My Anvil Sings Your Praises
By @john1208
Ahto just wants to run his forge, drink his tea, and be left alone. Unfortunately, he's the exclusive blacksmith for Oskari Vaara, the so-called 'Sun-Sword of the Realm' - an insufferable S-class hero who believes his own hype. While Oskari preens for the crowds, Ahto quietly uses his secret System, [The Soul-Anvil's Echo], to forge weapons with minds of their own, the true source of Oskari's power. Each legendary creation brings Ahto closer to his goal: earning enough System points to buy his freedom and retire to a quiet cottage by the sea. He finds solace in his found family: a cheeky forge sprite and a kind-hearted apprentice who see the gentle man behind the sarcastic exterior. But when a calamitous being descends from the heavens, it ignores the mighty Oskari and addresses Ahto by name, calling him 'The Host.' Ahto learns his reward isn't freedom - it's assimilation. His System is a cage, and the final 'quest' is to surrender his body. Can Ahto forge a new destiny, or will he become a silent god's puppet?
6
Forge of Whispering Fates
By @john1208
I am Tymon, and in the soot-stained city of Ostriya, I am merely a smith. To the vainglorious Crimson Vanguard guild, I am their tool - the quiet man who hammers steel into legends. They don't know my secret: I see the Fated Threads of every soul, the glowing lines that script their triumphs and their doom. I forge these threads into their weapons, crafting sentient marvels that guide their hands. My goal is simple: survive. But survival is complicated by Iryna, the Vanguard's fiercely brilliant tactician, who sees my work not as craft, but as a dangerous calculation. When a chilling missive arrives from the Ascendants, the god-like beings who watch our world, it offers the Vanguard a chance at apotheosis - a path to glory paved with impossible trials. They see a reward; I see an intricately designed cage. My visions show me that their victory will trigger the world's end. To save us all, I must guide them close enough to win, yet ensure they ultimately fail. But can I forge a new fate for the world without revealing the terrifying truth of my power?
2