Luthic

Luthic was the orc goddess of caves and the mate of Gruumsh. She was the orc deity of fertility, medicine, females and servitude and was often referred to as the Cave Mother. She was the bedrock on which the orc pantheon and way of life rested.

"An orc life is a god-ridden life. Luthic's at birth, Luthic's at death, and striving to prove themselves to Gruumsh in between."

- Elminster's notes in Volo's Guide to Monsters.

Description
Luthic appeared as an tall, female orc with dark brown skin unprotected by any armor. Her skin tone was lighter around her nose and ears, while her hair and eyes were a dull shade of black. She also had black, long claws, and was often thought to take on the guise of a giant cave bear.

Personality
Though she could hardly be said to be a kind figure, being known for her pure viciousness and easily provoked, nasty temper, Luthic was the most matronly (as befit her role) and perhaps the least wicked of the orc gods. She smiled upon healing granted to the deserving (those injured in war) and dealt with the wounded with terse efficiency. Few beings were as implacably dogged and fiercely protective as the Cave Mother, who would sooner rip apart any threat to her children with her bare, clawed hands than let anyone take them from her.

Despite her ferocity, Luthic was also cunning and wise, capable of manipulating others into serving her own ends. While Gruumsh saw his eternal war with goblinkind in Acheron as a chance for his people to combat an eager foe, allowing them to prove themselves to their gods, Luthic took the long view of the conflict and could understand its cosmic implications. The lessons she imparted on her children were for all their survival, whether on the Material Plane or throughout the multiverse.

Powers
Luthic used various magical methods to undo her foes. She could create a literal storm of blood, causing necrosis in anyone caught within the rain, and her mere presence was a call for blood to be spilt. She could incite a blood frenzy that made wounded allies more deadly, and the injured near her were not only made more vulnerable, but if struck by someone in a blood frenzy, would put them under her control. She could also inflict wasting illnesses on those who irritated her and render others so vulnerable to disease that even the most minor ailments could prove fatal in less than a week, with only three wish spells able to undo the curse.

Aside from her overtly sorcerous powers, Luthic drew much of her strength and endurance from the earth itself. She healed from her wounds while in contact with the earth (though she could fly through hovering if she chose) and could not be paralyzed, petrified, blinded, or deafened if underground or otherwise in the dark. Even the rest of her pantheon feared her great claws, which could not only extend several feet, but were unbreakable and strong enough to tunnel through solid rock.

Possessions
Avatars of Luthic were known to carry a stone controlling earth elementals and potion of extra-healing.

Realm
In the Great Wheel cosmology, like most of the orc pantheon, Luthic dwelt in Nishrek, the cube of Acheron where the orcs conducted their endless war against the goblinoids. Originally she, like Bahgtru and Ilneval, dwelt on smaller cubes orbiting the primary one, but eventually she relocated to deep within the center of the main block. Her relatively tiny following, the Black Claw clan, remained independent of the others due to their control over healing and fertility magic.

In other cosmologies, where Nishrek was its own realm separate from Acheron, Luthic lived in the caverns beneath Gruumsh's iron fortress along with the female petitioners. Most of Nishrek was marred by eternal carnage, a warped reflection of the world twisted by orcish ideals of perfection where tribes constantly battled for supremacy and divine recognition. Luthic's followers did not participate in the conflict, instead, on occasion, tending to the wounded in the short time it took before they recover (since the plane was permeated by positive energy, wounds healed faster).

Activities
Luthic dispatched avatars to heal orcs after great battles and sometimes to watch over and protect orcs during rituals of fertility. From deep inside Nishrek, she also spread plagues as she deemed appropriate; anyone that abused her name, orc or non-orc, she might curse with wasting disease or weaken their ability to handle sickness. Through her divisive ploys and fostered discord, she created cracks in the order standing in the path of Gruumsh's desire for destruction.

Relationships
Luthic was the wife of Gruumsh and mother of Bahgtru. She was paid only a modicum of respect by the rest of the orc pantheon&mdash; merely what was necessary not to anger the volatile goddess or her husband and son. Luthic grudgingly accepted the placating arrogance of the other orc gods. Although outwardly servile to male orc gods, she was cunning and manipulated her powerful husband and son to serve her own goals. Indeed, Bahgtru respected and obeyed the commands of his mother over that of his father.

Luthic detested how she was treated by the other gods within the orc pantheon due to the servile nature of her position, but accepted it, and used it to her advantage.

Luthic was involved in a secret romance with Grumbar, behind Gruumsh's back.

Worshipers
Her sacred animal was the cave bear. Her symbol was an orcish rune meaning "home." Followers of Luthic observed holy days on the new moon, symbolic of orc fertility. A yearly "Feast of the Moon" was celebrated by her worshipers to observe the changing of seasons, when many of her followers were forced to take refuge in caves for the coldest months of the year. This event enabled the conception of many young orcs to add to the ranks of warriors in the horde. Though subservient to the clergy of Gruumsh, Luthic's clerics and adepts worked to ensure a healthy crop of future orc warriors were born each year.

Behind the Scenes

 * Luthic was first detailed in Roger E. Moore's article "The Half-Orc Point of View," in Dragon #62 (TSR, 1982).[1] In Dragon #92 (December 1984), Gary Gygax indicated this as one of the deities legal for the Greyhawksetting.[2] She also appeared in the original Unearthed Arcana (1985).[3]
 * Luthic was detailed in the book Monster Mythology (1992), including details about her priesthood.[4] Her role in the cosmology of the Planescape campaign setting was described in On Hallowed Ground (1996).[5] Luthic's role in the Forgotten Realms is revisited in Faiths and Pantheons (2002).[18]

Connections
Luthic