Erythnul

The Many

Erythnul, god of Hate, Envy, Malice, Panic, Ugliness, and Slaughter

Erythnul, known as the Many, is a figure of terror and chaos within the pantheon of Oeridian deities. He embodies the darker aspects of human nature such as hate, envy, and the thrill of bloodshed. Unlike gods who preside over the noble aspects of war, Erythnul revels in the carnage and the fear it sows. Erythnul, the Many, personifies the primal fears rooted in conflict and chaos. Unlike deities who oversee war with a sense of honor or duty, Erythnul thrives in the senseless violence and the primal fear it generates. His worship is a testament to the darker side of humanity and monstrous races, embracing the raw, unfettered chaos of battle without concern for the reasons behind the conflict.

Divine Appearance

• Physical Appearance: Standing seven feet tall, Erythnul's appearance is that of a brutal warrior. His skin is rubicund, and his body is covered in hirsute, muscular flesh, knotted with power.
• Apparel and Weaponry: He is often depicted in red fur and leather, wielding a stone-headed mace that produces a haunting whistling sound in battle, a signature that instills panic.
• Shape-shifting Visage: True to his moniker, Erythnul's form is ever-changing, cycling through the appearances of various savage races, reflecting his dominion over the chaos of battle.

Relationships and Politics

• Rivalry with Hextor: A deep-seated rivalry exists between Erythnul and Hextor, stemming from Hextor's theft of the War portfolio.
• Alliances: Erythnul's notable alliances include his sponsorship of Roykyn and his association with Kurell, showcasing a network of divine entities connected by darker aspects of deity.
• Association with Karaan: Though less known, Karaan's association with Erythnul underscores a shared domain of violence and darkness.

Dogma

Erythnul's dogma celebrates the chaos inherent in battle, viewing warfare and conflict as the ultimate expressions of life. His teachings emphasize:

• Sacred Chaos: Battle is considered a divine test, where life and death by the sword define the highest virtues.
• Bloodlust: The belief that spilled blood feeds Erythnul, enhancing his power and influence.

Worshipers

Erythnul's following spans across civilized and savage lands, comprising:

• Criminal Cults: In urban settings, his worshippers form secretive cults, operating in the shadows.
• Savage Tribes: Among gnolls, trolls, ogres, and bugbears, his worship is more overt, reflecting a primal devotion.
• The Temple of Carnage: This organization represents his more structured worship in cities, uniting followers under a common cause.

Motivations and Goals

• Erythnul seeks to spread discord and strife, believing that through conflict, the true nature of beings is revealed.
• His ultimate aim isn't conquest but rather to sustain an endless cycle of violence and terror.

Hierarchy and Clergy

The clergy is structured around the promotion of Erythnul's chaotic dogma, encouraging acts that lead to bloodshed and fear.

• Clergy: Erythnul's priests are drawn from those who embrace his chaotic nature, often engaging in rituals that mirror the god's love for slaughter and fear.
• Temples: Hidden from the uninitiated, these sacred sites are centers of worship, where rituals of blood and battle reinforce Erythnul's dogma.
• Titles: Titles within the priesthood reflect this, from Initiates of the First Blood to Harbingers of Carnage.

Clergy: Agents of Chaos and Slaughter

• Appearance and Behavior: Erythnul's clerics don garments of rust red, often stained with the blood of their sacrifices, symbolizing their god's domain. They are known for their cruel, sadistic nature, reveling in acts of rebellion, murder, and rioting, especially in civilized areas.
• Training and Initiation: Prospective clerics undergo rigorous and frightening trials within temple fortresses or military environments, witnessing countless sacrifices and the horrors of war. Only the steadfast, those who do not flinch at the tests laid before them, are accepted into the priesthood.
• Hierarchy: The priesthood is structured with ranks that mirror their god's chaotic nature, including Raider, Marauder, Reaver, and Incarnate, each level representing a deeper commitment to Erythnul's brutal dogma.
• Dogmatic Actions: Whether finishing off the dying on a battlefield, ensuring the collapse of peace, or pillaging the countryside, the clerics' actions aim to create mass slaughter and hysteria, pleasing their deity.

Temples: Bastions of Sacrifice and Slaughter

• Location and Design: Temples dedicated to Erythnul are often hidden, erected in places tainted by carnage or within the secrecy of a town's thieves' quarter. These temples are squat, ugly fortresses, the sites of endless sacrifices.
• Altars and Sacrificial Sites: Altars to Erythnul, massive structures built hastily on battlefields, are abandoned once their purpose is served, leaving the land desecrated. The "Bloody Howl" ceremony, involving dawn sacrifices before combat, is a common ritual to inspire further slaughter in Erythnul's name.

Rituals: Ceremonies of Blood and Fear

• Less Violent Services: Even the least violent rituals involve discordant sounds from reed instruments, clashing gongs, and pounding drums, creating an atmosphere of impending doom.
• Major Rites: The most significant rituals involve building fires for sacrifices, with the "Bloody Howl" being particularly notorious. This rite sees the execution of prisoners captured in previous battles to curry favor with Erythnul before the next conflict.
• Prayers: Rhyming chants, focusing on gory subject matter, are a customary way to pray to Erythnul, reflecting his followers' obsession with death and destruction.

Artifacts and Relics: Instruments of Erythnul's Will

• Executioner's Hood: This item, infamous for its association with the mass murderer Xeric IV, symbolizes the ultimate commitment to Erythnul's cause of indiscriminate slaughter.
• Morningstar of the Many: Allegedly dipped in the blood of creatures from every plane, this weapon's ever-changing form mirrors Erythnul's shifting visage, making it a feared tool in the hands of his followers.

Conclusion

Erythnul's worship, structured around chaos, fear, and ugliness, attracts those who find beauty in destruction and power in fear. His clergy, temples, and rituals serve not only as expressions of devotion but as direct extensions of his will, spreading the chaos of war across the planes. The artifacts associated with his worship are testament to the lasting impact of his doctrine, promising destruction in the hands of those devoted enough to wield them.

Oeridian Pantheon

Holy symbol: a red blood drop, or a bestial mask representing Erythnul's changing visage.
Realm: Windswept Depths of Pandemonium
Domains: Chaos, Evil, Greed, Madness, Mysticism, Trickery, War
Speciality Cleric spells

Clerics of the 4th order: Fear

Clerics of the 7th order: Strength (increased by 1d8 points as for a warrior)

Clerics of the 9th order: 1/day, enchant an edged weapon for 1 round/level to act as a Sword of Wounding

Clerics of all levels: TurnUndead Command

Divine Classification

Intermediate god

Alignment

Chaotic evil (CN)

Species

Humans of Greyhawk

Ethnicity

Oeridian Oerid

Quotes & Catchphrases

"Chaos is the Crucible, War the Flame; We are His Forge."
"In Every Drop of Blood, His Strength Grows."