The Forge of Jokul

The Forge of Jokul is a landmark in Landorya. The Forge of Jokul is a subterranean geothermal smithing complex located beneath a massive ice sheet in the territory of the Deepglacier Clan, where the Frostborn craft and consec… It is commonly linked to THE FROSTBORN. Geography: The Forge occupies a natural geothermal vent system accessed through a series of carved tunnels descending from the surface into the bedroc… Climate: The Forge's interior temperature varies dramatically by zone: near the furnaces, heat rivals any surface smithy; ten st…

The Forge occupies a natural geothermal vent system accessed through a series of carved tunnels descending from the surface into the bedrock below the ice sheet. The main forge floor is a broad cavern where geothermal heat radiates from fissured rock, while the surrounding tunnels stay cold enough that ice-steel can be rapidly quenched in chambers mere steps from the furnaces.

The Forge's interior temperature varies dramatically by zone: near the furnaces, heat rivals any surface smithy; ten steps away in the quench-chambers, the ambient cold of the surrounding glacier dominates. Managing these zones is part of the skill expected of every Forge-trained smith.

The Forge was established by the Deepglacier Clan when their founders discovered the geothermal vent system while expanding their subterranean cavern network. The first ice-steel produced here was a blade crafted as an offering to Jokul rather than for use, and the tradition of consecrating all Forge-made items before distribution descends directly from that founding act. The Forge's existence and the trade access it creates with other clans has been the Deepglacier Clan's primary source of inter-clan influence for generations.

Frostborn smiths tell that Jokul himself compressed and shaped the first ice-steel vein deep beneath the Forge during the creation of the world, waiting for the Frostborn to discover it. Master smiths who work through particularly inspired sessions sometimes describe hearing a low grinding sound from beneath the bedrock — deeper than the geothermal movement of stone — and interpret this as Jokul approving their work.

The Forge operates year-round, its geothermal heat providing warmth that makes it one of the most habitable subterranean spaces in the wastes even in the depths of winter. Teams of smiths rotate through week-long forge shifts, with shamans present during all consecration periods. Apprentices begin their training at the Forge between the ages of twelve and fifteen, spending their first years solely on maintenance, fuel-tending, and observation before being permitted to work the metal itself.