![[Erythnul.png|400]] **Lesser Deity** **Alignment**: Chaotic Evil ### Overview Erythnul, known as _The Many_, is the intermediate deity of hate, envy, malice, panic, ugliness, and slaughter. An ancient god of the Oeridian peoples of Oerth, he embodies uncontrolled violence, cruelty, jealousy, and the terror accompanying warfare. Unlike deities who regard battle as a means of achieving victory, justice, or conquest, Erythnul delights in bloodshed for its own sake. His followers believe that spreading fear, inflicting suffering, and destroying their enemies are among the greatest expressions of devotion. Erythnul is an unpredictable and exceptionally violent deity whose hatred extends to virtually all living beings. He encourages his followers to seize what they desire, destroy those who oppose them, and turn their envy into acts of cruelty. His worshippers include human barbarians, warriors, criminals, and outlaws, alongside numerous gnolls, bugbears, ogres, and trolls. He is particularly revered among communities where violence and intimidation determine leadership. Erythnul is traditionally depicted as a heavily muscled humanoid standing approximately seven feet tall, with a powerful frame, coarse hair, and ruddy, mottled skin resembling flesh saturated with blood. His dull green eyes possess a wild and unsettling appearance. He commonly wears red fur garments and red-dyed leather and carries an immense stone-headed morningstar. His title, _The Many_, derives from his extraordinary ability to alter his appearance. During battle, his features continually change between those of a human, gnoll, bugbear, ogre, and troll. Blood spilled from his wounds can transform into armed creatures resembling whichever form he currently possesses, allowing him to create additional combatants from his own injuries. Erythnul is especially feared because he seeks neither peaceful dominion nor lasting order. He considers panic, betrayal, and indiscriminate slaughter desirable outcomes, and his followers frequently attack enemies and allies alike when encouraged by hatred or envy. ### Domain and Influence Erythnul's divine authority encompasses hatred, envy, malice, panic, ugliness, and slaughter. His influence is strongest during battles, massacres, riots, and other events involving widespread terror and violence. He is especially concerned with the fear that causes soldiers to abandon their positions, the hatred that drives individuals toward revenge, and the envy that transforms rivalry into bloodshed. His teachings encourage followers to take what they covet, destroy those who threaten their possessions, and inflict suffering upon enemies they cannot defeat outright. He considers restraint and mercy signs of weakness when they prevent violence. His worshippers regard the battlefield as a sacred place where the strong demonstrate their abilities and the defeated become offerings to their deity. Not all of Erythnul's followers interpret these teachings identically. Some less malevolent worshippers believe that combat against worthy opponents is the highest expression of his power and that killing helpless individuals accomplishes little. His more numerous chaotic evil followers reject this distinction, regarding slaughter itself as sacred regardless of the victim's strength or innocence. Erythnul's worship is especially prominent among the humanoid tribes of the **Bone March** and **Pomarj**, as well as numerous bandit groups throughout the Flanaess. He is also recognised as the official patron deity of **Stonehold**, where his association with raiding, warfare, and brutality has considerable influence. His divine realm is found within **Pandemonium**, the plane of endless winds and madness. Some planar traditions describe Erythnul's realm as the **Fields of Malice** upon Cocytus, the second layer of Pandemonium, while others identify his stronghold as the **Citadel of Slaughter** upon Phlegethon, the third layer. These differing accounts preserve distinct descriptions of his divine dominion without establishing a definitive explanation for their locations. The Citadel of Slaughter appears as the ruined remains of an enormous stone fortress. Its twisting corridors channel freezing winds through passages filled with the sounds of perpetual battle. Within the citadel, the maddened souls of Erythnul's deceased worshippers hunt and slaughter one another without end. Erythnul himself participates in the fighting, destroying petitioners and the occasional mortal captive who falls into his domain. A vast sacrificial altar is said to stand near the centre of the fortress. Erythnul maintains few reliable divine alliances. His principal rival is **Hextor**, the god of war, tyranny, and discord. Religious accounts maintain that Hextor appropriated much of Erythnul's authority over warfare, creating an enduring hatred between the two deities. Their conflict reflects the opposition between Erythnul's uncontrolled bloodshed and Hextor's disciplined military conquest. Another important enemy is **Joramy**, the goddess of fire, volcanoes, wrath, and quarrels. Joramy despises Erythnul, and her church is known to attack his priests and worshippers upon discovery. The precise origin of their hostility remains uncertain, although it is associated with Erythnul's jealousy of the Fire Goddess. Their mutual hatred has made cooperation between their respective faiths virtually impossible. Erythnul is allied with **Kurell**, the god of jealousy, revenge, and theft. His worship is also associated with **Karaan**, an obscure deity of savage nature and bestial destruction, whose cults are considerably less widespread. These relationships are founded upon compatible interests in hatred, violence, and suffering rather than dependable loyalty. Another important divine association is **Roykyn**, the gnomish hero-goddess of cruelty and malicious pranks, whose ascension Erythnul sponsored. ### Symbols and Icons ![[ErythnulSymbol.png|300]] Erythnul possesses two recognised holy symbols. The first is a single red drop of blood, representing slaughter, violence, and the blood spilled in his name. The second is a grotesque mask resembling a monstrous face, commonly depicted as half demon and half boar. The mask represents his constantly shifting appearance and his association with savage, destructive creatures. His followers display these symbols upon ceremonial masks, weapons, banners, armour, and objects used during sacrifices. Masks are particularly important among his clergy, whose members use them to imitate the various monstrous forms assumed by their deity. Rust-red is the traditional colour of Erythnul's priests. During important ceremonies, they may wear white robes intended to display the bloodstains acquired during sacrificial rituals. His favoured weapon is the **morningstar**, reflecting the enormous stone-headed weapon he carries. Known as _Agony_, Erythnul's morningstar has a perforated head that produces an unnatural shrieking sound when swung. The noise itself is capable of inspiring overwhelming terror in those who hear it. ### Worship and Tributes Erythnul's worship centres upon violence, hatred, envy, and the deliberate spreading of fear. His followers believe that blood spilled in battle strengthens their deity and that acts of cruelty demonstrate their devotion. Religious ceremonies are consequently loud, chaotic, and frequently accompanied by sacrifices. Traditional services involve shrill reed instruments, clashing gongs, and pounding drums. Prayers commonly take the form of short rhyming chants describing violence, mutilation, and the destruction of enemies. Major ceremonies involve fires and the sacrifice of captives. Established religious practices include: - **Blood Sacrifices**: Captured enemies may be sacrificed during religious ceremonies, particularly before important battles. The shedding of blood is regarded as an offering to Erythnul and a means of obtaining his favour. - **The Bloody Howl**: One of Erythnul's most notorious ceremonies takes place at dawn before a battle. Soldiers captured during earlier fighting are sacrificed to inspire the deity's followers and encourage further slaughter. - **Discordant Music**: Religious services involve harsh reed instruments, gongs, and drums. The resulting noise is intended to accompany violent worship and reflect the confusion and terror associated with the deity. - **Rhyming Prayers**: Erythnul favours brief chants concerning hatred, violence, and bloodshed. Their simple structure allows warriors and raiders to repeat them during religious ceremonies and preparations for battle. - **Burnt Offerings**: Major rites may involve burning sacrifices within large ceremonial fires. Such offerings are particularly associated with wilderness temples and fortified religious strongholds. - **Battlefield Consecration**: Places where exceptional cruelty or widespread slaughter have occurred are regarded as sacred. Followers may establish temporary altars upon battlefields, dedicating further deaths to Erythnul. - **Acts of Envy and Betrayal**: Worshippers may demonstrate their devotion by seizing possessions from rivals, undermining enemies, or turning allies against one another. These actions reflect Erythnul's authority over jealousy and malice. Erythnul's cults do not maintain a single universally observed religious calendar. Their ceremonies are frequently associated with warfare, successful raids, and opportunities for sacrificial violence rather than a consistent cycle of annual festivals. --- ### Clergy and Temples Erythnul's clergy consists primarily of violent warriors, barbarians, raiders, and individuals devoted to cruelty and bloodshed. Many priests are human, although gnolls, bugbears, ogres, and other humanoids also serve him. His worship is particularly common among communities where military strength and intimidation determine authority. His priesthood is highly disorganised, reflecting the chaotic nature of the deity himself. Individual cults frequently compete for territory, followers, and influence. Rival priests may murder one another to obtain positions of authority, and successful betrayal is often regarded as evidence of strength rather than religious misconduct. Certain religious traditions recognise the ranks of **Raider**, **Marauder**, **Reaver**, and **Incarnate**. These titles provide a measure of authority within organised cults, although they do not constitute a universal hierarchy governing every temple. Priestly training is frequently undertaken within large wilderness temples or military encampments. Senior clerics expose initiates to violence, intimidation, and repeated tests of courage. Those who demonstrate fear or hesitation may be rejected, while individuals who endure the ordeals are accepted into the faith. Erythnul's temples vary considerably according to their location. Within cities, worshippers usually establish secret shrines in criminal districts, abandoned buildings, or places associated with notorious acts of violence. Such congregations are sometimes collectively described as the **Temple of Carnage**, although they do not form a single unified organisation. In wilderness regions, his followers construct squat, heavily fortified temples. These buildings are deliberately imposing and frequently situated upon former battlefields or locations where massacres occurred. Their principal altars are often raised upon platforms approached by steep staircases. During military campaigns, priests may construct temporary altars directly upon battlefields. These structures are sometimes abandoned when the armies move elsewhere, leaving behind desecrated sites that may subsequently attract dangerous creatures. The clergy also encourages rebellion and civil disorder. Within settled lands, its members may provoke riots, undermine authorities, or deliberately intensify existing conflicts. Among warlike tribes and bandit companies, priests frequently assume positions of leadership and direct their followers toward raids and conquest. ### Powers and Abilities Erythnul possesses extraordinary divine abilities associated with slaughter, physical violence, terror, transformation, and the summoning of destructive creatures. His supernatural powers reflect his unstable nature and his delight in prolonged combat. His principal abilities include: - **Shifting Form**: Erythnul can alter his physical appearance between that of a human, gnoll, bugbear, ogre, and troll. These transformations occur repeatedly during battle and are central to his title, _The Many_. - **Creation Through Blood**: When Erythnul is wounded, his spilled blood can transform into armed creatures resembling whichever form he currently possesses. These creatures immediately fight on his behalf. - **Supernatural Terror**: Erythnul can inspire overwhelming fear through his gaze. His presence and appearance are capable of terrifying opponents, while his weapon produces sounds that can cause enemies to flee uncontrollably. - **Agony**: His immense stone-headed morningstar possesses powerful supernatural properties. Its perforated head produces a terrible shriek when swung, capable of driving listeners into a state of panic. - **Divine Fury**: Erythnul possesses extraordinary physical strength and ferocity. His destructive power makes confronting him directly exceptionally dangerous, while his followers associate uncontrollable battle rage with his divine favour. - **Manipulation of Chaos**: Erythnul commands supernatural forces associated with hatred, violence, madness, and disorder. His powers can spread confusion and terror among enemies. - **Summoning of Fiends**: Erythnul can call upon powerful extraplanar creatures. A balor is among his preferred heralds, while howlers, glabrezu demons, and nalfeshnee demons are associated with his divine service. - **Creation of Fiendish Creatures**: Erythnul is credited with creating the **windblades** and **garngraths**, dangerous fiendish creatures native to Pandemonium. - **Authority Over His Realm**: Within his divine dominion, Erythnul exercises supernatural authority over its inhabitants and participates in the perpetual warfare of its petitioners. Several enchanted objects possess established connections to Erythnul's faith. **The Morningstar of the Many** is a powerful relic associated with his changing form and destructive nature. According to its legend, the weapon was immersed in the blood of creatures from every plane of existence. Its head bears numerous carved mouths, and its supernatural properties change during combat. **The Executioner's Hood** is a sinister relic associated with murder and execution. Three such hoods were originally worn by **Xeric IV**, a notorious murderer who killed every member of his extended family. Their powers reflect the cruelty and destructive influence associated with Erythnul's worship. These relics represent the deity's association with terror, violence, and the transformation of living beings into instruments of slaughter. ### Treatment of the Chosen and Faithful Erythnul values followers who demonstrate ferocity, cruelty, and a willingness to inflict suffering. He has little regard for loyalty, compassion, or moral restraint, instead encouraging individuals to pursue their desires through violence. His followers believe that exceptional acts of slaughter attract his attention and may earn supernatural rewards. However, his favour is unpredictable, and even powerful servants may become victims of his destructive impulses. His treatment of devoted followers is reflected in several established traditions: - **The Gift of Blood-Rage**: Erythnul's faithful regard overwhelming battle fury as a manifestation of his power. Warriors who experience such rage are encouraged to use it against their enemies without restraint. - **Rewards for Slaughter**: Followers believe that spreading terror and bloodshed strengthens their deity and may bring supernatural favour. Their standing within the religion frequently depends upon the violence they commit. - **Religious Authority Through Strength**: Priests who defeat or murder rivals may assume their positions. Such actions are consistent with the clergy's acceptance of envy and betrayal. - **Supernatural Assistance**: Powerful worshippers may receive assistance from fiends associated with Erythnul, particularly when undertaking acts of widespread destruction. - **Punishment Through Violence**: Erythnul offers little protection to followers who disappoint him. His servants may be killed by rivals, betrayed by allies, or destroyed by supernatural beings serving the same deity. - **The Afterlife**: Souls devoted to Erythnul may enter his realm within Pandemonium, where they become petitioners condemned to participate in endless warfare. They hunt and destroy one another, while Erythnul himself frequently joins the slaughter. Erythnul does not maintain a clearly established universal order of mortals formally designated as his Chosen. His most influential servants are powerful warriors, priests, fiends, and individuals capable of spreading extraordinary violence. His sponsorship of Roykyn's ascension demonstrates that his influence is not restricted to physical slaughter. Cruelty, humiliation, and the deliberate suffering of others can also attract his interest. ### Myths and Legends Erythnul's mythology concerns the origins of his changing form, his rivalry with other warlike deities, the creation of monstrous servants, and the spread of cruelty throughout the multiverse. Unlike many other gods, relatively little is established concerning his original emergence or the circumstances through which he acquired divinity. - **The Many Forms of Erythnul**: Ancient accounts describe Erythnul transforming repeatedly during battle, assuming the appearances of humans, gnolls, bugbears, ogres, and trolls. This supernatural ability is the origin of his title, _The Many_. His transformations demonstrate that his divine authority over violence is not restricted to a single people or mortal form. - **The Blood of the Many**: According to accounts of his divine power, creatures spring into existence wherever Erythnul's blood is spilled. Their forms correspond to his current appearance, and they immediately attack his enemies. This phenomenon is regarded by his followers as evidence that even wounds inflicted upon their deity can increase the number of warriors fighting in his name. - **The Rivalry with Hextor**: Erythnul maintains an ancient hatred of Hextor, the lawful evil god of war and tyranny. Certain divine traditions maintain that Hextor appropriated Erythnul's former authority over warfare, establishing a lasting rivalry. Their conflict reflects opposing understandings of battle: Hextor values disciplined armies and organised conquest, while Erythnul revels in uncontrolled bloodshed, panic, and destruction. - **The Enmity of Joramy**: Erythnul's jealousy of Joramy, goddess of fire, volcanoes, and wrath, is associated with a bitter hostility between their faiths. Joramy's clergy is known to attack Erythnul's worshippers upon discovery. Although the exact event that established their enmity remains unknown, the rivalry illustrates how Erythnul's envy can provoke lasting conflict even with divine beings whose fierce temperaments might otherwise appear compatible with his own. - **The Ascension of Roykyn**: Roykyn was originally a gnomish priestess of Urdlen, the god of greed, bloodlust, and uncontrolled impulses. Dissatisfied with the rewards she received from her patron, she betrayed him by surrendering an entire temple of his followers to a group of mind flayers. Erythnul subsequently sponsored her elevation to divine status. She became the hero-goddess of cruelty and malicious pranks, demonstrating that Erythnul's interests extend beyond physical violence to the deliberate infliction of suffering. - **The Creation of the Windblades and Garngraths**: Erythnul is credited with creating two races of fiendish creatures native to Pandemonium. The windblades are swift, violent beings associated with the plane's destructive winds, while garngraths are powerful creatures of extraordinary brutality. Their existence reflects his association with chaos and the production of monstrous servants. - **The Fields of Malice and the Citadel of Slaughter**: Different planar traditions describe Erythnul's dominion as the Fields of Malice upon Cocytus or the Citadel of Slaughter upon Phlegethon. Both accounts associate him with perpetual violence and the destruction of souls condemned to continue fighting after death. The precise relationship between these descriptions is not conclusively established. These accounts establish several important elements of Erythnul's divine history, although no definitive tradition explains his original creation or the full extent of his earliest relationships with other gods. ### Encounters with Erythnul's Influence Erythnul's influence is most frequently encountered through violent religious cults, bandit armies, humanoid tribes, and locations associated with widespread bloodshed. - **The Bone March and Pomarj**: Numerous gnoll, bugbear, ogre, and other humanoid communities worship Erythnul. His priests may accompany raiding armies or direct attacks against neighbouring settlements. - **The Warriors of Stonehold**: Erythnul's position as the official patron of Stonehold gives his worship particular significance among its warlike inhabitants. - **The Temple of Carnage**: Secret urban cults associated with this name operate within criminal districts, spreading violence and disorder while concealing their religious activities. - **The Bloody Howl**: Warbands preparing for battle may conduct this sacrificial ceremony, dedicating captured enemy soldiers to Erythnul at dawn. - **Desecrated Battlefields**: Locations where massacres or exceptional acts of cruelty occurred are considered sacred by his followers. Such places may contain abandoned altars or the remains of temporary religious shrines. - **The Followers of Joramy**: Conflict between the two religions can arise wherever their priests encounter one another. Joramy's clergy actively opposes Erythnul's worshippers, making their enmity a significant source of religious violence. - **Fiendish Servants**: Powerful cultists may summon demons or other supernatural creatures associated with Erythnul, including howlers and the fiendish beings native to Pandemonium. - **Sacred Relics**: Objects such as the Morningstar of the Many and the Executioner's Hood may attract the attention of priests seeking supernatural power. - **The Citadel of Slaughter**: Planar travellers entering Erythnul's stronghold encounter an immense ruined fortress inhabited by souls condemned to endless warfare. ### Conclusion Erythnul is the intermediate deity of hate, envy, malice, panic, ugliness, and slaughter, and one of the most destructive powers associated with the Oeridian pantheon. His teachings encourage violence, jealousy, cruelty, and the belief that bloodshed is an end in itself rather than merely a means of achieving victory. His followers range from criminal cultists and bandits to powerful warriors and monstrous humanoids. Although their beliefs and practices differ, they are united by their willingness to use fear and brutality to obtain what they desire. Erythnul's rivalry with Hextor, enmity with Joramy, sponsorship of Roykyn, and creation of fiendish servants demonstrate his influence among other divine and supernatural powers. His dominion within Pandemonium embodies his religious philosophy through the endless warfare imposed upon its inhabitants. Unlike deities who seek stable kingdoms, lasting authority, or the advancement of a particular people, Erythnul finds satisfaction in the destruction of order and the suffering produced by conflict. His faithful believe that hatred and violence reveal the true nature of existence and that the battlefield is the greatest expression of their god's power.