Introduction

The people of the Flanaess, a.k.a. the World of Greyhawk, worship many gods. The deities presented here are house rules deities for our campaign. Some are completely custom deities, some are deities from the Greyhawk source material that we have used, and have subsequently "made our own" through our campaigns set on Oerth. Note, therefore, that even information on "official" deities (such as St. Cuthbert) given here may contain "unofficial" information pertaining only to our campaign.

Regarding the custom deities, in some cases they replace a deity in a particular region, and in some cases they are merely added to a region's worshipped deities. For example, in our campaigns the most popular religion of Furyondy and Veluna, and that of the ruling class, is that of Cirith, instead of Heironeous and Rao, respectively. While Heironeous and Rao may still be worshipped by some in Furyondy and Veluna, with these rules those deities become of secondary to importance in those societies. This is not to mention that, of course, there are small, scattered areas outside of Furyondy/Veluna where Cirith is worshipped in small sects. Note also that even the "official" deities might have differing regions of worship in our campaign from the original source materials.

How Deities View Mortals

The deities of Oerth rarely intercede directly in the affairs of Oerth. They expect their servants to be their right (and left) hands in the world. Clerics, priests, paladins, and less exalted but still valued souls are the agents of these deities, however minor their deeds may be. The deities seem to have an implicit understanding that if one of them should act too directly, other deities will act in kind, and that if all acted in such a manner, Oerth would be utterly destroyed by their mutual intervention and meddling.

This helps philosophers, sages, priests and other folk to understand why the demigod Iuz has been able to affect so much evil in the Flanaess. The Prime Material is his home plane, afterall, and therefore he has an inherent, direct involvement in its affairs that other deities do not. Thus the servants of good must oppose Iuz, not the deities themselves.

None of this is to say that other deities do not influence the actions of, or give assistance to, various mortals, it is only to suggest that they most often do so in subtle and indirect ways. One partial exception to this is St. Cuthbert of the Cudgel; other deities seem to allow St. Cuthbert to act in limited ways to oppose Iuz. Why they do this, and how far St. Cuthbert is allowed to act, is a matter known only to the deities.

In other respects, the deities regard mortals as they do in almost all worlds. Mortals give reverence and their clerics and priests receive spells. The deities watch with varying degrees of involvement. Greater deities tend to have less involvement than lesser deities, perhaps because greater deities are more absorbed in the affairs of many worlds as well as transcendent events that are far beyond the affairs of mortals.

How Mortals View Deities

Mortals regard deities as they do in most worlds: with reverence, awe, fear, attempts at placation, and so on.

In uncertain times, mortals turn to the great ones for succor, protection, and reassurance. Clerics and priests are widely respected and are typically given offerings by even the poorest of their flocks. General superstitiousness both lends to and is a by-product of all this.

Mortals most often revere deities who have, as their central concerns, the everyday affairs of mortals --deities of nature, children, health, community, fertility and the like are more widely revered than those of philosophy, arcane knowledge, and ethics. But on Oerth, deities of war, healing, protection, strength, endurance, and revenge are also turned to for succor, especially in those lands that are under war and other strife. Many people who before a war would have given small offerings to the goddess Beory (nature, Oerth Mother) or Rao (peace and serenity) now turn to a deity such as Cirith (honor, righteous warfare), Hale (negotiation, strategy, espionage), or even the rising evil cult of Kael (strength in warfare) instead. There is also an increasing tendency to appease, if not actually revere, deities of fate such as Istus, and deities of luck such as Ralishaz. Of course, this is less true of craftsmen, users of magic and other specialists who might revere a deity of metalworking, magic or other similar vocational niche.

Cirith

(The Ever Vigilant, the Sun God)

LG greater god of Truth, Honor, Chivalry, Family and Righteous Warfare

Cirith is the epitome of all that is honorable, both at home and on the battlefield. In his human-like form he is tall and mighty to behold. His full plate armor and shield shine like a golden sun, and his cloak is the color of new fallen snow. His face is wrathful, terrible and frightening to his enemies, and yet kind, bold and reassuring to his allies (when seen by followers, they are often reminded of their father). Cirith metes out justice with his immense sword Aelaichius, which he wields in his right hand. His other form is that of a tremendous white falcon. His symbol is a white falcon on a gold, rayless sun disc. His holy day is midsummer's day at noon.

Cirith is worshipped mainly in Furyondy and Veluna, but small sects can also be found in High Folk, the Shield Lands, Verbobonc and Bissel; individuals who worship him can be found scattered throughout the Flanaess; a number of thieves in the Free City of Greyhawk worship Cirith as a deity representing 'honor, respect and professionalism among thieves.' Many sages and philosophers consider that Pelor, may be a differing manifestation of Cirith, since the two deities share so many of the same values and domains, and especially since, though they have different priesthoods and origins, the priests and followers of the two religions often work side by side against common foes with few if any contentions between them.

Temple - Community - Family - Self. Betray one, and you betray all. The sanctity of each is tied to the others, and each bears equal importance; if your good faith falters in regard to one of these, lift yourself using strength derived from the other three. Honor all these by devoting your life to the eradication of wickedness, deceit and cruelty and the replacement of these evil traits with goodness, truthfulness and chivalry. If one of these four holy aspects of your life is corrupt, do not flee from adversity but change it for the better from within it.

While the cult of Cirith had been around for centuries, it was with the rise to independence of Furyondy and Veluna, with each naming his as their nation's official church, and those nations' subsequent wars with Iuz, that the Cirithian church has, over that last half century, gained so much power and prestige, and so many followers.

Clerics of Cirith make good leaders in the community, in government, in settling disagreements between nobles and nations, and, when necessary, in warfare. Their devotion to the eradication of evil is only overshadowed by their devotion to the well being of the communities in which they reside and serve. They are willing to fight for their followers, temples, communities and their nation (when it is faithful and good), as well as their ideals, to the death. In strife they help to inspire courage and can often lead others to victory when no hope for triumph could at first be seen. The Orthodox Clerics of Cirith always wear the best, most protective armor they can afford, for Cirith teaches them that without a good defense, there can be no offense. In honor of their deity, all wear white cloaks with gold trim; a round, golden brooch inscribed with the white falcon holds the cloak together and serves as their holy symbol.

The priesthood of Cirith, along with the rulers and knighthoods of Furyondy, Veluna, Verbobonc and High Folk, have declared an everlasting war against Iuz and his forces.

Domains Law, Protection, Knowledge, Sun, War

Weapons Longsword or Bastard Sword

Pelor

(The Sun Father, the Shining One, the Great Sun God)

LG greater god of Sun, Strength, Light and Healing

Pantheon: Furyond-Aerdian

Pelor (PAY-lor) is the Flan sun god, known throughout the entire Flanaess. Riding the great kirin Star Thought, he summons flights of eagles and destroys evils with bolts of sunlight. Depicted as an old man in white, with wild hair and a beard of shining gold, he was until recently a peaceful and gentle god concerned with the alleviation of suffering. Now, he is a more martial deity who brings his wrath to bear on darkness and evil. Now he invigorates and heals those who champion the cause of good, and the stylized sun-face holy symbol is painted on shields and banners across the Flanaess.

Many sages and philosophers consider that Pelor may be a differing manifestation of Cirith, since the two deities share so many of the same values and domains, and especially since, though they have different priesthoods and origins, the priests and followers of the two religions often work side by side against common foes with few if any contentions between them.

The energy of life originates from the sun. This light brings strength to the weak and health to the injured, while destroying darkness and evil. Do not be afraid to challenge the forces of corruption, but remember that just as staring at the sun can cause blindness of the eyes, relentless attention to the destruction of negative forces can blind the heart to the true essentials of life: kindness, mercy, and compassion.

Pelor's clerics are usually quiet, kindly people with a backbone of steel. They are primarily nurturers and protectors, but when the time comes to bear arms they are not afraid to do so. They use their powers to heal, nourish, and otherwise aid the needy, while practicing the skills needed to protect their charges should they be threatened. Clerics of Pelor are free to explore far lands in an effort to drive off harmful beings and spread their god's gift to all who need it.

Domains Good, Healing, Strength, Sun

Weapons Heavy Mace

Al'Akbar

(High Cleric, Restorer of Righteousness)

LG demigod of Guardianship, Faithfulness, Dignity and Duty

Pantheon: Baklunish

Al'Akbar (ahl AHK-bar) first came to prominence in the days following the Invoked Devastation, when he was called by the gods of the Paynims to restore the Baklunish people to the path of righteousness and dignity. In earnest of this mission, he was given the fabled Cup and star-shaped Talisman that now bear his name. He taught that true religion must include proper devotion to the gods, protection of the community, and guidance of the faithful. Eventually, he caused his own mosque to be constructed and allowed his followers to call upon his name in their prayers, soon thereafter ascending to take his place among the gods, although he remains a demigod out of respect for the rest of the pantheon. His symbol is an image of the Cup and Talisman artifacts.

Be as a vessel of kindness and emblem of devotion, for the righteous man is both steadfast and merciful. Be not as the untutored infidel, but rather heed your superiors, and submit to their wisdom and guidance. Let the faithful strive always to nurture the seed of Good in the soil of Law, that by doing so they are received into the Garden of Al'Akbar.

The faith of Al'Akbar dominates the Baklunish culture with its sense of community and propriety. They teach Ancient Baklunish as the language of poetry and learning; they are generally well disposed toward other faiths that use the classical language in their liturgy. Two historical branches of this faith exist. The followers of the Exalted Faith recognize the supremacy of the holy caliph (the ruler of Ekbir); they are masters of rhetoric and diplomacy, with high regard for academic achievement. Followers of the True Faith defer to the authority of the grand mufti of the Yatils, taking a more fundamental approach to religion that emphasizes hard work, plain speech, and obedience. More obscure divisions exist among Paynim dervishes.

Clerics of the Exalted Faith usually bear the title of qadi, and tend toward lawful good or neutral good. Clerics of the True Faith are called mullahs, and strongly favor lawful neutral. Both types hold office as ministers, judges, scholars and teachers in civil government, while also serving as healers, advisers and guardians for the military. Adventuring clerics are tolerant of infidels, though they are still expected to uphold the ideals of the faith. The wandering clergy may travel to any land in search of the Cup and Talisman of Al'Akbar. Ritual prayers may be made at dawn and dusk.

Domains Good, Healing, Law, Protection

Weapons Falchion

Kael

(The Terrible and Glorious; The Berserker; The God of Slaughter)

CE greater god of Glory, Victory, Vanquishing, Subjugation and Strength in Warfare

Pantheon: Furyond-Aerdian

Kael is a lover of battle in all it's forms, from simple wrestling to full scale assaults. He counts not the ways in which his worshippers gain victory over their foes, but simply counts their victories. Everything Kael wears is black with subtle hints of red highlighting, from his studded leather armor to his boots. His black hair is long, and he wears no helm. His skin is ash gray, and on his face is a short yet wild black beard. In battle he weilds a great black war mace named Grond. He occasionally takes the form of an oversized wyvern or black dragon. His symbol is a deep blue cobra with ruby eyes. His holy days are nights of the new moon.

Kael is worshipped mainly in the northern Flanaess. Until recently his main stronghold of worship was the Horned Society, until Iuz returned and took the lands of the Horned Society back into his control. Though since the fall of the Horned Society no nation as a whole claims him, many individual tribes in the Barbarian lands (Ice/Frost/Snow) count him as their patron deity. Many tribes in the Nomadic lands (Wolf and Tiger) also revere him, but mainly (but not all) regard him simply as a spirit of strength and intensity in combat, for they are a free spirited people and would never subjugate others. Many Barbarian class characters worship Kael, often regardless of their alignment, for the god himself is known in legends for his berserk tirades in battle. And, if certain rumors are true that the Horned Society has moved into an underground movement throughout the Flanaess, then his influence is certainly more far reaching than it might seem. As with all deities, there are scattered enclaves of Kael's worshippers far and wide, possibly even in such nations as Furyondy and Veluna (though such followers tend not to advertise the fact).

Nothing is more revered than glory, and nothing is more glorious than victory. Let all your actions be a means to that end, whether those means be by strength and boldness or subtlety and guile. That which is best in life is "to crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women." ** The weak should only be spared in order to serve the strong.

Orthodox Clerics of Kael pursue nothing but victory in warfare, and will often go so far as to insight war in order to attain it (though generally the nations and communities in which they have the most power are already warlike, and thus need very little to insight them). They believe that the weak should not be spared except to serve the strong. They wear all black and wear studded leather armor, like their god. After a battle, they do not wash the blood off themselves, their clothing or their equipment for seven days as a sign of their victory.

Domains Chaos, Destruction, Strength, War

Weapons Mace (heavy or light)

** From the film Conan The Barbarian

Mar-Ganj

(The Night Stalker)

NE intermediate god of Thievery and Assassination

Pantheon: Furyond-Aerdian

Mar-Ganj is the patron of thieves, bandits, assassins and others who benefit and live directly off of bringing about the pain, suffering or death of others. Wearing no armor, he opts for the maximum amount of stealth and mobility, and his clothing helps him blend into his surroundings. Though he rarely finds himself in a toe to toe fight, when making sneak or death attacks, he wields his kris style short sword of venom or a crossbow with poison-tipped bolts. His animal is the trapdoor spider, and his symbol is a black kris sword on a down-pointing triangular red field within an empty circle. He has no holy days. Bandits, pirates, thieves, assassins, dark knights, gangsters and other such evil persons worship and revere Mar-Ganj.

Take what you can, while you can, from who you can. If others are too stupid, too unwary or too weak to safeguard their belongings, they don't deserve to have them in the first place. If you can use the law to take what you want, so be it. If not, the laws were put there for you to break. Trust no one.

Clerics of Mar Ganj rarely work together, at least not for very long. When they do it is usually in conjunction with a corrupt government's brute squad, a thieves and/or assassin's guild, or the like (and they can sometimes be found as the heads of these types of organizations, though this is rare as their alliances are fickle). When working alone, they often join groups of bandits, pirates and other such outlaws, offering their clerical services and guidance in exchange for a tithe of the loot.

Domains Death, Evil, Trickery

Weapons Short sword or dagger; poison

Dhyrm

(Guide of the Pathways; Keeper of the Gates; The God of Death; Soulbringer)

N intermediate god of Life and Death.

Pantheon: Furyond-Aerdian

Dhyrm is the gatekeeper between the Prime Material Plane (PMP) and those beyond; the souls of all who perish on Oerth (or anywhere else in the PMP) must accompany Dhyrm, who guides their soul and protects it on their journey to their afterlife, be it the 7 Heavens or one of the 666 layers of the Abyss. For those of good alignment, he appears to them as a kindly looking old man in gently flowing robes holding a wooden staff. For those of Neutral alignment, he appears as a hunter wielding a bow and clad in brown and green. For those of evil alignment, he appears wearing an executioner's hood and weilding a great axe. Sometimes, for one reason or another, a soul refuses to accompany Dhyrm. In such cases, he allows the soul to stay (and thus ghosts, vampires and other such soul-trapped undead are formed), for he is patient, knowing that time is on his side... Some believe that Dhyrm is also the Soulbringer, one who brings new souls to the PMP. The symbol of Dhyrm is an 8 spoked wheel, representing the 9 alignments and their respective Outer Planes (with Neutral in the center).

In life and death, all have their appointed time... and when the time comes, all must follow me.

Most Clerics of Dhyrm do not travel, but work in and around a community. In places where they are accepted, they often work side by side with the Clerics of other deities. In all cases, they strive to alay people's fears of death, as well as to help prepare the souls of the dead for departure (performing burial rites, giving memorial services, etc). Adventuring Clerics of Dhyrm are often 'Soul Hunters,' those who have brought it upon themselves to find and help release the souls of the dead who linger on the PMP; ghosts, vampires, and the like. All clerics of Dhyrm strive to retain a balance between life and death, never wanting one to overcome the other. Much like druids, Clerics of Dhyrm can be of any alignment, as long as it has some aspect of Neutrality to it (N, NG, LN, CN or NE), as Dhyrm encourages those of a wide spectrum of alignments to become his Clerics, so that he has emissaries in all manner of societies.

Domains Death, Healing, Protection

Weapons Any Blunt (Quarterstaff, Club, etc).

Other possible symbols of Dhyrm:

Nethania

(Lady of the South Eastern Seas, Sister of the South East)

NG intermediate goddess of Waters and Weather of the Southern Flanaess (South Eastern Oerth) Seas and Oceans.

Pantheon: Furyond-Aerdian

Nethania is the goddess of the south-eastern seas of Oerth (the seas south of the Flanaess continent). Her domains include bodies of water from the Oljatt Sea, Aerdi Sea and Spendrift Sound in the east and west to Jerlea Bay, and from the Densac Gulf in the south and north to the Sea of Gearnat and Relmor Bay. The area in and around the Sea Barons is constantly an area of contention between Nethania and her sister goddess Kaylana. In addition she also controls the waters of the Nyr Dyv, and also has a tenuous hold on the most southern portion of Whyestil Lake (her control there is tenuous as Iuz has a large measure of influence over most of Whyestil, with Kaylana also showing some influence in contention with both Iuz and Nethania).

Nethania has many different appearances. Among these she has been known to appear as an overly large storm giantess weilding a trident, a overly large silver dragon, an overly large dolphin or porpoise, a beautiful mermaid with tanned skin, etc. More often than not, however, she manifests herself as the seas themselves, visiting clear skies and strong, constant winds upon her faithful, or visiting hurricanes, tidal waves and other sea-borne destruction upon her enemies.

Among humans, Nethania is worshipped by good and neutral aligned sailors and sea merchants, as well as many island and shore dwellers in the southern Flanaess. Offerings to her are also often made by anyone traveling by boat over her seas. She is also the goddess of many intelligent, good-aligned sea creatures, and is the patron deity of dolphins and porpoises. The symbol of Nethania is a sextant with a silver dolphin intertwined.

Nethania has three sisters, Kaylana, Ling and Seleh, who are the goddesses of the north-eastern, south-western and north-western seas of Oerth, respectively.

Respect and conserve the resources of the sea, and your blessings will be ten-fold. Take only what you need from the sea and you will always have bountiful harvests. Do not abuse the creatures of the sea and you will have safe passage. Pirates, raiders and slave traders beware - your victims may be defenseless, but they will not be victimized without retribution...

There are no religious structures beyond simple shrines. Shrines for Nethania can be found in almost every port in the southern Flanaess. Even southern seaside nations, cities and villages whose inhabitants tend toward evil often allow shrines for Nethania in their ports, as the governments and merchants in these nations can see the wisdom of trying to appease the Lady of the South Eastern Seas, even if their appeasements don't always calm her wrath toward them.

Clerics of Nethania can be Neutral Good, Chaotic Good or True Neutral. Lawfuls find her chaotic nature too distastful to become one of her clerics. Chaotic Neutrals find her philosophy of conservation too restrictive to become one of her clerics. Clerics of Nethania furthermore have no set uniform, though most wear her symbol embroidered somewhere on their clothing or as a brooch, pendant or medallion. The clerics of Nethania have no rigid hierarchical structure. While they may have different class levels, they assign no ranks to themselves or each other. Thus all of them are on equal footing with each other and are answerable only to Nethania herself for their actions. They also rarely travel or work together, preferring instead to embark on their own quests as their heart leads them. They come and go to shrines as they please, and shrines themselves have no specific keeper and are often uncared for, though sometimes an individual cleric will feel inspired to stay on at a shrine to tend to the faithful, maintain the shrine, etc., only to leave and begin travelling again for seemingly no reason. Indeed, there is so little structure to her church that her clerics often have very different doctrinal beliefs from one to another, though these differences never inspire violence between them.

All have at their core, however, a great love and respect for the sea and its creatures, and a love for the freedom of all intelligent creatures, and work to promote that respect for the sea and freedom in others. They can often be found teaching sailors better navigation techniques, teaching fishermen better, more environmentally friendly ways of fishing, promoting respect for the creatures of the sea, especially dolphins and porpoises, and protecting the innocent. In addition, their hatred of pirates, raiders and slave traders tend to hold no bounds. They can, therefore, often be found working among good-aligned navies or as independent sea-borne bounty hunters, hunting down and raiding those who would use the sea as a way of obtaining ill-gotten booty through piracy, raiding or slave trading.

Domains Protection, Sun, Travel, Water

Weapons Trident, Net

Kaylana

(Mistress of the North Eastern Seas, Sister of the North East)

NE intermediate goddess of Waters and Weather of the Northern Flanaess (North Eastern Oerth) Seas and Oceans.

Pantheon: Furyond-Aerdian

Kaylana is the goddess of the north-eastern seas of Oerth (the seas north of the Flanaess continent). Her domains include bodies of water such as the Icy Sea and White Fanged Bay in the north and Grendep Bay and Solonor Ocean in the east, then south to the area controlled by the Sea Barons, this latter area being a place of contention between Kaylana and her sister Nethania. In addition she also controls most of the waters of the Whyestil Lake (though her control is tenuous, as Iuz also has a large measure of influence over northern Whystil, and Nethania has a tenuous hold on the most southern portions of the lake).

Kaylana has many different appearances. Among these she has been known to appear as an overly large frost giantess weilding a harpoon, a overly large white dragon, an overly large polar bear, shark or octopus, a beautiful elvish maiden with light bluish-toned skin, etc. More often than not, however, she manifests herself as the seas themselves, visiting clear waters and strong, constant winds upon her faithful, or visiting icebergs, freezing rains, destructive hail and the like upon her enemies.

Among humans, Nethania is worshipped by evil and neutral aligned sailors, sea merchants, slave traders, pirates and shore raiders ("vikings"), as well as many island and ocean-side dwellers in the northern Flanaess. Offerings to her are also often made by anyone traveling by boat over her seas. She is also the goddess of many intelligent, evil-aligned sea creatures, and is the patron deity of sharks and octopi. The symbol of Nethania is an octopus.

Kaylana has three sisters, Nethania, Ling and Seleh, who are the goddesses of the south-eastern, south-western and north-western seas, respectively, of Oerth.

Take what you want from the sea, there will always be more. Pirates, raiders and slave traders are the life blood of the sea, for they cull the weak and stupid from the waters. Be prepared, be strong and survive.

There are no religious structures beyond simple shrines. Shrines for Kaylana can be found in almost every port in the northern Flanaess. Even northern sea-side nations, cities and villages whose inhabitants tend toward good often allow shrines for Kaylana in their ports, as the governments and merchants in these nations can see the wisdom of trying to appease the Mistress of the North Eastern Seas, even if their appeasements don't always calm her wrath toward them.

Clerics of Kaylana can be Neutral Evil, Chaotic Evil, Chaotic Neutral or True Neutral. Lawfuls find her chaotic tendancies too distastful to become one of her clerics. Clerics of Kaylana furthermore have no set uniform, though most wear her symbol branded somewhere on their skin using a frozen brand. The clerics of Kaylana have no rigid hierarchical structure. While they may have different class levels, they assign no ranks to themselves or each other (though each typically considers themselves superior to others, if only secretly). They are answerable only to Kaylana herself for their actions, though they are often found trying to gain advantage over one another for various (usually self-serving) purposes. They therefore rarely travel or work together, preferring instead to embark on their own quests and work for their own agendas. They come and go to shrines as they please, and shrines themselves have no specific keeper and are often uncared for, though sometimes an individual cleric will feel inspired to stay on at a shrine to tend to the faithful, maintain the shrine, etc., only to leave and begin travelling again on a whim. Indeed, there is so little structure to her church that her clerics often have very different doctrinal beliefs from one to another, and therefore often end up fighting violently amongst themselves just as much as they do against their enemies in other faiths, nations, villages, etc.

All have at their core, however, a love of the open sea, the salty wind in their hair... and hapless victims on the ends of their spears. They can often be found teaching pirates better anti-shipping techniques, teaching raiders more effective tactics for raiding coastal villages, promoting a fear of the creatures of the sea, especially sharks and octopi, and generally harrassing the weak. In addition, their respect for successful pirates, raiders and slave traders tends to hold no bounds. They can, therefore, often be found working among pirates, raiders and slave traders, though their loyalty to such groups often exists only so long as the priest's agendas are being fulfilled.

Domains Destruction, Travel, Water

Weapons Harpoon, Longspear, Shortspear

Other possible symbols of Kaylana:

Hale

(the Great Inventor, the Great Negotiator, the Stealth Lord, the Great Poet)

NG intermediate god of Craftsmen, Engineers, Inventors, Merchants, Poets and non-violent Thieves.

Pantheon: Furyond-Aerdian

Hale is a master of all trades. He is the god of crafting, engineering, invention, merchants, negotiation, persuasion, stealth, strategy, espionage, disguise, poetry and prose, and non-violent thievery.

Hale appears in many guises, rarely if ever appearing the same way more than once. Though he never appears as an animal, he can appear as any human or human-like race, ranging from pixies to halflings to humans to elves to orcs to giants. However, he never disguises himself as a specific creature, as he feels every creature has a right to their own identity. He is a master of stealth, always moving as if silence were cast on his movements (this is an inate ability and cannot be dispelled). He can whisper a message to any person who is within 10 miles of his location, a message that only that person can hear, and can cast Sleep at will.

In addition Hale is supremely intelligent and wise, and is considered the Father of Inventions. When new inventions are created, it is to Hale that the inventor gives thanks, believing that it was Hale who inspired them. As the inventor of language, Hale knows and can speak or write in any language, and thus many writers and poets also consider him to be the inspiration for their art.

While Hale is worshipped in many lands of the Flanaess. His core center of power is the mighty city of Greyhawk itself, where inventors, merchants, craftsmen, statesmen, thieves and spies live together in great numbers. The symbol of Hale is a sleeping eye.

Think all actions through to their logical conclusions, and leave nothing to chance. Consider all possible actions and reactions of those people and things you come into contact with before acting yourself. Walk softly and always have an escape route. Professionals have no need to bring harm to others, except in self defense. Leave no stone unturned... unless it's trapped!

The priests of Hale can be of any good alignment, though most are Neutral Good. They do not go out of their way to indicate themselves as such or even draw attention to themselves, and thus tend to dress in the garb of those around them, or in disguises, depending on the situation. While they often specialize in certain skills, priests of Hale deem it important to learn as many skills as possible, especially non-combat skills. In light of this concentration on skills, priests of Hale take a -1 penalty to hit in combat, but gain an extra +4 skill points per level. They recognize each other through a secret sign language known only to them - this is a free language as it is very simple, only allowing priests of Hale to recognize each other or pose simple questions and answers (such as "Help!" or "I'm okay!").

They often join good-aligned theives guilds, teaching skills and healing the injured. The more adventurous and foolhardy of them also occasionally join evil-aligned theives guilds, attempting to spread the wisdom of professionalism and non-violence to the wicked. They can also be found among craft guilds, merchant guilds and other tradesmen guilds, ministering and well as working and learning alongside these sorts of folks. Some join armies as spies and recon forces to help good aligned nations find victory in battle, and still some find themselves in the ranks of government as spies, advisors and even politicians. And still some travel and adventure, seeking to bring the wisdom of Hale to adventuring parties. And, of course, being representatives of the master of all trades, many do all of the above and more during their lifetimes.

Domains Charm, Craft, Creation, Knowledge, Trade

Weapons Dagger, Punching Dagger, Dart or other small, dexterous weapons, and sleeping potions/poisons.

St. Cuthbert

(St. Cuthbert of the Cudgel)

LG intermediate god of law, common sense, truth and forthrightness.

Pantheon: Unknown origin

St. Cuthbert is a deity of dedication, zeal, and devotion to the causes of law (primarily) and good (secondarily). Common sense, truth, and forthrightness are his watchwords. He opposes chaos and evil sternly, with no backsliding or compromise permitted. This is a stern deity who, with his priests, sees matters in black and white terms. For many folk living with the threat of Iuz, this is a very credible world view. Indeed, the great enmity between Iuz and St. Cuthbert adds to his popular appeal. His followers are found mainly in the Central Flanaess, generally around Greyhawk, the Wild Coast, Urnst, Verbobonc and the northern borders of Furyondy, Veluna and the Shield Lands.

St. Cuthbert appears as a red-faced, barrel-chested man of nondescript appearance, even looking like a simple yokel at times. He is famous for wearing a crumpled hat and a starburst of rubies set in a platinum brooch. Given the great enmity between Iuz and St. Cuthbert, the latter has a chance to appear on the Prime Material plane in order to to drive Iuz away in confrontations of major import to lawful good causes.

Cuthbert's holy symbols vary, depending upon the person's station in his church (see the description of the three orders of Cuthberts priesthood below). General believers, like the Billets (see below), use a small billet of oak or bronzewood.

My words are Law, and the Law must be spread so that all may benefit from its wisdom. Weakness in faith and acting against the Law are intolerable in my believers. Unceasing effort should be made to bring unbelievers into the faith. Honesty, truthfulness, practicality, and reasonability are the highest virtues. Strive for the truth at all times, and speak your mind plainly without deception. Use common sense at all times, be not a fool, and search out and expose deception in others. Worry not for worldly riches but fight to protect the jewel of stability and goodness. Help those weaker than yourself and, without prejudice, fight all those who would take advantage of the same.

The Church of St. Cuthbert is of major importance in the Flanaess, with more converts coming to it every day - despite the zealous and stern nature of many of its priests. This is likely due to Cuthbert's and his priests' never ending zeal to end the tyranny and unpredictability of Iuz. Priests of Cuthbert are therefore held in great asteem by many, especially among the common folk.

The priests of St. Cuthbert are all of Lawful Good alignment. They are stout, stern folk who take no nonsense and speak their minds plainly, and they wouldn't welcome the nonsense that people of other alignments would bring to the Cuthbertian church. It's not that they won't suffer fools gladly -- they won't suffer them at all. Honesty and common sense are more prized than book learning and arcane knowledge. The faith is very practical, with attention to detail of everyday life and the concerns of common people. Because of the ever present war with Iuz, military training and fitness are mandatory.

In addition to their enmity with the agents of Iuz, St. Cuthbert's priests are also determined rivals of the priests of Pholtus, perhaps because both religions represent what they believe to be the absolute true path to law and goodness. Similarly, while mostly aligned in purpose with the priests of Cirith, especially in their hatred of Iuz, doctrinal differences with that religion often lead to heated discussions about what lawfulness and goodness truly are.

There are three orders of the priesthood. The first are the Chapeaux, who wear crumpled hats and are zealots who seek converts to the faith; they carry a small oaken or bronzewood cudgel as a holy symbol. The second are the Stars, who wear a form of the deities's chest medallion (starburst of rubies) and seek to retain doctrinal purity among the faithful The third and last, but definitely not least, are the Billets, the most numerous, who use a small oaken or bronzewood billet as a holy symbol and serve as ministers to, and protectors of, the faithful.

Services in honor of St. Cuthbert are conducted in the small, wayside shrines and humble chapels he favors, or even in the homes of the faithful (especially when a shrine or chapel is unavailable) - indeed, the faithful will often invite priests of St. Cuthbert to stay in their homes; when they accept, the priests insist on sleeping directly on the floor when no beds are empty. Singing, prayer, recitation of edifying moral tales, and sharing of fellowship and simple food (bread, milk, and gruel) are common. Shrines and chapels are alway attended and maintained by at least one priest of St. Cuthbert, who is charged to keep it in perfect order; if a chapel is ever to be unattended for any reason, it is dismanteled instead.

Domains Good, Law, Protection, War

Weapons Oaken or bronzewood Cudgel (club) preferred, or any blunt weapon.

Cthulhu

(Ktulu, the Dark God, the Sleeping God)

CE intermediate god (?) of utter chaos.

Pantheon: Unknown origin

What manner of deity Cthulhu is exactly is not entirely known, as he is alien even to the other gods of Oerth. His name is associated with loss of strength and sanity, exhaustion and cold, fatigue, mind-bending illusions, depression, catatonia, and paralysis. Legend says that Cthulhu is banished and imprisoned in some demi-plane within his sunken city of R'lyeh; however, to the potential bane of all that is sane and good, there are those who strive to bring their old master forth. What manner of madmen, or which creatures, served him aeons ago is not currently known, though it is thought that some intelligent sea-borne races may be involved. It is also now known, to the horror of many, that Iuz himself reveres Cthulhu and has often sought his release; only the efforts, sacrifices and blood of heroes have thwarted his efforts.

Even in his dreaming and imprisoned state, however, his presence and influence find their way into the minds of the mortals of Oerth. He is thought to speak to his faithful, and other madmen, in dreams, influencing their actions and driving them into further madness.

Most folk feel that the less they know about the Dark God, the better they like it. Even mention of his dread name is held to be a danger, lest he hear and take notice...

"Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!" -- "In his house at R'lyeh, dead Cthulhu lies dreaming."

Worship of Cthulhu is thought to take place in unknown subterranean and, more often, sub-oceanic temples of chill, darkness, and insanity. Such places are highly secret, and many are lost, ruined and no longer used. Litanies of this deity are hideous in the extreme. The few iconic images of this deity have shown him as a monstrous humanoid with an octopus or squid-like head.

Worshippers and priests of this god of madness, in their efforts to free him, take to heart the words of the Mad Poet, Abdul Alhazred, who wrote, That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons even death may die.

Heng

(Thunder, the Thunder Spirit)

LG (LN) intermediate god of thunder, drought relief, portents, and luck.

Pantheon: Tiger and Wolf Nomads

Heng is favored among all the Tiger and Wolf Nomad tribes, among others, because he can sometimes be relied upon to bring rain to those that suffer drought, and give luck to those that hurt and worthy. He is both the bearer of good fortune and the herald of disaster, and has the power to bring good fortune to those who deserve it.

Heng does not enjoy his role as the harbinger of catastrophe. Nevertheless, he executes this duty conscientiously.

Portents of impending disaster include fierce thunder, cloud cover so heavy it blots out the sun, and the unexpected and unwelcome arrival of thousands of birds.

Omens of good fortune always take the form of a black eagle soaring overhead. In fact, such a sighting is enough to modify the saving throws and attack rolls of the viewer by +2 for a period of 1d10 weeks.

Heng rarely punishes tribes or individuals directly, but instead simply withdraws his support.

In true form, Heng resembles a huge black eagle as large as the sky. He can otherwise appear as a huge warrior wielding a massive bow that fires lightning bolts and a lance.

"In the skies you will find wisdom."

Heng's priests may never engage in an evil or selfish act. Occasionally, when Wind has neglected to bring rain to a deserving tribe, Heng carries a lake upon his back and sprinkles it over the fields. Heng is made aware of the need for rain by his priests, who must sprinkle large quantities of water on the ground to attract his attention. If he chooses to answer the summons, Heng will appear in a rolling thunder cloud as a braided warrior of the tribe that summoned him. The warrior whose form he chooses to copy during that summoning will have luck in battle for the whole year (in the form of a +2 hit bonus and +2 bonus to AC).

Domains Healing, Knowledge, Law, Luck, Protection, Weather *

Weapons Bow, Lance, Tomahawk (Hand Axe)

* The Weather domain is part of the 3.5 d20 SRD.

Weather Domain

Granted Power: Survival is a class skill.

Weather Domain Spells

1. Obscuring mist
2. Fog cloud
3. Call lightning
4. Sleet storm
5. Ice storm
6. Control winds
7. Control weather
8. Whirlwind
9. Storm of vengeance

Non-human Deities

The deities of non-human worshippers - demi-humans and goblinoids - are detailed in various source books published by TSR and Wizards of the Coast. We have tended to use the non-human deities verbatum from these sources. For 3rd Edition rules, demi-human deities are detailed in the Forgotten Realms Faiths & Pantheons sourcebook - even if you don't use Forgotten Realms, strangely this seems to be the only sourcebook that details the official demi-human deities (yes, for whatever reason, the Core Rules' Deities and Demigods sourcebook does not!!!).

As a side note, Clangeddin Silverbeard, the Dwarven deity of Battle & War, has been a favorite in our campaigns.

Demi-human Deities

Demihuman Deities of Oerth are fully documented in the Faiths & Pantheons sourcebook. For reference, the demihuman Deities that have significant followings (more than 5% of the race in question) are listed below.

Those marked with an asterisk (*) are female.

Elves: Corellon Larethian (Creator; magic, arts and crafts, war); Sehanine the Moonbow* (mysticism, dreams, far journeys, death, and transcendence); Aerdrie Faenya* (air, weather, birds); Erevan Ilesere (trickster, mischief, rogues); Hanali Celanil* (romance, love, beauty); Labelas Enoreth (time, longevity); Solonor Thelandira (archery, hunting).

Dwarves: Moradin (Creator; smithing, crafts, war); Berronar Truesilver* (safety, truth, home, healing); Clangeddin Silverbeard (battle, war); Dumathoin (mining, exploration); Muamman Duathal (expatriates, urban dwarves, travelers, exiles); Vergadain (wealth, luck).

Gnomes: Garl Glittergold (Creator; protection, humor, gems, smithing); Baervan Wildwanderer (forests, nature, travel); Baravar Cloakshadow (illusions, protection, deception, hatred of goblinoids); Flandal Steelskin (mining, smithing, fitness); Gaerdal Ironhand (protection, vigilance, combat); Segojan Earthcaller (earth, nature).

Halflings: Yondalla* (Creator; protection, fertility); Arvoreen the Defender (protection, vigilance, war); Brandobaris (stealth, thieves, adventuring); Cyrrollalee* (friendship, trust, home); Sheela Peryroyl* (nature, agriculture, weather).

Goblinoid Deities

For reference, a listing of the Deities that have significant (more than 5% of the race) followings in the Flanaess is given below.

Deities usually portrayed as female are marked with an asterisk (*).

Orcs: Gruumsh (Creator; war, territory); Bahgtru (strength, combat); Ilneval (warfare, especially for leaders); Luthic* (fertility, medicine, servitude); Shargaas (darkness, thieves); Yurtrus (death, disease; many placate, few revere).

Goblins and Hobgoblins: Maglubiyet (Creator; war, rulership); Khurgorbaeyag (slavery, oppression, morale, goblins); Nomog-Geaya (war, authority, hobgoblins).

Bugbears: Hruggek (battle, death); Grankhul (hunting, senses, stealth).

Kobolds: Kurtulmak (Creator; war, mining); Gaknulak (protection, stealth, trickery, traps).

Gnolls: Yeenoghu (ghouls, gnolls, paralysis).

Ogres (also Hill Giants and Ettins): Grolantor (war, pride, force).

Heroes & Villains

Every society has its mythological heroes and villains, and Oerth is no exception. While the various official histories and mythologies for Oerth detail many such brave or evil souls, over the course of our years of playing we have added our own flair and flavor to mythology with heroes and villains of our own.

Balinor Ravenlocke

(Balinor the Bright, St. Balinor, Shieldman of Cirith)

LG divine human Paladin

Balinor Ravenlocke was born mortal, but through a life devoted to good and heroic deeds, self sacrifice and uncompromising service to his deity Cirith, he was taken from this mortal life without having to feel the pangs of death.

He now lives as a divine being, no longer mortal but not quite a god, doing what he loves best, serving Cirith. He is not without his own mortal followers, however, who pray and follow his written philosophies despite his best efforts to turn their ear to the priests of Cirith. This and other evidence has convinced many philosophers that he may eventually gain demi-godhood.

Zorelea

NE human Fighter/Wizard

Zorelea's life began as a peasant girl who found very early on that she could use her beauty and charisma to get what she wanted, and what she wanted was power, to throw off her peasantry, to make people either love her or fear her, it mattered not which.

Using her charms and what little money she had, she gained instruction with an old man near her village in the ways of wizardry and witchcraft. When she had learned all she could from him, she killed him in his sleep, took anything useful from among his possessions, then burned his home to the ground. Thus began the terrible scourge upon Oerth that is Zorelea.

Adventuring brought to her a means to an end, and as she adventured her mind and soul became more and more cold and cruel. In time, however, this solidly evil woman tired of adventuring for treasure, for experience, for strength in combat and instead sought to solidify and gain what she considered true power: the building of a kingdom.

Gathering her most loyal followers (and killing the rest) she set sail into the seas south of the Flanaess to a destination unknown, conquering all she found there. Nobody in the Flanaess knows exactly where her islands lay, but she and her nation are feared by all who have heard the legends of the cruel ministrations she lends to those who intrude on her island nation.

A few have claimed to escape from her clutches, but these few are so mad as to remember nothing of her island's location nor even how they escaped. Many people believe she drives men mad and releases them, to keep her legend alive in the minds of outsiders. If their memories are to be trusted, however, these poor souls often describe her torture chambers as unimaginable pits of dispair where even her most loyal subjects are taken from time to time, only to be returned to the ranks of her followers even more mad and more loyal than before.

Those who have escaped from (or been released...) from her clutches speak of her intense, youthful beauty; in fact, it is often all these madmen can speak of or remember about their time under her tender mercies. Given that she is said to be over 100 years old it is believed that, if she is even still alive as these people claim, she must use illusion, perhaps, some foul form of magic, or even demonic power to retain her youth and beauty. One popular rumor is that she bathes daily in the blood of an elf maiden to retain her beauty, the truth of this rumor being sketchy at best.