Torag (TORR-awg)

Torag is a stoic and serious god who values honor, planning, and well-made steel. He is an often distant deity, lending magical power to his clerics, but leaving his followers to make their own way through life, knowing that this will make them strong and determined.

Church of Torag

The ancient church of Torag can be found in all dwarven lands, and in many human ones, especially the harsh northern lands of the Ulfen people. His centres of worship include Druma, the Five Kings Mountains, the Lands of the Linnorm Kings, the Steaming Sea, and the Mana Wastes, and is popular among Taldans and Ulfen throughout the Inner Sea region.

Tradition is a focus for knights who follow Torag. Action, rather than ceremony, is what these knights crave. They can be counted on to protect their communities without hesitation.

Clergy

Nearly half of Torag's clerics are dwarves, and although many humans have taken up his call as well. Among dwarves, almost all of his priests are clerics, with maybe ten percent being paladins or other followers. Among his Ulfen, nearly all are clerics, and human paladins of Torag are essentially unheard of. Many of his followers are architects, artisans of all stripes, or military planners. He is also popular among guards and city watchmen, who pray to him for protection.

As befits a deity so closely associated with the anvil and bellows, the vestments of Torag's clergy are a long, well-used smithing apron, and hammer. Rings of various sorts (whether worn on the hands, in the ear, or woven into the hair or beard) are also common, symbolizing friendship, debt, or allegiance. Some priests attach badges, rivets, or plates to their raiments that commemorate important life events such as the birth of a child, marriage, or their first forging of a complete set of plate mail.

Temples and shrines

Temples tend to be circular, built around a large central and fully-functional forge and satellite anvils used for even mundane tasks, for every act of smelting and smithing is considered a prayer to Torag. In outdoor settlements, the temple is usually built into the defensive wall, as this keeps the noise away from the other residences and makes it easier for the priests to monitor the defences.

The centre of Torag's worship is the metropolis of Highhelm in the Five Kings Mountains. There, the High Defender guides the faithful from the fortress-temple known as the Forge of Torag.

Holy sites

On the northeastern plains of Galt lies the settlement of Azurestone, named after a giant blue rock that towers 100 feet over the town. The dwarves of the nearby Fog Peaks believe that it is a holy spear cast down by Torag during prehistory, and make regular pilgrimages there.

Organizations

The Hellknight Order of the Godclaw venerates the lawful aspects of Torag, but is in no way associated with his religion or followers.

Divine Domains

Creation, earth, family, protection
Alternative: duty

Holy Books & Codes

Torag's texts tend to be sturdily bound tomes, able to survive whatever hardships its owner may face.

Hammer and Tongs: The Forging of Metal and Other Good Works

This tome is usually bound in metal with lacquered leather interior pages.

Divine Symbols & Sigils

Tenets of Faith

Torag condemns suicide, and the souls of his worshipers who take their own lives are condemned to Avernus, the first circle of Hell.

Holidays

The church celebrates the anniversary of successful battles and Skylost where appropriate.

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

Torag appears as a powerful and cunning dwarf, busy at his forge hammering out a weapon or shield. He is the consummate planner, with a contingency for nearly every situation. Art shows him as a stereotypical dwarf in intricate armor and carrying his warhammer Kaglemros (Dwarven for '"forger of many weapons").

Mental characteristics

Personal history

During the Age of Creation, Torag was among the original gods who battled the Rough Beast who sought to destroy Golarion. He and Gorum forged the shell of the Dead Vault, which would serve as Rovagug's prison after his defeat.

The dwarves believe that Torag created the world at his great forge, striking it again and again with his hammer to get the shape he desired. As rocks tumbled and the sparks flew, the dwarves were born, made of stone with bellies full of fire. These dwarves were created deep in the Darklands and were perfectly suited to their environment. Torag ruled them justly for centuries, and they worked hard to be worthy of his approval. He gave them a single prophecy: that one day the earth would shake, and they would leave their darkened homes to press upwards in a Quest for Sky. When Earthfall struck in -5293 AR, the dwarves took this as the fulfilment of their prophecy, and began the centuries-long migration to Golarion's surface.

Social

Contacts & Relations

Torag is opposed to destructive and aggressive deities as a god of protection and creation. He and his followers have battled Rovagug and other destructive forces since the dawn of time. Despite their mutual opposition to Rovagug, the followers of Sarenrae and Torag are rarely close, following different codes of belief. Dwarves do not understand the worship of the sun, and see Sarenrae's willingness to forgive as folly and a sign of weakness. Torag respects Abadar and is friendly with both Cayden Cailean and Iomedae. Of all the deities, Torag has most respect for Erastil as they both value community and family.

Torag is the head of the dwarven pantheon. Of all these gods, only the bitter Droskar, a former student and now the duergar god of toil and slavery, holds no allegiance to Torag. The two deities are engaged in a slow-burning cold war that has continued for centuries.

Torag loathes Moloch, seeing Moloch's portfolio as a corruption of his own. In turn, Moloch considers Torag's priests his favourite sacrifices and actively seeks to convert dwarves. Zursvaater respects him as a smith, but considers his dwarven followers persistent pests and teaches his fire giants to enslave dwarves when possible.

As part of a deal for a precious gem, Torag made the gnome Nivi Rhombodazzle into a godling.

Servants

Torag and his faithful hold creatures of the earth as mighty and holy, especially burrowing animals like badgers. Bats are loathed as abominations almost as much as the writhing spawn of Rovagug. His divine servitors are the chalkost, formed from perfect dwarven spirits, who spend eternity creating new arms and armor to defend the walls of Heaven.

Unique servants

• Ambassador Zurin - A cunning azer noble, he is dispatched to handle the subtler matters requiring Torag's attention.
• The Grand Defender - Appearing as a huge iron construct in the shape of a dwarf with a hammer and shield, the herald of Torag simply sloughs its outer layer of armor when "defeated".
• Hrilga Shield-Maiden - This celestial dwarven werebear serves Torag loyally in all things.
• Stoneriver - A bulette who swims the molten rivers of the earth's depths as readily as the cold earth nearer the surface.

Alignment

Lawful good

Realm

Heaven

Honorary & Occupational Titles

Father of Creation
Father of Dwarvenkind

Adjective 
Toragdan
Areas of Concern 
Forge, protection, strategy
Worshipers 
Dwarves
Edicts 
Be honourable and forthright, keep your word, respect the forge, serve your people
Anathema 
Tell lies or cheat someone, intentionally create inferior works, show mercy to the enemies of your people
Favoured Weapon 
Warhammer
Symbol 
Iron hammer
Sacred Animal 
Badger
Sacred Colours 
Gold, gray