Thaldrin
(a.k.a. The Stonefather)
Thaldrin manifests as a monumental figure of living stone and ancient stability. His body appears as living granite or marble with veins of precious metals and gems running through it like blood vessels, occasionally shifting with slow, deliberate movements that recall mountains adjusting over eons. His face is weathered like an ancient cliff face, with deep-set eyes of polished gemstones—typically amber or deep emerald—that observe with patience accumulated over millennia. His beard appears as a cascade of crystalline formations or finely crushed stone that moves with surprising fluidity, while his hair resembles a crown of jagged mountain peaks. He typically wears ceremonial armor carved directly from his stone flesh, adorned with patterns representing geological layers and mountain ranges. In some depictions, parts of his body merge seamlessly with natural stone, suggesting his ability to exist simultaneously as individual entity and as part of the earth itself.
Worship of Thaldrin centers around stability, protection, and honoring ancient ways. His followers include miners, stoneworkers, foundation-layers, lawkeepers, and those who maintain traditions. Devotional practices involve the ceremonial laying of cornerstones, the meticulous documentation of clan histories, and the striking of stone to produce resonant tones used in ritual chanting. Many adherents carry small carved stone talismans representing their clan mountains, touching these tokens for strength when facing challenges or making significant decisions.
Sacred spaces dedicated to Thaldrin exist deep within mountains or underground hall centers, featuring "Foundation Stones"—massive, unmoved boulders that have served as community anchors since settlement founding. These stones, often bearing the handprints of countless generations who have touched them for blessing, form the spiritual center of dwarven communities. Surrounding these stones, dwarves create "Memory Halls" where ancestors' deeds are recorded in relief carvings that spiral outward chronologically, creating three-dimensional historical records. In the deepest, most sacred chambers, "Earth Listening Rooms" allow communication with Thaldrin through precise acoustic properties that transform vibrations from deep within the mountain into audible patterns interpreted by specialized priests.
Throughout the year, followers observe ceremonies tied to geological and community milestones. The most significant is the "Stone Remembrance"—an annual recitation of complete community history from founding to present, sometimes lasting several days for ancient settlements. During these ceremonies, clan leaders place their hands on the Foundation Stone while reciting their lineage, symbolically connecting their authority to both ancestors and the mountain itself. For communities facing threats or major decisions, elders perform the "Mountain Consultation," a ritual of meditation upon the Foundation Stone while listening for subtle vibrations believed to carry Thaldrin's guidance. Individual dwarves mark significant life events by adding personal markings to family sections of Memory Halls, physically inscribing their experiences into the community's shared record and thereby gaining Thaldrin's recognition.
Divine Domains
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