Stonesworn

Silent as the rock, cold as the stone.

— Stonesworn saying

For every devoted cleric and paladin, there are countless followers of deities that do not possess divine magic through little fault of their own. Divine magic is gifted only to precious few, and often for reason inscrutable to mortals. The Stonesworn are a sect of these non-magical followers who choose to believe that the Dwarven Pantheon have not neglected to grant them power, but are instead trusting them to embody what mortals should be, as independent, free-willed dwarves.

Each Stone is Precious by Hanhula (via Midjourney)

The Stonesworn, as an exclusively-dwarven organisation, tie their beliefs and origins to the roots of their species as a divinely-created species crafted from rock and gemstone to inhabit and protect Istralar.
They are an accepting but traditionalist group who are largely made up of families born into the group, veterans of particularly brutal war, and devout individuals desiring a quiet, pious existence away from the flurry of industrious activity of many other dwarven religious groups. They do not often actively recruit; their presence is usually enough to sway those seeking a more peaceful life.
The sect's main headquarters are situated in Fyrneistur, capital of Gildómar, and smaller buildings dedicated to them can be found throughout the nation. Their secondary headquarters are in Umrukhe, major city of Sjarvaldir, and is where the sect manages international affairs that can often be troublesome to handle within Gildómar's borders.

Worship

Still as stone, silent as earth, strong as spirit.

— Stonesworn scriptures

Whereas most religious sects restrict their acts of worship to certain places or days, those that join the ranks of the Stonesworn are expected to adhere to the customs and traditions of their sect, though disobedience is not punished in any way. Private residences are excepted from this policy.

They dress in plain clothing without excess adornment, and wear their own version of the Anviltorc around their necks to indicate their alliance. Their beards and hair are usually worn tied with leather bands instead of the fanciful gold bands or gem-studded accessories many noble dwarves wear.
Most notably, the Stonesworn rarely speak. Theirs is a calm, contemplative silence, gifting peace to those around them and granting them time to reflect on the day's events. They are not explicitly prohibited from speaking - indeed, the Stonesworn are not prohibited from anything, owing to the inherent right to free will and mortality that spawned the sect's existence - but choose to use their words with caution.
They do not go on lengthy religious lectures as members of a standard church might. They do not chatter about idle nothings, desperately seeking conversation topics when surrounded by others. They use their words as they might use a chisel, to carefully carve out sentences on the scripture of life only as they are needed or wanted.

Gemcraft by Hanhula (via Midjourney)

Stonesworn crafts are highly praised in religious circles, despite being made without any influence from those above. The majority of Stonesworn choose to spend their days as artisans and smiths with a religious bend, in the silence and solitude of the Stonesworn forges and workshops. There are no ringing workshop songs here; it is a place of determined focus, as every creation is worked with the love of their craft and the duty they carry to their gods.

Practicing before the Gods by Hanhula (via Midjourney)

As the dwarves themselves were crafted, so too do the Stonesworn feel it is their duty to honour their kith and kin by bringing new wonders into the world to help and defend them from all the world may throw at them.
Some of the Stonesworn also feel they should honour the gods through feats of physical strength, whether in strength training alone or in genuine prowess with weapons. They do not fight in the armies of the countries they live in - no Stonesworn can be forced to join an army unless they truly feel it is their calling, much to the dismay of conscriptors - but instead practice their strength and skill to glory in what the gods have wrought.
Those choosing to wield weapons are often some of the most brilliant tacticians and defenders around, and may offer training to non-Stonesworn to pass on the fruits of their learning to the younger generations. This service is what, over the years, has earnt the Stonesworn the level of respect and legal recognition they now wear with solemnity.

Priesthood

Dwarves of stone or dwarves of gem - we are the same at heart, and are equally beloved. No one stands above all. It is our voice that amplifies those who go otherwise unheard.

— Gemsworn scripture

Those leading the Stonesworn are the Gemsworn - members of the Stonesworn who devote their efforts to teaching their fellows and preserving the sect's crafts, traditions, and skills for future generations of dwarves, Stonesworn or not.
Though the name might indicate a gaudy desire for power and prestige, it is not considered to be anything particularly special by the Stonesworn themselves, and is mostly a method of differentiating their leaders from their followers, as the dwarves themselves were once divided. Indeed, they largely hold office to speak on behalf of their kin.
Any may aspire to be Gemsworn. One does not need to have been born into the Stonesworn to eventually ascend to its higher echelons, provided one puts in sufficient effort, time, and care. The current highest Gemsworn, Ragnuk Khourronim, was born to rural parents and only became a member of the Stonesworn in his early adulthood; his sheer dedication to the sect is what allowed him to rise to its top.

Gathering of the Stonesworn by Hanhula (via Midjourney)

Granted Divine Powers

They don't get powers, 's the whole point.

— parent patiently explaining the Stonesworn

Minds as Stone

Altar of the Stonesworn by Hanhula (via Midjourney)

Founding Date

Pre-2000s

Type

Religious, Sect

Alternative Names

the Silent Dwarves

Demonym

Stonesworn

Leader

Ragnuk Khourronim

Leader Title

Gemsworn

Location

Fyrneistur

Related Ranks & Titles

• Gemsworn

Manufactured Items

• Anviltorc

Related Items

• Anviltorc

Related Species

• Dwarf

Stonesworn and Magic

Occasionally, members of the Stonesworn are lucky enough - or unlucky, in the case of oracles - to be granted the divine magic they believed themselves set apart from.
This generally causes a crisis of faith. They believe for years that they are the free-willed children of the gods who prove their worth without magic - only to have it thrust upon them?
Usually, the counsel of the Gemsworn offers peace to these souls. They leave the Stonesworn, inevitably, but many continue to practice similar values and work closely with their former brethren as they find their way forward in this new world.
Harsher is what befalls those who develop other forms of magic, especially given the bans on arcane magic in Gildómar.
The stigma against their kind is so great that they often attempt to hide their own abilities from themselves, leading to accidental catastrophes down the line if the magic seeks to make itself known.
Those that do acknowledge their newfound powers most often leave their homeland behind in search of the reason they were given this new burden.
The Gemsworn encourage them to seek out why they are being tested with this new power, so that they might either find their reason elsewhere or learn how to suppress it and return.
Commonly, arcane mages that are part of the Stonesworn will seek to have their Anviltorc imbued with antimagic properties to suppress their own abilities.
This renders them safe and free, according to their own beliefs.

You'll not see many Stonesworn in Fjolkandr, ye ken. They're about every so often there, aye, but the Fjolkans see the world a wee bit differently tae the rest of us.
Theirs is a perspective ye may not get tae hear, but if the Stonesworn would have aught to say of it, it's that even our enemies are worth listenin' tae.

— ex-Stonesworn druid