Der Hoykh Erat

The Stout Folk of Ermendia worship a pantheon of deities collectively known as the Der Hoykh Erat, a term that can be loosely translated shield brothers on high or the high dwarves. The composition of the pantheon varies slightly from country to country, and even from clan to clan. Still, the powers presented hereafter are venerated or at least acknowledged in most dwarven settlements of Ermendia.
The dwarven gods are said to have sprung from stone and earth, beginning with Moradin. Berronar is universally held to be Moradin's wife, and many dwarven theologians hold that all the other dwarven powers are their descendants. However, the exact ordering and ancestry vary from myth to myth. Der Hoykh Erat are intimately involved with the lives of their worshipers, and the Stout Folk as a whole are an unusually devout race.
Unlike the elven pantheon, the members of Der Hoykh Erat are scattered across the Outer Planes. This may be symbolic and reflective of the dwarven desire for territory and living space; just as mortal dwarves are ever exploring new territory below the surface world, the deities themselves live apart as well. An oddity of the dwarven deities is that most can if they wish, have their avatars appear huge in stature - up to 20 feet tall in the case of Moradin. Dwarven theologians believe this reflects their activist natures and inspirational roles as leaders among the dwarves.
The collective dwarven memory holds that their ancestors emerged fully formed from the world's heart. The All-Father is said to have secretly fashioned dwarves of iron and mithral in his Soul Forge, using his huge magical hammer to beat the bodies into shape and then breathing on his creations to cool them and to give them souls.
One is struck, in a study of dwarven theology, by the relationship between procreation and metalcraft; perhaps more than one dwarven smith has looked upon a finished piece of work and felt as if she or he had breathed life into the metal and given it a soul of sorts, as Moradin did long ago. Moradin taught the first dwarves the skills of smithing and metalworking, enabling them to exploit the riches of their homes in the mountains and craft items to allow further exploration. These early dwarves also learned toolmaking and weaponcrafting from Moradin, who watches over these activities still.
In many versions of the myths concerning the founding of the species, the earliest dwarves must fight their way up from the world's core to the mountains above, overcoming many dangers on the way. These are usually great monsters and physical hazards that the dwarves overcome by strength, combat, and physical skill rather than by wit or trickery. These early myths are fully consistent with the way in which dwarven theology stresses the pragmatic and practical. After their harrowing ordeal through the Underdark these early dwarves fractured into dozens of clans that spread out across all of Ermendia. Many ancient dwarven bloodlines claim to be one of these first families but the truth has been lost to time.

Der Hoyk Erat

---

Name	Potfolio	Worshippers
Moradin	Dwarves, creation, smithing, engineering, metalcraft, stonework, war	Dwarves, metalworkers, dwarven defenders, engineers, fighters, miners, smiths
Berronar Truesilver	Safety, honesty, home, healing, the dwarven family, records, marriage, faithfulness, loyalty, oaths	Children, dwarven defenders, dwarves, fighters, homemakers, husbands, parents, scribes, wives
Clangeddin Silverbeard	Battle, war, valor, bravory, honor in battle	Barbarians, dwarven defenders, dwarves, fighters, monks, paladins, strategists, tacticians, warriors
Dugmaren Brightmantle	Scholarship, invention, discovery	Artisans, dwarves, loremasters, runcasters, scholars, tinkers, wizards
Dumathoin	Buried wealth, ores, gems, mining, exploration, shield, dwarves, guardian of the dead	Dwarves, gemsmiths, metalsmiths, miners
Gorm Gulthyn	Guardian of all dwarves, defense, watchfulness	Dwarven defenders, dwarves, fighters
Hanseath	Alcohol, brewing, festivals, song	Brewers, barbarians, berserkers, cooks, drunks, gluttons
Marthammor Duin	Guides, explorers, expatriates, travelers, lightning	Dwarves, fighters, rangers, travelers
Sharindlar	Healing, mercy, romantic love, fertility, dancing, courtship, the moon	Bards, dancers, dwarves, healers, lovers
Thard Harr	Wild dwarves, survival, hunting	Druids, inhabitants of the Wilds, rangers, wild dwarves
Vergadain	Wealth, luck, chance, nonevil, thieves, suspicion, trickery, negotiation, sly cleverness	Dwarves, merchants, traders, rogues, wealthy individuals, rich