Blacksmith of the Apocalypse

The party arrived in the impressive entrance hall of the tower provoking many Ohs and Ahs from the first-timers. Fin acted just like the caravan children by flying around and looking at everything. Mina's and Lyxiss's eyes glittered seeing the exquisite decorations and materials.

"Welcome to Minas Mar!" Seth said happily. Seeing everyone coming together lifted his mood after what had just happened. They would have to deal with the Willises sooner or later, but now was not the time for that.

Everyone walked around the tower together and explored the rooms and facilities. Even those his party that had stayed in the tower until now were surprised about the expanse and extent of the tower. Even Seth entered some of these rooms for the first time.

The lower floors had a separate guardhouse, many storage rooms, alchemy and enchantment facilities, gardens, a giant library, the magic junction room, a huge kitchen, and a cafeteria. There were a lot more rooms for the daily functions of the tower. A smithy was missing, but Seth didn't need one other than his own.

The upper floors were servant rooms, guest rooms, dining rooms, anything needed for a life in luxury. Enough space to cater to hundreds of people. Also, higher quality versions of some of the facilities are on the lower levels. And in the highest floors were the control room and the private quarters of the tower master.

In the end, the tower was not just meant to be a means to prolong the life of Tom Willis. After everyone took a thorough look at everything, this was a place to train magicians. Like a school of magic.

No wonder especially Valen was this pissed about them circumventing their family. Had they gotten their hands on this place, they could have trained a private force of casters and crafters. Now it all belonged to them.

The only question was whether they wanted to build their own force.

"Seth! This place is really great!" Fin finally managed to pull away from everything else and talk to him under heavy breaths. She was really pumped about the new place. He also explained the defensive systems of the tower when they came to the control room.

Everyone was registered as a residence with basic control rights allowing them to circumvent the defense systems and teleport around the tower. Now, they only needed a kind of token for the tower to recognize them when they wanted to return from the city.

Seth already had an idea for that.

"Can we choose rooms?" Lyxiss asked excitedly.

"of course!"

Evee went along with "Yulecat's Fur" and helped them choose rooms while everyone else returned to theirs. Everyone was tired and wanted to sleep. Only Mina sneakily stayed behind.

"Can't you show me your room?" she flirted with him, and they vanished into his private quarters.

The diplomatic delegation had their day off tomorrow, so they all stayed in the tower. They shared a breakfast cooked by Link and Seth saw with joy, that everyone got along well, even without alcohol.

Jonah had changed and now constantly wore the mask Seth had made for him, instead of the stuffy outfit he had used before.

Today Seth would make the items for everyone that would allow them to leave and enter the tower from the city. The others were left to their own devices. Some started wandering around and exploring the tower, while those like Mike, Jonah, and Monique occupied one of the training rooms to compare notes.

Alison and Evee had fallen into old habits and started conquering the alchemy wing. Seth was in his private quarters. He had established his workshop in one of the bigger rooms.

The plan was simple: Sigil Rings. 13 rings for the founding members of Minas Mar. Seth did not think long about the crest. A simplified tower below a stylized arch to symbolize the earth, but also the protection of a home.

For the rings, he decided to use some of the <Arcane Gold>. The big advantage of this material was that it automatically absorbed and stored mana from the surrounding. This meant there was no need to implement a core and enchantments to collect the mana.

It also means he would not need to infuse a soul. Why was this important? Normally it was hard to wear more than two rings on each hand because the magic and enchantments of the items could interfere with each other.

But the natural ability <Arcane Gold> did not. Another reason why it was so valuable. As long as Seth only enchanted it with a circuit to emit a signature for the tower and size adjustment, the ring could be worn as a third ring without a problem, no matter what other rings they had.

These rings were not just a tool, but would also signal their affiliation with Minas Mar. People could recognize the crest and if they were capable of even recognize the material... Using something like <Arcane Gold> on a sigil ring was extravagant and imposing.

The first step was the most important. Seth forged the rings with the demonic ballad for soul binding. This way nobody could use them to gain access even if they managed to steal one from the party.

<Sigil Ring of Minas Mar

Epic

Durability: 1500

1. Auto Size Adjustment

2. Access Signal

3. +250 Mana

4. Soulbound

A ring created by Journeyman Smith using extremely precious materials. The ring grants access to the tower of Minas Mar and is given to a founding member. >

Despite them being relatively simple and Seth using the weaker rare <Arcane Gold>, the rings turned out epic. His <Goldsmith> and <Enchantment> rose by a few percent.

He didn't stop there. He went a step further. Using the <Dwarven Copper> that had been lying in his inventory for weeks he made another batch of rings. Using 5 bars of copper he made 40 copper rings with the crest of Minas Mar.

He infused each of the rings with a small soul armament he gave a signature function to make them unforgeable. He had some help from Al to come up with this function. What it did was relatively simple.

When two of these rings came close to each other or one of the sigil rings they would glow for a moment to recognize their authenticity.

<Ring of Minas Mar

Uncommon

Durability: 400

1. Auto Size Adjustment

2. Recognition

3. Soulbound

A ring created by Journeyman Smith. The ring shows allegiance to Minas Mar and grants guests access to the tower. Given only to friends of Minas Mar. >

Seth made these rings with the future in mind. If they really became big, they needed a way to recognize allies. The world was big, but at least it would be very hard to fake the recognition function, that was based on the invisible infused soul.

Some of these rings were meant for the Tijaahk. Even if they were not going to join him, he wanted to give them something to show their friendship. He also made some more for future allies.

They were not just a way to recognize allies, but also a promise. Minas Mar would help the wearer of these rings if they ever got into trouble. So even if Drosi and his people left, if at some point, they needed help they could use the rings to identify themself.

The last things he made using another 5 bars of <Dwarven Copper> were visitor tokens. These could be given to people they worked with. He didn't do anything special to the tokens, as they worked by being recognized by the tower, once they got into range.

All they did was grant passage past the traps at the entrance up to the bridge. And further access would only be given after an inspection. He made 25 of these tokens. He guessed that would be a good stock to have for the time being.

When Seth started looking for the others, he found that Fin, Bulko, Tekar, and the girls were busy furnishing an assembly room. It was a big round table with 14 seats. 1 for the Tower master and 13 for the founding members.

He could only smile. Even if he missed some details, his friends had thought of them. He asked the tower to notify the members to assemble in their new meeting room. One by one they appeared around the table after agreeing to be ported here.

Some still wore armor from sparring or had stains from alchemy on their clothes. The most unique was probably Lyxiss, wearing a bathrobe and a towel tied around her head. The half-elf saw their gazes and huffed.

"What? I found a big bath area and treated myself to one. It's a burden to only wash up using <Life Magic>."

Everyone nodded understandingly. Some also planned to visit the bath later that day. They all sat down and looked at Seth who had called them here.

"I called you to distribute something. It will also make the founding of Minas Mar official. At least among us."

He took the jewelry box with the 13 rings and opened it for them to see.

"Take one each and pass on the box."

Once everyone had their ring, he explained the function of the rings. When the empty box returned to his hands, he looked at the round of smiles. Even Bulko smiled at the precious golden ring he wore on his pinky.

"As the Tower Master and in attendance with the 13 founding members, I declare the official establishment of Minas Mar?"

He left a question mark at the end to see if anyone wanted to jump off at the last minute but was only greeted by cheers. Who didn't dream of being a high-ranking member of their own organization?

Only Fin the little fairy joined in half-heartedly. She seemed a little grumpy,

"Fin, is there something wrong?" Seth asked her.

"hngg! No, and yes. Being a founding member is good and all, but it doesn't sound imposing at all! Fin wants a better title! Seth is Tower Master, that one's cool! Fin also wants something cooler than "Founder"!"

Everyone was stumped for a moment and started pondering. She was right. A founder was something high and mighty in a corporation... but in the empire?

Seth could only sigh.

"Then what is your suggestion what we should be called?" he asked Fin. He was sure she already had an idea.

"The Tower Master and the 13 Lords of Minas Mar!" the immediately exclaimed.

A lord was definitely more imposing than a founder. Everyone nodded. Some other suggestions were made by the others, but the 13 Lords stuck with them.

From this point forth they would go by the Tower Master and the 13 Lords of Minas Mar.

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