Hermod, “God of Messengers and Travelers”

Hermod is a Norse deity associated with swiftness and messenger service.

Deities & Demigods

By Rich Redman, Skip Williams, James Wyatt

• Pantheon: Norse
• Deity Title: God of messengers and travelers
• Deity Symbol: A winged helmet and sandals
• Home Plane: Asgard
• Deity Level: Intermediate
• Alignment: Neutral
• Aliases: None
• Superior: Odin
• Traditional Allies: Odin, Frigg, Thor
• Traditional Foes: Hel, Loki
• Divine Artifact: Gjallarhorn, a horn that can be heard throughout all the worlds
• Servants: Valkyries, messengers
• Servitor Creatures: None
• Sacred Animal: Horse
• Manifestations: None
• Signs of Favor: Good fortune in travel and communication, protection during journeys
• Worshipers: Travelers, messengers, merchants
• Cleric Alignments: Neutral
• Specialty Priests: None
• Holy Days: None
• Portfolio: Messengers, travel, communication, speed, agility
• Domains: Travel, Trickery
• Favored Weapon: Spear
• Favored Class: Rogue
• Favored Race: Humans
• Duties of the Priesthood: Deliver messages, assist travelers, maintain communication networks
• Major Cult/Temple Sites: None
• Benefits: Divine assistance in travel and communication, enhanced speed and agility, protection on journeys.

Hermod is a son of Odin and a Norse god known for his swiftness and messenger abilities. With his exceptional speed and agility, he often serves as a mediator between gods and mortals, as well as the messenger of the dead to the afterlife.

Growing up in the grand halls of Asgard, Hermod quickly gained a reputation for his incredible speed and agility, which earned him the title of the “fleet-footed god”. He is often called upon by the other gods to deliver messages or settle disputes, as his ability to travel swiftly and remain impartial is highly valued.

While Hermod enjoys his role as a mediator, he also holds a deep desire to prove his worth as a warrior and protector. He wants to be seen as more than just a messenger and strives to prove his strength and bravery on the battlefield.

Despite his desire for glory and recognition, Hermod remains dedicated to his duties as a messenger and mediator. He understands the importance of diplomacy and the role it plays in maintaining peace among the gods and between the gods and mortals. He is often tasked with delivering important messages, such as Odin’s decrees or summoning other gods to council meetings.

Hermod is a handsome and youthful Norse god, with long blonde hair and bright, piercing eyes that seem to twinkle with mischief and wit. He is tall and lithe, with a strong and agile build that is well-suited to his quick movements and nimble grace.

Overall, Hermod is a multifaceted character who embodies both speed and diplomacy. He seeks to prove his worth as a warrior, while also fulfilling his duties as a messenger and mediator.

Dogma

Hermod’s cult focuses on endurance and physical fitness. It teaches marksmanship, fencing, steeplechase horse racing, foot races of all sorts, and swimming to its members, believing these are key skills for those who must deliver messages.

Clergy and Temples

Clergy of Hermod rarely stay in one village for long. They’re often found while traveling to a different temple, wearing sturdy garb and enjoying their journey. Junior members of the clergy carry messages from noble to noble, village to village, or temple to temple. They are quick to lend aid to travelers in distress.

Hermod’s temples are generally collections of several smaller buildings. In addition to a main hall, most have a training hall and a stable. Many stand near lakes or rivers where the faithful can practice their swimming skills.

Visitors to Hermod’s temples receive warm welcomes and a genial, but thorough, interrogation about travel conditions, gossip, and information about places the visitors have been. If they readily and honestly share what they know, the temple plies them with food and drink for as long as the visitors have information to share.

Hermod
Barbarian 20/Bard 20
Medium-Size outsider
Divine Rank	3
Hit Dice	20d8+320 (outsider) plus 20d12+320 (Bbn) plus 20d6+320 (Brd) (1,480 hp)
Initiative	+14 (+10 Dexterity, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed	70 ft.
AC	46 (+10 Dexterity, +3 divine, +16 natural, +7 deflection)
Attacks	+5 speed rapier +59/+59/+54/+49/+44 melee and +5 chaotic keen dagger +55/+50 melee; or spell +50 melee touch or +53 ranged touch
Damage	+5 speed rapier 1d6+12/15-20 and +5 chaotic keen dagger 1d4+12/17-20 or by spell
Face/Reach	5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks	Domain powers, salient divine abilities, spell like abilities.
Special Qualities	Divine immunities, DR 38/+4 (4/-), fire resistance 23, understand, speak, and read all languages and speak directly to all beings within 3 miles, remote communication, godly realm, teleport without error at will, bardic knowledge +27, bardic music 20/day (countersong, fascinate, inspire competence, inspire courage, inspire greatness, suggestion), uncanny dodge (cannot be flanked, +4 against traps), SR 35, divine aura (30 ft., DC 20), greater rage 6/day.
Saves	Fort +51, Ref +45, Will +43.
Abilities	Strength 25, Dexterity 30, Constitution 42, Intelligence 25, Wisdom 26, Charisma 25.
Skills	Bluff +35, Climb +38, Concentration +43, Craft (metalworking) +25, Craft (stoneworking) +25, Diplomacy +40, Disguise +34, Escape Artist +37, Gather Information +35, Handle Animal +34, Innuendo +35, Intimidate +40, Intuit Direction +39, Jump +38, Knowledge (arcana) +34, Knowledge (geography) +34, Knowledge (history) +34, Knowledge (local) +34, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +34, Knowledge (the planes) +34, Knowledge (religion) +34, Listen +41, move silently +21, Perform +34, Ride (horse) +39, Sense Motive +35, Spot +13, Swim +38, Wilderness Lore +33.
Feats	Alertness, Ambidexterity, Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Combat Expertise, Fleet of Foot, Improved Critical (rapier), Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Mobility, Power Attack, Quick Draw, Run, Spring Attack, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse (rapier), Weapon Focus (rapier), Whirlwind Attack.
Divine Immunities	Ability damage, ability drain, acid, cold, death effects, disease, disintegration, electricity, energy drain, mind-affecting effects, Paralysis, poison, sleep, stunning, transmutation .
Salient Divine Abilities	Divine Celerity, Divine Dodge, Power of Luck, Stride.
Domain Powers	Cast chaos spells at +1 caster level; 3/day reroll a die roll once after it is made; 3 rounds/day freedom of movement.
Spell-Like Abilities	Hermod  uses these abilities as a 13th-level caster, except for chaos spells, which he uses as a 14th-level caster. The save DCs are 20 + spell level.  Aid, animate objects, astral projection, break enchantment, chaos hammer, cloak of chaos, dimension door, dispel law, entropic shield, expeditious retreat, find the path, fly, freedom of movement, holy aura, locate object, magic circle against law, miracle, mislead, phase door, protection from energy, protection from law, shatter, spell turning, summon monster IX (as chaos spell only), teleport without error, word of chaos.
Greater Rage	The following changes are in effect as long as Hermod rages: AC 44; hp 1,660; attacks +62/+62/+57/+52/+47 melee (1d6+15/15-20, +5 speed rapier) and +58/+53 (1d4+15/17-20, +5 chaotic keen dagger); SV Fort +54, Will +46; Strength 31, Constitution 48; Climb +41, Concentration +45, Jump +41, Swim +41. His rage lasts for 22 rounds, and he is not winded afterward.

Bard Spells Known (4/6/6/6/5/5/5; base DC = 17 + spell level):

• 0—dancing lights, daze, detect magic, ghost sound, light, read magic;
• 1st—expeditious retreat, identify, mage armor, magic weapon, protection from law;
• 2nd—blur, bull’s strength, cat’s grace, hold person, misdirection;
• 3rd—blink, dispel magic, greater magic weapon, keen edge, scrying;
• 4th—detect scrying, legend lore, modify memory, rainbow pattern, shout;
• 5th—contact other plane, dream, mind fog, mislead, persistent image;
• 6th—control weather, greater scrying, mass haste, plane shift.

Other Divine Powers

As a demigod, Hermod treats a 1 on a saving throw or attack roll normally and not as an automatic failure. He is immortal.

Senses: Hermod can see, hear, touch, and smell at a distance of three miles. As a standard action, he can perceive anything within three miles of his worshipers, holy sites, objects, or any location where one of his titles or name was spoken in the last hour. He can extend his senses to up to two locations at once. He can block the sensing power of deities of his rank or lower at up to two remote locations at once for 3 hours.

Portfolio Sense: Hermod can sense any event related to moving or transmitting goods or information that involves one thousand or more people the instant it happens.

Automatic Actions: Hermod can use Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Innuendo, Listen, Ride, or Sense Motive as a free action if the DC for the task is 15 or lower. He can perform up to two such free actions each round.

Create Magic Items: Hermod can create magic items related to communication, movement, travel, or overcoming obstacles, such as a Ring of Swimming, as long as the item’s market price does not exceed 4,500 gp.

Currently

Hermod, the messenger of the gods, is currently roaming the world in search of lost souls to bring back to the realm of the gods. He travels on his swift horse, Sleipnir, and his eyes are constantly scanning the land for signs of those who have recently passed.

As he journeys through the 1450s, Hermod is acutely aware of the tumultuous events that are occurring throughout the world. He observes the rise of powerful empires and the fall of others, and he knows that these events will have a significant impact on the fate of humanity.

Despite being focused on his mission to retrieve the souls of the departed, Hermod also seeks to ensure that the balance of power in the world is maintained. He sees the importance of keeping both mortals and gods in check and believes that it is his duty to intervene when necessary to prevent any one group from gaining too much power.

While some may see his role as simply that of a messenger, Hermod knows that he is an essential component in maintaining the delicate balance between the mortal and divine worlds. As he travels through the 1450s, he remains steadfast in his mission and vigilant in his watch for any signs of imbalance.