Callarduran Smoothhands (KAL-ur-duhr-an)
Callarduran Smoothhands, known as the deep brother, is a Gnome deity who maintains a neutral stance. He tends to solitude and contemplation, seldom interacting with other Gnome gods. As a benevolent but reserved deity, his concerns lie solely with the protection of his people from threats such as the drow and other perils lurking in the depths of the Underdark.
Divine Symbols & Sigils
Clergy, Temples and Worshippers
The organization of Callarduran's church is tightly knit, fostering information sharing among clans and cities alike to combat the perpetual dangers faced by their homeland, notably the drow. The clergy of Callarduran remain ever vigilant against drow incursions into deep gnome territories, often leading small war bands in preemptive strikes against these threats before they can turn against nearby svirfneblin enclaves. These clerics also serve as instructors in magic, particularly specializing in illusion, and actively disseminate such knowledge within their communities. Prayers for spells are offered at twilight, symbolizing the figurative sinking of the sun into the earth. Callarduran's worship primarily revolves around the svirfneblin, who revere him as their protector and the master of earth and its riches. Within svirfneblin society, male members, typically miners, warriors, and mages, are most closely associated with his teachings. Despite their esteemed position among the deep gnomes, Callarduran's priests are relatively unknown beyond the Underdark cities of the svirfneblin, especially among other gnome subraces. Revered for their wise counsel and unwavering dedication to protecting their kin, these priests are viewed with apprehension by the drow, who reciprocate with retaliatory actions whenever possible. Similarly, other malevolent Underdark races regard this cult as a threat to their interests, a testament to the effectiveness of the priesthood in safeguarding svirfneblin communities and mines. Priests devoted to Callarduran act as guardians and defenders of their community, often leading war bands in preemptive strikes against nearby threats, particularly the drow. Additionally, they serve as educators in magical arts, specializing in illusion and elemental magic, and actively work to disseminate knowledge of new spells and magical items within svirfneblin communities.Priestly Vestments
The ritual attire of Callarduran's clergy consists of understated, slate-gray robes embellished with small gems of various colors, with a preference for red. They wear circlets of silver or mithral on their heads and steel sandals on their feet. The faith's holy symbol is embodied by a ruby, the size of which signifies the bearer's rank within the church hierarchy. The most esteemed priests distinguish themselves by using star rubies as their holy symbols. For combat or exploratory endeavors, Callarduran's priests opt for leather armor reinforced with mithral rings or scales, layered over delicate chain mail. Their arsenal includes battle axes, picks, daggers, and stun darts, complemented by crystal caltrops designed to emit a potent sleep gas upon being crushed.Hierarchy
The majority of Callarduran's clergy comprises deep gnomes. Initiates of Callarduran are referred to as the Unworked, while fully ordained priests of the Deep Brother are titled as the Smoothed. The hierarchy within the priesthood progresses through ranks denoted as First Facet, Second Facet, Third Facet, Fourth Facet, Fifth Facet, Sixth Facet, Seventh Facet, and Eighth Facet, with distinguished members holding personalized titles. Those specialized in the sacred rites of the earth deity are recognized as Earthbloods.Temples
The sanctuaries dedicated to the Deep Brother are nestled within natural caves that have been meticulously smoothed over centuries by the devout hands of Callarduran's priests, who laboriously polished the rough surfaces with their own hands. At the heart of these underground sanctuaries stands a stalagmite altar, which is not only shaped from the ground by magical manipulation but also adorned with numerous small rubies. This central feature mirrors the legendary massive stone through which the Deep Brother commands earth elementals, embodying significant magical energies drawn from the Elemental Plane of Earth.Tenets of Faith
- Follow Callarduran into the earth's depths to uncover the hidden wonders of rubies and gems.
- Remain alert to the threats of the underdark, especially from the drow, who unjustly take what isn't theirs.
- Prioritize the welfare and defense of your community above all else.
- Value and celebrate the natural beauty and utility of minerals and gems, appreciating their role in crafting, art, and magic.
Holidays
Fesitval of the Ruby
Devotees of Callarduran gather at dusk on the Summer Solstice and at the stroke of midnight on the Winter Solstice to honor their deity through the dual celebrations known as the Festivals of the Ruby and the Star. The Festival of the Ruby commemorates the deity's act of concealing rubies and other precious stones within the earth's bowels for the deep gnomes to discover. This act is depicted in svirfneblin lore through the saga of the Great Red Ruby (the descending sun) merging with the earth. The Festival of the Star is a tribute to the ongoing safeguarding the Deep Brother extends to the svirfneblin's progeny who ventured with him into the depths. This sacred observance involves deep gnomes gathering by a subterranean water body to witness a yearly spectacle where clusters of specially cultivated phosphorescent fungi on the cave's ceiling shimmer like stars, mirroring the night sky on the water's surface. This phenomenon serves as a poignant reminder of their surface origins for the deep gnomes, affirming their connection to the surface realm and dispelling any notion of forsakenness in their subterranean home.Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Callarduran Smoothhands is known to appear as a handsome, bronze-skinned svirfneblin male with perfectly smooth hands — these stem from his constant hand-based polishing of a giant magical stone that gives him and his followers command over earth elementals.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
During The Gods War in the 10th century, the god was weakened terribly by the Dark Seldarine, and with his close connection to the Stone, the Primordial, Grumbar, offered him a deal he can't refuse. Grumbar Interfered directly with a swarm of Earth Elementals and destroyed several Drow Settelements and has such, merged his essence with the Gnomish Deity.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
He intervenes to shield his devotees from such perils, and his arrival is marked by a resounding hum that resonates through solid rock.
Mainly overlooked by other Gnome subraces, the Deep Brother is chiefly revered among the svirfneblin as their guardian deity. They hold his protective aspect in high regard, along with his domain over the expansive earth and the riches it holds.
In contrast to other demihuman deities whose followers predominantly dwell in the Underdark, Callarduran is not an exile; rather, he willingly guided the svirfneblin ancestors deep underground to foster diversity among the Hidden Kin. It was Callarduran who instructed the deep gnomes in the summoning and befriending of earth elementals. According to svirfneblin lore, his hands are smoothed by his constant polishing of a colossal stone controlling earth elementals, hidden at the heart of the world, granting deep gnomes their summoning prowess. Overlooked by other Gnome subraces, the Deep Brother is revered primarily by the svirfneblin as their patron, emphasizing his protective aspect and his sovereignty over the encompassing earth and its treasures. Svirfneblin warriors and illusionists, who safeguard and conceal their kin from numerous adversaries, form the core of the Deep Brother's faithful.
Social
Contacts & Relations
Callarduran maintains alliances with all Gnome gods, with the exception of Urdlen, though he seldom engages in conversation with them. His relationship with other benevolent Underdark deities like Eilistraee, Shevarash, and Dumathoin is friendly yet distant, as his main concern lies in safeguarding the svirfneblin. He harbors a deep hatred for the Drow, consistently finding himself in conflict with the malevolent gods of their race and other dark deities of the Underdark.
Titles:
Deep Brother;Master of Stone;
Warden of the Deepearth;
The Ruby Protector;
The Unseen Shield;
Alignment
Neutral
Realm
Children
Aligned Organization
| LG | NG | CG |
| LN | N | CN |
| LE | NE | CE |
Comments