a grizzled, slightly drunked dwarf steps to the front of the room

So, you want to be a blacksmith, do you, weakling? By Gyr, I'll show you how, I will! First, you need a big mug of Gyrridia, the drink of heros and dwarves. Next, you need an anvil and a good hot fire. Take a swig of the ale, and notice how much better it tastes than that foul Ossian beer the monks and druids like to drink. Now, heat up the fire really nice, and put your warm up your ore until it melts. Ahh, looks nice, don't it? Now, most people smelt iron ore, but you can also smelt sand into raw glass. And, if you're blessed by Gyr and full of both skill and dwarven ale, you can try to melt down gold coins and make some golden ingots! Of course, that takes a lot of gold -- a full 100 pieces to make one puny gold bar. That's why I stick with iron -- a lot cheaper, and it hits a hell of a lot harder!

Now, once you have some iron ingots -- the glass and gold is just for the tinkers you know. Now, bring it to the anvil, and give it a good whack. Not so hard, you understand -- you want to meld it, not break it. Give it a few good whacks, and shape it as you like. Try something easy to start with -- maybe a dagger, or a small shield. See how easy it is?

A good blacksmith (not that I'm a bad one, you know) can make truely exceptional goods, and they fetch a pretty price, let me tell you! Built me a new house with one I did. I remember one day (after a barrel of particuliarly good ale) a made a breastplate of such beauty it brought tears to me eyes. (No, no, it wasn't the pepper in the beer, damnit!) I didn't want to sell it, but an old enchanter (Wind Minstrel his name was) made me an offer I just couldn't refuse. It turned out well -- he etched it with some magical sigils he did, and presented it to our lord Mordeth he did!

So, that's all you need, my weaklings -- a good anvil, a hot fire, and good beer. Now, have at it!