Urogalan

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Greyhawk Deity
Urogalan
Urogalan01.jpg
Urogalan's symbol.
Title: He Who Must Be, the Black Hound, Lord in the Earth, the Protector, the Shaper
Home plane: Blessed Fields of Elysium
Power level: Demigod
Gender: Male
Alignment: Neutral (lawful neutral tendencies)
Portfolio: Earth, death, protection of the dead
Domains: Earth, Law, Protection, Repose
Superior: Yondalla

Urogalan is the halfling deity of Earth and Death. His symbol is the silhouette of a dog's head.

Description[edit]

Urogalan is a gentle deity for a god of death, respected and revered by his chosen race but never feared. He is seen as a protector of the dead. Because halfling dead are usually buried in the earth, he is also the guardian of the earth itself (as opposed to the green plants that grow in the earth, which are the dominion of other halfling deities).

Urogalan rarely speaks or shows emotion. His voice, rarely heard, is tinged with loss. In appearance, Urogalan is a slim, dusky-skinned halfling dressed in brown or pure white, representing his two primary aspects of earth and death.

Relationships[edit]

The halfling pantheon of gods consists of the leader Yondalla, as well as Arvoreen, Brandobaris, Cyrrollalee, Sheela Peryroyl, and Urogalan himself. Urogalan is on good terms with the rest of his pantheon, but somewhat removed from their embrace of life. Urogalan is allied with Calladuran Smoothhands, Dumathoin, Flandal Steelskin, Grumbar, Segojan Earthcaller, and Sehanine Moonbow. He is also allied with human deities associated with earth and the protection of the dead.

Urogalan is opposed to Abbathor and Urdlen. He abhors those gods associated with necromancy and the undead.

Realm[edit]

Urogalan's realm, Soulearth, is found on the plane of Elysium. This realm is a cavern beneath the surface of Eronia, Elysium's second layer. The souls of halflings go to Urogalan's realm before being assigned their proper places in the afterlife.

Dogma[edit]

Urogalan's faithful believe that just as the earth is the giver of all life, so it ultimately receives all life into its embrace. They revere the soil and embrace death when their natural lives come to an end.

Worshipers[edit]

Few halflings actually worship Urogalan, but most honor and propitiate him.

Clergy[edit]

Though he is propitiated by many halflings, Urogalan's priesthood is small. They administer last rites, preside over burials, and care for halfling graves. They also maintain much of halfing geneologies and histories, and consecrate the foundations of new buildings and burrows. Their favored weapon is the flail.

Urogalan's novices are called Earthlings, while his full priests are called Vassals of the Black Hound. They wear simple, ankle-length robes tied with belts of rope. They are always bare-footed. Priests typically shave their heads, while priestesses bind their hair in twin braids.

Temples[edit]

Urogalan's temples are found in shallow basins open to the sky, in natural caves or in catacombs dug by halflings. They emphasize the natural terrain and their floors are always covered in six inches of dirt.

Rituals[edit]

Offerings to Urogalan include uncut gems and clay images of He Who Must Be. They are placed on flat rocks at the centers of natural earthen basins while soft dirges and elegies are sang and read while percussion is provided by the pounding of bare feet making slow circles around the central stone.

Halfling bodies are interned in stone or wooden caskets with a stone tablet graven with the name of the deceased and a symbol of the Black Hound on their chests and on their palms. Mementos of their lives are often buried with them.

Holy days[edit]

Urogalan's holy times are the nights of the full moons, known as Earthrisings. Halflings believe the full moon to be one of Urogalan's manifestations.

References[edit]

Citations[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index

The Index is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, and his work as continued and updated by Eric Johnson, Richard DiIoia, Jason "PupickDad" Jacobson, a French fan group, and numerous other fans over the years. The wiki page for the EGI has a list of sources, full product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.

Topic Type Description Product Page/Card/Image

Urgolan {Urogalan} Deity He Who Must Be, Worshipped by: Halfling, DMGR4 - Monster Mythology 3, 41
Urgolan {Urogalan} Deity He Who Must Be, Worshipped by: Halfling, Living Greyhawk, Living Onnwal Gazetteer, D&D 3.5e 70
Urgolan {Urogalan} Deity He Who Must Be, Worshipped by: Halfling, On Hallowed Ground 112, 113, 175, 184, 185, 192
Urgolan {Urogalan} Deity He Who Must Be, Worshipped by: Halfling, Unearthed Arcana, AD&D 1e 115