[IC] Sins Of The Trade

[ShovelKnight]

Loudwater Village is anything but loud; That is, of course, when Sir Henry Potnard is not singing. In fact, it's quite serene on top of a hillock which lives under the shadow of the rocky bluffs of Scarlet Heights. Even the northwestern waterfall connected to Libol River doesn't make much noise. The red-roofed building with a non-working windmill is the town hall. On its left is the Blue Manor where Loudwater's Mayor Stuart Livingstone stays with his 2nd wife and five children. There are a total of 10 families that live in the village; Half of them are human, and most of the other half are elvish. The last portion of Loudwater's demographic is Lutz Shatterhelm, who is the only dwarf in the village.

He sits before the furnace outside his humble quarters just twenty feet away from the town entrance, shaping heated steel with powerful hammer blows to signify the start of a new day.

You'd think with a name like Shatterhelm that he'd make for a shoddy blacksmith, but Lutz is a renown repairman of weapons, armor, and farming tools in the region. His work alone rakes in a sizable profit for Loudwater, whose economy is driven mainly by farming, hunting, and most recently, tourism. The Satchel family have put their generational passion for mountaineering to good use by turning Scarlet Heights into a tourist attraction. They offer climbing tours all the way to the top where hot springs and a spirits vendor await them.

The Zotnart family's roosters hollered in the distance. By the time Lutz finishes smithing the broadsword, his elf neighbor Liliatnia will greet him with a bread roll from her first batch, fresh from the oven. They will playfully exchange Loudwater gossip until Henry Potnard frolics over to her shop. Mr. Potnard will then order a dozen sweet rolls and proceed to try and woo Liliatnia with another poorly written ballad. Lutz, along with everyone else in the village, will hear the bard's lamentation and will know that today is in fact another day in Loudwater.

[Nuada]

Even with the recently finished construction of the second storey of the Golden Arrow Inn, Elias Linwood, the innkeeper, still had to turn down a cuple of tourists that morning saying that all eight rooms were occupied. He had thought of building two more rooms, but there was not enough money at that time. Thanks to the Satchel family, whose passion brought a steady supply of tourists to Loudwater Village, Linwood's business was good.

It was actually better than good that he had enough money to spare to buy his daughter a new set of bow and arrow from a travelling merchant. It was made by a craftsman from the elven capital Eledell, the merchant said. Linwood had never been to Eledell, or in any of the sacred lands of the elves for that matter, but the bow was light and balanced and he thought Eryn would love it.

Speaking of which, there she was, a spitting image of her mother, carrying baskets of fresh produce and arguing with the neighbor again. Linwood sighed as he pushed the window wide open. His daughter inherited his wife's elven features, but none of her grace. The innkeeper watched as Eryn Linwood left the argument with a deep frown and stomped her way to the inn.

As usual, she would bring it to her mother who would cook the meals for their guests, while Eryn would prepare herself to join the trek up Scarlet Heights. The Satchels employed her as an extra layer of protection for the tourists.

[ShovelKnight]

Lutz counted his inventory, checked his orders, and surveyed the items he finished repairing before he gave himself a break. The sun was bright in the blue summer sky. The dwarf clicked his tongue as he spotted dark clouds from the east slowly trailing its way toward Loudwater.

"Hope it doesn't rain too hard on Scarlet." He whistled, eyes fixed on the large mountain hovering over the village. He thought about tagging along one of the climbing tours today to get in on some hot spring action but thought against it as he glanced back at the storm clouds. Just then he spotted Linwood's daughter carrying a basket of produce and remembered he had a batch of tools he had to give back to him. Lutz drank the murky coffee in his mug then rummaged through the cupboards above his work station until he pulled out a small duffel bag. Just then, a courier came running through the entrance gate.

"Mayor's residents?" The young lad said. Lutz saw there was some panic in the messenger's eyes. He pointed at the large blue manor in the distance, but then course corrected for the town hall.

"Mayor Livingstone is at his office in the town hall. Red roof with the windmill."

The courier nodded, then paced up the pathway, clutching his messenger bag like his life depended on it. Lutz shrugged, motioning towards The Golden Arrow. He entered through the entrance way, nodding to some of the tourists hanging about the lobby, then waved at Elias.

"Mornin' Eli" Lutz smiled, swinging the duffel bag full of tools over to the man. "I forgot to get this back to ya sooner. They're all refastened, sharpened, and good fer whatever needs fixin'."

Lutz then spotted Eryn, and when she wasn't busy with whatever chores her father had her doing, he whistled for her attention.

"Eryn!" He smiled. She was beautiful as always, a near spitting image of her mother. "You climbin up Scarlet today? I was think'n about goin' up myself for a quick hot spring dip, but storm clouds are comin in pretty quick from the east..."

[Nuada]

"Your mother is waiting for you," said the innkeeper after Eryn entered the establishment. "Better go see her." Elias continued wiping the tables that were set on the common area of Golden Arrow Inn. He was expecting the guests to decend from their rooms any moment now to order breakfast before they start the hike to Scarlet Heights.

Eryn, on the other hand, went straight to the back door leading to the kitchen where she found her mother with her helper Mrs. Greene. "Here are the eggs and the other things you asked, mum." She smiled as her mother raised her head from the pot. "It smells good!"

"Thank you, dear. Spiced duck chowde is on the menu," the older woman answered. Her features and coloring was very much similar to Eryn. "Will you be accompanying the tourists up Scarlet today?"

Eryn nodded, stuffing her face with freshly baked bread. It would be another long day up Scarlet, but she was looking forward to a moving target practice. She was tasked by the Satchels to keep the tourists safe by warding off malicious monsters. It was a job she secretly enjoyed, because of the challenge and thrill. Her mother passed a glass of warm milk to her.

"You know you don't have to do this, Eryn."

"It helps me pass the time," Eryn responded. "I'll be home as soon as we get back to town, so don't worry yourself and father too." She turned to the door and was already half way out.

"Just be careful."

To this, Eryn nodded. She picked her bow and arrows that she left behind the counter in the common room, then bid her father goodbye before she left. There was a couple of humans dressed in traveling clothes waiting for breakfast at one of the ten tables inside.

She breathed in the crisp morning air and felt the reassuring weight of the bow strapped on her back then heard somebody call her name. She turned her head and found the only dwarf in Loudwater. "How are you today, Lutz?" She smiled. Lutz was the best blacksmith she knew of. He was a close friend of her father and she had known him since she was a girl.

"You climbin up Scarlet today? I was think'n about goin' up myself for a quick hot spring dip, but storm clouds are comin in pretty quick from the east..."

"Yes. You should come with us. More exciting company for me. I am on my way to the meeting place." The usual meeting place was in front of the Mayor's residence. It was easy enough to describe and was as easy to spot.