Darsith

Darsith is a god of crafting, invention, and commerce. He had a hand in forging all the greatest works of the earth and taught the arts of crafting and creating to the Ancients. Myths say his hammer blows against his anvil cause earthquakes and that even to this day he carves out and creates new spaces in the deep places of the world, never content with the state of the earth. He is revered by craftsmen and tradesmen, and even by politicians who see the connection between societal advancement and commerce. It was Darsith that found the first non-spiritual life when he discovered the Dwergrim people deep beneath Senea's surface, once servants to the Primal lord Grondresk. Using them as a basis he showed the other Meladrin how to create mortal life and is revered as the creator and patron deity of Dwarves. Darsith now makes his home on the plane of Mechanus, or Nirvana, where he works to craft wonders and tinker with the state of the world to reach what he considers perfection.
There are temples to Darsith in almost every major city as he is worshipped by all peoples who create and do business. The most extravagant place of worship is in the Dwarven clanhold of Karaz Dunlune. In creating their new clanhold the migrant Dwarves wanted to beseech the greatest blessing from their patron deity, building the grandest of his temples. An enormous operational forge and smithy known as The Heartforge which also stands at the lowest and most central part of the subterranean city. It took nearly two centuries to complete the construction but it now stands as a beacon of industriousness and craftsmanship. Tiers of alternating workspaces, alters, and forges lead down to the base of an inverted spiral, at the center of which stands an enormous forge legendarily fired by the heart of a Primal. This is surrounded by three anvils said to be blessed by Darsith, one each in honor of Darsith’s demi-god assistants.

Divine Domains

Crafting, Forging, Trade, Commerce, Invention, Wealth

Artifacts

Though only prophecy it is said Darsith will forge Dresinia, the hammer destined to slay the Primal Grondresk, and gift it to a chosen Dwarven hero.

Divine Symbols & Sigils

The forge hammer is the symbol most associated with Darsith's clergy, a long handled tool oriented horizontally and sometimes paired above an anvil. Other iconography includes the beaver, a silver coin bearing the gods bearded face, and artistic renderings of sundered earth.

Tenets of Faith

The worship of Darsith centers around creation and commerce, with his clerical orders often based out of working smithies or other trade shops and proselytizing the eternal search of internal perfecting by perfecting your craft. Some sects have put a focus on the fair trade of crafted goods and generation of wealth as core beliefs, while some older more conservative sects condemn this as greed and uphold the art of craft for its own sake as holy.

Holidays

Evernight in midwinter pays homage to Darsith with the creating and exchanging of gifts. 
Tangorakzgarden/Forges Festival: A Dwarven holiday known as Forging Day in many surface cultures, Tangorakzgarden is both a religious celebration of dwarven craft as well as a glorification of metalwork and forgecraft which takes place in late winter. The dwarven clanholds and smithing districts of surface towns crowd with dwarven revelers and sightseers or all races as the clans and craftsmen gather to share and compete in forgework. Many will bring what they consider their greatest work of the year to auction off or display, new techniques are shown and discussed, and friends compete against each other in speed smithing competitions, hammer throwing contests, and anvil lifting. Pyromancers, fire spinners, and flame eaters are invited to play their craft and use the dancing fire to entertain the revelers while prayers and offerings to Darsith and the spirits of fire and forge are cast into bonfires.

Physical Description

Identifying Characteristics

Darsith is depicted as a wide, stocky man thick with muscle bearing a golden circlet on his brow and carrying a hammer. His age varies but most depictions show him as grizzled and gray, usually in the process of smithing or holding a money scale.

Social

Contacts & Relations

Lesser Ethereal's and demigods associated with Darsith include Duritan the Maker, Hafraek Goldenhands, and Yustrorlum Platebraid the Master of Secrets.

Cover Image Credit: Unknown

Divine Classification

God

Religions

• Meladrinism

Realm

Mechanus/Nirvana

Honorary & Occupational Titles

The Father, Great Maker, Hallowed Smith, The Founder