Swearing the Oath of the Order

“The Anvil is an emblem used to represent the Order of the Anvil. Whether it appears on a uniform, printed page, or a flag, the Anvil is an icon of greatness.” ­­– Commandant of the Order, General Goldhammer  

by Johan Grenier

History

The Order of the Anvil  is a war fighting organization and their colors fly the emblem of the Anvil, Axe and Hammer. Recruits earn the emblem after experiencing the Crucible of training and the final test to identify as one of the Order.

Execution

After 13 weeks of vigorous training in all forms of combat and leadership, those that make it still have one final challenge. They must undergo 4 days of wartime simulation with only the clothes on their backs, their minds, a dagger and canteen of water. They must use everything that they learned to improvise, overcome and adapt to every situation that arises.
On the fourth day, at the end of their final march, they are greeted by members of the Order from every unit and the Commandant of the Order. The Commandant gives a few words of congratulations and guidance before the Emblems are passed out by the most senior in attendance. When all have their emblems in hand, the recit their oath...

"If by my Speech a life is saved, then I shall know Wisdom. If by my Sword a life is saved, then I shall know Strength. If by my Death a life is saved, then I shall know Peace.
By Speech, by Sword or by Death, I shall honor and defend the life of others with every breath, from now until my last. By Wisdon, by Strength, and by Peace, not of my own but of my God, I swear this Oath."

Components and tools

Each participant receives an emblem of the Anvil, Axe and Hammer.

Participants

Those in attendance are of course the participants of the training, their instructors and usually any family members that have earned a title in the Order. The highest ranking members of each unit and their guests, a few local dignitaries and on occasion, the Kings of the Kingdom of Nine will also attend. Also by tradition, delegates from the Minotaur clans will also be in attendance as well.

Observance

The Kingdom of Nine only partake in this ceremony once a year, wirth the exception of times of war. In those cases, there could be a ceremony once a week, but it is not usually as formal.

The Anvil

The Anvil represents service to the Kingdom and clan. On its base is carved with Rir Ara, Stal, Oz Sten, or For Honor, Steel, and Stone in Dwarven. The Order has a proud history of never taking up arms against the Kingdom and are the King’s Fist in conflicts abroad. The Order loves the Kingdom and bleeds red and gold. If they weren’t clad in moto-gear when they were active duty, you can bet your last coin they have a tattoo, or some other momento stashed away in some footlocker at home with their uniforms and medals.

The Axe

The Axe represents the area of operation and swiftness of their might. The Order is the tip of the spear regardless if the mission is humanitarian aid or to topple empires. Within 1 to 2 days, The Kingdom of Nine will have boots on the ground to deliver democracy and combat injustice, tyranny, or despair. As a result, there are units of the Order stationed near every kingdom where Dwarves call home. No matter if it is near the coast, high in the mountains or far in a desert oasis, there is a specialized unit standing by.

The Hammer

The Hammer represents the strength and resolve taught by the traditions of the Minotaurs dating back to before the birth of the kingdom. It reminds us of the marriage between the Dwarves and the Minotaurs.

Ara or Honor is somewhat self explanatory - dwarves tend to have very strong codes of honor by which they abide due to their great pride in their people.
Stal or Steel refers both the metal of their weapons, but also the "steel" in their spirits. In other words, the strength of will. Dwarves of the Nine Kingdoms live and die by their ability to hold off the dangers of the world, so the quality and craftsmanship of tools, weapons and armor is of utmost importance.
Sten or Stone invokes the quintessence of the dwarven creator deity, and is considered a holy element in all its forms. Stone and earth are to dwarves as water is to fish, or air and sky are to birds.

Primary Related Location

Bundok sa Puso