Ulmo - God of the Seas, Storms and Rain

Ulmo is the god of the sea, aquatic creatures, and the unknown depths. He is known by many names; the Wavefather, Lord of Tides, and in the Elven tongue of the Elven Pantheons, Ulmo is known as "Kalandrios" - God of Seas, Winds, and Storms.He also holds sway over less tangible concepts such as ancient knowledge, long voyages, and gradual change. No community that lives by the sea can ignore the influence of Ulmo; for he can be of fickle nature, and is reflected by the waters of the deep. Impassive and slow to anger, Ulmo is secure in the knowledge that there are no mortals and few gods who can threaten his status. Once his ire is aroused, however, it is as unstoppable as a cresting wave. He often speaks in the future tense, referring to what tomorrow will bring. He seldom laughs, and when he does, it is usually out of smugness rather than genuine mirth. Any community on the sea or large bodies of water makes sure to host festivals to propitiate the Wavefather and seek his favor for safe travel or risk his ire. Although mercurial in temperament, he can be generous to those who do him honor or service.

Depictions

In most books or artistry, Ulmo takes on primarily one of two forms; the first of a towering male figure bare to the waist, with a great beard, and long hair tied with rope and sea shells. From the waist down his form is tempest of pure water, and in his hand a great trident. His second form is that of a kind elderly man, with a great white beard, gnarled walking staff, and a great cloak of gray covered with the occasional barnacle and sea salt; which nearly entirely obscures his face from view. He is known to visit travelers in number of other forms; including as school, or singular fish, a great whale, powerful seabird, the winds of a powerful storm, or a water elemental.

Ulmo’s Influence

To most mortals, Ulmo is the sea, and the sea is Ulmo. The wind and waves, the tides, and the ocean’s bounty, ranging from small fish to the enormous krakens—all these are Ulmo’s dominion. The sea has many metaphorical aspects that Ulmo oversees as well: ancient knowledge, long-term change, introspection, voyaging, and repetitive patterns such as the tides. Ulmo governs the slow changes wrought by the passage of time, such as the weathering of rocks and the erosion of beaches. Where Azyr, Ghyran, Pelor and Fafnir controls the eternal cycle of the seasons and Andormu monitors the flow of time itself, Ulmo holds sway over the slow-acting but irresistible forces that alter the world over hundreds or thousands of years. Krakens and other behemoths of the deepest oceans move at Ulmo's command. She is protective of what she calls the greatest of her children, and she usually keeps them out of harm’s way in the darkest depths. A mighty kraken sighted close to shore is a sure sign of his displeasure.

Myth's of Ulmo

Dreams in the Deep. While Gond is renowned for his endless creations and desires to bring new ideas into being, Ulmo secretly shares similar creative desires. Endlessly bored with the predictable denizens of the land and sky, in the deepest ocean trenches, Ulmo wills immortal dreams and nightmares into being. Delicate beauty, undulating grace, and tentacular terrors are birthed in the absolute dark, iterate for generations, and suffer swift extinctions at the god’s whim, never knowing the sun’s touch. Sapient mortals aren’t welcome in these maddening ateliers; Ulmo remains bitterly unwilling to reveal her work until her creations—and the time—are absolutely perfect.
Every Tear the Sea. Few myths tell of those who escaped Ulmo’s wrath. This isn’t one of them. When the infamous explorer Rasiao failed to steal one of Ulmo’s Tidelock Pearls, wave-controlling treasures protected by vicious mollusks, she spent years avoiding the waves before finding her way back to the mainland. Although she’d failed to abscond with one of Ulmo’s treasures, she’d avoided the sea god’s wrath, a claim she valued more preciously than gold. For years, Rasiao lived far from ocean or river, making her home in the driest reaches of Esseas. She lived a long life, but on one trip to Larinthall to resupply and brag, she drowned from a bowl of ox stew. Those who found Rasiao discovered a pearl, too large to pass her lips, lodged in her mouth. Fearing further reprisal, Rasiao’s daughters committed their mother’s body to the Deyda River and Ulmo’s clutches. The explorer’s daughters never forgot that just as countless drops make the sea, so too is every raindrop, tear, and cup part of Ulmo’s domain.

Commandments of Ulmo

• Change is inevitable, but should be measured

• Respect the Rivers, Lakes, and the Sea, and all it provides to life

• The Sea is uncompromising, and sure of its power, as so should you

Champions of Ulmo

Alignment: Usually neutral or good, often chaotic
Suggested Classes: Cleric, Rogue (Swashbuckler), Sorcerer, Wizard, Ranger
Suggested Cleric Domains: Knowledge, Tempest, Nature
Suggested Backgrounds: Acolyte, outlander, sage, sailor
Ulmo’s champions typically work on behalf of change, embrace new ideas, don’t automatically defend the status quo, and wish to serve the god who controls pounding waves and massive krakens.