Urdlen
| Game background | |
|---|---|
| Title(s) | The Crawler Below, the Evil One |
| Home plane | Infinite Layers of the Abyss |
| Power level | Intermediate |
| Alignment | Chaotic Evil |
| Portfolio | Greed, blood |
| Domains | Chaos, Earth, Evil (also Gnome and Hatred in Forgotten Realms) |
| Design details | |
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Urdlen is the gnome deity of greed and blood.
In many campaign settings, the gnome pantheon of gods consists of the leader Garl Glittergold, as well as Baervan Wildwanderer, Baravar Cloakshadow, Flandal Steelskin, Gaerdal Ironhand, Nebelun, Segojan Earthcaller, and Urdlen.
Publication history
Urdlen was first detailed in Roger E. Moore's article "The Gnomish Point of View," in Dragon #61 (TSR, 1982).[1] In Dragon #92 (December 1984), Gary Gygax indicated this as one of the deities legal for the Greyhawk setting.[2] He also appeared in the original Unearthed Arcana (1985).[3]
Urdlen was detailed in the book Monster Mythology (1992), including details about his priesthood.[4] His role in the cosmology of the Planescape campaign setting was described in On Hallowed Ground (1996).[5] He received a very detailed description for his role in the Forgotten Realms in Demihuman Deities (1998).[6]
Urdlen's role in the Forgotten Realms is revisited in Faiths and Pantheons (2002).[7]
Description
Urdlen manifests as an enormous blind mole.
Relationships
Urdlen is the enemy of the gnomish and halfling pantheons. The hero-deity Roykyn was formerly a priestess of the Crawler Below.
Realm
Urdlen's realm is the Worm Realm, located on the 399th layer of the Abyss. There, Urdlen tunnels through the ground, completely unconcerned with his petitioners, who dig in the tunnels he leaves behind. The petitioners, mostly evil gnomes, have no society whatsoever; they simply pursue their own greed in the ore-rich earth.
Clergy
Urdlen's priests wear white cloaks. Its sacred animal is the white mole.
Temples, rituals, and holy days
Urdlen is worshiped in underground caverns. Sacrifices of blood and jewels are made to it annually. Its holy day is the winter solstice.
Other versions
Races of Stone includes a similar deity, a god of disaster and greed known as the Glutton and visualized as a massive badger or wolverine. His domains are Chaos, Evil, Destruction, and Strength, and his favored weapon is the heavy mace. His clerics stuff themselves with food while they pray.
References
- ↑ Moore, Roger E. "The Gnomish Point of View." Dragon #61 (TSR, May 1982)
- ↑ Gygax, Gary (December 1984). "From the Sorcerer's Scroll: Clerics live by other rules". Dragon (Lake Geneva WI: TSR) (92): 22.]
- ↑ Gygax, Gary. Unearthed Arcana (TSR, 1985)
- ↑ Sargent, Carl. Monster Mythology (TSR, 1992)
- ↑ McComb, Colin. On Hallowed Ground (TSR, 1996)
- ↑ Boyd, Eric L. Demihuman Deities (TSR, 1998)
- ↑ Boyd, Eric L, and Erik Mona. Faiths and Pantheons (Wizards of the Coast, 2002).
Additional reading
- Conforti, Steven, ed. Living Greyhawk Official Listing of Deities for Use in the Campaign, version 2.0. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2005. Available online: