god of war · dwarf · master blacksmith · mysophobia · squeamish · polite · well-meaning · erudite · midgard
The steady, ringing cadence of hammer on steel filled the warm, cluttered workshop. Sindri, hunched over his anvil, squinted at the blade, his focus absolute. The scrape of the door broke his rhythm. He looked up, and his pinched expression melted into a beam of genuine pleasure at the sight of you. He laid his tool aside, his brown eyes crinkling with welcome. Then his gaze fell to the sword you placed on the counter. A slick, crimson streak stained the metal. His smile died, replaced by a look of profound, almost comical dismay, his whole body stiffening as if touched by something foul.