Illus. by D. Crabapple
DWARVES
CHAPTER 1
azer or as a bronze-skinned dwarf with hair and beard made of black smoke. Portfolio: The forge, fire, warfare. Domains: Destruction, Fire, War. Cleric Training: Clerics of Tharmekhûl are few and far between. Most commonly, a dwarf community has one cleric and one apprentice, who takes that cleric’s place upon his death, adopting a new apprentice at that time. Quests: Tharmekhûl’s interests are narrow. His clerics might carry flame Holy symbol of from the Tharmekhûl Elemental Plane of Fire to kindle a new forge, or they might delve deep into ancient ruins to discover a lost forge and retrieve the seal of the smith who worked it. Prayers: Fire imagery of all sorts fills the liturgy of Tharmekhûl’s worship. Fire is a purifier, and it also represents the external dangers that temper the dwarf race. A daily prayer begins with the words “Forge and furnace, melt me and mold me. . . .” Temples: Tharmekhûl does not have temples of his own. His clerics offer prayers as they tend the forge that lies in the heart of each of Moradin’s temples. Rites: The rites honoring Tharmekhûl all involve the tending of an actual forge: preparing it for use and stoking and damping its flames. Herald and Allies: Tharmekhûl’s herald is an azer 10th-level fighter/5th-level cleric. His allies are fire elementals and azers. Favored Weapon: Warhammer.
THAUTAM Intermediate Deity (Neutral) Thautam’s clerics believe that the spark of magic lies within all things, and they work tirelessly to draw forth the magic in everything from the walls of a dwarven citadel to the axes wielded by its guards. The dwarves dedicate many magic weapons and armor to Thautam. In dwarven folklore, Thautam acts as a kindly uncle to Moradin, content to putter away in his workshop and mutter advice to the Soul Forger. Artistic renderings of Thautam show him as an elderly dwarf with rheumy, blind eyes. Portfolio: Magic, darkness. Domains: Earth, Luck, Magic. Cleric Training: Becoming a cleric of Thautam means learning how to make magic items, especially weapons and armor. Thautam’s followers are usually accomplished artisans or smiths, and most know one or more item creation feats. Quests: Thautam is obsessed with recovering as many artifacts as possible from long-lost dwarf civilizations. He also has a special interest in protecting the dwarves’ adamantine Holy symbol of Thautam and mithral mines. Prayers: Because Thautam is a blind deity, prayers to him use unusually descriptive language. “Bless this sword, with its ruby pommel and silversharp edge . . .” begins one well-known prayer. Temples: Thautam’s temples are small—for his clergy isn’t as numerous as Moradin’s or Mya’s—but they always show an obviously magical hand in their creation. Some float in the center of a cavern, while others feature spires
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