THE
DWARVEN
BELIEF |
Trum-Baroll, the
dwarves say, is the God who created the world and all things within it, from
his own substance. In the "RockTales",
Tablet One we read the following narration: "Trum-Baroll
lay sleeping in the Great Dark. He awoke. There was nothing but
Trum-Baroll. So he scratched his head
and dust fell. Then there was earth. He spat, and water came upon the earth. He
pulled a hair from his beard. Trees and all growing things sprang up Then
Trum-Baroll shouted, and his Hammer
became. He coughed, and the Chisel was born. So did
Trum-Baroll begin to carve, And all
things were made from that time.
He then carved the Un’Sthommerons
from various rocks, and they in their turn carved the
Thergerim from granite. Of course, they experimented with other substances
first, such as wood, copper, iron, and so on, which were found to be
insufficiently sturdy and were tossed out of the forge door upon the surface of
the earth. Thus the
elves, Brownies, orcs,
hobbits, gnomes and other
races came to be. “But the Thergerim found favour in
the eyes of Trum-Baroll when the
Un’Sthommerons brought them before
him, and he graced them with life and the blessing to live beneath the surface
of the earth and be its masters…”
(translated from the "RockTales",
Tablet One)
In many dwarven tales it is told that these first carved ancestors, as well as
the Un’Sthommerons themselves, are
still in existence - in the great underground empire of Toll Disporbaroll
("Realm of the Lost Father"), which refers to
Trum-Baroll's domain. It is common
dwarven belief that
Trum-Baroll is not a spiritual,
incorporeal deity but an actual living being of stone who to this day reigns
over the Un'Sthommerons in his domain deep in the rocky bones of
Caelereth. According to
dwarven belief
Trum-Baroll is the god who created the world out of his own matter; other
races are seen as "by-products" of his forging and carving.
Trum-Baroll directly watches over the
Thergerim, blesses their doings, and protects them
from the harmful happenstances of life.
These tales and other holy writings are contained in their sacred book, the
not-so-lengthy Trumesdrummerons, or "Rock
Tales".
There are obvious similarities between the dwarven
Trum-Baroll and our own
Urtengor, Forge-Lord of the Aviaría.
However, the Thergerim as a race do not admit the
existence of any other gods, although the
Un’Sthommerons (see
below) seem to be at least demi-gods who are the
focus of some worship ceremonies and rites as well.
Un’Sthommerons. The UnSthommerons (Thergerim
UnSthommerons
or "Those
Like Stone", also known as the Therbarolerons,
"Dwarven Fathers")
are the seven giants carved from living stone by
Trum-Baroll, the Forging God,
the Shaper of Earth Himself. They are called Aephesvil,
Corunvil, Hothesvil, Kannvil, Quontvil, Trumvil and Unphvil:
Aephesvil (Lord of Flint)
Aephesvil was worshipped by the
Ylossians, ancient
dwarven ancestors. See the
Ylossian entry
for further details.
Corunvil (Granite-Lord)
It is currently believed that Corunvil was the one to originate the idea of
copying his own maker and creating life from stone in HIS own image. Proposed it
to the other
Un’Sthommerons who eagerly if somewhat
ham-handedly took it up. Corunvil is associated with the chisel and the small
stonemaul, and sometimes traditional smiths carve his rune on their tools to
make them ‘strike sure’, as they say. Highly conservative
dwarves hold Corunvil to be a sort of arch-power or
demi-god, above the other
Un’Sthommerons. Female
dwarves also invoke Corunvil
during pregnancy and labour (the ultimate creative activity...)
Hothesvil (Lord of
Lime/Sandstone)
Hothesvil’s particular responsibility was to create and shape the intricate
forms of stalactites and stalagmites, according to dwarven
beliefs. Whenever a particularly attractive or aesthetic formation is found
below ground, it is usually left in place where possible, rather as
humans would spare a large old tree. Sometimes parts of
the formation are ‘painted’ to bring out their shapes, with a luminescent ink
derived from fungal growths, as a kind of homage or offering to Hothesvil.
Kannvil (Marble-Lord)
Said to be the handsomest
Un’Sthomm. There is a legend that he was unsatisfied with the short,
rough bodies of the Thergerim he carved and sought out
a massive deposit of alabaster in the high mountains, where he hid himself from
the other Stone Fathers and began
creating a lovely female form to match his own size. Alas, when the last
chisel-stroke separated her from the living rock, and the pale marble woman
arose, she fled from Kannvil in terror and flung herself into Nubil’s Gorge.
Kannvil in despair would have followed her save that his brothers leapt from the
ground and restrained him. Yet he grieved all his days thereafter. Hot springs
are still often discovered underground and used by the
dwarves in their caverns, and they are always said to
be the Tears of Kannvil.
Quontvil
(Obsidian-Lord)
Actually spelt "Kwontvil" in
Thergerim-Taal.
Believed to be the creator specifically of the Morgerim, whom he carved from
obsidian after seeing how inflexibly similar the granite-formed
Thergerim were. The only
Un’Sthomm
said to possess anything resembling a sense of humour. "Trickster"
stories are sometimes accredited to Quontvil, as in when a tool goes missing
after just having been to hand; “Quontvil took it!” This
has also been adapted to a curse; “Quontvil take it/you/him!” His symbols are an
obsidian ax-head and the small rocklizard commonly used as a roasting beast
among the Thergerim. - Note:
The Morgerim will neither use obsidian (“Stoneflesh will cut flesh of our
stone,” they say, obscurely) nor eat that particular species of
lizard...
Trumvil (Stone-Lord)
Not much is known or written of this reclusive Father with the unimaginative
name. However, it is said that he was given the responsibility to count and name
every pebble that Trum-Baroll shaped in
making the Earth, so it was extrapolated
that he be Master of Gems as well. It has, in the last few decades, become
fashionable for dwarven couples to exchange various
precious stones and jewelry pieces as betrothal gifts, rather than the
traditional utensils and tools, and quite frequently Trumvil’s Rune has appeared
as a common decorative motif on these betrothal pieces. Some more liberal
dwarven priests currently name
Trumvil as the Wedding Presider, who aids in the joining of man and wife, but
this is a fairly recent belief.
Unphvil (Basalt-Lord)
Particularly appealing to the dwarven
females, Unphvil is the master (subcontracted by
Trum-Baroll, of
course) of basalt and other mephitic rocks. He is said to have power over lava,
volcanic eruptions, and other netherworld heat sources. He was
Trum-Baroll's
assistant when the Dwarf God invented
cooking and food preparation, so he is often invoked when dealing with
hearth-matters. Dwarf couples will ask for Unphvil’s
blessing over their food after they eat it, and if herbs or medicines are to be
imported/exported, they are often rune-protected in Unphvil’s name.
The Trumesdrummerons. This
compilation of dwarf religious writings, tales of
Trum-Baroll,
and
Un’Sthommerons'
stories is known as the Barollegendia to human
scholars, but as Trumesdrummerons, “Rock
Tales” to the Thergerim. It is their only ‘holy’
book and physical copies of the book are revered in an almost talismanic sense
among the older dwarves.
One reason for this is that every copy is made by hand, by the book’s future
owner - the paper cut with a stone blade, stacked and pierced, and sewn with
natural fibers. The dwarf then binds it, often with
bat skin or
drell leather, and grinds her own ink from lizardgall and urav-lichen. Then,
under the stern eye of the Denirim, she painstakingly copies the runes from the
Denirim’s own Trumesdrummerons. A single mistake means the book is burned;
fortunately the text is not a long one, and
Thergerim-Taal not
long-winded. Generally the successful completion of a
“RockTales” text is celebrated as
the young dwarf’s coming-of-age in religious and
social affairs, and is a good excuse for a feastday.
Dwarves will often make several copies in their two to three-century
lifetimes, at various significant occasions which they wish to commemorate, or
simply because the first copy is wearing out and becoming illegible. Different
clans may have different requirements or ceremonies surrounding the scribing of
new texts; see the various clan entries for details.
This fanatical attention to detail means that dwarven
historians can be highly certain of their sacred texts’ veracity, or at least
legitimacy - since the original (the "Uravdenitrum" in
dwarven) was literally carved in stone, contemporary copies can still be
checked against it! What we might think of as ‘chapter’ divisions which exist in
the written texts come directly from that original as well, and since they
retain their titles as "Tablet One", "Slab Two", etc. up to five sections, we
can conjecture that the Uravdenitrum was inscribed on at least five distinct
pieces of rock. What we have here translated as ‘tablet’ is possibly better
indicated by the word ‘monolith’ or ‘stele’, however; one should not imagine a
small piece of loose slate but rather a gigantic monument of living rock rearing
up under the stars…
The UravdenitrumHund. The actual
appearance of the original "RockTales"
monument, and the site of this holy place, however, is only known to the
Denirimerons of the dwarves, and their pilgrimage
there (where it is believed that they make their copy directly from the sacred
stone itself) is shrouded in secrecy, lore, and misdirection. In fact, a Denirim
will occasionally travel without any purpose, various distances from his home
cavern simply to mislead any observers (dwarven or
otherwise) who might wish to spy out this sacred location. The
dwarves say, with a cold look in their eyes, that no
other race has ever seen or learned of the location of the UravdenitrumHund, the
True Holystone’s Home.
Celebrations and Ceremonies. A list of typical special days is provided below; see also the entry on Dwarven Recreation.
Barden
(Hutden)
Weekly, on the second day and fifth day of the week respectively. These
service-centered days help to foster community equity and encourage healthy
gender relationships, not to mention promoting romance… For further details, see
the Kurakim Clan entry.
UnphvilDen
(Day of the Basalt-Lord)
Monthly, first day of new moon Fires are extinguished and the ashes strewn on
the underground farming ‘fields’. For further details, see the
Thrumgolz Clan entry.
Mortil
Z’golz (The Night of the Hand)
Yearly - the seventh day of Gnasthom (the fifth month) A day of remembrance – a
solemn memorial to all Thergerim fallen in battle. See
the Mitharim Clan entry.
Brokden (Brok Strongarm’s
Day)
Yearly among the Mitharim.
Celebrates the great dwarven explorer.
Oltgyr
Vradvo (Hundred Year Pilgrimage)
Centennially - takes place in a year ending with 9 (such as 1509, 1619) in the
fourth month, Anurilos. Mitharim
dwarves make a pilgrimage to Denil’lou
to pay homage to the statue of Brok Strongarm.
DenimettDeniden
Holy Writing Week Every five years, or at the discretion of the Denirim.
Dwarves who wish to refresh their copies of the
"RockTales", or adolescents going
through the Time, may rewrite their scriptures under strict supervision. See the
Kurakim Clan entry.
Denimett Avefer (Holy Writing-time)
Individual religious observance, taking about a week to perform.
Dwarves who want to refresh themselves spiritually
seclude themselves to recopy the
Trumesdrummerons.
CorunvilDen (Day of the Granite-Lord)
Monthly among the Kurakim, night of
the full moon. Tools are downed and everyone plays group games and spends time
communally. See the Kurakim Clan entry.
KwontvilDen (Day of the Obsidian-Lord)
Monthly among the Kurakim, cusp of
the dark moon. An evening of entertainment and music, and a chance to tell
stories, riddles, and jokes. See the
Kurakim Clan entry.
Aging, Death and Funerals. Dwarves remain active and vigorous well into their late age, but eventually a certain physical change overtakes them, relatively suddenly. In about the course of a month or so, the elderly dwarf will find it much more difficult to move about than she used to. Her bones feel heavy and massive, her joints solidifying and grating together. Her skin becomes even more rougher, almost scaly and calloused, and sensation dims. Her eyes will film and begin to bulge slightly, so that only far-off objects become clear and focused. In an underground low-light environment where fine work is prized, this is a severe handicap. The dwarves say that this change in vision is preparing them to ‘see Trum-Baroll beneath the earth’, and they call this time of change ‘Pragorsthomm’, the Stone-Turning. When the Pragorsthomm begins, a dwarf must put his affairs in order, dispose of his personal possessions, and prepare for his funeral, as he will have one to three months before ‘Aveferpesthomm’, the Time of Stone - death - overtakes him.
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“S/he has become stone” is the way dwarves refer to a
dead dwarf - a euphemism for ‘Khorimyeh’, to die, or
‘Khorim’, death. The dwarf is mourned with physical
expressions of grief that are restrained and low-key, but deeply felt. It is
believed that this form of mourning and the attendant rituals were evolved out
of the Thergerim sensitivity to excess noise, as well
as a security precaution - loud wails could carry well through rock, attract
unwanted attention, or even cause cave-ins. The body, now completely rigid and
extremely heavy, is taken to the lowest levels of the excavations for disposal.
In volcanic regions it is preferred to utilize a magma pit, but in other areas a
bottomless crevasse or non-connected cave pool is used.
Once the body has petrified and the life-force departed, most
Thergerim believe that the ‘forgespark’ (soul, spirit,
essence, or whatever name you care to call the mind and heart that animates a
sentient being…) returns to meet its Creator – the great
Trum-Baroll – and will dwell in his
realm, the underground utopian empire known as Toll Disporbaroll. We say most,
as this is the common belief; some of the older members of the more traditional
clans will inform you fiercely that the body itself returns to be animated by
the forgespark again, so that the deceased dwarf may
have a corporeal existence in Toll Disporbaroll. Arcane
dwarvish writings (not an
accepted part of the "RockTales",
but rather apocryphal) claim that there are in Toll Disporbaroll itself layers
within layers, depths within depths, and the purified essence, with or without
its body, will move ever deeper, to ever more fulfillment and joy.
Note: The Thergerim do not believe that
Caelereth HAS a
netherside. They don't believe it's
flat. Or rather, it's flat, but not a disc - the
earth continues downwards almost
infinitely, like a column. The Overworld, or surface, is the flat, circular top
of the column. The Thergerim live and mine in the
upper layers of that column, which becomes, as they have observed, ever-hotter
as they descend... At some point that heat becomes intolerable and
dwarves can neither live nor work there: they say it
is because they have not yet 'become stone' (see Dwarven Death Rituals). Death,
then, is a way in which they can pass that 'barrier' of molten rock and descend
even further, into the semi-spiritual, semi-physical realm of
Trum-Baroll, the
Stone Father.
Apparently the further down, the better - dwarves who
have perhaps not been all they should have been in life, will remain on the
shallowest levels of Trum-Baroll's
domain (we humans would say 'on the outskirts' or 'on
the lower levels'), labouring to feed His forges or pump His bellows. Work,
effort, and loyalty may 'redeem' them from this service and allow them to move
downwards, ever closer to the true heart of the
Stone Father.
Thergerim are reluctant to speak of these mystical lower levels, but
apparently the Book (Trumesdrumerons)
has a few archaically-worded passages which describe them...
An intimate look at a dwarven funeral may be had here, in the story of Mututaph
Foodmaker.
Mututaph has
become Stone.
The females of the cavern stood in a quiet circle around the
motionless form on the stone. |
Information provided by
Bard Judith
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