Elrem the Wise (pronounced: /ˈɛlrɛm/ ELL-rem[1]) was the powerful shaman of the Great Worm Tribe of Uthgardt barbarians in the 14th century DR.[1]
Description[]
He was described as a gigantic bat-winged snake with the head of a red dragon,[1] the "great worm" form that all powerful shamans of Uthgar were capable of assuming,[4][5] but in his normal form was an Uthgardt human.[1]
Abilities[]
Being a shaman of Uthgar, Elrem was capable of shapechanging like a druid into the form of his tribe's beast totem, the Great Worm. While in this form he possessed a number of psionic powers, including astral projection, clairvoyance, dimension walk, empathy, precognition,[1][4][5][note 1] and animal telepathy.[1]
Activities[]
He resided permanently at the Great Worm Tribe's ancestor mound, the Great Worm Cavern.[1] Much was told of the treasure collected over the years, offered as gifts upon which Elrem rested.[6]
He seemed to only rouse himself for the annual runemeet, to lead the tribe's celebrations, and to prophesize the future. Through his leadership, the tribe chose evil creatures as their spiritual enemies.[1]
History[]
When Elrem transformed into the great worm form it came as a shock and a mystery to the Great Worm Tribe as to what had occured. They believed that, either through pious devotion or the prayers of his followers, Elrem had became an embodiment of the totem spirit of his tribe, perhaps even becoming the deity himself. Some legends spread that he was a son of Uthgar himself and that his beast powers were a gift from his father.[1]
In the Year of the Banner, 1368 DR, an adventuring company sponsored by the Zhentarim broke into the Great Worm Cavern and slew Elrem the Wise[7] with the use of foul magics.[8] His fellow tribesmen descended upon the evil adventurers, seeking to avenge their shaman. Three of the adventurers managed to escape with teleportation magic, taking a significant chunk of treasure with them.[7]
Elrem's successor, Themrin, would claim to the rest of the Great Worm Tribe that Elrem's spirit had spoken with him and promised that he would continue to watch over the tribe now that his mortal form was destroyed".[7] Scales from Elrem's would go on to be made into two sets of armor that would be worn by Themrin and the chieftain of the Great Worm Tribe, Gweshen Talistars.[7][8] However, both would deny having made the armor,[8] whilst Themrin would additionally claim that this use of his body was ordained from a dream vision.[7] It would go on to be common consensus among the Great Worm Tribe that the suits of armor had simply appeared one day outside the Great Worm Cavern.[8]
The tragic death of Elrem and the appearance of the scale armor would later be recounted for the wider public of Faerûn in the pages of History of the North's seventh volume.[9]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier and Powers & Pantheons both state that the "great worm" form confers a number of psionic powers to Uthgar shamans. The powers listed are nearly the same as those that were originally detailed for Elrem back in The Savage Frontier – animal telepathy being the one exception, as it was the only power not to make the transition from 1st to 2nd edition AD&D. From this it can be inferred that Elrem's psionic powers are not unique to him.
Appearances[]
Video Games
Baldur's Gate
References[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 Jennell Jaquays (1988). The Savage Frontier. (TSR, Inc), pp. 12, 24, 58. ISBN 0-88038-593-6.
- ↑ slade, et al. (April 1996). “The Wilderness”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), p. 31. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (September 1997). Powers & Pantheons. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 69. ISBN 978-0786906574.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 slade, et al. (April 1996). “The Wilderness”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), p. 33. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Eric L. Boyd (September 1997). Powers & Pantheons. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 71. ISBN 978-0786906574.
- ↑ Jennell Jaquays (1988). The Savage Frontier. (TSR, Inc), pp. 54–55. ISBN 0-88038-593-6.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 slade, et al. (April 1996). “The Wilderness”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), p. 11. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 slade, et al. (April 1996). “The Wilderness”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), p. 18. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
- ↑ BioWare (December 1998). Designed by James Ohlen. Baldur's Gate. Black Isle Studios.