Nergal

• God of the Underworld, Lord of War, King of the Dead
• Symbol: A black lion with a mane of lame
• Alignment: Neutral evil
• Portfolio: War, death, avarice, the underworld
• Favored Weapon: Longsword

A grim and implacable figure, Nergal is the god of the underworld, war, and death. He represents war as the drive for power, dominion, and triumph, the desire to subjugate enemies and claim what is theirs. Nergal is also the stern and final judge of the dead, sentencing souls deserving of punishment to ages of penance in his hell of black lames. Nergal’s philosophy teaches that the strong rule over the weak, and people are meant to seize the things they want in life—a creed that often casts the lord of the underworld as a sullen and resentful being who believes Mithra’s place as the ruler of the pantheon belongs to him.
While Nergal is a dark and demanding deity, his temples are found in many cities and are firmly established in Thule’s civic life. War comes to all lands sooner or later, and warriors seek Nergal’s favor in the struggles they face. His priesthood urges a strong hand in dealing with the wretched masses and rival cities, and they also sponsor spectacular (and bloody) games to celebrate the anniversaries of triumphs and conquests from past wars.