Pantheon
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Gods Worshipped by Everyone
The Dragon Aspects
These great creatures are almost universally worshipped as the weavers of reality and the makers of the Rim. It is said they came from Atlantis, which used to exist (or maybe still exists) not on this plane of reality, but in the Supernal Realms, at the heart of Creation, millennia ago, when the Rim was lifeless chunks of rock amidst a raging sea. They raised lush forests and tall mountainpeaks in the Rim, they filled it with flowers and fruits and wild beasts, and when the time came, they brought forth the Old Races - Elves, Humans, and Orcs.
Melianthe
Melianthe is the giver of life, the eldest of the Dragon Aspects, and the mother of the world. She came first to the Rim, and filled it with all manner of giving things. She is also one of the four aspects that gave birth to the Sun Elves, the oldest race on the Rim. Today, Melianthe is universally worshipped as a goddess of hearth, love, and fertility, the Great Mother. The Sun Elves are her most ardent worshippers, of course, but Wood Elves respect her love for nature, and almost every race (even those with their own Mother goddesses) prays to her during childbirth.
Melianthe's symbols include flowers, fruit, and other flora, and her temples are often lush orchards or gardens. Clerics of Melianthe often swear a vow of pacifism, and double as doctors for the sickly. Her church is always open to the public, and is best kown for its generous help to the crippled, the elderly, and the homeless.
Karrabon
Karrabon is the hungry fire, the youngest of the Melianthe's three sons, beautiful as the dawn, terrible as the raging inferno. He gave the gift of fire to the eldest children of the Rim, he made the Elves great warriors and he, it is rumored, first the first battle for the fate of the Rim against the Old Gods. Karrabon is the patron of war and competition, and also of anyone who works with fire, making him greatly loved among the smiths of the Rim. Some Orcish tribes hold annual Festivals of Fire, the chief spectacle in those is a group of the youngest of-age males of the tribe take up a gigantic puppet of Karrabon and lead it in a stately procession through village after village, ending always around the vilage bonfire, where the elders and maidens of their tribe are gathered. The festival doubles as a courtship ceremony, for Karrabon is also seen as the symbol of male virility.
Karrabon's symbols include fire, of course, swords and daggers, and even large teeth (many wear so-called "dragon teeth," but these are universally labeled as fake. Many see dragons in the sky, but they are immortal, and no one has slain a dragon in ages). His clerics are often militaristic, parts of holy orders called to defend their lands, but just as many are peaceful fire-worshippers.
Osielath
Osielath is the dracolich, the middle of Melianthe's three sons, wise and cunning, the keeper of secrets. He made the Sun Elves immortal, and he instilled in all the races of the Rim a thirst for knowledge and discovery. Sages and scholars worship Osielath, of course, but so do daring explorers, crafty spies and even some of the pirate lords. Humans and Sun Elves are the races who most commonly pray to the dracolich, but even among them he is regarded as somewhat strange, a little frightening, and best left to those who seclude themselves from society.
Osielath's symbols include keys, hollow tomes (representing the deceptive nature of mysteries), and arcane sigils. His temples are often underground, in crypts or catacombs or secret grottoes, and his clerics speak in whispers, conveying blessings to carefully chosen petitioners. Osielath's church is the only one that is not open to the public, and this fact has made some of the larger kingdoms on the Rim nervous. But Osielath is primarily a good deity, and he punishes those who use his secrets for ill, or make thier tongues too loose and whisper forbidden knowledge into the ears of evil men.
Akhronos
Akhronos is the time-lord, the youngest of Melianthe's three sons, blessed with foresight, knower of the beginning and the end. His mastery of the time stream makes him aware of many secrets, perhaps even beyond those known to Osielath, but Akhronos does not flaunt his knowledge. Instead, he watches over change and passing, the short cycles of day and night, and the long cycles of season, and the slow, but eternal, decline of everything into decay. Worshippers of Akhronos include travelers, but also farmers, who pray to him for the harvest to come on time, as they pray to Melianthe for the harvest to be plentiful. Great strategists and rulers most often have to contend with time, and they frequently send a quick prayer to Akhronos before embarking on a great military campaign or a diplomatic scheme.
Akhronos' symbols are the sandlgass and the sundial. His temples are rarely set in one place, but frequently function as caravans, moving from place to place. Clerics of the time-lord are equally itinerant, sometimes leaving their worshippers for weeks or months to wander the world, visiting farms one season and dining with kings the next.
Isila
Isila is the dreamer, Melianthe's only daughter, graceful and ephemeral and not of this world. She is the patron of all dream-related planes, and has a strong influence on Arcadia. Illusions, fancies and art are part of her domain. Isila is most often worshipped by Wood Elves, but dreamers, poets, artists of all races give offerings to Isila, to endow their work or their life with even a little bit of the beauty of Arcadia. It is said that Isila can be foud at the very heart of Arcadia, sleeping, and that she will awaken at last at the end of the world to play a part in the parting song of creation.
Isila's clerics burn incense in her honor, which they consider to be the dreamer's primary symbol. If forced to resort to a visual effigy of their god, they wear jewelry in the form of a closed eye. Sermons often come in the form of stories and fables, that the clerics say come to them in dreams sent by Isila. The clerics are prone to be dreamers themselves, spending hours in trance in lieu of the real world. Fanciful rumors abound about them being able to access the dream-planes, and leading a second life there at night, much like other mortals lead during the day, but most dismiss these rumors as old wives' tales and the clerics are mum about the time they spend in Arcadia.
Dwarven gods
The Dwarven deities are unique in the Rim, in that their worshippers do not consider the gods to be progeny or creations of the Dragon Aspects. The Dwarves were always on the Rim, they say, and they saw the arrival of the dragons from the safety of their mountain caves. This does not mean that Dwarves are hostile to Aspect-worshippers, many Dwarves pay respects to Karrabon along with Gerkhon at the forge, for instance. But a Dwarf will sometimes scoff when people speak of Melianthe the life-forger, without whom the Rim would have remained barren forever. The primordial origin of the Dwarven gods is often dismissed by outsiders as an antiquated belief, maintained by Dwarves out of sheer stubbornnes, but the few elves and humans who have been privy to Dwarven religious rites will speak of words and gestures that reflect a darker time, when the Dragons were not yet masters of the Rim.
Gerkhon
Gerkhon is the Dwarven builder god, a great smith of lore who crafted the first hammer and blew fire into the first forge. His clerics often wear miniature anvils, crafted deep beneath the Snowy Peaks. Dwarves say that the fires in their smithys are Gerkhon's breath, roaring when he breathes out and crackling quietly when he breathes in. Gerkhon himself, according to Dwarven legends, rests at the roots of the mountains, keeping them warm and strong, and guards his brothers and sisters against cave-ins and avalanches. Almost every new tool and weapon made by Dwarven hands is dedicated to Gerkhon, except the few blessed by Itnuk. The few Dwarves who have ventured into the Charred Vale say there are dark beings there clawing at the foothills, trying to unsettle the mountains and dig Gerkhon out so they can feed on him. Gerkhon's clergy call these beings outhara, or demons, and some of them venture into the Black Peaks and beyond, hunting these evil creatures in the Smith's name.
Yulla
Yulla is the earth and stone, the foundation that all Dwarves stand on, the Great Mother who gave birth to the first of their kin and who accepts all of her children after their time on the Rim is over. Yulla's portfolio is similar to Melianthe's, but as Melianthe is gentle and sweet, Yulla is stoic and grim, the woman who has suffered through everything but keeps going for the sake of her progeny. Yulla's symbol is a simple pebble, usually worn smooth from the touch, as midwives often give the pebbles to mothers in labor, to help them through the pain. Outside of childbirth, Yulla's clerics often act as counselors or mentors, welcoming the confused and weary in quaint rock gardens, ascetic equivalents to the lush orchars of Melianthe. And when the time comes for a Dwarf to pass on, he is taken through tunnels known only to the clergy of the Great Mother, into Dwarven graveyards beneath the deepest mines, to rest upon Yulla's bosom for all eternity.
Itnuk
Whereas Yulla governs the final sleep and burial, Itnuk is the true patron of death, the First Unicorn. Unicorns are extremely rare on the Rim, and no one really knows why Dwarves associate them with death, but Itnuk is universally accepted as the end-bringer, whether that end is violent or peaceful. Clerics of Itnuk wear chunks of polished rock, usually marble, sculpted into a horn-like shape. They are a rare sight even among Dwarves, for the Church of Itnuk acts more like a cult. Membership in the church is no secret, but its official functions and duties are never discussed among the non-believers. Rumors abound that Itnuk's clergy is made up of assassins, powerful warriors and spies. Despite, or perhaps because of, the secretive nature of the Church, it includes not only Dwarves, but also Humans, Orcs, and Wood Elves, men and women obsessed with death who have followed the train of half-whispered secrets and arcane rituals to the doors of Kir Dulum.
Elven gods
Onome
Onome, like the Wood Elves, is a denizen of the Realm of Arcadia. When the Sundering came, he was one of the three gods who chose to leave Arcadia and forever stay on the Rim. The other two, Myrthe and Aulwi, were ordered to leave Arcadia by their mother, the dragon aspect Isila. Onome, however, went to the Rim by choice, because he spent his youth there, hunting great beasts of yore in the forests of Aodrath. He still rides through the Great Forest on his steed Noelim, chasing the elusive Dark Boar or Fenrir, the First Wolf. Hunters of all races worship Onome, and some dedicate their whole lives to the hunting lifestyle, abandoning permanent dwellings to chase great beasts on both continents. They are both the clergy and the clerics of The Hunter, and craft ceremonial weapons of great beauty as symbols of their faith.
Aulwi
Aulwi is Isila's son and elder child, the patron of Poets and Artists of all kind. His portfolio overlaps with his mother's, but Aulwi dedicates more time to the physical aspects of art, sculpting, drawing, painting, while Isila concerns herself more with inspiration and imagination. Both of the Elven Races pay great respect to art, the Wood Elves craft harmonious songs of stream and sunshine, the Sun Elves compose epic ballads (most often to lament the curse of time upon their own kind), but artists of all races worship Aulwi.
The poet helps most on those long nights when inspiration has come and gone, but a mountain of work remains, and it seems like a chore to the struggling artist. His symbols vary by race and region, but most often represent a flawed creation, reminding the toiling poets that the fruits of their labor are not easily won. Aulwi's clerics wear ornaments in the shapes of slashed canvas, broken jewels, singed or crumpled parchment. Most of them are solitary people, visiting only artistic recluses like themselves, but they play an important role in public affairs, dedicating great works of art at the behest of local government. Almost every town on the Rim has a statue blessed by a cleric of Aulwi or a lavish tapestry with a missing corner, sacrificed to the poet god.
Myrthe
Myrthe is Isila's daughter and younger child, the dancer who rules over festivals and dance troupes, who smiles when people flock to see traveling artists and draws the veil of secrecy over young couples who sneak away after a late night celebration. Because of Myrthe's patronage, dances, festivals and performances bring Arcadia a tiny bit closer, so that people who attend them or engage in them see wisps of dream and fancy. Myrthe prefers celebrations in the open air, close to nature, so Wood Elves are her most ardent worshippers, but every race prays to the Dancer, and her symbols are many, a lock of hair for Humans, the Moon for the Wood Elves, a nightingale for the Halflings. Myrthe's clerics are often performance artists themselves, or patrons of the arts. Despite its popularity, Myrthe's cult is a little secretive, and rumors abound of the most powerful clergy consorting with creatures from Arcadia who traverse the Hedge and seek partners in the material world.
Oerdin
Oerdin was the first Sun Elf Mage, the sage who unlocked the mysteries of reality itself, the one who traveled the planes and spoke with gods. He wrote down the first laws of Magic Practice, which warned of the dangers of Paradox and of the ever-hungry Maw of the Abyss. He declared the Sun Elf kingdom a meritocracy, and formed the Ruling Circle along with a handful of the most powerful Mages in the kingdom. And then, at the height of his power, Oerdin vanished.
Some say he went off looking for the secret of Eternal Youth, the blessing of Akhronos who passed up the elves during their making. Others say he fell victim to his own art, consumed by some demon from the Abyss after attempting a particularly dangerous spell. Regardless, Oerdin became a legend among the Sun Elves, and is venerated to this day by their sages (who are also their rulers). Oerdien wielded a great staff, adorned with precious stones and possessed of great power, and his clerics craft imitations of this artifact as symbols, often imbuing them with their own magic.
Human gods
Lukas
Legend says that Lukas was born a human, a simple smith in [Inner Shore City] who made an honest wage at the anvil. One day, Lukas' favorite hammer broke, and all attempts at repairing it failed. Lukas prayed to Akhronos, the one Dragon who favors the humans, for guidance in fixing the tool so he could return to his business and not starve on the streets. Akrhonos told him that he could get the hammer back, but that he would have to go on a great journey to do so. Akrhonos showed Lukas a dark fire burning in the Black Peaks of Aodrath, and said that only that fire would make the hammer whole. Lukas heeded the Dragon's words, and after a year's journey, arrived at the Black Peaks and found a tunnel that led depe beneath the mountains, where the dark fire still burned.
He approached the fire, and Akhronos appeared before him again. First, the dragon demanded that Lukas give up all his other tools in exchange for the repaired hammer. Lukas agreed, and his tools vanished. Then, the dragon asked for Lukas' left arm, and Lukas agreed, and the dragon breathed death and decay on his arm, turning it into rotting flesh. Finally, the dragon told Lukas that if he repaired the hammer, he would never again see his mother. Lukas said that he would rather he would rather be homeless with his family than the best blacksmith in the world on his own. The dragon smiled, and spoke a Word of Time, and Lukas saw his hammer turn from broken to whole. He never used another tool again, and his arm never healed, but his hammer would bend the hardest iron.
Word of the magical tool quickly spread, and soldiers and farmers flocked to Lukas' smithy. As the years passed, Lukas grew wealthier and more famous, but age had no effect on him. So one night Lukas prayed again to Akhronos and asked him why it was he never got older. Akhronos said that Time no longer had power over him, having consumed his left arm, and that he was fated to wander the Rim forever. Lukas cried when he heard this, knowing that he would see all his friends and relatives die, and begged to be rid of the curse of immortality. Akhronos said that if his hammer ever broke again, he would be free. And so now Lukas wanders the Rim as a god of blacksmiths, but worshipped by all of Humanity, for the path he took was uniquely human, full of love and sorrow, greatness and sacrifice both. He tries his hammer on any piece of metal that will not bend, and hopes that one day, he will become mortal again.
Corwyn
Corwyn was not always the human god of travel and adventure. The oldest human legends say that, in times immemorial, he wandered the empty Rim as Uikor'vin'nomoth, a being of madness and death, breeding chaos wherever he went. When the Dragon Aspects came to the Rim, it was Akhronos who sought Uikor out and did battle with him, for with the mad god on the loose, reality itself was in danger of randomly dissolving into the primordial energies. For years the Dragon and the Old God fought, and when it was over, Akhronos triumphed over Uikor and cast him down to the earth from a great height (some speculate that when Uikor fell, the earth beneath him broke into a thousand pieces, forming the Dragonteeth archipelago). The Dragon Aspect cast a spell over his foe, fracturing his essence. He sealed Uikor's death and destruction beneath the great sea, but kept the wandering aspect of the Old God separate, so that Uikor Beneath would never be able to move and break free of his prison. Then Akhronos bade the Uikor Above obey him and respect his children, Humans, and inspire them to wander the length and breadth of the Rim, as the Old God did. Uikor Above obeyed, and took the name Corwyn, the traveler.
Corwyn pushes all travelers to take one step further, to go beyond the edge of the map and to throw caution to the winds as they brave uncharted waters. He favors Humans most of all, for their ability to survive and adapt in spite of their fragile bodies and short lifespans. Corwyn is not always a favorable deity. Ship captains say that when his spirit wanders over the waters, it grows closer to Uikor Beneath, and the imprisoned Old God gains some ability to move, causing violent storms. Nevertheless, wanderers of all races pay homage to Corwyn, some out of fear, others because they share Corwyn's affinity for escaping the known and predictable. Corwyn's clerics wear symbols in the shape of arrows, stylized maps, and even compasses - many ship's captains or navigators worship the traveler.
Malthur
Malthur was the first Human king and the greatest human general, and he fought with the first generation of his race against the Old Gods and their dark spawn on the Rim. Malthur was also the only ruler ever to unite all Humans under his command. When Malthur's time on the Rim was up, the legend goes, Akhronos himself, disguised as an old man, came to the first King. He told Malthur that Humans would never have a better king than him. He offered to let Malthur stay as an eternal, immortal ruler of humanity, like a one-man Elven Ruling Council. Malthur replied that, even if there was not to be a better Human king than him for all eternity, his subjects would grow tired of him before too long. He saw himself as either having to surrender the rule to lesser men, or descending into villainy in order to keep his subjects in order. He begged the Dragon for another way out, for a way to help Humanity in the future without demanding its absolute obedience. And so Akhronos took Malthur's hand and walked through time and space into the Realms Supernal, and Malthur became one of the gods of the Rim, a patron of Rule and Command, a general of the Heavens.
Generals and leaders worship Malthur, but officers and soldiers do so as well, for his legendary ability to inspire his men and make them fight, and win, even in the face of overwhelming odds. It was Malthur's inspirational abilities that led Humanity to triumph over the armies of the Old Gods, and today, soldiers in a losing battle cry out to the Commander to save them from defeat and death. Malthur's symbols are most often banners or standards with his sigil - a sun rising out of darkness. Malthur is loved by all races, and has an unusual number of Dwarven worshippers. Malthur, the Dwarves say, was just a Human, but he was not afraid to stand up to forces that had ruled the Rim for many millennia, and while the Dragon Aspects cast their spells from afar, while the Elven Generals schemed, while the Dwarves were too afraid to leave their underground abode, Malthur and his men shed their blood for all good creatures on the Rim, and prevailed.
Gnome gods
Fenurli Gott
Fenurli Gott is the patron of craftsmen and artisans, and the only god of Gnomish origin. The gnomes say he is almost single-handedly responsible for their radical transformation from an uncivilized tribe into a sophisticated culture, but these legends are unconfirmed. In fact, Fenurli Gott's name in gnomish roughly translates to "wit and work," so gnomish claims of him being responsible for their rapid rise may be metaphorical. Nevertheless, gnomes tell many stories of Fenurli designing the first water mill, or combining magic and metal to forge the first cannon. His symbol is another gnomish invention, a looking-glass, and clerics of Fenurli often carry these contraptions tucked into their belts, or even over one of their eyes. Few non-gnomes worship Fenurli, preferring Lukas or Gerkhon, but his faith is on the rise as gnomish contraptions spread via trade routes throughout the Rim.
Halfling gods
Almia Sokke
Almia Sokke is the sister of Nilfa Sokke and the hearthmaiden goddess of the Halfing race. Her origins, as the origins of all halfling gods, are unclear, but those who ascribe to the theory that halflings were once humans, and ruled a great empire in Aodrath, say that Almia and Nilfa were once queens. Almia was the elder, and stayed mostly in the royal palace, administering to matters of state while her sister traveled and hunted. Then, tragedy struck, and the halflings lost almost all of their empire save for a small area in the the Endlan valley. Almia was the one who shepherded her people to their new home and helped them adjust to a new life. For that service, halflings worship her to this day as the patron of hearth and home.
Halflings themselves are ambivalent about these stories, but they hold Almia in high regard and place a graven image of her (halflings are the only known race to worship graven images directly) near the hearth of every one of their homes. Clerics of Almia tend to carry smaller images of the hearthmaiden with them, and even halflings who travel abroad never forget the goddess.
Nilfa Sokke
Nilfa Sokke is the sister of Almia Sokke and the patron of hunters, travelers and warriors among the halfling race. The same legends that speak of Almia say that Nilfa was the younger sister, who spent most of her time outside, hunting wild beasts or traveling to strange lands, whether on diplomatic or exploratory missions. When tragedy struck and the halflings lost their empire, Nilfa stayed behind for a long while, holding enemy forces at bay with an echelon of chosen warriors while the main part of the population escaped to Endlan.
Today, there are very few halfling warriors, but plenty of halfling travelers, and they pray to Nilfa daily to keep them from harm (regardless of whether they believe in the stories about her origin). Clerics of Nilfa carry graven images of her, much like in Almia's case, and use these to bless hunting expeditions, or say a prayer over halflings about to embark on a great journey.
Enwik Tam
Enwik Tam is the patron of thieves and pranksters, common among the Halfling people. The legends that speak of Almia and Nilfa say that he was a high-ranking member of the halfling court, and romantically involved with one (or perhaps both) of the sisters. When tragedy struck, it was Enwik Tam who truly saved the halfling people, by tricking their enemies into letting a chunk of the race escape to Endlan. Despite all this, Enwik did not stay in Endlan after the rest of the halflings settled there. The legends speak of a quarrel between the sisters involving the trickster god, a quarrel that led him to leave Endlan forever, and head off to an unknown destination on the Rim, perhaps towards Atlantis itself.
Enwik is also the halfling god most commonly worshipped by non-halflings. Tricksters and pranksters of all races send whispered prayers up to Enwik before executing their elaborate schemes. Halfling clerics of Enwik Tam use a graven image, usually a laughing halfling face, as a symbol of the god, non-halfling clerics prefer dice or playing cards, Black Jacks and Jokers in particular.
Orc gods
Barrukh
Barrukh is the warrior god of the Orcs, and his totem is the Bear. Barrukh was the leader of the Orcs during their flight from the Black Peaks, and during their battle against the Abomination from the Demon Crater. His strength and ferocity remain unmatched among the Orcs to this day, and he is the only one amongst the Seven Races of the Rim to have ever wrestled a grown drake into submission. Barrukh often waded into battle unarmored, barehanded, only occasionally armed with a club or a mace. No matter how many enemies surrounded him, no matter how many wounds he took in battle, he would survive, and fight again the next day. But his death was not to be by an enemy's hand, a grim betrayal ended Barrukh's life the very day the Abomination was defeated. It is said Barrukh's assassins slew him in his tent, in front of his own wife and infant, who was brought to the front lines at his father's request. No one ever caught the assassin, who seemed to have snuffed the life out of the great warrior without even scarring his body. The Orcs say only an Old God could have slain the Bear, and it was one of these ancient beings that entered Barrukh's tent and took revenge for his slaying of the abomination.
After death, Barrukh became universally venerated by all warriors and lovers of combat, along with Karrabon the Dragon Aspect. His clerics wear bear pelts and bear claws as symbols of their god, and construct elaborate totems in front of their tents. Humans and Dwarves also worship Barrukh, for his raw strength, survivability, and love of battle. The greatest warrior among the Orcs, judged by annual combat trial, is given the title of the Bear, and thought to be possessed by a part of Barrukh's spirit so long as he holds the title.
Ashomod
Ashomod is the shaman god of the Orcs, and his totem is the Wolf. Shaman was the spiritual leader of the Orcs during their flight from the Black Peaks, and he used his power to bring many warriors back from the brink of death - but he did not participate in combat himself, even though he wielded great power over the Elements and commanded respect from the Spirits themselves. It is not known why Ashomod did not throw himself into the offensive, but most Orcs assume his powers were best used for healing, and respect his decision not to fight.
Ashomod remained the de facto leader of the Orc Tribes after Barrukh's death. He founded the capital of Urduk, and the border forts of Garm and Thornpeak. He helped the Orcs settle into a life of peace, and trained many shamans in the art of talking to, and walking with, the Spirits. But Ashomod did not wish to rule the Orcs, he was a humble man, and when Barrukh's infant son came of age, Ashomod proclaimed him the true leader of the tribes, and gave up his ruling seat (from then on, the ruler of the Orcs has been a male of Barrukh's line). Shortly after, Ashomod left the Orc lands forever. Some say he went on a journey to the Spirit world and never returned, others say he went back to Demon Crater to try to heal the scars of the land, and was swallowed up by the Abomination, which was never truly destroyed. In either case, the shamans began to send prayers to Ashomod since the day he left, and they have not stopped since. His clerics wear Wolf skins and claws to show their faith, and often become great teachers and spiritual leaders among the Orcs.
Modruk
Modruk is the survivor god of the Orcs, and his totem is the Buffalo. He was just a simple farmer before the creation of the Demon Crater, and he fled with the rest of his race south in the weeks that followed, and fought bravely with them against the Abomination. One day, the Black Drakes raided an Orc caravan deep behind the line of battle, and snatched away Modruk's wife and child. When Modruk heard of this, he was devastated, and almost lost the will to fight. He went to a shaman for guidance, the shaman consulted with the Spirits, who told him that Modruk's wife and child were still alive, captured by the Abomination's forces and imprisoned somewhere near the Demon Crater. So Modruk decided to go and rescue them.
He could not desert the field of battle, so he volunteered for countless spy missions, deeper and deeper into enemy territory. The scorched earth and boiling air near the Black Peaks seemed to have no effect on Modruk, and he learned to be quiet and swift as the wind, giving better and better intelligence to his commanders. As the tide of the war turned, and the Orcish armies advanced north, Modruk came closer and closer to the Demon Crater. He managed to convince his superiors that he was nearly invincible, and, in a fit of folly, they sent him to track the motions of the Abomination itself. That day he disappeared.
Modruk came back three months later, when the Orcs were at the slopes of the Black Peaks. He could not speak, his eyes were burnt out and his tongue was cut off at the root. His skin was burnt to a near crisp, and it was a wonder he was still alive. But he carried in his hands a woman and a child - his wife and son, suffering from disease and deprivation but still alive. And he had a parchment, which when unrolled, described a daring plan by the Abomination itself to strike at the vanguard of the Orc forces from the very ground beneath them, and stop their advance. The Orcs were prepared, and in an epic battle, defeated the Abomination, either destroying it, or sending it back to the Demon Crater (the legends vary on this point). Shortly after the battle, Modruk succumbed to his many injuries and died, leaving his wife and child behind.
Modruk's clerics are often simple Orcs themselves, neither warriors nor shamans, but farmers or artisans, making ends meet in the plains around Urduk. They proudly wear the skin of the buffalo that roam these plains, and make necklaces out of their horns. Clerics of Modruk are also the most often approached by Orcs in their daily lives, as the Orcs believe Modruk's perserverance and commitment to his family set an example for any of their race, and show that no challenge in life cannot be overcome.
The Old Gods
Coth'lazzad
The corruptor
Mimblidiod
The mad
Fael
The eternal darkness
