Beldain, The Cooling Iron

Beldain, The Cooling Iron, is the god of protection and the forge and often considered to be the first dwarf. They represent all that is made by idle hands and helped give the power of metallurgy and engineering to the early civilizations of Aorna.
Born from the boredom of Caedalin, The Artist, Beldain was created to be their companion and sibling. It is said that Caedalin reached deep into the soil of the Wellspring until they hit bedrock, then carved Beldain from that stone. As such, the Cooling Iron feels as though it is part of the earth itself and is most comfortable underground.
When Caedalin found a path to Aorna, it is said that Beldain constructed the bridge. Together, they walked across it, exploring this new land. Where Caedalin saw a palette to create with, Beldain saw materials to build with. They travelled through the tunnels beneath the world, followed by a cadre of their sibling's elves. Beldain would get to work, building a forge, hammering iron into powerful armor and shields, developing techniques and new tools as they worked.
But Beldain wanted a people of their own to share this with - and so they sculpted the thick rock to birth more dwarves. They started with ten, then fifty, then hundreds, all pulled from the ground and shaped to perfection.
As they worked, sharing what they had learned with the dwarves, becoming the greatest craftsman in all the universe, Beldain came to truly love Aorna - the way the stone curved, the way the minerals gleamed in their eyes, the way the metal warmed in the forge. That love for the world became a love for its most fervent protector: Ausalai, The First Seed. They made her a ring of diamond and silver and married her on a clifftop overlooking the ocean. Together, Beldain and Ausalai would build a family as strong as any iron shield, birthing three children: Hailla, The Warm Fire, Jimara, The Branching Lineage and Kemehea, The Eversprout.
Beldain has acted as the armorer in nearly every cosmic conflict, equipping the gods and their followers with powerful tools to defend themselves. When called to battle their self, The Cooling Iron will fiercely protect the life on Aorna, as well as the land itself.
They currently reside in The Wild Garden with Ausalai, managing a simple forge to build tools to maintain their joint creation.

Divine Domains

The Forge and Protection

Holy Books & Codes

While Beldain appears in many religious texts, they have none of their own. The techniques developed by the master of the forge have been passed down through oral traditions, from master to apprentice, since the beginning of time. Some may write down their personal style or craft, but there is not a singular place to find such information. When young priests of Beldain ask what to study, they are often thwacked on the head by their superiors and told to "Put their hands in the dirt for the answers."

Divine Symbols & Sigils

• A Golden Shield Lined With Diamonds
• A Shimmering Stone With A Spiral In The Center
• A Hammer And Tongs
• A Blade, Its Edge Glowing, Fresh From The Forge
• A Bear Rearing Back Onto Its Hind Legs
• A Stone Wall
• Unformed Clay

Tenets of Faith

1. The earth is alive, shimmering, ours to shape. 
2. We are what we build. The strength of our forge is our strength. 
3. With tools, we make our reality. 
4. Any fool can hammer a sword with a sharp edge, but the best of us hammers a shield to protect others. 

Holidays

• The Day of Making (39 Kemehena): A Dwarven high holiday, it is believed to be the moment that Caedalin, The Artist carved Beldain - their progenitor - from stone. It was the birth of the dwarves as a people. It is the day many dwarves choose to procreate. Those who don't pass around gifts of tools, such as hammers, tongs, hatchets and more. 
• Shield Day (11 Raeldesh): A day to honor the military, especially those who have died in defense of a nation and its ideals. Shield Day is often marked by placing a shield on ones door and attaching a burning candle to its center. While it is not a day to celebrate Beldain their self, many say prayers to the Cooling Iron and hope for their protection. 

Physical Description

Body Features

Beldain is depicted as a dwarf, short-in-stature, but broad and muscular. Their beard has been growing for an eternity and drags along the floor behind them, acting as a defacto apron. Their skin is made of thick stone, dark gray in color, and their eyes glow orange like metal fresh off the forge. 
Statues of Beldain often envision them with a hammer in one hand and a pair of tongs in the other. Sometimes, they raise the hammer in the air, ready to strike it to mold metal to the shape of their choosing. Beldain has also been seen in a more reverent pose, kneeling, reaching into the soil with their fingers, their eyes intent on the place where they came from. 
In battle, Beldain carries a golden shield so large that it blocks their entire body. They wield the same hammer they used to craft the shield in defense.

Divine Classification

God or Goddess

Religions

• Church of the Eternal Court

Church/Cult

Church of the Eternal Court

Pronouns

She / They / He