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. 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 ).

Description
Urogalan's avatar 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
Urogalan was on good terms with members the halfling pantheon. He was also allied with Callarduran Smoothhands, Dumathoin, Flandal Steelskin, Geb, Grumbar, Segojan Earthcaller, and Sehanine Moonbow. As well as this, he considered human deities associated with earth and the protection of the dead such as Kelemvor, Jergal, and Osiris, as his allies.

Urogalan was opposed to Abbathor, Cyric, and Urdlen. He detested Velsharoon, Myrkul, and other gods associated with necromancy and the undead.

Worshipers
Most halflings honored Urogalan, however, his priesthood was rather 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. Worshipers of Urogalan favoured using the flail in combat, as well as slings, short swords, and daggers.

Urogalan's novices were called Earthlings, while his full priests were called Vassals of the Black Hound. They wore humble, long robes tied by rope belts and did not wear shoes. Priests usually shaved their heads and priestesses wore their hair in a double-braid style.

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. These were sung and read while percussion was provided by the pounding of the priests' feet, as they rotated 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, that were called Earthrisings. Halflings believed the full moon to be one of Urogalan's manifestations.

Temples
Urogalan's temples were often found in caves, skyless basins, or in halfling catacombs. They emphasized the natural terrain and their floors were always covered in six or more inches of dirt.

Appearances

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

Connections
Urogalan