Nerull
Title(s)
The Reaper, Foe of All Good, Lord of the Dead, The Hater of Life
Alignment
Neutral Evil
Symbol
A skull and scythe, symbolizing death and the inevitable end that awaits all life. The skull represents mortality, while the scythe signifies Nerull’s role as the harvester of souls. His followers use this symbol in rituals or wear it as a pendant, and it is often carved into hidden altars or engraved on sacrificial blades.
Domains
Death, Evil, Darkness, Destruction
Followers and Clergy
Nerull’s followers are those who embrace evil in its darkest forms, seeking power through death, destruction, and suffering. His clergy, known as Reapers, are feared for their ruthlessness and devotion to the god of death. They are often solitary and secretive, operating in shadows and hiding their affiliations. When not in disguise, Reapers wear robes the same rust-red hue as their god's bones, often decorated with symbols of death. Clerics of Nerull are required to undergo a grueling initiation that includes being buried alive, symbolizing their commitment to the god of death. They are expected to carry out murders as sacrifices to Nerull, viewing the taking of life as a sacred act. His priests frequently travel in disguise to avoid persecution, but when openly practicing, they wield weapons associated with death, such as sickles, scythes, or daggers.
Worship Practices
Services dedicated to Nerull are performed in total darkness, with rituals featuring litanies of fear and suffering. His followers believe that death is the highest offering they can give, and they often conduct ritualistic murders to honor him. The Blood Comet Festival, held on Emerge 11, is one of Nerull’s most sacred nights, during which his followers commit acts of gruesome violence in his name. Offerings to Nerull may include blood, bones, or freshly deceased bodies, which are often used in dark rites or necromantic experiments. His temples are typically hidden underground or in remote places, as open worship of Nerull is generally suppressed outside of the most evil lands. These places serve as centers for clandestine rituals, dark magic, and the worship of death itself.
Character and Doctrine
Nerull represents death, darkness, and the end of all things. His teachings emphasize that life is an abomination to be extinguished and that death is the ultimate power. His followers are encouraged to spread fear and suffering, using murder and destruction to honor their god. The Reaper teaches that mercy and compassion are weaknesses, and that strength lies in embracing death and bringing it to others. Nerull's doctrine is one of inevitability; all things must end, and his followers act as instruments of that finality. The faith also holds that those who serve Nerull in life may avoid eternal suffering in death by pleasing him through acts of great evil.
Manifestations and Interventions
Nerull often appears as a black-robed skeleton with rust-red bones, his face obscured by a hood and green, ropy hair cascading around his skull. He carries Lifecutter, a staff that can grow a scythe blade of scarlet energy capable of withering flesh and severing the souls of the living. His interventions are marked by a sudden chill, the appearance of unnatural darkness, or the rapid decay of organic matter. Nerull’s presence can also be felt in places where death is rampant, such as battlefields or sites of plague. He sometimes appears in visions to his clerics, providing instructions or offering dark blessings to further his agenda.
Divine Relationships and Stories
Nerull maintains a tenuous alliance with Hextor, the god of tyranny and war, though the two do not always see eye to eye. He respects Incabulos, who brings about the suffering that Nerull ultimately claims, but they rarely cooperate unless faced with a common threat. Nerull once sponsored the ascension of his mortal follower Kyuss to godhood, though the relationship is strained due to Kyuss’s ambitions. The Reaper seeks to reclaim the divine power stolen by Mellifleur, a lich who ascended to godhood by accident. Despite his rivalry with other gods of death, Nerull is neither allied with nor opposed to Wee Jas, with whom he shares a mutual indifference. According to legend, Nerull is responsible for slaying Obad-Hai each winter, bringing an end to the cycle of life and renewal during the coldest months.
Sacred Items and Symbols
Nerull’s sacred items include scythes, skulls, and objects used in sacrificial rites. His followers often carry daggers or sickles stained with the blood of their victims, and relics such as ancient bones or cursed objects associated with death are treated as holy. The staff Lifecutter is considered the most iconic of his sacred items, known for its ability to channel necrotic energy and reap souls. Bloodstones, black onyx, and other gems associated with death are commonly used in his rituals, while his temples often feature altars adorned with bones and shrouded in black cloth.
Temples and Shrines
Temples dedicated to Nerull are typically subterranean, hidden in catacombs, caves, or other dark places where the dead may rest undisturbed. These temples serve as sites for forbidden rites and necromantic research, often featuring chambers filled with bones, skulls, and other grim decorations. Shrines to Nerull may be found in graveyards, charnel houses, or locations associated with death and decay. Some shrines are simple stone altars stained with old blood, while others are elaborate crypts containing the remains of the sacrificial victims offered to Nerull. His followers establish hidden temples in regions where death is a constant presence, as open worship is typically outlawed or suppressed by authorities who seek to preserve life.
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