> [!infobox]+ Moradin > > <div class="infobox-coat-of-arms"> > <div style="text-align: center; padding: 5px;"> > <div class="character-name-container"><div class="character-main-name">Moradin</div><div class="character-epithet">the All-Hammer</div></div> > </div> > </div> > <div style="text-align: center; padding: 0.2em;"> > <img src="MoradinSymbol.png" alt="Moradin" style="max-width: 250px; height: auto;" class="internal-image"> > </div> > <table class="infobox-table"> > <tr><td class="infobox-label">Province</td><td class="infobox-data">God of Craft, Creation and Family, Patron deity of the <a href="Dwarves.md" class="internal-link">Dwarves</a></td></tr> > <tr><td class="infobox-label">Alignment</td><td class="infobox-data">Lawful Good</td></tr> > <tr><td class="infobox-label">Symbol</td><td class="infobox-data">A hammer with its ends carved in the likeness of dwarven heads</td></tr> > <tr><td class="infobox-label">Holy Day</td><td class="infobox-data">Deep Solace, 18^th Heatswrath</td></tr> > <tr><td class="infobox-label">Type</td><td class="infobox-data">Greater <a href="Deities.md" class="internal-link">Deity</a></td></tr> > <tr><td class="infobox-label">Home Plane</td><td class="infobox-data">The soul forges of Erackinor, deep beneath the slopes of Solania in <a href="Celestia.md" class="internal-link">Celestia</a></td></tr> > <tr><td class="infobox-label">Divine Champion</td><td class="infobox-data"><em>None</em></td></tr> > </table> ### About Moradin, the All-Hammer, is the greater god of craft, creation and family, and the creator and patron of the [[Dwarves]]. He is worshipped by smiths, artisans and miners alike, granting inspiration in exchange for respect and prayer, and stands as the protector of home, hearth and clan. In the [[Age of Founding]] he shaped the mountains from the chaos of the young world, and it is within those mountains that his people have dwelt ever since. Devotion to the All-Hammer is strongest in dwarven communities, where a temple to Moradin so often marks the very heart of a mighty stronghold. He dwells within the soul forges of Erackinor, a vast tunnelled mansion deep beneath the slopes of Solania on the plane of [[Celestia]]. Among his people, Moradin is remembered above all for what he gave to save them. In the [[Dawn-War]], the All-Hammer dragged the Betrayer God [[Torog]] to the borders of the [[Far Realm]] with his own hands, and the wound he took in doing so, of both body and mind, has never left him. More than three thousand years later, it is said that the pain of that realm still weighs upon him, too much even for a greater deity to shake. To the [[Dwarves]], that wound is a symbol of their god's devotion, the price he willingly paid so that his children might live. ### Depiction Images of Moradin can be found in guild halls, workshops and forges across [[Aeborhia]]. He is shown as a stout, hardy-looking [[Dwarves|dwarf]] of immense strength, his long braided beard set with clasps of worked metal, and his face both kind and powerful. Most often he is depicted hunched over a flaming heart clasped within his massive hands. Some older dwarven carvings also show a shadowed scar across his brow, a mark of the wound he took at the borders of the [[Far Realm]]. ### Divine Domains Moradin's clerics are most often granted powers of the Forge, Knowledge or War. ### Holy Day Moradin's holy day is Deep Solace, celebrated on the 18^th of Heatswrath. Especially devout followers of the All-Hammer spend the day in isolation, meditating on the meaning of family and how they may be better mothers, fathers, siblings and children. The dwarven community of [[Brazenthrone]] celebrates with a full day of feasting and drinking, while in [[Khaztharim]] the day is one of learning, with smiths taking on new apprentices and swearing holy vows to Moradin to pass on their knowledge. Deep Solace is also the day on which the greatest works of dwarven craft are made. It is believed that every master smith may create a single masterpiece in their lifetime, one item of great power, and that the All-Hammer sends them visions of it for years before it is ever forged. When at last the smith is ready, the work is begun on Deep Solace. Many of the most famous magical artefacts of [[Aeborhia]] are said to have been made in this way. ### Commandments of Moradin - Remain stoic and tenacious in the face of catastrophe. - Uphold and promote loyalty to your family, loyalty to your clan, and loyalty to your people. - Legacy is paramount. To create something that lasts is to change the world for the better. ### The Runes of Moradin Runesmithing is an ancient dwarven art in which runes of power are worked into weapons and armour during their forging, granting them enchantments that last as long as the steel itself. The Runes of Moradin are among the oldest secrets of the [[Dwarves]]. In the [[Age of Founding]], the All-Hammer taught them in person to each of his champions, and they have been handed down from smith to apprentice ever since. Today the knowledge comes only through visions from Moradin, and few runesmiths remain in [[Aeborhia]]. The last widely known master of the craft was the All-Hammer's most recent champion, [[Thuldar Hammerforge]] of [[Brazenthrone]]. ### History - #### The Age of Founding In the [[Age of Founding]], Moradin shaped the mountains from the chaos of the young world and created the [[Dwarves]] to dwell within them. [[Erathis]] watched over his creations and planted within them the seeds of civilisation, and with the Lawbearer's blessing the [[Dwarves]] invented great machines to combat the never-ending wrath of the [[Primordials]]. The All-Hammer walked among his people in those days, teaching his champions the Runes of Moradin in person. When the [[Betrayer Gods]] turned against the Pantheon in the [[Age of Founding|Schism]], Moradin fought alongside his kin, yet unlike many of the gods he banished none of the Betrayers. His war was fought far below the surface, where he and his [[Dwarves]] battled the [[Primordials]] in the depths beneath the great dwarven strongholds, holding the deep places of the world against them. - #### The Age of Arcanum With the last of the [[Primordials]] banished at the dawn of the [[Age of Arcanum]], the dwarven holds flourished. While the arcane cities rose into the skies, the [[Dwarves]] delved deeper, their forges and halls growing in wealth and craft under the All-Hammer's guidance. - #### The Dawn-War When the [[Betrayer Gods]] were released at the start of the [[Dawn-War]], Moradin took to the field once more. Alongside [[Pelor]], he led the all-out assault on [[Zur-Irqaz]], the colossal mountain fortress of the [[Betrayer Gods]] in [[Vangrallag]], one of the most devastating battles of the war. Thousands of warriors, demons and many of [[Pelor|Pelor's]] [[Pelor's Swords|Swords]] fell before its walls. By its end, three of the [[Betrayer Gods]] were banished: [[Bane]] cast into [[Acheron]], [[Torog]] bound to the borders of the [[Far Realm]], and [[Zehir]] hurled into the [[Astral Sea]]. It was Moradin's mighty hammer that broke [[Bane|Bane's]] armour, smashing his breastplate into a thousand pieces that scattered across [[Aeborhia|the world]], and leaving the Strife Emperor open for [[Pelor]] to cast him into [[Acheron]]. As the fortress fell, [[Torog]], the Crawling King, tried to flee the battle. Moradin and his [[Dwarves]] pursued him, and when at last they caught him, the All-Hammer physically dragged the Betrayer God into the borders of the [[Far Realm]], binding him there. The ordeal left Moradin grievously wounded in both body and mind, and though [[Pelor]] fought on, Moradin would not return to the field for the remainder of the war. - #### Post Dawn-War At the end of the [[Dawn-War]], Moradin left the [[Material Plane]] along with the rest of the Pantheon in the [[Divergence]]. Since then, he has reached his people through visions, granted to his champions and to the master smiths who will one day forge their masterpieces. The wound he took at the borders of the [[Far Realm]] has long since healed in body, but the mental toll of that realm still pains him to this day. The All-Hammer's most recent champion was [[Thuldar Hammerforge]], a runesmith of [[Brazenthrone]] and the last widely known master of the Runes of Moradin. Thuldar fought alongside [[Group 8274]] and was one of three divine champions living in [[Rexsall]] at the time, alongside [[Arjal Goldstein]], the champion of [[Bahamut]], and Raven, the champion of the Raven Queen. He fell in the [[Battle of Rexsall]] on the 7^th of Snowmoot, 3036 PD. Having died in battle and at peace, his soul did not return, and Moradin has named no new champion since. ### Modern Worship of Moradin Moradin is worshipped wherever the [[Dwarves]] make their homes, and by smiths, artisans and miners of every race. His faith is strongest in [[Demolduhr]], where he is worshipped alongside [[Avandra]]. In the dwarven capital of [[Khaztharim]] stands the Hall of Moradin, a great temple to the All-Hammer whose walls record, in letters of mithral, the names and deeds of every one of his champions since the first. The forges of the city burn day and night, fed by the fires of the Deepheart Vent. The fortress-city of [[Tholgrast]], known for its stoneguard warriors and gemcutters, is no less devoted. Beyond [[Demolduhr]], the dwarves of [[Brazenthrone]] near [[Rexsall]] hold the All-Hammer as their patron, and in the [[Bartoix Swamp]] most now worship Moradin alongside [[Erathis]], aiming to build a civilisation founded on hard work. In [[Aekacira (Country)|Aekacira]], [[Zhavrin's Gate]] has its own temple to Moradin, kept by the young Brother Odric Flintmantle. ### Known Worshippers of Moradin #### Champions - [[Thuldar Hammerforge]] † - Champion of Moradin and master runesmith of [[Brazenthrone]]. Fell in the [[Battle of Rexsall]] in 3036 PD. #### Other Worshippers - [[Torlyn Hammerforge]] - Widow of [[Thuldar Hammerforge|Thuldar]], living in [[Brazenthrone]]. - [[Vokdun Lightguard|King Vokdun Lightguard]] - King of [[Brazenthrone]]. - [[Zane Lightguard|Prince Zane Lightguard]] - Second son of [[Vokdun Lightguard|King Vokdun]] and heir to [[Brazenthrone]]. - Lord Dhorgrym Deepmantle - Lord of [[Khaztharim]]. - Lord Vorynn Duskhollow - Lord of [[Tholgrast]]. - [[Johnny Smith]] - Head smith of [[Castle Zhavrin]]. - Brother Odric Flintmantle - Priest of Moradin in [[Zhavrin's Gate]]. - Graham and Mabel Pewterquill - Owners of an ink shop in [[Zhavrin's Gate]]. - Bron Stonewell - A war cleric of Moradin from [[Briarhearth]]. - Brogan Ironhearth - Master smith of Ironhearth & Sons, the largest forge on Foundry Row in [[Kraesuine]]. - Thessa Stonehammer - Smith of Stonehammer Forge on Foundry Row in [[Kraesuine]]. - Doreth Ironband - Jeweller on Foundry Row in [[Kraesuine]]. - Elyra Rivetborn - Smith of Hearth & Rivet in [[Reedmere]]. - Brogan Stoneaxe - A dwarven warrior of renowned strength.