Cinderthralls

Cinderthralls: The poor wretches that make up the Cinderthralls are mostly promising captives taken alive to serve the Ironbound. When a Forgefire Belcher is slain, whomever made the killing blow is marked by soulcinder, these skilled mortals are kept alive, if possible in the heat of battle. This is no mercy, for the Ironbound take these skilled fighters prisoner and weld rudimentary armaments to their flesh and send them into the front ranks of the most grievous battles. Those who survive their first battle as a Cinderthrall are elevated to the ranks of the Aspirants, not many do.  Worse than even the wretches forced into service are those witless mortals who seek out the Ironbound, these mortals are tested in combat as a Cinderthrall, given the same opportunity, survive and be elevated or die and become fuel.