Pantheon: Lugh

Finder-of-Trails, Watcher over Wanderers, the Watchful Eye

Lugh is the God of Travel and Exploration in the Morndinsamman, the Dwarven Pantheon. As the dwarven clans became more the founders of many (most) of the Merchant Guilds, his following swelled, and today most merchants who worship, worship Lugh.

The most conservative dwarves pledge that the Stout Folk belong underground, and that those who travel the Realm Above (known collectively among the dwarven culture as Wanderers) have at worst betrayed ancient ideals and at best are somewhat disturbed fools. If the latter is the case, then the young dwarven deity Lugh is the grand king of fools. Originally the patron of those dwarves who have left the clanholds to explore the world under the sun, Lugh approaches life with an almost gnome-like demeanor, always curious to see what's beyond the horizon and always willing to trade stories of travels past beside a crackling campfire. His is the rare spirit of exploration embodied in divine form, the spark of curiosity his followers equate with a quick burst of lightning from the open skies.

Clerical details

Domains: Knowledge, Life, Protection

Weapon: Hammer

Worshipers, Clergy & Temples

Lugh is well regarded by wanderers and travelers. The Watcher's advocacy of racial integration, exploration, and adventure is little understood by those dwarves who remain cloistered in isolated dwarven holds deep in the mountains. Most of those dwarves (many of whom drive the calls for the next Return) look at the Finder-of-Trails and his priests with incomprehension, not antipathy. Lugh's clergy represent one of the most widely recognized dwarven churches of the surface, to the point where many of his followers don't even realize his dwarven ancestry.

Lugh's priests mark wilderness trails to make the path of those that might follow them easier; these paths are often the start of roads, and many's the merchant guild that takes a Lugh-birthed trail and turns it into a paved road, paid for by commerce. Priests of Lugh patrol these ways, healing and guiding any they meet, providing a warm fire, a hot meal, and friendly companionship to exhausted, lonely, lost or hurt travelers of any faith or race. They also establish way-caches of food and supplies (spare boots, clothing, weapons, drinking-water, bandages and splints, fire-making supplies, and the like) along these trails.

Priests of Lugh work with healers and priests of all races to help travelers. While they do not accompany adventurers, they are in a sense adventurers themselves, often fighting monsters, discovering ruins, and facing the same perils that adventurers do. Travelers anywhere in Azgaarnoth are often bound to encounter small bands of 3d4 priests of Lugh. Such bands do not reveal their religious status unless they are dealing with known allies or companions.

The ghosts of diligent servants of Lugh are said to haunt certain trails, old abandoned delves, and mountain passes. When travelers (particularly dwarves or their kin or companions) are lost in such places, particularly in blizzards or storms, the phantom priests appear, gesturing silently, and guide the travelers along a safe route to refuge or their destination.

Vestments

Priests of Lugh garb themselves in gray robes and maroon overtunics emblazoned on both the front and back with the symbol of Lugh. The holy symbol of the faith is a miniature electrum hammer.

When traveling and adventuring, priests of Lugh favor cloaks of gray or mottled green, brown, and gray over any sort of armor, including a helm if desired. While Watchful Eyes may employ any sort of bludgeoning weapon, they prefer hammers and staves, both weapons associated with the Finder.

Hierarchy

Lugh's clergy are known as the volamtar ("blazers of fresh trails"). Specialty priests are called Trailblazers. Novitiates in the priesthood are called the Lost, whilst full priests are Watchful Eyes, who ascend through the ranks of Sun Seeker, Far Wanderer, Trail Finder, Vigilant Guardian, Stalwart Protector, and Valiant Hammer. High Old Ones have unique individual titles.

Advancement within the ranks of the volamtar comes equally from tending to the flock (all travelers) as blazing new trails or eliminating dangers along the roads.

Temples

Lugh is worshiped on the bare heights of stony tors on moonless nights, or on holy days and for important rituals, in underground caverns. The caverns must always be natural, unaltered by the hands of intelligent beings. No matter where it is located, an altar to Lugh is always a simple stone cairn or wooden tripod, supporting a stone hammer, head upright.

Travelers that come across a temple of Lugh often tidy up the temple and leave a small offering to whatever band of the Watcher calls this temple home, even if the temple is found empty.

Rituals

Lugh's priests pray for their spells in the morning. Followers of Lugh celebrate numerous holy days during the year. Each festival day and nine days after each festival day is considered holy to Lugh. On most holy days, and at least once a year for each worshiper, followers of the Finder-of-Trails must burn used ironwork and dwarf-made footwear in homage to the Watcher.

Festivals

Midwinter and the ninth of Alturiak are known to the faithful as the Rooting and the Rebirth respectively. The former holy day celebrates the reforging ties to the mountain homelands, and the latter celebrates the emergence of dwarven wanderers from the Seventeen Cities. Greengrass and the ninth of Mirtul are known to the faithful as the Wind and the Wayfaring respectively. The former celebrates new discoveries and the latter celebrates extended sojourns in the homelands of other races.

Midsummer and the ninth of Eleasias are known to the faithful as the Hammer and the Anvil. These holy days celebrate dwarven craftsmanship and creativity. Shieldmeet is celebrated as the Shepherding, a day when dwarven wanderers are expected to introduce the hidden to their human and demihuman neighbors.

Highharvestide and the ninth of Leafall are celebrated as the Thunderbolt and the Fulmination. On these days followers of the Finder-of-Trails pray for guidance in any upcoming battles of the Stout Folk.

Finally, The Feast of the Moon and the ninth of Nightal are celebrated as the Beacon and the Runestone respectively. These holy days celebrate the path revealed by Lugh and the knowledge learned by interacting with other cultures.

Orders

While Lugh's clergy regularly assists adventuring dwarves, few priests actually become adventurers.

The Order of the North Star (sometimes also called the Knights of the North Star) are a widely dispersed order of Lughan priests (clerics, paladins, or monks) who individually join adventuring companies. Members of the Order seek to learn more of their companions' cultures, so as to ease the integration of Wandererers into other societies, and to direct the efforts of such adventuring companies toward activities consistent with the goals of Lugh and travlers in general. At least once per year each Knight must deliver an oral or written report to the most convenient Lughan enclave.

Dogma

Eschew the illusory safety of the clan hold and instead travel widely to spread the words of the Morndinsamman to those of other races, that they might gain the product of dwarven wisdom. Help fellow wanderers and sojourners to the best of your ability, for the road is easier endured amid the tread of companionship. Seek out new ways and paths, and discover the wise world in your wanderings. Herald the way of newfound hope.