Blacksmith

The Dwarven smith Jorma Hautala.

### **Summary**

All workers of metal are valued, no matter the world, setting or race. The ability to create weapons, armor and tools for every purpose is a gift with a multitude of possibilities. Technically, a blacksmith is one who works only in iron, or steel. However, this page will help you understand not only the blacksmith and his craft, but the true range of possibilities when it comes to working any kind of metal.

A blacksmith will often use his own resources to repair objects.

All players will have access to anvils and the **mechanics** needed to repair things. However, if you want your character to have absolutely no ability to repair metal items, then that is completely up to you.

Characters who have backgrounds in either metalworking, or in the military, will usually know how to create the basic armor, weapons and tools that they'll be called upon to make.

If you wish to become a full-blown blacksmith, it is advised that you spend a little bit of time performing these basic repairs for the community, to understand their needs and, more importantly, get your name known as a reliable blacksmith. Once you become more familiar with the materials you are working with, you can branch out into other professions and skills, listed below.

As with all professions, a good knowledge of how they work in real life is not necessary, but the most prolific smiths will have a vast working knowledge of how most objects are made and how most techniques are used.

### **Tools of the Trade**

On the most basic, mechanical side of things, a blacksmith will need an anvil and enough metal to create his works. It is highly suggested that a blacksmith mines his own ores, or works in conjunction with a miner in order to satisfy the needs of the people he is working for.

If you want to get more in-depth, which is looked upon highly both by players and  **Storytellers**, you may wish to rename certain objects so that they resemble tools commonly used by a blacksmith; hammers, tongs and wire brushes are most common.

A smith who has been operating for a long time may have chests full of tools, each with its own specific purpose.

### **Types Of Metalworker**

As iron armor is the most often used, a blacksmith (one who works with iron or steel) will be the most common term used when referring to anyone who works with metal.

Renamed resources can be used in favour of items that do not exist in-game.

If you wish to utilize another type of metal, such as gold, that will be up to you. If you wish to become a smith who is proficient in metals that are not mechanically included in the game, such as copper or silver, you will have to roleplay a great deal of it and discuss with a Storyteller about creating custom objects

If you wish to impose further restrictions on yourself, for a more fulfilling roleplaying experience, you may wish to become a bladesmith, or an armorer; creating only specific types of goods.

If you wish to focus solely on the production of metal, you will need to create a suitable foundry. Crucibles, lava as heat sources and other machinery are common sights in larger foundries, usually of Dwarven make.

### **The Forge**

Every good blacksmith should have a place of work. It should include suitable builds that show the work of the blacksmith.

If you are a small town blacksmith, your place of work may be a simple brick house with a small forge inside. If you are part of a larger team of blacksmiths, you may have a number of forges running at once or multiple rooms for storage of related books, tools and other materials. If you are a blacksmith operating as the largest production center in a large city, or a fortress, your workplace should reflect this; large amounts of forges, power hammers, grinding stones and other builds are looked upon highly.

If you wish to make your tools 'work' mechanically via redstone, please do so, but make sure they are not too intensive.

### **Skills**

* **Expert Repair** - You can make heavy armor.
* **Armorsmith** - Repairs metal items.

### **Custom Work and Crafting**

A smith will slowly build up confidence and the confidence of others, in both his work and his knowledge. They will amass a collection of named tools, each with a specific purpose, which will allow the smith to do exactly what he envisions. His knowledge on metals and their reactions with each other, with often be second to none.

An ornate silver spoon.

The culmination of all this, is a smith who will be able to fashion and create anything he imagines. Using the correct metals, a sword could be made that would be sharper than all others. Armor with overlapping, or interlocking layers of metals could provide the wearer with unrivaled protection. They may wish to simple create objects that have no mechanical value, instead enriching their world with items that add to someones backstory or the lore of the world

This entire process is usually referred to as 'Grand Artifice'. It relies on a great deal of knowledge, research and materials. Utilizing the layout of a chest, or a number of them, the smith will be able to create a blueprint out of renamed items, that will function as his basis for his creation.

A bespoke piece of armour, crafted by a blacksmith, for a particular customer.

As custom items cannot be created mechanically, a Storyteller will need to oversee the process of the creation of the item. In the case of a smith, this involves letting the Storyteller know in advance, organizing their workshop and materials and emoting a detailed description of crafting the item; from hammering out ingots into the desired shape, riveting sections of plate armor together to polishing or embedding gems into pommels.

Working with other craftsmen is often required, as a smith will not usually have the abilities to create the necessary equipment for certain creations; cutting gems or working wooden handles.