True Smithing

Angus Bjornson only ever wanted to do one thing: to continue crafting exquisite weapons and pieces of armor for his loyal customers. Unfortunately, after one accident too many that leaves the old blacksmith completely disabled, it would seem he has no other choice but to hang up his hammer. However, that would be underestimating the stubbornness of the self-made man. Fearing he's not going to stop until he ends up dead in his forge, Angus's children offer him a virtual rig that connects to Imperium Games' many universes. After choosing a fantasy-based world called Alterwelt, Angus now known as Hephaestus-quickly learns that he can make use of his lifetime of experience by disabling the Auto function and playing on Manual. His skills allow him to create unique items that beat everything sold on the market. But Hephaestus has a long way to go before he can afford his own in-game forge. Moreover, he only ever learned to work with steel while here he has access to metals as strange and exotic as azuraneum, veridium, orichalcum ...

To Angus, things couldn't be more perfect. Sure, he still has to deal with an aging body in the outside world that won't allow him to do much... But he's found solace in Alterwelt, a virtual world where he can craft to his heart's content and indulge in his life's true passion. Spending his time between fulfilling orders and expanding his ever-growing smithing guild, Hephaestus is living the dream, so to speak. But maybe, just maybe things were a little too perfect. As he'll quickly learn, there's a growing movement gaining traction in the real world; Moralizers who denounce all the violence and depravity that pervade virtual worlds. Their demands are simple: they want the "games" neutered; they want Alterwelt and other Imperium spaces strictly regulated, which could threaten the world Angus has come to call his home. Behind the movement stands one familiar foe: Lord Liberath, the same individual Hephaestus had managed to oust when the blacksmith had been accused of item hacking.