Church of Gorum
Gorum’s is an all-or-nothing faith. An individual is either brave or a coward; he either stares the enemy in the eye or drops his gaze in shame. Gorum demands only that his faithful constantly prove themselves in battle. If there’s no convenient war, daily duels and other mock battles can satisfy this need for a time, but Gorumites living in a peaceful region tend to wander off in search of conflict— or start some of their own.
A typical worshipper of Gorum is a soldier, mercenary, brigand, or bloodthirsty raider, or even a smith who crafts the tools of war. His followers tend to be impulsive, violent, and prone to grabbing whatever they feel like owning; as a result, there are far more evil followers of Gorum than good. Fights between the faithful are common, though they are usually not fought to the death; they are undertaken to establish dominance or claims over treasure, to impress lovers, or just for entertainment. Among the faithful there is often a sense that those fighting on the same side are kin—comrades willing to shed blood in a ritual of violence predating civilization and even their god himself.
Gorum is popular across the Inner Sea region, but especially so in the places where war is a constant fact of life, such as Belkzen, the Lands of the Linnorm Kings, the Realm of the Mammoth Lords, and Lastwall. Holy rites among his congregants include ceremonial battles, tests of strength and bravery, beating large drums, and shouting. Most church music is based on Gorum’s holy text, the Gorumskagat, and is suitable for marching, charging, working, or dancing that favors stomps or other loud footfalls. Gorumite bards use their magic to duplicate the sound of weapons breaking bones and the screams of the injured, giving any performance the semblance of a battlefield; evil bards of the faith may actually own disposable slaves they “play” for this purpose.
Gorum doesn’t care about marriage or familial bonds. He knows such things are necessary to produce the next generation of warriors, but doesn’t care whether children come from an exclusive marriage or from polygamous or random couplings. He understands that love can inspire passions that make men and women fight, and that protecting a spouse and children is often why mortals go to war, but he values these reasons no more highly than territorial claims, family honor, greed, or survival. In human communities where his faith is popular, marriage is no more or less common than in other lands, but devout worshippers of Gorum tend to have loud marriages with frequent arguments and much throwing of household items. Some of the church’s stories tell of mighty warriors who swore to only take a lover who could defeat them in single combat—and how when they met their matches, the couples became even more powerful in battle together than they were alone.
A typical shrine to Our Lord in Iron is a pile of rocks capped with a helm or a sword jammed into a crevice in a boulder. Sometimes the shrines mark the graves of fallen champions, and other times merely a battlefield where much blood was shed.
Formal raiment for priests is spiked armor, preferably full plate, though spiked armor of other types is acceptable in climates or cultures where full plate is unavailable or impractical. Some priests keep a separate set of ceremonial armor (as opposed to their functional battle armor) that bristles with additional spikes and decorations; this armor is often so heavy that it is difficult for the priest wearing it to walk. Gorum’s favored weapon, the greatsword, makes the use of shields less common than in other martial faiths.
The church values strength over age or knowledge, and the senior priest in any tribe or temple typically reaches that position by defeating hosts of enemies and beating down all rivals. When several leaders come together, there is usually some gruff posturing and a few brawls until a hierarchy is established. Underhanded tactics such as poison are considered dishonorable in these bouts, though spells that enhance the priest, his weapons, or armor are considered fair. The head of a particular area may be addressed as a lord or lady, or by a local military title such as “commander,” “captain,” or even “chief.”
Priests of Gorum in aggressive warrior cultures earn fame and riches by raiding other tribes or lands. Exiles and those from more “civilized” lands seek employment as mercenaries or bodyguards, or pursue criminal endeavors, such as brigandry, that allow them to crack skulls on a regular basis. Some travel the land as “monster hunters,” usually out of a desire to test their mettle against strange beasts rather than an interest in helping threatened communities. Priests try to enter combat at least once per day, even if it is only a duel. In especially lawless lands they may find themselves deputized by local guard captains to help keep the peace—which they accept only because it gives them an excuse to fight. Nearly all of Gorum’s priests are clerics. A few battle-druids are part of the clergy, however, lending an animalistic perspective and unusual spells to the church’s battle-repertoire. War-bards and rangers serve the church in essential roles but are not considered part of the clergy.
Inquisitors of Gorum are very rare and make it their personal mission to chase down deserters and others who flee from battle, as well as soldiers who turn on their own. When they witness others fleeing, these coward-slayers prefer to finish the current battle before hunting their prey—this gives the scum a running start, makes the game more challenging, and avoids giving the impression that the inquisitor is also fleeing. When dealing with traitors who attack their own allies in battle, inquisitors immediately intervene and—assuming the perpetrator isn’t being magically controlled—dispatch the offender and audibly curse his or her name.
Gorum’s followers believe that all of life’s problems can be solved through martial might. They recognize the place of brains in battle, because stupid people die quickly. They appreciate tactics and the thrill of outmaneuvering an enemy—indeed, these are crucial skills—but they pale next to the blood and sweat of melee itself. They are not fools charging blindly into battle; Gorum teaches that it is better to retreat strategically to fight another day than to throw away one’s life in vain. For a Gorumite, only when the stakes are highest does life have meaning.
A typical worshipper of Gorum is a soldier, mercenary, brigand, or bloodthirsty raider, or even a smith who crafts the tools of war. His followers tend to be impulsive, violent, and prone to grabbing whatever they feel like owning; as a result, there are far more evil followers of Gorum than good. Fights between the faithful are common, though they are usually not fought to the death; they are undertaken to establish dominance or claims over treasure, to impress lovers, or just for entertainment. Among the faithful there is often a sense that those fighting on the same side are kin—comrades willing to shed blood in a ritual of violence predating civilization and even their god himself.
Gorum is popular across the Inner Sea region, but especially so in the places where war is a constant fact of life, such as Belkzen, the Lands of the Linnorm Kings, the Realm of the Mammoth Lords, and Lastwall. Holy rites among his congregants include ceremonial battles, tests of strength and bravery, beating large drums, and shouting. Most church music is based on Gorum’s holy text, the Gorumskagat, and is suitable for marching, charging, working, or dancing that favors stomps or other loud footfalls. Gorumite bards use their magic to duplicate the sound of weapons breaking bones and the screams of the injured, giving any performance the semblance of a battlefield; evil bards of the faith may actually own disposable slaves they “play” for this purpose.
Gorum doesn’t care about marriage or familial bonds. He knows such things are necessary to produce the next generation of warriors, but doesn’t care whether children come from an exclusive marriage or from polygamous or random couplings. He understands that love can inspire passions that make men and women fight, and that protecting a spouse and children is often why mortals go to war, but he values these reasons no more highly than territorial claims, family honor, greed, or survival. In human communities where his faith is popular, marriage is no more or less common than in other lands, but devout worshippers of Gorum tend to have loud marriages with frequent arguments and much throwing of household items. Some of the church’s stories tell of mighty warriors who swore to only take a lover who could defeat them in single combat—and how when they met their matches, the couples became even more powerful in battle together than they were alone.
Temples & Shrines
Gorum’s temples are more akin to fortresses than to places of worship—they are built with thick walls, iron gates, internal forges and stables, and spikes on the parapets, even in the center of an otherwise peaceful city. The priests keep them stockpiled with armor and weapons, typically harvested from dead enemies and kept clean and battle-ready by acolytes; many adventurers laden with salvaged armor head to a Gorumite temple first to sell their heavy loot. The priests don’t bother to record what armor came from whom, so it is entirely possible for a young priest’s first set of armor to have previously been worn by a fallen orc or a hero of the faith.A typical shrine to Our Lord in Iron is a pile of rocks capped with a helm or a sword jammed into a crevice in a boulder. Sometimes the shrines mark the graves of fallen champions, and other times merely a battlefield where much blood was shed.
Clothing
Gorumites identify themselves through their arms and armor. Many warriors of the faith carry greatswords, and the faithful garb themselves in metal armor whenever possible to emulate their lord. No matter how poor, a worshipper of Gorum will grab metal armor at the earliest opportunity, frequently claiming the armor of fallen enemies. Once they may have metal armor and weapons, they forever disdain any other kind, preferring to fight naked and barehanded rather than use anything else. The more devoted among the faith adorn their armor and shields with spikes and jagged bits of metal. The faithful are frequently heavily scarred, as even the most skilled among them suffer wounds on a regular basis due to the number of battles they fight, and they bear these scars as marks of pride. Few wear gaudy holy symbols or specialized clothing— their arms and armor are the only identification they need.Formal raiment for priests is spiked armor, preferably full plate, though spiked armor of other types is acceptable in climates or cultures where full plate is unavailable or impractical. Some priests keep a separate set of ceremonial armor (as opposed to their functional battle armor) that bristles with additional spikes and decorations; this armor is often so heavy that it is difficult for the priest wearing it to walk. Gorum’s favored weapon, the greatsword, makes the use of shields less common than in other martial faiths.
A Priest’s Role
To worship Gorum is to recognize that fame and glory are fleeting, and that all that matters is how one acquits oneself in the moment. The companionship of others can lift a priest of Gorum up for a time, but in the end she must prove her powers every day or risk coasting on past glories. Gorum’s clergy may be savage, or they may be cool and calculating, yet their goal is always to know that they spent their lives pushing their limits.The church values strength over age or knowledge, and the senior priest in any tribe or temple typically reaches that position by defeating hosts of enemies and beating down all rivals. When several leaders come together, there is usually some gruff posturing and a few brawls until a hierarchy is established. Underhanded tactics such as poison are considered dishonorable in these bouts, though spells that enhance the priest, his weapons, or armor are considered fair. The head of a particular area may be addressed as a lord or lady, or by a local military title such as “commander,” “captain,” or even “chief.”
Priests of Gorum in aggressive warrior cultures earn fame and riches by raiding other tribes or lands. Exiles and those from more “civilized” lands seek employment as mercenaries or bodyguards, or pursue criminal endeavors, such as brigandry, that allow them to crack skulls on a regular basis. Some travel the land as “monster hunters,” usually out of a desire to test their mettle against strange beasts rather than an interest in helping threatened communities. Priests try to enter combat at least once per day, even if it is only a duel. In especially lawless lands they may find themselves deputized by local guard captains to help keep the peace—which they accept only because it gives them an excuse to fight. Nearly all of Gorum’s priests are clerics. A few battle-druids are part of the clergy, however, lending an animalistic perspective and unusual spells to the church’s battle-repertoire. War-bards and rangers serve the church in essential roles but are not considered part of the clergy.
Inquisitors of Gorum are very rare and make it their personal mission to chase down deserters and others who flee from battle, as well as soldiers who turn on their own. When they witness others fleeing, these coward-slayers prefer to finish the current battle before hunting their prey—this gives the scum a running start, makes the game more challenging, and avoids giving the impression that the inquisitor is also fleeing. When dealing with traitors who attack their own allies in battle, inquisitors immediately intervene and—assuming the perpetrator isn’t being magically controlled—dispatch the offender and audibly curse his or her name.
Adventurers
Adventurers in Gorum’s service are relatively common, as heroes and treasure hunters can always use an ally who is good with a sword. Villainous groups learn to rely on the might of evil Gorumite priests, especially their ability to channel negative energy, inflicting bloody wounds on all nearby creatures. Gorumites venture forth to improve their battle skills, challenge particularly revered or infamous champions, to obtain famous weapons or armor, or simply to find opportunities to enjoy the sound of their blades singing against those of their opponents. Half-orcs, humans, and orcs are the most common worshippers of Gorum, yet his reach can be felt everywhere that blood and glory are a way of life. He attracts all those who have sworn to live by the sword and suffer its judgments. Those who take up the faith of Gorum forsake the niceties of civilized life to carry the glory of battle to their graves. They reject the idea of old age and instead make the most of the present, exercising their strength and will to display their dominance over others. Though many may call their actions evil—and may be correct to do so—worshippers see such quibbling as unworthy of a warrior. At the same time, however, they are not murderers, and they hunger only for victory through strength of arms; killing prisoners or surrendering foes is beneath them.Gorum’s followers believe that all of life’s problems can be solved through martial might. They recognize the place of brains in battle, because stupid people die quickly. They appreciate tactics and the thrill of outmaneuvering an enemy—indeed, these are crucial skills—but they pale next to the blood and sweat of melee itself. They are not fools charging blindly into battle; Gorum teaches that it is better to retreat strategically to fight another day than to throw away one’s life in vain. For a Gorumite, only when the stakes are highest does life have meaning.
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