Nerull (NEH-rule)

The Reaper, The Foe of All Good, Hater of Life, Bringer of Darkness, King of All Gloom, The Reaper of Flesh

Death, Darkness, Murder, Underworld

Greater God of Carceri, Neutral Evil

Aliases: Tharoth the Reaper (Baklunish)
Domain Name: The Crypt/Necromanteion in Carceri(Tarterus)
Origin: Flan
Superior: None (Istus in Baklunish religions)
Allies: Hextor
Enemies: Wee Jas
Symbol: Skull and scythe or sickle
Worshipper's Alignment: Any evil

Nerull is known as the Reaper, Foe of all Good, Hater of Life, Bringer of Darkness, King of all Gloom, and Reaper of Flesh, a cold, cruel, hateful god. Few anywhere do not know or fear his name. Nerull is not a god who sees death as ease, release, or quiet passing; he brings bloody slaughter and is the deity of many who seek evil for their enjoyment and gain.
Many evil humans and some humanoids pay homage to Nerull. In wicked lands, such as the Great Kingdom, temples of Nerull operate openly and without fear. Elsewhere his temples operate secretly in subterranean vaults. Services to Nerull are conducted in darkness, with a litany glorifying death and suffering. Blood sacrifices are common. Altars are made of rust-colored stone; service pieces are copper and malachite.
Nerull appears as a skeletal figure with dull rust-red skin. His skull-like head has thick strands of dark blue-green, ropey "hair". His eyes are a putrid green, suggesting verdigris; his talons and teeth are the same hues. He wears a black cloak and cowl and carries Lifecutter, a red-veined sablewood staff. He appears on the Prime Material Plane only during darkness. Nerull is summoner of fiends, conjurer of darkness and his touch withers flesh and turns it to dust.
Nerull is known to fly during his appearances. All his senses - including infravision and ultravision - are twice as effective as the human norm. Furthermore, his vision cannot be obscured by darkness or clouds, magical or otherwise. This makes him, for all practical purposes, immune to surprise, except through some extraordinary means. Once per day, Nerull can summon three demodands of the same type. The summoning takes three segments and the creatures appear 1d8 segments later. The creatures serve willingly, more out of fear rather than loyalty, for he hates all life and is not above destroying servants out of displeasure or spite.
Lifecutter is actually a scythe. At Nerull’s command, a huge blade of red force extends from its tip. The blade is equal to a +5 weapon. With it, Nerull can sweep a 180-degree arc 10 feet long and 2 feet deep. Each creature within the arc is subject to attack (normal to-hit roll required). Even creatures in Astral, Ethereal, or gaseous forms are affected. Victims struck must save vs. death or expire instantly; those saving suffer 5d6 points of damage. Creatures from, or drawing energy from, the Positive Material Plane suffer double damage. Undead struck by the blade crumble to dust unless they, too, save vs. death. The double-damage and death effects are negated by a successful magic resistance roll, but the base damage is not.

The Church

Clergy: Clerics (65%), Specialty Priests (35%)
Alignment: Any evil
Turn Undead: No
Command Undead: yes
Nerull's priests are murderous, psychopathic, cold, cruel, and utterly evil. They are secretive and solitary, for obvious reasons, as few sane people would tolerate their presence. No organized church of Nerull exists except in the most evil lands. Nerull’s clerics commit murder as offerings to their god; when their actions are discovered, they flee their hiding places and move far away to carry out their evil deeds, appearing innocent while occasionally killing wayfarers on their long journey.
Clerics of Nerull dress in rust-red or black garments. All carry the skull and scythe either openly or cleverly hidden somewhere on their persons. All of Nerull’s clerics are trained to be alert, and are surprised only on a roll of 1.At 1stlevel, clerics are trained to use small sickles (equal to daggers). At 5th level they learn to use scythe-like pole arms (treat ashook-fauchards). Theseweapon proficiencies are in addition to the cleric’s normal weapons. Nerull’s clerics never share secrets or confide in anyone.

Dogma

All are equal in Nerull’s cold realm. Every living thing is an affront to the Reaper, and every death brings a dark spark of joy to his long-dead heart. Those who pray to Nerull to appease him only attract his attention and their own doom. Those who kill in his name shall be rewarded.

Day-to-day Activites

The worship of Nerull is done in full darkness. The litany is ghastly, being of fear, death, and suffering. Sacrifice of the living is common, being homages to the Reaper. Altars are of rusty colored stone. Service pieces are usually of copper and malachite.
The main temple in Molag is constantly seeking to expand its influence throughout the Flanaess. To this end, clerics and priests are sent out to find any and all hidden temples of Nerull and bring them under the church's control, by force if necessary. In this way, the church hierarchy is exerting more and more control over the church. The hierarchy believes that Nerull is just as important a deity as Pelor or Beory is, and is trying to get the recognition they feel he deserves.

Important Ceremonies/Holy Days

The Blood Moon Festival. This night, on Coldeven 11, is particularly sacred to Nerull.

Major Centers of Worship

The worship of Nerull is outlawed in most civilized nation, but small temples are hidden underground throughout the Flanaess. These temples are dedicated to recruiting new members to the cult and expand their power, especially into the free cities of the Flanaess.
The priests of Nerull, however, openly worship their demonic deity in the Great Kingdom of Aerdy, but the number of temples and churches is low compared to that of Hextor.
The primary temple to Nerull is located in Molag in the Horned Society.

Priestly Vestments

All priests wear rust-red or black robes. Highre ranking priests wear black robes with rust-red trim. All carry the skull and scythe either openly or cleverly hidden somewhere on their persons.

Adventuring Garb

When travelling in most places or adventuring, priests of Nerull will not advertise who their deity is, but will often pose as a priest of another deity.

Specialty Priests (Reapers)

Abilities: Standard
Alignment: any evil
Raiment: Rust-red or black garments
Weapons: dagger, knife, great sickle (treat as hook-fauchard), staff, staff-sling
Armor: Any
Major Spheres: Astral, Combat, Guardian, Healing (rev), Necromantic (rev), Sun (rev)
Minor Spheres: Charm, Divination
Turn Undead: No
Command Undead: yes

Granted Powers

• at 1st level, Reapers are trained to be alert and are surprised only on a 1. They are also trained to use small sickles (equal to daggers)
• At 5th level, they learn to use scythe-like polearms (treat as hook-fauchards). These weapon proficiencies are in addition to the cleric’s normal weapons
• at 6th level, Reapers can cast Evard's Black Tentacles once per day
• at 12th level, Reapers can cast Destruction (reversed Resurrection) once per week

Additional Spells

First Level

Command
Pass Without Trace
Sanctuary

Second Level

Hold Person
Obscurement
Withdraw

Third Level

Dispel Magic
Meld Into Stone

Fifth Level

Ebony Tendrils
Quest

Sixth Level

Aerial Servant
Part Water
Word of Recall

Seventh Level

Succor