Varin's journal

Elgar's gear is fantastic. I knew it at once, soon as I found it. Right away I said every new witcher we train should be given such equipment - that is, if we are serious about making monster slayers out of this band of prissy schoolboys.

How many times must I ask our honorable resident mage to devote some of his precious time to actual work! Resident like that's as useful as a boil on the bottom. At least his assistant, Chird, knows a thing or two about metallurgy. The two of them have finally gotten down to work.

The steel sword diagram is now ready, and, assuming they didn't foul anything up, tomorrow I'll forge the first blade. I'll go to Chird's workshop in the old watchtower after today's training and see if he's finished the silver sword diagram as he promised. Then I'll go to Hieronymus' tower - he should have finished that armor diagram by now.

Thought I heard a signal horn in the distance a second ago. Hooch must be getting to my head. No one's fool enough to attack a keep full of witchers.