The World of Layonara

Layonara World Lore => Histories/Content of Layonara => The Pantheon => Topic started by: EdTheKet on September 16, 2004, 01:19:00 pm

Title: Sulterio
Post by: EdTheKet on September 16, 2004, 01:19:00 pm
Aliases: Adamantine One, The Brooding One   
Race: Grey Dwarf  
Alignment: LE  
Worshippers: Mostly Duergar although a few other savage races occasionally also worship the Adamantine One.  
Clerical Alignments: LE, NE, LN  
Domains: Death, Earth, Evil, Knowledge. Nearly all clerics have the Earth domain and one of the others.  
Governs: Darkness, evil, mining, poisons  
Dogma:  
The riches of the Underdark should be mined in honor of the Adamantine One. Work and toil to gather these riches, for nothing worthwhile is easily acquired. Those who show weakness or lack of faith shall be punished. As adamantium is forged by fire into weapons and armor, so you shall be forged by your faith. Do not rely on the arcane arts, rely on strength. Be loyal to your clan and honor the ways of your people. Obey your superiors. Show no mercy to the other dwarven races.  
Clergy Favored Weapon and Clothing:  
The favored weapon of all the clergy is the adamantium maul or hammer. They wear adamantium armors, heavily plated and always of a grayish/blackish color, so that they blend in with the rocks. They wear a mushroom-shaped talisman around their necks. When not wearing armor they wear dark, hueless garbs.  
Clergy and Temples:  
The clergy can roughly be divided into three sects: the Deep Smiths, the Adamantine Brotherhood, and The Chosen.  
The Deep Smiths were shown the ways of working the earth and all the ores within it, especially adamantium, the black and unyielding ore. This focus of knowledge has led to a well-established order of subterranean ore-crafters known as the Deep Smiths. They excel in the crafting of adamantium armors and weapons. Unlike their Dorandite counterparts, however, they create not out of love for the craft itself, but as a means to make better materials for war. Love of war replaces the pride of craftsmanship, and all of their works exude a martial, bloodthirsty aura. Nonetheless, items crafted by the Deep Smiths are highly prized and valued pieces of work.  
The Adamantine Brotherhood seek to be more like the Adamantine One, and have taken to literally mimicking the title in the very fiber of their being. They have hardened body and mind in pursuit of the essence of their namesake metal. Some have compared them to the Voraxite Brothers of Battle, but the Brotherhood is much more numerous. They have fewer scruples and will not refrain from using poisons to help them in their dark endeavors. The Adamantine Brotherhood rarely surfaces, instead seeking to advance their physical and mental fortitude by delving even deeper into the earth and uncovering and claiming even more riches for the glory of the Brooding One. It is rumored that the greatest of the Brotherhood can actually reach into the core beneath the Underdark and extract molten adamantium from the very heart of Layonara.  
The third sect is The Chosen, battle clerics of Sulterio. They are a ruthless and vicious order, and can readily call upon the strength and viciousness of Sulterio in the throes of battle. Armies of the Underdark are often lead by these clerics; those that are not often regret not paying the hefty price needed to hire The Chosen when they fall prey to an army that did.  
Other orders and specializations exist within the faith of Sulterio, including warriors, slavers, and even traders. But since the Duergar of different clans oftentimes mistrust each other (though never quite so much as they mistrust other races), the clerical hierarchy is usually based on a clan level. The sect’s leader is chosen quite simply, through a trial of single combat. The cleric who defeats all challengers becomes the leader and guides his faction in faith and war.  
Temples to Sulterio are rare on the surface world. The few that exist are generally deep within mountains to reflect the world of the Underdark. The temples are usually little more than fortresses of stone, though they are often adorned with adamantium ore. Altars are invariably also made of the most perfect deposits of adamantium.  
Constellation:  
Called 'Sulterio's Bane' The Brooding One's constellation takes the shape of his holy symbol; a mushroom. 'Sulterio's Bane' is composed of nineteen stars of a deep silver color. Shining very dimly this constellation is almost as hard to spot as Corath's is.  It moves from South to North and back again over the course of the year, settling in the northern sky during the summer, and the southern sky during the winter.  Few believe that this constellation has large divine meanings in Duergar culture as few Duergar ever reach the surface to lay eyes upon it, but few actually claim to know the truth, and even fewer tell what is believed to be the truth.  
Prayers:  
With the exception of The Chosen of Sulterio, it is rare for any caste to pray regularly, except for guidance before extreme trial. To ask for help (even from one’s own god) is considered a sign of weakness by Sulterio’s faithful. Instead, followers of Sulterio worship him more in name and deeds than in words. The Chosen however, do pray each day upon rising so that Sulterio will better know the sound of their voice, lest their prayers go unanswered in the heat of battle because Sulterio did not hear them over the uproar.  
Allies and Enemies:  
Allied:    
Friendly: Pyrtechon, Shadon, Corath   
Neutral: Rofirein, Branderback, Katia, Aragen, Shindaleria, Grannoch, Dorand  
Unfriendly: Aeridin, Goran, Lucinda, Beryl, Folian S'pae, Baraeon Ca'Duz, Vierdri’ira  
Enemy: Vorax, Ilsare, Deliar, Toran, Mist, Az'atta, Kithairien, Xeen, Prunilla, Grand