Ulaa (OO-lah)
Intermediate Powers
(The Stonewife), LG intermediate goddess of Hills, Mountains, and Gemstones
Whether Ulaa is most akin to humans, gnomes, or dwarves is subject to debate. She is as tall and broad as a dwarf, has features such as gnomes do, but her husband Bleredd is most certainly human in aspect.
Of course, being who she is, Ulaa can appear as male or female, dwarf, gnome, human, or just about any sort of creature she chooses.
Ulaa dwells most frequently on the Prime Material and Elemental Earth Planes.
In such locales she is most at home, for she loves both rolling hills and craggy peaks, earthen burrows and stoney vaults. Ulaa typically accouters herself in adamantite mail with many gems decorating her harness and weapons. With her always are her military pick and hammer of thunderbolts.
She can hurl this weapon, whose name translates as "Skull Ringer." This weapon is particularly deadly against humanoids, killing as many as 25 in a single pass. Ogres, ogre-magi, trolls of all sorts, ettins, all giants other than cloud or storm, and all golems other than iron ones are slain instantly if struck by "Skull Ringer."
Because of her affinity for the earth and minerals, all but evil-natured earth elemental creatures respect Ulaa. Those of good nature will serve her upon request. Those inimical to her flee in terror at the sight of her. Ulaa possesses many gems and jewels, some of which are magical. Powers vary from those of elemental command to command of earth and mineral. Those who find favor with her will usually receive one or more magical jewels intermixed with a reward of gemstones.
In addition to being able to pass through earth and rock at a very fast rate, Ulaa has many magical powers connected to earth. No earth-based spells can harm or hamper her.
Clerics of Ulaa wear green and brown initially, then brown, brown and gray, and all gray at the highest levels.
There are many demi-humans (dwarves, gnomes, and halflings) who serve Ulaa, and there are fair numbers of humans (mostly hillmen, mountaineers, miners, and quarrymen) who do likewise.
As would be expected, shrines, chapels, and temples are exclusively found in hills or mountains, if not subterranean.
Services in honor of Ulaa are always in a stoney area, with earth and gemstones displayed.
Hammering on stone, rythmically, and chanting in deep notes, serve as the hymn.
Ulaa (OO-lah) is the wife of the Oeridian god Bleredd, but is herself of unknown origin. Built like a dwarven woman but with the facial features of a gnome, she is worshiped by both of those races and humans. Her enchanted hammer Skull Ringer was forged on the same anvil as her husband's weapon. Earth elementals serve her, she can pass through stone, and can commune with the Oerth Mother. Her holy symbol is a mountain with a ruby heart; she places rubies in the earth as gifts to those who do her husband's work.
The hills and mountains are sacred and beautiful places, whether on the surface or within tunnels that hole them like veins. Working with stone for any good purpose is a blessed task, but cutting rock out of pure greed or evil intent is an abomination. The greatest gift the earth gives are gemstones, each a tiny part of the earth's power and beauty reflected a thousand times upon itself.
Ulaa's clerics live on or in the mountains, protecting them from those who would enter for the sake of greed or evil. They protect their community, root out dens of evil nonhumans, and teach miners and quarrymen how to spot the best places to work. They act as guides for those passing through their lands, travel to see other stony examples of the earth's beauty, and abhor slavery.
Domains Earth, Good, Law; Weapons warhammer(m)
Ulaa is the patron Power of miners, hillsmen, mountaineers, and quarrymen. She has some following among the demihumans engaged in such tasks, and is often portrayed as a dwarf or gnome. In her more typical human portrayal, she is shown as a plain-faced, strong, determined woman with skin as hard as stone, clad in chain mail and hefting a military pick and great warhammer.
Ulaa's following is concentrated in hilly rural lands such as the Kron Hills and Flinty Hills. Nearly all her temples are underground. Services include displays of gemstones and fine minerals, rythmic hammering on stone, and chanted hymns.
AL Lawful good; WAL Any good, neutral; SoC Hills, Mountains, Gems; SY Mountain with ruby heart; CR Green, brown, gray; PN Seven Heavens, Concordant Opposition
Ulaa is the patroness of miners, hillmen, ountaineers, and quarrymen. She also has a large following among demi-humans, particularly dwarves, gnomes, and halflings. Shrines, temples, and chapels dedicated to Ulaa are scattered throughout the Flanaess. They are always located in stony areas, if not underground. Services to Ulaa include displays of earth and gemstones, rhythmic hammerings on stone, and hymns featuring chants with deep notes.
Ulaa's Priests
This priesthood is strongly community based. The priests watch over the maintenance of mines and quarries, use spells to ensure the safety of those who work therein, and work with priests of other races. A special note regarding their granted powers: like rangers, priests must choose a racial enemy, typically a hill-dwelling humanoid or giant race (ogres, gnolls, ores, etc.).
Clerics of Ulaa wear robes of brown, green, or a combination of these colors, depending on level. They are servants and protectors of the community. At 1st level they must select a foe, usually some type of monster that is a local menace. When attacking this foe in melee, the cleric gets a + 1 bonus to damage. This bonus increases by an additional + 1 for every three levels the cleric gains, to a maximum of +4. The foe must be one particular kind of creature, i.e., hill giants, orcs, trolls, etc.
Requirements: AB Str 13 or Con 14; AL LG, LN; AEx + 5%; WP club, flail, hammer*, staff, military pick*, sling, warhammer; AR metal; RA brown, green, or brown-green robes; SP Combat, Divination (minor), Elemental (earth, fire, water), Guardian, Healing, Necromantic*, Protection, Wards; SPL command earth; PW 1) +1 to damage versus special enemy race per 4 levels of experience (round fractions up), 1)detect invisible (objects) (W2 4) dig (W4 7) passwall (W5 10) transmute stone to flesh (W6 12) immune to Elemental (earth) attacks; TU nil; ADD command earth, light, continual light, quest, animate object, heroes’ feast; PN Elemental Plane of Earth
Demi-humans with infravision have this capability doubled when using the detect invisible objects spell. Casting times are normal, and the spells are cast at the cleric’s level.
Link to explanation of Priests abbreviationsUlaa’s Avatar
HD 22; THACO 8; SpA CLNU 13/13; MV 9” (18” AC -5; hp 100; #AT 2 (1 with hammer Dmg ld6 + 13/ld6 + 13 or see below; MR 45%; SZ M; Str 19, Int 18, Wis 18, Dex 17, Con 18, Cha 16 (18 in dwarves and gnomes)
Ulaa can appear as male or female, dwarf, gnome, human, or any other creatures she chooses. All of her guises, however, tend to have dwarf-like proportions and a gnomish visage. She generally accoutres herself with adamantite chain mail with a gem-studded harness. She always carries an enchanted military pick and a hammer of thunderbolts.
Ulaa is immune to all earth-based spells. She can pass through earth or rock at a rate of 18” per turn. Creatures of the Elemental Plane of Earth respect her, serving faithfully at her request (if good or neutral), or fleeing when sighting her (if evil). Her hearing is double the human norm, and she has infravision to 240 feet and ultravision.
Her most common avatar is hit only by weapons of + 3 or better enchantment and regenerates one hit point per round when in contact with earth or stone. No matter what her form, she can cast the following spells one at time, once per round, at 12th level:
Once per day: earthquake, statue, move earth, glassteel, wall of stone, conjure earth elemental (24HD)
Twice per day: transmute rock to mud, stone to flesh, flesh to stone, wall of stone
Three times per day: passwall, dimension door, stone shape, glassee, wall of force
Ulaa’s military pick is +5. She can hurl her hammer of thunderbolts every other round to a 140-foot range, with no rest required. Her most common avatar inflicts 2d4+12 damage on large opponents (assuming it doesn’t kill them outright, see DMG). When attacking small opponents (less than 1 hit die) Ulaa can slay 2d4 + 12 hit dice of creatures per attack with the hammer.
Additional Spell
Command Earth (Alteration)
Level: 6
Range: Special
Components: V, M
Casting Time: 9 segs.
Duration: 6 turns + l/level
Saving Throw: Negates
Area of Effect: Special
This spell gives the cleric limited power over creatures the element of earth. While this spell is in effect, earth elementals and other creatures from the Elemental Plane of Earth cannot approach within five feet of or attack the caster. The caster can forego this protection and attempt to charm the creature. Saves against the charm are at a -2 penalty. If the charm fails the creature is free to attack the caster. While the spell is in effect, the caster is able to converse with earth elemental creatures, and earth elemental creatures of the cleric’s alignment will tend to be friendly toward the cleric (unless a charm is attempted). If an earth elemental is successfully charmed, the caster may use it to move earth, as the sixth level magic-user spell. The material component for this spell is Ulaa’s holy symbol (the mountain with a ruby heart) and an opaque gemstone.
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