Ilneval

Ilneval is a lesser deity of the Orc pantheon. A cunning war leader inspiring great loyalty in his followers, he is very diligent in planning his strategies for victory. He is considered the patron of orc crossbreeds, such as ogrillons and tanarukks.

Description
Ilneval appeared as a confident and seemingly war-wise, yet perpetually unsmiling, tall orc. His face and arms were marred heavily by battle scars that only increased his appeal to his orcish followers.

Personality
Bold and direct, Ilneval was a daring leader that charged headfirst into battle with only the destruction of his opposition and triumph over his adversaries on his mind. He was a take-charge figure of inspiring bravery that loathed cowardice and underhandedness, but was not, as one might assume, an unthinking brute.

Indeed, Ilneval was actually a devious strategist, but his careful plans were made before the battle to maximize his odds of success and ensure he inflicted as much damage on the enemy as possible. He was both self-serving and ambitious, preferring to plan the conquest to come rather than reminisce on victories past.

Powers
Ilneval was nearly as strong as the incredibly powerful Bahgtru, and his avatar was immune to non-magical weaponry. It could also use clerical magic and cast domination three times per day.

Possessions
Ilneval's dreadful broadsword was enchanted, and caused profuse bleeding in those it struck unless magic on or above the level of cure serious wounds was applied. There was a chance that any non-orc it hit would be instantly slain.

The War Maker also wore an enchanted suit of red, iron chainmail that deflected all missile weapons (such as arrows), including bolts and rays form spells or spell-like abilities, though it was possible that enchanted missile weapons could harm him.

Realm
The orc pantheon was known to move between the planes in their war against the goblinoid pantheon. At one point they went from the Nine Hells to Acheron, with Ilneval inhabiting a smaller block orbiting the cube of Nishrek. Eventually he ruled the warriors with a fortress town on one of Nishrek's faces, the Blood Armor clan. He was often content to marshal orc forces against the goblinoid legions of Clangor.

In the World Tree cosmology, where Nishrek was its own realm (a twisted natural landscape marred by carnage and warped to fit orc ideals), Ilneval dwelt within Gruumsh's Iron Fortress.

Activities
Ilneval's role in the orc pantheon was that of the captain, the master commander (next to Gruumsh) who devised the tactics and stratagems that allowed orcs to dominate the battlefield and fill their war wagons with gore and treasure. Ilneval was called upon to lead Gruumsh's forces when the One-Eyed God lacked the time, or otherwise did not wish to do so himself, and the Crafty Warrior only sent an avatar at his superior's command, and only when the battle was important.

Relationships
Ilneval was Gruumsh's first lieutenant and right hand, and allowed no challenges to his position, systematically stopping any potential rival. He had deposed or destroyed one or two orc gods in the past, crushing demigods and relegating more powerful deities to lesser status in his climb to power. This was because he secretly coveted the position of Gruumsh, and had been waiting for ages to seize the throne of He-who-never-sleeps. However, many obstacles stood in the path of the Crafty Warrior's objective, and for a god of bold warfare, he was ironically restricted by several forces beyond his influence.

Gruumsh was aware of Ilneval's desire and so rightly did not trust him, but with his son Bahgtru on his side, some of the One-Eyed God's concerns were relieved. Ilneval was absolutely terrified of Bahgtru's brutality, and so long as the Leg-Breaker remained loyal to Gruumsh, Ilneval would stay loyal enough to him as well, so Gruumsh chose not to take action. Ilneval secretly resented Bahgtru for this on top of being frightened by the stronger but stupid deity, and so avoided him as much as possible (never battling with him) while covertly working to undermine him. Ilneval was also believed to lust after Gruumsh's mate, Luthic, but was afraid to act on this desire as well.

The more sinister members of the pantheon, Shargaas and Yurtrus (the orc god of darkness and stealth and the orc god of death and disease respectively), had a cold, quiet alliance to counterbalance the influence of the orcish gods of war, including Ilneval as well as Bahgtru and Gruumsh. Shargaas in particular, who was even more cunning than Ilneval, secretly revealed his treacheries to Gruumsh to simultaneously undermine the War Maker and cement himself in the pantheon. Ilneval intensely disliked the two of them for their craven, dishonorable methods but was smart enough to make use of their talents effectively when fighting other pantheons.

Though he had his differences with his fellows in the orc pantheon, Ilneval hated the goblinoid gods, Morndinsamman, Seldarine, and all their other traditional enemies, and would never betray his race as a whole. He once found himself in battle with Bahgtru against the forces of Khurgorbaeyag, the goblin god, and Hruggek, the bugbear deity.

Connections
Ilneval