Khardas¶
"Let any who enter pray to receive inspiration from the stalwart lord of the earth and seek redemption for those who have sinned against him." — tomb of Bercius, Disciple of the Earth (S008)
Khardas is the Lord of the Earth: "God of the Earth, Lord of Stone" in the Domain of Matter and "Lord of Industry" in the Domain of Thought (S420), "Lord of the Earth, Crafts, Forges and Science" in the old compendia (S429). He is one of the five great gods of the Kalari Pantheon and the maker of the Dwarves1, who was himself a Dwarrow before he was a god. Humans in the Fourth Age worship him "as the god of industry and labor" (S328); the Dwarves hold him as the source of their kings and their runes.
Origins¶
Khardas began among the Dwarrow, "a race of super-intelligent, technologically advanced earth elementals" who fought the Einar in the Primordial Wars and hid in the deep. "With the fall of the Elder Gods and the birth of the younger ... Khardas (a Dwarrow) became the first Dwarrow shard holder/god. In time, there were others (Adranus and Malix)" (S529). "Khardas and the remaining Dwarrow formed the Dwarven race (as non-fae) as the successor and inheritor of the Dwarrow legacy", a people "reproducing at a far faster rate and being more resistant to magic", who "were accepted into the order of the younger gods, while the Dwarrow were still regarded as elemental-spawn outcasts" (S529).
The frescos on his vault at Kilmarn tell the same story in five scenes: "the dominion of the earth (Khardas binding earth primordials)", "the creation of the dwarven race (by Khardas and Dwarrow)", "the ascension of Khardas to Godhood (kneeling before Kalar)", "the creation of Rune Magic" and "the founding of Kahun'Darahl" (S163).
Domains and creations¶
His symbols are "Tools (esp Hammer), Anvil, Mountain, Ram, Elephant" (S429). He is "creator of Dwarves, Mountain-Giants, Moles and other earthen creatures" (S429), and of the Khardun, "rare mithis-infused Dwarves created by Khardas, 5 Clans. They are initiated, not born" (S024). He is married to Astrin, Mistress of the Heavens, Stars, Dreams and Visions (S429).
Khardas gave the Dwarves their magic. Rune Magic was "the original Rune Magic created for and expanded by the dwarves and is based around Khardas" (S132), and its tongue is "a rare language developed by Khardas to allow the non-magical Dwarven race to practice magic through Rune Magic" (S304). It has its own page under Khardic Runecasting. He is a smith of weapons for the gods: Calcadyia's Crystal Lance, "a titan-forged adamantine spear capable of mortally wounding powerful creatures", was "forged by Khardas for the Einar warrior Calcadyia during the Second Primordial War" (S010). He is a jailer of the elements, holding the fire primordial Maegera (S010). His piece of the Mithis Heartstone is the Kalamite Axe of the High King, "lost somewhere in Kahun'Darahl" and held unknowing by the demon prince Orcus (S182).
Temples¶
The Halls of Khardas at Kilmarn are "a hexagon, with each side dedicated to: magma ...; rock, caves ...; tilled earth (Kalar-side); crafts (forge); dwarves (3 dwarven ascendants, priests quarters), mountains (Erolan)", around "an empty pool with an hexagonal altar". "Making an earthen sacrifice on the altar and chanting the appropriate phrase (written on the altar) will make the room spring to life, lighting the forge and filling the pool with magma" (S163). Beyond them the Temple of Falling Stones, where basalt rods "rise and fall in random patterns", guards an inner sanctum in which "a large statue of Khardas stands resting on a great hammer"; "only a priest of Khardas or dwarf (dominion Khardas) can open the vault", and the sanctum "encompasses an Astral Vertex which is a large black-red stone floating in the center" (S163, S164). Beneath lay a far older temple of Namaka.
In the Fourth Age the Temple of Khardas in ruined Redallion shelters some hundred and twenty survivors under its dwarven High Priestess, whose "Blessing of Khardas" guards them against the Earthblight (S328). The old compendia name him among the gods of the Naher (S524). The Kalari shrine in the Rift keeps the tomb of Bercius, "Disciple of the Earth", whose chest "can only be opened after saying a prayer to Khardas" (S008).
The Fifth Age¶
Khardas is one of the "primary Kalari still worshipped" after the fall of the old gods (S020), and one of the Riven triumvirate of the Hellgate War with Arya and Rakkar (S132). A campaign note asks "Khardas Sleeping?" and leaves the question open (S132). His people are divided: "Dwarven Fracture in society. Khardas loyalists, New Pantheon+Namaka (underground)" (S132), and "Namaka has made considerable gains against Khardas and has developed her own forms of Rune Magic" (S250). Clan Runeguilds "can be based on either Namakan or Khardic rune disciplines depending on the loyalties of the clan" (S132).
Among the loyal, Volgin Trollmane, "King-in-exile of Dru'Bazan, anointed by Khardas", is revered as the Dwarves' true authority (S319). In the White Towers, "High Priest Vorgak", "favored of Khardas", leads twenty priests, and Queen Melkorka, a Runepriest of four and a half centuries, is likewise "favored of Khardas" (S201, S193); their gifts include the Divine Beacon of Maradeim and the Adamantine Shawl of Hergrett, both Ascendants of Khardas, and a "Khardas Travellers Blessing" (S201, S193). Khardic Battle Priests fight with runemauls (S201). In the Divine Period "Khardic Crystals" are a source of earth magic, and Khardic runecasters are "relics of old forgotten (and powerless) gods" whose art "is forbidden by the Divine" (S112).
Ascendants¶
Khemeia, "an ascendant of Khardas", sits the Dias of Algahanni "on her curved bronze stool"; "Khemeia's hatred of dragons was legendary", and she destroyed the primal red dragon Vixseranyol in her lair at Pro'Turra and sealed the fortress as "a tomb and prison" (S031, S071). Hurin Deepstrider, "son of Thoruk of Clan Argentwall", whose biography lies in the Kilmarn vault, "is now an ascendant of Khardas" (S163). Maradeim and Hergrett are remembered by the relics that bear their names (S201). Oirgav and Wravikon were slain by the Eldritch berserker Luiranar, who "had a particular hatred for dwarves and other creatures associated to Khardas" (S164). Three "dwarven ascendants" have quarters at Kilmarn (S163). See Ascendants.
Gap
No source gives Khardas's doctrine, rites, holy days or the structure of his priesthood. Whether he sleeps, as the Sancturi-era note wonders, is not settled.