How fantasy fans are keeping a Turkish blacksmithing tradition alive

In Izmir's historic Kemeralti bazaar, the Akdemir family is finding new customers for a four-generation craft. To the casual passer-by, the Akdemir family's workshop could be any traditional blacksmith's forge. Dozens of hammers and tongs hang from the walls; kebab skewers, knives and axes lie across the benches; a length of steel glows in the fire. But for those familiar with fantasy worlds and gaming, a second look may be required. Just a few steps inside the workshop's shutter-style doors, an enormous forged fantasy sword rests across a countertop, similar to the one wielded by the Lich King in the popular video game World of Warcraft. Elsewhere are weapons inspired by TV series and video games, including Game of Thrones and League of Legends, rendered in steel. At the forge, Suleyman Akdemir, a large man with a furrowed brow, grips a glowing length of metal with long tongs, draws it from the fire, and lays it across the anvil. A few metres away, his father, Omer, 54, reaches for a tool.