The clang of hammers and the roar of the forge fire echo constantly from Ironback Forge, the largest and most productive smithy in all of Lygos. Owned and operated by Seamus Ironback, a burly, hard-eyed Unknown with a reputation for uncompromising standards, the forge supplies everything from simple nails and hinges to masterwork blades and heavy suits of armor.
The building itself is sprawling, with multiple furnaces blazing day and night, their chimneys blackening the sky above the Market District. The forge floor is always crowded with apprentices and assistants, each working under Seamus’s watchful glare. He is infamous for his iron-fisted micromanagement—hovering over shoulders, correcting hammer swings, and barking at even the smallest mistake. More than one apprentice has stormed out in frustration, but just as many endure his temper, knowing that to survive his forge is to gain the finest training in Lygos.
Despite his gruffness, the results speak for themselves: Ironback Forge turns out unmatched quality in both everyday goods and weapons fit for nobles or generals. The king’s soldiers and city watch carry steel from Seamus’s forges, and his reputation stretches far beyond the city walls. Seamus himself insists on inspecting every major commission before it leaves the forge, his personal stamp—an anvil with a boar’s head—engraved on every blade and breastplate.
While customers know they will pay a high price (in both coin and patience) for Ironback steel, few would dare go elsewhere when quality matters most.