Ghlaunder
| Ghlaunder | |
|---|---|
| |
| (Deity) | |
| Titles | The Gossamer King |
| Realm | Bzuulzeel, Abyss |
| Alignment | Chaotic evil |
| Areas of Concern | Parasites infection stagnation |
| Worshipers | Ugothol |
| Cleric Alignments (1E) | |
| Domains (1E) | Air, Animal, Chaos, Destruction, Evil |
| Subdomains (1E) | Catastrophe, Cloud, Demon, Fur, Plague, Rage, Wind |
| Cleric Alignments (2E) | |
| Domains (2E) | Air, decay, plague, swarm |
| Favored Weapon | Spear |
| Symbol | Mosquito in profile |
| Sacred Animal | Mosquito |
| Sacred Colors | Light gray, red |
| Images of Ghlaunder | |
Source: Inner Sea Faiths, pg(s). 40-45 (1E) Gods & Magic (Second Edition), pg(s). 59 (2E) | |
Ghlaunder (pronounced GHLAWN-dur)[1] is the demigod of parasites and disease. His symbol is that of a blood-engorged mosquito.[2] Other symbols associated with Ghlaunder include a circular maze-like pattern.[3]
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History
Ghlaunder is an enemy of Desna, who accidentally released him from his cocoon on the Ethereal Plane long before mortals existed.[4][5] Who or what placed him there is unknown. Some speculate that he was grown in the corpse of a slain god, while others believe him to be the corrupted scion of another evil deity.[6]
Appearance
Ghlaunder is depicted as a giant, monstrous mosquito, who visits Golarion to feed on the heart blood of his faith's truly devout.[2]
Church of Ghlaunder
The Gossamer King's followers often pose as clerics of other deities in order to infiltrate small communities. Rather than destroy them outright, the faithful of Ghlaunder seek to spread corruption from within and subtly move the unknowing towards the worship of their god. Rather than cause such a group's downfall, the priests wish to subtly live off them as long as possible. If their true purpose is ever exposed, they seek to justify their existence in the natural order, arguing that infections and parasites help cull the weak from the herd.[2] To aid their subterfuge, cultists may refer to Ghlaunder by obscure titles such as: 'the Tender of Dreams' or 'the Dream Tender'; 'the Slumberer'; or the 'Dormant Dreamer'.[7]
Others travel the world, planting sicknesses, or exploring strange, monstrous lairs in the hopes of discovering new diseases and spreading them around Avistan and Garund. Devoted druids and rangers often form special bonds with vermin of all kinds, making it easier for them to affect the creatures with their magics.[8][9] He is sometimes worshiped by those who consume blood and fungoid creatures.[10]
Cults on Golarion
A small cult of the Gossamer King's is said to reside outside the Korvosan town of Veldraine, hiding in an ancient Thassilonian ruin. There they breed a race of poisonous stirges, waiting to release them against those who do not follow their god.[11] Another cult exists in the village of Ravenmoor.[12]. An isolated cult in the Mwangi Expanse raises giant mosquitoes, fed with their own blood, in accordance with the apocryphal unholy text, The Sipping Sacrifice.[13]
His priests have recently learned of a form of monstrous cockroach found in Casmaron and eastern Avistan known as the Keleshite venomroach. They collect these mildly-poisonous vermin, and release them to plague small communities, seeing it as a furtherance of their god's infectious will.[14]
References
Paizo published a major article about Ghlaunder in Inner Sea Faiths, and a in-universe story about his discovery and release by Desna in The Windsong Testaments series, The Beauty of Horrors.
For additional resources, see the Meta page.
- ↑ Erik Mona et al. (2008). Campaign Setting, p. 246. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-112-1
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Erik Mona et al. (2008). Campaign Setting, p. 170. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-112-1
- ↑ Brandon Hodge. (2011). Feast of Ravenmoor, p. 25. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-367-5
- ↑ James Jacobs. (July 2, 2008). Ten Other Gods, Paizo Blog.
- ↑ James Jacobs. (October 17, 2019). The Beauty of Horrors, Paizo Blog: Windsong Testaments.
- ↑ Sean K Reynolds. (2007). Desna. The Skinsaw Murders, p. 72. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-037-7
- ↑ Brandon Hodge. (2011). Feast of Ravenmoor, p. 31. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-367-5
- ↑ Erik Mona et al. (2008). Campaign Setting, p. 219. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-112-1
- ↑ Sean K Reynolds. (2008). Gods and Magic, p. 45. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-139-8
- ↑ James Jacobs et al. (2011). The Inner Sea World Guide, p. 228–229. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-269-2
- ↑ Joshua J. Frost. (2008). Sun Dagger's Crown. A Memory of Darkness, p. 65. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-130-5
- ↑ Brandon Hodge. (2011). Feast of Ravenmoor, p. 3. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-367-5
- ↑ Alexander Augunas, Russ Brown, John Compton, Alex Riggs, and David Ross. (2016). Divine Anthology, p. 23. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-894-6
- ↑ Greg A. Vaughan. (2008). Bestiary. Shadow in the Sky, p. 85. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-115-2