Wayland, The Smith

The Wise Goldsmith, Dexterous Craftsman, Unsurpassed Master Smith, Elf Friend

Few Gods are more renown, more famed than Wayland, none more skilled or justly prideful than The Grand Smith himself! His reputation is second to none when it comes to his craft. Yet which land he calls home, his pedigree, his parentage are all the topic of many an excitable argument and brawl. Some say his parents were Gods, others claim he was as mortal as any Man. Others still, claim he is Fae, an Elf, a Dwarf or even a Giant. Some even say he's the child of The Morrigan or Wade The Ferryman, and some few claim he was sired by a great sea monster or perhaps even a bear as the source of his lineage; though the last would certainly explain his hirsute visage. However many will remain adamant regardless of his parentage he was once flesh and blood, the same as you or I. So much so that his bones lay buried within the Earth and that his Godly Ghost even visits the most dedicated craftsmen of our realm to this very day.

His story begins when he began to show talent for metal work at a very young age and eventually took on an apprenticeship with a local Tinker, where before long he acquired great skill in his new profession. Soon his name spread far and wide, after seeing such fine craftsmanship from one so young, one of the local Smithing Gods then took Wayland into his care.

After having seen his new instructors wyrd method of simply adding or subtracting metal from his work as needed to accomplish his given goal, Wayland thought about this and wondered how a mortal might do the same. After much thought and experimentation he invented forge welding so that mortals might perform the same feat, combining multiple pieces of metal together to form one seamless piece.

Eventually after having learned all that he might and his master then excitedly exclaiming that he had taught Wayland all that he could, Wayland then moved on.

Hungry for more knowledge in the craft of metalworking the Young Master Smith would then go on to the Dwarfs to learn the secrets of their hidden craft.

It was said of course that the Dwarfs knew the secret of combining the intangible; sorrows and joys, the dogs bark or the fishes sigh, with tangible materials forming great workings of might and wonder.

So in his search, he stumbled into the bowels of the earth through a tree, or well, finding the Gnomes who dwelt there instead. Having heard of their great works as well he then beseeched them to teach him the secrets of the earth, metals and jewels which none knew better than they. After proving himself to them they took it upon themselves to share with him the secret recipes and qualities of each which only they knew. Here he developed methods which allowed him to make stronger alloys and so, tools which mortal man might make use.

In his many journeys Wayland learned the wyrd and wonderful techniques of the Fae and the Elves. He traveled to the Goblin King himself eventually surpassing even his Goblin hosts in skill.

A true prodigy, all the while the youthful Wayland would grow in skill, eventually becoming a man. His many toils and lessons, through creation he crafted himself to a large and rather muscular frame upon which his arms now enormous hung. His chest became broad and round like a barrel, his face having stared countless hours into forge took on dark and rough hewn features. His mane of beard grew large and bushy, where at the tips singed hair stood in all direction. His sweat stained apron and a bear skin he had acquired over the course of his travels, now hung from his newly imposing visage. This is the man to which he grew over time and through dedication.

All the while his reputation had grown and he found himself invited into many halls of Man and God and Spirit alike. Not to be outdone by his own legend Wayland set about to create his finest work, one which would set him apart from all other craftsmen. He would forge the finest of gifts for all of the inhabitants of all of the realms and so after long and laborious hours of thought and labor he invented the first bell and during his experiments in form and function accidentally created the process of weaving chainmail.

In his quest of true mastery of craft he mastered charms and runes, forged Excalibur, created Beowulfs mail, hammered the infamous swords Mimming used by Waldere King of the Visigoths, Durendal the Sword of Roland, Curtana the Sword of Ogier the Dane and even the sword Almace wielded by Archbishop Turpin.

Once, upon hearing the stories of Hephaestus of the Greeks and his wondrous automatons, Wayland at once set out to outdo him. If Hephaestus could imbue consciousness and will into his automatons, Wayland would surpass him by imbuing life itself into his. And so, he set about truthfully seeking the home of the Dwarfs so that he might learn all that they might have to teach in this matter so dire and so urgent, a true quest in that he might finally learn the secret of combining the intangible with the tangible. And so he did!

Only then, and with the aid of an Imp he had tricked into becoming his assistant, he would come to imbue small portions of his own life force into his creations, which he used to craft all sorts of wonderful things! He went on to craft Singing Swords, Dancing shields and walking cauldrons, each with a life of their own! Every one a true wonder to behold, and whose stories are still echoed through to this day.

Of course such skills as his were much sought after, his creations treasured across all the tribes of the north and throughout all of the realms. So much so that many a people and entire tribes would come to claim, and continue to claim Wayland as their very own kin; from the Isles of Albion through the continent and even up into Scandinavia. Why even as he was still flesh and bone many a king would attempt to ensnare Wayland into their service, but being most nimble of mind and strong of arm he always managed to escape their clutches!

It's said that his methods of escape ranged from contests of skill and cunning to... shall we say the far more brutal and deadly courses of action available to every man.

Wayland may have been many things, but a thrall or a coward he was not! And woe to those who foolishly thought as much.

At some point of course, Wayland perished... But not in spirit! Divine as he was, so great and desired his skill! He was welcomed into the ranks of the most great and noble Gods.

It was only then that he came to know true humility and fearing his skill might come to be forgot by those for whom he had toiled so hard, he set up a simple shop in Berkshire, his smithy eventually entering local myth where it is said he continues doing a fine trade as a spectral farrier.

In fact! Once per century; to this very day, Wayland shoes the Uffington White Horse when it leaves its hillside home thundering across the sky to Waylands forge. For who else could shoe such a marvelous beast if not Wayland himself?

In his humble shop he finally took an apprentice from the Imp's for all of their aid, an Imp known as Flibbertigibbet whose aspirations are matched only by his foolishness. Often unable to do as Wayland asks without many oaths and threats issued, he works as Waylands assistant frequently fetching him special ingredients such as a baby's laughter, the contented sigh of a lover, or a birds song.

Later and more recently, it must be said that it was Wayland himself who forged The Eternal Hunters shotgun when he wished to retire his hunting bow. Not any firearm but a firearm which never runs out of ammunition nor even need reloading.

To this day Wayland still travels the land, appearing in pubs and at important events. Some tales even say that he plied his trade in the new world forging both bells and blades for the American founders and frontiersman. Wayland never ceases. Never stops. He is always improving and always seeking to outdo himself. Innovating, inventing, tinkering, repairing, steadily improving. Never has his skill yet peaked, never has his passion wavered. There is always the next challenge! The next innovation! The next skill or craft to master, from armor and jewels, to tools of craftsmen and towers of glittering steel and glass and stone! ... Yet; for the first time in thousands of years, he has begun to be forgot... For it is not in the hands of mortal men, but that of cold soulless machines in which things are made today. A God of craft persists only in the hands of men.

So remember, his blood like those of other Gods mingles with that of his Mortal kin. Waylands descendants who range across the lands remains; in figures who most notably like that of Wudga, mingled with those of legend and myth such as the likes of Dietrich of Bern.