Halfar

Halfar is the god of forges. He understands the creative power of the forge, and its importance in creating tools, art, and implements of war. The masters of the forge, the dwarven people call Halfar their progenitor god, and the two reflect each other well. Halfar is a firm believer in justice, order, and creation. He also acknowledges the importance of taking one thing and making it something else. He understands that the tools of war are not useful in times of peace, and that they can be better utilized as tools of work, and turning them from one to another is a process.
Halfar appears as a dwarf: stout, hair as red and luminous as the fires beneath the earth, and heavily muscled. His beard is beautifully adorned, with gold and exquisitely carved precious stones woven into it. He also wears the finest armor in times of war, and royal vestments in times of peace. The god wears a chain that loops several times over his left shoulder and down to his right hip. Each Link is a different mineral. The higher the rarity of the mineral, the closer to the start of the chain it is. He is also weighted down with traditional Dwarven weapons, everything from the ceremonial battla to the brutal great axe. Each of the weapons he carries is master worked, forged by the god himself from offerings of his followers and imbued with his own divine magic. Even the lowliest of his daggers have gold filigree and are studded with precious stones. Despite the amount of weight Halfar carries around, he moves as if he were completely unencumbered, showing his true strength.
He is strict in times of war, inspiring generals on the night before battle with strategies that are better than the ones they plan to use. In times of peace, he inspires the artisans and craftsmen with ideas for beautiful art. While he understands the need for strength and power, he values more the fine control that must be possessed in order to make the intricate works of art and war that he values so highly.

Halfar's Influence

Artisans and craftsmen worship Halfar. Everyone from smiths, to jewelers, to painters are drawn to his side. They exist in a symbiotic twirl of inspiration, improvement, and fulfillment. He also claims most of the dwarves as worshippers, as he is their progenitor god. Those who go to war also worship him, and the more often they do so, the more numerous his followers among them are. As such he has a number of worshippers among the halflings.
He inspires works of art, tactics, and machines of war. From time to time, he will directly affect a battle or war, but only does so when one of his truly favored are involved. Involving himself directly in these events often draws the ire of his fellow gods.
Halfar also spends time admiring the works of mortals. He enjoys looking at what they have brought forth from imagination into reality. It is impossible to know whether he spends more time enjoying the works or inspiring them. this leads him to work all the harder, knowing that their god might one day look upon their work, so that he might approve of it, and by extension, them.

Halfar's Goals

Halfar wants what is best for his followers, but more importantly, the dwarves, who he sees as his children. He wants the dwarves to have some kind of distinction. He is well aware that the dwarves often get the short end of the stick. He wants the dwarves to be known for something, and wants recognition for his followers. His hopes are that they can do so through art and expression, but he is not opposed to the idea of them gaining their name through war.
Halfar might be the god of war, but this is a time of peace in Chenravo, and that role is currently near worthless. He thrives on outright aggression, not the covert and secret battles of this current age. If he is to regain the power of a bygone era, one of war and strife, he will have to go to great lengths to start them up again.

Divine Relationships

The god of war keeps seemingly good relations with most of the other major deities. Secretly, he wants war, and he doesn't particularly care who with. There are a few he dares not cross, however. His respect for his creator, Athneron is too great, to profound for Halfar to consider crossing him. He looks out on this world, and knows that everything is due to him.
He also fears crossing Jakular and Shaold. Both create life on a massive scale. He knows that a war with them would result in wars not only with their races, but also with their creations. He knows he cannot contend with these foes, and also that there are easier foes to contend with.
There are also a few deities that Halfar would like to pick a fight with. Norentha is one he would like to start a war with, but cannot justify due to the low numbers of her followers, and the fact that she is much stronger than he. He would also like to fight Cheznerix, but worries what devious strategies the Elf Progenitor could dream up.

Worshipping Halfar

Halfar's month on the calendar is Halfinor. Every time this month rolls around, each week becomes a celebration. They spend the first 8 days of each tenday creating works in a short amount of time, and the last two days showing them off. Then, on the last tenday of the month, his followers show off the projects they have finished in the last year. Halfar himself often visits these celebrations, in one guise or another, enjoying the works of his worshippers.
Throughout the year, people show reverence through prayer, but more commonly through creation and transforming other works. Halfar is said to bless his favorite works with durability and luster. When blessed in such a way, these works glow with a faint red light, at a lower intensity, but of the same color as Halfar's hair.

Aspects of Halfar

The gods often represent more than one facet. The gods' facets are defined by their worshippers, so that the gods suit the needs of the people. No aspect is ever gone, however, and any facet that was created in the past still lurks somewhere in the god's personality, waiting for when it is needed again, or perhaps plotting a situation that might make it relevant once more.
As one of the major gods, Halfar has been around for longer than most, and as a result, has a number of aspects. While this list is far from comprehensive, it does list his most important aspects, and his most powerful.

Aspect of the Clans

This aspect is organized and cares deeply for the clan affiliations of dwarves. He wants to ensure that each one is put in the right family. The most important thing to this aspect is finding the right fit, even if that means a dwarf goes into an unofficial clan.

Aspect of Battle

This aspect is enamored with tactics, logistics, and anything else needed to mount a strong war effort. He is tactically minded as well, meaning that he knows when to retreat and when a battle is lost. He is a good strategist and knows how far he can push his luck.

Aspect of the Dwarves

The oldest of Halfar's aspects, this one is connected to the wellbeing and strength of the dwarves. This is the aspect that led them to war in search of recognition and appreciation. He is willing to go, as he has shown, to great lengths to attain these things. His dwarven pride is strong, and this can lead to trouble if not tempered by other aspects or by Halfar's peers.

Aspect of Minerals

This aspect is as implacable and slow acting as the ground itself. This aspect is responsible for the placement of minerals, and it does so without prejudice or considering slights from the past. It has been known, however to give dwarves more of a hand in finding the minerals, however.

Aspect of the Forge

This is the aspect that is associated with creating things from fire. From swords to sculptures, if it comes from a forge, this aspect is invested in it. He is noticeably strengthened in times of war, when the armaments are being constantly created.

Aspect of Change

This is an older aspect, and is a force of taking something old and making it new again. Each aspect of the change is carefully crafted and plotted beforehand, and nothing is wasted. Many smiths and refurbishers praise this aspect of the god. It works to inspire others to see what they can turn the world into.

Religions

• Bound Orders of Halfar
• Order of Justice
• The United Dwarven Clandom

Related Historical Events

• 58
  Establishment of the Clandom

Halfar's Champions

Alignment: Often Lawful, occasionally Neutral
Suggested Classes: Artificer, Cleric, Fighter, Monk, Paladin
Suggested Cleric Domains: Forge, Light, Order, Peace, War
Suggested Backgrounds: Acolyte, City Watch, Clan Crafter, Marine, Mercenary Veteran, Soldier
Those who follow Halfar focus on the act of re-forging, but also of making works of art and keeping the peace in their own nations. They might start up trouble in the far-off places where they might cause enough offense to declare war on the dwarves.

Halfar's Favor

Artisans, crafters and those who favor art as an act of creation and re-creation all flock to Halfar and are rewarded. They make the world the kind of place they want to live in my molding it to their own standards. How did you initially attract the god's attention? The Halfar's Favor table offers a few suggestions.

d6	Circumstance
1	You were born with hair that glowed red.
2	You created a work of art that was blessed by Halfar.
3	You upheld justice even when it was difficult.
4	You acquitted yourself well while in military service.
5	You were born with a birthmark resembling a chain.
6	You have no idea why Halfar showed interest in you, and you might sometimes wish He hadn't

Devotion to Halfar

Changing the world around you is no easy task, but the more you make the world reflect yourself, the more you are rewarded by the god of craftsmen. As a follower of Halfar, consider rolling on the Halfar's Ideals table as alternatives to those suggested for your background.
Halfar's Ideals

d6	Ideal
1	Devotion. My devotion to my god is more important to me than what he stands for. (Any)
2	Re-forging. Creating something new and more useful from something old improves the world. (Good)
3	Justice. Those who do wrong must be held accountable. (Good)
4	Order. People must live according to the word of the law. (Lawful)
5	Art. The artistic spirits of people must be free to explore their own expression. (Chaotic)
6	Battle. I live for my next battle, and to command its flow. (Lawful)

Earning and Losing Piety

You increase your piety score to Halfar when you expand the god's influence in the world in a concrete way through acts such as these:

• Turning an item into something else with better function or beauty.
• Making a work of art.
• Proving yourself in battle against intelligent foes.
• Being a force for justice.

Your piety score to Halfar decreases if you diminish Halfar's influence in the world, contradict his ideals, or make him look weak and cowardly through acts such as these:

• Ruining a creation of someone else without making something new from its remains.
• Being bested by an intelligent foe.
• Acting in an unjust way.

Halfar’s Devotee

Piety 3+ Halfar Trait
You can cast Guiding Bolt with this trait a number of times equal to your Strength modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Strength is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

Halfar’s Votary

Piety 10+ Halfar Trait
You can cast Spiritual Weapon with this trait, requiring no material components. Once you cast the spell in this way, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest. Strength is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened.

Halfar’s Disciple

Piety 25+ Halfar Trait
As an action, you can choose an ally. The next time that ally makes a history check related to art, an attack roll, a religion check for something related to Halfar, or a sleight of hand check to make or change the form of something, they can add 1d8 to that attack roll or ability check. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your Dexterity modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Champion of Battle

Piety 50+ Halfar Trait
You can increase your Strength or Dexterity score by 2 and also increase your maximum for that score by 2.