Statue of the Stonefather

The Plinth of Names

At the statue’s wide base lies the Plinth of Kings, a perfectly cylindrical platform made of rune-etched ironstone. It is carved with the names of every Stoneking—the hereditary or elected leaders of the major Dwarven Holds—from the founding of the First Clans to the present day.

• Each name is carved in micro-runes, often no larger than a thumbnail.
• Names spiral upward in neat concentric rings, from the very bottom to about halfway up the plinth.
• Dozens of master rune-carvers are trained in the sacred art of adding new names when a king passes or a new one rises.

Design and Structure

• Height: Over 100 feet tall, visible from nearly every quarter of Heartdeep.
• Material: Polished black basalt with gemstone inlays along the beard, veins, and eyes. The eyes are twin orbs of volcanic sapphire that glow faintly in the forge’s heat.
• Pose: The Stonefather is shown mid-stride, gazing down toward the entrance of the Grand Forge, as though watching over all who labor below. His hammer is slung across his back; the ladle held low, brim dripping with molten light during festivals.
• Facial Expression: Stern, but not cruel. Wise, but tired.

The Prophecy

"When no name more can be carved, and the plinth lies full, the Stonefather shall rise and walk once more among his kin."

— From the Book of Rising Flame

This ancient saying is repeated in solemn tone by Dwarves who pass the statue. It is believed that when the final space on the Plinth is etched—when no more Stonekings can be recorded—The Stonefather will return to judge his children and lead them into a new age.

Some see this as a symbol of hope, others of doom.

Fortunately—or ominously—the plinth is enormous, and Dwarven runes are painstakingly small. By most estimates, there is space for at least another 3,000 names... though that number varies depending on the tools used and how deep the stone will allow carving.

Cultural Significance

• Pilgrimage Site: Initiates of the Lawkeepers, Forgemaster Clerics, and Bakers of the Divine Flame often make a pilgrimage to kneel beneath the statue and recite the 29 Stone Laws.
• Civic Center: During coronations, retirements, and funerals of high-ranking officials, gatherings take place before the statue. Offerings of bread, steel, and stone are left at its feet.
• Festival Lore: During the Feast of the Firedrake, molten honey and oil are poured into the ladle hand of the statue and lit aflame, casting flickering shadows over the forge plaza.

Recent Rumors

• A new crack has formed along the base of the plinth, where no such weathering has occurred in centuries. Some whisper it’s the Stonefather stirring.
• A Lawkeeper apprentice claimed to hear a deep, grinding voice echo from the hammer’s head when praying alone.
• Some surface Dwarves believe that each name carved shortens the time the Stonefather has left to rest—and that perhaps he should not be woken at all.