Moradin

Soul Forger, Dwarf-father, the All-Father, the Creator, the Maker

Moradin is the chief deity of the Dwarves.
Moradin appears as a stern male dwarf twenty feet in height. He has powerful musculature, particularly in his upper body. His beard is long and flowing, reaching to his knees; it is depicted as either snow-white or coal-black. Moradin dresses plainly, wearing furs and the leather leggings and aprons of a humble smith. On his forearms are his only concession to vanity, a pair of pure gold bracers. In battle he wears dwarven plate and carries a large shield. His large, glowing war hammer is named Soulhammer. A pure white radiance of divine power radiates from the Dwarf-father, though he can suppress this at will.
Temples to Moradin are always underground and carved from solid rock, but never set in unworked natural caverns. Hammers and anvils, the symbols of Moradin, are the dominant themes, as are statues of Moradin All-Father.
At the centre of every temple to Moradin is a vast forge. This forge is more than just a workplace but also a telinom, a sacred area. Dwarven forges rely not only on hammers and muscle but also on power derived from water and wind, thus fusing all four of the classical elements. If the flame in the forge (which is protected by a permanent wall of fire effect) ever goes out, the temple must be abandoned or torn down stone by stone. Usually a new temple is built on another site, but occasionally the previous temple is rebuilt and reconsecrated.

Divine Domains

Creation, Earth, Good, Law, and Protection.

Holy Books & Codes

The Scrolls of Narvil tell a heretical story of how, after forging the world, the gods, and the Dwarves, the Creator became weary and slept. Some of the lesser gods, jealous of his skill, bound him as he rested, then heated up the Great Forge of the Creator to make races in their own likenesses: Humans, for example, and Elves. Then they begun arguing over what part of the world would be given to which race; their clamour awoke the Creator, but the lesser gods laughed at him and refused to set him free. However, the lesser gods did not know how to control the Great Forge, and great globules of molten stone fell from the Forge toward the lands; the Creator breathed on them from his place of bondage, giving life to the fragments and thus creating the first Dragons.

Divine Symbols & Sigils

Moradin's symbol is a flaming anvil; most clerics of Moradin carry a miniature electrum war hammer, often magically treated.

Tenets of Faith

Dwarves believe that Moradin is the father and creator of the dwarven race and, in many myths, creator of the entire universe. They teach that ceaseless toil and labour are the only fit occupations for a worthy soul. Fire tempers spirits, and wisdom comes from hard work. One must strive to forge strength within. Truth is buried deeper than ore in a mountain, and most of it is slag. Dwarves are expected to honour their god by improving their skills and founding new dwarven lands. They are told to honour the leaders of their clan just as they honour Moradin. They are taught the importance of following tradition and traditional ways.
Worshippers of Moradin believe in reincarnation, knowing that after proving themselves worthy that their souls are reforged in Moradin's forge and sent back into the world of the living.
Moradin charges his followers with defending dwarven civilisation and its ancient traditions. To them falls the task of removing the dwarven kingdoms of orcs and wiping out the followers of Gruumsh. He is upset if they flee from their foes or kill their fellow dwarves.
Dwarven sorcerers are considered blessed by Moradin; their abilities are thus divinely granted.
Moradin's clerics wear earthy colours, with chain mail and silvered helms. Ceremonial vestments include shining, flowing robes of woven electrum wire, silvered helms, and earth-brown leather boots. His clerics are usually drawn from family lines, like most dwarven occupations. Many clerics of Moradin thus had parents and grandparents who were also clerics of Moradin and helped train them.
Novice clerics of Moradin are known as the Unworked. Full priests are known as Forgesmiths or the Tempered. In ascending order of rank, other titles used by priests of Moradin include: Adept of the Anvil, Hammer of War, Artisan of the Forge, Craftsman of Runes, Artificer of Discovery, and Smith of Souls. The High Old Ones of the faith have unique titles but are collectively known as High Forgesmiths.
Priests of Moradin seek to increase the status of dwarves in the lands. They preside over a wide range of formal ceremonies and maintain genealogies and historical archives.
Their favoured weapon is the war hammer.
The Hammers of Moradin are an elite military order dominated by crusaders and fighting clerics with chapters in nearly every dwarven stronghold and members drawn from every dwarven clan. The Hammers serve both as commanders of dwarven armies and as an elite strike force skilled in dealing with anything from large groups of orcs to great wyrms to malevolent fiends from the Lower Planes.
The order is dedicated to the defence of existing dwarven holdings and the carving out of new dwarven territories. Individual chapters have a great deal of local autonomy but, in times of great crisis, a Grand Council (the reigning monarchs and senior Hammers of the affected region) assemble to plot strategy and divine Moradin's will.
Another elite military order of Moradin is the Order of the Anvil of Light. which has been led by Barock Stormbeard of the Stormbeard clan for ages.
On the monthly holy days, common and precious metals are sacrificed to Moradin by melting them down at the forge and reforming them into objects usable by the clergy. While making such offerings, participants kneel, chant, and reach bare-handed into the flames of the forge to handle the glowing metal directly. Moradin prevents harm to the truly faithful.
During such ceremonies, the priests enter the temple, bow to the forge, and (in times of peace) surrender their weapons to the temple guards after striking the anvil by the entry with their hammers once. Priests of other gods are not permitted to advance to the forge except with the express permission of a High Forgesmith or an avatar of Moradin himself. The service then consists of humble prayer and open discussion on current dwarven issues. This discussion is considered to be between equals, though the ranking priest of Moradin has the authority to open or close any given topic. The service ends with a rising chant until the smith's hammer rises from the anvil of its own accord; it may, or may not, then move about or glow to denote the god's will, but it always rings on the anvil thunderously to signify the end of the ceremony.
Moradin's prayers refer to metals and smithing: a common prayer to Moradin states "You burn the dross from me, but the iron remains." Genealogy is important to Moradin's rites, with funeral prayers reciting the ancestry of the deceased for hundreds of generations.

Holidays

Moradin's holy days fall monthly; this is normally when Luna is full. In addition, any High Forgesmith may call a holy day at any time, often doing so in celebration of some local event.

Divine Classification

God.

Religions

• Koldor Dwarf Clans

Alignment

Lawful Good

Gender

Male

Related Myths

• The Forging of the Dwarves

Moradin's Symbol by Mike Schely