The Temple of Forgemaster

Temple of the Forgemaster

Where worship is creation, and every hammer strike honors the divine spark.

Overview

The Temple of the Forgemaster occupies a prominent position in Claypost's historic Old Town, housed within a massive complex of ancient forges that date back to the earliest settlement. Unlike the solemn spaces dedicated to other deities, this temple resonates with the sounds of creation—hammers striking metal, wheels spinning clay, saws cutting wood, and the collaborative chatter of craftspeople sharing techniques. This working temple embodies the Forgemaster's domains of craftsmanship, innovation, and honest labor not merely through worship but through active creation, preserving traditional techniques while honoring the city's industrial heritage.

Temple Structure

The temple's central feature is The Great Forge, a massive circular structure topped with a copper dome weathered to a distinctive verdigris. Twelve towering chimneys surround the dome, constantly releasing smoke and steam from the many workshops within. The exterior walls are adorned with intricate metalwork friezes depicting the history of craftsmanship in Rorestvia.
Surrounding the central forge are three concentric Workshop Rings, organized by craft type:

• Inner Ring: Metalworking (blacksmithing, silversmithing, bronze casting)
• Middle Ring: Clay and glass crafts (pottery, sculpture, glassblowing)
• Outer Ring: Wood, leather, and textile crafts

Each workshop is both a functional space for creation and a shrine to the Forgemaster, with small altars where craftspeople make offerings of their finest work.
The temple also houses a vast Materials Library, a repository of raw materials from across Rorestvia, meticulously cataloged and stored for both teaching and research purposes. The Apprentice Quarters provide housing for young artisans during their training, while the Exhibition Hall displays masterworks and hosts the annual Master's Exhibition where journeymen present their qualification pieces.

Temple Practices

The temple's primary religious practice is The Path of Creation – devotees worship the Forgemaster by developing their skills and producing works that embody excellence in craftsmanship. The temple holds that every earnestly created object contains a spark of divine energy.
During The Kiln Lighting, a monthly ceremony, new apprentices are formally accepted into the temple by lighting a forge, kiln, or other crafting fire using coals from the temple's eternal flame, symbolizing the passing of knowledge from the Forgemaster to a new generation.
The Breaking of Flaws is a solemn ritual where craftspeople deliberately destroy their flawed works. The temple teaches that understanding failure is essential to mastery, and the broken pieces are incorporated into a continuously growing mosaic that lines the temple's entry hall.
Before beginning significant projects, craftspeople participate in The Tool Blessing, bringing their tools to be blessed by the High Artificer. The tools are purified with the four elements—passed through flame, dipped in water, dusted with earth, and cleansed with incense.
Unique to this temple is the Claypost Pearl Inlay Tradition, the practice of embedding Luminous Water Pearls from Lake Rorest into significant works. These glowing pearls are believed to carry the Forgemaster's blessing and are used sparingly in pieces meant to serve important community functions.

Cultural Significance

The Temple of the Forgemaster transcends its religious role to function as Claypost's industrial and educational heart. It maintains records of all officially recognized artisans and their qualifications, with the High Artificer's approval required for advancement within Claypost's guild system.
Products created within the temple workshops or by temple-certified masters carry special maker's marks that guarantee their quality throughout Rorestvia. The temple actively encourages experimentation and the development of new techniques, awarding annual prizes for the most useful innovations.
Perhaps the temple's most famous innovation is the Pearl Forging technique—a closely guarded method of incorporating Luminous Water Pearls into metal without damaging their natural glow. Developed through collaboration between Human metalsmiths and orcish pearl divers, this technique exemplifies the temple's cross-cultural approach to craftsmanship.

Leadership Structure

The temple follows a guild-like organizational structure:

• Apprentices: Students who perform basic tasks while learning fundamental skills
• Journeymen: Qualified craftspeople who refine their skills while teaching apprentices
• Masters: Experts in their craft who oversee workshops and develop new techniques
• High Artificer: The temple leader who guides both spiritual and practical aspects

The current High Artificer is Dorran Claywright, a middle-aged human with orcish ancestry who gained fame for his innovative clay-metal composite techniques. He is known for being progressive in his craft but traditionally minded in temple governance.
Basic Information

• Type: Religious, Educational, Industrial
• Location: Old Town, Claypost
• Related Deity: The Forgemaster
• Notable Feature: The largest crafting complex in Rorestvia
• Leadership: High Artificer Dorran Claywright

Type

Cathedral / Great temple