During the Shadow War, the Mechanic mercenaries were operating in the Great Forest. The mercenary presence in the Great Forest was designed to deceive the Shadowling Empire into thinking that the Mechanics' Energy Golem Workshop was located in the Great Forest instead of the Deeper Downs. Lured by this deception, the Hero was ambushed by three Spriggat assassins, Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau. After the Mechanic presence was eliminated by the Hero, Gelf opened up his shop to sell the things he has scavenged.