Baalzebub
The Rancorous Ancestor
The Ratatoskr species originates from the grand aetherial mutations that occurred following the Great Holy War just like the other beast races in the world. However, unlike the other species, one can pinpoint the first Ratatoskr in existence and his history. Iustinus, the first rat-kin or so the Cult of Baalzebub claimed, was a downtrodden street rat that mutated into what resembles ratatoskr today. He, like his species, was heavily persecuted for their animalistic appearance as well as their resemblance to disease-carrying rodents. Fed up with the heavy amounts of abuse he suffered, he forged a pact with Adrammelech and nearly damned his entire species along with himself as he ascended to demon hood as Baalzebub. However, he was thwarted by his son, Reepicheep, who slew his father in honorable combat. Following this event, Baalzebub descended to Sheol to take up a throne of an Archon of Sheol, while his son tried his most earnestly to persuade his people away from the path of perdition. All in vain, many will say, as his species was nearly wiped from existence following the First Contagion, which Baalzebub released upon the world following his death.
His followers, the Baalites, utterly forsake all gods of the world above their chittering and hive-minded undercities for which they engage in various vile and nefarious acts. Due to the various malignant domains and plots that Baalzebub encompasses, his followers obey and pursue their deaths and beyond into unholy amalgamations that barely resemble their prime ratatoskr form. The Baalites ensure that the plagues that encompass the world are harder and harder for humanoids to overcome in the overworld. They also provide the upkeep of their numbers by mutating various humanoids and ratatoskr to ensure their war against the surface world comes to fruition one day. Some prophecy that in the future, the hordes and clans of Baalites will encompass various cities around the world while chittering about their Rancorous Ancestor and his rise to even greater domination over those that he envied throughout his mortal life.
Category Archons of Sheol
Edicts corrupt pieces of land, water sources, and communities; infect the weak; spread and nurture disease
Anathema aid in ending a plague or infection, destroy something out of hand when you could have instead corrupted it or leeched off it first
Areas of Concern envy, infection, insects, parasites, rodents, stagnation, and undeath
Follower Alignments NE, CE
Devotee Benefits
Divine Ability Constitution or Wisdom Divine Font harm Divine Skill Nature Favored Weapon Dagger Domains air, decay, plague, swarm, Alternate Domains magic, undeath, zeal, might Cleric Spells 1st: goblin pox, 2nd: vomit swarm, 3rd: insect formDivine Intercession
The Rancorous Ancestor’s gifts seem bizarre and cruel to those outside of his following, but his faithful crave his gifts zealously and fear his punishments. Source Gods & Magic - Web Supplement pg. 5 Minor Boon: Your commitment to filth draws a small cloud of disease-laden insects. Once, you can summon a cloud of midges, mosquitos, and flies to surround you for 1 minute. Creatures adjacent to you at any point during that time become drained 1, sickened 1, and exposed to a blood-borne illness. Baalzebub typically grants this boon when you can infect a significant number of creatures. Moderate Boon: Baalzebub teaches you to bide your time, corrupting and infecting until the time is right. When you expose a creature to a disease and it succeeds at its Fortitude save, it is still infected unless it critically succeeds. However, such a creature experiences no effects and the disease does not progress for the first 24 hours, even if the disease is normally fast-acting or someone uses another ability to progress the disease. It’s very difficult to detect the infection in the first day; the DC for Medicine checks to do so is 5 higher. Major Boon: Baalzebub rewards his followers with the ability to safely spread illness—or on occasion, offers respite to desperate petitioners who please him. You do not take negative effects from any disease you are infected with unless or until Baalzebub rescinds this benefit. Minor Curse: Baalzebub drains away your life force for himself. You become drained 1 and can’t reduce your drained condition below 1. Moderate Curse: Baalzebub leeches your energy from you as easily as blood. Any time you fail a Fortitude save, you become fatigued in addition to all other effects. Major Curse: You are struck with a contagious disease of the GM’s choice. You and anyone else you infect can’t be cured of the disease or improve its condition to an earlier stage in any way until you infect two other sapient beings with the disease.Herald:
Yersinia, a rat-like balor capable of spreading plague and death where it goesRealm:
Justinia, an area of madness, undeath, and plague surrounded by swarms of rodents and pests of all kinds infecting and killing one another endlessly. The only praise for the Rancorous Ancestor comes from the creation of new and more horrible plagues.Divine Symbols & Sigils
8 disease-ridden rats with their tails tied to each other
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