Arcanic is a minor demipower introduced in Council of Wyrms, as a LN deity of magic. As that setting had additional material presented in Dragon Magazine (and later included in the hardbound re-release) for sage-dragons, it seemed suitable to make Arcanic the patron of that kit. I also made his relationship with Kereska something like the relationship between Azuth and Mystra in the Forgotten Realms, with a focus on wizardry rather than magic itself. Read the rest of this entry »
Vaprak the Destroyer
January 8, 2015Vaprak is the deity of ogres and trolls, and as befits those races, he is a savage and destructive god. With an alternate view of Vaprak from Elminster’s Ecologies, he becomes a much more interesting god than a single-mindedly destructive god, although that is still his predominant personality trait. Read the rest of this entry »
Stronmaus the Storm Lord
December 24, 2014Stronmaus is the most powerful member of the Ordning outside of Annam, and is the de facto leader of the pantheon. He is the exuberant patron of the storm and good cloud giants, and holds domain over the seas and skies, sunshine, and weather of all sorts. Read the rest of this entry »
Ysshara the Lorekeeper
December 1, 2014Like Mirklak, Ysshara received a brief mention in the Great Grey Land of Thar booklet of Elminster’s Ecologies. With Mirklak and Vaprak, the three deities form a nice small pantheon for ogres, and I felt I needed to give considerable depth to her, so she didn’t seem like just an ogre version of the orcish Luthic. Ysshara turned into what I think is a very interesting deity, with considerable potential to make ogres into a more well-rounded race in any AD&D campaign. Read the rest of this entry »
Mirklak the Orcslayer
August 15, 2014I found a brief mention of this deity in The Great Gray Land of Thar booklet of Elminster’s Ecologies. The description of the ogres in that land, as well as the section on their gods, offered great fodder for expanding ogre culture and faith. In particular, the additional deities of the ogres, the ancient kingdom of the ogres, and the depiction of Vaprak as wholly ogrish rather than a mix of ogre and troll gave me the idea that the Thar ogres are actually descended from ancient spelljamming colonists, perhaps from the ogre empire that appears to be in the sphere of the Steel Star. Regarding Mirklak, I made him an amalgam of the various ogre heroes mentioned, and to whom all deified ogre heroes merge with. Read the rest of this entry »
Diancastra, the Wanton Wanderer
July 15, 2014Diancastra is one of the youngest members of the Ordning, and still has the wanderlust of youth. Born to Annam and a mortal mother, she had the same drive to claim her birthright as Hiatea, and in the process established a colorful heroic career. She values the pleasures in life, be they of the body or the mind. Read the rest of this entry »
Grond Peaksmasher
June 15, 2014Grond Peaksmasher is a relatively minor deity from the Forgotten Realms setting, playing a part in the novel The Druid Queen, by Douglas Niles. He received a handful of mentions in various other supplements, but the most significant information on him was published in Polyhedron #111, containing some additional details about him in the aftermath of the novel. Unfortunately, his specialty priest class was a direct mirror of Hiatea’s, which I felt really did not suit him at all. I have endeavored to write up a full entry on him that incorporates information from the novel and the Polyhedron article, as well as how I think his personality would direct his priests (with an eventual goal of being known outside of just the Moonshaes), so he can be of use even to those who do not have campaigns set in the Forgotten Realms. Read the rest of this entry »
Iallanis the Tender One
February 14, 2014Just in time for Valentine’s Day is the giantish goddess of love, Iallanis. She is one of the youngest members of the Ordning, born after Hiatea’s acceptance by Annam. Her long-term goal is to bring all giants into the fold of good, including the other members of the Ordning, even Memnor and Karontor. She is patron of love in all forms, and the mercy and forgiveness that comes from it. Enjoy! Read the rest of this entry »
Karontor the Deformed One
January 26, 2014Karontor, with Grolantor, is one of the two “runts” of the Ordning—the smallest and weakest of the giantish pantheon, and the most degenerate and disappointing to their father Annam. His pursuit of dark magical powers corrupted his body and spirit, as well as those of his followers, the fomorians and verbeeg. For his crimes against the Ordning, he was banished by Annam and stripped of his magic, and so now he seethes in anger, hatred, and jealousy, waiting for the day he will regain his power and return to wreak “justice” upon the other giantish gods. Enjoy! Read the rest of this entry »
Hiatea the Huntress
January 10, 2014Hiatea is one of the most powerful members of the giantish pantheon, having taken over Annam’s responsibilities with Stronmaus after their father withdrew from active leadership of the pantheon. She is a dual aspected deity, representing both community and wilderness, and has adopted the firbolg and voadkyn as her primary followers. Hidden by her mother upon her birth, she worked to prove herself worthy of her parentage, and appearance before Annam as a masterful hunter triggered his revelation that his extreme preference for sons may have been the cause of so much evil in the race of giants. Enjoy! Read the rest of this entry »