Withered Hammer History (Malidin)
From Toosigma
| Title | Withered Hammer History |
|---|---|
| Author | Brandon Horn - Malidin |
| Campaign | Shattered Prisons |
| Session | Background |
| Posted | April 6, 2007 |
| Game Date |
The Withered Hammer religion started nearly 13,000 years ago, before the Dwarves migrated from the Frostfell. The clans were only loosely organized and largely barbaric, dependent on the migrating herds of caribou and the subterranean cattle-like rothe for survival. A dwarven youth, no older than 60, by the name of Kharos rose to prominence in his tribe, not through strength of arms (which was common) but through his wisdom. He gathered his extended family and formed the first true clan, and set out to unite the other tribes under his leadership. He warned of a great evil that threatened the entire dwarven people, and that only together could they defeat it. His signature weapon, a mighty hammer far beyond the skill of any dwarven smith of that age, represented his strength as he forged the new nation.
After nearly 100 years of effort, he gathered the strongest and wisest of his warriors, showing them a secret he had kept hidden throughout his conquest – the Sacred Fire. The fire burned pure white, and radiated heat that went beyond normal fire, warming and comforting the soul. The Brotherhood continued to gather in secret, always preparing to avert the imminent cataclysm. On his 200th birthday, Kharos announced to his people that the time had come for him to leave them – the cataclysm was upon them. He left the frozen wastes, walking southward. He had forbidden anyone to follow him, but his youngest son, Malidin, disobeyed, tracking his father on his journey.
The journey was extensive, and Malidin began to wonder if his father had lost his mind as the two trekked far from the frozen plains to a wasteland of an entirely different sort. The land was scattered with plinths of volcanic glass, jagged and razor sharp, stretching to the sky. Finally, after many months, Malidin followed the trail to foot of a tower – clear crystalline and glimmering in the light of day. The translucent tower seemed to be the anti-thesis of the black obelisks of the wasteland, and he dreamed that he had found the source of the Sacred Fire.
Then he heard the sounds of battle, and raced forward to aid his father against whatever horrid monster had best him. Charging up the stairs of the tower, he came to a large open room with many doors around the edges. In the center of the room he saw his father's hammer, but something had changed it. The metal head which had not so much as chipped in a thousand battles during the reunification had been cracked, and the stout metal handle which had withstood the hottest fires of the dwarven forges had been twisted and gnarled. With it was a small scrap of paper – a message from Kharos to his son, telling him to keep the Faith alive, whatever the cost.
Malidin took up the Withered Hammer and the surname Soulhammer – and returned northward to his people. Several of the clans had grown curious as to the fate of their king, and had started the migration to the warmer climes of Khorvaire, eventually settling in the mineral-rich mountains of the Mror Holds. Malidin organized the Brotherhood of the Withered Hammer, a religious order dedicated to the unification and protection of the dwarven people from all evils. Though the order eventually went underground, it always maintained the mandate – seeking out righteous young dwarves to carry on the tradition.
