Thard Harr

Lord of the Jungle Deeps, Disentangler

When faced with the tattooed, pot-bellied Thard Harr (thard harr) - an obscure, feral creature wearing an ornate copper helm fashioned in the shape of a crocodile's head—few would suspect they upon a member of the Morndinsamman. Though distanced from his kin both emotionally and geographically, Thard Harr nonetheless shares the blood of Moradin. Patron of the wild dwarves who inhabit the jungles of Faerün (notably Chult), Thard Harr protects his charges from the marauding of wild beasts, the rampages of hungry dinosaurs, and the unwanted incursions of outlanders
Thard Harr (THARD HAHRR) is the protector of wild dwarves (also known as jungle dwarves), aiding them against intruders and marauding beasts. The Lord of the Jungle Deeps is revered only by dur Authalar (the People) as the wild dwarves of the jungles of Faerun refer to themselves. Some hunters of other races and alignments operating in jungle areas look to the Disentangler for guidance as well, but they have little to do with the mainstream of Thard's faith or with wild dwarven society.
The Lord of the Jungle Deeps maintains friendly, but distant, relations with most of the other members of the Morndinsamman, but he is far removed from the concerns of dwarven life, at least as expressed by the gold and shield dwarf cultures of Faerun. Sharindlar and Dumathoin are probably the only dwarven powers to interact with Thard on a regular basis, the former for her interest in the rampant fertility of the jungle and the latter for his oversight of the albino shield dwarves of Chult who come into occasional contact with their wild kinfolk.
Thard has forged alliances and developed hatreds for many of the other powers whose worshipers dwell or have dwelt in the jungles of southern Faerun. Notable allies include Jazirian, lord of the couatl, and Ubtao, Father of the Dinosaurs, Founder of Mezro, and god of the Tabaxi. The Disentangler's most notable foes include Eshowdow the Shadow Giant, Ubtao's antithesis and lord of the Eshowe (jungle humans), Sseth the Great Snake, god of the yuan-ti, and Kuro (Khurgorbaeyag), the most widely worshiped god of the Batiri (jungle goblins). Finally, although they are not true powers in their own right, Thard has forged close relationships with many of the Animal Lords who also dwell in the Beastlands.
Thard seldom speaks, but he has been known to purr, growl, snarl, and roar like a great cat. He is given to great swings of emotion and grand gestures. The Disentangler has no tolerance for pretentious behavior, civilization, or social constraints of any sort. He seldom appears in the Realms, preferring to roam the Beastlands, aiding his worshipers by manifestations instead.
The Lord of the Jungle Deeps lives on the Forbidden Plateau, where Ubtao has his secondary realm, but he also loves to wander the three layers of the Beastlands, constantly stalking the beasts that dwell there and frolicking with them, running as one of them rather than preying upon them.
Thard's clerics and druids, known as vuddor ("those of the jungle") enjoy a position of reverence in their sheltered homeland, The worship of Thard Harr is so deeply ingrained in wild dwarf society that few even consider the possibility of other religions. Though gold dwarves of the south (especially those dwelling near the ruins of High Shanatar) remember ancestors' tales of Thard as a lost dwarven nature deity, most wild dwarves remain completely ignorant of the rest of the failing Morndinsamman, a failing Thard does nothing to ameliorate. Vuddor lead their charges on prosperous hunts, act as generals for the loosely organized armies of the wild dwarves, and speak for the society as a whole. Thard sponsors no formal temples, instead instructing his followers to treat locations of great natural beauty (such as volcanic flats, natural gardens, or waterfalls) as his halls of Worship.
Vuddar pray for spells in the morning. On the nights of full or new moons, the highest-ranking cleric of Thard Harr in the region formally together numerous hunting bands, and the resulting chanting, drumming, and screams are enough to frighten off even the most desperate interloper. At such gatherings, the dwarves offer up blood sacrifices of captured dinosaurs or intruders (some of the more isolated tribes occasionally sacrifice unfortunate good humans in this manner, and while Thard disapproves of this he has done nothing to communicate' disfavor to his charges). Such sacrifices are nearly always consumed by the participants in an effort to achieve closeness with their godly benefactor.

Divine Domains

Nature

Divine Symbols & Sigils

Two crossed scaly clawed gauntlets of silvery-blue metal

Tenets of Faith

The jungle is the fullest expression of the earth, the wind, the sun, and the rains. Live in harmony with nature under the wise and benevolent protection of the Lord of the Jungle Deeps. Outsiders seek to pillage and destroy, and their unnatural ways bring misery. Like the great tigers of the jungle, be strong and wary of beasts, whether they walk on two legs or four. Seek to understand that which you do not, but be wary of bringing unknown gifts into your lair. Be one with nature-live neither against it nor apart from it. Honor the ways of your people, but assume not that Thard's way is the only way-just the best way for his children.

Holidays

Ceremonies venerating the Lord of the Jungle Deeps are held on nights of the full and new moon. On such occasions, several hunting bands come together under the direction of one or more priests of Thard. The drums and chants of the wild dwarves then echo throughout the jungle, striking terror in the hearts of intelligent beings and beasts alike. Whenever the moon is full, and often when the moon is new, blood sacrifices of beasts and/or intruders are offered up to the Lord of the Jungle Deeps. Although they are not cannibals and do not usually eat intelligent beings, the assembled wild dwarves then often eat the still-warm sacrifice, regardless of its species.

Divine Goals & Aspirations

Day-to-Day Activities

Priests of Thard represent the Lord of the Jungle Deeps, protecting dur Authalar with powers given to them by the god and leading them on prosperous hunts and careful explorations. They are the leaders and generals of, and speakers for, their people.
The responsibility for eliminating persistent intruders (unless dwarven) into wild dwarven territory falls to the Disentangler's priests, and they are expected to lead such attacks as fearlessly and diligently as Thard himself. If a foe is too strong, a priest tries to mentally call Thard himself to the scene, and the Lord of the Jungle Deeps often responds by either sending a manifestation, or in very rare situations, by dispatching an avatar to deal with the threat directly.
Thard's wisdom teaches that one can best defeat an enemy that one knows well. Seasoned wild dwarves try to capture at least one intruder alive for questioning, before sacrificial use. If sparing the intruder seems likely to bring possible future benefits to the dwarves, they do so. Jungle dwarves are interested in trademetal, glass objects, and tools-in return for pelts, meat, or even live beasts. They conduct trade so long as they can conduct it on territory of their choosing, to set up traps and ambushes to guard against treachery under the direction of priests of Thard.

Priestly Vestments

Priests of Thard bear the god's crossed gauntlets sign as a tattoo, usually on one shoulder or on the scalp, overgrown by their hair. Priests of Thard never cut their beards (even the females), but instead braid them into ropes that they tie around their waists or shoulders. If an enemy or beast cuts a priest's beard, there is no penalty; if it is done by the priest himself or herself, it is a sign that she or he is turning away from Thard's service and can no longer expect aid from the god. The skull of a large jungle beast, such as a rhinoceros, great cat, or giant crocodile is worn as a helm. For ceremonial purposes, the pelts or skins of jungle monsters are worn as robes. The holy symbol of the faith is the tattoo of the Disentangler's symbol each priest bears. When a ritual would normally require a priest to present his holy symbol, it is sufficient for a priest of Thard to simply cross his forearms at the wrists several inches in front of his chest.

Adventuring Garb

Like other wild dwarves, the Disentangler's priests rarely don clothing, with the exception of their beast helms, as their long, woven hair serves as adequate garb. They cover their bodies with tattoos and grease. The grease serves to keep off insects and makes them hard to hold (AC 8). When going to war, priests of the Disentangler plaster their hair and bodies with mud that, when combined with the grease they normally coat their bodies in, forms a crude but effective armor. Thard's priests favor metal weapons and tools, if available, but otherwise they employ their fists, clubs, and the claws of Thard Harr (see below).

Social

Contacts & Relations

Aside from infrequent visits by Sharindlar and Dumathoin. Thard Harr shares almost no relationship with the children of Moradin. On such rare occasions as the entire pantheon is drawn together, Thard Harr alienates more than he befriends. not least because he refuses to speak, instead communicating through a bizarre series of animal calls and physical gestures He vastly prefers the. company of other nature-minded deities such as Ubtao, Nobanion, and Uthgar. Thard is a sworn enemy of Shar who acts in Chult under the name of Eshowdow (a shadow deity she absorbed) and a dozen other jungle deities and demons seldom noticed by the civilized inhabitant of Faerün.

Symbol: Two crossed scaly clawed gauntlets of silvery:blue metal
Home plane: Dwarfhome, Krigala/The Forbidden Plateau
Alignment: Chaotic good
Portfolio: Wild dwarves, jungle survival, hunting
Worshipers: Druids, inhabitants of jungles rangers wild dwarves
Cleric Alignments: CG,CN, NG
Domains: Nature
Favored Weapon: Clawed gauntlet (spiked gauntlet)
SUPERIOR: Moradin
ALLIES: Baervan Wildwanderer, Cyrrollalee, Jazirian, the Morndinsamman (except Abbathor, Deep Duerra, and Laduguer), Nobanion, Ubtao, various Animal Lords
FOES: Deep Duerra, Eshowdow, Laduguer, Sseth, Urdlen, the goblin pantheon

Divine Classification

Lesser Power

Aligned Organization

The Morndinsamman