The Stormbreakers
“Parathek Nir da Ithrun”
“Courage in the storm”
The small group made their way across the steep waves, their ship crashing down upon the sea under them with a thunderous sound, muffled over the vastness of sea. The cold and salty wind, blowing the long grey braids of their leader to and fro. The sky, almost as dark as the place from which the travelers sought refuge, lent little comfort, yet they sailed on. Each member of the crew slowly reciting the Precepts to themselves, peering around, hoping to find a sunny sky or a suitable place to anchor.
Many days passed, as the group continued to sail the rough and unforgiving sea, the unrelenting sky still shrouded in thick clouds. As Sevrish began to recite the Precepts as he had done hundreds of times before, a beam of light parted through the clouds, shining down upon their battered ship, as the stormy sky began to surrender to the sun's golden beams .
With an expression of unwavering awe, Sevrish fell to his knees for a moment,, and then stepped forward towards the unbroken crew. “Yemekar hath bestowed ah blessen upon us” he proclaimed, his deep voice booming across the now calm turquoise sea. A roar came in response from the crew “LARE ITHRUM OVAR NAZKA THAMAR.” (No storm can break us).
TRADITIONS;
Stormbreaker traditions are a vital aspect to the way of life of a Stormbreaker clansman, the specificities of the rituals can shift depending on circumstance.
OATH-TAKING
Oath-taking is the initial ceremony for a dwarf that joins the clan from outside of the blood-lines. The oath can vary upon which member is giving the ceremony to the new clansmen, but often goes like this:
"I hereby swear my life and loyalty to the Stormbreaker Clan, to fight and die for my brothers as they would for me. I swear to show only courage and bravery in the face of any Storms which block my path. I will follow the codex and clan laws, and recognize that should I break these, I will be branded a ‘broken brother’ and be exiled from the clan, or worse depending on the severity of my actions. I swear that I shall never try to conquer the sea, but instead be its brother, using its magnanimity to my advantage. I swear upon the blood of my brothers and myself that I will honor my clan. I am a Stormbreaker. Parathek Nir da Ithrun.”
FACEPAINTING
Face-painting is the ritual that follows the oath-taking. In this ceremony, newly inducted Stormbreakers are led into the fountain of salt in the middle of the clan hall and told to dunk themselves into the saline water to cleanse themselves. Following this, a clan elder brings a mixture of sea-borne ingredients which form a purple-like dye, and begins to paint the new brother’s face.
STORM’S TRIAL
The Storm’s Trial is a ceremony that occurs once a new Stormbreaker has been a member for a period of time. This ritual is highly dangerous and thus is done in pairs. During the Storm’s trial, clansmen are brought out into the sea and are told to survive on a raft for two days with minimal food and water. Once this time is over, those undergoing the trial must navigate their way back to the ship which will remain anchored where it had dropped them off. This trial aims to form tighter bonds of brotherhood, as well as provide experience of possible conditions that might be endured in the case of an actual shipwreck.
STORMBREAKING
The ‘STORMBREAKING’ is the most dangerous but also glorious trial out of the other traditions. A Stormbreaking may only occur during the peak of the storm season, as the clansman is given a canoe style boat, and sent out to survive a week on the rough sea with only that which he can hold in his small boat. Those that successfully complete this trial are given great respect in the clan and show both their physical and mental prowess. The term ‘storm broken’ is derived from those that cheat in this trial, as they are outcast from the clan and often lead short lives after.
Sea Dwarf culture;
THE LAW OF THE STORM;
The Clan Stormbreaker is governed by their rules of the sea, which apply both when sailing and when on land. These laws are simple and rough but serve to keep the Clan functioning as a well oiled gear. The Clan has instituted the following as the law in their halls:
Failure to abide by the codex, besides standing consequences, will in general result in expulsion from the Stormbreakers and the party will be branded as a ‘broken brother’.
COMMONS
No stealing.
You will return what you stole and receive a flogging.
No lying or scheming.
Your tongue will be removed with tongs.
No killing fellow dwarves, lest it be in physical or verbal self defense.
You will be killed in the same way. Think on it.
No coveting nor bedding with the wife of another dwarf.
You will be flogged publicly by a minimum of fifty lashes, and then sent into exile. Castration depending on certain severity.
No openly displaced cowardice.
You will be treated as a broken brother and outcast.
RESPECT
Inability to respect classifies as violation of law.
The name of Yemekar, and His Wrath, is to be respected. Confessed heretics and heathens will be beheaded, sent into exile, or melted into gold.
The name of Mount Ardol is to be respected.
All of the line of the Blue Mountain Folk are to be respected.
All combat veterans, especially the wounded, are to be respected.
All holy dwarves are to be greatly respected.
Respect is gold in clan culture.
WEAPONS OF THE SEA;
SERPENT AXE
The Serpent Axe is one of the most commonly used clan weapons. The axe features a bladed edge on one side, and a fang styled pick on the other. The axe also usually has ornate workings on it that resemble an ocean serpent, waves, gears, or all three.
GEAR WARHAMMER
The Gear Warhammer’s head is made from dense and heavy gears that can deliver crushing blows upon impact. The base of the warhammer is riveted to allow a good grip, and is relatively light in comparison to the massive top, allowing for a large build of momentum before impact. On the opposite side of the massive gear is a fang styled as a drill bit, and can be made to spin by taking the hammer to certain Clan engineers.
SERPENT CROSSBOW
The Crossbow is mostly used by the engineers and researchers of the Stormbreaker clan. In order to reduce the morale of opponents, the crossbow often is made to resemble a sea monster of some sort. Featuring the Clan’s most recent engineering prowess, the crossbow is relatively easy to pull back due to a set of internal locking gears, but delivers a punch comparable to a crank-crossbow.
MECHANICAL SHIELD
The Mechanical Shield is a durable and hefty one, made from black ferrum and thornbark, the shield is able to withstand massive blows. The inner parts of the shield consist of many small mechanized gears that help to absorb blows and spread impact throughout the entire shield.