"Clang! Clang! Clang!..."
The sound of blacksmiths hammering emanated from the rows of blacksmith workshops, very audible even from the Pyramid Temple. More visible than the sound was the streaks of smoke rising from the blacksmiths. The denser smoke came from the beehive furnaces used for smelting iron ore, while the lighter smoke came from the low furnaces where iron was forged. Even the air carried a faint aroma of charcoal, evoking memories of the volcanoes on the Mexican Plateau.
"Chief Divine! After a year away, the blacksmith area has expanded again... Tomate Chief Priest, how many blacksmiths are there now in Iron Bay Town?"
"About four to five hundred, with apprentices comprising eighty percent and ordinary blacksmiths twenty percent. We still have only two Ironsmith Masters brought in as captives, one from the Castle Tribe and another from the Porto Tribe."
