The Knights of Ruth Dwarven Warriors

The Knights of Ruth stand in direct opposition to Tidor’s Clan. As a traditional organization, their history is as long and rich as Hyste Talma’s. Ruth the Terrible was the first dwarf to serve the ruler of the city and the first to establish a structure of guards and fighters able to defend it. Only dwarves of good pedigree are considered worthy of joining their ranks, and the recruitment process is tedious and scrupulous. The Knights of Ruth adhere to a strict code of virtues and vices that govern their conduct within the sacred walls of Hyste Talma as well as outside of it. Honor, loyalty, and courage form the bedrock of their virtues, fostering a sense of unwavering commitment to the city and its inhabitants. Conversely, violence, hazard, and deception are condemned as vices and seen as threats to the very fabric of the order. The Knights pride themselves on embodying the noble ideals of protecting the innocent, upholding their sworn duty with a virtuous spirit that rejects any deviation into dishonorable practices.

History

Legend of Ruth

In the heart of Hyste Talma, Ruth the Terrible's legacy unfolded with the weight of both honor and tragedy. His name, far from a reflection of personal ineptness, whispered a tale of selflessness and silent suffering, an indomitable spirit eternally entwined with the flames that claimed him. As the founder of the order that bears his name, Ruth's life bore witness to the complexities of duty and the inexorable pull of the dwarven code of honor. Far from a reflection of his character, the moniker “the Terrible” finds its roots in the tragic circumstances of his noble demise. Ruth's life was a paragon of the dwarven code of honor, his every action a testament to the principles he held dear.
One fateful day, as the clangs of the forges echoed through the cavernous halls, Ruth found himself faced with an unspeakable choice. A dwarven child, innocent and unaware of the cruel fate that loomed, stood on the precipice of a fiery demise. A murderous thief that had escaped escaped justice and planned to rob the crown of its treasures, took a hostage. The poor excuse of a dwarf dangled the child over an open forge, threatening to drop it if the ruler didn't bestow riches upon him. Ruth had only had one choice. Pretending to agree to the thief's demands, he approached, stripped of his protective armor and with no weapons. He knew he would face his death that day but he was determined to save the child. In a show of unimaginable skill and power, he had thrown himself at the culprit, grabbed the child, and tossed it to safety while he and the thief plunged into the inferno below.
As the flames engulfed him, the child's wide eyes met Ruth's stoic gaze. “Why?” the child managed to stammer through the crackling of the flames. Ruth offered a pained yet determined smile. “Because, my child, there are fates more terrible than any fire. I bear this so you may know a world where protecting innocence is worth more than the life of a knight.”
While the somber tale of Ruth the Terrible lingers in the echoes of dwarven history, there are those, like the irreverent Tibor, who find humor in the irony of a name that belies the true nobility of its bearer. Ruth's legacy lives on, not only in the Order that he founded, but in the hearts of dwarves who continue to draw inspiration from the silent, dignified sacrifice of a knight who embraced the terrible so that others might know a future free from its grasp.

Type

Geopolitical, Clan