The Rustbeard Clan

The Rustbeards are a relatively new family in the political landscape of the dwarves and one that would, under most circumstances be stamped out. They are made up of religious dissenters who feel 'The Hand' has grown corrupt and controls the dwarves for their own gains. This would see any other dwarf thrown out of the city if not killed, except that Olgvier Rustbeard, the founder of the house is a Khelthad, one of the Warden’s chosen and by the Hand’s own traditions is effectively untouchable, made worse by Olgvier being a Sorcerer as well. The Rustbeard family has been made a ward house of the Magmaheart Surname tying it directly to the Surname of one of the Dwarves favored gods preventing them from declaring the house exile as the law would also call for the exile of house that warded them and they obviously can't exile the Surname that is the pr iesthood of one of their most important gods.
The Rustbeards try their best to take in the truly innocent that are wrongfully banished from Hammerock and make them part of the Rustbeard family to help the influence and power of the family and to stand against the tyranny of the Hand. This makes the house something of a criminal element to the Hand at least when behind closed doors as they cannot openly move against the house. Those who do not join the Rustbeards are either directed to the Khaldran Fortress or through help from the Black Mare Syndicate find their way to Rhyderia more often than not.
A further boon to the Rustbeard family was when a Runesmith named Rossa Rustbeard joined the family, she being a cleric of The Magistrate. She was cast out of her order when she refused to marry a noble with connections to members of her clergy and the Hand who was in her opinion, 'of poor character'. To spare the family and the church public shame she was quietly excommunicated and stripped of name and rank. She was found by Olgvier and recruited to the high priestess of the house another in a long list of slights against the Hand the Rustbeards have committed.

Olgvier's beard is actually made of iron that has rusted, a Khelthad is what they call an Earth Genasi or Oread.

— DM Torment

Naming Traditions

Family names

All those who join the Rustbeard famfily take on the Rustbeard surname.

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

Dwarven Rhyderian

Shared customary codes and values

One of the core values the Rustbeards have is loyalty to each other, they know without a strong family name they would be targeted and thrown out or even killed by members of the Hand. While dwarves in general are renown for their loyalty the Rustbeard family has all suffered from the Hand turning their family and friends against them.

Ideals

Gender Ideals

Men and Women are of equal value, they find it rather pointless to just someone based on that.

Major organizations

The Rustbeards have close ties to the Khaldran exiles and the Black Mare Syndicate.

Related Locations

• Hammerock, The City of Gears