Goran

The role of goran is typically passed from parent to child within the goran social caste. On rare occasions, a goran may experience a vision of a child born with "the touch of the Gilded One." This revelation refers to an individual who is born outside of the goran caste but that is blessed by the forge god, Zwakhasis. The armorer who experiences this kind of vision is then tasked with finding this child and bringing them up as a member of the goran caste. Khaghate treat visions like this with great reverence, and parents are expected to surrender their claim of parentage to the witnessing armorer. These particular gorane are thought to be especially gifted craftsfolk that can and will create pieces of truly legendary quality.

The training of a goran begins shortly after her eighth birthday, though many children in the goran caste witness or assist their elders in the creation of pieces well before this time. Their training lasts for a period of eight years, during which time they are apprenticed to a suited, or master, armorer. Upon completing their training, the goran will forge her own tools, armor, and implements—including a mask, half-plate, hammer, tongs, and staff. This acts as the goran equivalent of the verd'goten under went by young Khaghate warriors and is known as the gra'goten, or "test of fire." Like those that complete their verd'goten, a goran will use her tools and wear her sacred mask for the rest of her life.   One unique trait among the gorane caste is that all goran take feminine pronouns and sometimes feminine names upon completing their training. This derives from the legend of the first goran, Vaal the Armorer, sometimes called the Hammerer Eternal. Vaal was the daughter of Khaghatan the First, the patriarch of the Khaghate people and is a pivotal figure in the mythology of their profession. As a result, all gorane even if born of the male sex are coded and regarded as female, and those born into the caste are also all raised as females. It also means that all relationships within the endogamous caste are expressed as same-gender relationships, with both married partners referred to as "wives."

During most times, the goran of a clan is supported by the clan as a collective. During raids, they are the only non-participant that is always entitled to a portion of the spoils. This portion usually amounts to between 5 and 10 percent of the total loot and is the highest proportion appropriated besides that of the alor or al'verde. Should a person come to the goran in need of an item or the repair of an item, a small payment—usually in the form of food or supplies—is often accepted. In times of war or conflict, they are forbidden from accepting payment for things related to the defense of the clan, such as weapons or armor repairs.

The goran fills a variety of roles in Khaghate society, but their most important duty is to assist in the repair and reforging of ancestral objects. The Khaghate believe that ever object carries with it a spiritual memory of its past, a phenomenon known as tome'tayl. When an object is used in the performance of a great or terrible deed, it retains the memory and essence of both the object and the user of the object in that moment. This memory survives for as long as the object exists and is added to with each momentous action the object participates in. That object's history is then imparted to its user, granting them wisdom and insight even if they themselves were not present for the original event. To the Khaghate, a worn breastplate that has endured a savage gryphon attack is more valuable than a newly made breastplate because it retains the spirit of its previous battles. Objects can even retain tome'tayl after being repaired or remade using the original materials. This allows ancestral objects to contain centuries of power and experience even when reshaped for a new generation.   The Khaghate themselves remember the deeds of these objects in the form of long saga-like poems called nariilaare, or "deed songs." When a piece of armor needs repair or when a young Khaghate completes their verd'goten, the armor's wearer will assist the goran in the reforging of the piece. Together, the two recite the nariilaar of the object, often in rhythm with the work. It is believed that only through this process of recitation and reforging at the hands of the object's user and the goran can the toma'tayl be preserved.   When a goran crafts a completely new piece, they often attempt to impart a different kind of spiritual energy in the hope that it will give the item a longer and more distinguished life. As they work the metal into its proper form, a goran speaks constant prayers to both Oheilion, the god of war; and Zwakhasis, the god of metallurgy and creation. With the right magical components, they are able to further infuse their work with actual arcane enchantments, such as damage dealing spells and warding charms. Overtime, these enchantments are said to fuse with the piece's tome'tayl to generate otherwise unobtainable power and prestige for both the object and its user.   This attunement to the arcane arts grants a goran further insight into religious and spiritual matters. Many can detect and lift curses, perform divination rituals, brew medicinal potions, and craft sacred amulets for their clan and paying clients. In this way, they act as the clan's dedicated shaman, interpreting the spiritual world and serving as a divinely-gifted protector against the supernatural.

Resident gorane—that is gorane in service to a particular clan—are held in a very high status, due to the extreme power and responsibility that they possess. They are always entitled to a portion of any raided spoils and often possess some of the few luxury goods known to the Khaghate. However, this position of power and its proximity to the practices of magic and divination result in many Khaghate regarding even those gorane within their own clan with suspicion.   Some gorane choose to operate outside of the clan structure, traveling from encampment to encampment to offer their services. These itinerant gorane are viewed with even more suspicion by Khaghate, as they are not prohibited from charging for services during wartime and they often peddle dubious cures and magical items in addition to their typical armament.

Like the warriors of the Khaghat Steppes, a suited goran must wear a facial covering at all times. They typically do not wear full body armor like a Khaghate warrior, instead preferring to wear a protective chest piece, heat-resistant gloves, and a sacred mask. These masks, called cadrun'traan, and are one of the clearest identifiers of a goran. They typically have the iconic T-shaped visor set up of the Khaghate warriors and are often constructed in a way to either repel or fully block smoke from getting in the eyes and mouth. Some even are made with tubing made from dried animal intestines to facilitate a constant flow of oxygen while working.   In addition to their unique costume, a goran employs many of the same tools used by blacksmiths in other cultures. These include hammers, tongs, chisels, anvils, bellows, fullers, pitons, knives, and folding jigs. All but the largest of these tools are handcrafted by the goran during her tra'goten, though the material used to create them is often passed from generation to generation, just as the Khaghate warriors do with their arms and armor.

Gorane are skilled in the smelting, forging, and crafting of a variety of materials; including iron, copper, gold, silver, bronze, tin, mithril, stone and precious gems, wood, bone, fur, animal skins and hides, and even some cloth products. However, the gorane are most famous for their command over temōrtra, or sky iron. This substance, found in scattered deposits throughout northern Iroa such as the Chekeren Crater, is an extremely rare and extremely pure form of iron derived from the remains of fallen meteorites. Its presence in the Khaghat region allowed for the rapid development of the Khaghate's metallurgical technology centuries before the invention of traditional iron ore smelting. In fact, the sheer amount of it may have contributed to the development of not only the gorane as a caste of sacred craftsfolk but also the Khaghate's tradition of body concealment and armor production.

Each clan typically has a dedicated vheh'yaim or tent dedicated to their goran. These are called nau'ur, and they are often some of the largest structures in a clan's nomadic encampment. They include facilities for furnaces—usually made of earthen mounds or stones—metal shaping, drawing, cooling, and material storage. They also typically contain the clan's supply of medicines and can sometimes double as a medical tent in times of war. The goran both works and lives in these nau'ur, generally an adjoining chamber to the main crafting area.