The Gods of the Dwarves

Moradin

Moradin is the patron of judgement and justice, as well as of dwarven traditions and the preservation of history. Craftsdwarfship and pride in a job well done is also part of his dogma, and his servants are tasked with both the protection and expansion of dwarven domains. Moradin also demands that his priests seek out and uproot the worship of Gruumsh and Maglubiyet wherever they find it, for they are his hated enemies.

A harsh but fair judge, Moradin is strength and force of will embodied. He is held in dwarven myths to have been incarnated from rock, stone, and metal, and that his soul an ember of fire. It is said he forged the first dwarves from metals and gems and breathed souls into them when he blew on his creations to cool them.

Specialty Priests

The dwarves who dedicate themselves to Moradin directly are known as Forge-Priests. Usually, they are those who wish to bring good to the world and execute the will of the gods directly. They must spend many years in meditation and preparation, learning secret canticles and rites and dedicating themselves wholly to their god, but if they are devout they can eventually expect to be granted the divine gift of their god, becoming clerics so that they may do the good work of their god in the world. Clerics of Moradin occupy one of the most respectable positions in dwarvish society.

Professional Edge: Deep Lore
Requirements: Novice, Arcane Background (Miracles), Priest of Moradin, Faith d6+, Common Knowledge d6+

Those who dedicate themselves to Moradin sometimes cultivate a deep connection to the ancient ancestral memories of their people. This effectively connects their own minds to the entire history of dwarven civilisation wherever Moradin is worshiped - even on other planes. However, their access to it is imperfect and sometimes hazy. This Edge expands the Common Knowledge skill to include anything which has affected dwarvenkind in the past, although it still does not include specific topics that would be covered by skills such as Academics or Science.

The Craft Gods

The dwarven Craft-Gods are numerous, and a dwarven city is usually bristling with temples and places of worship dedicated to the many, many Craft-Gods that the dwarves revere. Non-dwarven scholars find the number of gods worshipped by the dwarves bewildering and confusing, but it has been estimated that at least 100 deities of specific crafts are worshiped in the dwarven pantheon.

Those who dedicate themselves entirely to the mysteries of one craft and its associated deity are the Runepriests, and they must be craftsdwarves of great skill before they can even begin their priestly instruction. To become a runepriest of the masonry-god, for example, you must be a truly extraordinary mason. When a craftsdwarf believes that they are ready to learn the mysteries of their order, they enter into the priesthood for a period of 3 years and are initiated into the divine mysteries.

The Runepriests continue to hone their craft after their initiation, dedicating themselves to the creation of masterworks. However, they no longer work for themselves or their clan, but for the veneration of the gods. They learn secret runes and rituals that allow them to imbue their works with powerful divine magic. They are also subject to the Mood, a state of divine inspiration sent by their patron gods. Under the influence of this holy madness, they can produce artifacts of great power for the betterment of dwarvenkind.