Tinkers In Action
The Ironwright brothers learn the power of combined expertise.
"Fine!"
"Fine, then!"
The workshop doors slammed simultaneously from opposite ends of the long stone chamber, leaving the space eerily quiet except for the steady drip… drip… drip of Sigmont's malfunctioning apparatus. The younger duer brother glared at the traitorous contraption, his beard bristling with frustrated rage.
Six months of work, and still the cursed thing leaked at the worst possible moments. The distillation process required perfect sealing — even the tiniest air gap could ruin the entire batch. And he was so close! The theoretical work was sound, the materials properly prepared, but every time he reached the critical stage…
Drip.
Sigmont snatched up a wrench, drawing back to smash the offending apparatus to scrap, when he noticed Olberict standing in the doorway with arms crossed and a sheepish expression.
"I'm sorry," the older brother muttered. "There, I've said it. Now why aren't you using a proper gasket and constriction band?"
Sigmont lowered the wrench slowly. "Because I can't get the tolerances right. The pressure builds too fast, and by the time I notice the leak, half the batch is gone."
Olberict approached the apparatus with professional interest. "Sloppy work," he pronounced, then caught Sigmont's darkening expression. "Not bad work — sloppy. You're thinking like an alchemist, not an engineer. What are you trying to make that requires this level of purity?"
Sigmont's Dream
Sigmont Ironwright (Level 3, Tinker 3, Performer 1) had spent years studying the weaknesses of the fae courts, developing what he believed would be the perfect tool for duer diplomacy — a distilled essence so pure and intoxicating that even the proudest sidhe lord couldn't resist its allure.
Tinker Maneuvers:
Alchemy 3 — Distillation, purification, and understanding of chemical properties
Herbalism 2 — Knowledge of plant essences and their extraction
Tool Making 1 — Creating specialized implements for alchemical work
Performer Maneuver:
Negotiation 1 — Understanding what motivates others and how to leverage it
"I'm making bait," Sigmont explained, gesturing at the complex arrangement of tubes, chambers, and heating elements. "The fae are always weak for strong drink. If I can distill wine down to its purest essence, even their king won't be able to resist."
"You'll have something worth a dragon's hoard in trade goods," Olberict finished, impressed despite himself. "But you need a perfect seal for consistent results."
Olberict's Problem
Olberict Ironwright (Level 3, Tinker 3, Warrior 1) had his own obsession — creating a portable stone-breaking device that didn't require external power. Duer mining operations too often depended on water wheels, limiting where they could work, or picks and carts that slowed the harvest.
Tinker Maneuvers:
Engineering 3 — Mechanical systems, pressure dynamics, and structural design
Clockwork 2 — Precision mechanisms and energy storage systems
Metalworking 2 — Advanced alloys and heat treatment
Warrior Maneuver:
Tactical Thinking 1 — Understanding applications and strategic implications
"The principle is simple," Olberict explained, leading Sigmont to his own workbench. "Ignition drives the piston force exactly where needed. The problem is the fuel. Even the best lamp oil isn't hot enough, and leaves soot that gums up the machine."
His device looked like the bastard child of a large crossbow and a telescope, all brass fittings and precisely machined parts. A fuel chamber connected to a piston assembly that could be aimed and triggered like a weapon.
"One shot should crack any stone clean through, but if I get all the tolerances just right the damned soot ruins it after just a few strikes, and even then I just can't get the power it really needs."
The Moment of Recognition
Sigmont blinked. "Your tolerances are so precise that soot becomes a problem after only a few…" He didn't finish, but Olberict nodded anyway. "Come help me," said Sigmont, dragging his older brother by the apron, "and I can fix your problem."
Olberict used Level 3 + Tinker 3 + Engineering 3 = EL9 to design proper gaskets and constriction bands for Sigmont's apparatus. Rolling 14d2 for an 8 against the technical challenge of creating leak-proof seals rated at DL5, which rolled 1d6 for a 4. Success by 4 — he creates precisely fitted components that maintain perfect pressure throughout the distillation process. Meanwhile, Sigmont analyzed Olberict's fuel requirements using Level 3 + Tinker 3 + Alchemy 3 = EL9, determining the exact combustion properties needed. Rolling 4d4: (2,2,1,1) for a 6 against the challenge of matching fuel to engine requirements, DL4 which rolled a 0! He calculated exactly the properties needed, and knew he had the solution.
Three days later, Sigmont's rebuilt apparatus completed its first perfect distillation. The result was barely a ladle of crystal clear liquid, the concentrated essence of an entire cask of wine.
"Careful," Sigmont warned as Olberict examined the precious liquid. "Even the vapors are potent."
Olberict loaded a small quantity into his stone-breaker's fuel chamber, aimed the device at a granite block, and triggered the mechanism. The controlled explosion drove the piston with perfect force — the granite split cleanly in half — and left nothing but a dampness in the chamber.
"By my beard," Olberict whispered. "It works exactly as designed. It's…it's perfect."
Sigmont grinned and held up his own sample. "And this, dear brother, is going to make us rich." He tipped the beaker into his maw and swallowed, then shook himself all over with a shout.
"The very essence that makes wine intoxicating, with every impurity removed. The fae will trade kingdoms for something this perfect."
He raised the beaker in salute. "To brotherly cooperation."
"To superior engineering," Olberict countered.
"To getting rich enough to buy our own mountain!"
It didn't take very much to get them drunk.