Hollowhanded

The Hollowhanded are a secret society of smiths that can work exotic and rare materials found across Terragard. They are so named for their missing offhands, which have been replaced with a metal gauntlet with a large spherical hole in the palm, which is used when crafting their arms and armor.

The council's existence must remain a secret, for several members who were found out have been tortured and killed in an attempt to coerce them into using their abilities to create items for people with ill intentions. When a member dies, there is usually a replacement ready to be promoted into the ranks of the Hollowhanded, though they usually dont know it until they're presented with the opportunity, and almost never refuse.

Hollowhanded are not permitted to smith at all, but are encouraged to teach, and each member has at least one apprentice, sometimes many. Each member is required to feign senility, injury, or disinterest to not let on that they even can smith anymore, to make it easier to keep their secret.

Structure
There are 4 Hollowhanded at any given point in time, they form the Hollowhanded Council. This council must approve unanimously every person who is told of their abilities or existence, and again for any item that is granted or forged for a potential recipient.

There is only one individual who can command and veto the council - and that is their teacher, the Ancient Brass Dragon Tharos the Keeper. Tharos was a dragon of great wisdom and first taught dwarves to smith these materials ages ago, but led to widespread destruction after such weapons and armor made its way into the wrong hands. Tharos now knows secrecy and caution is the only way to grant these items to those who truly need them.

Goals
To grant legendary quality weapons arms and armor to only those who need them. To keep the knowledge of forging Dragonglass and other exotic and rare materials into instruments of war alive through the ages without it falling into the wrong hands, or causing widespread destruction.

Limits
The hollowhanded will not admit to their existence nor to their membership to anyone - unless it has been approved by all members of the council. The council memebers have sworn to die before admitting to this group's existence or its abilities against the council's will.

History
Only once has an apprentice denied a seat on the council after his master's death at the hands of a criminal cartel, and in so refusing he had to choose between exile or silence. He chose silence, and is now Thevrad the Silent, but still smiths somewhere in Terragard.

Tharos the Keeper has only had to veto the council once, in order to have a weapon granted to an evil-aligned warrior, Karver, who was to slay his master. Tharos only approved the forging of a dragonglass greatsword because he knew of the warrior's true nature - he was a Revenant seeking to fulfill his purpose before his soul would pass on to the afterlife. Tharos trusted in the warrior's ability to carry out his task successfully, and knew any damage he could do with the weapon during his mission paled in comparison to his master's ultimate plans.