Torm (Forgotten Realms)

Torm is a fictional deity in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, who, along with Tyr and Ilmater, is part of the House of the Triad pantheon.

He is described as being the god of duty, loyalty, obedience, paladins and truth. He is usually depicted as a knight riding a golden wyrm.

Publication history

Ed Greenwood created Torm for his home Dungeons & Dragons game, set in Greenwood's Forgotten Realms world. Greenwood commented that, depending on a Dungeon Master's campaign, "Torm may possibly be replaced by St. Cuthbert when details of the saint are available."^[2]

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)

Torm first appeared within Dungeons & Dragons as one of the deities featured in Ed Greenwood's article "Down-to-earth Divinity" in Dragon #54 (October 1981). Torm is introduced as Foehammer; his other names, beginning with "Torm..." are, "...the True", "...The Foolish", and "...The Brave." Torm is the god of duty, loyalty, obedience, and those who face danger to further the cause of good; he is a lawful good demigod from the Prime Material plane. The article states that "Torm was the most faithful of warriors, renowned for obeying all the commands of his king regardless of personal danger. He remains a great fighter, serving as the wararm of Tyr." His role within the cosmology is also defined: "Torm and Ilmater serve Tyr, and worshippers and priests do the will of this Triad willingly. In certain situations Torm and Helm will work together." Torm is commonly worshipped by lawful good fighters, thieves, monks, and clerics, and characters employed as guards.^[2]

Torm later officially appeared as one of the major deities for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Set's "Cyclopedia of the Realms" booklet (1987),^[3] where he is described as a loyal demipower in service to Tyr.

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)

Torm was described in the hardback Forgotten Realms Adventures (1990),^[4] the revised Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (1993) in the "Running the Realms" booklet,^[5] and Faiths & Avatars (1996).^[6] Faiths & Avatars details Torm's actions in the Time of Troubles, leading up to his self-sacrifice, subsequent reinstatement and promotion to lesser status.

His clergy was further detailed in Warriors and Priests of the Realms (1996),^[7] and Prayers from the Faithful (1997).^[8]

His role in the cosmology of the Planescape campaign setting was described in On Hallowed Ground (1996).^[9]

His relationships with the nonhuman deities in the Forgotten Realms was covered in Demihuman Deities (1998).^[10]

Torm is described as one of the good deities that celestials can serve in the supplement Warriors of Heaven (1999).^[11]

Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition (2000-2007)

Torm appears as one of the major deities of the Forgotten Realms setting again, in Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (2001),^[12] and is further detailed in Faiths and Pantheons (2002).^[13]

Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition (2008-)

The 4th Edition Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide details Torm's promotion to greater status after Tyr's defeat following a demonic invasion of the upper realms.

Description

Torm is a Lawful Good greater deity. His symbol is a gauntlet, much like the symbol of Helm and also that of Bane, though specifically Torm's symbol is a right-hand gauntlet held upright with palm forward.^[14]

Relationships

Torm is one of the three deities collectively known as the Triad, along with the more powerful Ilmater and Tyr, whom he serves. Torm is an ally of Helm, though the clergies of the two are often at odds with one another, in addition to the Red Knight and Lathander. Torm is opposed to deities who are evil in alignment, including Cyric and Mask, but has a particular animosity towards Bane.^{[1] [14]}

Worshippers

In addition to clerics and paladins, martial warriors and other individuals who adhere to the ideals of Torm's portfolio such as good fighters, knights, guardians and loyal courtiers are also depicted as common worshippers of Torm.^[14]

Clergy

Torm's clergy are described as being sworn to the Duty of Penance, a body of debts to be repaid to other deities, implemented after the Time of Troubles, requiring them to take part in activities such as rooting out corruption in institutions and destroying cultists of Bane and Cyric.^[14] Torm's clerics are described as praying for their daily spells at dawn.^[1]

History

Prior to the Time of Troubles Torm was a relatively obscure minor demipower who served Tyr. Torm gained considerable attention and praise during the Godswar when his faithful helped keep one of the missing Tablets of Fate safe, and his own avatar battled and completely destroyed the avatar of Bane outside Tantras, seemingly killing the god who had already been weakened by Mystra and her servant Elminster. Torm died in the conflict too, but because of his loyalty to his portfolio was resurrected by the overdeity Ao at the end of the Time of Troubles, with his power increased to that of a lesser deity.^[14]

See also

• List of Forgotten Realms deities

References