The Ecology of the Jermlaine is in Dragon #262 (Aug 1999)
It is a very interesting article though no Greyhawk related info is given.
I believe it does not mention any religious issues.
They are also described as a PC race in Complete Humanoids format in:
Dragon #241, p.38
Legacies of the Suel Imperium, by Roger E. Moore
Five Suel-spawned races for your Greyhawk campaign: derro, jermalaine, skulks, lerara, and suel dopplegangers
From that article:
The actual history of the jermlaine is complex. Details are currently unknown to all residents of the Flanaess, except for certain high priests of Pyremius. It is generally believed that jermlaine are related to minor goblinoids like mites, snyads, and gremlins, but this is not the case.
Jermlaine were originally gnome slaves of a secret society of Suloise wizards who dwelled in caverns under the Hellfurnaces, which in the ancient days of the Suel Imperium were less volcanic and usually identified as part of the Crystalmists chain. This society of wizards, the Inheritors of the Red Gloom, was at constant odds with the Suel Imperium. The Inheritors closely followed the teachings of the Suloise deity Pyremius, who represented selfish personal achievement and the gaining of power at all costs. The particular methods approved of by Pyremius to gain power (fire, poison, and murder) later became divine portfolios under his control, and many of the Inheritors were-as they are now-evil fire elementalists (as per the Tome of Magic) or dual-classed mage-thieves trained in assassination (use the assassin kit from PHBR2 The Complete Thief's Handbook). The Inheritors often worked in concert with the great red ragons of this region known as the Fiery Kings, against whom the Suel Imperium fought many wars. (See DRAGON Magazine issue #230, page 8-16, “The Orbs of Dragonkind.“ )
Certain gnomes, corrupted by their masters, secretly wished to pursue the teachings of Pyremius themselves to achieve a greater command of magic. The Inheritors would have none of this, but the wicked gnomes managed to establish priests of Pyremius among their own kind through prayer and devotional acts.
They eventually escaped their masters and took up residence in the mountains immediately next to what is now Jeklea Bay. There they conducted hideous experiments on captive Suloise citizens, some of them Inheritors who were kidnapped by the gnomes or their agents.
One result of these experiments was the creation of a slave race that served as spies and guards for the evil gnomes. This race, though minute in size, was extraordinarily clever and capable, combining features of the Suloise captives with flesh from the gnomes themselves. (It is said that the deity Pyremius served as the model for this race’s facial appearance.) The gnomes were themselves destroyed by spellcasters of the Suel Imperium about the year -1,600 C.Y., almost 2,400 years before the present day in the Flanaess.
However, their servant race survived and scattered, spreading throughout the mountain tunnels and caverns. These creatures are today called jermlaine, which is Oeridian for “troublemaker”; the word is the same in the singular or plural form. Jermlaine have numerous other names, the printable ones including bane-midges, jinxkins, and gremlins (“gremlin” being a modern corruption of “jermlaine” ).
...for class options thief and cleric are given with the level limits of 15 and 2 (although i believe 2 is a typo.) this is of course obsolete in 3E.
Raxivort is stated in:
Dragon #64, p.13
Greyhawk's World: Redefining Deities of the Flanaess, by Gary Gygax
Details on Raxivort, the god of xvarts, and some changes for the Deities and
Demigods cyclopedia when used with the Greyhawk setting
and
Dragon #264, p.46
The Oeridian Lesser Gods (II), by Ander Miller
Raxivort (an Oeridian?) and Sotillon revealed
and here on the WotC boards by Green Giant:
http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=318185
Actually I am pretty sure that they first appeared in the D series, and then were reprinted in the Fiend folio.... either way, I have both of those entries and religion is not mentioned one way or another... I was actually rhinking that a 2e source such as Monster Mythology... which I unfortunatly haven;t been able to find my copy of for a year or so now, might have had something.
Of course you're right regarding where they first appeared (i'll put it down to advancing senility).
Unfortunately the Monster Mythology does notcover any information for Jermlaine. However, the 2nd ed Monster Manual (loose-leaf compendium) confirms them as relatives to Gnomes, albeit distant, and with an affinity to rats.
I feel that the Raxivort and Pyremius entries would suffice (interesting article forwarded by Thanael - but odd that the name is sited as Oeridian rather than Suel based..) and it is possible that they would feel an afinity to Urdlen the CE gnome entity of Greed and Blood. As gnome descendants they would certainly be aware of the evil power of this being, and their twisted hatred of their masters (Gnomes if you follow Roger Moore's outline) would justify them calling on it.
Squerrik the LE god of Wererats could also be considered "..he may dispatch an avatar to lead a very large group of wererats out of their subterranean lairs to attack, loot, and pillage a surface community weakened by war, siege or some other adversity........The avatars are always cowardly and seek to escape combat if faced with a powerful enemy." Let me know if you want any greater detail from the books now I have them dug out of the attic.
I can quite see the Jermlaine following a tribal structure, with several gods being invoked by shamanistic leaders according to their whim or need, so it may be possible that they do not venerate any single entity, or that different groups invoke different patrons
I do not use Squerrik in my greyhawk game, because Raxivort's portfolio includes wererats (at least according to the 83 boxed set).
I can quite see the Jermlaine following a tribal structure, with several gods being invoked by shamanistic leaders according to their whim or need,
I like this idea.
Also the shaving thing reminds me of that albino rat god idol from Al Qadim, Ishistu. (I believe it`s from the ruined Kingdoms boxed set.)
That could be another candidate for jermlaine religion...
BTW Dragon 262 also has Roger Moore Elmshire article, so it`s agood issue dto huntt down for Greyhawk afficionados.
I do not use Squerrik in my greyhawk game, because Raxivort's portfolio includes wererats (at least according to the 83 boxed set).
Which sounds spot on.