jerked back up to me then to My hand and back to Me. "Its just some old burns. A few scars. I did alot of experimenting. " I paused a moment and watched her little head and nod and her body recline back into Ashin's pile of furs. A lil grin formed. Now I could tease Ashin about hellspawn spores on Her furs.


"So, You want to hear My tale do you? Hmmmm......Where to start? Where to start." I took a long drink from the bottle wetting My lips with the ramsberry flavor and that secret ingredient that only a few new about. Intentionally, taking My time as I sized the curious hell spawn up. Hellspawn were always asking questions and nosing around. I was glad I had none, Ideally pausing for a moment, and wondering how long it would be before Parthia managed to litter the camp with a few.


"I have had a long life, for one that is still only so far along, and I have been alot of places. I think I will be hungry soon." I muttered the last of those words softly and grinned when I seen her light brow shoot up, she had obviously been watching Ashin far too much. I did a lil squint, and raised a finger to My lips. "Now hush, if You really want to hear this, You are gonna have to be quiet and not question, and pester Me and keep Me from getting through it." I took another drink, and watched her as I began to stretch out, the words slowly lifting from My lips as the crackle of the fire continued, and the light cast waves of golden warmth to wash over us. Winter would be here soon, the ground was hard and cold under Us. I was glad that I had several layers of furs to keep Me warm as I lounged there. A Sharp clearing of My throat and I began to tell My tale.

"I have had alot of homes. Though there are only two that will ever be close to My heart, and that is the camp of the Kassars and the Reed Valley. There are still parts of My past that is a blur. Parts forgotten that I may never recall. Then...too, there are parts I would love to forget, things, that Young lady, I am not sure are for Your ears and things that will never be forgotten for all My life. So many memories."

I wrinkled My nose as I realized that I was, yet again and still... rambling, and I hadn't even begun to tell the little hellspawn about My life. Not that she had really asked about the entire thing, but, if she wanted to get to the bit, she had to take the entire bite.

Lets start at the beginning, shall we? Its always the best place to start.

"Well, lets see... I was born Laylee Pred, to the clan of Haruspex, of the Kassars. I was born a free, and The Spirits willing, I will die free as well. Somewhere, shortly after becoming a woman, there was a storm during a move from the winter grounds to the summer grounds. I was seperated from My family. My father, a torturer, My Mother a Haruspex, an odd combination, to say the least, but then, nothing about my life or myself has ever been anything, but odd.

My sister Lillith, now she was a wild child, and I were twins. We were not like the children that looked the same. She was like light and I was like night. I have not seen any of them since. Who knows where they are. Gor is a large world with alot of people. I am sure I will find them again at some point, though they most likely count Me as among the dead by now. There is a time frame from being seperated, and how I ended up in the Northern Forests of Gor, that is possibly, forever blocked from My mind. What occurred during this time I can't say. Its lost to Me. All I knew was that My name was Laylee and I was a Free Woman. I had some funds, though precious little left." I paused again, taking yet another long drink, and swirling it around a bit, since it was rolling rock, I was sure there would be no dregs in the wine, back when I had over seen the making of it, I was sure that every bottle was carefully handled

"While traveling with the few guards that I had, We were attacked by some larls. My guards fended them off while I took off. Yes, even I ran from a hungry larl, the only thing I will run from faster is a hungry Kassar Woman. Much more frightening, no matter what Your Mother might have told You" I gave the girl a look trying to be serious, and she laughed, actually laughed. I hmmphed a bit, taking a bit smaller drink, I didn't want to drink it all up too fast. It needed to last for a bit after all.

"I wandered around lost in the woods, soon, I came upon a river, I was just sure that I would end up a larl snack before long, especially when I heard the cries of the larls, and not the Men that had been guarding me. I came to a river, and there I met a Rarius, We spoke a bit, and He agreed to let Me stay there, and So, I was taken in by the Wandering Rarious known as Obsidian Hunter. I stayed with Him for sometime. Watching Him smith. Learning the trade from Him, First by example, and then with some practice of My own. He thought it amusing that I wanted to try to smith, being a woman, of course, I will never be able to smith the largest war swords on My own, but with the help of thralls, and things, I could. All that stops me is the impropriety of it. Something's Woman do not, or should not do, even if they are able. Just, because.

Time pasted slowly learning how to smith; small swords, mostly for the boys of a young age just learning to wield one, daggers, brands, collars. Learning the complexity of locks, and triggers, hinges, springs, and trick locks, the kind that kills. I also learned about how to use molds, to shape silver, and gold. Learning to make jewelry and how to set stones and what not.

It was during this time that I also met a Woman named Clawdia. She is a Panther." A gentle smile forms at the memories I had made of her, despite, something's that have happened since, there was a place in My heart for Her always. I cleared My throat softly and looked off towards the fire that sat before Me, as I sat in the lush furs. The sounds of the outriders chatter, lost in the crackle of the fire. Then glanced over to the hellspawn as I realized, that She was looking at My smile, something I never did, and she almost looked terrified, like, perhaps, I had gotten hungry already, and she was the snack. The smile snapped off my face. Inside I smiled, she looked ... relieved. Stifling a chuckle, and blinking before I began My story again.

"One of the only two Outlaw Woman that I came to respect. She taught Me a little about poisons. So for Me, the next step was a logical one. I learned how to imbed the poison into the metals. Poison is a Woman's tool. Never a Mans. For its less honorable, but considering our lack in certain area's, its Our only option sometimes.

There came a point that I ran out of funds, and was no longer able to support Myself. I became a tower slave, white silk and unopened. I was given the name hissing ^h^ellkitten{OH}~. I continued to study and learn from OH. As his slave, I learned more then just smithing., but, with the restriction of the collar, I was no longer allowed to handle the poisons, or the weapons, but I learned more about smelting, and forming collars, and jewelry, and poison pins for Woman to wear. It as a quiet life, Hunter was often gone, and I was left to My own devices, I was not His only slave, and His heart slave kept most of His time.

Despite My drop in station, I was happy in the small forge in the woods. I was allowed to travel to the Reed Valley. I learned a great deal there from Lahane who came to be a mentor to Me, well more then that realy. She became a good friend. I miss Her and think of her from time to time. Hunter was the first Man I opened My heart to.

Not the last, unfortunately, I would have done better if He had been. He was a good Man, if not around often. He seen I was cared for and looked after, I actually had it very easy, all things considered. I was rather a pampered cat then a slave. Since He was rarely there, the forge was basically My own home, or so it came to feel. I would go to the Reed to learn from Lahane and the slaves that She had there. My first real female slave friend was a woman named trisha."

I paused a moment and sighed, if ever there were torn memories, it was there, with that woman.
"she acted my friend, well i am not sure it was an act, but I do know that when I was freed, that friendship was over, and I was looked upon by her like an enemy. But I digress... Hunter was not called the "Wandering Rarious" for nothing. And soon came the call to travel again over took Him, and He went further then usual, I can't recall to where now. Sometimes, I would get letters, months old.

Just telling Me to continue being good, and to stick close to the Reed, and I would be watched over." I looked down to the furs as I thought over memories years old, that felt like another life, they were so differant then who I was now, and where I was living. How I was living now. I took a small drink and closed My eyes toasting the Rarius whom, I always held higher then He ever did Me. Then I looked back over to the hellspawn.

"It was during one of these travels that He found Himself facing a pack of 6 or so wild sleens. They were attacking a Free Woman and Her two slaves. One of the slaves and 4 of the sleens died. The last few slinking off. But Hunter did not make it out without His own injuries. He was taken by the Woman back to the home of Her Companion and they attempted to heal Him, but the injuries were just to serious and He died. His last words, were to a scribe, where upon, He allowed Me to have back My freedom, and on top of that, The Obsidian Forge." Brushing away the memories, never wanting to dwell on what can never be changed, and was still hard to remember. I took a bite of My jerky, and washing it down with another drink, I focused on the flames of the fire before us. Stopping only long enough, to point to a slave and then to the fire. The slave girl quickly ran over and added fuel to the fire that was growing low, even as the stars were growing higher in the sky, the purples and golds of the setting sun fully changed to blues and inky blacks as the three moons cast a soft glow over the cloudless sky.

" At this point, I still had no clue who I was fully. I missed Hunter deeply, as He had become a close friend, as well as a Mentor, I took on the Trade Name of Hammerfall Hellkitten." I grinned inside only, not wishing to frighten the child more, as I recalled how the name was suggested to Me.

"The name was suggested to Me, by Clawdia's then Companion. Seomon, He and I had grown close in the time that Hunter was away, often He had put Me through the paces of learning my service as a slave, while abiding to My restriction of being a white silk and a unopened. There by Honoring My Master, and still helping me to grow, despite the fact, that to be a white, means to be ignored. Most men find no use in a white, but what they dont know, is that its better for a girl to spend time as a white, and get to know her heart and her place as a slave. To be a slave is not to be just a beast, and just meat to be used at whim. If she is at peace with her station, they she can be loyal, and heartfelt in her role as a slave, but, if she is opened too soon, all she learns is the power she can weild with her passions. Then she is forever wrestless, and unable to see her true purpose."

I opened my mouth to say more and wrinkled My nose. "As I said somethings, I shouldn't talk about with a child. As to My name, it was suggested by Him as a joke after a bit of a temper tantrum"

I looked down to My nails and buffing them on My shoulder and then looking out over the plains, thinking of that forge that was always built just as the One that Hunter had built with His own hands, brick by brick, then added onto by Me. My words continued as I watched some of the outriders walking past between the various fires, the light casting dancing shadows that moved and writhed with a life of their own much as My haunted memories tended too.

"and an altercation between My favorite sledge hammer, and every stool in the forge. The sounds, crossing the pasture and being heard even at the at the Reed" I listened to her light giggle and for a flicker of time, I think I liked the small hellspawn, until I looked back and seen those tiny fingers caked in dirt and leather dye's. A shiver passed through me thinking of the finger prints on My jars and things and just as quick as a flame moves that moment was gone.

"Anyways...at this point Lahane, May the Spirits look over Her as She rests in the City of Dust, or so the rumors say. She took Me as a Sister, as well as Smith to the Reed. Those were troubled times. There were always raids and waring between, clan / castes / homes. I became concerned that I would loose the forge. It was the only thing that Mattered to Me at the time, since I had lost Hunter. It was all that I had left of Him. All that I had that allowed Me a sence of peace and hope. So I agreed to a Compainionship with the warrior known as K'Elan. As with most contracts, it was purely for financial. It was from Him, and His properties, and My over seeing them while He was away, that I learned to make the wines, and the ale's that I have brewed in a secret location, due to" I paused a moment thinking of how to word what I was to say next. "Certain ingredients, that only Me and My pet bosk named tarn snot know."

"My compaionship, was, well to say the least, not one of My brighter moments, I will grant You. Things did not go quite as planned. It was during this time that I learned just how much the beast known as trisha hated me. She had been purchased by K'Elan the same week. Her jealousy, as with most woman, was horrid. She did not understand that I was not after K'Elan's heart. His friendship, yes, some companionship, possibly, But Never His heart, for My heart, was still tied to Hunter, nearly fully, and a bit, a small bit, was reserved, for Seoman, the betrayer. I was free now, So I could not be with Seoman, in the way We had once considered when I was slave.

And there I go again.. You don't need to know about those things just yet little Miss. Just know, that a Woman is made of Many things, She is strong, and should she allow herself to have a heart, it can be as small as the tip of Your sewing needle, or as large as the plains themselves, and she can love more then one Man, should she dare to love, but in that love, she will always find her undoing. Which is why, I no longer have a heart.

Time went on, I stayed mostly at the forge, wethere My companion was away or at home, or I would stay in His rose cottage. Then it came just grew to a point, where, the troubles died down, and peace was found in most parts of the land. K'Elan and I decided that things should end, and be as if they never were. So, I sought out the consultation of SavageWolf.

[OOC: I knew that there were no divorces on Gor, and that the only way out of a FC according to tradtion (the books) ~before the year was over, was death, or slavery. Seeing as I am rather fond of breathing, I was, to say the least. More then a bit concerned.]

I discussed this ... situation, at great lengths with Him, as I am a old fashion kinda Woman, and prefer to keep to the old ways. Keeps the Great Spirits apeased and all that. But I was saved by the chaos factor, and SavageWolf advised this.

1) No contract had ever been signed.
2) There was never a consamation.

So, since I was still pure, Even though I had stayed in His home, (In My own private bedroom) It was feasable that it could be annuled. And it was. Lucky Him or Lucky Me? Who can say."

I tipped My head watching the little miss for a moment. "I am hungry" I waited to see if She would get up and get me food, or bid Me night, it was well past the point of how I had become a smith. So I waited to see if She realy wanted to hear the rest. She smiled and nodded and clapped her hands at a slave. She was a free after all, even if only a small fry.. small free woman. She was still free and that put her over the slaves. A slave rushed over with a bit of stew all meat and broth, and some cheese for Me. I stretched out a leg and kicked her in the shin as a way of saying thanks once she had handed it to the little miss. Then sat up and took the tray from her, and began to eat a moment, taking My time. I had My food and My drink. So She could wait a few moments. If she was realy interested.

Washing down the cheese with a drink of the wine, I looked back over and she was always laying down, stretched over the lump in Ashin's furs, which, in all likely hood, could have -been- Ashin. I contemplated poking the lump with the bottle once the littel miss was gone. Looking back over she seemed content to still sit and listen.

"From there, I continued to work, study, and improve My skills. I made many friends that I will probably never see again. Vicerine, Vinta, Lahane, Nev the Healer, and so many more. Always avoiding a collar, behaving myself, as best I could. Being a female smith was not easy. I was always being questioned, always having to prove myself, but word of My skill spread. I was hired by the the Healer Rayne, to make a dagger with 6 green jewels in the handle, a large sword by Falcon, Another by DarkBishop. I was hired by Whispering Death, for collars and jewelery, and a dagger. Many well respected Men came to me for their steal and their brands, and their collars for their slaves. Besides, well, no one wanted a slightly scarred, frozen FW as a slave, so it was rather easy to avoid steel for me.

Except Northern Wolf. Well, okay, thats a bit of an exageration. He wanted Me to smith for the barrens Only. I continualy, refused. I wanted to stay in the Reed Valley. It was My home after all. He made several attempts to capture Me off and on. Always thrawted by the residents of The Reed Inn at the time. One night Vicerine came charging from the bedrooms with a spear screaming at Him, and waiving it around, telling Him He knew better then to try to capture a Free Woman in The Reed.

Finaly, One night He came to the forge.

[OOC: A non safe room, as I never make safe rooms, Gor is not safe in My mind, and safe rooms are used to often to suite Me..but eh, thats just Me...Had I not been involved in whisperes, IM and what not, I would have caught it faster, and at the time, I could only make steel, I had no idea how to use it, and okay, it was kinda force posted, but eh..long OOC story, back to the IC]

He came under the pretence of placing an order. Where He snuck up on Me and used a capture scent. So I was carted off to the barrens. I was first asked. " I paused and took a few bites to eat as the memory flashed through my mind. Ask, yea, That is, if getting stripped and pinned to the ground first can be considered..asked.. To be the smith to the barrens. Again, I refused. Then I was asked to be His FC. Again, I refused. After K'Elan, I was a little FC shy. I shook My head pulling Myself from the memories and looked back to her patient, if begining to look a bit sleeply look and continued between nibbles and sips.

"I politely refused. Well to say He was not happy, would be like saying there is a wee bit o salt in the Thassa. So He made Me a deal I could not refuse, Death, or a 6 month a year contract. 6 Months as His slave, and a smith on the Barrens, 6 Months a FW and returned to The Reed. Well, it was a wee bit hard to pass that one up. As I was not ready to be in the City o Dust with Hunter. Much as I missed Him. Being Hunters slave had been a piece o cake..seeing as He was never around, I pretty much did as I pleased and expected the same again."

I snorted softly and shook My head at My naivity of the times. "Well that was not quite what I got. Especialy when Wazi went and got Himself killed and I was passed to Gluake who sold Me. He would have to go and die while I was still under contract as a slave, so, being a slave, I had no say in what would happen to Me, with His death, went the death of the contract, and My hopes of being free again, and trying to work out something else.

I was well, I was feeling a bit tossed about, to say the least. So I was sold to Dunklezhan. While there I learned even more. That I was not a slave and never would be, not in my eyes anyways. But I learned something else while I was there. That I was still capable of loving. It had been a long time, more then a year since I had felt love. But I found it when I met a Man named Karna'al on the beach." She perked up a bit and nodded whispering softly, the edge of sleep just touching her voice that had been still for so long as she had quietly listened. "I remember Him. The handsome large Man that was from Port Kar and Talked funny? He was good with the animals." She nodded softly and laid her head back to the lump, that was most likely Ashin. I nodded softly. "Yes that was Him.. and that in its self is a shorter tale I tell to those close to Me. " She nodded softly, understanding, or at least, looking as if she was trying to make it look like she understood.

"Anywhoo...I was gifted to Karna'al Who later took the name of Rogue Torm, as well as Freeing and FC'ing Me. We moved from Port Kar to a cabin on the outskirts. During this time, I was being hunted by the assassain known as Black Sleen. I have a few tales I might tell You another time of that Man. Well it happened that one of His atempts on My life, was rougher, and I fell, as I ran up the second flight of stairs to head for My room, hoping to get there and lock Him out, untill Rogue could get Home. I stubbled in the door, and locked it, I leaned to the wall to the side of the door and rested there, My head throbbing, He managed to break throughh the door and I was captured. I was sold back to Rogue for 50 Gold Tarns. It was that bump that jogged My memory. Allowing Me to remember that I was born Kassar.

I sat and talked with Rogue, the call to come home to kassar was strong, I was not made to be in a city, I am and forever will be Kassar, and even love can not keep Me in the city for long. And so with His blessings. I made a trip, secretly, to the camp of the nearest kassars. Where I first spoke with the Woman known as Parthia, then the camp leader, Thodin. It was decided that I would be allowed to return back into the fold, where I belonged. So Rogue and I packed up our things, and loaded several specialy made wagons, and moved from the cabin to the Wintering grounds of the Kassars.

It was something of an adjustment for Rogue. Living out in the open like that. He was a city Man, bone and blood to PortKar. Soon He grew ill. So we loaded up My ship the Obsidian Wild and took a long trip. During this trip, again, My life was forever changed by a storm." I sighed softly remembering and setting the empty bowl of food aside as I continued.

"We were seperated. I looked for Him for a long time. I had heard He was in Port Kar and had made My way there, only to find a letter, well aged by the time I arrived. I have not heard from Him since. And frankly. I am concerned that He will never return. Most likely, lost at sea. I just dont have the heart to pronouce Him dead. Its only Been over a year or so. How long does One wait on on the beat of their heart? Not that it matters. I don't forsee a Male getting over the walls that are around the deathvalley that is My soul...." I paused again, a bitter laugh falling from My lips, My dark bangs brushed into My face, and the light of the camp fire catching in My ambers sending off a darker light with in them that made the little miss tremble a bit as she looked over in the shadows of light and dark that flickered over my face with the dance of the flames.

"Death valley....Guess that is kinda appropriate, considering. You see, after I lost Rogue, I could not be here for a time, and so, I traveled, My wagon and My bosk, roaming the plains alone, where I gathered herbs, and potion ingrediants. Where I spent much time with the soirits and reading omens. One day, the liver of a slave had a large ring shape in it, and I was near the Reed Inn, And so, I packed up and headed that way. I came to the Reed Inn..For memories sake, for the sake of the Omens and because I wanted to see a cousin. That was another twist in My path. Somehow, still not sure how.

I was asked to become the Smith to the Reed, yet again..Feeling as if I had come full circle...
I contimplated it...Only..once again, the chaos factor that always rules My life, twisted the twist in My path. Then I found Myself as a smith working for the same Male that Made the original offer...Emmeric...but now? Instead of the Reed, I was smithing in the Valley of Tears. So there I sat. A Smith by trade And a Haruspex by birth. Working for the Man that was a Cousin by Marriage, and was now under the Employ of One Tallos Veneficus. I sat there and wonder what it will be like to work in a Valley of Men, who, Most likely will only sneer at Me every possible chance. As did the Male named Razi that I met the eve I arrived, a Man I grew to respect, as I got to know Him, and I think, Might possibly have built some respect for Me, despite My occupation.

Oh That should have been a bunndle of laughs eh?....But it was all in all, rather quiet, The Men for the most part, hardly ever there. Then, finaly, it was decided that there was not a need for a smith, that the Men were not there enough. It just so occured that it was during the time of traveling between camps for the Kassar. Well, the year before, I had been put by the latrine, it was NOT going to happen again this year. So with His help, and that of His brother, and a few tarns, My wagon was air lifted to the camp grounds. There is another tale in that trip, and one I will share with You another time. So, I came back. During this time, one of those I had met when I first came to the Reed, her name then was hellion, her name at the time of My return was Lady June." I paused again and her eyes perked up. "You mean the Ubara of the dreaded.."

"yes that was her, and You know how she came to finaly journey to the great spirits."
She nodded softly. "They, they say among the wagons, that You have vowed to punish the one who caused Her death. If only the Ubar will bring that person to You.. and that Your Daddy was one of the finest Torttuors ever to walk the plains"

I beamed a bit, and watched the fear creep back into her face as if she might be desert. "yes little worker of leather, If He finds who did it, and wants them punished well enough to remember to Never touch an Ubara again. I will be ... pleased... to make sure that message is driven home. But, in all likely hood, since the villan has not been brought to me, they won't be. Either His heart has softened and He has forgiven. Or He has not been wise enough to find them. So My hopes of Plains Justice is dwindling.

Where was I? oh yes, I stayed for a few months, before the spirits said I needed to travel again with the other wagons of Kassars and away from this part of the Kassar camp, and study among other Kassars. And so I did, and now I am back, just after another trip from summer to the winter grounds. That is the short of it, maybe if You come back in a few months, I can tell You something more, but for now, I see Your Mother watching You, so You best head off"

I smiled softly and reached over with a boot tip, prodding the lump as soon as she was gone and listened to the slight snore and whimper of "nooooooo... My socks, alll mine, You cant have them hammer, back off! My red socks ZZzzzZZzzz Mine!" then the sounds of snors continued and I just grinned cuddling back into My blankets and with what was left of the wine and drifted off to sleep.

Updated last on 10-21-06