Gruumsh (5e)

	This article is about Gruumsh, 5th ed. deity.
	For other uses of Gruumsh, see Gruumsh (disambiguation).

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Varied
PHB5, MM5, VGtM

Deific Summary
Gruumsh The One-Eyed God The One-Eye The Cursed One First Power of the Orcs He Who Watches He Who Never Sleeps Type: Deity Portfolio: Storms and War Gender: Male Alignment: Chaotic Evil Domains: Tempest, War Plane: Acheron (Avalas, Nishrek, Iron Fortress) Symbol: Unblinking Eye Worshipers: Orcs, Half-Orcs Pantheon: Orc

  

Orcs worship Gruumsh, the mightiest of the orc deities and their creator. The orcs believe that in ancient days, the gods gathered to divide the world among their followers… He proclaimed, [the role of orcs is] to take and destroy all that the other races would deny them. To this day, the orcs wage an endless war on humans, elves, dwarves, and other folk. Orcs hold a particular hatred for elves. The elven god Corellon Larethian half-blinded Gruumsh with a well-placed arrow to the orc god's eye… Gruumsh grants divine might to any champion who willingly plucks out one of its eyes in his honor. (see Orc Eye of Gruumsh)

  

At the pinnacle of the Orc Pantheon is Gruumsh One-Eye, who created the orcs and continues to direct their destiny…

Gruumsh… pushes his children to increase their numbers so they may be his instrument of revenge against the realms of elves, humans, and dwarves. …Gruumsh leads his orcs [in] ceaseless slaughter, fueled by an unending rage that seeks to lay waste to the civilized world and revel in its anguish.

Orcs are naturally chaotic and unorganized… Only certain charismatic orcs, …touched by the will and might of Gruumsh, have the capacity to control the other orcs in a tribe.

A Chosen Few. Orcs don't become renowned in their tribes by choosing Gruumsh; he chooses them. …Only those… proven… through feats of strength and ferocity in war are considered worthy of being true worshipers. [To these] Gruumsh [bestows] a powerful dream or vision… Those who are visited by Gruumsh are transformed psychologically and often physically by the experience. Some are driven to the brink of madness, …muttering about omens and prophecies, while others become imbued with supernatural power and rise to positions of leadership.

  

Gruumsh was the patron god of the orc race and greater god of the orc pantheon. He was named He Who Never Sleeps for he was said to never tire,[24] (). “History Check: Corellon and Gruumsh”. In Steve Winter ed. Dragon #408 (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 5–11. and symbolized with an ever-open eye to represent the orc belief that he watched over them all, judging the worth of each and every one of their kind.[18] Gruumsh created the orcs and guided their destiny with the aid of his divine subordinates, ruling over orcish mortals and gods alike as their unquestioned patriarch. Long ago he swore that orcs would rule the world, and since then had driven his people to wage endless holy war in the name of his divine wrath.

Sources and Notes

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