Faith of Stone, the Dwarf Church
Apr. 2nd, 2011 03:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gridloreSince the Giants (the baseball team, not overly large humanoids) aren't killing me today, a bit about how the dwarfs approach religion in my Pathfinder campaign.
Unlike the other civilized races, the dwarfs tend to focus their worship on a single member of the pantheon. For them Ordun, the embodiment of Law, is the primary deity. Some lip service is paid to Wirwar (Chaos) and Dalicht (Life/Good), but formal worship and liturgy is devoted to the Ordun alone. Dwarf tradition holds that Ordun carved the first dwarfs from the living rock of a holy mountain. The location of this mountain is lost to history; discovering the Ersterberg figures in many different prophecies concerning the eventual fate of the dwarfs. Ordun carved the 12 founding members (8 males, 4 females) of the 12 Great Clans, 144 dwarfs in all. The dwarfs place great stock in the number four and in multiples of four.
Temples to Ordun are normally placed in natural caverns. Each clan living in a dwarf mine complex will have it's own temple; the clan's priests select the space as the works are being excavated. The decision of a priest is final on this topic. The only improvement made to the cavern-temple will be removal of rubble, creation of an altar, and leveling of the floor. Behind the altar the priest-crafters will carve a statue of Ordun out of the rock wall. The statue is intentionally crude to show that the mortal dwarfs are inferior craftsmen when compared to their god. Bowls for oil are placed at the statue's base, during services these provide the only illumination. Dwarfs who live above ground will either find a cave, or build a temple that approximates the traditional cavern.
Service occur every four days, with a high service every sixteen. Attendance is only expected at the high service. Dwarf services are extremely solemn. Worshipers wear simple robe, and enter the temple in silence. The temples are unlit except for the braziers burning at the statue or Ordun. The service is chanted/sung by the entire congregation led by a priest. Outsiders who have witnessed dwarf ceremonies speak of the very rocks singing with the vibration of the deep voices of dozens of dwarfs singing in unison, and the flickering flames making the statue of Ordun appear to move. (I'm imagining Gregorian chants as the base of this.)
There are four clerical orders, named for the four traditional aspects of Ordun. Ordun Seelefälscher, The largest order, The Order of the Forger of Souls oversee the spiritual needs of the dwarf community. Ordun Gesetzgeber The Order of the Father of Laws act as judges in the community. Ordun Kriegsaxt The War Axes are the warrior-priests, and often serve as military leaders. Ordun Nachtumhang The Night Cloaks are the smallest of the orders, and serve as spies, assassins, and as an inquisition. Oddly, Night Cloaks also make excellent diplomats.
There is a "fifth order" - rarely spoken of, and never seen inside respectable dwarven halls. The Eingangshalle von Ungnade Gefallenen Krieger. This is the order that maintains a small number of monasteries for those dwarfs who have so disgraced themselves and their clans that their only recourse is to seek glorious death against overwhelming odds. These monasteries prepare such dwarfs for the path of the Slayer. The clerics who live in these places of exile are either extremely devout souls who believe that helping the disgraced reach redemption is Ordun's calling, or priests who have are in disgrace themselves, and have been exiled. The presence of these two extremes can cause tensions in an already stressed environment.
Holy symbols of Ordun include a silver smith's hammer, a bound scroll, and a doorless, windowless tower. Most common is a small silver hammer (3 or 4 inches across at most) worn on a chain around the neck. The tower (symbolizing Ordun's enduring strength) is a common decoration on shields. Priests wear robes based on their order. Dwarf clerics shave their heads, and their beards are carefully braided.
As always, let me know what you think. All the German comes as through Google Translate.
Unlike the other civilized races, the dwarfs tend to focus their worship on a single member of the pantheon. For them Ordun, the embodiment of Law, is the primary deity. Some lip service is paid to Wirwar (Chaos) and Dalicht (Life/Good), but formal worship and liturgy is devoted to the Ordun alone. Dwarf tradition holds that Ordun carved the first dwarfs from the living rock of a holy mountain. The location of this mountain is lost to history; discovering the Ersterberg figures in many different prophecies concerning the eventual fate of the dwarfs. Ordun carved the 12 founding members (8 males, 4 females) of the 12 Great Clans, 144 dwarfs in all. The dwarfs place great stock in the number four and in multiples of four.
Temples to Ordun are normally placed in natural caverns. Each clan living in a dwarf mine complex will have it's own temple; the clan's priests select the space as the works are being excavated. The decision of a priest is final on this topic. The only improvement made to the cavern-temple will be removal of rubble, creation of an altar, and leveling of the floor. Behind the altar the priest-crafters will carve a statue of Ordun out of the rock wall. The statue is intentionally crude to show that the mortal dwarfs are inferior craftsmen when compared to their god. Bowls for oil are placed at the statue's base, during services these provide the only illumination. Dwarfs who live above ground will either find a cave, or build a temple that approximates the traditional cavern.
Service occur every four days, with a high service every sixteen. Attendance is only expected at the high service. Dwarf services are extremely solemn. Worshipers wear simple robe, and enter the temple in silence. The temples are unlit except for the braziers burning at the statue or Ordun. The service is chanted/sung by the entire congregation led by a priest. Outsiders who have witnessed dwarf ceremonies speak of the very rocks singing with the vibration of the deep voices of dozens of dwarfs singing in unison, and the flickering flames making the statue of Ordun appear to move. (I'm imagining Gregorian chants as the base of this.)
There are four clerical orders, named for the four traditional aspects of Ordun. Ordun Seelefälscher, The largest order, The Order of the Forger of Souls oversee the spiritual needs of the dwarf community. Ordun Gesetzgeber The Order of the Father of Laws act as judges in the community. Ordun Kriegsaxt The War Axes are the warrior-priests, and often serve as military leaders. Ordun Nachtumhang The Night Cloaks are the smallest of the orders, and serve as spies, assassins, and as an inquisition. Oddly, Night Cloaks also make excellent diplomats.
There is a "fifth order" - rarely spoken of, and never seen inside respectable dwarven halls. The Eingangshalle von Ungnade Gefallenen Krieger. This is the order that maintains a small number of monasteries for those dwarfs who have so disgraced themselves and their clans that their only recourse is to seek glorious death against overwhelming odds. These monasteries prepare such dwarfs for the path of the Slayer. The clerics who live in these places of exile are either extremely devout souls who believe that helping the disgraced reach redemption is Ordun's calling, or priests who have are in disgrace themselves, and have been exiled. The presence of these two extremes can cause tensions in an already stressed environment.
Holy symbols of Ordun include a silver smith's hammer, a bound scroll, and a doorless, windowless tower. Most common is a small silver hammer (3 or 4 inches across at most) worn on a chain around the neck. The tower (symbolizing Ordun's enduring strength) is a common decoration on shields. Priests wear robes based on their order. Dwarf clerics shave their heads, and their beards are carefully braided.
As always, let me know what you think. All the German comes as through Google Translate.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2 Apr 2011 22:44 (UTC):D
no subject
Date: 3 Apr 2011 00:41 (UTC)no subject
Date: 3 Apr 2011 02:57 (UTC)no subject
Date: 5 Apr 2011 10:53 (UTC)