Blacksmith
The Ash & Anvil Forge
Long before you can even see the forge, you hear it—the rhythmic, heavy clank-clank-clank of an anvil ringing down the dirt street. Thick black coal smoke curls up from the stone chimney, carrying the sharp, heavy smell of hot iron and singed leather. Under the front overhang, iron tongs, horse nails, and mended plowshares hang right alongside sturdy steel shields and freshly greased arming swords.
Hard at work behind the glowing hearth is Boran Flint, a wide-shouldered dwarf with soot smeared across his arms and a thick red beard tucked out of the way of his leather apron. He pauses mid-strike, wiping sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand, and eyes you up with a sharp grey stare.
"If you're here for horseshoes, you can take a number. But if you're here about that nasty chill in the air and the dead wandering the roads... step on in. Cold steel's about the only thing left that keeps a soul tethered where it belongs."
Meeting Boran Flint
Boran is a blunt, practical dwarf who takes immense pride in his ironwork. When the rest of the village bolted their shutters and hid, Boran kept his hearth roaring day and night—forging heavy door bars, making iron spikes, and reinforcing the main town gate. He doesn't have much patience for smooth talk, but he respects people who get things done and wants to make sure anyone heading out to fight is properly geared up.
| Skill & DC | Practical Approach | Effect & Reward |
|---|---|---|
| Crafting DC 16 | Take a genuine interest in his work, work the bellows for a minute, or talk shop about forging techniques. | Earns Boran's respect as a fellow artisan. He gives the party a permanent 10% discount on gear and repairs. |
| Diplomacy DC 17 | Talk to him straight and assure him you're here to clean out the corruption and keep the town safe. | Boran hands over 10 cold iron crossbow bolts or a Cold Iron Weapon Chunk for free. |
| Athletics DC 18 | Pitch in with the heavy hammer work, haul a sack of coal, or show you know your way around heavy weapons. | Boran takes the time to inspect and hone the party's main weapons (+1 item bonus to damage on the very first hit in the next fight). |
Forge Wares & Services
Boran has a solid stock of standard weapons alongside a few extra supplies built specifically for taking down unquiet dead:
- Standard Gear: Any common simple or martial weapons, shields, and light/medium armors from Player Core.
- Cold Iron Gear: Low-grade Cold Iron weapons (can be bought outright or forged with a day's notice). Cold Iron ammunition goes for 2 gp per 10 rounds.
- Shield Repairs: Boran can fix up dented or broken shields (Crafting +12) during a 10-minute rest or standard downtime.
- Grave-Salt Steel Treatment (Special): If the party brings him Graveward Dust from Sister Mirela or Old Varla, Boran can cold-hammer the powdered silver and salt directly into a blade (takes 1 hour, costs 5 gp). The weapon permanently deals +1 spirit damage against incorporeal targets.
Boran's Insight: The Ossuary's Iron
If anyone asks about local rumor or strange metal, Boran mentions that the iron ore pulled from the ridge up near the Ossuary of Forgotten Swords has always felt unusually heavy and ice-cold to work with. He warns that the old blades buried up there were crafted specifically to channel spirit energy, which might be why the echoes are reacting so violently to whatever pulse is coming out of the ground.