Kurell

Kurell is the Oeridian god of Jealousy, Revenge, and Thievery.
The Green-eyed God, The Avenger, Black Wolf of the North, Lord of Thieves, The Bitter Hand, The Scorned Heart, The Vengeful Knave

The Oeridian God of Dark Desires

Kurell, the Oeridian god of Jealousy, Revenge, and Thievery, embodies the darker aspects of human nature. This article explores the lore, relationships, motivations, and worship practices dedicated to this complex deity.

Lore

Kurell's origins and his rise to power within the Oeridian pantheon are tales of passion, betrayal, and unending quests for vengeance. His influence extends across the Flanaess, offering solace and power to those driven by their darkest desires.

Description

Manifestations: Kurell appears as a striking Oeridian man or a formidable black wolf, both forms marked by vivid green eyes. His true form, rarely revealed, contrasts sharply with his godly visages, reflecting the deceit at the heart of his domain.

Relationships

• Divine Dynamics: Kurell's romantic entanglements with Atroa and Sotillion have sparked divine conflicts, pitting him against both goddesses and Zilchus, his brother.
• Allies and Enemies: While he aligns with deities like Joramy and Ralishaz, Kurell harbors jealousy towards Olidammara and Norebo and stands in opposition to gods of order and justice, including Allitur and Heironeous.

Motivation

• Divine Jealousy and Vengeance: Driven by his own feelings of rejection and inadequacy, Kurell empowers those who seek to right their perceived wrongs through subterfuge, theft, or direct retribution.

Realm

• The House of Locks and House of the Bitter Hand: Kurell's domains in Limbo and Pandesmos, respectively, reflect his dominion over theft and vengeance, serving as bastions for his followers and the spirits of the departed who lived by his principles.

Dogma

Kurell's teachings emphasize the pursuit and protection of one's desires and the right to personal retribution, advocating for the written word's preservation and the transcription of oral works to safeguard knowledge and art.

Worshipers

• Diverse Following: From the Bandit Kingdoms to the Hold of the Sea Princes, Kurell attracts those who seek power through subtlety and guile, as well as those who have been wronged and seek vengeance.
• The Legion of the Bitter Hand: This collective of thieves' guilds under Kurell's patronage exemplifies his influence across the Flanaess, with significant presences in Rookroost and Stoink.

Clergy

Shadows of Vengeance and Thievery

The clergy of Kurell, though sparse and often hidden within the folds of society, play a pivotal role in embodying and spreading the teachings of their deity. Here's a deeper look into the life and duties of Kurell's chosen.

Composition of the Clergy

• Diverse Backgrounds: Kurell's clergy primarily consist of thieves, assassins, and a select few bards. This diverse makeup reflects the various aspects of Kurell's domain, from the subtlety of a well-spun tale to the finality of revenge.
• Roles and Responsibilities: Kurell's priests embody the god's ethos, engaging in thievery and sometimes assassination, while also serving as keepers of knowledge and protectors of the arts.
• Moral Alignment: Despite the often dark paths they walk, Kurell's clerics are not inherently evil. Their actions, driven by personal vendettas or the pursuit of justice through revenge, align with Kurell's nuanced view of morality.
• Personal Wrongdoing: A unifying trait among his clerics is the experience of being wronged. This personal history of injustice fuels their devotion to Kurell and their pursuit of retribution.

Wardrobe

• Ceremonial Garb: Golden half-masks and cloaks lined with furs symbolize the duality of Kurell's nature—his allure and his capacity for rage and vengeance.
• Adventuring garb: usually includes leather armor that has been dyed a dark red to symbolize Kurell's rage for vengeance.

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Temples

Kurell's worship, though often shrouded in secrecy, manifests in various sacred sites and temples across the Flanaess. Each of these places of worship holds significant importance to Kurell's followers, serving as centers for ritual, instruction, and the planning of clandestine activities. From simple shrines to the Vault of the Hidden Horde beneath Kalstrand, Kurell's temples are as varied as his followers, often serving dual purposes as places of worship and guild halls for thieves and assassins.

The Black Wolf's Lair

• Location: Nestled within the Burneal Forest, this foreboding cave complex (hex I5-68, Darlene map) is revered by Kurell's followers.
• Significance: Considered a holy site, the Lair is named after one of Kurell's favored forms. It serves as a sanctuary and meeting place for his followers, often hosting ceremonies that invoke Kurell's predatory and protective aspects.

Chapel in the College of Endings and Beginnings

• Location: Within the assassin's guild of the North Kingdom city of Atirr.
• Role: This small chapel is a spiritual center where assassins pray for success in their missions. It symbolizes Kurell's influence over the fates of individuals and nations, intertwining with the guild's operations.

Temple in Rookroost

• Location: Situated in the city of Rookroost, known for its thriving underworld.
• Community: The temple is a pivotal worship site for guildmaster Elara Mornstar and the city's thieves' guild members.

The Vault of the Hidden Horde

• Location: Hidden within the catacombs beneath Kalstrand, the capital of the United Kingdom of Ahlissa, this temple is the most prominent of Kurell's worship sites.
• Political Influence: The temple is a nexus of power for organized thievery, with Arch-Avenger Vensch Estende overseeing the city's rival thieves' guilds. It symbolizes the aspiration of Kurell's worshippers to wield influence over the highest echelons of power, including the Overking Xavener.

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Rituals

• Prayers and Holy Days: Nightly prayers for vengeance and significant holy days like Kurell's Night and the Blood Moon Festival mark the calendar of Kurell's worship, celebrating his aspects of retribution and conquest.

Enemy

• Against Order and Good: Kurell's enmity towards deities of law, justice, and goodness reflects his opposition to constraints on personal freedom and retribution, positioning him as a deity of those who operate in the shadows of society.

Holy Days of Kurell

Celebrations of Shadows and Retribution

Kurell's worship is punctuated by holy days that celebrate the themes of vengeance, thievery, and the subtle interplay of darkness and light. These days are not only moments of reverence but also reminders of the god's influence over the balance of power and justice.

The Winter Solstice: The Longest Night

• Significance: The Winter Solstice, marking the longest night of the year, is a time when Kurell's power is at its zenith. It symbolizes the triumph of shadow over light, reflecting the deity's dominion over stealth and secrecy.
• Observances: Followers of Kurell use this night for strategic acts of retribution or to initiate plans of revenge that have been brewing over the year. It is also a time for reflection on past wrongs and the formulation of plans to right them in the coming year.

Kurell's Night: The Dual New Moons

• Date: Occurring on the 11th of Goodmonth, Kurell's Night is uniquely marked by the new phase of both Luna and Celene, casting the world in deeper shadows.
• Celebrations: This night is one for clandestine gatherings and secret rites among Kurell's followers. It is believed that any undertaking of revenge begun on this night is especially blessed by Kurell, ensuring its success. Thieves and assassins, in particular, pray for Kurell's guidance and protection.

The Blood Moon Festival: A Night of Dramatic Vengeance

• Historical Context: The festival commemorates the coup against the Horned Society, viewed as one of the most spectacular acts of vengeance in history, second only to the mythical Rain of Colorless Fire.
• Festivities: The Blood Moon Festival is a time of celebration and remembrance for Kurell's followers. Stories of past revenges are shared, and plans for future retributions are made. The festival serves as a reminder of the power of vengeance and the role it plays in the divine and mortal realms.

Oeridian Pantheon

Holy Symbol: grasping hand holding a broken coin, fingers pointed upwards
Domains: Chaos, Luck, Trickery
Realm: Limbo, Pandemonium
Weapons Allowed: Any as an Assassin
Armor Allowed: As for thieves

Specialty Priest

• All levels: Unable to TurnUndead
• 1st level: Blind-fighting, Move Silently/hide in shadows (Rogue ability)
• 5th level: Invisibility spell
• 7th level: Cast Wraithform
• 9th level: Cast Poison (opposite of neutralize poison)

Divine Classification

Lesser god

Alignment

Chaotic neutral

Species

Humans of Greyhawk

Ethnicity

Oeridian Oerid

Quotes & Catchphrases

"In Shadow's Embrace, Vengeance Finds Its Place."

Holy symbol of Kurell by 3orcs