Set
Set (set) is the jealous personification of evil. A cold and calculating deity, he always acts against the interests of the Mulhorandi pantheon. Also known as Zehir to the Yuan-Ti, the Father of Jackals is always looking for ways to recruit new followers and disrupt the churches of the other Mulhorandi deities. Despite his loathsome nature, Set takes good care of his followers and does not willingly betray or abandon his people, as he finds it practical to maintain their loyalty. Set can be quite gracious and charming when first encountered, but he reveals his true colors very quickly. He revels in his evilness and makes no excuses for his cruelty or his evil actions. He never laughs except when relishing another creature’s pain, and the sound of his laughter is said to be that of creature’s final death scream. Mortals are simply useful tools that can be destroyed or cared for, as appropriate, in Set’s view.
Clergy and Temples
The church of Set is ordered by a strict hierarchy answering directly to the deity. Clerics of Set are charged to undermine and overthrow the theocracy of Mulhorand, and spend their days executing ruthless and subtle plans to achieve their goals. Only the eternal vigilance of the other deities and their faithful keeps the majority of these plans from succeeding. Clerics of Set often oversee the activities of thieves, assassins, and other evil beings, even if they venerate Mask. Many brigands and tomb robbers worship Set and use these activities to finance their plans as well as mock and denigrate the deities and beliefs of other faiths and deities. The clergy of Set heads several orders of assassins. Such clerics are not allowed to betray members of the order and must always work to promote the “brotherhood of evil.”
Clerics of Set pray for their spells at night, whenever the land is darkest. They have no formal holy days. Rather, they perform their important ceremonies and sacrifices every time they achieve a major victory in the name of Set. When a supplicant seeks to join the brotherhood of evil as a full-fledged member, he must undergo the Test of Venom. This ceremony involves the supplicant walking through a pit of poisonous snakes or scorpions. Aspiring clerics who survive the ceremony are admitted into the clergy. Particularly infuriating to the clergy of Osiris and Nephthys is the deconsecrating ceremony performed by grave robbers who serve in Set’s clergy. This ceremony involves the complete defilement of a burial chamber, the creation of an unholy alter to Set, the looting of the crypt’s treasure, and the animation of the bodies as undead. Many clerics and druids multiclass as assassins, rogues, or wizards.
Dogma
The ends justify the means, and life is a struggle to be won by the powerful and the ruthless. Loyalty to one’s comrades is admirable as long as it advances the cause of Set, and in the end, when Set accedes to his rightful throne, those that have served him well will be justly rewarded. Destroy the clergies of Horus-Re and Osiris, thus accelerating Set’s establishment at his rightful place as god-king of Mulhorand, and spread the cult of Set throughout the world. Sacrifice both wealth and sentients to Set.
History and Relationships
Set, brother to Osiris, is the most evil deity worshiped in Mulhorand. The son of Geb and long-forgotten Nut, his birth was horrific, for he tore himself free from his mother’s womb and sprang upon the world as a foul and hideous thing. He challenged the authority of Osiris for the leadership of the gods upon the death of Ra, slew Osiris (who was later brought back to life by Isis) through trickery, and was then defeated by Horus-Re and cast him out. Now Set schemes against all the Mulhorandi, with the exception of Sebek, whom he exploits. His only ally is Tiamat, for both gods have found common cause in undermining the power of the other deities of the Old Empires. His recent excursions outside Mulhorand have attracted the attention of Bane, Cyric, and Talos, all wanting to steal his power.
Divine Classification
Intermediate Diety
Honorary & Occupational Titles
- Defiler of the Dead
- Lord of Carrion
- Father of Jackals
Children
Gender
Male
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