Rull
The Thunderer. CE demipower of lightning, storms, thunder (He/Him)
Pantheon: Orcish
Symbol: Thunder cloud and lightning
Realm: Limbo / Volkorgoth
Rull the Thunderer lords over the tempestuous skies of Volkorgoth where the eternal storm of chaos rages without respite. His personal realm is a surreal semi-solid cloudscape sculpted by the relentless forces of storms and war. In this domain, the sky is a perpetual canvas of dark, roiling clouds, split asunder by jagged bolts of multi-coloured lightning that illuminate the twisted, storm-scarred terrain below.
The afterlife under Rull’s dominion is a realm of constant turmoil, mirroring the ceaseless tempests of his stormy heart. Petitioners here are those who died suddenly, their spirits as restless as the weather that defines their eternal home. They exist in a state of perpetual conflict, honing their skills in the art of war amidst thunderous explosions and blinding flashes of lightning.
These spirits are not merely passive dwellers; they’re active participants in Rull’s ongoing saga of storm and strife. The Thunderer subjects them to trials by tempest—harrowing challenges that test their mettle and resolve. Surviving a cycle in the Howling Vortex, where the winds can flay the spirit bare, or navigating the Labyrinth of Thunderbolts, where one wrong step can lead to brilliant obliteration, are rites of passage here.
Rull’s relationships with the other orc gods are as turbulent as his storms. His thunderous disposition often puts him at odds with deities like Nulgreth, the Blood God, whose domain of slaughter and bloodlust contrasts starkly with Rull’s preference for the grandeur and spectacle of storm-driven warfare. Yet, there exists a grudging respect between them, a recognition of the other’s prowess in their respective spheres of influence.
The Thunderer’s relationship with Lanishra, the god of slavery and tyranny, is fraught with tension. Rull sees no honour in subjugation, his storms serving as equalizers on the battlefield rather than tools for oppression. This ideological divide leads to clashes that resonate throughout Volkorgoth.
Rull’s domain is fraught with surreal horrors born of storm and war. The Screaming Cyclones, tornadoes imbued with the souls of the damned, wail with the voices of a thousand lost warriors, their cries a haunting reminder of the cost of war. The Rain of Razors, a phenomenon unique to his realm, sees the sky weep blades instead of water, turning the land into a deadly harvester of spirit and resolve.
For Rull’s amusement, petitioners are forced to engage in the Thunder Games, a brutal spectacle where combatants battle amid a field of live lightning strikes, the air thick with the scent of ozone and the coppery tang of spirit-blood. The winners are granted a momentary respite in the Eye of the Storm, a fleeting sanctuary of calm amidst chaos, while the losers are consigned to the tempestuous Rain of Razors.
Rull’s followers in the mortal realm, particularly orcish druids, seek to embody his indomitable spirit, calling upon his power to smite their foes with lightning and to stand unyielding in the face of adversity. They pay homage to the Thunderer not just with prayers but with their brutal actions, striving to bring the storm’s might to bear upon the world.
Source: Inner Sea Gods [PF1e] p187
