Grond

GROND – The Earth Father

Status: 1st Generation Elder God

Level: 7777

Avatar: Barint

The Dwarves were the second great race in the time before time. Before this, the nature deity Lorinthiel made elves from the trees of the forest; they grew to be a glittering adornment to the world and the other Gods praised Lorinthiel’s creation. The elves were allowed to roam all the great forests and it was here they made their home, living in harmony with the forests’ creatures.

The Earth God, Grond, who was then a rival to Lorinthiel, was moved by jealousy and worked secretly in the depths of the earth to make a race of his own. He made their bodies from rock and ore and filled their veins with magma, so that they were solid and strong and filled with the virtues of stone and metal. They were beautiful to him and he loved them.

After many centuries Grond showed his new race to the Gods. He was proud of the dwarves – for thus he had named them – because they were stronger, less fragile and more dependable than the slender, flighty elves. He asked that some land might be found for the dwarves to settle, in the same way as the elves had settled in the forests.

The other gods only laughed. The dwarves, they said, were malformed, clumsy and ugly and they could not be compared with the beauty and sophistication of the elves.

Disappointed and embittered Grond gathered up the first dwarves and left the company of the Gods, never to see nor speak to them again. He sat in the place of their forging and brooded, thinking bitter thoughts. The dwarves laboured mightily to divert and cheer him. From the place where Grond had quarried the stone to make the dwarves a great chamber had been made and the dwarves turned it into the throne hall of a vast palace. The rock where Grond sat become a magnificent throne and around the palace they built a beautiful underground city, hewn out of the living rock, this city was called Grundergon. Despite their efforts Grond could not be roused from his brooding and he did not stir.

The first dwarf made by Grond was called Moradin (Dw. “Maker”), and Grond had shown him the secret of his creation. While Grond sat motionless in his palace, Moradin made more dwarves. He taught them the secrets of metalworking and gem cutting and more importantly he taught them how to write. Many times the dwarves tried to rouse Grond from his brooding with gifts of beautiful things they had made.

It was to no avail; Grond did not stir. It was left to Moradin to look after Grond’s creation and they prospered in his care. This was the Golden Age of the Deep Delvings when the dwarves spread far and wide beneath the earth. They gathered the fruits of their underground world and became great miners, metal workers and gem cutters. They created works of great power and beauty but all were touched with a dour spirit, born of their God’s bitterness.

In the ages that passed, word passed of the dwarves great skill. The trickling of streams beneath the ground brought word to those above and the gods wondered if they had not been to hasty in judging Grond’s creation. Still Grond could not be raised from his brooding but the Gods contacted Moradin in the hope of reconciliation. The gods – all except Lorinthiel, who would not go with them – marvelled at the world beneath the earth. They admitted Moradin to their company and they raised a son of the body of Grond as he sat oblivious. They appointed him to preserve and protect the dwarves’ mines and tunnels and their makers. The dwarves were delighted and in return they made a gift for each of the gods, each cunningly crafted of great power and a prized possession for its recipient.

At this time there were Seven great artificers: -

Brokk

Drumin

Cerm

Durakk

Thingrim

Crom.

All of whom were the first of Moradin’s creations. It was these Seven who were responsible for the overseeing of the Gods gifts. It was also these Seven who together created the most magnificent artefacts of the time, such as the Great Net of Grundergon, which has been used ever since to save those dwarves who fall from the very bottom of their mines into the void. As a reward for their services Moradin told each of the great artificers “Take a portion of my children and each create a tribe of which my Lord Grond would be proud.”

SYMBOL

GROND

WORSHIP

The dwarves have a great emphasis on conserving the old ways and this reflects a lot in their religion. Generally superstitious, their rituals remain the same as those taught by Moradin just after their awakening. The dead are always buried in stone, be it in crypt or under cairn. They are never put to rest beside dirt or anything other than the substance from which the race was founded. When time or circumstances prevents proper internment, fallen dwarves are placed on a pyre and burned.

Dwarves worship both Grond and Moradin and turn to them both when troubled or in need. This means there is two religious sects both of which have equal standing.

The Dwarves first religion is that of Grond The Earth God. His followers believe that they can awake their brooding God by creating the finest artefacts and the most productive of mines. Because of this most of their time is taken up with the tasks of smithing and mining which is considered to be prayer in its self.

The second religion is that of Moradin The God of the Dwarves. To the Dwarves every fundamental belief they hold, they hold around his character and his creation of the Seven artificers or The Seven Fathers. Accordingly, the dwarves revere the number seven and to the followers of Moradin this number is essential and sacrosanct.

Their origin-tale holds that Moradin wrought Seven Lords and in turn seven Houses which comprise the race.

This concept breeds the tenet that each House has a lineage with a common spirit, which permeates the kindred and ties them together. In a sense, the dwarves look upon themselves as parts of Seven greater souls. Therefore, they also venerate their ancestors above all other things, except their maker Moradin and his maker Grond and believe that the living core of their kindred spirit resides in each Dwarf-King.

TEMPLES

Every Dwarven stronghold has at least one temple to Moradin and Grond and in most cases these take the form of a large shrine or statue on the main hall of the hold, were on festivals the entire population can gather to worship.

HOLY DAYS

To Grond’s followers every day can be used to carry out their form of prayer so to a priest of Grond every day can be considered a Holy Day. Even so, every 100 years a huge gathering is assembled and all his followers travel to Grundergon with the finest of their craft and conduct rituals to attempt to rise their God.

FRIENDS AND ENEMIES

All other religions are treated with neutrality, having very little to do with them, but are openly hostile towards the natural enemies of the Dwarven race. Clerics of Grond also suffer a long running animosity towards the nature deity Lorinthiel and therefore are very distrusting towards any of her priests.