# Duchar The Dwarves of the Darsun'dem had spent many generations venerating the goddess Inkarha, who was said to have created the dwarves from the stone of the earth. This misplaced veneration turned the dwarven people from their righteous destiny as defenders of the material world from the dangers of the demon realm. It made them into a pack of docile, weak-willed milksops that would be unwilling or incapable of fulfilling their purpose.   The reason for this deception was made clear with the foul incursion of the Tan'ggelyn, the ruler of the Dul'Strafft, the scorched lands, the black oblivion. Tan'ggelyn is a vile tyrant who can only sustain his wretched existence through burning away what has been wrought by others. Nothing could ever slake Tan'ggelyn's thirst for conquest and destruction. For him, it is his only path to survival, as Dul'Strafft is already a charred husk, barely capable of maintaining his existence.   The dwarves resisted the fiery horde's invasion, but the fight was perfunctory, defeat was inevitable. Those who worshipped Inkarha begged the soldiers of the Darsun'dem to lay down their arms, to retreat from the incursion or surrender to Tan'ggelyn so that no more dwarven lives would be lost to a hopeless war. As cities burned and clans lie broken, Inkarha called time and again for peace, understanding and reconciliation.   Many dwarves repudiated the calls for surrender, and rallied the dwarves to push back the invaders. Even at the risk of life and limb, they would protect their people from the hellish host that poured forth from Dul'Strafft. The greatest among these heroes was Moh’reg gar'Oraghnin dar-Rassmussen.   Moh'reg was a dwarven knight under the command of the Inkarhan Paladin Goswer gar'Karaskot dar-Inkarha. Goswer's battalion was routed by the Cyn'dar champion Chamat Kaar in a battle outside the city of Wrythlydll. Goswer called a full retreat, leaving behind not only the his fallen soldiers, but also the people of Wrythlydll he had been charged to protect. Moh'reg was struck down in the battle, but had not died. When he regained consciousness, he went to Wrythlydll expecting to find his unit, but instead only found the citizens of the city who had not been able to flee with the soldiers charged with defending them.   Moh'reg knew his orders were surely to follow his battalion back to whatever position they had fallen back to, but he also knew his duty was to stand up to Chamat Kaar and defend the people of Wrythlydll. He gathered the people of the city and convinced them they if they worked together, they could hold off the Cyn'dar long enough for the Diamond Legion to regroup and counter-attack. He then set them into the ruined city to gather what supplies they could to fortify Starnhald Wrythlydll.   As Moh'reg searched through the city, he chanced upon a golden ring set with a beyrl stone. When he gazed into gem, he saw a vision of Duchar, the true creator of the Dwarves and the savior of the Darsun'dem. The ring spoke to Moh'reg and asked of him his one desire. Moh'reg answered that his desire was for the Dwarves to be free of the accursed Cyn'dar invaders. The ring countered that of the Cyn'dar were merely wiped away, then someone else would simply take their place and place the Dwarves in peril once more. Moh'reg declared that he desired to make the Dwarves strong enough to repel to defend themselves and their way of life, to throw back any who would take their lives and livelihoods from them. The ring warned that such strength risked corruption, and that the Dwarves themselves might become an invading force to fall upon other who have done no wrong to the dwarves. Moh'reg proclaimed that his wish was for the dwarves to be resolute of purpose, for their integrity to be as everlasting and strong as the mountains on which they lived. The ring said to Moh'reg that his answers were worthy; That Duchar, the true god of the Dwarves would return to them in their time of need.   Moh'reg spoke of this revelation to the people of Wrythlydll and told them that if they stood bravely before Chamat Kaar and his Cyn'dar forces, then Duchar would ensure their victory. And so it was that Moh'reg led a ragged collection of masons, miners, farmhands and fishermen in the defense of a ruined fort against an overwhelming force of elite Cyn'dar soldiers. Many died in the defense of Starnhald Wrythlydll, but the Cyndar was not able to break the fortification. Witnesses to the battle claimed that the walls came to life to repel defenders. Swords and shields moved of their own accord in the hands of their bearers to deflect blows or to strike their enemies true. The engines of war aided the dwarves as they desperately tried to work them with crews too short of training or manpower. It was clear to all involved that a divine force had taken their side in the battle, and this miracle granted them not only survival, but victory.   With the Cyn'dar defeated and the might Chamat Kaar slain, Moh'reg and the defenders of Wrythlydll journeyed to Starnhald Wardgaether to find Goswer and the remains of his battalion.   Word quickly spread about Moh'reg, his tale of Duchar, and his impossible victory at Wrythlydll. Moh'reg was raised to knighthood in his own right. In turn, he raised the five greatest of the defenders of Wrythlydll to his side. Together, they formed the legendary _Company of the Beyrl Ring_.   With victory after victory, the fame of the Company of the Beyrl Ring grew. As their fame grew, so too did the rank and authority of Moh'reg and his five companions, and so too did the influence of the faith of Duchar. As the faith in Duchar grew, the tide of war began to turn in the favor of the dwarves. Eventually, Duchar and his priests were able to expose Inkarha as the vile traitoress she is, tore down her church and exiled her followers from the kingdom. ### Holy Books & Codes _Rhynfel Duchar_ is the holy text of the Duchar faith. The title roughly translates as “the Art of War.”   The book itself is not so much a single text as it is a collection of accounts of Duchar’s work, those who were guided by his hand, and those who have been canonized as Ger’Yrrad or “War Saints” or exemplars of Duchar. Over the centuries, clan leaders and ecclesiastical authorities have edited and clarified the stories, raising some as canon, striking others down as apocryphal. Disagreement and debate over these decisions have created a degree of fragmentation among the church, which has only worsened with the fall of the Darsundim. There are five major variations of the _Rhynfel Duchar_.   Each has essentially the same story of the events of the Miracle of Wrythlydll. The prophet Mo’rheg, along with a collection of masons and miners, farmhands and fishermen, are stranded in the ruined fort of Wrythlydll. The legendary efreet warrior Chamat Kaar and his host would surely butcher the dwarves, and Mo’rheg sought a means of protecting his people from the impending slaughter. The story states that Mo’rheg wandered the ruined town, and in the ruins found a ring of silver with a beryl gem at its center. As he gazed into the gemstone, the revelation of Duchar came to him. In it he saw the true origin of the dwarven people, the state of the people as they lived today, and the destiny of glory and victory that was their due. Mo’rheg showed the gem to the people of Wrythlydll, and the five who saw as Mo’rheg saw were invested with Duchar’s power. Those who followed Mo’rheg and his five new followers were blessed by Duchar, and those who denied Mo’rheg’s words, and claimed to see nothing in his ring, were killed to a soul in the battle that followed. But each of the five variations of the Rhynfel Duchar states that the gem set within the ring in which Mo’rheg saw Duchar for the first time was a different color. Because of this, the variations are referred to as the gospels of the Red, Green, Blue, Golden and Rose Beyrl.   ### Dogma   The Feldcroghten conception of Duchar follows the _Gospel of the Green Beryl_. It views Duchar as the shaper of the world; a worker of great miracles and the force behind all magic. To wield magic, and specifically to wield it in such a manner to conquer and destroy the enemies of the Dwarven people is to do Duchar’s work.   The favored account of the Miracle of Wrythlydll comes from Chel'willar gar'Feldcroghten, a whitesmith whose encounter with Moh'reg and conversion to Duchar awakened her sorcererous power. She paints Moh'reg as a capable if not astonishing warrior who wielded immense power derived from the Beryl Ring, which was a direct conduit to Duchar's might. Moh'reg was a keen tactician who out-thought his enemies, and ably identified talent among his ranks, raising the best and brightest to his side while marginalizing the brutish or dim-witted. Chel'wilar furnished relics and artifacts of immense power to aid the dwarves in their eventual victory in the first Brimstone War.   The Gospel of the Green Beyrl venerates magic as the pure manifestation of Duchar, as it shapes the world as he shapes the world. In so far as dwarves use magic, they become like Duchar. Intelligence, cunning, and education are praised more so that pure strength, for "even the meanest of stones has strength. But act upon those stones with cleverness, and the stone's strength multiplies greatly. Stone smartly placed together will make a wall to stand for generations. A stone thrust cleverly with an engine of war will break down a mighty wall. A stone inscribed with runes will impart knowledge to silence the engines of war."   Duroc dogma follows the _The Gospel of the Blue Beryl_ . It teaches that Duchar is the creator and shaper of the dwarves, rather than as a direct source of power. He made the dwarves in his image, and in each dwarf there is a center of power that can tap into Duchar's divine essence. It is up to individuals to reach into themselves, to find that power and to expresses it however they can.   The Miracle of Wrythlydll of told in this gospel by Manclys gar'Duroc, a contemplative wanderer and philosopher who, upon beholding the Beryl Ring, was able to achieve true oneness and enlightenment. Manclys used her awakening to transcend mortality and become "the Perfect Self." Her depiction of Moh'reg was as an insightful and articulate observer of the humanoid condition. He used his keen understanding of people to motivate his own soldiers, and to allow them to draw untapped potential and strength from within. The Beyrl Ring was a piece of Duchar himself, which when shown to dwarves, allowed them to become more receptive to the seed of divine power that resides in all dwarves. Most were inspired and heartened by its presence, others had previously untapped power awakened within them.   The Gospel of the Blue Beryl teaches that within each dwarf is a well of power referred to as _saiyn_. This is the celestial core, the primordial power of creation, the echo of divinity that can (if tapped) reshape both the self and the world. The worship of Duchar is best exemplified in attuning ones self to this power, and utilizing it to transform ones self into a more accurate reflection of the creator's glory. There are eight manifestations of the saiyn, starting with a code of ethics governing one's thoughts and actions. As one achieves greater manifestations of saiyn, more supernatural elements become attainable, but the dedication and discipline requires to maintain the higher manifestations of saiyn are exceedingly demanding and most are unable to achieve it in their lifetime. Only a handful of dwarves have ever reached the eight manifestation of saiyn and become the "perfect self."   The Kingdom of Thrumsul in built upon the conception of Duchar as described in the The Gospel of the Red Beryl. It views Duchar as the epitome of righteousness and justice, who created the dwarves as a response to the wickedness and depravity of the mortal world. Dwarves had since been corrupted, they have forgotten their origin and forsaken their divine calling, but so long as their faith in Duchar remains strong, the power, victory and glory of Duchar will remain strong in them.   The tale of the Miracle of Wrythlydll in this version comes from Yandral gar'Thrumsul, a petty thief and deserter from the Diamond Legion. Yandral witnessed Moh'reg's discovery of the Beyrl Ring, and with it the physical manifestation of Duchar coming forth to declare his rightful place as the dwarves' god, to decree that those who accepted his divine authority would know victory, and to declaim that all who doubt or dissent will know suffering, woe and divine judgement. When the Cyn'dar attacked the Starnhald at Wrythlydll, Duchar himself came forth and smote the enemy with thunder and lightning. He struck down the wicked Cyn'dar and the few cowardly dwarves who tried to run or hide when the battle came.   The gospel places Duchar not just as a force of power, strength and victory, but as a source of righteousness. Dwarves had been created to embody this righteousness and strength, but being mortal they had fallen under the corrupting influences of the material world, growing soft and languorous in a world where wealth is prized more highly than service or honor. There is no salvation for the wicked. Any impulse to show mercy to the wicked is the resonance of that wickedness within your own soul. Good and evil is a zero-sum game, and the destruction of the wicked is the path to a better and more just world.   Within the Kingdom of Rassmussen, worship of Duchar follows the _Gospel of the Golden Beyrl_. This view of Duchar frames him as a protector and keeper of the Dwarves, rather than a ravenous engine of destruction and conquest. Duchar values and protects the lives of all dwarves, but as dwarves bond together in kinship and cooperation, the power of Duchar’s protection is further bolstered.   This gospel's author is said to be Sorgurad gar'Rassmussen, a scholar and historian. Sorgurad wrote that the Beryl Ring called upon and bolstered the spirits of the dwarven ancestors. These spirits look after their progeny and will offer aid, advice and assistance to those who are receptive to their presence. This had been part of the folklore of Dwarves since time immemorial, but when Moh'reg discovered the Beyrl Ring, he was able to see the sheer number of spirits who were present at the ruin of Wrythlydll. He was able to comprehend the volume of insight and wisdom that so many spirits would have to offer. He was able to grasp the power that such a large community of dwarves would be able to command. Moh'reg used those vast resources in preparation for the battle to come, but the Miracle of Wrythlydll was when Moh'reg called forth the physical manifestation of those spirits to fight alongside the defenders.   Sorgurad described Moh'reg as a dwarf whose tactical brilliance, martial prowess and rhetorical flare were the result of his receptiveness to the knowledge and advice of his fore-bearers. He taught others to listen to the spirits of the ancestors and to heed their words. He taught them also the value of the presence and insight of the living dwarves by their sides, and not to let conceptions of class or rank blind them to the greater community of dwarves they are a part of.   For the Crigohren people, Duchar is viewed through the _The Gospel of the Rose Beryl_ . This gospel tells of Duchar as a keeper of _hyrfen_, which translates to "wisdom-and-strength." They use this term rather than "wisdom" and "strength" because to attain one without the other is equal parts futility and folly. Aspire to attain both as a single ideal, and you are on the divine path. The search for Duchar’s blessing, and the victory that comes with it, is a much more individual journey in this gospel. Less is said of community or of crusade, as those who are wise and strong will not lack for community, nor will they have any cause for fear of the wicked.   The gospel was related by Ffelmura gar'Crighoran, a displaced farmer. When Moh'reg found the Beyrl Ring, he gained an insight into the connection between the world, the dwarves around him, and the self. This Those who gazed upon the ring gained a piece of that connectivity. Some told of the world shaping itself to their needs, their steel forged stronger, their stonework sturdier, their woodcraft stouter and more secure. Others told of a greater connection between themselves and their fellows, an unspoken "knowing" of the presence or needs of their fellows. Beyond some advantageous terrain and weather, little of the Miracle of Wrythlydll was supernatural, it was the power of dwarves working together to form a collective much greater than the sum of their parts. Ffelmura, when she beheld the Beyrl Ring, gained a connection to the earth and the elements that allowed her to speak directly to the world, and the world spoke back to her. She used this power as the healer and scout for the company of the Beryl Ring.   ### Taboos   ????   ### Temples and Shrines   The temples of Duchar are sturdy, squat buildings that could easily be mistaken for a military fortification if viewed from the outside.   At the center of the temple is chapel is a stone pentagonal dais. The dais is surrounded by stone pews in five groups.   --- ### Divine Symbols & Sigils A diamond-shaped shield with a crossed axe and hammer embossed. ### Tenets of Faith #### Crigorhan Magic   The first of the War Saints of Crigohran is Chel'willar gar'Feldcroghten, one of /   #### Duroc ???   #### Feldcroghten ???   #### Rassmussen ???   #### Thrumsul ???   #### Among the Inkarha ???   #### Other Worshipers and Faiths ???