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NOW LIVE! Into the Woods--new character species, eerie monsters, and haunting villains to populate the woodlands of your D&D games.
Cooperative Dungeon IV: Update
- Thread starter Trainz
- Start date
thullgrim
Hero
This is as generic as possible so DM's can easily use it.
Hrauk
Laughing Jackal, Smiling Maw, Carrion Devourer
Lesser Deity
Symbol Grinning gnollish skull flanked by bat wings
Home Plane Carrion Fields
Alignment Chaotic Evil
Portfolio Cruelty, Trickery, Viciousness
Worshippers Gnolls, some Werecreatures
Cleric Alignments CE, CN, NE
Domains Chaos, Evil, Destruction, Trickery
Favored Weapon Dire Flail
Hrauk is one of several Demon Lords who take interest in the gnoll tribes. He is neither the most powerful nor the most popular, however he is the most feared. Even more so than the patrons of the gnolls, Hrauk and his followers are vicious and unpredictable.
Hrauk appears as a 10ft tall gnoll with bat wings and a barbed tail. He is perpetually smiling or laughing. His fangs are long and capped in some black metal, while the rest of his teeth appear to be yellow and rotting. Hrauk constantly carries the stench of rotten meat.
Goals
Like all Demon Lords, Hrauk seeks more power for himself and is willing to do anything to make that happen. His immediate goal is consolidation of the various gnoll tribes into a cohesive whole, under his patronage of course. To that end he has granted his most promising servants his personal aid in the form of various quasits and other servants who can help guide his servants in his greater plan.
Long term he wants to be the sole Lord of the Gnolls. The other gnollish patrons of course oppose him in this. Unfortunately for them, Hrauk seems to be making progress as more and more tribes are appearing bearing the winged skull emblem. Once Hrauk has taken control of the gnolish tribes he will set his sites on one of the major players of the Abyss and begin making planes to take them down. Hrauk recognizes the power of the other gnollish patrons, is not so blind as he won't ally with them. However, any alliance must be on his terms and he must be play the dominant role. Long term Hrauk sees the other gnollish patron obedient to him in a unified gnollish pantheon with him at its head.
Cult
The Cult of Hrauk was uncommon amongst even gnolls until the last ten years or so and is now becoming more and more common as Hrauk begins his ascension amongst the gnollish tribes.
Hrauk is a demanding lord. His followers are commanded to take slaves and hold them for a while, devouring them slowly in sight of the others and to perhaps make the other slaves devour their comrades as well. Sacrifice is common in the cult of Hrauk. Both gnolls and non-gnolls alike make acceptable sacrifices to the Smiling Maw. Hrauk’s favorite sacrifices are clerics of other gnollish patrons; he takes a personal interest in these, often granting the priests who perform these sacrifices a special blessing.
Worship places of Hrauk carry the stench of death and decay. They are commonly found outdoors and underground. Hrauk likes to subsume the holy places of other deities, gnollish or otherwise so his shrines are often located around reconsecrated altars of other gods.
Priests of Hrauk dress in yellow robes often times smeared in the blood of their victims. Priests are referred to as Fangs or for the most senior priest within a tribe The Fang. Fangs are never found without implements of torture, such as whips, small daggers, and other instruments designed to inflict cruelty on others.
History
Hrauk has many enemies and few allies. He prefers it that way; it makes life simpler if one knows who ones enemies are. His enemies include the other gnollish patrons, most other humanoid deities, and all the civilized races. His only allies some of the deities worshipped by the most depraved of the werecreatures.
He was once a senior servant to another Demon Lord, but rose to the point where only his patron sttod between him and the rulership of the layer of the abyss on which they dwelled. Hrauk did what all good demons do, he started a war between his patron and another more powerful Demon Lord and during the chaos of war, slew his master. Once he consolidated his power he slew the other lord and assumed his powers and followers as well. Since then Hrauk has steadily been plotting to rise even higher.
Hrauk has spent the last couple of centuries attacking other Demon Lords of similar power to his own. These include other gnollish patrons as well those lords and demigods to whom many of the most vile werecreatures pay respect. His endeavours have paid off though, as by slaying them and subsuming their powers and portfolio's he has risen to the status of lesser deity and is now in a position to make a move against the other Demon Lords the gnolls worship.
Hrauk
Laughing Jackal, Smiling Maw, Carrion Devourer
Lesser Deity
Symbol Grinning gnollish skull flanked by bat wings
Home Plane Carrion Fields
Alignment Chaotic Evil
Portfolio Cruelty, Trickery, Viciousness
Worshippers Gnolls, some Werecreatures
Cleric Alignments CE, CN, NE
Domains Chaos, Evil, Destruction, Trickery
Favored Weapon Dire Flail
Hrauk is one of several Demon Lords who take interest in the gnoll tribes. He is neither the most powerful nor the most popular, however he is the most feared. Even more so than the patrons of the gnolls, Hrauk and his followers are vicious and unpredictable.
Hrauk appears as a 10ft tall gnoll with bat wings and a barbed tail. He is perpetually smiling or laughing. His fangs are long and capped in some black metal, while the rest of his teeth appear to be yellow and rotting. Hrauk constantly carries the stench of rotten meat.
Goals
Like all Demon Lords, Hrauk seeks more power for himself and is willing to do anything to make that happen. His immediate goal is consolidation of the various gnoll tribes into a cohesive whole, under his patronage of course. To that end he has granted his most promising servants his personal aid in the form of various quasits and other servants who can help guide his servants in his greater plan.
Long term he wants to be the sole Lord of the Gnolls. The other gnollish patrons of course oppose him in this. Unfortunately for them, Hrauk seems to be making progress as more and more tribes are appearing bearing the winged skull emblem. Once Hrauk has taken control of the gnolish tribes he will set his sites on one of the major players of the Abyss and begin making planes to take them down. Hrauk recognizes the power of the other gnollish patrons, is not so blind as he won't ally with them. However, any alliance must be on his terms and he must be play the dominant role. Long term Hrauk sees the other gnollish patron obedient to him in a unified gnollish pantheon with him at its head.
Cult
The Cult of Hrauk was uncommon amongst even gnolls until the last ten years or so and is now becoming more and more common as Hrauk begins his ascension amongst the gnollish tribes.
Hrauk is a demanding lord. His followers are commanded to take slaves and hold them for a while, devouring them slowly in sight of the others and to perhaps make the other slaves devour their comrades as well. Sacrifice is common in the cult of Hrauk. Both gnolls and non-gnolls alike make acceptable sacrifices to the Smiling Maw. Hrauk’s favorite sacrifices are clerics of other gnollish patrons; he takes a personal interest in these, often granting the priests who perform these sacrifices a special blessing.
Worship places of Hrauk carry the stench of death and decay. They are commonly found outdoors and underground. Hrauk likes to subsume the holy places of other deities, gnollish or otherwise so his shrines are often located around reconsecrated altars of other gods.
Priests of Hrauk dress in yellow robes often times smeared in the blood of their victims. Priests are referred to as Fangs or for the most senior priest within a tribe The Fang. Fangs are never found without implements of torture, such as whips, small daggers, and other instruments designed to inflict cruelty on others.
History
Hrauk has many enemies and few allies. He prefers it that way; it makes life simpler if one knows who ones enemies are. His enemies include the other gnollish patrons, most other humanoid deities, and all the civilized races. His only allies some of the deities worshipped by the most depraved of the werecreatures.
He was once a senior servant to another Demon Lord, but rose to the point where only his patron sttod between him and the rulership of the layer of the abyss on which they dwelled. Hrauk did what all good demons do, he started a war between his patron and another more powerful Demon Lord and during the chaos of war, slew his master. Once he consolidated his power he slew the other lord and assumed his powers and followers as well. Since then Hrauk has steadily been plotting to rise even higher.
Hrauk has spent the last couple of centuries attacking other Demon Lords of similar power to his own. These include other gnollish patrons as well those lords and demigods to whom many of the most vile werecreatures pay respect. His endeavours have paid off though, as by slaying them and subsuming their powers and portfolio's he has risen to the status of lesser deity and is now in a position to make a move against the other Demon Lords the gnolls worship.
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tarchon
First Post
Jackals are like coyotes, lightly-built wild dogs. Hyenas are much larger and more agressive.Conaill said:
I think Trainz intended the hyena-headed gnolls to be interlopers, while the jackal-headed statues are remnants from the tomb's original construction, part of the quasi-Egyptian theme. One of the best-known ancient Egyptian gods was Anubis, the jackal-headed god of the dead, who obviously appears prominently in Egyptian tomb decoration.
So perhaps stats for a Small Dog would be a better fit?
Heh, would you look at that: "The statistics presented here describe a fairly small dog of about 20 to 50 pounds in weight. They also can be used for small wild canines such as coyotes, jackals, and African wild dogs."
Ok, small dog it is!
After awakening, that'll be 2 HD, CR 1. Plenty of space to add Cleric levels to...
I'm calling dibs on room #20 then.
Heh, would you look at that: "The statistics presented here describe a fairly small dog of about 20 to 50 pounds in weight. They also can be used for small wild canines such as coyotes, jackals, and African wild dogs."
Ok, small dog it is!
After awakening, that'll be 2 HD, CR 1. Plenty of space to add Cleric levels to...I'm calling dibs on room #20 then.
Could anyone post a picture or link to a Babau demon? Do they have any jackal features?
So far we have lots of stuff connected to Toth Nekamek, lots of jackals, death and rebirth imagery... but little trace of the Babau demon that's supposed to be at the end of this dungeon (with the exception of the Grick in #18).
What if Toth Nekamek is being "reborn" as a Babau demon? The object of power that' supposed to be in #21 could be the sarcophagus that makes this transformation possible...
So far we have lots of stuff connected to Toth Nekamek, lots of jackals, death and rebirth imagery... but little trace of the Babau demon that's supposed to be at the end of this dungeon (with the exception of the Grick in #18).
What if Toth Nekamek is being "reborn" as a Babau demon? The object of power that' supposed to be in #21 could be the sarcophagus that makes this transformation possible...
Conaill said:
A babau resembles a skeleton, but with the skin stretched tightly over the bones.
http://mandaria.free.fr/images/demons/babau.jpg
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Thanks, Wycen!
I guess a Babau demon with a jackal head and covered in mummy wrappings would *really* confuse the heck out of any metagaming munchkins.
Something to keep in mind for whomever wants to tackle #21...
PS: Could someone point out which one is the Babau in the Monster Manual v.3.5 Art Gallery? I'm guessing it might be the bottom left one of these three:
[Edit: Yeah, that looks right... It's got the red protective slime covering and everything...]
I guess a Babau demon with a jackal head and covered in mummy wrappings would *really* confuse the heck out of any metagaming munchkins.
Something to keep in mind for whomever wants to tackle #21...PS: Could someone point out which one is the Babau in the Monster Manual v.3.5 Art Gallery? I'm guessing it might be the bottom left one of these three:
[Edit: Yeah, that looks right... It's got the red protective slime covering and everything...]
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