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Haela Brightaxe

2008-07-02T18:22:10Z

70.179.43.18: New page: '''Haela Brightaxe:''' ''Lady of the Fray, Luckmaiden, the Hard'' '''Symbol:''' An unsheathed sword encircled by a flaming bolt (a two-ended spiral of flame) '''Home Plane''': Bru...

'''Haela Brightaxe:'''
''Lady of the Fray, Luckmaiden, the Hard'' 

'''Symbol:''' An unsheathed sword encircled by a flaming bolt (a two-ended spiral of flame) 
'''Home Plane''': Brux/Findar Endar 
'''Alignment''': CG 
'''Portfolio''': Luck in battle, joy of battle, dwarven fighters 
'''Domains''': Chaos Good Luck War 
'''Worshipers''': Barbarians, fighters, dwarves 
'''Aliases''': N/A 
'''Cleric Alignments:''' CG, CN, NG 
'''Favored Weapon:''' Greatsword - "Flamebolt" 

'''History/Relationships:'''
Haela Brightaxe (HUH-ae-la BRITE-ax) is the patron of dwarves who love the fray, who wander the surface lands (especially in the North), who face unknown dangers, and who battle monsters. Although dwarves of all alignments venerate the Lady of the Fray, those Stout Folk of chaotic or neutral good alignment who love battle or exhibit berserker tendencies tend to actively embrace the worship of the Luckmaiden.

Haela dwells in a simple cave in the Beastlands, but she bothers none of the animals that dwell there, keeping to herself, hidden by everpresent mists in the depths of a forest. Findar Endar, as the grotto is known, is protected by her Guardians. Rarely at home, the Luckmaiden is usually to be found in wildspace or on a world such as Toril, wherever dwarves are enjoying battle but in need of aid.

Haela is well known among dwarves for her ready laugh, her booming voice, and her ever-cheerful nature. The Luckmaiden is charming, resourceful, and delivers gallows witticisms with a broad grin.
Although she recognizes no superior save Moradin, Haela is the only widely recognized dwarven demipower active in the Realms today, and as such, the Luckmaiden is ever-mindful of the wishes of the more established and more powerful members of the Morndinsamman. As a goddess of dwarven warriors, particularly those who travel far afield, Haela's portfolio overlaps with that of the Marthammor Duin, and she works closely with the Finder-of-Trails. Likewise, the Lady of the Fray maintains good relations with Clangeddin Silverbeard, the Father of Battles, into whose sphere of influence she also crosses. 

'''Dogma:'''
Through battle there is validation, liberation, and exultation. Trust in Haela to see you through the fray, and the monsters of the world shall fall to the sharp blades of your axes, regardless of their apparent strength and numbers. The Luckmaiden blesses those dwarves who believe in her beneficence, and she, through her faithful, will always be there for the beleaguered and the besieged. Rejoice the power of your swing in battle, the sound of your weapon smiting a worthy foe, and the challenge of the fray. If asked, show mercy on a noble foe who abides by a code of honor, but hold not your hand against the treacherous, the liars, and the honorless. 

'''Avatar/Manifestations:'''
Haela manifests only rarely, preferring to appear directly instead. When she does manifest, it is either in cases where she will not be otherwise needed or to help dwarves hold on until she can arrive later to help.

Haela's manifestations always involve an aura of silvery flames, shot through with blue-white and amber sparks. These are images only, not true flames or sparks, and cannot ignite anything. If Haela's aura surrounds a dwarf, her power heals the dwarf of all injuries and allows the dwarf to strike at a +4 bonus to attack for 1d4+1 rounds. This imbues the dwarf with power enough to consider any weapons wielded to be silver and equivalent to +4 magical weapons, for purposes of what can be hit by the empowered dwarf.

If Haela's aura surrounds a weapon, it is rendered supreme for 1d4+1 rounds: Any attacks made with it during this time cannot miss, and do full normal damage. If a weapon empowered by Haela is already magical, its magical properties are suspended by Haela's magic and cannot operate (or be harmed or drained): The weapon does only physical damage until Haela's power fades. 

'''Agents/Petitioners:'''
Haela is served primarily by the spirits of fallen dwarven warriors who become her Guardians (einheriar), but on occasion other creatures of the Upper Planes, including aasimon (particularly agathinon), asuras, bariaurs, courage incarnates, hollyphants, quesar, and warden beasts act on her behalf. She manifests her pleasure with the discovery of bloodstones, carnelians, jacinths, jargoons, red-hued jaspers, red-hued orls, red tears, crimson-hued rubies, red spinels, and red-hued ziose stones. She manifests her displeasure when such gems dissolve into tiny puddles of blood when touched. 

'''The Church of Haela:'''
Haela is well regarded by shield dwarves, particularly wanderers, and her cult is slowly growing among the younger gold dwarves of the South. The Luckmaiden is well known and well regarded among nondwarven adventurers of the North through the near-legendary deeds of her followers, but she is commonly seen as nothing more than a dwarven god of berserkers-akin to bloodthirsty Garagos-by the more sedentary inhabitants of human and elven cities.

Temples of Haela are caves or underground rooms, sometimes in old abandoned holds or the cellars of human ruins. They are typically storehouses of food, small smithies, and armories crammed with odd weapons and armor, and are never guarded by less than a dozen priests (more often, 16 to 20 are in residence). There is always a highly destructive trap set somewhere in such a temple: If the dwarves are slain or forced out, no enemy of the dwarves will get the store of weapons without taking heavy losses. One famous temple of Haela, overrun by ores near Amphail, proved to have a trap of six separate blade barriers that came into being one after another and used the cached weapons of the temple as the whirling weapons.

Novices of Haela, like novices of Clangeddin, are known as the Unblooded. Full priests are known as Blades of the Brightaxe. In ascending order of rank, the titles used by Haelan priests are First Blood, Deadly Dirk, Stout Spear, Sharp Axe, Shining Sword, Flamebolt, and Brightaxe. High Old Ones have individual titles but are collectively known as the Hallowed Crimson. Specialty priests are known as luckmaidens. 

'''Day-to-Day Activities:'''
Priests of Haela wander throughout the Realms, aiding dwarves in battle. They wander because no priest knows where or when she or he will be needed-each relies upon Haela's guiding hand to position him or her as necessary. Blades of the Brightaxe aid beleaguered dwarves (and known allies and companions of dwarves) against creatures of all sorts by healing, casting spells, and fighting alongside them. Their objectives are to achieve victory for the dwarven side and to allow the maximum possible number of dwarves to survive. The priests wish also to make all dwarves comfortable with their own skills in combat-to Haela's worshipers, battle-skills are needed to guide the hands of all dwarves if the Stout Folk are to survive.

Priests of Haela are always heavily armed and are often skilled at weapon and armor repair. They freely give away the weapons they carry to dwarves in need but always keep at least one weapon for themselves, although it may be well hidden.
 

'''Holy Days/Important Ceremonies:'''
The followers of the Luck maiden celebrate three holy days of note. The first such day of the year, celebrated annually on Greengrass, is known as the Time of the Spawning. On this day Haela's clergy prepare for the next wave of ores and other monsters to pour forth from the occupied holds of long-fallen dwarves to threaten the remaining Stout Folk once again. The Time of Spawning is marked by grim ceremonies of preparation for the coming onslaught and includes endless choruses of battle hymns, rhythmic chanting to the beat of endless drumming, and the ritual shattering of weapons and armor seized from previous opponents.

The second major holy day of the Haelan faith is known as the Axe Held High, a day that glorifies the valor of the Lady of the Fray and her role in defending the Stout Folk against their ancient foes. On this day of joyous celebration, ceremonies are held at midday, outdoors in the full embrace of the sun. The followers of the Luckmaiden hold that an unsheathed sword appears momentarily in the center of the solar orb at high noon.
 

'''Major Centers of Worship:'''
Endar Aglandtor, the Sword Grotto, is an abbey of the Luckmaiden hidden in a series of dwarf-dug caverns hewn from the base of a granite uprising known as the Tor of Swords. Located north-northwest of the Hill of Lost Souls, the Tor of Swords stands just east of the most northerly of the easternmost loops that the ever-twisting Winding Water makes. The hill once marked the northernmost border of the Helbryn, the great hunting preserve of the longfallen dwarven kingdom of Oghrann. Today the Tor of Swords serves as the chapter house of Haela's Host (see below) under the able leadership of Blade of the Crimson Axe Aglaya Rockfist, daul of Rorrina, blood of Helmma. From their isolated redoubt, the priests of the militant order keep watch over the Hill of Lost Souls, the Battle of Bones, and other unnamed battlefields in the region where dwarven warriors fell long ago. The clerics, crusaders, and specialty priests of Haela's Host clash frequently with the monsters of the Serpent Hills, the Marsh of Chelimber, and the Forest of Wyrms, and they are very effective in keeping monstrous population of the region in check.

The Tor of Swords is named for the quintet of sentient magical swords said to have been entombed within the hill before the erection of the Standing Stone. Since most tales confuse the Tor of Swords with the nearby Dungeon of Swords, located to the northwest in the Serpent Hills, few adventuring bands have ever explored the isolated knoll, and none have found the legendary blades. Assuming the sentient swords are more than myth, it is likely they are now wielded by the ablest swordswomen of Haela's Host.

Torstultok, the Hall of Grand Hunts, is a temple-fortress of Haela well known among the Stout Folk of the North for the numerous all-dwarven and mixed-race adventuring companies it sponsors to reclaim long-lost dwarven relics from ore-held halls. Torstultok is located in the Forlorn Hills, a region best known for its two most famous ruins: the Crumbling Stair and the House of Stone. The temple is located in a sprawling complex of tunnels and grand halls beneath the eastern end of the Watchers of the North, the line of hills that mark the northern edge of the Forlorn Hills. Torstultok was known as Firehammer Hold before the Fallen Kingdom fell, and much treasure is still ascribed to the latter name in the tales of the North. Although those same tales claim that the dwarves of Firehammer Hold perished in a plague that ravaged the hold shortly after the founding of the Kingdom of Man, in truth, the dwarves' numbers dwindled over time, and the leaders of the hold staged the evidence of a deadly plague in order to increase the security of those dwarves who remained.

An unexpected consequence of this action was the arrival in subsequent centuries of treasure-hungry adventurers seeking long-lost dwarven hordes of gold. To assuage the anger of such would-be-plunderers, the dwarves began a practice of hiring such wanderers to seek out other dwarven holds that they knew to be occupied by ores. From this tradition evolved the hold's current role as a clearinghouse for battle-loving dwarves and adventurers of other races seeking glory amidst the ruins of long-fallen dwarven kingdoms. Haela's clergy have even begun to lure adventurers to the temple by means of ancientlooking, incomplete maps and other enticing lures. One such example may be found on the walls of a not-so-secret hidden room in the Singing Sprite, a slate-shingled, many-gabled stone inn located in the bowl between the three hills that the village of Secomber is built upon.
 

'''Affiliated Orders:'''
Numerous religious and military orders have been founded by the followers of the Luckmaiden in past centuries, but few ever survive longer than a generation or two. Some of the most famous orders in existence today include Haela's Host (see above), the Dauls of the Luckmaiden, the Shining Host of the Underdeeps, the Dancing Damsels of the Brightaxe, and the hippogriff-mounted Skyriders of Aglandar (as the Great Rift is known in dwarvish). Most orders are known for the valor and daring of their members, and such bands typically focus their efforts on reducing the population of evil monsters in the region in which they are based. 

'''Priestly Vestments:'''
Haela's clergy favor either armor or plain steel-gray rotes, with an overcloak of scarlet and crimson footwear, as ceremonial vestments. An open-faced helm is always worn. The holy symbol of the faith is a steel medallion embossed with Haela's symbol. 

'''Adventuring Garb:'''
When adventuring, the Luckmaiden's clergy garb themselves in the best armor available-chain mail is preferred-and always seek to wield weapons of the finest quality. Helms are always worn, but they need not be open-faced. In honor of an ancient custom, priests of Haela are forever toting large sacks of caltrops around, hoping to get a chance to use them. (About 35 to 75 caltrops can fit in a large sack, depending on the size of the caltrops and the sack. Caltrops are covered in the Arms and Equipment Guide.) As Ardeep crumbled and the Fallen Kingdom splintered centuries ago, Haela's priests, along with many others, fought valiantly, if ultimately futilely, to preserve what remained of the Realm of Three Crowns along the banks of the River Delimbiyr.

At that time, numerous halfling farmers made their homes in the verdant farmland surrounding Secomber under the protective aegis of the allied priests of Haela based in the nearby Firehammer Hold. In thanks for the vigilant axes of the Luckmaiden's clergy and the ready supply of weapons they shared, the Little Folk continually repaid Haela's valiant priests with bags of caltrops-typically three at a time. This practice is now both a joke and an affectionate tradition for both groups.

Gwaeron Windstrom

2008-07-02T18:08:54Z

70.179.43.18: New page: '''Gwaeron Windstrom:''' ''Master of Tracking, Master Interpreter of Woodland Signs, the Tracker, the Tracker Who Never Goes Astray, Mouth of Mielikki'' '''Symbol:''' White star and b...

'''Gwaeron Windstrom:'''
''Master of Tracking, Master Interpreter of Woodland Signs, the Tracker, the Tracker Who Never Goes Astray, Mouth of Mielikki'' 

'''Symbol:''' White star and brown pawprint 
'''Home Plane''': Faerun 
'''Alignment''': NG 
'''Portfolio''': Tracking, rangers of the North 
'''Domains''': Animal Good Knowledge Plant Travel 
'''Worshipers''': Druids, rangers, troll hunters 
'''Aliases''': N/A 
'''Cleric Alignments:''' LG, NG, CG 
'''Favored Weapon:''' Greatsword - "Flameheart" 

'''History/Relationships:'''
Gwaeron Windstrom (GWAIR-on WIND-strahm) embodies the skills of tracking and understanding woodland signs. Gwaeron roamed the North as a mortal ranger many centuries ago, and he was elevated to the ranks of demipowers by the sponsorship of the Lady of Forests after successfully stalking and slaying at least one avatar and several manifestations of Malar in quick succession. This accomplishment has earned him the undying enmity of the Beastlord and resulted in any unending battle between them that was continued during the Time of Troubles when Malar appeared in the North after his defeat by Nobanion. Malar, the Lord of Beasts, was relentlessly pursued throughout the North by Gwaeron and could not shake the Master of Tracking from his trail.

Gwaeron serves Mielikki along with Lurue and Shiallia. He aids Mielikki on some missions and teaches her rangers the way to read forest signs. Gwaeron is rare among the Faerûnian powers in that he has forged alliances with the deities of the elven, gnome, and halfling pantheons whose portfolios most closely match those of Mielikki, Silvanus, and his own. His quiet, reclusive demeanor allows he and Fenmarel Mestarine to get along better than Fenmarel does with most members of the Seldarine. When Mielikki has to ask a favor of a deity from one of these pantheons, Gwaeron is naturally the messenger she sends. Gwaeron also acts as Mielikki's intercessor with mortals in the North in his role as the Mouth of Mielikki. He speaks to most mortals on her behalf if direct speech is necessary.

Gwaeron is normally taciturn, and when he does speak, he speaks in terse sentences and with little visible emotion. The Master of Tracking is slow to anger, but, once ignited, his rage is a fearsome thing. He utterly loathes trolls and considers them the kin of Malar and a blight on the land that will inevitably upset the Balance in the long run. In addition to being regularly spotted near Triboar, in the High Forest, and in Cormanthor, Gwaeron is known to stalk the Evermoors and the rest of the North hunting the Undying Ones.
 

'''Dogma:'''
Gwaeron's teaching mirror those of Mielikki, whom he serves. Intelligent beings can live in harmony with the wild without requiring the destruction of one in the name of the other. Gwaeronians are taught to embrace the wild and not fear it, because the wild ways are the good ways. They are to keep the balance and learn the hidden ways of all life. They should not allow trees to be needlessly felled or the forest to be burned. They are to live in the forest and be a part of the forest, not dwell in endless battle against the forest.

Stalkers of the Silent Path must protect forest life and strive to keep the balance that indiscriminate fire-users, woodcutters, and hunters break. They are to live in harmony with the woods, to teach others to do so, and to punish and frustrate those who hunt for sport (not food) and who practice cruelties upon wild creatures. Gwaeronans are to talk their roles as protectors very seriously and to keep in check the numbers of sentient, generally malicious wild creatures and humanoids who would distort the Balance just as much as incursions from civilized, careless and thoughtless humans.
 

'''Avatar/Manifestations:'''
Gwaeron occasionally manifests as a nimbus of faerie fire around a woodland sign that could serve as an obscure clue when trying to track some being or creature. Gwaeron also sometimes appears as a deer, a boar, or some other woodland creature. The Master Interpreter of Woodland Signs often does this as a means of instruction. Soon after a novice ranger discovers a spoor that he is unfamiliar with, Gwaeron appears as the corresponding creature, enabling the ranger to make the appropriate induction.

Another of Gwaeron's manifestations is as the print of a bare human foot with a faint impression of his symbol recognizable in the heel print. He may manifest in this fashion when a devout worshiper loses his trail. By looking in the direction indicated by the anomalous print, a ranger can often pick up the lost trail again. Occasionally Gwaeron manifests as a footprint a split second before a being steps in the depression. Beings so favored automatically receive the effects of a natural attunement spell. 

'''Agents/Petitioners:'''
Gwaeron is served by a wide variety of naturally appearing forest creatures. Herds of herbivores move to obscure a trail at his command, and various birds, particularly crows, magpies, and blue jays, may move to obscure or reveal clues indicating a trail to disguise them from a foe of one of his followers or make them readily apparent to a favored tracker. Faerie dragons and pseudo-dragons are also favorites of his. 

'''The Church of Gwaeron Windstrom:'''
There is not an organized Gwaeronan faith distinct from the church of Mielikki. Instead, Gwaeron is venerated by rangers and trackers of the North who seek to interpret woodland signs and to track outlaws or game. The Master of Tracking is served in particular by an order of rangers known as the Fellowship of Stalkers of the Silent Path who are drawn from the ranks of Mielikki's clergy.
In the North, temples and shrines of the Lady of Forests, such as the shrine found in the hamlet of Mornbryn's Shield, often include a small shrine or side altar to the Master of Tracking within their confines. Shrines consecrated in Gwaeron's name are typically simple altars made of a single boulder inscribed with Gwaeron's symbol and are mainly found within the High Forest and Cormanthor. 

'''Day-to-Day Activities:'''
Stalkers of the Silent Path walk the trails and wilderness of the North practicing their craft, becoming attuned to their environment, and observing the activities of the "monster" races. When called upon by the church of Mielikki or hired by local rulers, they track down fugitives from justice, elusive predators (both human and beast), or lost travelers. Some join militias, mercenary companies, or adventuring companies where they typically serve as scouts. In times of famine, Stalkers travel to regions where game is scarce and the inhabitants are in danger of starving and use their skills to provide food. 

'''Holy Days/Important Ceremonies:'''
Gwaeron has no special holy days outside of those commonly celebrated by the faith of Mielikki. After a successful "stalk," Stalkers of the Silent Path and any would-be tracker who invokes Gwaeron's name are expected to leave a circle of six footprints in the ground with their right foot, the heel of each print nearly touching and the toes facing outward. 

'''Major Centers of Worship:'''
Gwaeron is said to sleep in a stand of trees just to the west of the town of Triboar, known as Gwaeron's Slumber. On rare occasions he can be seen walking into or out of the trees. Rangers who venerate Mielikki often visit Gwaeron's Slumber to pray, but there is no shrine there and Gwaeron never appears to those who come seeking him. It is said that worshipers of Mielikki who sleep in this wood receive in their dreams some hint of what the goddess wants them to do. If such a worshiper is not a ranger, the person gains a once-in-a-lifetime, day-long ability to track as a ranger does. To avoid angering Gwaeron, there are laws in Triboar against cutting any wood from these trees or hunting any creature in the woods. The local militia patrols the forest to prevent orcs, trolls, and other such creaturs from camping there—but less intelligent monsters have never been seen in Gwaeron's Slumber. 

'''Affiliated Orders:'''
As discussed above, those rangers of Mielikki's clergy who are specifically sworn into Gwaeron's service are members of the Fellowship of Stalkers of the Silent Path. This informal order (composed exclusively of single-classed human and half-elven rangers) focuses on the interpretation of woodland signs and tracking all manners of beings and beasts. Members retain close ties to the regular hierarchy of Mielikki's faith and are considered regular members of that church as well as of the fellowship. They serve as the tracking, scouting, and hunting arm of Mielikki's faith, much as Gwaeron serves Mielikki. 

'''Priestly Vestments:'''
Stalkers of the Silent Path dress practically for their environment, preferring clothing made of supple, sturdy leathers and comfortable boots. They let their hair and beards grow freely, but keep them neatly combed and arranged in practical styles. Female Stalkers of the Silent Path wear their hair in a long, loose braid down their back. All Stalkers wear a patch or sport embriodery on their formal vestments displaying Gwaeron's symbol and respect the seasonal colors of Mielikki's clergy's ceremonial railment in the dyes used to color their formal clothes. Many Stalkers choose to tattoo a blue or brown five-pointed star on themselves in honor of their dedication to the order of the Silent Path. 

'''Adventuring Garb:'''
Gwaeron's followers dress practically when adventuring, in clothing very similar to their formal garb, but not as colorful. Stalkers pay respect to the seasonal colors of Mielikki's clergy's garb in their trim or accessories while in the field, but not so as to make targets of themselves in incompatible-colored terrain. When the weather permits, male Stalkers like to work bare-chested, and both male and female Stalkers prefer working barefoot or in soft moccasins when practical.

Gruumsh

2008-07-02T17:07:22Z

70.179.43.18: New page: '''Gruumsh:''' ''He Who Never Sleeps, the One-Eyed God, He Who Watches'' '''Symbol:''' Unblinking eye '''Home Plane''': Nishrek '''Alignment''': CE '''Portfolio''': Orcs...

'''Gruumsh:'''
''He Who Never Sleeps, the One-Eyed God, He Who Watches'' 

'''Symbol:''' Unblinking eye 
'''Home Plane''': Nishrek 
'''Alignment''': CE 
'''Portfolio''': Orcs, conquest, survival, strength, territory 
'''Domains''': Chaos Evil Strength War 
'''Worshipers''': Fighters, Orcs 
'''Aliases''': N/A 
'''Cleric Alignments:''' CE, CN, NE 
'''Favored Weapon:''' Spear - "The Bloodspear" 

'''History/Relationships:'''
Gruumsh is the undisputed head of the pantheon of the ores. In pre-history, one or two now-unknown orc gods conspired to depose He-who-never-sleeps, and were destroyed utterly. Since that time, Gruumsh has ruled the other orc gods with an iron grip. He is a fearsome, brutal god who revels in warfare, and ever seeks new territory for his race. This drive to acquire territory and living space is Gruumsh's greatest motivation. He has always felt cheated by the way the gods of humanity and demihumans divided up the world, casting aside the orcs (and himself!) without any respect. Gruumsh drives his people relentlessly, through the work of his priests and shamans, to colonize new lands.

And his deep and abiding hatred of the other gods ensures that he strives to achieve such dominion through warfare, constant and unceasing. Gruumsh tolerates no sign of peaceability from his people. Indeed, orcs have no word for "peace" in their language, only a guttural expletive which means, roughly, "temporary respite from strife". Gruumsh has an abiding hatred of Corellon Larethian for defeating him in battle. Orc religion denies that Gruumsh lost an eye to Corellon, as their story of "in the beginning..." demonstrates. They hold that Gruumsh was tricked and cheated by Corellon's magic, and that the elf-god could not win in a fair fight. Gruumsh seeks to have his people raze and destroy elvish homelands whenever possible. It is as well for the elves that they usually live in homelands far distant from the orc clans.

But then, Gruumsh has an equally deep hatred of dwarves and their gods. The shamanic tales of how Gruumsh and the Elder Ores fought for control of the mountains would weary the patience of any listener. Orcs desire mountains for their stark and barren quality; they are despoilers, and love the bare and bleak. Still, they'll take whatever they can get, and a major strength of the race is their ability to survive almost anywhere. That property, too, is close to Gruumsh's heart. He and his priests weed out ores who are sick, weak, lame, or unfit for the prosecution of war. Gruumsh is a harsh and lawful deity, and iron rule and weeding out the weak is a key element of orc thinking. Since males are physically stronger than females, females are usually relegated to the roles of child-rearing and making sure the warriors have food on the table after a hard day's pillaging and slaughter. "If Gruumsh intended females to be the equal of males he'd have given them bigger muscles" is a less brutish translation of an orcish saying among the warrior caste.

Fortunately for the races of the Prime Material plane, much of Gruumsh's attention is taken up with the eternal battle of orc and goblin spirits in the Hells, where he directs the warfare against them from his iron fortress. But Gruumsh is ever watchful over his race, and is especially watchful for transgressions... 

'''Dogma:'''
Seek unceasing war against your enemies, and kill or enslave those who oppose you. Acquire territory and living space. Destroy elves, their homes, and their lands. Crush the dwarves and take their deep caves for your own. Be strong, and be prepared to show your strength at any moment. Showing weakness is the key to an early death. Those that are too weak to fight for your tribe should be put to the spear. The greatest gift that He Who Watches gave to the orcs was the ability to survive where the weaker races would die. Build your strength in these lands and use them to overrun your enemies. 

'''Avatar/Manifestations:'''
Gruumsh will only send an avatar if this is needed for a great battle,
and where Ilneval and Bahgtru cannot be entrusted with the matter at hand. Very rarely, he will send one to stymie some appearance of an elven avatar. His omens usually take such agreeable forms as the sudden snapping of a young shaman's neck vertebrae, or more leniently a cloud of drifting toxic black smoke. 

'''Agents/Petitioners:'''
Unknown. Please fill in. 

'''The Church of Gruumsh:'''
The church of Gruumsh are the real driving force behind the orc hordes and clans. While the chief may be the head of the clan, the priesthood is the brain, the eyes, and the ears of it. They use the chief to control the tribe by stating what Gruumsh’s will is. 

'''Day-to-Day Activities:'''
Fully 50% of Gruumsh's priesthood are clan shamans and witch-doctors; only large clans have specialty priests. They strive to become warrior-leaders (or key advisers to such), and wage war. They maintain physical fitness, and spread the worship of Gruumsh through inspiration, fear, and iron rule. To become a shaman of Gruumsh, an orc must pluck out his own left eye. Proper worship of Gruumsh requires blood in large quantities (elven is best of all). 

'''Holy Days/Important Ceremonies:'''
N/A 

'''Major Centers of Worship:'''
None particularly. Gruumsh is so revered by the orcs that wherever they go is a site of worship for the bloodthirsty war god. Also, it should be noted that the tribes do move around quite a bit, and orcs are not known for building much of anything, much less a temple. Therefore it is improbable that an actual site where Gruumsh is worshipped actually exists. 

'''Affiliated Orders:'''
None particularly. All of the orc race serves as a tool for Gruumsh, so there is no need really for a specialized group besides the priests. 

'''Priestly Vestments:'''
Orc war priests wear a patch over one eye to symbolize their worship of the orc deity.[2] They also dress in dark red vestments, armored with war helms and black plate mail. Gruumsh's sacred animal is the giant rat, his holy day is the new moon, and he is worshiped in orcish lairs where blood is sacrificed to him monthly. 

'''Adventuring Garb:'''
See Above.