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.

Powers
Gorm could fire thin, twin beams of intense heat from his eyes, each searingly hot enough to burn holes through steel in a minute and even in most stone after about two minutes. He required two minutes to recharge after firing his ruby-red lasers and the blast shots themselves lasted only briefly, but could hit two targets at once from up to away. A second beam striking the same object or area would cause a metal object to melt, and if the target was clad in armor, not only would they be scorched by the rays themselves, but by the heated metal they were wearing, Gorm himself was immune to all heat and fire, magical or otherwise, and his touch by itself could also heat metal.

Gorm's touch could also dissipate the effects of fatigue caused by exertion or lack of sleep to restore someone to full alertness. Gorm could never be surprised, could detect the presence of creatures, living or undead, within of himself with pinpoint accuracy, and couldn't have his mind mentally tampered with, whether by spells, psionics, or illusions. Only significantly enchanted weapons could strike Gorm, and he was constantly under the effects of protection from normal missiles, a ward that couldn't be dispelled, temporarily negated, or interfered with by his own magical powers.

Like some of the other dwarven gods, the death of Gorm's avatar would create a ghost-like anima able to use magic, become invisible at will, and which couldn't be turned, though was far less sturdy than its previous incarnation.

Manifestation
Gorm couldn't manifest an avatar in the same area twice in a 24 hour period, but battles lasting more than one day could see him manifest multiple times. He could manifest himself by granting a dwarf a protection from good and evil aura, as well as immunity to a certain kind of spell or attack (such as fire). He could also enchant a weapon, making it more powerful until the end of the current battle or the end of the next.

Other manifestations of Gorm included a glowing hand with two burning eyes in the palm. The hand possessed Gorm's full strength, and could do things such as break ropes, push away siege ladders and punch opponents. He was also known to manifest as a disembodied metal gauntlet that would strike any metal shield or breastplate nearby to warn of intruders or impending attack, causing a terrific, rolling, gong-like noise to ring throughout the air and the object to sport two burning eyes for the next ten minutes, leaving two eyeholes burnt into the metal when it finally faded.

Gorm demonstrated his favor through the discovery of alestones, amaratha, azurites, fire agates, fire opals, flamedance, jacinths, rubies, and scapras. He conveyed displeasure through the appearance of shattered shields, upside-down helms, and fleeting footprints that quickly faded if followed.

Possessions
Gorm's personal weapon was Axegard, his heavily enchanted, two-handed battleaxe that gave its wielder the power of a robe of eyes.

The runes inscribed on Gorm's armor acted as a ring of spell turning, allowing him to, by silent act of will, reflect the effects of any spells, spell-like abilities, and magic items back at whoever sent them. He could only activate this effect once every ten minutes, but the power worked instantaneously, regardless of any physical restraints or strikes used against him, and could reflect any number of effects used simultaneously.

Realm
Gorm's nominal home was Watchkeep, a tower he and his avatars only returned to when they needed access to his amassed armory or his magical Seat of Healing, which could restore all injury done to him or anyone else he allowed to sit on it and could regenerate extensive physical damage in somewhere under an hour.

Watchkeep was said to be in Bytopia, in the blizzard-whipped mountains of Shurrock, and at others times to be built on a distant foothill in Dwarfhome. In Dwarfhome, Gorm was said to keep constant watch over all the rest of the plane from the top of the tower, immediately knowing if a portal opened. Many dwarven defenders hoped for the privileges to stand guard there after death, believing that those who died fighting superior forces in the line of duty would be granted the right.

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