Festival of the Forge Song
To honor Dumathar, the Veinsmith, the dwarves of Dumatharun established the Festival of Forge Song, a sacred celebration held once every twelve years. This cycle symbolizes the twelve years of wandering endured by the first dwarves before Dumathar revealed Drakthorite and guided them to their destiny beneath Kharak-Dur.
For seven days and nights, the forges of Thrangrim and the halls of the Forgefathers burn without rest. Hammers rise and fall in unison, filling the mountains with the rhythmic echoes of dwarven craftsmanship. The dwarves believe the resonance of the forge song strengthens their bond with the stone, honoring Dumathar’s gift and ensuring the prosperity of their clans.
The Gathering of the Clans
During the festival, all the clans of the Forgefathers journey from their strongholds across the mountains of Steerbright to gather in the Great Halls of Dumatharun. Here, they hold a magnificent feast that lasts throughout the week, celebrating unity, kinship, and the shared legacy of the mountain. The Gathering Feast is considered a sacred time, where grudges are set aside, and no clan may strike another while under the stone roof of Dumatharun.
Elder smiths and warriors retell the stories of the first dwarves, recounting the hardships of the wandering years and the moment Dumathar gifted them the forge flame. The halls echo with songs of lineage, and the flames of Thrangrim burn brighter than at any other time.
The Ritual and Crafting
At the height of the festival, the great forges are silenced for a single hour of reverence, during which the dwarves sing ancient hymns to Dumathar. Following this solemn pause, the festival culminates in the crafting of a single artifact. This item—be it a weapon, tool, or relic—is believed to carry the direct blessing of Dumathar.
No two Forge Songs are the same, and the artifact forged during each festival becomes a symbol of the year’s greatest triumphs, struggles, or ambitions. These relics are enshrined in the Hall of Embers, serving as reminders of dwarven perseverance and skill.
The Hammer of Dumathar
The most famous artifact born of the Forge Song is the Hammer of Dumathar, forged during the festival in 4670 BGW. Crafted from the heart of a meteor that crashed into the Dragon Spine Mountains, the hammer's head was shaped from star-metal that shimmered with an otherworldly glow.
It is said that the hammer could split stone with a whisper and summon echoes from the deepest mountain halls. To this day, the Hammer of Dumathar is kept beneath Dumatharun, brought forth only during times of great need or to bless the founding of new dwarven halls.
The Festival of Forge Song endures as one of the most revered traditions in dwarven culture, binding the scattered clans of Steerbright in unity and celebration every twelve years beneath the stone roof of Dumatharun.
