The Temple of Gruumsh in Hork

From Slavador Trakal

There are six major orc deities and all are worshipped in the city of Hork. The religions are an independent major power structure that competes against and works with the political power of the Council of Kings. Gruumsh is the most worshiped deity of the pantheon within the city. The other five maintain strong followings and their numbers fluctuate as their popularity grows and wanes. Because of the position of the high priest of Gruumsh in the Council of Kings, none of them have the same influence and control of the general populace.

All the temples maintain their positions of power in Hork by appealing more to the common orcs and across the tribes. This helps their political power as well, since the kings know that upsetting the higher priests, of any temple, can be a quick way of losing leadership.

Most orcs pay tribute to more than one of the key gods of the pantheon. There are also followings of the more obscure ones which aren't talked about much. This style of worship is also reflected by the tribes. A tribe has their patron deity and the others are worshipped to a lesser degree.

Here is the leadership of the priesthood of Gruumsh.

The high priest of the temple of Gruumsh is Gorrukk. This older orc is older than most orcs in the city and still looks like he could manage himself in a fight. However, he knows he doesn't have the quickness he once had and has turned to dealing with the politics at the Council of Kings.

Gorrukk maintains influence in the Court due to his extensive knowledge about the individual kings and what is happening within their tribes. His network of informants includes priests he has personally placed with each king as consultants to their tribal court. An intermediate for the king and tribe to Gruumsh.

The kings' know these consultants are a two-headed axe. And, both sides of an axe can be wielded. Gorrukk also understands his consultant priests have divided loyalty to their tribe, king, and temple. To ensure he has the right information, his network goes well beyond those few orcs.

Gorrukk has two main goals while in the Council of Kings. The first is to maintain the King of Black Fang as the King of Kings. Tuagout is a capable figurehead leader for the city. However, Gorrukk ensures Tuagout's position is always working to maintain the conflicts within and without the city so he doesn't get too involved with the matters of religion.

From Deviant Art

Along with maintaining a somewhat stable leadership for the city, Gorrukk works to ensure the other races now living in the city are controlled. He believes the largest threat to the city of Hork are the non-orcs who have been allowed to enter the city. And, those now living in the city would best be dealt with by killing them or expelling them. He doesn't trust non-orcs and the only slaves he keeps are the undead he has created and can control.

With his time being devoted to activities of court Gorrukk leaves most of the temple business Kuhkill.

Kuhkill is the next highest ranking priest in the temple. Where Gorrukk is concerned about maintaining the current order of the city sitting in the council chamber, Kuhkill is inclined to be an orc of action. His main goal, besides ensuring his place in the pecking order, is to strengthen the temple of Gruumsh's position within the city. His own spy network gives him much of the same information about the tribal activities that his leader gets. With that information Kuhkill focuses on what can be used to recruit more priests and followers. His manner of growing the following of Gruumsh uses whatever means he feels useful.

Kuhkill's rise in power has been helped by his association with the thieves' and assassins' guilds. He has found a level of fear of not following a command from the temple is a strong motivator for many orcs to be faithful. When the fear is generated by the unknown hand of Gruumsh, faith can even become stronger.

He is also willing to use the priests and the holy warriors of Gruumsh as he feels they are most useful. Gorrukk has turned is eye away from how Kuhkill manages the faithful since his heavier involvement in court.

Kuhkill is well known by many orcs in the halls of Hork and spends a lot of time in the market hall consorting at the different businesses. Kuhkill's activities brings money to many commoners and they don't want to upset the current order, as long as it is paying so well. He is also known for not wasting time of killing an individual who has offended him.

Many see him as the real leader of the temple. This is not spoken openly. There are more informants than not. If you're not selling information, you're shorting your purse.

Kuhkill allows the next priest in line at the temple to be the Gorrukk's assistant. Mogfu is better suited to sit with the old orc. And the two underling priests have an unspoken understanding that the power arrangement of court and city will be maintained after Gorrukk's death.

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