Stone Breakers

Each Dwarven kingdom trains limited regiments of Stone Breakers, ranging from one hundred fifty to three hundred, to allow them to be flexible and remain on the move without being hindered in battle.

Stone Iron Plate: Extremely dense armor that is difficult to wear without proper training, yet is enhanced by runes that help the wearer withstand the weight.   Deep Helm: Helmets equipped to deal with tunnels with built-in lights, protective eye guards, and air vents to remove any substances that may get into the helmet.   Boom Keg: An explosive charge often used to breach fortifications or into enemy formations, increasing the chances of breaking their defenses.

Breaker Hammers : The origin of Stone Breakers' name, with their two-handed warhammers being designed for crushing armor, stone, and bone.   Keg-Shield: A round, reinforced keg-shaped shield worn on the back for protection during charges and debris when not used to protect them from enemy weapons.

Breaker Captain: An elected officer with the Stone Breakers by their own members who deem them worthy to lead them into battle through their leadership and valor.

Stone Ramming: Charging at the strongest point of a enemy line or position and devastate it to cause chaos and confusion among enemy lines.   Shield Breaking: Using their hammers that clash with shield wall and armored foes to break defensive lines to leave them wide open for other units.   Siege Smashing: When dealing with fortifications they will use their hammers to chip away at walls, gates and other defenses until they are destroyed.   Iron Wall: when not on the attack they are used to hold chokepoints and breaches to keep the enemy at bay and buy time for their rest of their allies.   Monster Hunting: Due to their heavy armor and aggressive nature they are often used to deal with monsters especially large ones that plague the tunnels they control in The Deep with savage efficiency.   The Grinder: While fighting in tunnels and narrow areas Stone Smashers in the first two rows will synchronize their hammers strikes like that of a machine to devistate enemy lines and rotate positions with troops in back to the front to keep them on the move to weaken and tire the enemy.

Tunnel Fighting: Each Stone Breaker is trained to fight in tunnels that can be a tight space to deal with, which often requires them to follow certain techniques to help them use their weapons properly and deal with any sudden changes, such as tunnel collapses or any harmful substances that could be inhaled in the narrow passage.   Siege Breaching: When dealing with enemy fortifications, Stone Breakers use their hammers and explosives to break down walls and gates to create a breach at breakneck speeds.   Bolt Charges: Charging in formation into a condensed wedge allows them to break through defensive formations and fortifications to shatter defenses and lay waste to the disoriented enemy.   Endurance March: On periods wearing armor and weaponry allow the Stone Breaker to gain greater endurance to keep fighting and moving, no matter how long it takes to achieve victory.   Drinking Contests: While drinking alcohol is apart of any dwarfs dieting Stone Breakers use it as a means to test one’s constitution on how well they can withstand the effects of their drink to determine who can take the most beating when needing hold a position for a long time.

Stone Breakers and paid in ingots and alcohol to keep them well paid and refreshed.

Veteran soldiers are often selected to join the Stone Breakers for their decades of battle experience from their respective kingdoms. Many are chosen from a Mountain kingdom's military to try out to become a Stone Breaker. They are then placed into intense training to test their strength, endurance, and coordination to reforge them into highly trained soldiers. Most fail to meet the standards, being unable to withstand the harsh conditions they are put through, with many suffering injuries or even death in rare cases.

Miners Turned Warriors

  The Stone Breakers' founding is much simpler than one might believe, as its original members were not soldiers but honest miners in the kingdom of Barvag working an honest day's work when a group of Trolls broke into the mine in an attempt to claim it for themselves. Instead of fleeing from the monstrous creature, the Dwarf miners instead fought back using specialized breaker hammers to break stone faster, and they used them in the fight against the Trolls with ferocity and unity from years of working together in the mines. Their heavy hammer easily harmed the Trolls and forced them to retreat, only for the miners to chase after them, even attacking them in their own dwelling and claiming it for the kingdom. News of this stunning victory spread like wildfire, and the miners soon found themselves in military service, as many saw their potential in becoming an effective fighting force. After hard training and better ale wages, these miners would become the first Stone Breakers and were sent to clear out dangerous tunnels and caverns within the deep to reclaim them for Barvag, with much of it being successful.   As word spread of their exploits, the rest of the kingdoms followed suit in creating their own Stone Breakers from their mining castes and sending them into military service. In time, Stone Breakers became prominent members of the militaries of the mountain kingdoms and have been at the forefront of encursions underground in The Deep since the aftermath of the Dragon Wars. Even more so with the Awakening completely changing the entire continent with magic, making the underground more dangerous and complex than ever before as they fight to reclaim what was lost in the name of their people that once ruled over it.

Stone Breakers are Dwarves that are loyal to their respective kingdoms, but it does not mean they will not help defend their own when the time is needed.