Day 115 of Banishment: Iron Golem (1)
When I visited the familiar riverside to check on the iron sand harvesting, I found the Terracotta Golems busily at work, as usual.
"Oh my... you've gathered quite a bit."
The amount of iron sand collected was impressive. Likely due to the upstream erosion efforts, the efficiency of iron sand gathering had increased significantly, almost rivaling the yield seen after a storm.
"This should work. All right, let’s get started. First up—charcoal production. Hmm, with this much iron sand, I’ll need... quite a lot of charcoal."
Marylia sighed at the thought of the daunting task ahead but began reconstructing the charcoal kilns.
By the 115th day, after a painstaking process of gathering wood and setting up three charcoal kilns, everything was ready. The iron axe had been a lifesaver, as had the assistance of the golems, speeding up the work dramatically.
"All right, light the kilns!"
With the kilns ignited, the golems diligently operated old-fashioned bellows to fan the flames, ensuring the wood inside reached the necessary temperatures. It would take over a day to fully carbonize the wood into charcoal.
Meanwhile, Marylia turned her attention to the iron-smelting furnace.
"Let’s see if it’s dried out properly... Building this again was such a hassle."
Each time iron was extracted, the furnace had to be dismantled to retrieve the metal, requiring it to be rebuilt from scratch—a laborious process.
Using clay and crushed fire-resistant material from the previous furnace, she had crafted a new, slightly larger and taller furnace to accommodate the greater quantity of iron sand. The added height was crucial for achieving higher temperatures.
"Now, I hope I can produce enough iron for an Iron Golem..."
Creating an Iron Golem required a significant amount of iron to craft a human-sized suit of armor, down to the intricacies of articulated fingers. But the main concern was whether there would be enough raw materials.
The refining process would inevitably reduce the iron sand, as impurities were removed. Moreover, the quality of the iron depended on numerous factors, from the iron sand’s composition to the conditions of the charcoal and airflow, making the results unpredictable.
"If it turns out like last time, I should be fine... I think."
Her anxiety was understandable. The presence of an Iron Golem during the harsh winter could be a game-changer, yet this might be her last chance to refine iron before winter’s arrival. Even if successful, the process of crafting the golem would take time.
"Well, worrying won’t help. I just have to trust that it’ll work out."
Determined, Marylia prepared herself for whatever outcome awaited.
Day 116 of Banishment
The charcoal was finally ready.
"Perfect! This should even leave some extra for indoor use during winter."
Breaking down the kilns, Marylia extracted the charcoal. Two of the kilns had performed exceptionally well, yielding fully carbonized, high-quality charcoal. The third kiln had some issues, but the usable charcoal was carefully sorted for the smelting process. The rest would be reserved for indoor cooking and heating.
Charcoal, unlike wood, burned with minimal smoke, making it ideal for indoor use.
"All right... let’s get started. Everyone, gather up!"
With the preparation complete, Marylia called for the golems, who gathered around her. Smiling brightly, she surveyed her hardworking team.
"Now, we begin the smelting process! Let’s make this a success!"
… With her heartfelt prayers, even the golems mimicked her, awkwardly striking a "praying" pose. Of course, they weren't truly praying—just imitating the gesture. Still, seeing their movements filled Marylia with a renewed sense of optimism that this ironworking attempt might succeed.
Thus began another fiery struggle.
They lit the furnace, steadily warmed it up, and alternated layers of charcoal and iron sand, all while furiously fanning the flames to boost the heat. This process was repeated tirelessly. Occasionally, they opened side vents to observe impurities being expelled, all the while hoping that iron would finally take form.
It was unbearably hot, given the continuous stoking of the fire. Marylia found herself musing, "Maybe doing this in winter would feel much cozier..." But that was a thought for another day.
For now, the priority was the iron golem. If she wanted one before winter, this was the only chance. Marylia pressed on, orchestrating her golems and managing the ironworking.
The morning of the 119th day of banishment.
"Looks like the furnace has cooled down... yawn~"
The fire in the furnace had persisted until yesterday evening. A large amount of iron sand meant extended operating hours for the furnace, and naturally, Marylia had little time for breaks. Exhausted, she had gone straight to bed once the fire was out, though her fatigue lingered even now.
"Still sleepy... but I can't wait to see how the iron turned out. Time to dismantle the furnace."
She instructed the golems to break apart the furnace. Just like before, a mass covered in impurities emerged.
"Now then, how did it turn out...?"
There was no telling until they broke it open. Heart pounding with anticipation, Marylia directed the golems to strike the lump with rocks, shedding the impurities...
… and there it was.
"It looks like there's enough... somehow! Thank goodness!"
Before her lay a shimmering mass of iron. While it wasn't an extraordinary success, it was enough—barely. But *barely* was all Marylia needed. If it was sufficient, it was fine.
"Alright, now we need to shape this into parts right away! Everyone, let's do this!"
Marylia felt her exhaustion lift slightly as she rallied the golems.
"... But maybe I’ll nap a bit more first..."
Realizing her body wasn’t keeping up, she quickly retreated. Leaving the golems to clean up the furnace and refine the iron, she prioritized a bath and rest. Marylia needed sleep!
Later that day, after a good rest.
Finally refreshed, Marylia began the intricate work of crafting the iron golem.
"You'll each create parts that match your own forms, alright? Let’s see... Unit 1 and 2, handle the fingers. Unit 3 and 4, the neck and head. Unit 5 and 6, the arms. Unit 7 and 8, the chest and abdomen. Unit 9 and 10, the legs. Unit 11 and 12, the feet. Units 13 and onward, assist wherever needed."
The Terracotta Golems nodded in acknowledgment, examining their forms as reference. With clear examples, even Terracotta Golems could accomplish this level of task.
"Once your parts are ready, bring them to me for engraving."
Marylia planned to craft a golem unlike any she had made before.
Typically, she skipped steps like engraving specific runes onto golems, as it was tedious. However, engraving boosted structural strength and mana conductivity, ensuring the golem would respond more effectively to her commands. This time, she would painstakingly engrave each component, down to the smallest joint of every finger.
Since raw materials were scarce, Marylia decided it was worth the effort to make this golem her very best.
"Hehe, what kind of companion shall I create? It needs to be durable for safety, but speed and intelligence are crucial too. Then there’s compatibility with me... Oh, this will be quite the project. Hehehe..."
With an excited smile, Marylia sketched glyph designs onto leftover cockatrice hide parchment using ink brewed from acorn shells and a pen made of peryton feather.
Creating such a "special one" was rare for her. Usually, golems were crafted for sheer numbers, prioritizing quantity over quality. After all, having many golems was often more advantageous. But this time, she relished the chance to pour all her knowledge and skill into one exceptional creation.
The next day, she began hands-on work.
While the Terracotta Golems diligently forged parts using iron and jade hammers, Marylia engraved intricate runes onto each component. Piece by piece, she etched with a fine chisel, careful not to make a single mistake.
"Hehe, my eyes are getting tired~"
The detailed work strained her eyes and shoulders, but she found joy in the process. Gradually, with precision and determination, the iron components were imbued with her runes.
The Iron Golem's completion was finally within reach!
What do you think about this chapter?
