The Emerald Book: Yemekar

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The Emerald Book:

Yemekar

 

An artistic depiction of Yemekar forging blades made of star-steel.

[source]

 

“In the empty void, the strike of Yemekar’s hammer illuminated the cosmos with brilliant sparks from the forge of creation. The nothingness swirled and bent under the power of Yemekar like hot iron under a blacksmith’s strikes. The Forgefather shaped the realms to his will, creating the realms and the first conscious minds upon them. Reality was smithed by his hammer, The realms were carved with his chisel, and the void was tamed with his axe. He is the ultimate creator.”

- The beginning paragraphs of many clerical sermons.

 

 

Yemekar The Forgefather

Yemekar is the leader of Brathmordkin and the creator of the world of the realms as we know them. In order to honour him, most dwarves venerate Yemekar through the act of smithing. Though all acts of creation and craftsmanship can be used to honour Yemekar. He is worshipped by those seeking to improve their crafting skills and attain unseen heights of artisanry. Yemekar is also venerated by leaders since he is the head and creator of the other Brathmordkin.

 

 

The Lessons of Creation:

These are doctrines and principles adapted from the millennia of scholarly research of other prophets, in order to guide dwarves with moral principles to serve as true worshippers of Yemekar.

 

Yemka: The common translation from Dwarven for Yemka is  ‘ To Create. This lesson teaches that the ultimate act of respect and veneration towards Yemekar is to create. Any act of creation like smithing swords, carving statues, or spinning pots, any act of creation is worthy of Yemekar, as long as you always strive to improve your skills.

 

“Each time you strike your hammer, your body copies the movement of Yemekar. The power of creation is something innate in us dwarves, and you must embrace it to create true beauty.”

- Extracts from ancient texts.

 

Fayraga: This word translates to Rainbow. This not only refers to the beauty of Yemekar’s creations but also the unity of the dwarven people. There are many different dwarves of different bloodlines, but we were all created by Yemekar and thus we must live harmoniously together. To respect and uphold dwarven unity is to honour Yemekar.

 

“All dwarves are the sons and daughters of Urguan, we must work and live together to uphold the balance of Yemekar. To fight amongst each other for earthly reasons is folly.”

- Quote from Dhaen Grandaxe, Prophet of Anbella.

 

Efridà: In common, this word means Effort. Craftsmen who care too much about their reputations fear making mistakes for it might damage their facades, thus their skills grow stagnant as they make no attempts of reaching new heights. They often forget the fact that Yemekar himself only created the dwarven race after 3 attempts. This lesson teaches us not to be afraid of our mistakes but to learn from them and to always put effort into improving ourselves. Failure is a tool like any other, and to fear it is to shun Yemekar’s gift to us.  Through effort and applying effort, we learn and we become better people.

 

“The only ones who don’t fail are the ones who don’t ever try. If you want to improve your skills and honour Yemekar, failure must be a tool in your usage as much as a hammer or an anvil.”

 - Words from a sermon on failure by Garedyn The Green, Prophet of Yemekar.

 

“The pounding of the hammer is what removes rust. Let life and its obstacles pound the rust from your soul.” 

- Paraphrased proverb from Karl Cottonwood.

 

Akhoral: Akhoral means Guidance. Those who wish to guide their people, whether as a mighty ruler of nations or a simple guildlord must follow in Yemekar’s example. They must always prioritise the good of the people under their guidance and never seek to abuse their power for their own benefit. Those who rule wisely, and whose actions are those that benefit the people are blessed by Yemekar.

 

“Follow in his example, ye who people depend upon. Serve for the betterment of your kind, just as how Yemekar serves to protect the world. Do not abuse your station, or you will not only receive the ire of those that look to you, but also that of the Brathmordkin.”

 - Advice given to a leader.

 

Post Scriptum:

This new look upon Yemekar was inspired by the teachings of my many teachers. In particular, my first clerical teacher who was the previous Prophet of Yemekar, Norli Starbreaker, from whom I learned a great deal about matters of the Brathmordkin. Even in the tumult of recent times, I respect his knowledge. I  sought out more knowledge from different clerical groups such as the Seers, from whom I have gained my passion for the Brathmordkin. I have spent a great deal of time in front of the flames of the forge practising my skills, and an equal amount of time ruminating on the nature of the Brathmordkin and Yemekar. With this doctrine, I wished to share some of the overlooked aspects about Yemekar that I feel are central to the dwarven way of life.

 

May it be noted that this is not clerical canon, but my personal views upon the Brathmordkin. The collections present in The Emerald Book are that of my own contemplations.

 

 

Sources:

Various Clerical Texts

The works of Norli Starbreaker

The beliefs of various Clans

The words of Hefrumm

The Dwarven Language Encyclopedia