The forge is the first thing visitors notice: orange light pulses against soot-dark brick, and every hammer strike sends a brief shiver through the shop's iron racks. The air smells of coal smoke, hot metal, and oil. Shields and workaday weapons hang within easy reach, while unfinished commissions crowd the back wall. The shop is called the Old Tally Forge, named for a forgotten weigh-house trade once carried on in this building. Its owner, Tetsu Vargan, is a broad-shouldered human blacksmith with a clipped beard, a burnished leather apron, and a habit of tapping each finished piece twice before handing it over. He is blunt but fair, and keeps a sharp-eyed apprentice near the bellows. Tetsu will happily discuss repairs, but insists on measuring armor before quoting a price. He keeps the iron hook and rope near the entrance as cheap, practical goods for travelers.