Dorgha Torgu
Gary Gygax wrote to the World of Greyhawk Fan Club:
“I have discovered a heretofore unmentioned deity of the World of Greyhawk, one Dorgha Torgu, an old Suloise god. I will do a brief write-up of same for the Greyhawk Grimoire.”
For our members, I thought this info should be disseminated now, as well as in the next Grimoire. Here is the write-up as it will appear:
“This is material I recently found in my old Greyhawk files. I was preparing for play in the west, and was working on this deity for the obvious reasons you will note as you read the descriptive material. This material is in draft form, and was never tested in play–an obvious need, for interaction with a party of adventures while Drought Torii was in mortal guise was intended, of course.
As an aside, if through the interaction the party managed to assist him in regaining his place, they would be much favored by him if of any but Evil alignment. Bad guys helping would be in trouble with not with him, for Drought Torii would simply ignore them, but with the other deities (and devils, demons, et.al.) for placing an opponent on high again.”
– Gary Gygax
Greater (fallen) God
(Now a Quasi-Deity)
Culture: Bakluni
Spheres of Influence: Material Dimensions, Material Elements
Alignment: N(G)
Gender: Masculine (typically)
Planes of Influence: Elemental Planes of Existence
One of the first elemental powers to ascend to the Oerthly Pantheon, Dorgha Torgu fostered study in the schools of effect. Elemental specialists, both wizards and priests, learned their powers and formulae from his teachings. He favored the Bakluni however and only they ever truly mastered elemental sorcery. Other races mimicked the Bakluni affinity with the elemental schools but never achieved their level of enlightenment.
It is rumored that Dorgha Torgu was the god who set forth the method by which faithful elementalists could transcend to Elemental Gen. He had no interest in working with or subjugating the crude and powerful elemental beings that inhabited the elemental planes of existence. The powerful elemental lords granted him the secrets of elemental creation and agreed to accept his ascended followers as their own without strife.
Unfortunately, the Elder Elemental God began to seduce powerful followers of Dorgha Torgu with his primal elemental powers. The first most powerful follower of this dark deity came to be known as a Geomancer for his mastery of the Elemental Province of Earth. This sorcerer-priest conquered entire realms in the name of his master and wreaked havoc across many prime material planes with the help of his evil master and the host of power seekers who began to worship in his wake. Evolution of other wizardly-priesthoods was a natural result, thus the Hydromancers, Pyromancers and Aeromancers were founded. The priesthoods often established themselves as God Kings in many realms. The sects served the Elder Elemental God in their own way. They also kept each other busy with constant struggles for dominance. The Elder Elemental God was amused for a time.
With their evil master manipulating them every step of the way, these priesthoods enraged Dorgha Torgu and he sought a way to thwart them. Taking the secrets given to him by the Elemental Lords he bade his faithful to imbibe essences of the elements to take on the powers of the elements themselves. In doing this, wizards and priests began to evolve differently than their peers. Eventually, these powerful beings were forced to seek solace in the elemental province they had chosen to emulate. Surrounded by raw elemental power, they leapt ahead in evolution becoming the four societies of genie. Dao, Djinni, Effreeti and Marid opposed the works of the elemental priesthoods with their patron power, Dorgha Torgu at their lead.
Nearing extinction and unable to raise enough power to defeat the very elements they relied upon to hold power over their slaves, the elemental priesthoods were scattered across the cosmos, never again to hold power over entire worlds. The Elder Elemental God, now nearly powerless without his followers, sought retribution but Dorgha Torgu and his minions, the genie, were too powerful to face directly.
Seeking aid the, Elder Elemental God encountered a dark presence that promised him the power to realize his revenge, the Faceless God of the Yikaria. With his vast, dark knowledge of decay, darkness and magic the faceless one fulfilled this promise by providing the Elder Elemental God a glimpse into the deeper darkness of the multiverse, Tharizdun. Fundamentally changed and seeking vengeance the Elder Elemental God, now calling itself Vilp-akf’cho Rentaq, began influencing noble genie-kind.
Through subtle influences and blatant corruption of select genie social circles, separation among the ranks was achieved. Earth resented Air’s erratic behavior, Flame resented Water’s power over it. Finally war broke out across the Elemental Planes. Dorgha Torgu’s children fell to the lies and deceit of the dark god’s influence.
At the same time, war between the Bakluni and Suel was reaching a climax. The Suel, tapping the powers of the Dark Lord of Entropy, struck their enemy with devastation unrivaled to this day. Thousands upon thousands of Bakluni died and still others had to suffer through the pain of a wasting death. The Bakluni cried for retribution.
Dorgha Torgu sought a means to intervene on behalf of his followers. The Elder Elemental God, conveniently close by, provided him with the method of retribution. Using borrowed energies from the Elder Elemental God Dorgha Torgu wripped dimensional barriers apart and showered the Suel Empire with colorless flame that burned even stone to ash.
While the Invoked Devastation of the Suel was wrought through the vilest of the Evil powers, the counter response by a god of neutrality was unjust despite provocation.
This single act violated his neutrality and his charge. The Oerthly Pantheon cast him out. The Elder Elemental God finally received his revenge for the loss of his powerful followers.
Shunned by deities not of malign bent, Dorgha Torgu wanders the multiverse in remorse. Torn between anger at his treatment and regret for his misdeed, this deity seeks some means of rebuking his peers while at the same time proving himself worthy of his previous station.
Despite the overtures of sinister deities, Dorgha Torgu has not turned to them. Clearly he regrets listening to the Elder Elemental God long ago, and is wise enough to understand that, to follow Evil now would simply confirm the judgment of those who have made him a pariah. Thus, those malevolent gods and goddesses also reject Dorgha Torgu. He is indeed a true outcast.
Acknowledged and venerated by Baklunish “purists”, for reasons now distasteful in the extreme to him, and a handful of other savants who are aware of his circumstances, Dorgha Torgu is no longer able to wield vast powers. He is now a mere quasi-god with powers akin to those of an Elementalist Priest– Elementalist Wizard–Paladin of 18th level each with the ability to move across the inner planes of existence and the surrounding planes, compound elements to form things thus, and, of course, to assume mortal form at will.
Brought low thus, through his own error and the judgment of his peers, Dorgha Torgu roams about, often in material form, vainly looking for that which will redeem him in the eyes of the Oerthly Pantheon. As with all things, there is a means by which the outcast can restore his lost reputation, but he must manage the matter without assistance from any planar sort. In mortal guise, this deity can assume any form–male or female, young or old, handsome or ugly, human or demi-human, etc.
When in human guise, however, Dorgha Torgu has abilities of diminished sort, even from his relatively lowly quasi-deity status. It is believed he has the secret backing of the other elemental powers, who would see their fellow restored to his place if he can earn such. It is speculated that the opportunity to make amends for his offense will come only when he is in such a weakened state. Thus, Dorgha Torgu has but mortal powers, albeit considerable ones, and can not, of course, be truly slain but merely destroyed in material form and returned to his own plane for a time for recuperation.
Dorgha Torgu as a mortal has the combined abilities of an Elemental Priest and a Cavalier. One is at 12th level ability while the other operates at 8th level, he must choose which will be dominant when he manifests. In either case he can also use each of the following spells twice per day: Elemental Aura, Passwall, Water Breathing, Fire Flow and Metamorphose Liquids.
In roaming through the prime material plane, Dorgha Torgu helps those who seek to reverse evil things, aids those who have been wronged, and to otherwise help those suffering injustices. This he does from remorse, not because he believes such a course will restore him to his lost status. Of course, it is surely some such humble act that will set him on the course of attaining that which he seeks; redemption.
“I have discovered a heretofore unmentioned deity of the World of Greyhawk, one Dorgha Torgu, an old Suloise god. I will do a brief write-up of same for the Greyhawk Grimoire.”
For our members, I thought this info should be disseminated now, as well as in the next Grimoire. Here is the write-up as it will appear:
“This is material I recently found in my old Greyhawk files. I was preparing for play in the west, and was working on this deity for the obvious reasons you will note as you read the descriptive material. This material is in draft form, and was never tested in play–an obvious need, for interaction with a party of adventures while Drought Torii was in mortal guise was intended, of course.
As an aside, if through the interaction the party managed to assist him in regaining his place, they would be much favored by him if of any but Evil alignment. Bad guys helping would be in trouble with not with him, for Drought Torii would simply ignore them, but with the other deities (and devils, demons, et.al.) for placing an opponent on high again.”
– Gary Gygax
Greater (fallen) God
(Now a Quasi-Deity)
Culture: Bakluni
Spheres of Influence: Material Dimensions, Material Elements
Alignment: N(G)
Gender: Masculine (typically)
Planes of Influence: Elemental Planes of Existence
One of the first elemental powers to ascend to the Oerthly Pantheon, Dorgha Torgu fostered study in the schools of effect. Elemental specialists, both wizards and priests, learned their powers and formulae from his teachings. He favored the Bakluni however and only they ever truly mastered elemental sorcery. Other races mimicked the Bakluni affinity with the elemental schools but never achieved their level of enlightenment.
It is rumored that Dorgha Torgu was the god who set forth the method by which faithful elementalists could transcend to Elemental Gen. He had no interest in working with or subjugating the crude and powerful elemental beings that inhabited the elemental planes of existence. The powerful elemental lords granted him the secrets of elemental creation and agreed to accept his ascended followers as their own without strife.
Unfortunately, the Elder Elemental God began to seduce powerful followers of Dorgha Torgu with his primal elemental powers. The first most powerful follower of this dark deity came to be known as a Geomancer for his mastery of the Elemental Province of Earth. This sorcerer-priest conquered entire realms in the name of his master and wreaked havoc across many prime material planes with the help of his evil master and the host of power seekers who began to worship in his wake. Evolution of other wizardly-priesthoods was a natural result, thus the Hydromancers, Pyromancers and Aeromancers were founded. The priesthoods often established themselves as God Kings in many realms. The sects served the Elder Elemental God in their own way. They also kept each other busy with constant struggles for dominance. The Elder Elemental God was amused for a time.
With their evil master manipulating them every step of the way, these priesthoods enraged Dorgha Torgu and he sought a way to thwart them. Taking the secrets given to him by the Elemental Lords he bade his faithful to imbibe essences of the elements to take on the powers of the elements themselves. In doing this, wizards and priests began to evolve differently than their peers. Eventually, these powerful beings were forced to seek solace in the elemental province they had chosen to emulate. Surrounded by raw elemental power, they leapt ahead in evolution becoming the four societies of genie. Dao, Djinni, Effreeti and Marid opposed the works of the elemental priesthoods with their patron power, Dorgha Torgu at their lead.
Nearing extinction and unable to raise enough power to defeat the very elements they relied upon to hold power over their slaves, the elemental priesthoods were scattered across the cosmos, never again to hold power over entire worlds. The Elder Elemental God, now nearly powerless without his followers, sought retribution but Dorgha Torgu and his minions, the genie, were too powerful to face directly.
Seeking aid the, Elder Elemental God encountered a dark presence that promised him the power to realize his revenge, the Faceless God of the Yikaria. With his vast, dark knowledge of decay, darkness and magic the faceless one fulfilled this promise by providing the Elder Elemental God a glimpse into the deeper darkness of the multiverse, Tharizdun. Fundamentally changed and seeking vengeance the Elder Elemental God, now calling itself Vilp-akf’cho Rentaq, began influencing noble genie-kind.
Through subtle influences and blatant corruption of select genie social circles, separation among the ranks was achieved. Earth resented Air’s erratic behavior, Flame resented Water’s power over it. Finally war broke out across the Elemental Planes. Dorgha Torgu’s children fell to the lies and deceit of the dark god’s influence.
At the same time, war between the Bakluni and Suel was reaching a climax. The Suel, tapping the powers of the Dark Lord of Entropy, struck their enemy with devastation unrivaled to this day. Thousands upon thousands of Bakluni died and still others had to suffer through the pain of a wasting death. The Bakluni cried for retribution.
Dorgha Torgu sought a means to intervene on behalf of his followers. The Elder Elemental God, conveniently close by, provided him with the method of retribution. Using borrowed energies from the Elder Elemental God Dorgha Torgu wripped dimensional barriers apart and showered the Suel Empire with colorless flame that burned even stone to ash.
While the Invoked Devastation of the Suel was wrought through the vilest of the Evil powers, the counter response by a god of neutrality was unjust despite provocation.
This single act violated his neutrality and his charge. The Oerthly Pantheon cast him out. The Elder Elemental God finally received his revenge for the loss of his powerful followers.
Shunned by deities not of malign bent, Dorgha Torgu wanders the multiverse in remorse. Torn between anger at his treatment and regret for his misdeed, this deity seeks some means of rebuking his peers while at the same time proving himself worthy of his previous station.
Despite the overtures of sinister deities, Dorgha Torgu has not turned to them. Clearly he regrets listening to the Elder Elemental God long ago, and is wise enough to understand that, to follow Evil now would simply confirm the judgment of those who have made him a pariah. Thus, those malevolent gods and goddesses also reject Dorgha Torgu. He is indeed a true outcast.
Acknowledged and venerated by Baklunish “purists”, for reasons now distasteful in the extreme to him, and a handful of other savants who are aware of his circumstances, Dorgha Torgu is no longer able to wield vast powers. He is now a mere quasi-god with powers akin to those of an Elementalist Priest– Elementalist Wizard–Paladin of 18th level each with the ability to move across the inner planes of existence and the surrounding planes, compound elements to form things thus, and, of course, to assume mortal form at will.
Brought low thus, through his own error and the judgment of his peers, Dorgha Torgu roams about, often in material form, vainly looking for that which will redeem him in the eyes of the Oerthly Pantheon. As with all things, there is a means by which the outcast can restore his lost reputation, but he must manage the matter without assistance from any planar sort. In mortal guise, this deity can assume any form–male or female, young or old, handsome or ugly, human or demi-human, etc.
When in human guise, however, Dorgha Torgu has abilities of diminished sort, even from his relatively lowly quasi-deity status. It is believed he has the secret backing of the other elemental powers, who would see their fellow restored to his place if he can earn such. It is speculated that the opportunity to make amends for his offense will come only when he is in such a weakened state. Thus, Dorgha Torgu has but mortal powers, albeit considerable ones, and can not, of course, be truly slain but merely destroyed in material form and returned to his own plane for a time for recuperation.
Dorgha Torgu as a mortal has the combined abilities of an Elemental Priest and a Cavalier. One is at 12th level ability while the other operates at 8th level, he must choose which will be dominant when he manifests. In either case he can also use each of the following spells twice per day: Elemental Aura, Passwall, Water Breathing, Fire Flow and Metamorphose Liquids.
In roaming through the prime material plane, Dorgha Torgu helps those who seek to reverse evil things, aids those who have been wronged, and to otherwise help those suffering injustices. This he does from remorse, not because he believes such a course will restore him to his lost status. Of course, it is surely some such humble act that will set him on the course of attaining that which he seeks; redemption.
No comments:
Post a Comment