Urdlen

The Crawler Below, the Evil One

Urdlen (URD-len), a neuter and sexless being, is the epitome of the evil impulse that rules some gnomes and is feared by the rest. A mindless force of malicious evil and destruction, Urdlen serves as a warning for every gnome to beware the taint of greed that lies within the gnomish delight in gems and jewelry.
It is telling that gnomes have no myths of how this evil arose, but that they simply fear Urdlen's vicious, life-hating evil and bloodlust. Just as the Crawler Below can burrow into the earth of the Abyss, so it hopes evil will burrow into the hearts and souls of gnomes everywhere. Urdlen thrives on trickery that harms the innocent and the good. It is commonly venerated by evil thieves and fighters, although gnomes from all walks of life have succumbed to its evil taint. Spriggans are said to be the twisted offspring of gnomes who succumbed to Urdlen's taint early in the history of the Forgotten Folk, and they honor their god and patron by perpetuating its reign of terror.
Urdlen's place in the gnome pantheon is oddly unquestioned, though the god is greatly feared and secretly reviled by nearly all the Forgotten Folk. Urdlen hates all the other gods of the gnomes with a passion, and they in turn war against it. Further, the Crawler Below has garnered the enmity of dwarven and halfling powers as well. Urdlen contests with Flandal Steelskin, Garl Glittergold, Segojan Earthcaller, Callarduran Smoothhands, and Urogalan, for those gnomes and halflings under their protection are most often the target of Urdlen's attacks. Although it may be more of a rivalry, the Crawler Below and Zuggtmoy, the Demoness Lady of Fungi, are supposed to have an understanding of some sorts, an alliance that allows isolated followers of the Crawler Below to eke out a living on the wild fungi and lichens of the Underdark.
The Crawler Below crushes all life without regard. It wants to spoil or destroy everything. Urdlen is a half-mad, blindly destructive impulse; the blindness of its chosen avatar form is very tellingly symbolic. No one can predict where it will strike or what its plans are to further the cause of evil among the Forgotten Folk. The nature of its plans to bring evil into the hearts of gnomes is not understood even by the other gnome deities. It is said that Urdlen lusts for precious metals, jewels, and the blood of any human, humanoid, or demihuman.

Divine Domains

Death, War

Divine Symbols & Sigils

White mole

Tenets of Faith

Succumb to bloodlust. Seize power-directly. Hate, covet, crush, despoil, and kill. Revel and exult in orgies of death and destruction. That which is living or created by life must be murdered or destroyed because that is the ultimate end of all and to deny it is to deny the truth of all existence. The strong survive and the weak are their cattle. Do what Urdlen wants first; second, do whatever you want. Give in to every evil impulse, for what use is there in covering over the truth of your nature? Propitiate the Crawler Below with sacrifice so that it does not come for you. Existence is a cosmic joke before death, the truth behind it all, comes at Urdlen's claws. Sharing the cruel ironies and harsh humor of existence with others is only kind, for it helps to toughen them for what is coming in the end.

Holidays

In a regular ritual known as the Feeding, Urdlen's priests appease their god by spilling the blood of their prey on the ground and burying it. Jewels and valuable metal goods are also sacrificed to him by ruining, breaking, tarnishing, or melting them and then burying them. On Midwinter night, followers of the Crawler Below gather in subterranean caverns to offer blood sacrifices to the god to appease its wrath. If Urdlen is displeased by the volume of blood or the value of the despoiled goods offered on the Night of Blood, it may appear and slay all the assembled worshipers in an orgy of unbridled destruction.

Divine Goals & Aspirations

Day-to-Day Activities

From their subterranean warrens, Urdlen's priests wage an unending war on communities of the Forgotten Folk, particularly the clergies of the other gnome gods. When not hunting other creatures, members of the priesthood work to steal, deface, or destroy objects of value, particularly gems and works of art. They share their lord's love for evil and deadly pranks directed against all creatures, including gnomes.

Priestly Vestments

During depraved ceremonies, priests of the Crawler Below wear blood-stained white cloaks made from the pelts of animals such as polar bears, winter wolves, and the like. The holy symbol of the faith is a blood-soaked skull, although most of Urdlen's priests keep a bloodfed white mole as both a pet and a symbol of their god.

Adventuring Garb

Members of Urdlen's clergy employ the best armor and weapons available. Priests of Urdlen prefer edged weapons to maximize the amount of blood shed, and all priests favor weapons that inflict a great deal of pain on their victims. Some members of the priesthood employ magical steel claws similar to that employed by the cult of the Beastlord. Claws of Urdlen are metal gauntlets with a row of large, curved knives affixed atop the knuckles. A priest trained in their use can strike once per round with each hand without disadvantage. In addition, due to their enchantment, it is possible to burrow through soft earth once a day using the claws of Urdlen as crude tools.
All clerics of Urdlen are proficient in claws of Urdlen (see below), a type of slashing weapon.

Symbol: White mole
Home Plane: 399th level of the Abyss/the Worm Realm
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Portfolio: Greed, bloodlust, blood, evil, hatred, uncontrolled impulse, spriggans
Worshipers: Assassins blackguards, rogues, spriggans
Cleric Alignments: CE, CN, NE
Domain: Death, War
Favored Weapon: Great claw (claw bracer)
ALLIES: Zuggtmoy
FOES: Gaknulak, Grumbar, Kuraulyek, Kurtulmak, the dwarven pantheon, the gnome pantheon, the halfling pantheon, Psilofyr

Divine Classification

Intermediate Power