Codex - Wildsmithed Anvil

West Weald Codex - Wildsmithed Anvil

• Gabrielle Benele Heartland Basalt Base This is a sturdy find! Based on the texture and color of the stone, I can confidently say this slab originated in the Heartlands, near Cyrodiil. The River Niben is known for the quality of its basalt.
• Verita Numida Heartland Basalt Base An astute observation from Gabrielle, but the cut of this slab is what intrigues me. It's certainly not natural - perhaps it had some use among historic Nedic peoples.
• Amalien Heartland Basalt Base Actually, this slab may be even older than Verita thinks. The polish of the stone, the smoothness of the lines, they all point to Ayleid culture! Rocks can teach us so many things!
• Verita Numida Ruin-Carved Smithing Stand This looks to be an excellent example of an ancient blacksmithing component. The quality of this artifact is quite remarkable, especially given the fissures that seem to run across the exterior.
• Reginus Buca Ruin-Carved Smithing Stand You know, it's not uncommon for cracks like these to form on smithing stands that have been exposed to the enormous heat and pressure of sustained use. It's the sign of a successful smith and enviable craftsmanship.
• Gabrielle Benele Ruin-Carved Smithing Stand I can tell you've both been neglecting your arcane studies a bit. Don't those cracks remind you of anything? Perhaps some magically-charged Ayleid ruins? This smith likely made enchanted weapons.
• Reginus Buca Wildsmith Anointing Decoction I haven't seen one of these in a while, good find! It's typical for blacksmiths to use decoctions of various metals in their work. The right mixture of ores can strengthen a forged item, much like finding the right balance of flavors in a cooked meal.
• Ugron gro-Thumog Wildsmith Anointing Decoction It's not just about strength, though many may believe so. The addition of differing ores and decoctions can also increase the flexibility of a tool. An important characteristic, unless you want your sword to shatter the first time you hit something.
• Amalien Wildsmith Anointing Decoction Yes, Ugron, strength and flexibility are important, but we're talking about the Ayleids here! Their culture was infused with magic. Their decoctions probably contained elements to enchant their tools and weapons as they forged them.
• Gabrielle Benele Dynarian Legacy Bracing Leave it to the Ayleids to inscribe even their bracing with runes and enchantments. I can't make out what the markings may have imbued this artefact with. Maybe a blessing of strength or durability on whatever was forged here?
• Gabrielle Benele Dynarian Legacy Bracing It's the strangest thing. I've been studying the carvings on this bracing, and I still can't make it out. It's non-reactive to any spells I've tried on it. I need to dig deeper. There must be some ancient form of magicka I've overlooked!
• Verita Numida Dynarian Legacy Bracing Don't strain yourself, Gabrielle. The markings aren't runes or enchantments. It's an inscription. It reads: 'To my stalwart smith with love. May your back never ache and your fire never dim.'
• Ugron gro-Thumog Wildsmithed Anvil You really need my help with this? It's an anvil, obviously. Looks decently worn, but from use, rather than time. It's in the Ayleid style, which places it firmly from the First Era. Anything else?
• Amalien Wildsmithed Anvil Good start, but there's more here. The shape of the anvil itself is reminiscent of the Wild Elves. This smith may have had a penchant for imbuing their creations with nature magic. Magical farming tools, maybe?
• Reginus Buca Wildsmithed Anvil Moreover, has anyone noticed how relatively small the anvil is? Its size suggests the smith had a proclivity for forging precision tools like daggers or arrowheads over swords or axes. You can't overlook the details on these things!