Waldenvale - Master Hampton, the Artificer

Within the magical item section of the city's shopping district, a master artificer and former adventurer toils over a broken magical sword. "How ignorant and disrespectful can a warrior be?! This is Merillium Steel! The secrets to safely and reliably creating this metal died when Merillia was sacked and burned to the ground CENTURIES AGO! Did that warrior lend the sword to an ogre, who then used it as a toothpick?! UGH! This sword should be in a museum, not with some amateur swordsman who has more gold pieces than brain matter! Well...at least his gold pieces will be safe with me, once I get this sword back to its previous condition." The artificer looks down at the damaged sword in pity. "I bet you have seen countless battles and the fall of your homeland...you deserve a much better fate than ownership by a clod! You poor, poor thing..." Master Hampton, born Frederick Allen Hampton III, is an artificer with few peers. His many decades dedicated to studying the arcane arts has made him the best artificer in the city and one of the best artificers in the country. Not only that, but he also has a background in leather and metal work, many of his pieces even being artisan grade. His talents in identifying and repairing magic items pulls in clients far and wide. His current client, a wealthy young man who fancies himself a swordsman during his time off, has brought Master Hampton a rare and very damaged sword. Though Master Hampton winces at the thought of the young man returning once again with a damaged sword, he does appreciate how much money the young man was willing to spend in order to fully repair the sword. As he works on, Master Hampton has an idea that may benefit both himself and his wealthy client. "Wait, this is a magic sword...but it's not a powerful magic sword. Hmm...the young swordsman didn't seem too concerned with the details regarding the repair...I wonder if I can talk him into selling me the sword? I do have some other magic items in my shop, including three spare magic swords...perhaps I can convince the young swordsman into trading me this sword for a more powerful, yet more common sword? I wonder..." Master Hampton thinks he can outmanoeuvre this wealthy dolt, and perhaps he can.