Grolantor
Encyclopedia
In many campaign setting
s for the Dungeons & Dragons
role-playing game
, Grolantor is the deity worshiped by the hill giant
race, as well as ettins
, and some frost giants and ogres. His sacred animal is the dire wolf. His holy symbol is a wooden club.
Grolantor's home is the Steading, on the Outer Plane
of Carceri
.
Grolantor was detailed in the book Monster Mythology
(1992), including details about his priesthood. His role in the cosmology of the Planescape
campaign setting was described in On Hallowed Ground
(1996). His role in the giant pantheon of the Forgotten Realms
setting is detailed in Giantcraft (1995).
Grolantor was described briefly in Defenders of the Faith
(2000). His priesthood is detailed for 3rd edition in Complete Divine
(2004).
beards. He wields an oversized club named Dwarfcrusher.
s, the giantish pantheon of gods consists of the leader Annam
, as well as Grolantor
, Hiatea
, Iallanis
, Karontor
, Memnor
, Skoraeus Stonebones
, and Stronmaus
. Other powers worshipped by giants or giant-type creatures include Baphomet
, Kostchtchie
, and Vaprak
.
Grolantor is one of the third generation of giant gods, disdainfully called the "runts" by their elders - the other is Karontor. His mother is an unnamed sky goddess. He was banished to Carceri
by his father Annam for allying himself with treacherous Memnor, but now that Annam has retreated from the rest of the multiverse, the ban no longer applies. He now splits his time between Carceri and the Abyss.
Grolantor is evil second and stupid first, disowned by his brothers for his foolishness and relative weakness. Some say he created the race of hill giants by collecting and interbreeding the runts of earlier giant broods, then further polluted this stock by mating with various serpents, medusa-like hags, and the goddess Cegilune
. The ettins are said to have descended from Grolantor and a monstrous serpent with a head on both ends of her coiled body.
The god has had to flee the wrath of his sister Hiatea
on many occasions. He also has many enemies among the goblinoid
and dwarven
deities.
, is called the Steading. The orbs above his realm are ruled by shator demodands, a weak-willed, toadying lot that cede to him their vassalage, more out of fear of the giant petitioners that make up the armies of Grolantor than out of any love for the hill giant god. His realm itself is little more than a wooden house.
Ettins worship Grolantor in a dual-aspected manner, and their dogma differs from that of the hill giants in many crucial respects, often preventing alliances between the two races.
The most important thing for a follower of Grolantor is to never admit weakness, and to crush the weak.
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
s for the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
, Grolantor is the deity worshiped by the hill giant
Giant (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, giant is a type of creature, or "creature type." Giants are humanoid-shaped creatures of great strength and size.-Dungeons & Dragons :...
race, as well as ettins
Ettin (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the Ettin is a giant-like creature. The creatures' name comes from the Anglicization of the Jötunn giants of Norse mythology.-Description:...
, and some frost giants and ogres. His sacred animal is the dire wolf. His holy symbol is a wooden club.
Grolantor's home is the Steading, on the Outer Plane
Outer Plane
In the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, an Outer Plane is one of a number of general types of planes of existence. They can also be referred to as godly planes, spiritual planes or divine planes. The Outer Planes are home to beings such as deities and otherworldly creatures such as...
of Carceri
Carceri
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Carceri is a neutral evil-aligned plane of existence...
.
Publication history
Grolantor was created by James M. Ward for the Deities and Demigods Cyclopedia (1980).Grolantor was detailed in the book Monster Mythology
Monster Mythology
Monster Mythology is a sourcebook for the second edition of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Released by TSR in 1992 and written by Carl Sargent, with interior illustrations by Terry Dykstra, John and Laura Lakey, and Keith Parkinson, Monster Mythology was released as a companion volume for...
(1992), including details about his priesthood. His role in the cosmology of the Planescape
Planescape
Planescape is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, originally designed by Zeb Cook. The Planescape setting was published in 1994...
campaign setting was described in On Hallowed Ground
On Hallowed Ground
On Hallowed Ground is an accessory book for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, for the Planescape campaign setting.-Contents:This book contains information about deities' planar domains from 20 separate pantheons...
(1996). His role in the giant pantheon of the Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
setting is detailed in Giantcraft (1995).
Grolantor was described briefly in Defenders of the Faith
Defenders of the Faith (Dungeons & Dragons)
Defenders of the Faith: A Guidebook to Clerics and Paladins is an optional rulebook for the 3rd edition of Dungeons & Dragons, and notable for its trade paperback format.-Contents:...
(2000). His priesthood is detailed for 3rd edition in Complete Divine
Complete Divine
Complete Divine is a supplemental rulebook for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons and Dragons fantasy role-playing game published by Wizards of the Coast...
(2004).
Description
Grolantor looks like a 25 feet (7.6 m) hill giant, wearing several belts of woven dwarfDwarf (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, dwarves are a humanoid race, one of the primary races available for play as player characters...
beards. He wields an oversized club named Dwarfcrusher.
Relationships
In many campaign settingCampaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
s, the giantish pantheon of gods consists of the leader Annam
Annam (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Annam is the giant deity of Magic, Knowledge, Fertility, and Philosophy. Also known as the All-Father, is the creator god of the giant pantheon...
, as well as Grolantor
Grolantor
In many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Grolantor is the deity worshiped by the hill giant race, as well as ettins, and some frost giants and ogres. His sacred animal is the dire wolf. His holy symbol is a wooden club....
, Hiatea
Hiatea
In many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Hiatea is the giant deity of nature, agriculture, hunting, females, and children. Her symbol is a flaming spear.-Publication history:...
, Iallanis
Iallanis
In many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Iallanis is the goddess of love, forgiveness, mercy, and beauty in the giant pantheon. Her symbol is a garland of flowers.-Publication history:...
, Karontor
Karontor
In many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Karontor is the giant deity of deformity, hatred, and beasts. His symbol is the head of a winter wolf.-Publication history:...
, Memnor
Memnor
In many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Memnor is the giant deity of pride, honor, mental prowess and control. His symbol is a thin black obelisk.-Publication history:...
, Skoraeus Stonebones
Skoraeus Stonebones
In many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Skoraeus Stonebones is the deity worshiped by the stone giant race. He is also known as "King of the Rock" and "The Living Rock". His sacred animal is the cave bear...
, and Stronmaus
Stronmaus
In many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Stronmaus is the giant deity of sun, sky, weather, and joy. His symbol is a forked lightning bolt descending from a cloud that partly obscures the sun....
. Other powers worshipped by giants or giant-type creatures include Baphomet
Baphomet (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, Baphomet is a demon lord who rules a layer of the Abyss called the Endless Maze. He is the Prince of Beasts and the Demon Lord of Minotaurs.-Publication history:...
, Kostchtchie
Kostchtchie
Kostchtchie is a demon lord from the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game.-Publication history:Kostchtchie made his first appearance in the first edition module The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth...
, and Vaprak
Vaprak
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Vaprak is the deity worshiped by ogres and trolls. Vaprak is also known as "The Destroyer." His symbol is a taloned hand.-Publication history:...
.
Grolantor is one of the third generation of giant gods, disdainfully called the "runts" by their elders - the other is Karontor. His mother is an unnamed sky goddess. He was banished to Carceri
Carceri
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Carceri is a neutral evil-aligned plane of existence...
by his father Annam for allying himself with treacherous Memnor, but now that Annam has retreated from the rest of the multiverse, the ban no longer applies. He now splits his time between Carceri and the Abyss.
Grolantor is evil second and stupid first, disowned by his brothers for his foolishness and relative weakness. Some say he created the race of hill giants by collecting and interbreeding the runts of earlier giant broods, then further polluted this stock by mating with various serpents, medusa-like hags, and the goddess Cegilune
Cegilune
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Cegilune is the hag deity of larvae, hags, and the moon. She is the patron goddess of all hags, including night hags...
. The ettins are said to have descended from Grolantor and a monstrous serpent with a head on both ends of her coiled body.
The god has had to flee the wrath of his sister Hiatea
Hiatea
In many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Hiatea is the giant deity of nature, agriculture, hunting, females, and children. Her symbol is a flaming spear.-Publication history:...
on many occasions. He also has many enemies among the goblinoid
Goblinoid
Goblinoids are a category of humanoid legendary creatures related to the goblin. The term originated in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, in which goblins and related creatures are a staple of random encounters. Goblinoids are typically barbaric foes of the various human and...
and dwarven
Dwarf (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, dwarves are a humanoid race, one of the primary races available for play as player characters...
deities.
Realm
Grolantor's realm in Cathrys, the second layer of CarceriCarceri
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Carceri is a neutral evil-aligned plane of existence...
, is called the Steading. The orbs above his realm are ruled by shator demodands, a weak-willed, toadying lot that cede to him their vassalage, more out of fear of the giant petitioners that make up the armies of Grolantor than out of any love for the hill giant god. His realm itself is little more than a wooden house.
Dogma
Grolantor is strong and willfully stupid. He teaches his followers to persecute "lesser races" - that is, those smaller than hill giants. His hill giant shamans stubbornly refuse to admit they are smaller than any other giant breeds.Ettins worship Grolantor in a dual-aspected manner, and their dogma differs from that of the hill giants in many crucial respects, often preventing alliances between the two races.
The most important thing for a follower of Grolantor is to never admit weakness, and to crush the weak.
Clergy
Grolantor's priests wear dark brown armor made from horn, and adorn their heads with skulls. They regularly organize hunting parties and skirmishing warbands, and take it upon themselves to root out what they perceive as weakness among their kind and elsewhere. They are not permitted to ever back down from a challenge. Grolantor's favored weapon is the club.Holy Days
Grolantor has no particular holy days, and is unusual among evil deities in that he demands no sacrifices. The closest thing to formal ritual among his worshipers is eating and drinking contests.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: http://www.wizards.com/rpga/downloads/LG_Deities.zip
- Grubb, Jeff. Manual of the Planes. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1987.
- McComb, Colin, and Dale Donovan. Planes of ConflictPlanes of ConflictPlanes of Conflict is an accessory for the 2nd edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, published in 1995....
. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1995.