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Grumbar (pronounced: /ˈgrʌmbɑːrGRUM-bar[11]), known as the goddess Etugen in the Hordelands,[15] and as Grome among the duergar of Zakhara,[5] was the elemental embodiment of earth in the Realms. He was one of the four elemental deities worshiped in Faerûn, also known as Elemental Lords, those primordials that remained on Toril when it was separated from Abeir.[16] Nonetheless, the Earthlord retained worshipers and had power equivalent to that of a god.[1]

Grumbar's oath unchanging and true
Earth remains strong protecting all
— Inscription at a Grumbarryn altar[4]

Description[]

He appeared as an enormous earth elemental with red eyes that glimmered like rubies.[1]

Personality[]

Grumbar was a quiet and resolute being, who resisted change more so than other divine powers. He bore the weight of secret knowledge and protected the great riches that were found within the earth.[1]

Divine Realm[]

Under the Great Wheel and World Tree cosmologies, Grumbar dwelled within the Great Mountain in the Elemental Plane of Earth.[1][17] When that plane fell into the Elemental Chaos following the cataclysm of the Spellplague, Grumbar formed a new domain for himself, called Root Hold.[18]

Relationships[]

Grumbar had ties with other deities of elemental earth, including Geb, Garl Glittergold, Dumathoin, Laduguer, and Urogalan, but these were loose at best. Grumbar was opposed to Akadi and her flimsy and ever-changing ways. In the battle of the archomentals of Sunnis and Ogrémoch, Grumbar secretly balanced one against the other, remaining the most powerful ruler of elemental earth himself.[19]

Ogrémoch was actually one of Grumbar's children, as was his twin, Entemoch.[20]

Grumbar and orcish deity Luthic were involved in a secret romance, unbeknownst to the god Gruumsh.[21]

Worshipers[]

Grumbar symbol

The holy symbol of Grumbar.

Main article: Church of Grumbar

Like the other elemental deities, with the exception of Kossuth, Grumbar had a minimum of followers in Faerûn. He cared little for most of these worshipers.[1][11]

The church of Grumbar was organized into small sects known as Holds, each comprising three groups of seven members, divided by their individual skillsets, each supported by a number of lay people. Those who followed the Earthlord could often be found in public preaching against evils of boarding ships and setting sail to uncharted lands, preferring exploration on the continent of Faerûn.[1]

In Faerûn, there were notable Grumbarryn temples found in various mountain ranges, including the Spine of the World, the Giantspires, and the Muaraghal Mountains.[1] He was among the deities worshiped by the continents population of earth genasi.[22]

Among the Tuigan people the Hordelands, Grumbar was known by its many nomadic tribe as a goddess called Etugen. They believed she was the source of most blessings their people received. Such as good pastures, the growth of their herds, and protection against some diseases.[15][23]

On the continent of Zakhara, Grumbar was called one of the cold gods of the elements. As those were seen as uncaring for human affairs, they were considered opposed to the Land of Fate's pervasive culture of Enlightenment. Only a few Zakharans were willing to worship a cold god in order to gain power.[24] Some yak-men, ever opposed to Enlightenment, helped in the administration of Grumbar's realm on the Elemental Plane of Earth.[25]

In Kara-Tur, Grumbar had another great place of worship found in the Wu Pi Te Shao Mountains.[1]

An altar existed within Grumbar's Temple in the subterranean levels of Sadrach's Splinter, alongside other Elemental Lords' temples within other parts the spire, created by the elemental magic wizard Sadrach.[26][27] In 1486 DR, the Earthlord received the Eye of Gruumsh on this altar.[21]

Orders[]

History[]

As of the Year of the Gauntlet, 1369 DR, Grumbar had made only four known appearances on Toril in the annals of recorded history. The first occasion of his divine presence being known was during the creation of the Great Rift in south Faerûn.[1]

During the events of the Second Sundering, in the late 15th century DR. Luthic presented Grumbar with a gift, the Eye of Gruumsh, to reaffirm her love for Grumbar, in the wake of lies and doubts spread by the goddess Shar.[21]

Appendix[]

Gallery[]

Appearances[]

Novels
Referenced only
The Sentinel
Video Games
Referenced only
Descent to Undermountain

Behind The Scenes[]

Ed Greenwood initially used Grome, one of Michael Moorcock's Elemental gods as found in the original Deities & Demigods 1st edition, as the elemental lord of earth for his home campaign set in the Forgotten Realms. As he stated in Dragon magazine 54, the elemental gods "may later be replaced in (his) universe by 'official' AD&D beings as these are published".[28]

Notes[]

  1. Also a 30 HD earth elemental.

References[]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 66–67. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  2. Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), Running the Realms. (TSR, Inc), p. 61. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
  3. Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 36. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Claire Hoffman (2016). Chelimber's Descent (DDAL5-07) (PDF). Edited by Claire Hoffman, Travis Woodall. D&D Adventurers League: Storm King's Thunder (Wizards of the Coast), p. 14.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Jeff Grubb (August 1992). Land of Fate (Fortunes and Fates). (TSR, Inc), p. 33. ISBN 978-1560763291.
  6. Steve Kenson, et al. (November 2015). Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 21, 126. ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9.
  7. Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). Player's Handbook 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 59–60. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.
  8. Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 81. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  9. Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 234–235. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
  10. Bruce R. Cordell, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jeff Quick (October 2003). Underdark. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 53. ISBN 0-7869-3053-5.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. Edited by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 96. ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.
  12. Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 181. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
  13. Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 16. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
  14. Sean K. Reynolds (2002-05-04). Deity Do's and Don'ts (Zipped PDF). Web Enhancement for Faiths and Pantheons. Wizards of the Coast. p. 12. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2018-09-08.
  15. 15.0 15.1 David Cook (August 1990). “Volume I”. In Steve Winter ed. The Horde (TSR, Inc.), p. 13. ISBN 0-88038-868-4.
  16. Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 78–79. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  17. Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 142. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
  18. Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 66. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  19. Monte Cook and William W. Connors (December 7, 1998). The Inner Planes. Edited by Michele Carter and Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 36–37. ISBN 0-7869-0736-3.
  20. Brian R. James, Eric Menge (August 2012). Menzoberranzan: City of Intrigue. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 978-0786960361.
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 Troy Denning (April 2014). The Sentinel. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 84–91. ISBN 0786964596.
  22. Reynolds, Forbeck, Jacobs, Boyd (March 2003). Races of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 117. ISBN 0-7869-2875-1.
  23. Reynolds, Forbeck, Jacobs, Boyd (March 2003). Races of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 109. ISBN 0-7869-2875-1.
  24. >Jeff Grubb (August 1992). Land of Fate (Adventurer's Guide to Zakhara). (TSR, Inc), p. 57. ISBN 978-1560763291.
  25. >Wolfgang Baur (November 1997). “Campaign Classics: The Roof of the World”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon #241 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 88–95.
  26. Troy Denning (April 2014). The Sentinel. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 233. ISBN 0786964596.
  27. Troy Denning (April 2014). The Sentinel. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 285. ISBN 0786964596.
  28. Ed Greenwood (October 1981). “Down-to-earth divinity”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #54 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 6–9, 52–56.

Connections[]

The Faerûnian Pantheon
Major Deities
AzuthBaneBhaalChaunteaCyricGondHelmIlmaterKelemvorKossuthLathanderLoviatarMaskMielikkiMyrkulMystra (Midnight) • OghmaSelûneSharShaundakulSilvanusSuneTalosTempusTormTymoraTyrUmberleeWaukeen
Other Members
AkadiAurilBeshabaDeneirEldathFinder WyvernspurGaragosGargauthGerronGrumbarGwaeron WindstromHoarIstishiaIyachtu XvimJergalLliiraLurueMalarMililNobanionThe Red KnightSavrasSharessShialliaSiamorpheTalonaTiamatUbtaoUlutiuValkurVelsharoon
Primordials
Elemental Lords of Toril
AkadiBazim-GoragGrumbarIstishiaKossuth
Miscellaneous Primordials
AchazarArambarAsgorathBoremBwimbCirotralechDendarDraunnDur-baagalEntropyErek-HusKarshimisKezefMaegeraMaramNehushtaPetronQueen of ChaosRornTelosUbtao

Deities of the Post–Second Sundering Era
Ao the Overgod
Faerûnian Pantheon
Akadi | Amaunator | Asmodeus | Auril | Azuth | Bane | Beshaba | Bhaal | Chauntea | Cyric | Deneir | Eldath | Gond | Grumbar | Gwaeron | Helm | Hoar | Ilmater | Istishia | Jergal | Kelemvor | Kossuth | Lathander | Leira | Lliira | Loviatar | Malar | Mask | Mielikki | Milil | Myrkul | Mystra | Oghma | Red Knight | Savras | Selûne | Shar | Silvanus | Sune | Talona | Talos | Tempus | Torm | Tymora | Tyr | Umberlee | Valkur | Waukeen
The Morndinsamman
Abbathor | Berronar Truesilver | Clangeddin Silverbeard | Deep Duerra | Dugmaren Brightmantle | Dumathoin | Gorm Gulthyn | Haela Brightaxe | Laduguer | Marthammor Duin | Moradin | Sharindlar | Vergadain
The Seldarine
Aerdrie Faenya | Angharradh | Corellon | Deep Sashelas | Erevan | Fenmarel Mestarine | Hanali Celanil | Labelas Enoreth | Rillifane Rallathil | Sehanine Moonbow | Shevarash | Solonor Thelandira
The Dark Seldarine
Eilistraee | Kiaransalee | Lolth | Selvetarm | Vhaeraun
Yondalla's Children
Arvoreen | Brandobaris | Cyrrollalee | Sheela Peryroyl | Urogalan | Yondalla
Lords of the Golden Hills
Baervan Wildwanderer | Baravar Cloakshadow | Callarduran Smoothhands | Flandal Steelskin | Gaerdal Ironhand | Garl Glittergold | Nebelun | Segojan Earthcaller | Urdlen
Orc Pantheon
Bahgtru | Gruumsh | Ilneval | Luthic | Shargaas | Yurtrus
Mulhorandi pantheon
Anhur | Bast | Geb | Hathor | Horus | Isis | Nephthys | Osiris | Re | Sebek | Set | Thoth
Other gods of Faerûn
Bahamut | Enlil | Finder Wyvernspur | Ghaunadaur | Gilgeam | Lurue | Moander | Nobanion | Raven Queen | Tiamat



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