Porandor: Other Deities

Deities other than the Orc pantheon are worshiped in Porandor, with the cults of those beings being allies during the Great War. All of the cults of these deities must pay tribute to the local orc temples and defer to them in rulings of dispute. Despite this rule, squabbling, assassination and outright conflict does occur.
Non-orcish deities tolerated in and around Porandor are those of Boccob, Fharlanghn, Lolth, Tiamat, and the following:


Cegilune (Lesser Deity)
Title(s): Queen of Hags, The Great Crone
Home Plane: Hagsend (Gray Waste of Hades)
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Portfolio: Larvae, Hags, the Moon
Domains: Evil, Knowledge, Magic
Favored Weapon: Quarterstaff
Cegilune is the hag deity of Larvae, Hags, and the Moon. She is the patron goddess of all hags, including Night Hags. Her symbol is an overflowing black cauldron. Cegilune appears as a filthy hag with yellow-brown skin. She may also appear as a young human or elf woman, or as a homely old lady. Very rarely, she'll manifest as a scruffy orc or goblinoid woman. In all of her forms, she carries a small iron pot.
Cegilune has no allies, although she has dealings with some of the evil gods of the giants. She is said to have mated with Grolantor, and as such is considered one of the ancestresses of the hill giant race. Cegilune makes her lair in the realm of Hagsend in Pluton, the third gloom of the Gray Waste of Hades. She is said to dwell in a filthy, bone-strewn cave halfway up a bleak mountain of desolate black rock. There, she endlessly stirs her cauldron; a full moon hovers over it.

Worship
Cegilune is feared by sylvan beings as a dark and bloody stalker, and even hags despise their goddess, hating her for what she has made of them, respecting only her power. They fear her greed, believing she will take from them that which is rightfully theirs. Cegilune rules the night hags with an iron hand, sending them forth to gather larvae for her use.
Cegilune is worshiped in grisly shrines near the cauldrons of her followers. Cegilune is worshiped with praises and curses every night, cumulating in a ceremony held under the full moon nearest the Winter Solstice, when her worshipers compete to inflict the greatest suffering in the blood sacrifices they offer their fell patron.

In Porandor
Cegilune is greatly respected and rightly feared in Porandor. This goddess craves the souls of Neutral Evil persons to make into larvae, a fate even orcs fear. This causes most orcs to cling all the more to the worship of the orc pantheon, and thus the cult of Cegilune is tolerated. The orc deity Yurtrus and Cegilune have an uneasy truce though frequent conflict between the two cults in not unheard of. Female orcs, ogres and goblins often worship this goddess in Porandor, so as to gain greater power in their overtly masculine cultures.


Grolantor (Intermediate Deity)
Title: The Great Glutton
Home plane: Stedding (Tarterian Depths of Carceri)
Symbol: Wooden Club
Alignment: Chaotic Evil (CN Tendencies)
Portfolio: Hunting, combat, feasting
Domains: Chaos, Death, Earth, Evil
Favored Weapon: Dwarfcrusher (Greatclub)
Grolantor is the deity worshiped by the hill giant race, as well as ettins, and some frost giants, ogres and half-ogres. His sacred animal is the dire wolf. Grolantor looks like a 25-foot-tall hill giant, wearing several belts of woven dwarf beards. Grolantor is evil second and stupid first, disowned by his brother giant gods for his foolishness and relative weakness. Some say he created the race of hill giants by collecting and interbreeding the runts of earlier giant broods, then further polluted this stock by mating with various serpents, medusa-like hags, and the goddess Cegilune. The ettins are said to have descended from Grolantor and a monstrous serpent with a head on both ends of her coiled body.
Grolantor's realm in Cathrys, the second layer of Carceri, is called the Steading. The orbs above his realm are ruled by shator demodands, a weak-willed, toadying lot that cede to him their vassalage, more out of fear of the giant petitioners that make up the armies of Grolantor than out of any love for the hill giant god. His realm itself is little more than a wooden house.

Worship
Grolantor is worshiped by hill giants, ettins, and some frost giants and ogres. Grolantor is strong and willfully stupid. He teaches his followers to persecute "lesser races" - that is, those smaller than hill giants. His hill giant shamans stubbornly refuse to admit they are smaller than any other giant breeds. Ettins worship Grolantor in a dual-aspect manner, and their dogma differs from that of the hill giants in many crucial respects, often preventing alliances between the two races. The most important thing for a follower of Grolantor is to never admit weakness, and to crush the weak.
Grolantor's priests wear dark brown armor made from horn, and adorn their heads with skulls. They regularly organize hunting parties and skirmishing warbands, and take it upon themselves to root out what they perceive as weakness among their kind and elsewhere. They are not permitted to ever back down from a challenge. Grolantor's favored weapon is the club. Grolantor has no particular holy days, and is unusual among evil deities in that he demands no sacrifices. The closest thing to formal ritual among his worshipers is eating and drinking contests.

In Porandor
Grolantor is by far the favored deity for Ogres and Trolls over the more traditional Vaprak (see below). This is due mostly to the fact that Grolantor asks very little from his followers save for toasts at meals, feasts in his honor and for his followers to live a giantish life. Menhir are often constructed in honor or Grolantor, acting both as worship sites and to act as markers for the stone throwing competitions to loved by giants of all breeds.


Laduguer (Intermediate Deity)
Title(s): The Exile, the Gray Protector, Master of Crate, the Slave Driver, the Taskmaster, the Harsh
Home plane: Infernal Battlefield of Acheron
Alignment: Lawful Evil (LN tendencies)
Portfolio: Crafts, magic, protection
Domains: Evil, Law, Magic, Protection
Favored Weapon: Warhammer
Laduguer appears as a tall, gaunt duergar with skin that can change between gray and brown to match the nearby rock. He is bald and perpetually frowning. He is inclined toward evil, but this is mostly turned inward, gloomy and unforgiving over what he feels is his rejection by his kin. He is supremely lawful above all else, despising the other dwarven deities for being lazy, indolent, and feckless.
The priests of Laduguer teach that superiors must be strictly and promptly obeyed. They teach the importance of dedication to one's craft and endless toil to achieve wealth, security, and power. They view life as a harsh existence in which nothing is easy; this is the proper, honorable way to live, as reward without effort is sin. Laduguer teaches his people to suffer stoically and remain aloof from other dwarven peoples, who are lazy and weak. The weak are undeserving, and adversity is Laduguer's forge.

Worship
Laduguer only answers the prayers of dwarves. Prospective clerics of the Gray Protector engage in many hours of repetitive prayer, punctuated by hard labor and other tests of endurance. The accumulation of their trials involves being trapped between two heavy stone blocks and left there for a week. If they manage to obdurately continue to the satisfaction of their superiors, they are initiated into the priesthood in a ceremony involving branding and torture and permitted to subject new prospects to similarly mind-numbing exercises.
Clerics of Laduguer, called thuldors, wear heavy armor and gray, hooded mantles. The symbol of Laduguer is branded on their foreheads. Their favored weapon is the warhammer. They are often the rulers of their people. It is their job to protect (often with traps) and maintain order in their communities. They keep the duergar cities free from other races. They tend to be skilled craftsmen, especially the older and frailer ones.
One day a year, on the Winter Solstice, the duergar observe the ceremony of Grimtidings. They lay down their tools and gather to hear stories of their voluntary exile and the decadence of other dwarves. Laduguer is praised for his great skill, and the duergar swear vengeance against those who have insulted their god and their people.

In Porandor
Early on in the Great Orc/Elf War, the cult of Laduguer saw a grand opportunity for profit at the expense of the Elves of Iroth. Weapons, armor, war machines and mercenaries were supplied to the growing orc war host, and the duergar grew very rich. Now the cult of the Slave Driver is the most influential non-orc religion in the Empire, as duergar craftsmanship and gold are a major force in the Empires economy. They are not loved however, as many orcs chafe at taxed and prices demanded for grey dwarf merchandise.


Maglubiyet (Greater Deity)
Title(s): Fiery-Eyes, the Mighty One, the High Chieftain, the Lord of Depths and Darkness, the Battle Lord
Home Plane: Clangor (Infernal Battlefield of Acheron)
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Portfolio: Goblins, hobgoblins, war, wargs, leadership
Domains: Animal, Chaos, Destruction, Evil, Trickery
Favored Weapon: Axe (any)
Maglubiyet is the chief deity of goblins, bugbears, and hobgoblins. He is a god of war and leadership who rules over the goblin pantheon with an iron fist. Maglubiyet's many titles include: Fiery-Eyes, the Mighty One, the High Chieftain, and the Lord of Depths and Darkness. As a god of war and a great general he is also known as the Battle Lord. Maglubiyet appears as a giant (11 feet tall), black-skinned goblin with flaming eyes, powerfully-muscled arms and sharp talons. He wields a mighty coal-black battle axe that constantly drips blood.
Maglubiyet's divine realm is Clangor, located on the plane of Acheron. His capital is a fortress city called Grashmog, which translated from the goblin tongue means the "Heart of Battle." The mightiest goblin city in Clangor is Shetring, a fortification with five bridges spanning the River Lorfang. Maglubiyet lives at the bottom of a waterfall of the river in a cavern of magnificently carved steel dripping with moisture. From his throne of flaming iron, Maglubiyet commands the souls of goblins, hobgoblins, and worgs to wage eternal war against the orcish petitioners of Gruumsh. He also employs baatezu, barghests, and yugoloths as mercenaries and commanders to bolster his armies.

Worship
Maglubiyet is worshiped by goblins and hobgoblins alike. His goblin worshipers are sometimes referred to as the "sons of Maglubiyet." Maglubiyet revels in conflict and destruction and constantly pushes his followers to wage war, particularly against dwarves and gnomes. He encourages goblins to increase their numbers in order to overrun their enemies. As a paranoid god he is prone to destroy lesser goblin deities when he suspects treachery or he thinks they are becoming too powerful.
The priests and shamans of Maglubiyet are his mouthpieces on the Material Plane. They fulfill his demands for blood sacrifices by dispatching victims with an axe. They believe that these sacrifices strengthen Maglubiyet. His clergy is almost always drawn from the goblin and hobgoblin races. Maglubiyet communes with his priests through omens. Blood flowing from the edge of an axe, abnormal behavior in worgs and wolves, and speaking directly through shamans in a trance are all ways he makes his will known.
Maglubiyet's priests wear gray-green scale mail and conical hats. Maglubiyet is worshiped in cave temples where sacrifices of hearts are made to him monthly. His holy day is the new moon.

In Porandor
For the sake of the Great War with the Elves the Orc Pantheon and Maglubiyet joined forces. And though this alliance was successful, the violent and jealous nature of both Gruumsh and Maglubiyet brought this alliance to a crashing end fairly soon after the war. Now, worship of Maglubiyet is considered a threat to the sovereignty of the Empire and is largely suppressed, though not outlawed. A great many goblins still worship Maglubiyet though they keep this faith a secret and shrines to hidden and remote locales. Outside of the borders of the Empire, the cult of Maglubiyet is strong and growing in number, especially amongst the Hobgoblin tribes of the south...


Vaprak (Lesser Deity)
Title: The Destroyer
Home plane: Infinite Layers of the Abyss
Symbol: Taloned Hand
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Portfolio: Combat, greed
Domains: Chaos, Destruction, Evil, War
Favored Weapon: Grinder (Greatclub)
Vaprak is the deity worshiped by ogres and trolls. Vaprak is also known as "The Destroyer." Vaprak has a humanoid form colored an exceedingly horrid mottled brown and green. He has an elemental, savage quality that endears him to ogres and trolls. Vaprak holds the other giantish gods in awe and respect, however, and fears that his race may abandon him to worship them. He is not a planner or a thinker; he merely destroys, ferociously, as quickly as he can, urging his followers to do the same.
Vaprak himself has three sons: Anori (or Agmori), Hakuni, and Muaj, who are believed to have sired the three races of ogre magi. Vaprak makes his home in Shatterstone, the 524th layer of the Abyss. There, he dwells in a pitiful cave at the base of a great cliff.

Worship
Vaprak is worshipped chiefly by ogres and trolls, though some humans and half-breeds such as half-ogres and ogrillions also worship him. Vaprak urges his followers to combat, aggression, and frenzy; his own fears help fuel his anxiousness that they keep themselves busy. Vaprak's priests wear blood red plate mail and war helms. They must be ferocious and constantly on the look out for opportunities to fight. They must devour all they can, but remain physically fit. They often exercise by ritually bashing one another with clubs, which helps determine rank in their violent society. Vaprak's favored weapon is the greatclub. Vaprak is worshiped in the lairs and dens of ogres and trolls.
One curious rite practiced among the ogres of some tribes is the "Six Day Night," where ambitious tribesmen demonstrate their loyalty to Vaprak and their tribal leader by being placed in a dark cavern for six days with no food and only a small amount of water. If the initiate survives this ordeal, his status is greatly increased.

In Porandor
Vaprak is considered more of a nuisance than anything else by the orc pantheon, and worship of this deity is considerd suitable only for the mentally deficient. Cultists of The Destroyer are frequently troublemakers and drunks, though some make for useful berserkers. Along battle fronts,. acolytes of The Destroyer are used as shock troops and expendable war fodder, but are kept away from vital positions and supplies.


Demon Cults (Not available to PC's)
It may come as a surprise to many D&D players that orcs (ogres, trolls etc) do not normally worship demons, nor are they fans of the rituals that such cults take part in. (The orcs in the Lord of the Rings served Sauron and the Nazgul out of fear rather than choice.) Orcs are traditionally enslaved by demons and powerful magicians, and so they take a dim view of all such beings. Worship of Demons and Devils are strictly outlawed in the Porandor Empire as such beings have often enslaved orc and giant kind. Being found to be a cultist to one of these being results in execution, with cult leaders destroyed in a manner to ensure that they cannot be raised. Some cults in particular are problematic to the Empire, as follows:

Cult of Dagon: Dagon is the Obyrith lord of the sea. Worshiped by kraken, chuuls, sea hags, water nagas, and especially kuo-toa. The orc gods are greatly worried by the activity of this cult. His symbol is a Dagon's symbol is six spiraling tentacles arranged around a fanged mouth, and his favored weapon is the harpoon.

Cult of Kostchtchie: Kostchtchie (pronounced KOSH-chuh-chai) is the Demon Prince of Wrath and is so hateful and hideous that all other demons despise him. Frost Giants, Hill Giants, Ogres and Humans all worship this demon lord. Kostchtchie's cult are for the most part males, and certainly none of his thralls are women. Any women in his cults have marginal roles, as he is misogynistic in the extreme. Frost giant tribes under Kostchtchie's rule often increase their numbers not by reproduction but by raiding other tribes who are not worshipers of the demon lord. His symbol is a hammer rimmed in bloody ice.

Cult of Laogzed: Toad-like demon god of the Troglodyte race with sympathizers amongst the Kobolds. This deity is the child of Tharizdun, and the two cults often work together. Particularly hated by the Bahtru and his cult. Its symbol is an oozing toad-lizard, or a lizard's head. Laogzed's sacred animal is the toad.

Cult of Obox-Ob, Prince of Vermin: Obox-ob is worshiped mostly by evil vermin, and insectoid obyrith, but has a sizable but secret following amongst humanoid races. Even Lolth fears this Obyrith lord. His symbol is a scorpion dangling by its tail from a jawless human skull covered with twisted runes (the scorpion’s tail is threaded through the skull’s eye sockets).

Cult of Tharizdun: A vile and fearsome entity that was imprisoned ages ago by a coalition of deities (good and bad) to prevent the destruction of existence itself. His holy symbols are a dark spiral rune and a two-tiered inverted ziggurat known as an obex.

Porandor: Orc Gods

Below is the central orc pantheon revered in the Porandor Empire. All of these deities are revered, though the cults of Shargraas and Yurtis are more discreet than the others. The gods of other races are worshiped in The Empire, sometimes even by orcs, but they will be detailed in another post.

Bahgtru (Intermediate Deity)








Titles: The Strong, the Leg-Breaker, Son of Gruumsh
Home plane: Infernal Battlefield of Acheron
Symbol: Broken Thighbone
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Portfolio: Loyalty, stupidity, brute strength
Domains: Chaos, Destruction, Evil, Strength
Favored Weapon: Crunch (Spiked Gauntlet)
Gruumsh's son is a the god of mindless brutality and loyalty. Other deities think Bahgtru slow and stupid, an appellation that drives him into a fury but is none the less correct. Bahgtru values nothing more than pure physical might and is contemptuous of anyone who he feels is weaker (which is just about everyone else). Despite his stupidity and general disdain for others, Bahgtru is fanatically loyal to his father. By extension, he expects his clerics to follow the orders of their chieftains unquestioningly. This philosophy has earned him the position as the orcish god of loyalty as well as strength.
Bahgtru is a huge, incredibly muscular orc with dirty tan skin and dull green eyes; his tusks, protruding from either side of his mouth, are glistening white from gnawing on bones. He wears little other than a great pair of cesti, or spiked gauntlets, studded with steel rivets, with which to beat his victims flat.

Worshipers
Clerics of Bahgtru must have a minimum strength of 16, and must keep themselves physically fit. They cannot wear armor, but may use weapons as they choose. Those clerics who lose their required strength lose their other powers as well, and will have their spirits crushed in Bahgtru’s fists in the afterlife. His sacred animal is the ox. His holy days are on battle days, and services to honor him must be conducted on a battlefield. The bones of orcish enemies are sacrificed to him before battle.
Bahgtru is served by baatezu, imps, maelephants, rust dragons, rust monsters, and yugoloths, although many of these are quickly put off by the Strong Arm's lack of intellect and attempt to leave (not always successfully) as quickly as possible. Other than the headaches mentioned above, Bahgtru rarely shows his favor or displeasure through such omens as the discovery of gems, as he lacks the foresight to plan such things.


Gruumsh (Greater Deity)








Titles: One-Eye, He Who Never Sleeps, the One-Eyed God, He Who Watches
Home plane: Infernal Battlefield of Acheron
Symbol: Unwinking eye
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Portfolio: Orcs, conquest, strength, survival, territory
Domains: Chaos, Destruction, Evil, Strength, War
Favored Weapon: Bloodspear (Longspear or Shortspear)
As the father of orcs and the leader of the orcish pantheon, Gruumsh is a fearsome and terrible god. He exhorts his followers to great acts of savagery and bloodshed, teaching that only by taking what they want from those weaker than themselves may they prove their superiority above the other races. He calls no one friend who is not an orc and holds a special hatred for elves and especially Corellon Larethian for an ancient grudge. His preferred weapon is the Longspear.
Gruumsh appears as a huge orc in black full plate. His skin is a sickly gray-black and covered almost completely in battle scars. He possesses only one eye, although its placement varies; either one singular, central eye (like a cyclops), or an eye on the right with an eyepatch over the left socket (in this form, a long, angry red scar can be seen on either side of the eyepatch.

Worshippers
As orcs that are not clerics or adepts are forbidden to speak his name, Gruumsh is also known as "One-Eye," "The One-Eyed God," "He-Who-Never-Sleeps," and "He-Who-Watches."Gruumsh's priests wear dark red vestments, war helms, and black plate mail. His sacred animal is the giant rat. His holy day is the new moon, and he is worshipped in orcish lairs. A sacrifice of blood is made to him monthly.
Gruumsh is served by baatezu, imps, maelephants, rust dragons, rust monsters, and yugoloths. He shows his pleasure by the discovery of eye-sized and shaped bloodstones, carnelians, eye agates, fire opals, garnets, lynx eyes, red tears, and rubies. Sudden blindness in both eyes or a blackened right eye (see above) are signs of his displeasure.


Ilneval (Intermediate Deity)






Titles: Son of Strife, the Horde Leader, the War Maker, the lieutenant of Gruumsh
Home plane: Infernal Battlefield of Acheron
Symbol: Bloodied longsword
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Portfolio: War, combat, overwhelming numbers, strategy
Domains: Evil, Fire, Law, War
Favored Weapon: Foe Smiter (Longsword)
As Gruumsh's chief lieutenant, Ilneval holds a prominent position in orcish life. Unlike Bahgtru, Ilneval teaches that strength is not only in the arm but in the mind as well. He is an ambitious deity with eyes for the throne of Gruumsh. Ilneval would never betray the orc race however, no matter how strong his ambition. When the chieftains call for war, it is the clerics of Ilneval who marshal the forces and lead the battles. His favored weapon is the Longsword.
llneval is more of a “captain’s god” than a god of the common orcish soldier; Gruumsh is preferred by chieftains and orcish kings, and Bahgtru by common warriors. Though Gruumsh does not trust Ilneval, He-Who-Never-Sleeps has Bahgtru on his side, and this relieves some of his concerns.

Worshipers
Ilneval's priests wear red metal armor and red metal helmets. His holy days are on battle days. Blood and weapons are sacrificed to him both before and after battle.
Ilneval is served by baatezu, imps, maelephants, rust dragons, rust monsters, and yugoloths. He shows his pleasure by the discovery of bloodstones, carnelians, fire opals, garnets, red tears, and rubies, especially by particularly blood-hued gems of these types. He shows his displeasure through wounds on followers that refuse to stop bleeding or will not heal (especially if said wounds feel as if filled with acid), or by wounds that drip pitch-black blood.

Ilneval and The Empire
During the Days of Doom (the Orc/Elf war) it was Ilneval and his clerics that pulled the discordant forces of the orcs into a real fighting force. Since those days the Empire has been largely maintained by the cult of this orc god, and so he is greatly admired as the symbol of what an orc king should be. So great is his influence that the Emperor must be chosen of this god as a Blackguard as well as being of impressive physical and mental skills.
Needless to say that the cult of Ilneval and the cult of Gruumsh have a tense relationship at times. Because open conflict would devastate orc civilization, the cult of Ilneval are careful to be respectful of Gruumsh, and at all times.


Luthic (Lesser Deity)









Titles: The Healer, Great Mother, the Cave mother, the Blood Moon Witch
Home plane: Infernal Battlefield of Acheron
Symbol: Orc rune for home
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Portfolio: Caves, orc females, home, wisdom, fertility, healing, servitude
Domains: Animal, Earth, Evil, Healing, Protection
Favored Weapon: Tooth and Claw (Unnarmed Strike)
Luthic is the consort of Gruumsh and mother of Bahgtru. She represents the subservience of orc females and is associated with fertility, healing, and caverns. Her clerics tend to the wounded from battles, care for children, and attend childbirths. It is her clergy which more than any other that ensures the continual survival of the orc species by ensuring a steady supply of young to replace the dying. She teaches that life springs from the earth and to the earth all must return. She also teaches that each orc must know their place in the grand workings of the tribe.
Luthic appears as a huge female orc who wears no armor, but has unbreakable black claws four feet long. Her hair and eyes are dull black and her skin is dark brown with a medium brown on the nose and ears.

Worshipers
Orcs who follow her worship sometimes rub dirt on themselves to ensure they will have many children, and clerics use earth in casting curative spells (though this is purely a symbolic gesture and not a true material component of the spell). Luthic’s worship is one of the few that allow male and female orcs to become
clerics; nearly all of the other deities permit male clerics only. Luthic's priests wear brown and black leather armor and fur caps. She is worshipped in caves and her sacred animal is the cave bear. Luthic's most sacred day is midwinter's day, when treasures are sacrificed in her name.
Luthic is served by baatezu, black dragons, cave fishers, deep dragons, imps, maelephants, rust dragons, rust monsters, shadows, shadow dragons, and yugoloths. She shows her favor by rumbling at cave entrances and by the discovery of black opals, black pearls, black sapphires, jet, horn coral, obsidian, and onyx. She shows displeasure by lighting ordinarily dark areas, and by rock falls at cave entrances. If she is displeased by a whole community, the birth rate may drop precipitously, even to zero.


Shargaas (Intermediate Deity)







Titles: The Night Lord, the Blade in the Darkness, the Stalker Below
Home plane: Bleak Eternity of Gehenna
Symbol: Skull on red crescent Moon
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Portfolio: Night, thieves, stealth. Darkness, Underdark.
Domains: Air, Evil, Magic, Trickery
Favored Weapon: Nightstaff (Quarterstaff)
Shargaas is the orc patron of silent death. A cruel and secretive deity, he is favored by those who work in the shadows, especially assassins and thieves. Clerics of Shargass are a secretive lot hiding themselves within the tribe to cull the weak with stealth and cunning. Orcs who live in the ever-present dark of Iroth's underworld revere him as their patron even above Gruumsh. A fact that angers the Orc-Father but there is little he can do without risking a war that could jeopardize his own power.
Shargaas appears as a tall jet-black orc with black hair and eyes. He wears black leather armor and a cloak that seems to be made more of darkness then any sort of cloth. He wields an obsidian and mahogany quarterstaff.

Worshipers
As might be expected, orcish bandits and thieves hold Shargaas as their patron, as do other regular orc tribes. Clerics of Shargaas are usually multiclassed (cleric/rogue or cleric/assassins). Shargaas' priests wear red and black leather armor and leather caps. His sacred animal is the bat. The major religious holidays in the worship of Shargaas are the times of the new moon, when the sky is dark and cloudy. Stolen items are sacrificed to him monthly.
The Night Lord is served by baatezu, barghests, black dragons, deep dragons, imps, maelephants, nightmares, shadow dragons, slasraths, terlen, undead of all sorts, vaporighu, and yugoloths. He shows his favor by the discovery of black opals, black pearls, black sapphires, jet, horn coral, obsidian, and onyx. He shows disapproval by the sound of distant wailing and his dreaded "cold fevers", which wrack the victim in great pain and often lead to a prolonged, agonizing death.


Yurtrus (Intermediate Deity)







Titles: White-Hands, the Lord of Maggots, the Rotting One
Home plane: Gray Waste of Hades (Fleshslough)
Symbol: White hand on dark background
Alignment: Neutral Evil (Lawful Evil tendencies)
Portfolio: Death, disease, misfortune.
Domains: Death, Destruction, Evil, Water
Favored Weapon: Mace (with head made in the shape of a white fist)
Yurtrus the White Handed represents the fearful and superstitious nature of orcs as the bringer of disease and misfortune. Yurtrus does not communicate with other deities or even with his own clerics and is feared rather than worshiped. Orc children are frightened into obedience by their elders by threatening stories of the Silent One, who impatiently awaits (they are told) to drag them off to his cold halls. These stories do not exaggerate the truth; Yurtrus is the undisputed lord of the orcish dead, and his realm on the diseased-filled plains of Oinos is filled by the rotting, wailing spirits of those he has claimed as his own.
Like Shargaas, the Rotting One's relationships with the rest of the orcish pantheon is rather distant due to lack of interaction and planar distance. The only member of his pantheon he feels more than a cool indifference is Shargaas, with whom he has a long-standing dispute over the portfolio of undeath.

Worshipers
The clerics of Yurtrus wear pale white gloves made from the skins of nonorcish humanoids, or humans during their ceremonies. They wear thin armor (equivalent to cloth) woven of the same materials or animal skins painted white. Yurtrus' sacred "animal" is the skeleton. His holy days are on the new moon, and he is worshipped in underground crypts. Appropriate sacrifices are made to him monthly.
Yurtrus is served by baatezu, gehlereths, gulguthras (otyughs, etc.) hordelings, imps, maelephants, nightmares, rats, undead of all sorts, and yugoloths. He rarely sends omens other than in the form of diseases and plagues, though he has on occasion shown his favor by the discovery of emeralds, jade, sphene gems, and similar gems, all having a particularly sickly green hue.


Next: Other gods of Porandor, Orc culture and further details of the setting!

Porandor: Empire of The Orcs

Orcs are great. Few races are so recognizable in fighting fantasy games and stories as orcs. Unfortunately, these creatures are so often misrepresented in RPG's and wargames as to be more parody than tribute. The orcs as envisioned by J.R.R. Tolkien were complex in their evil and more capable of planning and organization than they are depicted in many settings (like Warhammer). So I thought I would put together a setting that is a tribute to orcs as I see them. This setting will be compatible with D&D 3.0/3.5/Pathfinder, but there will be some attention to Labyrinth Lord and similar "Old School" systems.

Porandor Empire (Orc Empire)
Capital: Uliima (Throne)
Government: Tyranny (Monarchy)
Ruler: Baulor Blackeye (Fighter/Blackguard of Ilneval)
Primary Races: Orcs, ogres, humans, and half-breeds.
Minor Races: Drow, Duergar, Goblins, Kobolds, Other.
Religions: Orc pantheon (Ilneval in-particular)
Porandor is an empire of Orcs that five (orc) generations ago defeated the elves of Iroth, and have organized themselves into a powerful nation. The orcs of Porandor are more “civilized” than most orcs thanks to the efforts of the clerics of Ilneval, and influence from their human, duergar and drow allies.
The Empire is a Feudal Society ruled by a Chief Warlord (called the Tyrant). There are a number of other sub-chiefs and lesser warlords as well. There are distinct classes, in order of importance, as follows: Royal Caste (Orog), Warrior Caste, Priesthood, Wealthy, Workers, Women and Slaves. The last three classes are given very little respect. Law in the Empire is simple - do what the superior caste says. The penalty for breaking the law is usually severe and usually death. Warriors and some Priests (called Judicators) meet out punishments and regulate the populace.

Race Relations
Though there are a number of non-orcs living in the Empire, no non-orc may achieve social standing higher than "Wealthy" status. It should be noted however that wealthy folk of any race need to be tough and cunning to hold onto their wealth, with bribes, schemes and intimidation to deal with the orc leadership. Even non-orc clerics and mages are considered "lesser" clerics.
Powerful races such as the Drow and Duergar are a class unto themselves. The duergar are considered such great craftsmen as to be worthy of great honor (though not as great as an orc noble). And the drow scare orcs, and are offered great respect.

Religion
"You, my children, are the water that will wash away all that has gone before. In your hand, you hold my light, the gleam in the eye of Gruumsh. This flame will burn away the darkness, burn you the way to paradise!" -Kraagdush Deathtongue, Orc Cleric of Gruumsh
All of the orc gods are important to the Empire as well as a number of allied gods. However, the cult of Ilneval is central to the Empires power structure. Cults of Shargaas and Yurtrus are secretive on the surface but are dominant in underground orc kingdoms. Demon Cults and the Church of Vecna are strictly outlawed, as these cults tend to try to take over and are deeply distrusted by orcish clerics. The Orc Pantheon will only choose clerics from Orcs, Half-Orcs or other creatures with Orc blood. Only Luthic amongst the orc deities will take female clerics.
Orc Deities: Bahtru (god of strength), Gruumsh (father of orc-kind), Ilneval (god of commanders and patron of Porandor), Luthic (mother of orcs), Sharagass (god of shadows) and Yurtis orc god of disease).
Other Deities: Boccob (Human), Erythnul (any), Fharlanghn (Any), Ghaunadaur (Any), Grolantor (Giants/H-Ogres), Grumbar (any), Laduguer (Dwarves), Lolth (Drow and Half-Drow only), Maglubiyet (Goblin and Hobgoblin), Tiamat (Kobolds or Humans), Vaprak (Half-Ogre/Ogre), Wee Jas (Any). Other deities are considered too dangerous to allow to worship openly in the Empire.

More to come!

NUGGET System

Though Dungeons and Dragons was the first role-playing game I came into contact with, it was White Wolfs Storyteller System (Old World of Darkness to you who remember) that I first actually played. Since then, I have had a great affection for game systems that were light on the rules and heavy on the atmosphere. Such games focus more on interesting characters and the world in which they live, using rules to maintain balance.
So, in the spirit of such "Rules-Light" games, I will occasionally be detailing small (1-2 post) standalone game setting using the NUGGET system. This simple and easy to learn game system is brought to you by the folks over at Silver Branch Games and is completely free. You can download this game system here, but for ease of reference I have posted the rules system below:

NUGGET SYSTEM
NUGGET is a simple set of roleplaying game (RPG) rules. A group of people sit around pretending to be imaginary characters having adventures in a fictional setting. Each controls a player character (PC), except one who takes the role of Game Master (GM), setting up situations for the PCs and controlling the other characters they meet (non-player characters, NPCs). The players say what their characters do and the GM tells them what happens next. The story progresses through scenes of particular actions at a location. You.ll need pencils and paper and about 10 six-sided dice.

Basics
Characters are described with Advantages and Disadvantages compared to an average, untrained person. If a task is neither trivial nor impossible, you roll a "pool" of a variable number of dice to see whether you succeed. The pool is made up of the Base Dice that an average person would get, plus one die per Advantage (Adv) from a Skill (knowledge and training) and an Attribute (natural talent), minus one die per relevant Disadvantage (Dis); e.g. Research + Brains.
Base Dice (BD) set difficulty. Just rolling your Advantages is BD 0, a task that needs a professional. If anyone can have a decent try it.s BD +2 (probably the commonest). If only the best can pull it off it.s BD -2 (subtract 2 from your Advantages). Near-impossible tasks are BD -4. The GM can give an extra Adv or Dis for special situations. If you end up with no dice it.s just too hard.
Count each die that shows 4, 5 or 6 as one success. A single success means you just barely do it, though not very well; 3 successes is a good, solid result; 5 or more successes is truly impressive. No successes (all rolls 1, 2, 3) means failure. If they.re all 1.s that.s a fumble: you messed up and the GM describes the awkward consequences.
Exceptional success can be handled in one of two ways. For a realistic or gritty style run the game lid-on.: if all dice come up as 6.s you get one extra success. For high-energy, unpredictable action run it .lid-off.: each die that shows 6 can be rolled again for a possible extra success, and further 6.s give further re-rolls.
Opposed rolls happen when two characters come into conflict - a physical fight, interrogation, haggling, armwrestling or a chess match. Both characters make appropriate rolls. The one with more successes gets their way, and the difference tells you how decisive it was. Ties usually go forward (dramatically!) to another roll.

Making a Character

Attributes
These describe natural talent at general kinds of things. As NUGGET is very simple there are just four:
Brawn - strength, toughness, stamina
Agility - speed, coordination, flexibility
Brains - noticing, remembering, working things out
Will - determination, self-control, charisma
Most people are rated at 0, the average point. Some are talented at +1. A few are exceptional, rated +2. Some are particularly poor, rated -1. Player characters are well above average. You have 2 points to raise Attribute levels. Spend both on one at +2, or split them between two at +1. If you take one at -1 it gives an extra point to spend.

Skills
These are areas of knowledge, training and experience, like Fighting with Swords, Piloting Starships, Chemistry or Investigation. They go in levels 1-4: Basic, Professional, Expert, Master. NUGGET doesn.t give a list, so you.ll have to name your own, neither too broad nor too narrow.
Write down your Occupation. This is what your character spends their time doing - Space Smuggler, Doctor, Private Detective, Barbarian Warrior, Schoolgirl, etc. It gives 1 level with a cluster of Skills, and you don't have to list them all: whenever it makes sense for an action to fit within the Occupation you get an Advantage on the roll (but use a specific Skill if you have one written down).
Pick one Core Skill that.s central to your Occupation (e.g. Medicine for the doctor, Sword Fighting for the barbarian, Pilot Starship for the smuggler) and write it down separately as level 2 (professional).
You also have 4 levels of Skills to allocate as you wish.
They can be new hobby Skills (the doctor might be an amateur stage magician), or you can increase specific Skills from your Occupation - your work is your life!

Finishing off
Write down 1-3 Goals - things that are important to the character, which could be people, objects, organisations, principles or things they want to achieve.
Write down your Initiative bonus: the total of Agility and Brains Advantages and the levels of your highest Fighting Skill. (Disadvantages subtract; it can go negative.)
Write down your Physical Resistance (2 + Brawn Advantages) and Mental Resistance (2 + Will Advantages). These scores are the number of dice you'll actually roll (BD 2) - it speeds things up if they.re handy.
Write down Destiny Points, with space for it to change over time. You start with 1 point.
You have ordinary items of equipment to allow you to perform your Skills - beyond that it depends on the game.

Combat
Initiative. When it comes to high-speed action, things happen in rounds: chunks of time a few seconds long divided into 10 phases. At the start of a round everyone rolls one die and adds the result to their Initiative bonus.
The GM counts down from 10 to 1, and your initiative total tells you when you can take your action (e.g.punching, throwing, shooting). After phase 1 the next round starts, until the fight is over. A total over 10 means you can act once on 10 and again on the remainder (e.g. 14 => 10, 4), up to 10, 8. A total less than 1 means you.re too confused to take an action this round. You can also do one simple thing for free each round any time after you're ready for your first action (Phase 1 if you can.t act) - e.g. drawing a weapon, picking something up or running a short distance. More involved actions like all-out sprinting take an action. You can delay an action till later in the round. Characters acting on the same phase go in order of Initiative bonus. You can defend against an attack at any time; one roll counts against all attacks in that phase.
Attack and defense. Attack rolls use the relevant Skill plus Agility, usually BD +2. Defences, like parrying or dodging, are similar but use any close combat Skill (e.g. not Gun), and against projectile weapons are BD 0 to BD +2 depending on cover. If the attacker gets more successes it.s a hit and does damage; otherwise it misses.
Damage. Add the difference between attack and defense successes to the base damage, below. Hand-tohand attacks add Brawn Advantages as well.
0 unarmed
1 knife, small club
2 sword, big club, axe, spear, arrow
3 big sword, polearm, handgun, SMG
4 rifle, shotgun
6 machine-gun
8 tank gun

The target rolls Physical Resistance to withstand the attack, with successes taken away from the total damage. (A fumble adds 1 to damage!) Read the result off here:
1-2 Hurt
3-4 Injured
5-6 Injured and Unconscious
7+ Injured and Dead

Note Hurts and Injuries on your character sheet : they build up and give penalties while they last. Hurts are bruises and cuts that slow you down - each subtracts 1 from Initiative for future rounds and takes 5 minutes of rest to disappear. Injuries are serious wounds - each takes 1 off Initiative and gives a Disadvantage for all rolls except Resistance, and takes a day of rest and care to recover.
.Unconscious. and .Dead. are self-explanatory. Someone with medical supplies can try first aid: roll Medicine + Brains, BD 2. Each round the patient and healer do nothing else, one success can be spent to heal a Hurt.
Combat details. Any armor worn subtracts from damage: 1-3 points for archaic types, possibly up to 5 for modern types. Firearms with spray/burst firing give an Adv to hit. Shields give an Adv to defend. Surprise, e.g. if an opponent has successfully sneaked up, means no defence roll is possible. Unseen opponents turn attack and defense into Fighting + Brains rolls, BD 0.

Special rules

Weird stuff
This includes things like magic and psychic powers. NUGGET doesn.t try to cover these. The way they work makes a big difference to the feel of a game, and that needs detail. One simple way is to set them up as Skills, rolled normally but costing a physical or mental Hurt for fatigue unless a success is spent to be good enough to avoid it. The players and GM need to agree how much or little these can do. Possibilities include .Telepathy., .Moving Objects., .Fire Magic. and .Illusion.. Mind-based attacks use Brains with Will as base damage, or just a roll with Will.

Destiny Points
These are a mixture of karma, luck and self-esteem, given by the GM during play and spent to direct the character.s path. Use counters for Destiny during a session and write it down at the end. Gain a point for doing something cool like beating an enemy, performing a dangerous stunt, or just making everybody laugh. Gain a point if the character takes an important step toward one of their Goals in a scene - but a point can also be taken away if a Goal is seriously thwarted, like your beloved aunt getting hurt or the Empire taking over your base! (If you are already at zero and would lose a point, the GM gains one to a general pool for the opposition.) Spending Destiny. Spend one to make a roll again and keep the result you prefer. If the GM allows it, spend one to be unconscious instead of dead (some games should be dangerous, but usually heroes can survive all sorts of harm). Buy a new level of a Skill between adventures for (new level x 5) Destiny Points. Specific games may have further uses, like establishing a minor, plausible coincidence, or getting one die to roll when you have none.

Opponents
In general, give opponents the abilities they ought to have rather than trying to balance points. Minions are lowlevel riff-raff with an Occupation and low or no Attribute and Skill bonuses. Put them all on initiative (3 + bonus).
Even one Hurt takes them out of a conflict. Henchmen have higher stats and are taken out by an Injury or 3
Hurts. Major villains work like PCs, with abilities as good or better, plus other advantages like henchmen or fiendish devices. They start with Destiny - often one point per PC - and can get more for advancing their plans.
Animals, monsters, aliens etc can have Attributes beyond the normal range: up to +4 and down to -2. This is most common with Brawn, related to size.

Threats
Apart from combat, characters get exposed to all sorts of things that can do them physical or mental harm, like fire, poison, falling, or terrifying monsters. They're all handled the same way: the GM gives a damage rating from the table below, which is opposed by the appropriate Resistance and applied as above.
1 Irritating
3 Painful/Tiring (desert)
5 Damaging (ordinary fire, drowning)
8 Deadly (strong electricity)
10 Extreme (space, deep ocean)
Record mental damage separately: Hurts and Injuries add to those from physical damage, but heal
independently. An .Unconscious. result from a Threat gives an impairment lasting about a scene, e.g. blinded by a flash, fleeing in mindless terror. .Dead. gives a permanent condition - curing it could be a story seed.

World of Avis: Careers

Careers (Character Origins)
Before the life of adventure came calling, all characters (NPC or other wise) had to make a living somehow. Few people set out to become adventurers, warriors, wizards and thieves of great renown. As-such characterw will likely have a trade they were brought up doing, or at least training to do. Often this trade will be what the characters parents did (or still do), but could also be from an apprenticeship. Even nobles have been known to study in some of these professions, particularly Hunters for men and Weavers for women, though most times these professions are for the common people.
Below is a list of professions characters are likely to come from. From a game perspective, this is a means by which players can wheedle information out of the GameMaster (DM, LL, whatever), but also is a means to add depth and a "day job" for player characters. This is by no means an exhaustive list of possible professions, and GMs are advised to be generous if a player has a really good idea that wont upset the story.
Roll d00 on the following list:
01-02 Acrobat/Jester (dancing, tumbling, acting, jokes)
03-04 Apothecary (herbalism, gossip)
05-10 Baker (baking, food, fire-building)
11-14 Bard**/Minstrel (music, storytelling, history)
15-20 Brewer (brewing, appraisal of alcohol)
21-23 Cobbler/Shoemaker (sewing, leather-working, wood carving)
24-27 Cooper (Barrel Maker)- (carving, minor metalwork)
28-32 Furrier/Trapper (skinning, leather-working)
33-34 Glassblower (minor alchemy)
35-37 Groom (animal handling, minor medical lore)
38-39 Hayward/Shrubber (basic agriculture, minor herbalism, shrubbery)
40-42 Hunter- (basic wood lore, butchering, basic tracking, direction sense)
43-44 Merchant (grocer, peddler, etc) (appraisal, basic math, literacy)
45-46 Miller (mill operation, grain prices, commerce)
47-49 Miner (assaying, stone-cutting)
50-51 Physician/Midwife* (minor magical lore, literacy, surgery)
52-53 Potter (sculpture, kiln operation)
54-56 Rat Catcher (dog handling, traps, poison, pipes**)
57-59 Sailor/Riverman (swimming, boats, knots)
60-62 Scribe (reading, writing, basic math)
63-66 Smith (pick type) (make, repair & evaluate appropriate metal goods)
67-68 Teamster (animal handling, wagon repair)
69-71 Weaver/Tailor (weaving, sewing, embroidery)
72-85 Woodworker (carpentry, carving)
86-00 No skill of measurable worth- Common laborer, plowman, bricklayer etc.
*If a woman.
**If an Elf or Magic User.

Note: Pictured is one "Roger The Shrubber" or Hayward (see list). A noble and important profession.

World of Avis: The Twelve Gods

The gods of Avis embody powerful forces constantly at work in the world. These gods are designed to allow players to "get" them, allowing for an easy transition into the fantasy of Avis. Who, even in the modern world has not heard of Mother Nature, or has a good idea of her character?
Avis, and the rules presented here are meant for the Labyrinth Lord Tabletop Role-Playing Game, but can be altered to fit other systems. The Labyrinth Lord game can be downloaded for free here, or purchased here.

Mother Nature (Greater Deity)
Mother Nature is responsible for the changing of the seasons and for helping manage the day to day activities that occur in the natural world. It is her role to watch over nature and make sure it all runs smoothly. She appears as an attractive but mature woman with long hair that is often tied up in a bun, wears a long bell-bottomed dress, and carries a wand of some kind. She and Father Time are married, and can often be found together. Mother Nature prefers places of natural beauty and wonder rather than churches. The wealthy and city-born tend to cultivate parks and gardens dedicated to her. Clerics of Mother Nature typically dress more like gardeners than clergy, though some prefer gowns of natural colors. Worship of Mother Nature generally revolves around natural cycles, observing the changing of seasons as holidays.
All creatures that draw breath on Avis revere Mother Nature, from animals and elementals to great beasts and monsters. Animals and plant creatures such as Treants are often found in her company, and are amongst her closest friends. The Giants, particularly Hill and Stone Giants are amongst the most avid of her worshipers, constructing elaborate earthworks and obelisks in her honor. Some monstrous races, particularly evil dragons, orcs and goblin-kin, reject the worship of Mother Nature, seeing Mother Necessity as the true Nature (see Mother Necessity).
Symbol: Holly berries
Alignment: Neutral (Chaotic Neutral)
Cleric Alignment: Any
Favored Weapon: Quarterstaff

Father Time (Greater Deity)
Father Time is an extremely powerful entity who has power and control over time. It is his responsibility to make sure that time and events happen in the right order. He appears as an elderly man with a long gray beard, is dressed a long robe, and carries a farmers flail or a scythe. Father Time is a very busy person, and does not like to be disturbed without good cause. He and Mother Nature are a married couple. Father Time requires no churches or temples as he neither craves or needs worship. Still, a great many would have Times goodwill, and thus shrines and temples are built in his honor. Clerics of Father Time (known as Reapers) dress in black and are tasked with monitoring the passage of time and destiny.
A curious aspect of Father Time is that he begins each New Years Day as the infant Baby New Year, but quickly grows up until he is an elderly bearded man at the end of his year. At this point, he hands over his duties to the next Baby New Year. Celebration of the arrival of this infant is widespread amongst all races of Avis, with feasts, drinking and wild dances. Even normally hostile creatures might be found sharing good cheer or even a drink at this season, only to return to hostilities when the holiday has passed.
Symbol: Hourglass
Alignment: Neutral (Lawful Neutral)
Cleric Alignment: Any
Favored Weapon: Flail, heavy (farmers flail)

Sun Maiden (Intermediate Deity)
The Sun Woman is the goddess of the sun. She appears as a radiantly beautiful woman with a full figure and long golden hair. The Sun Woman adores beautiful things, particularly gold and diamonds. She is a generous but fickle deity who has little true understanding of mortals, often accidentally harming them with her gifts and affections. Sun Woman dwells in a vast palace of adamantine gold on the sun, where she holds court over a large number of celestials and other beings of light. Most of the male gods are infatuated with her, though none have yet dared pursue her for fear of her rejection. Because of this she is a lonely being, and adores any attention she receives. Temples to the Sun Woman are always beautifully made and adorned with gold and gems, with large and ornate windows. Her clerics wear garments of white and gold and are tasked with bringing light, wisdom and joy to the world and to oppose darkness and undeath whenever it is encountered.
Summertime is when most think of this goddess, when she is the strongest in the world. The Aubadian Empire, though now shrink to the Eastern Islands, has long favored the Sun Maiden and sought her favor. The Knights of Dawn are the most respected and wide-held knightly order dedicated to her, with members shunning the company of all women save their goddess.
Symbol: Golden disc or sun
Alignment: Neutral
Cleric Alignment: Lawful or Chaotic (no middle ground!)
Favored Weapon: Mace

Man in the Moon (Intermediate Deity)
The man in the moon is the deity of the moon, and lord over the realms of sleep. He appears as a pale older man or dwarf with scrawny arms and legs and an overlarge head. He often watches the mortal world and the realms of sleep, and has a particular affection for children. Father Time is his older brother with whom he is very close. The Man in the Moon dwells in a large observatory from which he looks down on the sleeping world. He has many daughters but only one son- The Spirit of Invention, from his wife Mother Necessity. Temples dedicated to the man in the moon are often lunar observatories or stone circles. Clerics of the Man in The Moon are tasked with watching over the affairs of the night and its creatures. The realm of dreams is always of concern to the priesthood, with a great many fey employed as special servants.
All night loving creatures revere the Man in The Moon, but especially good and neutral lycanthropes such as were-bears, whose revels in honor of the Man in the Moon are legendary. Elves and fairys all adore the Man in the Moon, holding monthly revels during the full moon. Such celebrations are wild affairs, full of music and dancing.
Symbol: Crescent moon
Alignment: Lawful (Chaotic Good)
Cleric Alignment: Lawful or Neutral
Favored Weapon: Morningstar

Old Man of The Sea (Intermediate Deity)
The Old Man of the Sea is the master of the waterways and the deep, known for his deceitful ways. He appears as a wild old man with glaring eyes and a long beard, sometimes dressed in simple but well-made attire but also known to go in rags or to appear as a Triton. He adores treasure of all kinds and demands tribute of such to safely cross his territory. Those who fail to please him may find themselves taken into his deep realm where their souls will fill his coffers instead. Temples to the Old Man of the Sea are always near the sea or a river leading to the sea and are typically built on the wreckage of a previous structure that was overwhelmed by the sea. The remnants of wrecked ships, sea-caves and similar structures are common temples to the Old Man of The Sea, though smaller “business shrines” are often located nearer to settlements. His clerics act as money changers and tight-fisted merchants and slavers, looking to make profit at any expense. A great many undead, intelligent and not, serve this deity.
Despite the cruel nature of this god, the church of the Old Man of The Sea is extremely ethical in regards to money, as long as the god gets his due. Letters of credit, allowing persons to deposit their valuables with a local church preceptory before embarking, received a document indicating the value of their deposit, then used that document upon arrival to retrieve their funds. This allows travelers some security for their wealth, and also contributes to the Old Mans coffers.
Symbol: Sea chest
Alignment: Chaotic (Lawful Evil)
Cleric Alignment: Chaotic or Neutral
Favored Weapon: Club (driftwood)

Mother Necessity (Intermediate Deity)
Mother Necessity is a powerful goddess who oversees the forces of change and (hopefully) renewal. Towards this end she promotes conflict and strife in the hopes of spurring people, nature and society to adapt and grow (or die and get out of the way). Mother Necessity appears as a proud and determined woman who is in turns warm, sexy, domineering and cruel with a sharp tongue and mind. She is married to the Man in the Moon and is the mother of The Spirit of Invention. Temples to Mother Necessity are small but well adorned and well staffed. Clerics appear as stern and serious scholars, politicians and teachers, often traveling into odd and dangerous locations or promoting economic and political change in places of power.
Monstrous races such as Trolls, Gnolls and Goblin-kin of all sorts adore this goddess, viewing her as the true Mother Nature. Such creatures are regularly used by the goddess to "test the nations," causing strife and war. These bestial followers of Mother Necessity realize their role in the world, and see it as a holy duty. Chaotic Dragons are the favored "children" of this goddess, and can often be found in her company. Worship of Mother Necessity more often than not involves sacrifice of living creatures, particularly intelligent ones. Children, particularly male children of a rivals are typically slain on cold alters of stone. Cannibalism is usually only practiced by monster races such as goblins and Trolls. Worship of this goddess is outlawed in most regions.
Symbol: Oroboros (life and dissolution)
Alignment: Chaotic (Chaotic Evil)
Cleric Alignment: Neutral or Chaotic
Favored Weapon: Flail, light

Dame Justice (Lesser Deity)
This potent deity is the goddess of justice and liberty, constantly looking for wrongs to fight injustice and avenge the downtrodden. Dame Justice appears as an attractive woman wielding a sword and wearing a blindfold. She takes an interest in all levels of law, but prefers the big cases, hunting murderers and rapists with a grim determination that is a terror to wrongdoers everywhere. Temples of justice are courts of law prisons and police stations, though she also acknowledges righteous gatherings of militia and similar rural groups. Clerics of justice work as judges, sheriffs and guardsman, pursuing evildoers and exacting justice, even in lawless lands.
Though law and justice is desired by most people, Dame Justice and her acolytes make people uncomfortable. Even the very good have something in their past that they aren't proud of, and the presence of a cleric of Dame Justice can make a person feel the weight of their sin all too distinctly. Because of this, those who follow this goddess must try to be self-sufficient and to aid others of their order, as they are unlikely to find folk to put them up. Fighters dedicated to Dame Justice are called Paladins, and are amongst the greatest and most virtuous warriors, seeking to right wrongs and oppose the wicked. Sadly, most such souls die quite young, but this is not always the case.
Symbol: Scales
Alignment: Lawful (Lawful Good)
Cleric Alignment: Lawful
Favored Weapon: Mace

Spirit of Invention (Lesser Deity)
An energetic and scatterbrained deity, Invention is the force of raw creativity and inventive genius. He appears as a rumpled dwarf in workman’s clothing and wearing a tool belt. He is constantly working on some project or another. He interacts with few gods, even avoiding his parents, Mother Necessity and the Man in the Moon whenever possibly. He prefers the company of constructs, dwarves and gnomes. There are no temples dedicated to the Spirit of Invention, rather his shrines are workshops and his altars are workbenches. Clerics of Invention are all craftsmen and seem more like madmen to most folks. Religious observances revolve around invention and craftsmanship.
The Spirit of Invention teaches on the importance of creativity in invention, and the willingness to take risks. His acolytes are those who push the boundaries of engineering to create marvelous and useful devices such as musical instruments, block-and-tackle pulley systems, hydraulic pumps, elaborate siege engines, reversible crank mechanisms, and many others. Some even more elaborate devices such as ship shakers and steam cannons can be made by the truly inventive.
Symbol: Cog
Alignment: Neutral (Chaotic Neutral)
Cleric Alignment: Any
Favored Weapon: Hammer, light

North Wind (Lesser Deity)
The North Wind is an aggressive being of frost and winter winds. This deity is ferocious, looking to blow his way into homes under doors, through thatch and into bodies and souls chilling all as he goes. He appears as a ferocious man with a wild thick beard and cruel eyes. He loathes warmth and comfort, and can only be held at bay with extreme precautions and sacrifice. The North Wind is known to spend time with the Old Man of the Sea and the East Wind. Temples to the North Wind are always grim, cold affairs with few amenities such as rime coated caves or up on lonely cliffs. Clerics of the North Wind are grim-faced men and women who dress more like barbarian chieftains than priests, with fur and animal hide covering them. These clerics are charged with spreading a healthy dread of the winter.
Though this god is considered cruel by many in the North, he is also known to be surprisingly generous. Mid-Winter festivals depict the North Wind as Father Winter, a laughing bearded being who brings presents to good children. Woe unto children who are wicked when this spirit is about, as he has been known to carry off such wee ones to an icy death in the northern wilds. Most times this role is conducted by clerics of The North Wind, who give small gifts of carved toys, snowshoes and mittens.
Symbol: Icicle or Snowflake
Alignment: Chaotic (Chaotic Neutral)
Cleric Alignment: Neutral of Chaotic
Favored Weapon: Hammer, War

South Wind (Lesser Deity)
A fickle and energetic deity, the South Wind is the god of summer storms. Though he can be beneficial with his cooling and watering rains, he is notorious for hailstorms that flatten crops. The South Wind appears as a young, winged man with long hair and wearing flowing robes. He is a fun loving deity who adores the company of attractive persons of either sex. Temples to the South Wind are usually small roofed shrines along roads. Such shrines function more like way-stops for travelers, often with an inn or other eatery close-by. Large shrines are themselves inns, offering shelter and sustenance to those traveling the world.
Mid-Summer is the time of the South Wind, when the first and greatest planting is in the soil and growing and the herds growing fat. It is at this time when great lords and peasant alike celebrate the Sun Maiden, Mother Nature and the South Wind are celebrated with bonfires and dances. Only cultures that plant and cultivate their food take part in Mid-Summer festivals, with raiders and monster such as orcs, pirates and trolls choosing to prey upon other civilizations for their sustenance. Such peoples and creatures typically prefer the treacherous East Wind. Other times of the year the South Wind is revered in hopes of warmer currents, but he is known to be fickle.
Symbol: Hurricane or Tornado
Alignment: Neutral (Chaotic Neutral)
Cleric Alignment: Chaotic or Neutral
Favored Weapon: Sling

East Wind (Lesser Deity)
The East Wind is an trickster spirit, generally associated with bad luck and thieves. The East Wind appears as a strongly built, winged man with a thick dark beard and wearing flowing robes. He is a wild deity who is rarely in any place for very long. The East Wind loves all offerings of gold, gems and especially gossip. Temples to the East Wind are always hidden in out of the way places, down back alleys, or in the wilderness. Such places serve the Clerical needs of bandits, smugglers and assorted thieves and monsters. Clerics of the East Wind are shifty, intelligent folk with a love of theft and a hatred of hard work.
Harvest time is both a time of celebration, and a dread of the coming winter. All over Avis, though particularly in the North, peoples have brought in their last harvest and have slaughtered all their livestock save for the breeders, and with all of the blood from such harvest, a great many fine dishes are made such as blood pudding and sausages. And so many feasts and celebrations in honor of the East Wind and the Man in The Moon are held as people prepare for the long dark grip of winter. Light-hating creatures such as goblins, undead and trolls are known to be particularly active at this time, as the hated sun is often hidden by clouds, and the nights are long. These beings hold wild parties in the wilderness, where humankind dare not venture.
Symbol: Dark cloud
Alignment: Neutral (Neutral Evil)
Cleric Alignment: Neutral or Chaotic
Favored Weapon: Club (sap)

West Wind (Lesser Deity)
The West Wind is the god of spring bloom and growing crops, a welcome being in any port. The West Wind loves sex, growth and growing things, often flirting with farmers daughters by blowing up their skirts and spying on them from the treetops. The West Wind appears as a handsome, winged young man with long hair and a permanent glint in his eye. He is flirtatious with attractive persons of all races and genders, though fertile females are of particular interest. Temples of the West Wind are small shrines or altars in wild fields or cliff-sides. Such locations are chosen for outdoor revels, with all participants bringing food and drink as offerings. Clerics of the West Wind are travelers who dress simply known for their skill in music and storytelling.
The great Festival of Spring is a holiday celebrated all over Avis, though nowhere as much as in the coastal areas of the Northern Continent, where the long winters make for a deep hunger for spring. When the first crop is sewn, all the farming peoples hold elaborate parties celebrating spring and honoring Mother Nature and the West Wind.
Symbol: Sheaf of wheat
Alignment: Neutral (Chaotic Good)
Cleric Alignment: Lawful or Neutral
Favored Weapon: Sling

Religion and Non-Humans
Though only the humans of Avis can take levels in the Cleric class, that does not mean that other races do not revere the gods. Rather it is that the other races have a different view of them, and serve them in other ways.
Dwarves: The Dwarves of Avis revere the gods with a solid dedication to family, honesty and hard work, seeing these things as holy in and of themselves. Of the gods, dwarves prefer Father Time, Dame Justice and The Spirit of Invention above all others. What passes for priests amongst dwarves are NPC Blacksmiths, Engineers and Sages (see LL Rulebook page 48). Such specialists keep the sacred lore of the Dwarves, and are central to the community.
Elves: The elves do indeed revere the gods, though they prefer to interact with them directly or with with arcane magic. On holy days or during celebrations, elaborate ceremonies dedicated to one or another god are enacted by the elves, hoping for the god in question to attend or send an emissary. Mother Nature and the Man in The Moon are the most revered by the elves, though all are revered in one way or another.
Halflings: Halflings prefer hard work to worship in temples, though they are known to leave offerings to Mother Nature or South and West Wind. Storytellers take the place of cleric amongst halflings, passing down tales of heroes and gods and keeping old traditions alive.
Other Races: Races such as centaurs, goblins, were-creatures, orcs, giants (including ogres and trolls), neanderthals, morlocks, lizardmen, troglodytes etc all worship the gods in their own ways but do not have true clerics. These races produce their own holy men and women (often via vision quests or other initiations), whose devotion to their gods has granted them a small dispensation of power.
Such "Witch Doctors" are created the same as standard members of their race, though often of higher than 1HD. All such "priests" gain the ability to brew potions as an Alchemist (page 47 LL rulebook) and gain one or more Dispensations from their master, roll Roll randomly to determine the nature of this power:
Roll d00
01-10 Animal Command (as a ring of animal command)
11-20 Commune (As the cleric spell)
21-25 Remove/Bestow Curse (As the cleric spell)
26-35 Animate Dead (As the cleric spell)
36-40 Cure/Cause Disease (As the cleric spell)
41-45 Lightning Bolt (As the magic-user spell)
46-50 Speak to Plants (As the cleric spell)
51-57 Insect Plague (As the cleric spell)
58-67 Climbing (As a potion of climbing)
68-77 Control Weather (As the cleric spell)
78-86 Polymorph Self (As the magic user spell)
87-96 True Seeing (As the cleric spell)
97-99 Roll twice
00 Roll three times