Overview
The Obsidian Synod — A clandestine dwarven theological movement that has been operating within the Dwarven Holds for approximately 150 years. It is best understood as a radical reinterpretation of Earthbound Order doctrine applied to the Deepdark crisis, viewing the creatures not as invaders but as the Primordial Ones’ intended successor species in an ongoing cycle of creation and replacement.
- Primary designation: The Obsidian Synod (external name; members refer to themselves simply as “the Listeners”)
- Era of emergence: Approximately 860 years ago, during the waning centuries of the First Empire’s twilight period
- Current status: Active but fragmented following the Deepdark incursion — approximately two dozen confirmed cells across the Dwarven Holds, with suspected presence in Clan-Greystone and Clan-Stoneshield
- Relationship to Earthbound Order: Officially condemned by the Stone Throne as heretical; shares theological vocabulary but draws radically different conclusions
Origins: The Deep Song Controversy
The Obsidian Synod emerged from a schism within the Earthbound Order’s scholarly tradition that began in the centuries preceding the Cataclysm. A group of dwarf lithomancers, working primarily in what is now the Clan-Greystone archives beneath Khazad-Dum, discovered patterns in the Deep Song that contradicted mainstream Earthbound doctrine:
- The Discovery: Around 1,050 years ago, a scholar named Durin Blackstone recorded anomalous harmonic sequences in the Deep Song that appeared to carry structured informational content rather than the ambient resonance typical of geological formations. His findings were suppressed by the Earthbound Order hierarchy, who classified them as “noise” and ordered his work destroyed
- Blackstone’s Thesis: Durin proposed that the Primordial Ones did not merely create Aethelgard once but established it as an ongoing creative process — a song that never ends and periodically cycles through phases of transformation. In this view, the Deepdark is not corruption but the next phase of creation, and the creatures emerging from it are the Primordial Ones’ latest composition
- Suppression and Survival: The Earthbound Order’s response was swift. Blackstone was exiled to the outer tunnels, his notes sealed in a vault beneath Khazad-Dum that would not be reopened for centuries. But copies of his work had already circulated among sympathetic scholars, forming the nucleus of what would become the Obsidian Synod
Theological Framework
The Obsidian Synod’s theology is built upon three interconnected principles:
- The Cycle of Song: The Primordial Ones’ creative act was not a one-time event but an eternal cycle. Each phase of creation produces beings perfectly adapted to that era, and when the song shifts (as it did during the Cataclysm), those beings become obsolete — replaced by new creations designed for the changed world
- The Deepdark as Womb: Rather than viewing the Deepdark as a wound or corruption, the Synod interprets it as the Primordial Ones’ creative fire operating in its destructive mode. The creatures emerging from beneath are not invading; they are being born, and their violence is a natural byproduct of this birth process
- Successor Species Hypothesis: Dwarves were created by the Primordial Ones for an age that has passed. The Deepdark creatures represent the next iteration — more powerful, more numerous, and better adapted to Aethelgard’s post-Cataclysm reality. Resistance is not defense of creation but obstruction of the song
Organizational Structure
The Obsidian Synod operates as a decentralized network with no central leadership:
- Cells: Each cell consists of 3–8 dwarves who meet in private chambers or sealed tunnels, typically once per cycle of the moon. Cells are unaware of each other’s existence beyond their immediate cluster
- Initiation: Prospective members pass through three stages — Listener (passive observer), Resonator (active participant in Deep Song analysis), and Synodist (full theological commitment). Only about one-third reach the final stage; the rest either abandon the work or are removed for instability
- Materials: Obsidian Synod texts are written on thin sheets of volcanic glass cut from tunnel walls — a material chosen to resonate with the Deep Song. These “glass-books” are difficult to destroy and can be read by holding them against one’s ear, listening for harmonic patterns rather than reading visual text
- The Glass Library: A collection of approximately 200 obsidian texts exists in an unknown location within the Dwarven Holds. The contents range from theological treatises to practical analyses of Deepdark creature behavior, including acoustic disruption techniques that could potentially slow the incursion
Internal Factions
Despite its decentralized structure, three broad factions have emerged:
- The Resonators (majority): Believe the Synod’s role is purely observational — to document and understand what the Primordial Ones are building through the Deepdark. They advocate non-interference and scholarly documentation
- The Harmonizers (minority): Argue that dwarves should actively attempt to communicate with the Deepdark creatures using modified Deep Song frequencies, believing that a dialogue might reveal whether peaceful coexistence is possible
- The Breakers (smallest but most dangerous): Conclude that if the Primordial Ones intend for dwarves to be replaced, then the only moral response is to sever the Deep Song entirely — destroying the primordial creative fire and rendering Aethelgard dead. This faction has been linked to at least one known act of sabotage against a Deep-Song monitoring station in the eastern tunnels
The Deepdark Incursion and Aftermath
The 40-year-old Deepdark incursion dramatically altered the Synod’s trajectory:
- Validation Crisis: Many Synodists initially interpreted the incursion as confirmation of their theology — proof that the Primordial Ones were actively creating. But the scale and destructiveness of the incursion forced even sympathetic members to reconsider whether “creation” necessarily means benevolence
- Stone Throne Response: The dwarven leadership’s crackdown on suspected heretics after the incursion began drove the remaining Synodists further underground. Public denunciation came from Earthbound-Order leadership, which formally declared the Deepdark creatures an abomination against all three phases of the Primordial Ones’ song
- Clan Greystone Complicity: Evidence suggests that some scholars within Clan Greystone were either active Synodists or sympathetic sympathizers, providing intellectual cover for the movement through their established reputation for geological and theological scholarship
Current Activities and Threats
Despite heavy pressure from Stone Throne authorities:
- Deepdark Signal Analysis: Several Synodist cells continue to monitor Deep Song frequencies with sophisticated equipment developed by Clan-Greystone researchers. Their findings — that signal patterns show evidence of deliberate modulation rather than random geological noise — have been independently verified by neutral scientists, lending a degree of credibility to the Synod’s core premise even among non-believers
- The Glass Library Hunt: A faction within the Synod is actively searching for the Glass Library. If discovered and catalogued, its contents would represent one of the most significant theological discoveries in dwarven history — or the most dangerous heresy ever recorded
- Threat Assessment: The Stone Throne considers the Obsidian Synod a moderate threat at present, more concerning for their potential to undermine morale than for any direct sabotage capability. However, the Breaker faction’s existence represents an unpredictable variable that could escalate quickly if conditions deteriorate
Open Questions and Mysteries
- Where exactly is the Glass Library located? Despite decades of searching by both Synodists and Stone Throne authorities, no confirmed location has been found
- What was in Durin Blackstone’s original sealed vault beneath Khazad-Dum? The vault still exists but has not been opened since its sealing over 900 years ago
- Do the Deepdark creatures respond to intentional Deep Song frequencies? The Harmonizers’ experiments have been inconclusive, with some suggesting that attempts at communication may be interpreted by creatures as territorial challenges
- Is there any possibility of negotiated coexistence in the post-incursion landscape, or has the conflict reached an irreversible point?