World's Anvil

Written by RiverFang

The ring of mountain folk does not sound,
Here so far deep in the darkened ground,
Those of the deep and the surface above,
Beware the anvil's treasured trove.

Rooms of the Castle of the Damned play upon the fear of those who dare to enter, but some rooms choose to play on other emotions, such as greed or pride. Only the greediest of adventurers will find the hidden door tucked away under the Skeletal Staircase, only those of greedy and prideful natures can be coerced into descending into the basement cavern of the castle. The gold and precious gems inlaid around the door are enough to guarantee that this occurs.
Deep under the floor of the Underdark, deep under the castle rings an echoing, hollow sound. The sound of metal upon metal, the ring of hammer on anvil, the song of the mountain folk rings deep within the caverns. For those that know the Underdark and its people, the sound is unnerving, enough to begin to sway those of greed and pride. Even the Duergar, the deep dwarves of the Underdark, do not mine their precious Adamantite at depths this far. But the song of the Dwarves rings out in the caverns, the caverns deep below the Castle of the Damned.
Piles of coins and precious gems lead the way down the twisting halls, these objects easily returning those of greed to the trail. Those of pride that have thought of turning back find themselves goaded forward by a voice in their head. The twisted magic of the castle is stronger here, permeating everything, thoughts, actions, the stone itself. You will never find the source of the voice or the source that makes coins and jewels appear around every turn. These items are not the illusions of the rest of the castle, these are real, items to be held and gathered as you move through the tunnels.
At last, a door of precious metals, of Adamantite, of Mithril, of Platinum, of Gold, rests before you, ornate and intricate, boasting riches beyond wildest imagination. The harsh runes of Dwarvish are inlaid into the door with cut gemstones, warning of the anvil's treasured trove, but the greed is too much, the pride overwhelming. The unlocked door opens at a thought, revealing the deadly treasure that lurks in the deep.
The room is large, ladened with treasure, gold, jewels, precious metals, ornate silks. The voice in your head whispers that only one may enter at a time, and as you step into the room, you see it, the World's Anvil. This is a legend that extends far beyond that of the castle, through time and places and races, the legend of the anvil appears, each time finding a new home from which to share its wealth. Upon the anvil inlaid with Gold and Mithril, rests your greatest desire, whether it be money, weapons, or anything that the anvil can create from metal and jewels.
Greed can be a terrible thing. Pride can bring even the greatest men to a fall. Those that are buried within the grasp of one of the sins is bound to eventually find that karma cannot be kept away forever. The desire represented by the anvil is greater than any before, but the downfall is much harder than anyone can ever dream.
No one knows what happens to those that wish to take from the anvil's treasured trove. Much like the object the anvil creates, the demise is personal, something that can only be experienced by the one who made the mistake. In a world where gods can roam free amongst their children, it is impossible to say what type of punishment that the World's Anvil can create.

Type

Room, Security, Treasury / Treasure Room

Parent Location

Castle of the Damned

Connected Rooms

• Skeletal Staircase