Norgorber

Blackfingers, Father Skinsaw, the Gray Master, Reaper of Reputation

Alignment: Neutral-Evil
Realm: Duskfathom (Axis)
Temples: alchemy shops, merchant houses, thieves’ guilds
Worshippers: assassins, murderers, poisoners, politicians, spies, thieves
Sacred Animal: spider
Sacred Colors: black and gray

Norgorber is the most mysterious of the Ascended, the group of mortals who assumed godhood after passing the Test of the Starstone. Unlike Iomedae’s and Cayden Cailean’s mortal existences, Norgorber’s life before his ascension is a mystery; the god himself has shrouded details of his mortal life in secrecy. This is no surprise to those familiar with Norgorber—he is the master of all secrets, a calculating manipulator who cleverly and ruthlessly wields the power of hidden knowledge to achieve his own ends. Only his most trusted worshippers know enough about his goals to assist in the god’s plans, and even those worshippers often have their memories modified after their parts in Norgorber’s schemes are complete.
In artwork, Norgorber is often portrayed merely by his religious symbol: a black, featureless mask. The god actively interferes in artists’ attempts to realistically reproduce his likeness by causing blindness or tremors to prevent completion of their work. Those who claim to have seen him can describe only a nondescript hooded figure in black and gray, with his face lost in shadows.
Norgorber is worshipped in four aspects, each of which embodies a facet of the god’s sinister portfolio: Blackfingers, god of poison; Father Skinsaw, god of murder; the Gray Master, god of thieves; and the Reaper of Reputation, god of secrets. Norgorber’s followers typically align themselves with one aspect above the others, though some temples venerate the god in all of his guises. Temples dedicated to different aspects of the god operate independently, though they might work together to accomplish complicated schemes planned by the god or his minions.
Blackfingers: In his aspect as the god of alchemists and poisoners, Norgorber represents the covert use of dangerous substances to achieve personal gain and the pursuit of alchemical secrets regardless of the consequences. Even alchemists who worship more benevolent gods covet the secrets known by Blackfingers, though his worshippers would contend that nonbelievers are too cautious or kindhearted to successfully pursue Norgorber’s forbidden techniques. Followers of Blackfingers are reckless experimenters, selectively breeding spiders or scorpions to develop stronger venoms or testing chemical tinctures on prisoners to study their effects. Their experiments often lead to the development of useful contraband, such as untraceable poisons that mimic the effects of disease or powerful acids that eat through locks or prison bars.
Father Skinsaw: Bloodthirsty and brutally violent, Norgorber’s Father Skinsaw aspect is worshipped by only the most heartless killers. Whether they’re merciless bandits, cutthroat thieves, or fearsome butchers, followers of Father Skinsaw focus on snuffing out life, either as a show of dominance, a gruesome sacrament, or a celebration of depravity. While senseless killing is enough for many worshippers of Father Skinsaw, some serial killers see their crimes as steps in the unknowable plans of their dark god. For them, every murder is a prayer.
The Gray Master: Blackmail, extortion, larceny, kidnapping—all of these are sacred to followers of the Gray Master. Norgorber’s aspect as the god of thieves encourages his followers to seize what they can get and disregard moral compunctions and the law. While individual guilds of thieves might follow guidelines that ensure profitability or help them avoid authorities, those that follow the Gray Master seek to profit at the expense of others. Of all the god’s aspects, the Gray Master is the most likely to have organized cults of followers, and his priests often hold important positions in thieves’ guilds, gangs, and crime syndicates.
The Reaper of Reputation: Politicians, spymasters, and even archivists or researchers might worship Norgorber as this, his least malevolent aspect. The Reaper of Reputation represents the power of information: the power of discovering it, the power of keeping it secret, and the power of whispering it in the right ear at the right time. While many good people are interested in gathering useful information, those who follow the Reaper of Reputation usually do so to further their own selfish ends and seek to leverage insider knowledge for personal gain. Price manipulation and political corruption are the trade of many of the Reaper of Reputation’s followers, but his most extreme worshippers might ferret out a secret and then kill anyone who had learned of it, merely to keep its power for themselves.

Divine Domains

Greed, Murder, Poison, and Secrets

Divine Symbols & Sigils

Divine Classification

God