Why do we need a blacksmith?

Shield and Sword

Even the most talented wizard and the strongest warrior would prefer to undertake a responsible mission not only with a spellbook and a finely sharpened sword, but also with a full set of magical items—armor, weapons, and amulets.

Moreover, often a staff carved by hand turns out to be much better than the one that can be bought in the nearest shop. What is actually worth purchasing in the store will be discussed later. For now, let's talk about the blacksmith's affairs.


As soon as the young adventurer accumulates 600 gold coins, he can return to his hometown and build a Forge in his own castle:


Receiving three of the simplest runes to start with, one can immediately forge their first dagger.


At first glance, there seems to be nothing interesting. What did you expect for free? The components that yield items, which rival the characteristics of ancient magical artifacts, are obtained in battle with particularly strong opponents, nonchalantly called Rune Keepers. They inhabit small settlements that appear on the world map as follows (not the regional capitals that can be besieged, nor quest-related monster lairs):


Unlike other creatures of their kind that you might encounter on the roads of Etheria, the Rune Keeper stands out with increased resilience and possesses two special