The Poor Friars of St. Keldam the Good

The Order of Draco Beneficarius, or the Poor Friars of St. Keldam the Good

A religious order of Dwarden existing outside the rule of the Order of the Beleaguered Shield, St. Keldam was a humble farmer of the Markan Hills, in Malenmar Valley from the village of Wetham, who was converted to the Faith by St. Yathamian himself. St. Yathamian put the copper dragon that lived near there to sleep, and magically healed the fields of wheat and the vineyards from the kobold's poisons. Keldam learned from Yathamian much of Mandador in agriculture, and with this knowledge planted apple orchards that are considered the best in the world.

St. Keldam built a religious community of peace and happiness outside of Wetham, and it was protected by its own knight, the Blessed Paladin Anthor and his sons. When war came and the sons of Anthor went away, a new copper dragon appeared, and enjoyed playing cruel and elaborate jokes upon the community, which soon ruined crops and destroyed lives. The callous dragon refused to stop his malignant games, and slew warriors who dared to come and stop him with swords. So St. Keldam came, and converted the dragon with divinely granted cleverness, and he soon fought away the kobolds and monsters, and there was peace for many years throughout that area of the Markan Hills.

St. Keldam himself was martyred by the Rook Knight, but still appears as the Autumn Saint, appearing for harvests and for new beginnings. The copper dragon destroyed the Rookery, but was himself slain by the Rook Knight, but not before burning the Rook Knight and causing him to flee from the Markan Hills.

The order still exists, and is ruled by an abbot still outside of Wetham. The order of Draco Beneficarius is protected by the Knight of Wetham, who still wears the blessed copper scales of the dragon that once defended those people. The Knight of Wetham also bears one of the holy avengers of Dwarden, the so-called Summer Sword, given to the Abbot by Blessed Theylayn the Paladin-Bard, fleeing from the cloud giant warriors in the early days of the rise of the Black Crown.