Nebuchadnezzar
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Damugathi
The Writhing Dragon, Lord of the Lightless Cave.
Demigod
Symbol: A mutilated black dragon.
Home Plane: The Lightless Cave.
Alignment: Chaotic Evil.
Portfolio: Darkness, caverns, self-mutilation.
Worshipers: Society of the Mutilated Dragon.
Cleric Alignments: CE, CN, NE.
Domains: Chaos, Darkness, Evil, Pain.
Favored Weapon: "The Crimson Lash" (whip)
Deep within caves where light has never been and never shall be lies the lair of Damugathi, the Writhing Dragon. Damugathi is one of the oldest black dragons in Khanesh, his history shrouded in myth and legend and kept hidden from all but the most inquisitive scholars. It is known that the Writhing Dragon was once a deity of great power, worshiped by civilizations now lost in the annals of history. The other gods of this era struck at Damugathi in retribution for a unforgivable crime, the nature of which has joined the retributors in oblivion. Even Damugathi himself has forgotten what he did which invoked such wrath in his fellow gods. The battle that followed saw the destruction of several lesser deities, devoured or ripped apart by Damugathi. In the end though three powerful blows brought the Writhing Dragon to his knees: An axe crashed into his spine, a spear pierced his left eye, and a flail thrashed his wings. The gods decided that death was far too merciful a punishment for the vanquished Damugathi. Instead they created the Lightless Cave, a demiplane suitable for imprisonment, and cursed the Writhing Dragon to languish in the darkness of that bleak place forever. In addition to the curse of imprisonment, there was the curse of pain: Damugathi would be given the ability to regenerate his wounds, but when they were fully healed, the wounds would reappear and bring horrible pain. It did not take many millenia before Damugathi did all he could to end his miserable existence. So far his efforts have only brought more pain. The Writhing Dragon's regenerative powers has rendered him unable to commit suicide. He can only increase his suffering.
Damugathi has few worshipers, as few would worship such a despicable and horrid deity. Except for the Society of the Mutilated Dragon and the Loremasters of Ereshkigal, few knows of his existence. Indeed, every individual who worships the Lord of the Lightless Cave are members of the Society of the Mutilated Dragon, and they count but fifty members. Damugathi rarely communicates with the society and never answers any prayer, except those for spells. The only society member who has spoken to the Writhing Dragon is the society's founder and spiritual leader, Atamaita. Atamaita journeyed to Ereshkigal and spent many years searching through dusty tomes and crumbling scrolls. Finally he found an ancient book in which was written a strange passage: "The Blackest Dragon is always in pain. If you stand by a cave blacker than the Blackest Dragon, chant three times his true name and draw your own blood, a gate to the Lightless Cave shall appear". After considerable research, Atamaita succesfully opened a gate and entered the Lightless Cave. Damugathi did not slay Atamaita, but instead promised him great power should he worship the Writhing Dragon. In awe of both the great dragon and the terrible sight of his pain, Atamaita promised to serve him in exchange for granted clerical spells. Thus was Atamaita the first cleric of Damugathi in countless millenia. Damugathi had only one request: That Atamaita do all he could to find a cure for the Writing Dragon's illness and curse, so that he might find peace.
Damugathi appears like a great black wyrm scarred by countless wounds. He has six hands with sharp claws, usually dripping with his own blood. One of his wings are severed, berefting him of his natural ability to fly. At any time he will suffer from one of three great wounds, in addition to the wounds he inflicts upon himself. Each of his six hands wield a vile whip made crimson with his own blood. With these whips he lashes his own back, constantly roaring in pain. His pain has stolen his compassion, and now he cares nothing for the lives of others, and indeed, not even his own. The only thing the Writhing Dragon cares for is to find a way to remove the curse of regeneration and pain, so that he might finally end his own life. Whether a million lives perish in the process matters little to him. Not long after his encounter with Atamaita, Damugathi discovered that sacrifices of intelligent creatures lessens his pain. This happened when Atamaita sacrificed one of his unruly daughters to the Writhing Dragon. Damugathi told Atamaita of this in their second encounter, and in reponse Atamaita vowed to make fifty sacrifices each month to the Lord of the Lightless Cave. So far he and the Order of the Mutilated Dragon has not broken this vow. Damugathi does not have any grand plans of conquest, he simply desires death. The problem is, the Order of the Mutilated Dragon has no plans of finding a way for Damugathi to end his existence. They rely on the clerical spells granted by Damugathi for much of their power, without it they would be near powerless. Thus they intend to continue and maybe even escelate their sacrifices, while hiding their intentions from the Writhing Dragon.
Clerics of Damugathi pray for spells at midnight, and must inflict 1/10 of his or her own hit points in damage before the spells can be received.
The Lightless Cave: To enter the demiplane of theLightless Cave, one must stand before a cave at a moonless night without any sources of light (torches, light spell etc). Then one must inflict half of his or her own hit points in damage (self mutilation), and speak the true name of the Writhing Dragon (Damugathi) thrice. Then one simply enters the cave, and the cave one enters will be the Lightless Cave, no matter which cave one stood before in the first place. The Lightless cave is absolute darkness; any effect which creates light (light, fireball, sundawn, etc) simply fails to do so. Darkvision does not enable one to see in the darkness. Roars of pain echo constantly around the cave, and the gentle dripping of his blood from the
The Writhing Dragon, Lord of the Lightless Cave.
Demigod
Symbol: A mutilated black dragon.
Home Plane: The Lightless Cave.
Alignment: Chaotic Evil.
Portfolio: Darkness, caverns, self-mutilation.
Worshipers: Society of the Mutilated Dragon.
Cleric Alignments: CE, CN, NE.
Domains: Chaos, Darkness, Evil, Pain.
Favored Weapon: "The Crimson Lash" (whip)
Deep within caves where light has never been and never shall be lies the lair of Damugathi, the Writhing Dragon. Damugathi is one of the oldest black dragons in Khanesh, his history shrouded in myth and legend and kept hidden from all but the most inquisitive scholars. It is known that the Writhing Dragon was once a deity of great power, worshiped by civilizations now lost in the annals of history. The other gods of this era struck at Damugathi in retribution for a unforgivable crime, the nature of which has joined the retributors in oblivion. Even Damugathi himself has forgotten what he did which invoked such wrath in his fellow gods. The battle that followed saw the destruction of several lesser deities, devoured or ripped apart by Damugathi. In the end though three powerful blows brought the Writhing Dragon to his knees: An axe crashed into his spine, a spear pierced his left eye, and a flail thrashed his wings. The gods decided that death was far too merciful a punishment for the vanquished Damugathi. Instead they created the Lightless Cave, a demiplane suitable for imprisonment, and cursed the Writhing Dragon to languish in the darkness of that bleak place forever. In addition to the curse of imprisonment, there was the curse of pain: Damugathi would be given the ability to regenerate his wounds, but when they were fully healed, the wounds would reappear and bring horrible pain. It did not take many millenia before Damugathi did all he could to end his miserable existence. So far his efforts have only brought more pain. The Writhing Dragon's regenerative powers has rendered him unable to commit suicide. He can only increase his suffering.
Damugathi has few worshipers, as few would worship such a despicable and horrid deity. Except for the Society of the Mutilated Dragon and the Loremasters of Ereshkigal, few knows of his existence. Indeed, every individual who worships the Lord of the Lightless Cave are members of the Society of the Mutilated Dragon, and they count but fifty members. Damugathi rarely communicates with the society and never answers any prayer, except those for spells. The only society member who has spoken to the Writhing Dragon is the society's founder and spiritual leader, Atamaita. Atamaita journeyed to Ereshkigal and spent many years searching through dusty tomes and crumbling scrolls. Finally he found an ancient book in which was written a strange passage: "The Blackest Dragon is always in pain. If you stand by a cave blacker than the Blackest Dragon, chant three times his true name and draw your own blood, a gate to the Lightless Cave shall appear". After considerable research, Atamaita succesfully opened a gate and entered the Lightless Cave. Damugathi did not slay Atamaita, but instead promised him great power should he worship the Writhing Dragon. In awe of both the great dragon and the terrible sight of his pain, Atamaita promised to serve him in exchange for granted clerical spells. Thus was Atamaita the first cleric of Damugathi in countless millenia. Damugathi had only one request: That Atamaita do all he could to find a cure for the Writing Dragon's illness and curse, so that he might find peace.
Damugathi appears like a great black wyrm scarred by countless wounds. He has six hands with sharp claws, usually dripping with his own blood. One of his wings are severed, berefting him of his natural ability to fly. At any time he will suffer from one of three great wounds, in addition to the wounds he inflicts upon himself. Each of his six hands wield a vile whip made crimson with his own blood. With these whips he lashes his own back, constantly roaring in pain. His pain has stolen his compassion, and now he cares nothing for the lives of others, and indeed, not even his own. The only thing the Writhing Dragon cares for is to find a way to remove the curse of regeneration and pain, so that he might finally end his own life. Whether a million lives perish in the process matters little to him. Not long after his encounter with Atamaita, Damugathi discovered that sacrifices of intelligent creatures lessens his pain. This happened when Atamaita sacrificed one of his unruly daughters to the Writhing Dragon. Damugathi told Atamaita of this in their second encounter, and in reponse Atamaita vowed to make fifty sacrifices each month to the Lord of the Lightless Cave. So far he and the Order of the Mutilated Dragon has not broken this vow. Damugathi does not have any grand plans of conquest, he simply desires death. The problem is, the Order of the Mutilated Dragon has no plans of finding a way for Damugathi to end his existence. They rely on the clerical spells granted by Damugathi for much of their power, without it they would be near powerless. Thus they intend to continue and maybe even escelate their sacrifices, while hiding their intentions from the Writhing Dragon.
Clerics of Damugathi pray for spells at midnight, and must inflict 1/10 of his or her own hit points in damage before the spells can be received.
The Lightless Cave: To enter the demiplane of theLightless Cave, one must stand before a cave at a moonless night without any sources of light (torches, light spell etc). Then one must inflict half of his or her own hit points in damage (self mutilation), and speak the true name of the Writhing Dragon (Damugathi) thrice. Then one simply enters the cave, and the cave one enters will be the Lightless Cave, no matter which cave one stood before in the first place. The Lightless cave is absolute darkness; any effect which creates light (light, fireball, sundawn, etc) simply fails to do so. Darkvision does not enable one to see in the darkness. Roars of pain echo constantly around the cave, and the gentle dripping of his blood from the
