Ilneval

Ilneval is the orc god of strategic warfare and patron of orc captains, symbolizing the race's combative nature. He is the archetypal leader in front who unflinchingly leads the charge, embodying the orcish tactic of overwhelming numbers, and the Horde Leader is revered by those that see the wisdom in that strategy. With bloodied blade in hand, he calls those that understand the flow of battle to sit around his council fire and learn the ways of the War Maker.

Description

Ilneval appeared as a confident and seemingly war-wise, yet perpetually unsmiling, 9 feet (2.7 meters) tall orc. His face and arms were marred heavily by battle scars that only increased his appeal to his orcish followers.

Ilneval's dreadful broadsword was enchanted, and caused profuse bleeding in those it struck unless magic on or above the level of cure serious wounds was applied. There was a chance that any non-orc it hit would be instantly slain.

The War Maker also wore an enchanted suit of red, iron chainmail that deflected all missile weapons including arrows, bolts, and ray-form spells or spell-like abilities, though it was possible that enchanted missile weapons could harm him.

Personality

Bold and direct, Ilneval is a daring leader who charges headfirst into battle with only the destruction of his opposition and triumph over his adversaries on his mind. He is a take-charge figure of inspiring bravery who loathes cowardice and underhandedness, but is not, as one might assume, an unthinking brute.

Indeed, Ilneval is actually a devious strategist, but his careful plans are made before the battle to maximize his odds of success and ensure he inflicts as much damage on the enemy as possible. He is both self-serving and ambitious, preferring to plan the conquest to come rather than reminisce on victories past.

Divine Realm

The orc pantheon moves between the planes in their war against the goblinoid pantheon. At one point they go from the Nine Hells to Acheron, with Ilneval inhabiting a smaller block orbiting the cube of Nishrek. Eventually he rules the warriors with a fortress town on one of Nishrek's faces, the Blood Armor clan. His forces are often content to battle against the goblinoid legions of Clangor.

In the World Tree cosmology, where Nishrek is its own realm (a twisted natural landscape marred by carnage and warped to fit orc ideals), Ilneval dwells within Gruumsh's Iron Fortress.

Activities

Ilneval's role in the orc pantheon is that of the captain, the master commander (next to Gruumsh) who devises the tactics and stratagems that allow orcs to dominate the battlefield and fill their war wagons with gore and treasure. Ilneval is called upon to lead Gruumsh's forces when the One-Eyed God lacks the time, or otherwise does not wish to do so himself, and the Crafty Warrior only sends an avatar at his superior's command, and only when the battle is important.

Worshippers

Ilneval was considered the god of orcish leaders, and his clerics were expected to be physically strong themselves, charismatic enough to lead, and able to command a military force effectively.

Ilneval was also seen as the patron of orc crossbreeds, particularly the powerful ones, with ogrillons and tanarukks (orc-ogre and orc-tanar'ri hybrids respectively) being prime examples. Half-orcs were included under this purview, with those that worshiped the orc gods following him in particular, and orogs often revered him due to them frequently being in leadership roles. Tanarukks believed him to be their special patron, worshiping him almost as much as Gruumsh, and if the race were to expand he'd likely supplant the One-Eyed God in their eyes, with wiser tanarukks already favoring him.

Dogma

Ilneval taught his followers to train hard and think smart to prepare for the unending battle that was life. It was their duty to unite the tribe into a raging storm that could attack as one, using the strength found in numbers to triumph. Nonetheless, when combat began, they were to charge into the fray and let the blood fall as it would. Ilneval's own courage inspired great loyalty, and only through personal courage would one prove themselves worthy of leadership.

Rituals

Clerics and adepts of Ilneval prayed for their spells at dusk to prepare for the battle of the upcoming night. Their holy days were before and after battle, but they had only a few besides token rituals of obeisance to honor Gruumsh, a calculated show of fealty by the Crafty Warrior. The clergy's most sacred celebration was an annual raid on Greengrass, when the clerics of the War Maker gathered hordes of orcs to descend upon the civilized world and destroy all in their path. Sacrifices to Ilneval could be performed anywhere and consisted of blood and weapons.

Relationships

Ilneval was Gruumsh's first lieutenant and right hand, and allowed no challenges to his position, systematically stopping any potential rival. He had deposed or destroyed one or two orc gods in the past, crushing demigods and relegating more powerful deities to lesser status in his climb to power. This was because he secretly coveted the position of Gruumsh, and had been waiting for ages to seize the throne of He-who-never-sleeps. However, many obstacles stood in the path of the Crafty Warrior's objective, and for a god of bold warfare, he was ironically restricted by several forces beyond his influence.

Gruumsh was aware of Ilneval's desire and so rightly did not trust him, but with his son Bahgtru on his side, some of the One-Eyed God's concerns were relieved. Ilneval was absolutely terrified of Bahgtru's brutality, and so long as the Leg-Breaker remained loyal to Gruumsh, Ilneval would stay loyal enough to him as well, so Gruumsh chose not to take action. Ilneval secretly resented Bahgtru for this on top of being frightened by the stronger but stupid deity, and so avoided him as much as possible (never battling with him) while covertly working to undermine him. Ilneval was also believed to lust after Gruumsh's mate, Luthic, but was afraid to act on this desire as well.

The more sinister members of the pantheon, Shargaas and Yurtrus (the orc god of darkness and stealth and the orc god of death and disease respectively), had a cold, quiet alliance to counterbalance the influence of the orcish gods of war, including Ilneval as well as Bahgtru and Gruumsh. Shargaas in particular, who was even more cunning than Ilneval, secretly revealed his treacheries to Gruumsh to simultaneously undermine the War Maker and cement himself in the pantheon. Ilneval intensely disliked the two of them for their craven, dishonorable methods but was smart enough to make use of their talents effectively when fighting other pantheons. Others

Though he had his differences with his fellows in the orc pantheon, Ilneval hated the goblinoid gods, Morndinsamman, Seldarine, and all their other traditional enemies, and would never betray his race as a whole. He once found himself in battle with Bahgtru against the forces of Khurgorbaeyag, the goblin god, and Hruggek, the bugbear deity.

Ilneval's proxy was the half-orc warrior known as General Guldrin Blut.

History

Near the end of the Orcgate Wars, Ilneval fought against the leader of the Untheric pantheon, Gilgeam, before Tiamat used the situation to launch an ambush against the God-king. The Untheric aspect of Bahamut known as Marduk managed to defeat Tiamat before she could land a killing blow, though at the cost of his own life.

Ilneval

Lesser deity

Basic Information

Titles

The War Maker
The Horde Leader
The Crafty Warrior
The Lieutenant of Gruumsh
War Master
Son of Strife

Pantheons

Orc

Serves

Gruumsh

Attributes

Alignment

Neutral Evil

Symbol

Bloodied Longsword

Realm

Infinite Battlefield of Acheron/Avalas/Nishrek

Portfolio

Combat, Orc Crossbreeds, Overwhelming Numbers, Martial Skill, Strategy, War

Favored Weapon

Foe Smiter (longsword)

Following

Worshippers

Barbarians
Fighters
Ogrillons
Orcs
Tanarukks

Alignments

LN, CN, NE

Domains

Destruction (Catastrophe)
Strength (Ferocity)
War (Blood, Tactics)

Favored Aspects

Animals/Plants

Boars
Dire boars
Wolves
Dire wolves

Monsters

Hieracosphinxes
Howlers
Nalfeshnees
Nightmares

Minerals

Fire opals
Jasmals

Colors

Red
Steel

Manifest- ations

A glowing longsword

Blood seeping from chainmail

The sound of swords clashing