The next morning, when Dominic came down for breakfast, there was a small pile of gear in the middle of the floor that he knew hadn't been there the night before.
"What's all this? Do you need me to put it away while you work?" He called out to Pops, who was in the storage room.
"No need. That's all for you. You made it to Level 2 Apprentice Blacksmithing, and it's traditional for your master to gift you your first set of tools when you advance for the first time. Know that after this, you'll need to make your own tools, so take good care of them." The old Dwarf called back.
There was a collection of chisels, files and sharpening stones, a small anvil, a stone travel forge stocked with coal, tongs, pokers, a leather roll pouch with pockets for everything, and a short-handled two-kilogram hammer, much like the one that Pops used, except brand new.
"This is beautiful, thank you." Dominic informed him with a heartfelt smile when he came back into the forge room.
"I'm glad you like it. Pack all that away and head out front. We should have morning customers soon, and as a Level 2 Apprentice you'll need to take a travelling mission soon. Even if you weren't planning on trying for a job at the Palace to make weapons for the lovely ladies of the Royal Guard." Pops explained.
Dominic had never heard anything like a travel requirement, so maybe it was just a blacksmith thing.
But then, above Apprentices were Journeymen.
Perhaps the name was literal, and you really had to go on a journey before you could advance. But he was only Level 2 right now, and his Blacksmithing Trade Skill Gem had to reach Level 5 before he could move from the Apprentice to Journeyman ranks.
The bell above the door rang, and a pair of adventurers came in looking for a shovel, and then another group for a saw blade.
It was the usual rhythm of the morning, just as Pops had warned him. A few last-minute purchases by the adventurers headed out early, and then the farmers and tradesmen would come in an hour or two for tools, after which the morning would get quiet, and they could work.
He was just about to head into the back room to join Pops when a stout man in a gaudy purple coat and gold vest came wobbling into the shop, looking somewhat disdainful at his surroundings.
"How might I help you this morning, good sir?" Dominic greeted him.
"Who are you? I'm here to talk to the Master Smith, go fetch him." The man demanded.
"Master Smith, there is a portly gentleman here to speak with you." Dominic called back into the forge, while pretending that he didn't hear the angry grumbling of the man behind him.
Pops came out with his signature dour expression, and the snobbish man actually smiled.
"It is good to see you again, Master Smith. I was told that you might be able to help me find an Apprentice Smith who is qualified for travelling work. My Blacksmith quit on me, and there are twenty-two steam wagons in my caravan, ready to leave for Aramos Village."
Pops chuckled and tilted his chin toward Dominic. "That's my Apprentice, but I don't know that he's going to work for you after you insulted him."
"Since when do Dwarves take little mixed blood mutts as apprentices? Now, where is your actual apprentice? I need to get these goods underway, and we can't go without a maintenance smith." The man replied.
They both just stared at him and waited for the merchant to realize that they were serious. But that never happened, and instead he stomped out in a rage only a few seconds later.
The next half hour was quiet except for the ringing of hammers on anvils as the pair worked at making the day's tool orders, and then finally the bell jingled again, marking a new customer.
"I'll be up front in a second. Which order was yours?" Dominic called out, assuming it was one of the farmers or craftsmen there to pick up tools they had ordered yesterday.
"Actually, I need to speak to one of the smiths here." A pleasant male voice called back.
Dominic came out to greet the customer and found a slender man in a bright gold coat over a black suit with cog work accessories and a matching top hat.
"What can I help you with today? We've got a pretty good stock of equipment for merchants." He suggested.
"Well, you see, some blithering jackass came to my caravan and stole my Blacksmith away with the promise of a huge bonus, so I need a repair worker for my next trip." He replied, while nervously rubbing the back of his neck.
Dominic heard Pops' laughter from the back room, and he gave the merchant a sad smile.
"I'm afraid that's partially our fault. He was being an ass, so we refused his employment offer and kicked him out of the shop."
The merchant smirked. "Serves him right. I'm sure my man will come back once we get to Aramos Village, and he gets his bonus, but I need someone to get us there. You never know when something is going to break, and for that, we need a smith."
Pops gestured to Dominic. "My Apprentice has just reached Level 2, and he's ready for his first trip, but this is a toolmaker's forge, not a steam smith. While he knows his way around the forge, we don't work with steam motors, magitech drives, or any other sorts of vehicles."
The man just shrugged. "At this point, any smith will do. I know how the trucks work, but I don't have the skill to fix them in anything resembling a timely manner, I took Merchant as my trade skill. I can show him what to fix if it breaks, as long as he has the skill to fix it."
"That shouldn't be a problem. He can help with the weapons for your guards as well. That is part of the job he excels at." The old Dwarf informed him proudly.
"Really?"
Dominic took out the dagger he made last night and set it on the counter between them. To someone with a merchant's magical skills for item evaluation, a crafted item's creator was easily discernible, and the man's skepticism turned to shock as he saw that Dominic had indeed been the one to create the weapon.
Once he was done examining it, Dominic put the weapon away and waited for his verdict.
"That is incredible workmanship for an Apprentice. Alright, I will hire you at the standard rate, two Gold Coins a day, plus materials for any services we need." He agreed.
Two whole gold a day, plus he supplied all the materials? That was almost too good to be true. He suspected that there would be a lot of work to be done, but for that sort of money, he wouldn't argue.