A family meal:

[kadrik]

Lokri and Bjarni made their way slowly but surely to the clan homes with their small fortune in gold carried between them, soon enough they came to the old door,
carved in dark grey stone, the door was formed by two pillars which met at the top, above which was a marble door frame upon which was engraved the clan name, year the house was established and by whom.

Lokri and Bjarni lowered the case to the floor and Lokri used his axe to trace the symbols on the door frame, upon doing which a crack in the door appeared, he introduced his key, then pushed hard on the doors.

As the stone doors swung back-wards, the sound of singing, and tankards slamming on the table in unison greeted the two dwarfs who entered...

"O the bearded elf! O the bearded swine
O he got too merry on his wine!
So we Spangelings, wearing coats of rings
Came a knocking on his door!

O the bearded elf, o he could not run
So a good old dwarf by the name of Grum,
O he chopped an chopped at the blasted scum
On the elven chin, there was such a din
Not a hair was left to stand!

So the bearded elf! So the bearded!
Proven was a spy! Proven was a spy!
An unto the hills, an unto the hills
Did the brigand fly! Did the brigand fly!
An by hand of dwarf! An by hand of dwarf!
Did the elfling die!
An so in the end, its proven well my freind,
So long as sun doth shine, shall elvens lie!"

[/center]
Lokri joined in the chorus for it was a song he knew well. As the last lines were sung, a huge roaring cheer arose from the dwarfs as they laughed and banged their tankards upon the table. Lokri smiled and patted his fellows on the back and the family began to settle down for the meal.

All the Orodrikson's where gathered together, and they sat along their long rectangular table with a knife in one hand and a fork in the other, and each of them had a large tankard (for the older dwarfs) or clay mug, (the rest) filled with fine dwarf ale. Fodrik and Tarrik the clan elders sat at the head of the table, and then next along where Orodrik and Zanari. Along the table, the older dwarfs where placed towards the Fodrik and Tarrik, and the dwarfs got consistently younger until the end, at which sat Bjarni and Erinn the youngest of the clan.

---

The meal consisted of hot pot, a huge bowl filled with vegetables, and fine steak, covered with pastry, as well as bread, butter, and ale. The meal began and the dwarven racket reduced a while since most of them were filling their mouths.
"So Lokri, I hear business is going well. Looks as if we werent wrong in puttin' you in charge."
Tarrik inquired with a wink from Fodrik.
"Aye, I reckon we will get alot more business, though quite when I am not sure. Ne'er can tell with these manlin's." Lokri said solemnly, as he munched a piece of pastry.
"Well me an the elders have got a few plans we might run by ye later on, so stay about an awake if ye can."
Lokri nodded and smiled, then went back to eating.

[kadrik]

The food was finished, and the beardlings of the clan scuttled off to do the washing up, the rest of the dwarfs sat around the fire having a good old smoke, talking and grumbling about the days events, and just life in general. Lokri was not in the mood for smoking, and decided it would be a good idea to get an early night for a fresh morning, he had only got a few more days left helping on the stall before his term had finished and he could do something more desirable.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Fodrik was in the clan work room, and Lokri grabbed two mugs of ale and came in. The floor was covered in wood shavings, and the walls where lined with tools, equipment, many crossbows in various levels of completion, and varying level of detail were arrayed on racks for display.

Fodrik was looking through the clans accounts, and behind him in his workshop were Lokri's fellow
engineer's (of whom he was the eldest) all fashioning the clans crossbows and other ranged weapons.
"Got yer a drink if you fancy one."
Lokri said gruffly as he entered, making sure to shut the door behind him.
"Aye yer a good lad. Plonk it on the table there if ye will." Fodrik said, with a honest smile across his face. He dropped his pen and took a deep drought from his cup.
"Did ye want to see me?"
"Aye lad, but first, I want ye to show me somethin'." He pointed Lokri to a pile of parts, which Lokri recognized to be the components of a Spangelhelm special revolving cartidge crossbow. Lokri nodded slowly, realizing that this was a test. He ordered all the components out before him, then began to assemble them.

[Drasanil]

[OOC: 15xps.]

[kadrik]

Fodrik passed Lorki five bolts, which Lokri slotted into the cartridges that he had just assembled.
Each cartridge consisted of two wheels, which ran along a small pole, about which they turned. The two wheels were connected by a metal plates which Lokri had screwed on, and into each metal plate was a catch that held a bolt in place.
As the cartridge rotated however, this catch spun round, so that once the bolt reached the firing run, the bolt would no longer be held down, and would be free to fire.

Every catch had to face the right way, for if they didn't when the bolt was put in place, it would be snapped as the catch moved aside. Lokri of course, knew this by now, and had assembled all the cartridges well.

Lokri now began to bond the cartridge poll with the wooden buts of the gun, which was done by two metal straps and nails, which was covered with a small silver sheet bearing the clan insignia upon it.
Lokri looked on to his mentor, who watched indifferently, showing neither a sign he was pleased nor unimpressed. Lokri quickly moved on to the next stage...

[Grumbaki]

5xp, plus a further 5xp for the nice song.

[kadrik]

With the cartridge ready, it was time to introduce the triggers, which had already been assembled.
The trigger fitted into a pre hollowed out area in the crossbow butt, and consisted of a lever which released the catch, sending the bolt, as is usual, but in addition it had a small wheel which moved as you pulled the trigger, this wheel had teeth which bit into the cog on the bolt cartridge, and caused the cartridge to turn when fired.

This single innovation was the main reason why Spangelhelm crossbows were so successfully.
They allowed you to shoot five successive shots, (although the wind for torsion was still required)
without having to reload. Lokri had suggested further improvement, by use of a pump action system, but Fodrik had merely said:
"If ye want that on yours, make yeself one, but for me, I'll stick with what am used."
So Lokri decided to wait until he had the money to buy all the parts he needed off Fodrik as well as the time to assemble it. Perhaps if Lokri managed to impress his master now, he would be given more freedome in future.

The trigger was soon screwed in place, and the inner workings hidden by more silver plating (obviously bearing the Spangelhelm mark), and half of the firing mechanism was complete.

The next part of the manufacturing was the actual bow arms itself. (which itself had a great innovation, it was made of metal which was malable, making it as
powerful, but much more resiliant than wood. In addition, it had a series of levers which could collapse for easier storage)
Lokri began this stage of production by screwing this into the crossbow trough (the gully which the crossbow is placed upon before it is fired) and tightening the nuts around it so that it was firm and solid.

The bolt trough was fitted easily enough, by fitting it into the right place along the cartridge, slotting it into the butt, and then being nailed in place.

Under the trough, the reel fitted just behind the cartridge, and was threaded with metal wire to reset the crossbow arms when firing the second bolt.
Lokri painstakingly strained his eyes to make all the connections fit together ready for the first firing.

---

Lokri handed the crossbow over to Fodrik, who maintained his indifferent gaze and began a few practise stances, feeling the weight, looking at the coverings to see that none of the inside workings were exposed. Then he spun round as if in reaction to an assault, and fired a bolt into a target across the workshop. Suprissing many of the dwarfs craftsmen who were working away.

The bolt struck hard, into the center of the target, and Lokri smiled to himself in relief, it was accurate at the very least...

[Drasanil]

[OOC: 10xps]

[kadrik]

Fodrik smiled, and handed the crossbow back to Lokri, it seemed he was pleased, and Lokri hoped he could now be sure he had passed whatever test he had been given.

"Lokri ma lad, I've been thinkin'."
Fodrik said, as the rest of the dwarfs shook their heads at the suprise bolt and returned to work again.
Lokri looked on with a blank expression wondering if he was supposed to answer or if Fodrik was about to commence his speech once more.

"Ye see, you joined me at the age of fifty, and now the young uns are beginin' to reach the age at which you became my apprentise."
Fodrik said, taking a sup from his tankard and showing no real sign of speaking any faster than he wanted to.
Lokri felt a little optimism and wondered if he had finaly finished his apprentiship.

"Now although you have only been with me for fifty years, looking at yer work on the crossbows, I would say you've earned your keep. I think it's time to pass on my role to the next generation."

Lokri smiled, but kept his mouth shut until Fodrik had finished speaking.
"Now am no givin' ye the rank o' master engineer yet laddy, but we are gunnay allow you onto the clan council, and of course you will be initiated and recieve the respect you deserve for bein allowed in. But I tell ye now laddy, I expect naught but the very best, ye hear!"

"Aye granddad, I am honoured that ye are declaring me an engineer, I promise ye now, by my honour, I will not let you down! I'll start trainin' all the lads the morrow!" Lokri said, embracing his elder and shining with happyness that he was no longer classed as a beardling. His social standing had just raised ten fold.
"Aye, but no just that. Ye will be in charge of the stall, an any major deals that need to be settled, you will be the one we send. Course I will still be in charge, but you will be 'the face of the business' if ye like." Lokri grinned and grasped his mug of ale, the two dwarfs clashed their drinking vessels, and it was done.

[Drasanil]

[OOC: 5xps, ok fine I just posted so I could reach 100 posts but tis better than nothing ;D]

[kadrik]

[ooc: Tis fine, I have just been posting to get the last of Lokri's abilities before he starts feild work...]