Rather less ostentatious than the Hammer of the Gods, this smithy is owned by Saskia Dolgana, a thick-limbed, pretension-free woman of the steppes. Hailing from a village on the banks of the Lynsk, her father taught her the skills of the smithy, and when he died, it was Saskia that took over rather than her brother, who had ridden out to do battle with kyazak and never returned. Eventually, Saskia travelled to Kislev, and her sense of professional pride was outraged at the quality of work being done by the smiths there, and she resolved to show these soft, city dwellers how it should be done. Her stern manner and viper-like tongue have earned her the nickname of the Iron Maiden, a moniker that has stuck and is entirely appropriate. The work done in this large smithy is plain and functional, but every piece is stamped with an inscription that reads "warranted never to fail." So far, none ever have.[1a]
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The Iron Maiden
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