Human Sacrificing for Nerull? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Human Sacrificing for Nerull? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Tema69
12-17-07, 05:53 PM Please help me with this ;)
A character of mine, an assassin-cleric of Nerull wants to make his god happy by sacrificing people every day. I'm gonna tell him it better be a number per month, 'cause adventuring might put a stop to his plans. But what would you suggest that could be fun both from a roleplaying point of view, but also in a realistic way - relating to human sacrifice.. Any thoughts?

Thanks.
Space_Dragon
12-17-07, 07:35 PM Since Nerull cares more about death itself than dogma or ceremony, I suggest the scale of the sacrifice be more important than the procedure. Sacrifices to Nerull should be efficient, painless, and kill as large a number of people as possible at once. A sacrifice to Nerull might seem like a terrorist attack or natural disaster to everyone except the perpetrator.
Tema69
12-17-07, 08:01 PM Good idea, thanks. ;)
Thanael
12-18-07, 11:36 AM The old 1E/2E descriptions of the Gods did feature descritpions of typical worship. But I can't remember if Nerull is in the World of Greyhawk boxed or in the Greyhawk Adventures HC or in From the Ashes.

Dragon #71 (http://www.alltkm.com/dandd/DandD/dragmag/Drmg071.pdf) has some very interesting info too:Many humans of evil nature, and some humanoids as well, pay homage to Nerull. Assassins and thieves often regard
this deity as a patron. In wicked lands, temples and cathedrals of Nerull are openly operated. In other places the
rites of Nerull are conducted in subterranean shrines and sacred vaults. His clerics dress in rust-red or blackish-rust garments, carry staves, and somewhere bear the unholy skull and scythe symbol.

Clerics of 1st through 4th level are trained to use sickles as weapons (equal to a dagger in damage). Clerics of 5th and higher levels can employ scythe-like arms (treat as a hook-fauchard). All of Nerull’s clerics are trained so that they can be surprised only one-half as frequently as other persons (roll d12; 1 or 2 surprise).

The worship of Nerull is done in full darkness. The litany is ghastly, being of death and suffering. Human sacrifice is common. Altars are of rusty-colored stone. Service pieces are usually of copper and malachite.

EDIT: FtA does contain info on Nerull. The deities section from From the Ashes was made available as a free download by WotC at some time. It is still available at canonfire: here (http://www.canonfire.com/cfhtml/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=getit&lid=17). Here's the Nerull section:

Nerull (The Reaper)

Foe of All Good, Hater of Life, Bringer of Darkness, Reaper of Flesh -- Nerull's formal titles bear eloquent witness to the horror of this cold, cruel, hateful Power. Nerull is not a god who sees death as ease, release, or quiet passing; he brings bloody slaughter, and is the deity of many who seek evil for their enjoyment and gain.

Nerull appears as a skeletal figure with a dull, rusty-red body and a skull-like head adorned with thick strands of blue-green "hair." His eyes, teeth, and nails are a putrid green. Known to fly at night, black-cloaked and cowled, his terrible reaper's staff-scythe strikes down all it sweeps through. Nerull is summoner of fiends, conjurer of darkness; his touch withers men and turns them to dust.

The worship of Nerull always occurs in complete darkness. The litany is ghastly, full of death and suffering. Bizarre and terrifying offerings are made on altars of rusty-colored stone. Nerull is known to have hidden temples in the lands of the former Great Kingdom and in other evil lands. A scarce few well-hidden, subterranean temples may befoul the foothills in more civilized lands.

Even in times of war and death, the common folk do not try to appease the Reaper. Any form of beseechment is thought to attract his fell green eyes to the supplicant, with life-ending results.

Nerull's Priests

Nerull's priests are murderous, psychopathic, cold, cruel, and utterly evil. They are highly secretive, for obvious reasons. Priesthoods tend to be individual capsules without an overall hierarchy, except in evil lands.

Requirements: AB Std; AL any evil; WP dagger, knife, great sickle (treat as hook-fauchard), staff, staff-sling; AR any; RA rust-red or black garments; SP Astral, Charm*, Combat, Divination*, Guardian, Healing (rev), Necromantic (rev), Sun (rev); SPL none; PW 1) surprised only on a 1, 6) Evard's black tentacles (W4), 12) destruction (reversed resurrection) 1/ week; TU command.

The Living Greyhawk Deities pdf (http://www.theocracyofthepale.com/downloads/lg_deities.pdf) has even more details. But as i can't copy out of it, you'll have to read it for yourself !

.
sciborg3
12-18-07, 11:45 AM I'd say he can try to murder as often as possible but each time he risks being found by some authority figure in the world. I'd also surprise him once in awhile with his victim being tougher than he'd expect.

If this is something you want to discourage, give him some additional bonus for killing people daily, but suggest that failing to do so will cause Nerull to become displeased. Nothing too drastic, but make the god's wrath grow for every day that goes by without a sacrifice.
Thanael
12-18-07, 12:05 PM Read the Living Greyhawk Deities pdf (http://www.theocracyofthepale.com/downloads/lg_deities.pdf)'s entry on Nerull. It even explicitly mentions priests committing murder as offerings.
JulesCARV
12-18-07, 01:20 PM Does it have to be human sacrifice? Would gnome sacrifice or elf sacrifice or the like do?
CryoSilver
12-18-07, 01:38 PM HumanOID sacrifice is probably good enough.

I think a priest of Nerull's murders would be less like murderous rampages than planned and premeditated like a serial killer's. Heck, the priest might even BE a serial killer and get some kind of sexual gratification or release from his murders.
teamfireyleader
12-19-07, 10:00 AM Let him be a serial killer but put the hound archorn CSIs on the case. Have him try and clean up on each sacrifice and have him caught and have to be set free if he fails.
The Ubbergeek
12-19-07, 08:58 PM HumanOID sacrifice is probably good enough.

I think a priest of Nerull's murders would be less like murderous rampages than planned and premeditated like a serial killer's. Heck, the priest might even BE a serial killer and get some kind of sexual gratification or release from his murders.

I'd say, yes, any sentient humanoids would be good... But ESPECIALLY the good ones, servants of light...

Clerics, paladins, etc....
Tema69
12-20-07, 02:55 PM Thanks guys, I've read the .pdf, and it sure does help. Do you have any specific ideas for one such ritual?
ninja1
12-20-07, 03:39 PM The Book of Vile Darkness has some good info (ironic?) on sacrifice.

There's something in there to the effect of differentiating between simply *killing in the name of (insert god's name here)*... and proper ritual sacrifice.

The general notion of ritual sacrifice is to appeal to your god and in return you receive some tangible benefit, such as a 24 hour buffs for the one making the sacrifice (celebrant) or even many witnesses, *virtual* xp/gp for magic item creation (dark craft gp/xp), or the once in a lifetime - free wish.

It also contains a bunch of variables that come in to play as modifiers to the Knowledge (religion) check for the celebrant.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Tema69 12-17-07, 05:53 PM	Please help me with this ;) A character of mine, an assassin-cleric of Nerull wants to make his god happy by sacrificing people every day. I'm gonna tell him it better be a number per month, 'cause adventuring might put a stop to his plans. But what would you suggest that could be fun both from a roleplaying point of view, but also in a realistic way - relating to human sacrifice.. Any thoughts? Thanks.
Space_Dragon 12-17-07, 07:35 PM	Since Nerull cares more about death itself than dogma or ceremony, I suggest the scale of the sacrifice be more important than the procedure. Sacrifices to Nerull should be efficient, painless, and kill as large a number of people as possible at once. A sacrifice to Nerull might seem like a terrorist attack or natural disaster to everyone except the perpetrator.
Tema69 12-17-07, 08:01 PM	Good idea, thanks. ;)
Thanael 12-18-07, 11:36 AM	The old 1E/2E descriptions of the Gods did feature descritpions of typical worship. But I can't remember if Nerull is in the World of Greyhawk boxed or in the Greyhawk Adventures HC or in From the Ashes. Dragon #71 (http://www.alltkm.com/dandd/DandD/dragmag/Drmg071.pdf) has some very interesting info too:Many humans of evil nature, and some humanoids as well, pay homage to Nerull. Assassins and thieves often regard this deity as a patron. In wicked lands, temples and cathedrals of Nerull are openly operated. In other places the rites of Nerull are conducted in subterranean shrines and sacred vaults. His clerics dress in rust-red or blackish-rust garments, carry staves, and somewhere bear the unholy skull and scythe symbol. Clerics of 1st through 4th level are trained to use sickles as weapons (equal to a dagger in damage). Clerics of 5th and higher levels can employ scythe-like arms (treat as a hook-fauchard). All of Nerull’s clerics are trained so that they can be surprised only one-half as frequently as other persons (roll d12; 1 or 2 surprise). The worship of Nerull is done in full darkness. The litany is ghastly, being of death and suffering. Human sacrifice is common. Altars are of rusty-colored stone. Service pieces are usually of copper and malachite. EDIT: FtA does contain info on Nerull. The deities section from From the Ashes was made available as a free download by WotC at some time. It is still available at canonfire: here (http://www.canonfire.com/cfhtml/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=getit&lid=17). Here's the Nerull section: Nerull (The Reaper) Foe of All Good, Hater of Life, Bringer of Darkness, Reaper of Flesh -- Nerull's formal titles bear eloquent witness to the horror of this cold, cruel, hateful Power. Nerull is not a god who sees death as ease, release, or quiet passing; he brings bloody slaughter, and is the deity of many who seek evil for their enjoyment and gain. Nerull appears as a skeletal figure with a dull, rusty-red body and a skull-like head adorned with thick strands of blue-green "hair." His eyes, teeth, and nails are a putrid green. Known to fly at night, black-cloaked and cowled, his terrible reaper's staff-scythe strikes down all it sweeps through. Nerull is summoner of fiends, conjurer of darkness; his touch withers men and turns them to dust. The worship of Nerull always occurs in complete darkness. The litany is ghastly, full of death and suffering. Bizarre and terrifying offerings are made on altars of rusty-colored stone. Nerull is known to have hidden temples in the lands of the former Great Kingdom and in other evil lands. A scarce few well-hidden, subterranean temples may befoul the foothills in more civilized lands. Even in times of war and death, the common folk do not try to appease the Reaper. Any form of beseechment is thought to attract his fell green eyes to the supplicant, with life-ending results. Nerull's Priests Nerull's priests are murderous, psychopathic, cold, cruel, and utterly evil. They are highly secretive, for obvious reasons. Priesthoods tend to be individual capsules without an overall hierarchy, except in evil lands. Requirements: AB Std; AL any evil; WP dagger, knife, great sickle (treat as hook-fauchard), staff, staff-sling; AR any; RA rust-red or black garments; SP Astral, Charm, Combat, Divination, Guardian, Healing (rev), Necromantic (rev), Sun (rev); SPL none; PW 1) surprised only on a 1, 6) Evard's black tentacles (W4), 12) destruction (reversed resurrection) 1/ week; TU command. The Living Greyhawk Deities pdf (http://www.theocracyofthepale.com/downloads/lg_deities.pdf) has even more details. But as i can't copy out of it, you'll have to read it for yourself ! .
sciborg3 12-18-07, 11:45 AM	I'd say he can try to murder as often as possible but each time he risks being found by some authority figure in the world. I'd also surprise him once in awhile with his victim being tougher than he'd expect. If this is something you want to discourage, give him some additional bonus for killing people daily, but suggest that failing to do so will cause Nerull to become displeased. Nothing too drastic, but make the god's wrath grow for every day that goes by without a sacrifice.
Thanael 12-18-07, 12:05 PM	Read the Living Greyhawk Deities pdf (http://www.theocracyofthepale.com/downloads/lg_deities.pdf)'s entry on Nerull. It even explicitly mentions priests committing murder as offerings.
JulesCARV 12-18-07, 01:20 PM	Does it have to be human sacrifice? Would gnome sacrifice or elf sacrifice or the like do?
CryoSilver 12-18-07, 01:38 PM	HumanOID sacrifice is probably good enough. I think a priest of Nerull's murders would be less like murderous rampages than planned and premeditated like a serial killer's. Heck, the priest might even BE a serial killer and get some kind of sexual gratification or release from his murders.
teamfireyleader 12-19-07, 10:00 AM	Let him be a serial killer but put the hound archorn CSIs on the case. Have him try and clean up on each sacrifice and have him caught and have to be set free if he fails.
The Ubbergeek 12-19-07, 08:58 PM	HumanOID sacrifice is probably good enough. I think a priest of Nerull's murders would be less like murderous rampages than planned and premeditated like a serial killer's. Heck, the priest might even BE a serial killer and get some kind of sexual gratification or release from his murders. I'd say, yes, any sentient humanoids would be good... But ESPECIALLY the good ones, servants of light... Clerics, paladins, etc....
Tema69 12-20-07, 02:55 PM	Thanks guys, I've read the .pdf, and it sure does help. Do you have any specific ideas for one such ritual?
ninja1 12-20-07, 03:39 PM	The Book of Vile Darkness has some good info (ironic?) on sacrifice. There's something in there to the effect of differentiating between simply killing in the name of (insert god's name here)... and proper ritual sacrifice. The general notion of ritual sacrifice is to appeal to your god and in return you receive some tangible benefit, such as a 24 hour buffs for the one making the sacrifice (celebrant) or even many witnesses, virtual xp/gp for magic item creation (dark craft gp/xp), or the once in a lifetime - free wish. It also contains a bunch of variables that come in to play as modifiers to the Knowledge (religion) check for the celebrant.