Ornn - The Fire Below the Mountain

Dark smoke exhales, from the mountain half
And wind blows through hollow dells
Skies clear as day, shall soon turn gray
And you'll know, you're nearing Ornn
Barring your path is a chasm wide
Howls rise from fathomless pits
But close stands a bridge, frozen by time
And across, you'll soon find Ornn
River of fire, that scorches the earth
Belies his kingdom of stone
And steel sings its tone, as a god stands alone
The shaping hand, we know as Ornn
Sparks leap and fly from the star-fallen ore
Forging his works, divine
Bellows erupt, with unbridled force
No longer lost - the Mountainsmith, Ornn
~ Song of the Everfrost, The Path to Hearth-Home

HISTORY

"Smedning Valhir" translates to "Forging God". That is the title of Ornn, the Fire Ram Spirit of the Everfrost.
After the lands of Vorrijaard became ensared by the Everfrost, the large cities withered and became unable to sustain themselves. They had grown accustom to plentiful farmlands and rich hunting, and were now forced to survive or die.
Praying to Gods in elaborately built temples and offering sacrifices became impossible as the people reverted to either nomadic lifestyles or small communities to lessen the stress of resources. In the absence of Gods, the Spirits returned. While none had worshipped them for ages, they still persisted, embodying the land itself. People were reminded to be in awe of nature, to fear it, and respect it, which imbued these Spirits with greater power.
Now, people of the Everfrost live with a deep reverence of the Spirits, lest they invoke their wrath.
With the old kingdom consumed by ice and the numbing colds, many sought solace in Ornn's warmth. Ornn is depicted as ram-like humanoid, a cross between a ram and a Dwarf. Though he is often associated with fire, his power extends far beyond simple flames. His is the fire beneath the earth, the roaring heat in the belly of the world. His breath gave the world fire and with that fire, he forged. His hammer strikes make the earth crack and his breath burst from the earth in geysers of hot air. From his forge he gave humanity the tools to dig and to build and to craft like he crafted.
Yet, he didn't do this out of kindness. He tired of mankind pestering him for tools and to build, so he gave them to tools to do it themselves. Ornn blesses those that help themselves and work hard, giving their blood, sweat and tears to their craft.
Many of the Dwarves in the Everfrost, holed up in their mountain homes, keep their forges going in his name. His heat gives them warmth, and they repay it by working almost non-stop.

DESCRIPTION

Ornn is the spirit of forging and craftsmanship. He works in the solitude of a massive smithy, hammered out from the lava caverns beneath the volcano Hearth-Home. There he stokes bubbling cauldrons of molten rock to purify ores and fashion items of unsurpassed quality. When other deities—especially Volibear—walk the earth and meddle in mortal affairs, Ornn arises to put these impetuous beings back in their place, either with his trusty hammer or the fiery power of the mountains themselves.

MANIFESTATIONS

Ornn prefers to keep his interactions in the material world limited. He lets his actions and his works speak for him. He may appear to his followers in a dream that inspires them to some great work or more directly, as a mountain goat that leads safe passage through the mountains.
He is usually depicted as a Dwarf-like creature with large, runic ram horns and fur-covered face.

WORSHIP

Compared to the rest of the Spirits, Ornn is simple to appease. He mostly wants to be left alone, and his Clerics are happy to oblige They don't ask for his intervention or ask him many questions. They eat well in his name, and build in his honour. However, they learn to never be satisfied with their work, as it was impossible to ever match the mastery of their God's craft. Therefore, there was always room for improvement.
Theologists postulate that Ornn may be an Northern variant of the Dwarven God Moradin, as they share similar domains. Scholars speculate that it is possible that Ornn was forged from the remnants of Moradin's faithful in the Everfrost, combining their old tenants with new reverence for the Spirits of the North to create something new.

DOGMA

Honor him by emulating his principles and workmanship in smithing, stone working, and other tasks. Wisdom is derived from life and tempered with experience. Advance the your craft in all areas of life. Innovate with new processes and skills, then apply them. Defend against all threats, but seek to build rather than destroy. Do not grow content with your accomplishments. Remain stoic and tenacious in the face of catastrophe. Legacy is paramount. To create something that lasts the ages is to change the world for the better.

RITUALS

A monthly day of rest is permitted for the followers of Ornn to ease their bodies and celebrate all they have accomplished. Especially devout followers of Moradin spend the day in isolation, meditating on the meaning of family and how they may be better mothers, fathers, siblings, and children. Other Dwarven communities, celebrate with a full day of feasting and drinking, true to a Dwarven spirit.

TITLES

• The Forgemaster
• The Fire Below the Mountain
• The Living Forge

DOMAINS

• Forge
• Light
• Order

PORTFOLIO

• Smith
• Crafters
• Mountain Goats
• Molten Magma
• Stone & Metal