Telchur
Encyclopedia
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting
for the Dungeons & Dragons
role-playing game
, Telchur is the Oeridian god of Winter, Cold, and the North Wind. His symbol is a leafless tree in a field of snow.
(1983), by Gary Gygax
.
Telchur was one of the deities described in the From the Ashes
set (1992), for the Greyhawk campaign. Telchur was featured in the article series on the Oeridian Lesser Gods in Dragon
#265 (1999).
Telchur's role in the 3rd edition Greyhawk setting was defined in the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer
(2000). Telchur's priesthood is detailed for 3rd edition in Complete Divine
(2004).
He is also represented with Vexxin, an axe made of ice, as tall as he is; with a great club of bronzewood called Tla, or with a broadsword called Issai.
Telchur is said to prefer a frozen forest's calm tranquility to the sound of an icy wind screaming through the mountains.
and cousin of Merikka. As one of the Velaeri, Telchur is the brother of Velnius
, Atroa
, Sotillion
, and Wenta
. He is bitter over being assigned to watch over the coldest and bleakest time of year, and thus shuns his family. He is disliked in particular by his youngest sister, Wenta, because he spoils the festivities of autumn with the harshness of winter.
Telchur is responsible of orchestrating the imprisonment of his enemy, Vatun, and has thus earned the enmity of Llerg
and Dalt
, Vatun's ally and brother, respectively. The Icebrother is an ally of the Wolf Lord, the archdevil Belial
(who may have aided in Vatun's imprisonment), and the slaad lords. Telchur seems to be responsible for preventing the goddess Loviatar from sending servants into the world of Oerth
.
is called the Icicle Palace.
, Highfolk
, Ratik, Sunndi
, the County of Urnst
, and Veluna
. Though worship of the Velaeri is forbidden in the Theocracy of the Pale, they are honored in secret by many farmers and country folk. Telchur also has followers among the Rovers of the Barrens, the Tiger Nomads
, and the Wolf Nomads
.
"Natural" temples to Telchur are often caves or windbreaks in the snow; they seldom outlast the winter, and are reconsecrated the following autumn.
The Iceminster, a temple to Telchur in Kaport Bay in the North Province, was torn down by the people for firewood in the winter of 246 CY.
The greatest remaining temple to Telchur stands in Blackmoor; called the Frost Palace, it is a great stone edifice built of white marble, with walls some ten feet thick. It lies 45 leagues east of Dantredun, on the edge of the Cold Marsh.
The Hanging Glacier of Alisedran, located in the Corusk Mountains, is considered a site sacred to Telchur.
is especially important to Telchur and his followers. On Great Moon's Glory (Readying
11th), offerings are often left to Telchur to request that he peacefully leave, and to speed the coming of his sister Atroa.
. When the sky god returned to Oerth
, he found Telchur had froze it completely, leaving room only for winter. Angered, he created three other siblings for the young god (Atroa, Sotillion, and Wenta), tasking them with ensuring that Telchur never again had so much control.
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
for the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
, Telchur is the Oeridian god of Winter, Cold, and the North Wind. His symbol is a leafless tree in a field of snow.
Publication history
Telchur was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game SettingWorld of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting
The World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting and the World of Greyhawk Fantasy World Setting are two closely related publications from TSR, Inc. that detail the fictional World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game...
(1983), by Gary Gygax
Gary Gygax
Ernest Gary Gygax was an American writer and game designer best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons with Dave Arneson. Gygax is generally acknowledged as the father of role-playing games....
.
Telchur was one of the deities described in the From the Ashes
From the Ashes (Dungeons & Dragons)
From the Ashes is a supplement for Dungeons & Dragonss World of Greyhawk campaign setting. It was published in 1992 by TSR as a boxed set of materials...
set (1992), for the Greyhawk campaign. Telchur was featured in the article series on the Oeridian Lesser Gods in Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#265 (1999).
Telchur's role in the 3rd edition Greyhawk setting was defined in the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer
Living Greyhawk Gazetteer
The Living Greyhawk Gazetteer is a sourcebook for the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the 3rd edition of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Despite the title, the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer is not exclusive to the Living Greyhawk Campaign...
(2000). Telchur's priesthood is detailed for 3rd edition in Complete Divine
Complete Divine
Complete Divine is a supplemental rulebook for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons and Dragons fantasy role-playing game published by Wizards of the Coast...
(2004).
Description
Telchur is depicted as a dark-eyed, gaunt man with and a long beard of icicles. Bitter and brooding, the God of Winter strikes at his enemies from the back of a winged albino bull with his icy shortspear.He is also represented with Vexxin, an axe made of ice, as tall as he is; with a great club of bronzewood called Tla, or with a broadsword called Issai.
Telchur is said to prefer a frozen forest's calm tranquility to the sound of an icy wind screaming through the mountains.
Relationships
Telchur is the son of ProcanProcan
Procan is a fictional deity in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. Procan is the Oeridian god of seas, sea life, salt, sea weather, and navigation...
and cousin of Merikka. As one of the Velaeri, Telchur is the brother of Velnius
Velnius
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Velnius is the Oeridian god of the Sky and Weather...
, Atroa
Atroa
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, Atroa is the Oeridian goddess of Spring, East Wind, and Renewal...
, Sotillion
Sotillion
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Sotillion is the Oeridian goddess of Summer, the South Wind, Ease, and Comfort...
, and Wenta
Wenta
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Wenta is the Oeridian goddess of Autumn, Brewing, Harvest, and the West Wind...
. He is bitter over being assigned to watch over the coldest and bleakest time of year, and thus shuns his family. He is disliked in particular by his youngest sister, Wenta, because he spoils the festivities of autumn with the harshness of winter.
Telchur is responsible of orchestrating the imprisonment of his enemy, Vatun, and has thus earned the enmity of Llerg
Llerg
In the fictional world of the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Llerg is the god of Beasts and Strength...
and Dalt
DALT
N,N-Diallyltryptamine is a psychedelic drug of the tryptamine class. Alexander Shulgin reports that DALT is active at 42 mg orally, producing a +1 on the Shulgin scale, and being back to baseline by 4 hours. It is said to have a similar potency to DMT, being active at doses of approximately 40-100...
, Vatun's ally and brother, respectively. The Icebrother is an ally of the Wolf Lord, the archdevil Belial
Belial (Dungeons & Dragons)
In many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Belial is an Arch-Devil of Hell , lord of the Fourth Hell, Phlegethos. He retained his rule after the Reckoning of Hell, though he now shares this responsibility with his daughter Fierna who serves as his mouthpiece...
(who may have aided in Vatun's imprisonment), and the slaad lords. Telchur seems to be responsible for preventing the goddess Loviatar from sending servants into the world of Oerth
Oerth
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Oerth, pronounced as "Orth" or "oyth", is the name of the fictional planet on which one of the earliest campaign settings, the World of Greyhawk, is located...
.
Realm
His realm in PandesmosPandemonium (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the standard cosmology of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Pandemonium is the Outer plane where Chaotic Evil and Chaotic Neutral petitioners are sent after death. Pandemonium is a large, complex cavern that never ends. Compounding this problem, howling winds drive most of its...
is called the Icicle Palace.
Dogma
Telchur teaches that while spring and summer bring life and cause it to flourish, winter always lies at the end, stilling life and preventing new life from emerging from the frozen soil. The cold northern wind shrouds all, draining life from man and beast alike, blowing out the flames of hope, leaving naught but infinite white silence.Worshippers
Telchur's followers seek to placate him more than worship him. He is usually honored with his siblings as part of the Velaeri, the Oeridian agricultural gods. He is thus revered by farmers and others who depend on the land's bounty, as well as those seeking relief from winter's chill.Clergy
Telchur's priests tend to be brooding and withdrawn. They have little love for pleasantries and noise, focusing instead on the harsh realities of survival, even when times are good. Telchurian priests pray just after darkness falls. Their duties include officiating at winter funerals, aid the fit in surviving the roughest parts of winter, and travel to spread the Icebrother's gloom to distant peoples.Temples
Places of worship to Telchur are often dedicated to the Velaeri as a whole. These locations are found throughout Oeridian lands, including Ahlissa, the Bone March, the Gran MarchGran March
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Gran March is a political state of the Flanaess.-Geography:...
, Highfolk
Highfolk
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Highfolk, properly known as the Free Town of Highfolk, is a political city-state of the Flanaess...
, Ratik, Sunndi
Sunndi
In the fictional World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Sunndi is a political state situated in the region of the Flanaess. Sunndi was originally given a very brief description by Gary Gygax in 1980's World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting...
, the County of Urnst
County of Urnst
The County of Urnst is a political state in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. It is situated on the east coast of the Nyr Dyv, and bordered by the Duchy of Urnst to the southwest, The Kingdom of Nyrond to the south and east, and the Bandit Kingdoms...
, and Veluna
Veluna
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Veluna, properly known as the Archclericy of Veluna, is a theocratic political state of the Flanaess.-History:...
. Though worship of the Velaeri is forbidden in the Theocracy of the Pale, they are honored in secret by many farmers and country folk. Telchur also has followers among the Rovers of the Barrens, the Tiger Nomads
Tiger Nomads
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the Tiger Nomads, properly known as the Chakyik Horde, is a political state of the Flanaess....
, and the Wolf Nomads
Wolf Nomads
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the Wolf Nomads, properly known as the Wegwiur, is a political state of the Flanaess. The name also applies to the tribes of nomadic horsemen who dwell within these lands.-History:The Wolf Nomads are descended...
.
"Natural" temples to Telchur are often caves or windbreaks in the snow; they seldom outlast the winter, and are reconsecrated the following autumn.
The Iceminster, a temple to Telchur in Kaport Bay in the North Province, was torn down by the people for firewood in the winter of 246 CY.
The greatest remaining temple to Telchur stands in Blackmoor; called the Frost Palace, it is a great stone edifice built of white marble, with walls some ten feet thick. It lies 45 leagues east of Dantredun, on the edge of the Cold Marsh.
The Hanging Glacier of Alisedran, located in the Corusk Mountains, is considered a site sacred to Telchur.
Holy days
The midwinter week of NeedfestGreyhawk Calendar
The Greyhawk Calendar is a fictional calendar used in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game...
is especially important to Telchur and his followers. On Great Moon's Glory (Readying
Greyhawk Calendar
The Greyhawk Calendar is a fictional calendar used in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game...
11th), offerings are often left to Telchur to request that he peacefully leave, and to speed the coming of his sister Atroa.
The Freezing of the World
One myth says that Velnius, who in this myth was his father, once left Telchur in charge of all the weather for a thousand years while the older god saw to other worlds in GreyspaceGreyspace
Greyspace is an accessory for the Spelljammer campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. The book was written by Nigel Findley, and was published in 1992. Cover art is by Tom Baxa, with interior illustrations by David O...
. When the sky god returned to Oerth
Oerth
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Oerth, pronounced as "Orth" or "oyth", is the name of the fictional planet on which one of the earliest campaign settings, the World of Greyhawk, is located...
, he found Telchur had froze it completely, leaving room only for winter. Angered, he created three other siblings for the young god (Atroa, Sotillion, and Wenta), tasking them with ensuring that Telchur never again had so much control.
Additional reading
- Baur, WolfgangWolfgang BaurWolfgang Baur is an American game designer, best known for his work with Dragon magazine. He designs role-playing games and also is known for his work at Wizards of the Coast.-Biography:...
, James Jacobs, and George Strayton. Frostburn. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2004. - Brown, Anne. Player's Guide. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1998.
- Conforti, Steven, ed. Living GreyhawkLiving GreyhawkLiving Greyhawk was a massively shared Dungeons and Dragons living campaign administered by RPGA that ran from 2000 to 2008. The campaign setting and storyline were based on Gary Gygax's World of Greyhawk setting, and used the Dungeons and Dragons Third Edition rules...
Official Listing of Deities for Use in the Campaign, version 2.0. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2005. Available online:http://www.wizards.com/rpga/downloads/LG_Deities.zip - Gygax, Gary, and Frank MentzerFrank MentzerJacob Franklin "Frank" Mentzer III , is an American fantasy author and game designer best known for his work on early materials for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. He was a performing folk musician from 1968 to 1975, and played one concert at the White House during the...
. The Temple of Elemental EvilThe Temple of Elemental EvilThe Temple of Elemental Evil is an adventure module for the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, set in the game's World of Greyhawk campaign setting. The module was published by TSR, Inc. in 1985 for the first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules...
. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1985.