Gorum

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Gorum

(Deity)

Titles

Our Lord in Iron

Adjective

Gorumite

Realm

Elysium

Alignment

Chaotic neutral

Areas of Concern

Strength
Battle
Weapons

Worshipers

Soldiers, mercenaries, brigands, dromaars, barbarians

Edicts

Attain victory in fair combat, push your limits, wear armor in combat

Anathema

Kill prisoners or surrendering foes, prevent conflict through negotiation, win a battle through underhanded tactics or indirect magic

Follower Alignments (1E)

LG	NG	CG
LN	N	CN
LE	NE	CE

Domains (1E)

Chaos, Destruction, Glory, Strength, War

Subdomains (1E)

Blood, Duels, Ferocity, Protean, Rage, Resolve, Tactics

Follower Alignments (2E)

LG	NG	CG
LN	N	CN
LE	NE	CE

Domains (2E)

Confidence, destruction, might, zeal

Favored Weapon

Greatsword

Symbol

Sword in mountain

Sacred Animal

Rhinoceros

Sacred Colors

Gray, red

Images of Gorum

Source: Inner Sea Gods, pg(s). 60–67 (1E)
Gods & Magic, pg(s). 24–25 (2E)

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Gorum (pronounced GOR-um) was a god of battle above all other pursuits; it is said that he would rust away into nothingness if there is ever a time with no more conflicts to be fought. Known as Our Lord in Iron, his faithful believed he was present in every iron weapon of war that is forged.

History

According to the Windsong Testaments, Gorum and Torag together built the Dead Vault under the instructions of Pharasma in order to cage Rovagug within Golarion, but his presence was otherwise unknown in the world's earliest days.

Some clerics of Gorum contradictorily claimed that he was created from conflicts that erupted between orcs and humans following the former peoples being forced to the surface during the dwarves' Quest for Sky in the Age of Darkness, as a suit of iron armor left standing in the aftermath. Warriors and knights have ever since claimed to see a vision of the god as they strike a killing blow or charge into battle. Gorum was considered the divine embodiment of martial prowess and glory on the battlefield.

According to ancient legend, the devil Alichino tasked the legendary hero Strada with the conquest of an invincible city. Strada sought the help of an oracle of Gorum and was given the thousand fangs of the dragon Kathalphas. When Strada sowed the teeth into the ground outside the city as instructed, all the heroes the dragon had devoured sprang up into battle. Having frustrated the devil, Strada ruled the city for 90 years with the skeletal army as guard. Magical spartoi seeds that temporarily summon the skeletal undead warriors known as spartoi have been created since in memory of this legend.

Relationships

Gorum concerned himself with few matters outside of battle, and this attitude extended to include his relations with other deities. He saw little value in matters of diplomacy and politics, considering the pursuits of his divine peers as frivolous a best. The Lord in Iron was considered brash and impulsive; he took what he wants, by force if necessary, and answered any direct opposition to his will with violence. His priests and followers tended to follow the god's example, which meant that there were more ruthless and exploitative members of his faith than those who espoused altruism.

Appearance

A depiction of Gorum.

Gorum's manifestation was that of a gigantic humanoid being in darkened heavy armor. His helmet covered all defining features except for a pair or fiery crimson eyes. No matter to whom he appearsed, Gorum would always appear to be the tallest creature, even when among giants and other large humanoids.

In the Realm of the Mammoth Lords, he is depicted wearing a smilodon pelt as his armour.

Servants

Most of Gorum's divine minions wore spiked metal armor. This includes his divine servitor race, the zentragt. These bear-like creatures often serve in the vanguard of the Lord in Iron's armies.

Unique servants

Bloody Hands or Blood Hands

This servant was a crimson-skinned creature similar in appearance to a hezrou demon.

First Blade

Gorum's herald was a horde of animated weapons and shields that swarm together into a humanoid shape, and is the approximate shape and size of an iron golem.

Saint Fang

This minion is similar to a silver dragon with spikes, but with coloring akin to iron.

Temperbrand

This creature is a fire elemental that has the appearance of superheated liquid metal.

Providence

Gorum showed his favor through weapons and armor that bleed when touched, while his displeasure was seen when these same items quickly developed unnatural patches of rust, or else fell apart completely.

Church of Gorum

The church of Gorum proclaimed faith in strength and power over spirituality or intellect. High priests were great warriors who attained their position through battle. Priests wore heavy spiked armor and forsake non-metallic weapons. They believed that the spirit of Gorum resided in all metal weapons and armor, and therefore took care to keep them polished and in good working order. The services conducted by the church consisted primarily of actual and improvised percussion, to include clanging weapons against shields.

Worshipers

Gorum was worshiped by mercenaries and barbarians all across the world, but were most commonly found in lands where conflict and battle are common. These included Brevoy, Lastwall, the Lands of the Linnorm Kings, Nirmathas, Numeria, the Realm of the Mammoth Lords, and the River Kingdoms, and among Kellids, Shoanti, Ulfen, dwarves, and dromaars throughout the Inner Sea region. It was not uncommon for two opposing armies to be carrying the Lord in Iron's standard into battle, which doesn't seem to bother the god; he's was more interested in promoting the fighting rather than picking a winner.

One of Gorum's most hardcore sects was the Theocracy of the Fist, which controlled a small archipelago of volcanic islands.

The Lord in Iron was commonly worshiped by dromaars, who believe that he was one of them, and that his encasement in iron was the deity's successful effort to hide his true nature from human worshipers who would be unable to handle his true nature. This belief continued to spread, thanks to the teachings of the orc warlord-turned-proselytizer named Naellk, who had a vision of himself in an idol of the deity in battle. He was also claimed by Kellids, who find the orc claims that the Lord in Iron was one of their kind heresy, and wars between the two racial groups have increased since this claim emerged. Most of Gorum's priests were clerics, although there were some druids. Bards and rangers may have performed some service within the church, but were not members of the priesthood.

Knightly followers of Gorum believed battle is the true calling of a knight, not tournaments or courtly pursuits. For Iron Knights, strength and determination supersede honor, duty, and fame. More than other orders, Gorumite knights were often found as mercenaries.

Temples and shrines

Gorum's temples tended to have the appearance of strongholds or citadels. They were walled and gated, and spikes adorn the structure. They were always ready for a battle or siege, and were kept stocked with metal weapons, armor, and rations. Shrines to Gorum were typically an organized pile of rocks with a helmet or blade set atop.

Religious texts

Gorum's church claimed no religious text, but it did feature a set of seven holy poems called the Gorumskagat. A controversial text, the Myth in Iron, maintained by secluded priests in the Lands of the Linnorm Kings recording great and powerful accomplishments of Gorumites in the past, was seen as heretical by some.

Favored animals

Gods are often associated with certain animals, either because they possess a quality favored by the god, or because the god's faithful feel a special kinship to them. Gorum's favored animals included rhinoceroses, dinosaurs, and war-trained animals.

Pantheons

Gorum was also worshiped as part of the Gravelady's Guard pantheon alongside Arazni and Pharasma.

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Death

Gorum was killed on the Clashing Shore by Achaekek in 4724 AR, whose killing blow destroyed Gorum's armor and revealed that nothing inhabited it. Gorum's iron remains then exploded, casting shrapnel bearing traces of his divinity across reality and onto every realm of the Universe where Gorum was worshiped, including Golarion. This was the instigating event of what would become known as the Godsrain.

After his death, many of Gorum's lost followers turned to other deities. Significant numbers of ex-Gorumites now worship Arazni, General Susumu, Genzaeri, Szuriel, or Zjar-Tovan.

References

Paizo published a major article about Gorum in War of the River Kings.

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.