Teredahar History & Mythology - Drakoni Religion

During the millennia of living as a worker/soldier underclass among Dragon society, the Drakoni were unwelcome in Dragon religious circles. During this time they formed their own spiritual beliefs more suited to their place in society.

The Way of the Forge

Kos Szar ha kos Széth

The Drakoni religion is centered around the notion that work itself is sacred, and that all objects of artifice are imbued with a bit of divine power. The blacksmith at his forge creates a sword imbued with a fragment of divinity using tools that are themselves religious objects. The symbol of a blacksmith forging weapons, armour, and other tools is commonly used in religious teachings, giving the faith its common name, The Way of the Forge.

Priest-Masters

Vánáhaek

It is expected that when a follower of The Way of the Forge can no longer practice their profession due to injury or age they become priest-master. Priest-masters are part cleric, part teacher, and part judge. It is the duty of each priest-master to ensure that his or her profession keeps a healthy number of apprentice and journeyman members and maintains high standards of both instruction and product quality. Priest-masters evaluate apprentices and journeymen and decide when they may move up in the ranks. They are also able to reprimand bad teachers and shoddy workmen, imposing demotions, fines, or in extreme cases banishing members from their profession.

Tools are divine.

Haß-sen Hrak

Any craftsman's tools are considered religious artifacts, because they are used to perform work in sacred professions. The Way of the Forge recognizes any crafting profession as an expression of faith, but primarily its practitioners are weaponsmiths, armourers, scribes, tanners, fletchers, and alchemists. Practitioners' tools are often of the finest quality, built of durable materials and adorned in ways that do not impede their function. Retired crafters who become priest-masters often posses less functional, decorative versions of their tools made which they display or carry as religious icons.

Crafting is worship.

Váháleth kha Shenéth

Certain recipes, designs, and methods are sacred to the Way of the Forge. Using these are akin to performing religious rites. They are precise and must be followed correctly or risk reprimand from a priest-magister. These recipes do not encompass all products; rather they are a standardized set of commonly-needed artifacts. Examples are sword blades, armour plates, and inks.

Divinity is made.

Shenéth-sen Haßkar

The act of making some piece of artifice imbues it with with a piece of the craftsman's soul, as well as the souls of the makers of all of that craftsman's tools. The combination of these souls is called the kash verséth (lit. "small power"), the power of the souls in the artifact. Craftsmen make tools for other craftsmen who use them in their own trade, spreading the power of their souls throughout the world.

Gameplay Notes

Followers of The Way of the Forge are primarily Drakoni, but some Dwarves identify with and follow the Way as well. Here are some notes for playing followers of this religion.

• Practitioners of The Way will be invested in a crafting skill and own a masterwork set of tools for their craft.
• The religion's alignment is Lawful Good.
• The religion's domains are Artifice, Law, Rune, and Knowledge.
• If a follower uses a holy symbol, it will be an ornate but functional tool of their chosen crafting skill. Golden holy symbols are often steel with golden inlays rather than pure gold as it is a soft metal generally not suited for tools.
• A follower will know at least one priest-master either directly or through their teacher
• Priest-masters function as a psuedo-governmental / regulatory body for most crafting professions in Drakoni-controlled regions

Next Time

Next week's article will introduce a new article series: Factions. It will cover the Drakoni caste system and the factions within it.