Dorand: Sects

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Hauberks of Dorand

A subset of the Hammers that specialize in armor making and a defensive stance in battle, these clerics are unmovable, often forming a living shield wall. While Dorand does not have clerics dedicated to the cause of war as does Vorax, Lord Forge does have his Hauberks. It is said a line of these muscular, metal-encased dwarves are able to send divine anchors into the earth, making them impossible to knock over. Legend even speaks of a dragon failing to blow down a group of Hauberks in a bloody battle near Lusaxen. They are led by Argus and the council as are the Hammers. The Hauberks of Dorand are considered a sect only in that they have smaller numbers.

Stone Brothers

Stone masons and warriors who worship the Master Crafter often join this organization allied with the Anvil. While they march into battle when called for, the Stone Brothers (who have been, since their inception in 1057, entirely male) have learned the tricks and turns of stone and the places it is mined so well. They have become respected experts at tunnel fighting among Layonara's surface dwarves. A few of the Stone Brothers are clerics; however, most choose fighting professions and some are versed in the ways of moving silently and unseen as well. Some say their current leader, a ginger-bearded youth named Kalath the Quiet, matches the Deep dwarves in stealth when underground.

Kalath the Quiet leads by action and expectation. He's as softspoken as his nickname, walking softly, avoiding crowds, and leaving little of an impression behind. His red-brown hair and beard are the only things loud about this slender, wiry dwarf. He grew up around miners and is the son of a Stone Brother, so his membership and title are no surprise. He is respected, young, a member of a cousin clan to Argus, and well-liked by the Anvil. He is unmarried.

Sisters of Steel

While in theory females have as much right as males to fight, the harsh truth of dwarven society is that often the ladies are left at home. Formed by the formidable Bela Braunswagon in the late 1200s, the sisters craft and fight alongside their dwarven brothers but keep their organization separate for solidarity and to avoid creeping prejudices. They have two centuries of hard work and craftswomanship behind them and are growing under the steady hand of Hammer Ruby Bigmaul. Membership is offered to any female follower of Dorand who has been on the subtle, socially accepted end of encouragement to stay out of the forge and off the battlefield.

Ruby Bigmaul is a dimpled, bright-eyed dwarven woman just tapping on middle age. She is strong-willed but wise, having outlived two husbands who died in service to the Anvil and a father who was a clan leader. She has always been a masterful smith, and even marriage and her two children could not keep her from the forge. Her daughters have joined her and together the three of them form the governing body of the Sisters of Steel along with the wife of a former High Hammer and two noted female warriors. She has dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, and a sharp wit honed over the centuries to puncture the egos of the testosterone-laden around her.