Iron Hands

The Iron Hands are an elite military unit within the Imperial Army of the Stahlheimian Empire, noted for their fearlessness and savage behavior when deployed in battle. Their name stems from the brutal and unique practice of severing their left hand upon initiation, replacing it with an iron replica that serves as a status symbol and aids them in combat. The iron hands that replace their own are made by master metallurgists and craftsmen from the capital of Stahlberg, functioning with flexible joints accessed by a series of buttons. The hands can be made to hold almost any object needed in battle, though their greatest benefit comes in that they can not be exposed like the shield arm of a normal man. Any strike against the iron will not resonate, and a closed fist of metal connecting with another will always be a devastating blow.

Men of the Iron Hand are often considered insane barbarians by their more civil and both-handed companions, though their effectiveness and ferocity in battle cannot be denied. The grizzly initiation process means that any man who joins cares little for risk or consequence, instead reveling in the thrill of battle and the glory that comes from it. They often lead the vanguard of an army, charging headlong into enemy pikes to break them apart, fully aware and nearly uncaring of the high chance of death that comes with such a duty. Despite objections to the unit's existence, continued success in battle makes them far too valuable to be disbanded. They are rarely deployed unless needed, for an understandably low number of willing recruits means they are few in number and expensive to field unless necessary for victory.