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{{Creature start2 <!-- See Help:Creatures for full instructions on editing creature pages and copy/paste code. Copy/pasting code from an existing creature page may result in missing fields -->
{{Creature start
| level = 75
| picture =
| level = 75<!-- This will also be used at the end of the page in the Near level creature template -->
| type = Hybrid Biped
| family = Vruul<!-- Add creature to family page list, which will be linked on preview/save -->
| family = vruul
| type = Hybrid Biped<!-- Creature body type -->
| attacks = Claws and Magic.
| otherclass = Undead<!-- Other classification limited to corporeal undead, non-corporeal undead, elemental, extra planar, magical; insert otherclass2= for 2nd classification (up to 3) -->
| area = [[The Broken Lands]]<br>
| otherclass2 = Corporeal
| undead = Yes (corporeal)
| area = The Broken Lands<!-- For multiple areas, add area2, area3, area4 (through 8) fields if needed -->
| bcs = <Not Known>
| hitpoints = 1,000
| area2 =
| area3 =
| area4 =
| area5 =
| area6 =
| area7 =
| bcs = No<!-- All new creatures are BCS -->
| hitpoints = 1000
| roundtime = <!-- Creature speed -->
}}
}}
{{Creature attack attributes2 <!-- ALL WEAPONS, SPELLS AND COMBAT MANEUVERS WILL LINK AUTOMATICALLY. -->
{{Creature attack attributes
| PA1 = Claw<!-- Physical attacks insert up to PA10 and corresponding value/range up to PAJ -->
| physical =
| PAA = 213 - 238
{{creature ability|[[Claw (attack)|Claw]]|+213 - +238 [[Attack strength|AS]]}}
| warding =
| PA2 =
| PAB =
{{creature ability|[[Unbalance (110)]]|+295 [[CS]]}}
| PA3 =
{{creature ability|[[Calm (201)]]|+295 [[CS]]}}
| PAC =
{{creature ability|[[Silence (210)]]|+295 [[CS]]}}
| BT1 = <!-- Bolt spells insert up to BT10 and corresponding value/range up to BTJ -->
{{creature ability|[[Interference (212)]]|+295 [[CS]]}}
| BTA =
{{creature ability|[[Bind (214)]]|+295 [[CS]]}}
| WD1 = Bind (214)<!-- Warding spells insert up to WD10 and corresponding value/range up to WDJ -->
{{creature ability|[[Frenzy (216)]]|+295 [[CS]]}}
| nomaneuver =
| WDA = 295
| WD2 = Calm (201)
| nobolt =
| noability =
| WDB = 295
| WD3 = Frenzy (216)
| WDC = 295
| WD4 = Interference (212)
| WDD = 295
| WD5 = Silence (210)
| WDE = 295
| WD6 = Unbalance (110)
| WDF = 295
| OS1 = <!-- Miscellaneous offensive spells (non-bolt and non-warding) insert up to OS10 -->
| MN1 = <!-- Combat Maneuvers insert up to MN10 -->
| MN2 =
| AB1 = <!-- Special abilities insert up to AB10, include creature maneuvers here, manually link if appropriate -->
| ABA = <!-- Special abilities right column, use respective corresponding right column as needed for misc info -->
}}
}}
{{Creature defense attributes2 <!-- Replace ? with value or range, but do not include when the creature is under the effects of disabling statuses (stun/knockdown/interference/curse/etc.) -->
{{Creature defense attributes
| asg = <!-- Insert asg # and template will automatically convert to include type of armor -->
| defense =
| IMM1 = <!-- add IMM2 (up to 15) for additional immunities -->
{{creature ability|[[Melee]] |<N/A> [[Defensive strength|DS]]}}
| Melee =
{{creature ability|[[Ranged]] |<N/A> [[Defensive strength|DS]]}}
| Ranged =
{{creature ability|[[Bolt]] |<N/A> [[Defensive strength|DS]]}}
| Bolt =
{{creature ability|[[Bard Base]] |<N/A> [[Target defense|TD]]}}
| UDF =
{{creature ability|[[Ranger Base]] |<N/A> [[Target defense|TD]]}}
| BarTD =
{{creature ability|[[Sorcerer Base]] |+281 (+243) [[Target defense|TD]]}}
| CleTD =
{{creature ability|[[Wizard Base]] |<N/A> [[Target defense|TD]]}}
| EmpTD =
{{creature ability|[[Cleric Base]] |<N/A> [[Target defense|TD]]}}
| PalTD =
{{creature ability|[[Empath Base]] |<N/A> [[Target defense|TD]]}}
| RanTD =
{{creature ability|[[Paladin Base]] |<N/A> [[Target defense|TD]]}}
| SorTD = 281
{{creature ability|[[Major Elemental]] |<N/A> [[Target defense|TD]]}}
| WizTD =
{{creature ability|[[Minor Elemental]] |<N/A> [[Target defense|TD]]}}
| MjETD =
{{creature ability|[[Major Spiritual]] |+270 (+220) [[Target defense|TD]]}}
| MnETD =
{{creature ability|[[Minor Spiritual]] |<N/A> [[Target defense|TD]]}}
| MjSTD = 270
{{creature ability|[[Major Mental]] |<N/A> [[Target defense|TD]]}}
| MnSTD =
{{creature ability|[[Minor Mental]] |<N/A> [[Target defense|TD]]}}
| ability =
| MnMTD =
| DSP1 = Bravery (211)<!-- Defensive spells insert up to DSP15, they will automatically link -->
{{creature ability|[[Spirit Warding I (101)]]}}
| DSP2 = Heroism (215)
{{creature ability|[[Spirit Defense (103)]]}}
| DSP3 = Lesser Shroud (120)
{{creature ability|[[Spirit Shield (202)]]}}
| DSP4 = Spell Shield (219)
{{creature ability|[[Bravery (211)]]}}
| DSP5 = Spirit Defense (103)
{{creature ability|[[Heroism (215)]]}}
{{creature ability|[[Spell Shield (219)]]}}
| DSP6 = Spirit Shield (202)
| DSP7 = Spirit Warding I (101)
{{creature ability|[[Lesser Shroud (120)]]}}
| SDA1 = <!-- Special defensive abilities list insert up to SDA10, these will not link automatically -->
}}
}}
{{Creature treasure
{{Creature treasure
| coins = Yes
| coins = Yes
| gems = Yes
| magic items = Yes
| magic items = Yes
| gems = Yes
| boxes = Yes
| boxes = Yes
| skin = ?
| other =
| other = ?
| skin = a vruul skin
| noskinvalue =
}}
}}
{{Creature end}}
{{Creature end}}


The greater vruul has tough, leathery hide, as black as midnight. Bat-like wings sprout from its back, but they do not look large or strong enough to support its weight in flight. The vruul's claws are long, sharp and appear to be stained with the blood of many victims. Its eyes are eerie, solid green orbs that seem to glow with an inner power.
The '''greater vruul''' has tough, leathery hide, as black as midnight. Bat-like wings sprout from its back, but they do not look large or strong enough to support its weight in flight. The vruul's claws are long, sharp and appear to be stained with the blood of many victims. Its eyes are eerie, solid green orbs that seem to glow with an inner power.


==Hunting strategies==
==Hunting strategies==
The greater vruul build up without degenerating in the chapel and summoning chamber of the Sheruvian monastery. They are behind the locked doors. There is no efficient way to get around these doors without disarming the traps. It is normal to enter these rooms and encounter a swarm of dozens of greater vruul simultaneously because there are rarely hunters. Their very low AS is offset by extreme FoF pushdown on DS as a result.
The greater vruul build up without degenerating in the chapel and summoning chamber of the Sheruvian monastery. They are behind the locked doors. There is no efficient way to get around these doors without disarming the traps. It is normal to enter these rooms and encounter a swarm of dozens of greater vruul simultaneously because there are rarely hunters. Their very low AS is offset by extreme FoF pushdown on DS as a result.


Vruul are immune to heat. They absorb minor elemental spells. This immunity makes [[Elemental Wave (410)]] useless for disabling the swarm. Their [[Interference (212)]] spell has a -30 TD pushdown and imposes a -15 TD penalty. [[Implosion (720)]] / [[Elemental Dispel (417)]] cycles are ineffective. With a sorcerer it is more practical to kill the swarm with [[Grasp of the Grave (709)]], simultaneous open [[Energy Maelstrom (710)]] and [[Implosion (720)]], and [[Searing Light (135)]]. Keeping [[Wall of Force (140)]] active is sufficient at like level to be safe while surrounded by over 30 greater vruul.
Vruul are immune to heat and non-magical weapons. They absorb minor elemental spells. [[Elemental Wave (410)]] should work if it is not ''directed'' at any vruul. Their [[Interference (212)]] has a -30 TD pushdown and imposes a -15 TD penalty. [[Implosion (720)]] / [[Elemental Dispel (417)]] cycles are ineffective. With a sorcerer it is more practical to kill the swarm with [[Grasp of the Grave (709)]], simultaneous open [[Energy Maelstrom (710)]] and [[Implosion (720)]], and [[Searing Light (135)]]. Keeping [[Wall of Force (140)]] active is sufficient at like level to be safe while surrounded by over 30 greater vruul.


==Other information==
==Other information==
The summoning chamber has a number of obscure mechanics that unfortunately have not worked for many years. Contrary to the implication of "summoning", the vruul are ''not'' demonic. They are not [[Extraplanar beings (saved post)|extra-planar creatures]]. The vruul are undead constructs, similar to [[soul golem]]s. They are unholy and partially anti-magical. The greater vruul are actually fairly weak for Level 75, and their buff spells will have long since decayed. However, they will take a lot of damage before being killed, something like 1,000 hit points. Their TD does ''not'' drop from [[702#Mana Control Benefits|Mana Disruption (702)]] waver. [[Pain (711)]] only inflicts 84 damage maximum. [[Animate Dead (730)]] works with creatures from these rooms, but they do not want to follow where others would.
The summoning chamber has a number of obscure mechanics that unfortunately have not worked for many years. Contrary to the implication of "summoning", the vruul are ''not'' demonic. They are not [[Extraplanar beings (saved post)|extra-planar creatures]]. The vruul are undead constructs, similar to [[soul golem]]s. They are unholy and partially anti-magical. The greater vruul are actually fairly weak for Level 75, and their buff spells will have long since decayed. However, they will take a lot of damage before being killed, something like 1,000 hit points. Their TD does ''not'' drop from [[702#Mana Control Benefits|Mana Disruption (702)]] waver. [[Pain (711)]] only inflicts 84 damage maximum. [[Animate Dead (730)]] works with creatures from these rooms, but they do not want to follow where others would.


When no one has gone into the Chapel or Summoning Chamber in a very long time, the rooms will become filled with three dozen greater vruul. Most recently the ones in the Chapel provide experience when killed, while those in the Summoning Chamber (unless now fixed) provided no experience for the same character, in spite of apparently being the same level. It is unclear if the latter would have provided favor or necrotic energy.
When no one has gone into the Chapel or Summoning Chamber in a very long time, the rooms will become filled with three dozen greater vruul. Most recently the ones in the Chapel provide experience when killed, while those in the Summoning Chamber (unless now fixed) provided no experience for the same character, in spite of apparently being the same level. It is unclear if the latter would have provided favor or necrotic energy. The summoning chamber vruul seem to give experience if it is looted outside of that room, suggesting experience gains are specifically turned off in that room.


The Summoning Chamber is actually a summoning chamber for the purposes of [[Minor Summoning (725)]]. It is the only node in the Broken Lands itself, and not a magical workshop in spite of messaging calling it a workshop. [[Planar Shift (740)]] does not work in the Broken Lands. It is Lich room #6665.
The Summoning Chamber is actually a summoning chamber for the purposes of [[Minor Summoning (725)]]. It is now the only node in the Broken Lands itself, and no longer a magical workshop in spite of messaging calling it a workshop. Lesser and greater vruul both produce skins called "a vruul skin", where the greater ones do not seem to be more valuable, and they bundle together. [[Planar Shift (740)]] does not work in the Broken Lands. The trap on the summoning chamber doors rotates, with trap difficulties roughly between -150 and -300. The lock difficulty is -675, and the chapel's is -750.
;Swarm
;Swarm
The Summoning Chamber has very old mechanics which are turned off. [[Sheruvian warlock]]s (or [[Sheruvian monk|monk]]s) might appear and call for special [[Sheruvian harbinger|harbinger]] guards. The Chapel will fill up to a similar severity. Ordinary Sheruvian harbingers and [[nightmare steed]]s can spawn, but these are locked rooms.
The Summoning Chamber has very old mechanics which are turned off. [[Sheruvian warlock]]s (or [[Sheruvian monk|monk]]s) might appear and call for special [[Sheruvian harbinger|harbinger]] guards. The Chapel will fill up to a similar severity. Ordinary Sheruvian harbingers and [[nightmare steed]]s can spawn, but these are locked rooms.
Line 83: Line 104:


;Generation
;Generation
When freshly generated they might appear three at a time and have buff spells. However, this generation is quite infrequent, they are impractical to hunt. Sheruvian monks will very seldomly spawn alongside harbingers in the Chapel. The same is true of Sheruvian warlocks in the Summoning Chamber.
When freshly generated they might appear three at a time and have buff spells. However, this generation is quite infrequent, they are impractical to hunt. Sheruvian warlocks or monks will seldomly spawn alongside harbingers (or several monks) in the Chapel and Summoning Chamber.
<pre{{log2}}>
<pre{{log2}}>
One of the tapestries flares brightly! A brisk wind begins to blow through the room, carrying the strong scent of brimstone. There is a sudden flash of light, and when the light returns to normal, a greater vruul towers in the center of the room!
One of the tapestries flares brightly! A brisk wind begins to blow through the room, carrying the strong scent of brimstone. There is a sudden flash of light, and when the light returns to normal, a greater vruul towers in the center of the room!
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A greater vruul growls an arcane phrase.
A greater vruul growls an arcane phrase.
A greater vruul growls an arcane phrase.
A greater vruul growls an arcane phrase.
</pre>

;Calm Breaking
Vruul will break the calms cast on other vruul.
<pre{{log2}}>
A greater vruul rouses its fellow greater vruul!
</pre>
</pre>


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==Behind the Scenes==
==Behind the Scenes==
These larger versions of the vruul have the same appearance as the [[lesser vruul]], including the eyes as "solid green orbs", which is related to the obsolete gods lore. In the [[ICE age|I.C.E. Age]] and original post-I.C.E. documentation [[Marlu]]'s appearance closely resembled the vruul: "A hideous demonlike creature, he is the master of the vruul. He has black skin, leathery wings, large luminous green eyes and large, red claws." In the more modern lore of [[Elanthia]] his relationship to the vruul is implicit in his crypt delving. There were also "decaying vruul" invasion creatures on [[Mount Aenatumgana]] when the [[Drake's Shrine]] was opened, which if consistent with the [[Lesser vruul#Behind the Scenes|original]] lore, likely implies they were very ancient vruul long outside their urns.
These larger versions of the vruul have the same appearance as the [[lesser vruul]], including the eyes as "solid green orbs", which is related to the obsolete gods lore. In the [[ICE age|I.C.E. Age]] and original post-I.C.E. documentation [[Marlu]]'s appearance closely resembled the vruul: "A hideous demonlike creature, he is the master of the vruul. He has black skin, leathery wings, large luminous green eyes and large, red claws." In the more modern lore of [[Elanthia]] his relationship to the vruul is implicit in his crypt delving. There were also "decaying vruul" invasion creatures on [[Mount Aenatumgana]] when the [[Drake's Shrine]] was opened, which if consistent with the [[Lesser vruul#Behind the Scenes|original]] lore, likely implies they were very ancient vruul long outside their urns. The Vvrael invaded through a void in the Sheruvian summoning chamber at one point. The greater vruul were supposed to be able to move around through the web of hidden monoliths and tapestries, so in the past it was possible for them to appear in the Dark Shrine with the lesser vruul.


The inscription on the [[Marlu#The Broken Lands|Dark Shrine]] is a [[Lesser vruul#Behind the Scenes|complex]] play on words. The phrase "Marlu lyxatis kort" contains several layers of meaning, involving different language rules of [[Iruaric]]. "-is" as a verb modifier makes the meaning into "one who is the act of causing dread", while "-is" as a noun modification means dread as a place, which would be the malevolent presence that is experienced in the shrine. The language allows for glottalized vowels and pronunciation variations, which means "lyxatis" would also mean "lyxarulis" or "dread seers." In this context it means: "Marlu, Vruul Master" or "Master of the Vruul."
The inscription on the [[Marlu#The Broken Lands|Dark Shrine]] is a [[Lesser vruul#Behind the Scenes|complex]] play on words. The phrase "Marlu lyxatis kort" contains several layers of meaning, involving different language rules of [[Iruaric]]. "-is" as a verb modifier makes the meaning into "one who is the act of causing dread", while "-is" as a noun modification means dread as a place, which would be the malevolent presence that is experienced in the shrine. The language allows for glottalized vowels and pronunciation variations, which means "lyxatis" would also mean "lyxarulis" or "dread seers." In this context it means: "Marlu, Vruul Master" or "Master of the Vruul."


The vruul were originally artificial constructs, called gogor, designed as the dark host of the [[Empress Kadaena]]. [[Andraax]] wrote a poem in "The Book of Dark Tales" from 1782 [[Second Era]] addressing her constructs: The [[Kaeden]], [[Lesser vruul|Gogor]], and [[Shard|Shards]]. They all slept through the [[Interregnum]] of the [[Shadow World]] timeline, awakened by dark powers in later ages. This poem ends with "And watch for the [[Bandur Etrevion#Behind the Scenes|Winds of Fate]]" which fits possibly coincidentally with the ceiling poem in [[Black Hel#Behind the Scenes|the crypt]] of [[The Graveyard]]. (There was also the [http://www.geocities.ws/icemuletrace/Tomes/1000.html "Visions of Andraax"] which established early on an obscure premise of the [[Lords of Essaence]] being able to [[The Temple of Darkness|witness the future]] which helps [[Lesser vruul#Behind the Scenes|explain]] the inscription on the [[Marlu#The Broken Lands|Dark Shrine]], which refers to conditions and [[Iruaric|language forms]] that would not exist until long after it was written. The [[The Temple of Darkness Poem|poem]] being a couplet of sleeping death and rebirth, with double meanings in [[The Temple of Darkness|impossibly distant]] cults, [[Spectral miner#Behind the Scenes|alludes]] also to [http://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/cc.aspx "The Call of Cthulhu"].) In the source material the "typical" gogor ''cannot'' carry off a grown human, but the "lead" gogor are able to do so with effort. They also had poisonous tails. Neither of the vruul have these properties. They had very sensitive smell, which is part of their messaging.
The vruul were originally artificial constructs, called gogor, designed as the dark host of the [[Empress Kadaena]]. [[Andraax]] wrote a poem in "The Book of Dark Tales" from 1782 [[Second Era]] addressing her constructs: The [[Kaeden]], [[Lesser vruul|Gogor]], and [[Shard|Shards]]. They all slept through the [[Interregnum]] of the [[Shadow World]] timeline, awakened by dark powers in later ages. This poem ends with "And watch for the [[Bandur Etrevion#Behind the Scenes|Winds of Fate]]" which fits possibly coincidentally with the ceiling poem in [[Black Hel#Behind the Scenes|the crypt]] of [[The Graveyard]]. (There was also the [http://www.geocities.ws/icemuletrace/Tomes/1000.html "Visions of Andraax"] which established early on an obscure premise of the [[Lords of Essaence]] being able to [[The Temple of Darkness|witness the future]] which helps [[Lesser vruul#Behind the Scenes|explain]] the inscription on the [[Marlu#The Broken Lands|Dark Shrine]], which refers to conditions and [[Iruaric|language forms]] that would not exist until long after it was written. The [[The Temple of Darkness Poem|poem]] being a couplet of sleeping death and rebirth, with double meanings in [[The Temple of Darkness|impossibly distant]] cults, [[Spectral miner#Behind the Scenes|alludes]] also to [http://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/cc.aspx "The Call of Cthulhu"].) In the source material the "typical" gogor ''cannot'' carry off a grown human, but the "lead" gogor are able to do so with effort. They also had poisonous tails. Neither of the vruul have these properties. They had very sensitive smell, which is part of their messaging.

The presence of a "Summoning Chamber" in the Sheruvian monastery gives a misleading impression in the context of GemStone that the vruul should be demonic. This was a cross-realms teleportation hub many years ago. While the gogor are specific to the Shadow World setting where it is not explicitly defined, in the Rolemaster context they would be simulacra grown in urns with a foul fluid and brought to "life" using sacrificed life essence stored in jars. This is the [[Urglaes-set pitted silver talisman|ritual depicted]] in the Dark Shrine's rooms and tapestries, and corresponds to the Evil Alchemist or Adept base lists which include power draining spells. They might also be more properly classified as "abominations" which are unnatural combinations, analogous to flesh composite things such as [[dybbuk]]s, or the unnatural hybrid races of [[Foggy Valley]].


== References ==
== References ==

Revision as of 10:12, 1 November 2019

Greater vruul
Level 75
Family Vruul family creatures
Body Type Hybrid Biped
Classification(s) Undead
Corporeal
Area(s) Found The Broken Lands
BCS No
HP 1000
Speed
Attack Attributes
Physical Attacks
Claw 213 - 238 AS
Warding Spells
Bind (214) 295 CS
Calm (201) 295 CS
Frenzy (216) 295 CS
Interference (212) 295 CS
Silence (210) 295 CS
Unbalance (110) 295 CS
Defense Attributes
Armor
? ASG
Defensive Strength (DS)
Melee
Ranged
Bolt
Unarmed Defense Factor
UDF
Target Defense (TD)
Bard Base
Cleric Base
Empath Base
Paladin Base
Ranger Base
Sorcerer Base 281
Wizard Base
Minor Elemental
Major Elemental
Minor Spiritual
Major Spiritual 270
Minor Mental
Defensive Spells
Bravery (211)
Heroism (215)
Lesser Shroud (120)
Spell Shield (219)
Spirit Defense (103)
Spirit Shield (202)
Spirit Warding I (101)
Treasure Attributes
Coins Yes
Gems Yes
Magic Items Yes
Boxes Yes
Skin a vruul skin
Other

The greater vruul has tough, leathery hide, as black as midnight. Bat-like wings sprout from its back, but they do not look large or strong enough to support its weight in flight. The vruul's claws are long, sharp and appear to be stained with the blood of many victims. Its eyes are eerie, solid green orbs that seem to glow with an inner power.

Hunting strategies

The greater vruul build up without degenerating in the chapel and summoning chamber of the Sheruvian monastery. They are behind the locked doors. There is no efficient way to get around these doors without disarming the traps. It is normal to enter these rooms and encounter a swarm of dozens of greater vruul simultaneously because there are rarely hunters. Their very low AS is offset by extreme FoF pushdown on DS as a result.

Vruul are immune to heat and non-magical weapons. They absorb minor elemental spells. Elemental Wave (410) should work if it is not directed at any vruul. Their Interference (212) has a -30 TD pushdown and imposes a -15 TD penalty. Implosion (720) / Elemental Dispel (417) cycles are ineffective. With a sorcerer it is more practical to kill the swarm with Grasp of the Grave (709), simultaneous open Energy Maelstrom (710) and Implosion (720), and Searing Light (135). Keeping Wall of Force (140) active is sufficient at like level to be safe while surrounded by over 30 greater vruul.

Other information

The summoning chamber has a number of obscure mechanics that unfortunately have not worked for many years. Contrary to the implication of "summoning", the vruul are not demonic. They are not extra-planar creatures. The vruul are undead constructs, similar to soul golems. They are unholy and partially anti-magical. The greater vruul are actually fairly weak for Level 75, and their buff spells will have long since decayed. However, they will take a lot of damage before being killed, something like 1,000 hit points. Their TD does not drop from Mana Disruption (702) waver. Pain (711) only inflicts 84 damage maximum. Animate Dead (730) works with creatures from these rooms, but they do not want to follow where others would.

When no one has gone into the Chapel or Summoning Chamber in a very long time, the rooms will become filled with three dozen greater vruul. Most recently the ones in the Chapel provide experience when killed, while those in the Summoning Chamber (unless now fixed) provided no experience for the same character, in spite of apparently being the same level. It is unclear if the latter would have provided favor or necrotic energy. The summoning chamber vruul seem to give experience if it is looted outside of that room, suggesting experience gains are specifically turned off in that room.

The Summoning Chamber is actually a summoning chamber for the purposes of Minor Summoning (725). It is now the only node in the Broken Lands itself, and no longer a magical workshop in spite of messaging calling it a workshop. Lesser and greater vruul both produce skins called "a vruul skin", where the greater ones do not seem to be more valuable, and they bundle together. Planar Shift (740) does not work in the Broken Lands. The trap on the summoning chamber doors rotates, with trap difficulties roughly between -150 and -300. The lock difficulty is -675, and the chapel's is -750.

Swarm

The Summoning Chamber has very old mechanics which are turned off. Sheruvian warlocks (or monks) might appear and call for special harbinger guards. The Chapel will fill up to a similar severity. Ordinary Sheruvian harbingers and nightmare steeds can spawn, but these are locked rooms.

[Monastery, Summoning Chamber]
Wisps of smoke waft up from a black vaalin censer mounted on one richly panelled wall, filling the room with a sweet, sulfurous scent.  The walls are hung with ancient tapestries depicting the magical arts, and low cabinets along the walls hold a variety of phials, bottles, and leather tomes behind securely latched glaes panels.  A single incandescent globe is suspended from the ceiling, illuminating the room with its eerie glow.  You also see a pair of bloated arms, a fiery tempest, a black void, a greater vruul, a greater vruul that is lying down, a greater vruul, a greater vruul that appears dead, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, a greater vruul, some carved haon double doors, an ancient hand-woven tapestry and a long vaalin worktable with a mist-shrouded krodera orb on it.
Obvious exits: none
Generation

When freshly generated they might appear three at a time and have buff spells. However, this generation is quite infrequent, they are impractical to hunt. Sheruvian warlocks or monks will seldomly spawn alongside harbingers (or several monks) in the Chapel and Summoning Chamber.

One of the tapestries flares brightly!  A brisk wind begins to blow through the room, carrying the strong scent of brimstone.  There is a sudden flash of light, and when the light returns to normal, a greater vruul towers in the center of the room!
A greater vruul growls an arcane phrase.
A greater vruul growls an arcane phrase.
A greater vruul growls an arcane phrase.
Calm Breaking

Vruul will break the calms cast on other vruul.

A greater vruul rouses its fellow greater vruul!
Messaging
A greater vruul growls an arcane phrase.

A low evil growl builds deep in the greater vruul's throat.

A greater vruul looks around with a baleful glare.

A greater vruul sniffs at the air.

A greater vruul gestures mystically! (defensive spell cast)

Behind the Scenes

These larger versions of the vruul have the same appearance as the lesser vruul, including the eyes as "solid green orbs", which is related to the obsolete gods lore. In the I.C.E. Age and original post-I.C.E. documentation Marlu's appearance closely resembled the vruul: "A hideous demonlike creature, he is the master of the vruul. He has black skin, leathery wings, large luminous green eyes and large, red claws." In the more modern lore of Elanthia his relationship to the vruul is implicit in his crypt delving. There were also "decaying vruul" invasion creatures on Mount Aenatumgana when the Drake's Shrine was opened, which if consistent with the original lore, likely implies they were very ancient vruul long outside their urns. The Vvrael invaded through a void in the Sheruvian summoning chamber at one point. The greater vruul were supposed to be able to move around through the web of hidden monoliths and tapestries, so in the past it was possible for them to appear in the Dark Shrine with the lesser vruul.

The inscription on the Dark Shrine is a complex play on words. The phrase "Marlu lyxatis kort" contains several layers of meaning, involving different language rules of Iruaric. "-is" as a verb modifier makes the meaning into "one who is the act of causing dread", while "-is" as a noun modification means dread as a place, which would be the malevolent presence that is experienced in the shrine. The language allows for glottalized vowels and pronunciation variations, which means "lyxatis" would also mean "lyxarulis" or "dread seers." In this context it means: "Marlu, Vruul Master" or "Master of the Vruul."

The vruul were originally artificial constructs, called gogor, designed as the dark host of the Empress Kadaena. Andraax wrote a poem in "The Book of Dark Tales" from 1782 Second Era addressing her constructs: The Kaeden, Gogor, and Shards. They all slept through the Interregnum of the Shadow World timeline, awakened by dark powers in later ages. This poem ends with "And watch for the Winds of Fate" which fits possibly coincidentally with the ceiling poem in the crypt of The Graveyard. (There was also the "Visions of Andraax" which established early on an obscure premise of the Lords of Essaence being able to witness the future which helps explain the inscription on the Dark Shrine, which refers to conditions and language forms that would not exist until long after it was written. The poem being a couplet of sleeping death and rebirth, with double meanings in impossibly distant cults, alludes also to "The Call of Cthulhu".) In the source material the "typical" gogor cannot carry off a grown human, but the "lead" gogor are able to do so with effort. They also had poisonous tails. Neither of the vruul have these properties. They had very sensitive smell, which is part of their messaging.

The presence of a "Summoning Chamber" in the Sheruvian monastery gives a misleading impression in the context of GemStone that the vruul should be demonic. This was a cross-realms teleportation hub many years ago. While the gogor are specific to the Shadow World setting where it is not explicitly defined, in the Rolemaster context they would be simulacra grown in urns with a foul fluid and brought to "life" using sacrificed life essence stored in jars. This is the ritual depicted in the Dark Shrine's rooms and tapestries, and corresponds to the Evil Alchemist or Adept base lists which include power draining spells. They might also be more properly classified as "abominations" which are unnatural combinations, analogous to flesh composite things such as dybbuks, or the unnatural hybrid races of Foggy Valley.

References

Near-level creatures - edit
Level 73 Level 74 Level 75 Level 76 Level 77
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