Adamantine Smith

Revered Title of the Dwarves

A forge glows red with the heat of the Great Furnaces, the inside of the smithy sweltering with the heat needed to forge some of the Dwarves' greatest creations. A block of metal is placed delicately within the forge, its outside beginning to glow slightly as the heat touches it. An older Dwarven man tends to the forge, keeping the heat at the perfect temperature to heat through the metal bar.
Once it reaches the correct temperature, the man pulls the bar from the forge with special tongs, the metal of the tongs rarely changing in color as it comes in contact with the super-heated metal. He places it on the anvil before switching tools and beginning the process of shaping the material. Sparks rain down as the peel of metal on metal rings out like a thunderclap, the sound echoing through the smithy and the tunnels outside. The man wipes the sweat from his brow before grabbing another tool and maneuvering the cooling metal into its burgeoning final shape. With a swift movement, the metal goes back into the furnace, basking in heat that could only mean that the man is shaping Adamantite, a material that requires the highest heats to be forged into the delicate items of the Dwarves.
To gain the right to shape Adamantite is the highest honor that any Dwarf can receive. It is not a title given lightly, as only the Dwarven King can grant such a title after a Dwarf has become a Master Dwarf. Few dare to attain such an honored title, although it is a title that can only be held by Dwarves. Decades of strenuous practice and meticulous metalwork are necessary to understand the intricacies of Adamantite and be able to meld it to one's whim.

Qualifications

The qualifications to become an Adamantine Smith are difficult to reach and few do, even in the lifetime of a Dwarf. To even be considered to work with Adamantite to begin with, one must have received an education at the School of Mines and have earned the title of Master Dwarf. With these credentials in hand, another round of education begins for those willing to invest the time to become an Adamantine Smith.
A minimum of fifty years of studying under an already established Adamantine Smith is required before one is allowed to begin working with the metal. Once that apprenticeship has been established, a student is then allowed to experiment and work with scraps of the metal under the watchful eye of their master. This tutelage can last for an additional twenty years before the student can begin the preparations for the test.
The student's abilities will be tested before the King and a council that he has chosen. From beginning to end, the student must create an item out of Adamantite chosen by the King on the day of the exam. Once completed, this item will be graded thoroughly by the council before it is determined if the student receives the title of Adamantine Smith.

Appointment

Once a student has passed the exam, a large ceremony is held in the capital of the Dwarven Kingdom. This is a special occasion as few invest the time to become an Adamantine Smith and even fewer still do well enough during the exam to gain the title. Oftentimes, this celebration can take months to plan and can be likened to the passage of a noble title in other countries and kingdoms.
The ceremony and the festivities surrounding it are planned by the King's council, but the student assists in the planning to make a ceremony customized to their wishes. Sometimes, the ceremony can last for days or be as short as a single day. These celebrations vary greatly and have changed a great deal over the years based on the King in power.

Cultural Significance

The title of Adamantine Smith is one of the most revered in the Dwarven Kingdom due to the difficulty in attaining said title as well as the ties it has to the gifts granted to the Dwarves by Crommel. In many cases, this title is more revered than that of the King, and those that hold the title are treated like royalty amongst the Dwarves.

Adamantine Smith

Adamantine Smith Crest by Crest via Armoria, created by RiverFang

The title of Adamantine Smith is one that is honored and rarely given. Those that are granted the title are given access to the metal stamps that allow them to mark their products as one created by a master. This is the insignia that marks products of that caliber.

Type

Magical, Professional

Form of Address

Master Smith

Related Locations

• Great Furnaces

Related Organizations

• Dwarven Kingdom