Orcish Pantheon

The Orcish pantheon is the collection of orcish gods the orcish people worship. The chief god of this pantheon is **Goruth** the God of War and Conflict. He is the most powerful of the Gods, owning the orcish domain of Üthgard in which they reside.

## Lesser Gods

The lesser orcish gods are gods in their own right, worshiped by the orcish people but significantly less powerful than Goruth or any other major god. Goruth has only granted them varying degrees of power that may be redacted at his own will.

### Avog, the Mother.

Avog, the Mother is the goddess of orcish women, children & health. She is worshiped by orcish women for the health of them and their children. She is especially prayed to during pregnancy and childbirth to ensure the safety of the child and the mother. She implores her followers to be good wives and to take care of their families. She arose to godhood from the prayers of the orcish women, who Goruth, wearied by all these prayers that were not related to battle, decided to compile them and create a new minor Goddess for the prayers to go to. Avog is depicted as a beautiful orcish woman, often holding a child or a baby. She is the most powerful of the lesser gods, but she is a merciful goddess, not one for reckless slaughter.

### Froyir, the Forgewife.

Froyir, the Forgewife is the goddess of orcish craft and creation. Every orcish craftsperson, who in orcish tribes was more often a woman as the orcish men were occupied with matters of fighting & hunting, prays to Froyir to guide their hands in creating and improving their creations. Blacksmiths especially worship Froyir before they make an item for a chieftain so she will assist them in their task. Her creation came about from Goruth's will, who was so impressed with a mortal orcish woman's craft work that he imbued her with great powers to create weaponry for the warriors in Üthgard. She resides in the enormous forge in Üthgard, creating weapons for the warriors there. Her legendary weapons have appeared in orcish tales numerous times, with rumors that the great weapons blessed by her were used by the greatest orcish chieftains and kings. Other rumors also say that these same weapons can still be found in the blighted lands, but many intrepid explorer has lost their lives searching for them in the wastelands of the blighted lands. Froyir is depicted as an orcish woman in armour, holding a smith's hammer.

### Barzod, the Exiled.

Barzod, the Exiled is the god of the exiled and neglected. In Orcish society, cowards and traitors to their clan are exiled without mercy and branded with a hot iron or scarred with a blade to mark their dishonor. Such orcs are not accepted into any clans, forced to wander the wastes of the Blighted Lands, doomed to die. Their saving grace may be another clan taking them as a slave, where they at least may survive longer than out in the wilderness. Barzod was once a powerful orcish chieftain, but on the eve of battle faced by a superior foe he fled, leaving his tribe to the slaughter. The chieftains of the land hunted him down and branded his entire body with the marks of a traitor and coward leaving him permanently and horrifically scared. He swore revenge on the chieftains and wandered throughout the lands for months, gathering various exiles and saving them from certain death in return for their servitude. Within a few years, Barzod had gathered a significant army of exiled. This army, named "The Marked", marched through the land to enact Barzod's revenge. Barzod led his army to slaughter those who wronged him and retook his spot as chieftain. Goruth was thoroughly entertained by this display, and upon Barzod's death granted him minor powers in Üthgard. However, Goruth still regarded him as a traitor and coward and cursed his scars to forever cause intense pain to Barzod. Barzod is magically tied to reside in the center of the Cursed Wastes of Üthgard, where the cursed exiles attempt to reach him in hopes of recreating Barzod's army.

## Demigods

Demigods are warriors or orcish kings that impressed Goruth through their powers, most often in combat. They have been granted power to enhance their abilities as mortals, and have taken it to the afterlife where they sit on high seats as renowned orcish champions.

### Morul the Great

Morul-Vorguth, more commonly known as Morul the Great, is considered to be the greatest orcish king in history. He united the initial orcish tribes into a great kingdom and fought the other races, expanding the orcish land. He was a strong warrior but his true talent was being able to control the orcish hordes under his command. Modern military stratagem manuals even mention his name in sections regarding army organization. Tales of his exploits are passed down through every tribe, who venerate him, children aspiring to be like the legend they have heard so much about. Morul holds a high position in Üthgard, where he now resides. Stories passed down from father to son say that Morul's legendary sword, Bloodletter, which was lost in a battle, is still somewhere in the center of Orlanthia.

### Zurk the Strong

Zurk the Strong is a legendary orcish warrior, one that is considered the model of an ideal warrior. Tales say that Zurk was so big as a child that he killed his mother when exiting the womb, his very survival at birth a blessing from the gods. He grew to be a huge orc of enormous strength, endurance and ferocity. Legends say that he was said to be able to wrestle dragons, shatter armor with a single punch and cleave giants in half. It is said he fought for his tribe until he realized he was more powerful than his chief, who instead of dueling the beast before him, decided to flee. Zurk grabbed the craven chief and tore him in half with his bare hands infront of the entire tribe. Zurk was not interested in being a chieftain however, and left the tribe, traveling the land in search of worthy opponents. At this point, Goruth noticed this masterful warrior and blessed him with strength unobtainable by mortals. Zurk became Goruth's champion, who fought for him on the mortal plain. They say Zurk was too powerful for Orlanthia and left for another realm in search of worthy opponents. Zurk still resides in Üthgard, where he awaits Goruth's word as one of his martial champions.

## Üthgard

Üthgard is the orcish afterlife and realm where the orcish gods are said to exist. Orcs that perish in battle are said to travel to the afterlife in Üthgard, where they eternally feast and fight each other. The orcish warriors reside in a large long building known as *Lozon Heza* made of varnished wood. In this building lay tables with food and drink for the deceased warriors to feast upon. Orcish warriors exit the building to fight for entertainment, glory, or to repay old grudges. The land which the Lozon Heza sits upon is detached from the surrounding landscape, floating in the sky. Down below is a place named the *Cursed Wastes*, similar to the blighted lands. Volcanos, magma pools , stagnant dark murky swamps and deadlands where nothing grows litter the land. The exiles and traitors that have been branded on the mortal plain do not have the luxury of feasting in the afterlife and are cursed to be exiles in afterlife as well. They either die in the wastes or are hunted down by orcish warriors from the Lozon Heza, who form hunting parties and murder the exiles for entertainment.