Ergramoq (UR-grah-MAWK)

The Mountain that Walks, The Earth Tyrant, Obsidian One

Lawful Evil Elemental Prince

Depicted as a massive mountain-like humanoid of darkest obsidian, with a mantle of dark soil upon his shoulders and head. His most common symbol is an equilateral triangle crowned with three rays at its upper tip and with a slim rectangular portal centered upon its base (representing passage to the Elemental Plane of Earth).

Like that of the other Elemental Princes, worship of Ergramoq has come and gone many times over the eras in a cyclic fashion as the powers of Elemental Evil have found purchase upon the world via the opening of elemental portals, only for them to eventually be defeated and become temporarily stymied by the closing of their portals. The names of the cults and churches dedicated to him have borne various names over the centuries, and in some cases more than one has existed at the same time.

In the modern era the most recent incursion of Elemental Evil has been quietly growing for a handful of years. Ergramoq's return to mortal affairs started among tribal descendents of the Cult of Blackest Earth which, since Ergramoq's last expulsion from the world, managed to eke out a bare survival among the wild places of the world. This fell cult has quickly grown in size and influence with the return of Ergramoq's influence, and has started to spread membership beyond its original tribal roots. However other lesser factions, spin off sects, and strains of Ergramoq's worship exist as well.

Devotees of Ergramoq evoke the implacable strength and unyielding resistance of elemental earth, and usually seek the power to destroy the works of civilization with landslides, sinkholes, or mighty earthquakes. They generally regard mines, quarries, and tilled fields as insults imposed upon the living rock and soil. They believe the earth thirsts for the blood of those who don't venerate it before all other powers and beings.

The faithful of Ergramoq tend to be patient, deliberate, slow to act, and defensively minded, but when they resolve to attack they do so in the most direct, brutal, and overwhelming way possible. They put much stock in silent stoicism, are unflinching in the face of setbacks and mortal danger, and will suffer death rather than surrender or give in. Members of the Cult of Blackest Earth in particular will fight to the death with no quarter asked or given.

Unlike the mercurial elemental air, volatile elemental fire, or untrustworthy elemental water cults, followers of Ergramoq who give their word or make a deal or take on an obligation can be trusted to scrupulously adhere to and honor any oath or promise they have sworn. However, because they take such obligations so seriously, they are exceedingly careful in what promises they make or oaths they swear to.

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Ergramoq does not have clerics; however druids of the Circle of Blackest Earth serve as priests of the faith and act to spread the conversion of new believers and swell the numbers of the cult. Some sorcerous scions whose bloodline carries the taint of elemental earth find places of special favor among elemental earth cultists, though there are certainly others who have no allegience to (or even awareness of) Ergramoq and seek their own destiny. Some swear service to Ergramoq in return for his dark patronage and arcane secrets (notably, it is usally such a fool who opens a portal to allow Ergramoq back into the world in the first place), and while such Warlocks might follow an independent path most are cult leaders. Finally, a few practitioners of the esoteric wizardly School of Geomancy worship (or at least venerate) Ergramoq, and when such learned devotees are encountered they tend to be in positions of power or leadership among the elemental earth cults.

The Cult of Blackest Earth

Various savage tribes of hillfolk and cave dwellers who worship Ergramoq have survived in the craggy badlands, hillocks, and highlands of the world. Some of the warriors of these simple tribal people are favored with earthen blessings by their patron; most notably their skin becomes increasingly stony or rocklike as they grow in Ergramoq's favor, granting stone-like durability. When a follower of this path enters a rage, they are further augmented by Ergramoq and become able to shrug off all forms of harm. Some followers of this path even develop a xorn-like ability to sense tremors and terran treasures.

The wisemen and shaman of these savage tribes are effectively the priests of the cult, and they are decidedly expansionistic. Those who find themselves at their mercy and fail to take up worship of Ergramoq might find themselves supine over an altar stone, held down by tribal warriors while a druid of this circle carves out the victim's heart with an obsidian dagger as an offering to the Earth Tyrant.

• The Barbarian subclass Path of Blackest Earth is available to player characters with DM permission; however this cult has a villanous agenda and those who follow this path are among its most prominent foot soldiers.
• The Druid subclass Circle of Blackest Earth is available to player characters with DM permission; however this cult has a villanous agenda and these fell druids are prominent furtherers of it.

Elemental Earth Origin

Some sorcerous bloodlines trace their magical origin back to an elemental entity or power from one of the Elemental Planes, and earth is no exception. During the long years between incursions of Elemental Evil such sorcerous potential tends to remain dormant and unrealized (though a very rare few elemental sorcerers do manifest their abilities even during such times) and such scions live out their lives without ever realizing their magical potential. But when portals to the Elemental Plane their bloodline is attuned to remain open upon the world the manifestation of such abilities is much more common. Consequently, there has been a noticeable spike in sorcerers of this kind in recent years.

• The Sorcerer subclass Elemental Earth Origin is available to player characters. Such characters' bloodlines might ultimately trace their arcane potency back to Ergramoq, or some other entity or power native to the Plane of Elemental Earth. Either way, such characters might or might not have any knoweldge of Ergramoq and / or any of his various cults and followers, and they might or might not be entangled in Ergramoq related concerns, as their player prefers.

Earth Tyrant Patron

Extremely uncommon but among the most insidious and effective of Ergramoq's servants, such Warlocks gain great power from Ergramoq's patronage. But at what cost? Some are part of or are at least affiliated with the Cult of Blackest Earth, while others work alone or lead a cult or sect of their own.

• The Warlock subclass The Earth Tyrant is available to player characters who have accepted Ergramoq as their patron and seek to increase the influence of Elemental Evil upon the world, with DM permission. However, a player character with such a nefarious agenda may not be appropriate in some campaigns.

School of Geomancy

An esoteric school of wizardry which specializes in studying the Elemental Plane of Earth, how to draw and channel arcane power from it, and better ways to summon and control it's native denizens.

• The Wizard subclass School of Geomancy is available to player characters. While a few practitioners of this art worship or venerate Ergramoq, most do not, and a few actively oppose Ergramoq and his servants. A Geomancer actively crusading to expose and eliminate servants of Ergramoq could be a particularly fun and thematic character in a campaign that encompasses the looming threat of this latest incursion of Elemental Evil.