Ahlat

A commission from *bueshang during her recent sale of my minotaur blacksmith character Ahlat Thao. He's pictured here without his main weapon, since that's not primarily what his character is about.

If you're wondering why he's got a flaming sword blank in his hand, he's just finished quenching the blade in oil. Quenching involves first heating the blade to a high temperature, then submerging the hot blade in water or oil. This cools the outside of the blade faster than the inside, thus leaving the outside harder and the inside softer and more flexible - therefore the sword will take an edge and stay stiff enough to not bend permanently, but it will be flexible enough not to shatter. When the sword is removed from the oil and exposed to the air, the oil on the blade ignites.

Astute viewers will noticed I lifted the name from Exalted's god of war and cows. I was having a really hard time coming up with a good name, and will probably change it next time I use him in something.

original: [link]