About Troll Cunning Forge

Marcus McCoy has been a student of traditional witchcraft, folk magic and shamanry from around the world for over 25 years. Since 2017 he has dedicated his work to the Smithing arts focusing on his alchemical work as the basis for his work with iron. Marcus is the owner and alchemist perfumer at the House of orpheus, he is an editor for the book series Verdant Gnosis, co-organizer for the Viridis Genii Symposium and practitioner of lab alchemy, and folk magic with an emphasis on esoteric herbalism.

Our Offerings

Occult Philosophy

Marcus is a blacksmith and occultist whose work serves as the confluence for a diverse stream of practices and teachings. Located in the North American region of Cascadia, Marcus is a uniquely situated artisan whose art embodies the crossroads of magic and material craft.

His work is carried out under the auspices of his own forge, Troll Cunning Forge. According to Marcus, Troll Cunning Forge encapsulates the “…principles of traditional blacksmithing lore, folk magic and real alchemy.

Troll Cunning Forge, which Marcus founded in 2017, will no doubt be familiar to many of our readers. What of his own background and inspiration?

Marcus’ principle areas of praxis and study include the folk smithing traditions of European magic, as well as the greater context of global magical traditions. This focus is combined with an emphasis on ritual process, necromancy, esoteric herbalism, and western alchemy.

Marcus counts Johannes Björn Gårdbäck as a teacher of profound influence, having shared and communicated with Gårdbäck on the Trolldom tradition of magic. While these practices do not take the primary role in Marcus’ work, his own degree in transpersonal anthropology has offered a number of contextual and cross-cultural approaches with which he engages the practices of Trolldom.

Marcus’ focus as a smith was also enhanced and inspired during a period of work with alchemist Robert Alan Bartlett. Marcus explains that Bartlett once demonstrated how astrological times can be locked into physical matter. For Marcus, this led to a moment of unique insight into the alchemical process of making magical tools within grimoire tradition.

A further element of this work was incorporated as Marcus began to utilize herbal quenches for his forged works, inspired by the material in Daniel Schulke’s Ars Philtron grimoire. This includes herbal quenches for apotropaic purposes, as well as praxis-specific quenches according to the purpose of a given creation.

As for the offerings of Troll Cunning Forge, Marcus features & displays many general-audience works publicly. However, he also accepts private commissions from a diverse number of practitioners, occultists, an ritualists. Many of his works themselves utilize a ritual process for creation – often drawing on the invocation of chthonic forces during the forging process.

As such, the conscious and directly intentional use of materials and timing is key: bone, flora, mineral, oil, and herbal components all function with astrological timings to work in direct relation to the purpose & creation of his works.

Commissions

If you’re interested in commissioning my work, please reach out to me using the link below to my commission form. There, you’ll find questions designed to understand your request.

Please provide details of your vision and the tribute you offer, as many underestimate the true cost of creative work. Share your ideas clearly and thoughtfully, as this helps bring your vision to life.

Keep in mind that the process of creation can be unpredictable. Sometimes, your request may be completed quickly, while other times it may take longer. I select commissions carefully, and only a few will be accepted.

The journey of commissioning is a partnership in the creative process, but approach with respect and patience.