Gorm Gulthyn

Gorm Gulthyn was a lesser dwarven deity of vigilance and defense, patron of those dwarves that protected their home and kin from external attack. Guardian of all dwarvenkind throughout Faerun, Gorm watched over battlefields, established traps in tunnels, and tirelessly teleported across the Realms to protect the Stout Folk from their foes, prepared to fight until the fire in his eyes was fully extinguished.

"Paying Gorm's greatest price."

- The Gormite term for sacrificing one's life to protect their charge.

Description
Gorm appeared as a or  tall dwarf clad in golden-brown, full plate armor decorated with red runes that constantly changed and crawled across the suit. The Sentinel spoke with a stern, booming voice, and divine flames constantly licked the eyeholes of his mask.

Personality
By those of a chaotic bent, Gorm was often written off as the classic dour dwarf, with even most dwarves themselves perceiving the Sentinel as surly and humorless. He had little patience for those he distrusted, little interest or tolerance for distracting foolishness, little use for sentimentality that could disrupt the dispassionate performance of his duty, and generally little to say. Ever-consumed by his demanding role as the dwarves' defender, he was on constant alert for threats to the Stout folk to thwart, even coming to the defense of the duergar if their own evil was dwarfed by that of the enemy force.

Activities
Gorm manifested on the Prime far more often than his companions in the Morndinsamman to defend the dwarven realms. These manifestations kept vigils on battlements, established traps and deadfalls in neighboring passages, and instructed his clerics on plans for a steady and reliable defense. Those who had seen him fight to defend dwarven communities related his stunning battle prowess, but they also commented that his combat maneuvers increasingly showed a growing desperation, as if he believed each battle might be his last.

Relationships
Gorm considered Clangeddin Silverbeard, Marthammor Duin and Moradin his closest friends. He had confided his dying status only to them.

Worshipers
Clerics of Gorm were known as barakor ("those who shield") and organized the defense of dwarven communities. They also acted as bodyguards, and taught locals the value of alertness and vigilance. When they entered the church, each barakor was assigned a charge they were to protect with their lives. Gorm's more powerful clerics often chose to defend important clan members, but lower ranked barakor seemed to have their charges determined randomly. These included children, elderly, and infirm clan members. Regardless of their charge's status, they were all willing to sacrifice themselves, also known as "paying Gorm's greatest price" in the church. Gorm's temples were typically plain stone constructions, which featured a central altar that contained the remains of a fallen barakor. Most of his temples also contained a small armory and were well defended from possible attackers.

Rituals
Barakor prayed for spells in the morning, usually followed by a tour of their community to ensure that no incidents happened at night. Each festival they celebrated with tedious procedures containing formal salutes, rhythmic grounding of weapons, and didactic, chanted prayers. Barakor frequently multiclassed as dwarven defenders or fighters. Dwarven defenders in the clergy of Gorm were offered the highest possible honor.

History
By the late 14th century DR, Gorm Gulthyn was dying. Over the centuries, as he kept using his essence to create avatars to defend dwarven kingdoms, his fate seemed to have become tied to those places. Each time one of the clanholds fell, something inside Gorm Gulthyn died. The divine fire in the eye-holes of his mask grew dimmer by almost imperceptible increments every time. With each new manifestation, Gorm became more careless in his defense, perhaps trying to end his condition on the tip of an enemy sword. All hoped for the Thunder Blessing and the resurgence of ancient dwarven bloodlines to restore his strength.

Gorm's divinity was finally spent in a battle with the duergar deities, Laduguer and Deep Duerra in 1383 DR. Gorm and Haela Brightaxe both died in battle.

After the Second Sundering, Gorm Gulthyn was once again present and revered by dwarves, but the circumstances of his return were unknown.

Appearances

 * Video Games


 * Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor