Urogalan

Urogalan was the halfling deity of earth and death. He was a gentle deity for a god of death, respected and revered by his chosen race but never feared and seen as a protector of the dead. Because the halfling dead were usually buried, he was also the guardian of the earth itself (as opposed to the plants that grew in the earth, which were under the portfolios of other halfling deities). His symbol was a silhouette of a dog's head.

Description
Urogalan appeared as a slim, dusky-skinned halfling dressed in brown or pure white, representing his two primary aspects of earth and death. He rarely spoke or showed emotion, but his rarely heard voice was tinged with loss.

Realm
Urogalan's realm, Soulearth, was found on the plane of Elysium. This realm was a cavern beneath the surface of Eronia, Elysium's second layer. The souls of halflings went to Urogalan's realm before being assigned their proper places in the afterlife.

Relationships
The halfling pantheon of gods consisted of the leader Yondalla, as well as Arvoreen, Brandobaris, Cyrrollalee, Sheela Peryroyl, and Urogalan himself. Urogalan was on good terms with the rest of his pantheon, but somewhat removed from their embrace of life. Urogalan was allied with Callarduran Smoothhands, Dumathoin, Flandal Steelskin, Grumbar, Segojan Earthcaller, and Sehanine Moonbow. He was also allied with human deities associated with earth and the protection of the dead such as Kelemvor.

Urogalan was opposed to Abbathor and Urdlen. He abhors Velsharoon and those gods associated with necromancy and the undead.

Worshipers
Most halflings honored and propitiated Urogalan, but few actually worshiped Urogalan and his priesthood was small. They administered last rites, presided over burials, and cared for halfling graves. They also maintained much of halfling genealogies and histories, and consecrated the foundations of new buildings and burrows. Their favored weapon was the flail.

Urogalan's novices were called Earthlings, while his full priests were called Vassals of the Black Hound. They wore simple, ankle-length robes tied with belts of rope. They were always bare-footed. Priests typically shaved their heads, while priestesses bound their hair in twin braids.

Dogma
Urogalan's faithful believed that just as the earth is the giver of all life, so it ultimately receives all life into its embrace. They revered the soil and embraced death when their natural lives came to an end.

Rituals
Offerings to Urogalan included uncut gems and clay images of He Who Must Be. They were placed on flat rocks at the centers of natural earthen basins while soft dirges and elegies were sung and read while percussion was provided by the pounding of bare feet making slow circles around the central stone.

Halfling bodies were interned in stone or wooden caskets with a stone tablet graven with the name of the deceased and a symbol of the Black Hound on their chests and on their palms. Mementos of their lives were often buried with them.

Holy Days
Urogalan's holy times were the nights of the full moons, known as Earthrisings. Halflings believed the full moon to be one of Urogalan's manifestations.

Temples
Urogalan's temples were found in shallow basins open to the sky, in natural caves or in catacombs dug by halflings. They emphasized the natural terrain and their floors are always covered in six inches of dirt.

Appearances

 * Novels
 * Baldur's Gate
 * Baldur's Gate

Connections
Urogalan