Volkanus

The Forge Temple Mantra
In the flame's heart, I find my power.
With hammer's beat, I shape my destiny.
Unbowed, unbroken, I stand—a force unyielding.
By forge's breath, my path is clear.
Volkanus guides, and I obey—forge and fire, lead my way.

Volkanus, the Forgefather, as ancient as the molten core of the world itself, is a deity whose legend is etched in the very bones of the earth. Born from the primal energies of creation, he rose amidst the turmoil of a nascent world, where fire burst forth to shape the land. As civilisations emerged and the first sparks of humanity's curiosity ignited, it was Volkanus who cast the gift of fire into the hearts of mortals, teaching them to harness its power, to warm their homes, fend off the darkness, and eventually, to bend metal to their will.

The chronicles of Volkanus are inscribed upon slabs of the first ore drawn from the earth’s grip, telling of how he guided the hands of the earliest blacksmiths, forging chains that bound titans, and blades that felled beasts of ancient nightmares. It is said his divine hammer and anvil crafted the chains of the world, locking away terrors beneath the mountain roots, his bellows fanning the flames that keep the darkness at bay.

Temples in his honour grew from the sites of great forges, the largest being the Forge Temple, where the eternal flame serves as a conduit of his enduring power and where the first hammer is kept. His followers are as diverse as the creations they craft, all united under the glow of his eternal forge.

The 3 commandments of Volkanus

1. Honour the Flame: Thou shalt pay homage to the sacred fire, the heart of our craft. Let it not falter nor be extinguished, for it is the breath of Volkanus, and in its warmth, we are blessed with the ability to forge creations both mighty and exquisite.
2. Preserve the Craft: As metal endures the tests of time, so must our methods be preserved and passed down. Thou shalt not hoard the knowledge of the forge; instead, teach the worthy, that our art may never grow cold in the hearts of future generations.
3. Wield Thy Power Justly: The might of the forge bestows upon thee a power that can bind and build or raze and ruin. Thou shalt wield this power with wisdom, for each strike of the hammer reflects the will of Volkanus. Create with intention, for in each creation, the reputation of the forge is forged anew.

Deep within the caverns of the Ashlem Rise, the Great Forge Temple of Volkanus has stood as a bastion of divine craftsmanship for centuries. Forged by the First Hammer, an artefact of legend said to have been wielded by Volkanus himself, the temple was built around the very flame the deity used to gift the art of metallurgy to the mortal realm. This sacred flame has burned eternally, a beacon of inspiration for those who seek mastery over fire and metal.

The temple’s walls, encrusted with veins of ore that glitter in the firelight, have witnessed the rise of the greatest smiths and artisans in history. These hallowed halls have endured sieges by envious warlords, resisted the corruption of arcane usurpers, and have been sought by countless adventurers eager to harness the divine power housed within its molten core.

Generations of High Priests, from Dranak to the present, have safeguarded the temple’s secrets, ensuring that the techniques of divine forging are passed down only to those deemed worthy. As disciples of Volkanus, they believe in the sanctity of creation, seeing the act of forging as a prayer and the anvil as their altar. Here, metal is not merely shaped; it is imbued with the essence of the forge, crafting artefacts that are as formidable in battle as they are revered in legend.