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The Dwarven Pantheon

The dwarves identify essentially the same seven gods as the other speaking peoples of Pethron, but they have their own names for them, their own depictions and their own ways of venerating them. The priestly leaders are very firm on the key points of dogma. Questioning the established ideas will lead to exclusion, suggesting alternative teachings will lead to ostracism and upholding alternative beliefs will lead to exile, excommunication or even execution for the worst heresies. The dwarves do not tolerate variety of belief.   Key tenants of the dwarven religious way include integration, the idea that both aspects of each god should be a part of life, equivalency, which holds that while different groups have different names, they are referring to the same seven gods and personality, the assertion that each of the seven gods is in a significant sense a "person", not a force or an aspect or a principle.   Dwarves generally believe that to be acceptable before the gods one should be loyal and diligent in one's duties to one's clan, and should be industrious in crafting works of beauty and utility from the resources of the earth (beauty in the eye of a dwarf may be different from other races). It is believed that sufficiently acceptable dwarves will go to a place called The Foundation after their death.    These are the Dwarven names for the gods:   Fennath The god of beginnings and endings (Life, Grave.) Symbol is a line with a clear start and finish. The dwarves typically depict a straight line, with a bar at each end.   Doch The god of growth and destruction (Nature, Death.) Symbol is a wheel that rises and falls in it’s cycle, with growth rising up one side, decay falling down the other.   Siege The god of peace and war (Order, War.) Symbol is a stone-block arch, as is typical of the front entrance to a dwarven stronghold.   Engon The god of truth and lies. (Knowledge, Trickery.) Symbol is a bronze mask with one half plated with silver. The silver-plated half represents lies (the obscuring of truth).   Blan The god of material power and ethereal power (Arcana, Forge.) Symbol is a closed fist with a closed eye upon it. Addresses both mental power and physical power.   Dunein The god of sun and storm (Light, Tempest.) Symbol is a golden disk over a black stormcloud.   Kalein The god of Duty and Loyalty (Protection (UA), plus the amonkhet four [Solidarity, Strength, Ambition, Zeal].) Clan leaders of the dwarves are called upon by Kalein to honour their duty to their people, and the people are called on to show loyalty to their clan.    Followers Lay people mostly have dealings with each of the gods, as needed. They make offerings or participate in ceremonies when their activities cross that god's particular domain. They may have more dealings with particular gods due to occupation (truth and lies for court officials, peace and war for soldiers) but this pantheon does not have the internal conflict seen in other worlds and people for the most part do not "follow" a particular god. Dwarves who live in strongholds, grouped by clans will typically have a shrine for each clan within the stronghold. The shrine will be integrated into the other core common rooms/buildings of the clan and will be used for the veneration of all seven gods. Priests are those who maintain the spaces, ceremonies and artifacts of the gods. Clerics are priests equipped and sent out to work under "adventurous circumstances", empowered by divine force as well as trained in armour and weaponry. On occasion one of the lay folk may come before the gods to swear a significant oath to uphold and pursue certain values. If the force of their conviction is sufficient that the gods respond by infusing them with divine power, that person is known as a Paladin.

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