[Culture] The Rhun Oathed

[Nooblius 5794]

The Rhun Oathed are the participants in a list of oaths made to the Rhun and the Brathmordakin under the guidance of the Rhun Prophet and his apprentices. They are not the sole sect of dwarven faith, but rather a group of zealots who have placed a dwarven philosophy called “the Rhun” at the center of their faith and history. This leads to a massive emphasis on supreme craftsmanship, inspiration and omens. They are not known to assert themselves over other dwarves, though often in private will describe themselves as the supreme followers of the Brathmordakin, and view skeptics to their  traditions as foolish.

 

It would not yet be common knowledge the traditions of the Rhun Oathed besides their existence and a rudimentary rumor of what the Rhun was. Students who sought to learn more would be wise to contact the Rhun Prophet Durin Akrakthrein Hammerforge and or his apprentices in their travels. [OOC: Not public info, do not metagame. Contact Nooblius#4534 / Noob3738 or Tabby64#7754 / Taby3738 to join or ask questions!]

 

THE RHUN OATHED

No Kings but the Silverbeards,

No Gods but the Brathmordakin,

Glory to the works of the Worldmaker.

[Music]

 

DOCTRINE OF THE RHUN
ᚨᚴᚱᛟᚾ ᛞᚨ ᚴᛁᚱᚴᛃᚨᛗᚨᚱ'ᚢᚱ'ᚱᚺᚢᚾ

 

Worldmaker and Rhun

When being had not yet become and the only existence was Vuur’Dor and the primordial essences within it, there was no purpose nor design; only disorder. Then came the sound of a terrible boom as the hammer of the Worldmaker fell all at once across eternity. With its fall, chaos was wrought into meaning, and intricate form came upon creation in a design only the Worldmaker could give. The Worldmaker used His infinite might to compose reality into His greater design, and it was the Rhun.

 

The Rhun is the elaborate form of all creation composed by the Worldmaker Yemekar. All that has design and meaning is a part of the Worldmaker’s intricate plans and greater themes. These themes manifest through divine personas, together making up the Brathmordakin, the highest court of holy authority within the Rhun. Each commands their respective domain, the Worldmaker Yemekar Himself commanding over the domain of creation and craftsmanship, as well as His place as father of the Rhun.

 

Belief in the Rhun is not only recognizing the greater meaning of creation as designed by the Worldmaker, but also dedicating oneself to be in accord with that great plan. This is referred to in common as the Campaign; a great journey towards realizing the Worldmaker’s Rhun within one’s self and community. All doctrine of the Rhun Oathed is built around the purpose of the Campaign, of edifying creation to be in accord with the Rhun.

 

Khaz’A’Dentrumm

The last of the Worldmaker’s shaping was the composition of the eternal palace of the Brathmordakin to be placed above the rest of mortal materium; Khaz’A’Dentrumm. Here all honorable souls ascend to feast forever with their patrons and venerated ancestors, gazing on the world beneath them from the shining silver halls. Traditionally the moon is declared to be a sign of Khaz’A’Dentrumm, a distant image of the hallowed halls of the Gods.

 

The hierarchy of Khaz’A’Dentrumm is headed by the Worldmaker Yemekar and his Brathmordakin, and bolstered by the greatest ancestors of the dwarves; the Paragons. The most ancient of these Paragons who presided over the elder clans and First Era of dwarfdom are referred to as the Ancestor Lords.

 

Supreme Craftsmanship

Dwarves are placed in a special place in the Rhun as the chosen inheritors of Yemekar’s mission, the greatest of craftsmen amongst the descendents. Their capacity for supreme craftsmanship is not just a blessing, but with knowledge of the Rhun an obligation. Dwarves must reveal the intricacies of the Rhun in all their works, recognizing the deep meaning in all things and never settling for a simple effort.

 

Omens

The Rhun is not just a matter of cosmic scale, but also the local level in which the dwarves inhabit. It is the duty of the Rhun Oathed not just to know of the places of the Brathmordakin and nature of Khaz’A’Dentrumm, but also to consider the Rhun when witnessing historical events both great and small. 

 

Because events both fair and foul can be Omens of the Rhun, its cult can determine meaning from Triumph and Anguish. Not all success is earned by the honorable, and certainly not all suffering deserved by atrocious acts. Nonetheless, the more one faces Triumph or Anguish respectively, the more one can be confident of an omen, and therefore the will of the Gods. This teaching thus emphasizes productivity and prosperity, not faith alone, in order to best worship Khaz’A’Dentrumm.

 

TRADITIONS OF THE OATHED
ᚴᚨᚱᛁᚴ ᛋᛁᚱᚴ'ᚴᚨᚡ ᛟᛉ ᚡᛖᛚᚨᚴ'ᚱᚺᚢᚾ

Obligation

The most important tradition for the Rhun Oathed is the initial oaths to join the group. This is a powerful symbol and recognition of the obligation to the Rhun upon truly acknowledging its existence and importance. If one wishes to orient themselves towards the Rhun and gain the graces and blessings of the Brathmordakin, they must fully partake in the Campaign. This does not mean that their every action must be in direct service to the Rhun Prophet (far from it) but that they must be an active participant so long as they are able in honorable work. This can mean dedicating oneself to their crafts zealously and honoring the Rhun in those crafts, or the more explicit service to the Rhun within the priestly caste. The members of the Rhun Oathed often communicate with another and the higher ranks of the group to keep each other oriented with the Rhun, even if through means beyond the order’s command.

 

Tome of Triumph

Too often have the dwarves held themselves back and down by fixating on remembering solely the wrongdoings done to their ancestors, and not instead the triumphs and accomplishments! Hard work and success is important to the Rhun Oathed, who thus place a special emphasis on recording the current tasks of its members and remembering their progress. Feats of Glory accomplished by its members, be it the compilation of a long list of tasks or a truly heroic action, are specially notated and celebrated as Triumph within the Rhun Oathed. 

 

Grudgelore

Even the most optimistic of dwarves have a hardened heart and stubborn mind, remembering wrongdoings done to them. Those of the Rhun Oathed are no different in this fundamental tradition, though they vary in execution of Grudgelore. Firstly, dwarves are expected to remember the grudges of their kin and their community before they would those of random dwarves, acknowledging the limits of their bitter memory. If a grudge is so distant that it is forgotten and uncared for, it is dishonorable to pretend to revere it. Grudges are also atypically written in books, and instead carved into the stone of the hold to force the dwarves to actively see that the grudge is resolved else it is forgotten. 

 

Hierarchy of Kin

 

ᚱᛁᚴ-ᚱᚺᚢᚾ’ᛁᚾ Rhun Prophet	Cultural head of the Rhun Oathed, respected with absolute authority insofar as the Rhun Prophet is triumphant in his endeavors.
ᚱᛁᚴᚴᛁᚾ Overseer	Appointed assistants and commanders of the Rhun Oathed, able to give tasks and initiate more to the Rhun Oathed. Not necessarily a member of the Venidmordakin. May lead a cult or company in association with the Rhun Oathed.
ᚡᛖᚾᛁᛞᛗᛟᚱᛞᚨᚴᛁᚾ Cult of Rhun	Priestly Caste of Dwarves, able to officiate more initiates into the Rhun Oathed as Trialmasters. No centralized hierarchy in the early years of the Rhun Oathed beyond respect for another and acknowledgement of the Rhun Prophet. They go under special training, oaths and trials, often specialized to the individual.
ᚱᚺᚢᚾ’ᛁᚾᚱᚢᛗᛗ Rhun’s Folk	Full-fledged members of the cultural group known as the Rhun Oathed. Able to fully participate in its cults and companies and their hierarchies. Expected to uphold the rules of the group and commit to a task to be recorded in Tome of Triumphs.
ᚱᚺᚢᚾᚴᛁ Initiates	Dwarves who haven taken at least the oath of Yemekar and are in process of taking the seven other Oaths of Rhun. Are expected to respect the Rhun and its traditions insofar as they are educated else they will be forbidden from joining.

 

THE EIGHT OATHS OF RHUN
ᛞᚨ ᚨᛏᛏᚨ ᛒᚨᚱᚨᛉ'ᛞᚱᛖᚷᛗᚨᚱ ᛟᛉ ᚱᚺᚢᚾ

 

The Eight Oaths of Rhun serve as an elaborate filter to refine the initiates into the culture. The oaths are centered around the Rhun as a means of honoring the Worldmaker Yemekar. Because the Brathmordakin are divine manifestations of the themes of the Rhun, likewise the Rhun is understood and oathed through their names. Each Oath is a recognition of a member of the Brathmordakin and their place within the Rhun, followed by an obligation to honor their core principles. After the initiate has undergone all oaths, they are officially a full member of the Rhun Oathed, and gain greater access to the hierarchies of the group’s companies and cults.

 

ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟ Divine Yemekar, Worldmaker and Forgefather, Who composed creation in the Rhun Which is the Supreme Order of All; ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟ I shall keep my hands busy and harden my heart, So that I might hone my soul in honor, And be your agent upon the World Anvil.

The trial of the first oath is an obligation to finish the other seven. Yemekar is master of, not participant to, the Rhun. He is beyond measure even to the other Brathmordakin.

 

ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟ Divine Rhun, Deposit of the Destiny of Creation, Mighty Hammer of the Worldmaker, Through which chaos is conquered;  ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟ I shall orient my actions towards the Campaign, That I may weigh my soul with works, and bring Balance to eternal entropy.

The trial of the second oath is to forge from ferrum a sturdy ring and to have the oath overseer engrave the runes of the first oath into its sides. This is a symbol of the cohesion in honoring Yemekar through the Rhun, and it will serve as a reminder to the initiate for all his years.

 

ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟ Divine Anbella, Hearthkeeper and Oathbinder, Who wards mountainhomes from Chaos, And the comfort of our weary souls. ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟ I will honor life and the hearth of home, And tend the sacred hearth of yours, for all souls are forged within the Rhun.

The trial of Anbella is to have your own home established by hosting the Trialmaster for a feast, and to forever treat all guests with respect.

 

ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟ Divine Grimdugan, Hoardkeeper and Greed King, Who hides his glittering wealth for our kin, And the righteous blade of the darkness. ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟ I will quest for your hidden spoils below,            Strike the Earth to feed my treasure hoard, And keeping the secrets of your Shadow.

The trial of Grimdugan is to venture into the deeproads and return with a gemstone, rare ore or otherwise treasure retrieved from the darkness. This can be done solitarily or with another initiates, though typically not with help of Trialmasters.

 

ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟ Divine Armakak, the Sun and the Great Traveler, Who weighs pockets with coins and gems, And the walker of roads untraveled. ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟ I will Indulge the way of the merchant, That fruits of the Mountain’s Industry Return prosperity to my kin and Hold.

The trial of Armakak is to sell an object given to the initiate, crafted by the forge-priests, master smiths of the Rhun and associated apprentices. They will return half the minas to the trialmaster.

 

ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟ Divine Belka, the Storm and the River, Who incites passion in the meek, And the rivers that converge into one. ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟ I will spread joy and passion in my Hold, To keep spirits and companionship high, And celebrate the Triumphs of kin.

The trial of Belka has the initiative venture from the Hold with a keg of dwarven drink. They go to a foreign land and supply a tavern with dwarven drink to share with all tavern participants, and in turn they take 2 bottles of foreign drink back home. One they shall keep, the other shall be given to their Trialmaster.

 

ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟ Divine Ogradhad, Loremaster and Rememberer, Who knows all that was written on stone, And guides innovation and scholarship. ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟ I will honor the past and look to the future, So that our stories shall never fade, And their secrets are not forgotten.

Ogradhad’s trial is to contribute to the collection of dwarven writings of the world, finding common knowledge amongst the books across the realm and reconciling it with knowledge of the Rhun.

 

ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟ Divine Dungrimm, Guardian of the Souls, Who ferried my ancestors to the Halls, And commands the Auction of the Dead. ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟᛚᚤ ᛋᚨᚲᚱᛖᛞ ᛏᛖᛪᛏ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚺᛟ Inspire me the reverence and duty of Death, So that I violate the Villains of the Hold, And find my honored soul to be Sold.

For the trial of Dungrimm, the Trialmaster has a mask forged for the initiate. Wearing only this mask and a cloak, the initiate is instructed to “honor the Hold” and is then beaten by as many Rhun Oathed as possible, all in their own masks. If failed, the initiate must wait two years before trying again.

 

THOSE ANCIENT DAYS
ᚨᚴᚱᛟᚾ ᛞᚨ ᚴᛁᚴᛃᚨᛗᚨᚱ ᛖᚱᛟᚾ ᚱᚺᚢᚾ

 

The Old Ways

In those ancient days of reigning Silverbeards and prolific Rhuncraft, the dwarven folk had no need for omens nor prophecies for there was an unbroken covenant with Khaz’A’Dentrumm. Each king succeeding Urguan would inherit the title of Silverbeard and its Divine Authority, and would have access to many of the divine magics of Khaz’A’Dentrumm. Their story is held in special regard by the Rhun Oathed, as they are believed to have been closer to the Rhun in a very real way. [Kings of the Old Realm]

 

The study of the history of the dwarves is very important to the Rhun Oathed, who see themselves not as a rejection but true fulfillment of its course. They consider the vast story of the Grand Kingdom’s in the context of its shifting neighbors, and lament the War of the Beards as a Second Blood Age. [History of the Dwarves]

 

The Expedition

The Iron Hills (dw: Khron’Hundmar) is a watershed moment in the history of the Rhun Oathed where they became defined and clearly established as their own group, though with little organization or hierarchy. Lord Overseer Darek Irongrinder led an expedition out to the brutal northern wastes, isolated from any infrastructure out of disdain for the Urguani administration. From these Iron Hills the identity of a unique view of dwarfdom was forged, and in bitter rivalry with the Mountainhome which they self exiled a sense of pride and duty renewed. The shared background of Yemekar’s Workforce amongst the inhabitants further cemented the idea of supreme craftsmanship as integral to the philosophy of the Rhun, as the folk became fixated on projects and hard work as a cornerstone of the culture. [Strike the Earth!]

 

The fortress would last about two decades before the lack of foundation and preparation came to bite them, and the hold collapsed in failure under the watch of the Rhun Prophet Norli Starbreaker. He went on to resign his post in favor of Durin Hammerforged, proclaiming him ‘Akrakthrein’ and swearing to return with glorious plan and purpose. [The Rhun Redemption]

 

Current Day

The dwarves of Khron’Hundmar largely returned to the Grand Kingdom of Urguan, and quickly assimilated back into its hierarchy and ranks. This did not happen without controversy, as having returned from a shared mission that many felt was incomplete, there was a divide between those who swore themselves to the Rhun and those who were only just beginning to talk about it. Despite this, the Rhun Oathed do not define themselves as antagonists to the rest of dwarfdom but the self-proclaimed fulfillers of it, and are often working among the other dwarves of Urguan with little issue beyond the occasional religious debate.

[Norgeth 1113]

[!] Somewhere, A former gnomish denizen of The Iron Hills gives a salute, hoping his friends luck in their quest.
 

Spoiler

Epic Noobli posting! +1

 

[UnusualBrit 2061]

Spoiler

 

[AfroJoeTheOlogBro 1093]

The mechanical zealot rouses from his alchemical visions within his false slumber, plates thrumming with power as his eyes open. There had been a shift, he knew not how, but he knew it was there....time to seek out his fellow Rhun Oathed