Sezelrian
The Fire God. CE demipower of fire, magic, revenge (He/Him)
Pantheon: Orcish
Symbol: Burning boar skull
Realm: Limbo / Volkorgoth
Sezelrian, the Fire God and bringer of arcane knowledge to the orcs, presides over a realm where the primal forces of fire and magic converge in a spectacle of power and enlightenment. His part of Volkorgoth is a volatile landscape of smouldering ruins and incandescent skies, where the very air shimmers with the heat of unconfined magic.Â
The afterlife under Sezelrian’s gaze is as challenging as it is illuminating. Petitioners in his domain are those orcs who, in life, pursued arcane arts, embracing fire and magic as tools for their own empowerment. Here, they continue their pursuit, but the stakes are eternally higher. Sezelrian’s realm is a crucible, where spirits are tempered by flame and spell, constantly tested to refine their mastery over the arcane. The chant goes that Sezelrian is seeking to hone the skills of his petitioners, to create an army of mighty wizards to assist when the time comes for the overthrow of Gruumsh.
Petitioners navigate a landscape where the ground may erupt in sudden geysers of flame or where rivers of molten lava serve as the only path forward. They dwell in towers of blackened stone that absorb heat during the day and glow ominously at night, and libraries where scrolls and tomes are hammered into sheets of metal to resist the singe of fire, offer arcane knowledge that demands a price in flesh and spirit for its secrets.
Sezelrian’s interactions with the pantheon are marked by subtlety and manipulation. Rather than direct confrontation, he prefers the role of the instigator, whispering counsel that stokes the embers of conflict among his divine peers. His tenuous alliance with Zagresh, the god who appreciates the raw force of fire, is built on mutual respect for destruction’s purifying aspects. Conversely, his relationship with Nulgreth, the Blood God, is strained; Sezelrian sees the latter’s brute force as crude compared to the elegant devastation wrought by flame and sorcery.
Sezelrian’s domain is rife with surreal horrors born from the fusion of fire and magic. The Ashen Forests, for instance, are composed of trees that burn eternally, casting shadows that spell out secrets to those who can get close enough to read them, yet consume the unwary in arcane fire. The Lake of Boiling Spectres is another gruesome marvel; its steaming waters are said to be the condensed essence of spellcasters who overreached, now a tormented soup that grants visions of power at the risk of one’s sanity.
Petitioners face trials by fire, literally, as they walk the Path of Embers—a rite of passage that tests their resilience to both flame and the corrupting allure of unchecked power. Success grants deeper insight into the arcane, while failure leaves spirits scorched, their essence fragmented amidst the cinders of ambition.
Worship of Sezelrian among the orcs blends reverence with fear. Arcane and divine spellcasters view him as the ultimate patron, integrating elements of fire into their rituals to honour him—be it through bonfires, burnt offerings, or the branding of flesh. Tribes devoted to Sezelrian are noted for their tolerance of magic-users, viewing them as chosen acolytes of their fiery demigod.
Source: Inner Sea Gods [PF1e] p187
