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Vruul were originally called [[ICE age|"gogor"]], a special kind of artificial being. They were invented by the [[Empress Kadaena]], along with many dark races, and several [[Shards|other]] kinds of malevolent construct. The I.C.E. age form of [[Marlu]] (Morgu) was known for plundering ancient crypts, looking for gogor, his favored pets left over from the [[First Era]] of [[Shadow World]]. They slumbered in urns filled with a foul necrolytic fluid, and appear to be activated involving some brutal ritualistic sacrifice. Gogor were able to fly off with their victims, but these ones cannot, being older than the mechanics for flying creatures. They were not considered undead, but unholy is plausible. His interest in them was never given a canonical explanation in the Shadow World source material. It is impossible to understand the Dark Shrine, the work of [[Uthex Kathiasas]], or the importance of the vruul without the obsolete lore as context.
Vruul were originally called [[ICE age|"gogor"]], a special kind of artificial being. They were invented by the [[Empress Kadaena]], along with many dark races, and several [[Shards|other]] kinds of malevolent construct. The I.C.E. age form of [[Marlu]] (Morgu) was known for plundering ancient crypts, looking for gogor, his favored pets left over from the [[First Era]] of [[Shadow World]]. They slumbered in urns filled with a foul necrolytic fluid, and appear to be activated involving some brutal ritualistic sacrifice. Gogor were able to fly off with their victims, but these ones cannot, being older than the mechanics for flying creatures. They were not considered undead, but unholy is plausible. His interest in them was never given a canonical explanation in the Shadow World source material. It is impossible to understand the Dark Shrine, the work of [[Uthex Kathiasas]], or the importance of the vruul without the obsolete lore as context.


In the Shadow World history, the Dark Gods did not appear until the [[Second Era]]. Without being here in the First Era, there should be no relationship with Kadaena, or her Lord of Essaence followers. The significance of the "gogor" and [[Marlu#The Broken Lands|Dark Shrine]] is in establishing this relationship between them both during and [[Black Hel|prior]] to the [[Wars of Dominion]]. [[Andraax]] notably wrote a poem addressing her dark creations that began with: "Once She whispered and life was death. Gogur arose, his wide wings spread. Talons to tear and fangs to feed, the skies were darkened with dread." This can be interpreted for us as "Gogur" referring to Morgu, the archaic form of Marlu, as being made ("spirit born of death") as her servant and master of her gogor.
In the Shadow World history, the Dark Gods did not appear until the [[Second Era]]. Without being here in the First Era, there should be no relationship with Kadaena, or her Lord of Essaence followers from that period. The significance of the "gogor" and [[Marlu#The Broken Lands|Dark Shrine]] is in establishing this relationship between them both during and [[Black Hel|prior]] to the [[Wars of Dominion]]. [[Andraax]] notably wrote a poem addressing her dark creations that began with: "Once She whispered and life was death. Gogur arose, his wide wings spread. Talons to tear and fangs to feed, the skies were darkened with dread." This can be interpreted for us as "Gogur" referring to Morgu, the archaic form of Marlu, as being made ("spirit born of death") as her servant and master of her gogor.


The [[Marlu#The Broken Lands|invoking element]] to the Dark Shrine was: "Morgu lyxatis kort. Thro dyar K'mur." The loose translation of [[The Temple of Darkness Poem]] from [[Iruaric]] was "Morgu, Cruel Master. Guard the Dark Queen." More literally, "lyxatis" means something like "one who is the act of causing dread", or "dread incarnate." "Kort" means "master", but Morgu is the servant in this context, more like "the master's dread" or "the dread who masters [my servants]." "dyar K'mur" is a subtle play on words. While it means "dark female Lord", which is to say [[Lords of Essaence]], the so-called "Queen of Evil" who was said to have created the gogor was actually the Empress Kadaena. K'daen or Kaeden itself means "queen", which were another of her foul constructs, with Kadaena as "high queen" or "Empress." Thus, the translation is more accurately a command, which can be pointedly rendered as: "Dread Morgu, Guard Kadaena."
The [[Marlu#The Broken Lands|invoking element]] to the Dark Shrine was: "Morgu lyxatis kort. Thro dyar K'mur." The loose translation of [[The Temple of Darkness Poem]] from [[Iruaric]] was "Morgu, Cruel Master. Guard the Dark Queen." (The existence of this poem in the ruins of another location implies its authenticity.) More literally, "lyxatis" means something like "one who is the act of causing dread", or "dread incarnate." "Kort" means "master", but Morgu is the servant in this context, more like "the master's dread" or "the dread who masters [my servants]." "dyar K'mur" is a subtle play on words. While it means "dark female Lord", which is to say [[Lords of Essaence]], the so-called "Queen of Evil" who was said to have created the gogor was actually the Empress Kadaena. K'daen or Kaeden itself means "queen", which were another of her foul constructs, with Kadaena as "high queen" or "Empress." Thus, the translation is more accurately a command, which can be pointedly rendered as: "Dread Morgu, Guard Kadaena."


This implies a relationship between the Lords of Essaence and the Dark Gods [[Black Hel|dating back]] to the First Era. Iruaric was the language of the Lords of Essaence, and would otherwise be out of place when speaking about the Dark Gods. However, there is another play on words, given the literal meaning of "dyar K'mur." The Charon ([[Lornon]]) deities were known as the "Dark Lords", and "Lady of Darkness" was the epithet of Orgiana ([[Eorgina]]). Orgiana was not the queen of their pantheon in the archaic theology, and resided at the time in the [[Black Hel]] with a theocracy run by the daughter of Kadaena. [[The Dark Path]] called Kadaena the "Guardian of the Forbidden", which was contemporary with her daughter, with the crypt's design being based on the temple of her theocracy. "Thro dyar K'mur" in this context means roughly the same thing as "Throk Farok."
This implies a relationship between the Lords of Essaence and the Dark Gods [[Black Hel|dating back]] to the First Era. Iruaric was the language of the Lords of Essaence, and would otherwise be out of place when speaking about the Dark Gods. However, there is another play on words, given the literal meaning of "dyar K'mur." The Charon ([[Lornon]]) deities were known as the "Dark Lords", and "Lady of Darkness" was the epithet of Orgiana ([[Eorgina]]). Orgiana was not the queen of their pantheon in the archaic theology, and resided at the time in the [[Black Hel]] with a theocracy run by the daughter of Kadaena. [[The Dark Path]] called Kadaena the "Guardian of the Forbidden", which was contemporary with her daughter, with the crypt's design being based on the temple of her theocracy. "Thro dyar K'mur" in this context means roughly the same thing as "Throk Farok."


Morgu was originally a "Dark Spirit", similar to the Great Spirit Vult ([[Voln]]), which were extensions of will of the Dark Lords. It would thus make no sense for Kadaena to have made Morgu unless she was herself one of the Dark Lords. Interestingly, the poem alludes to Orgiana as the "Mother" of darkness, which plays off Morgu being "born" to guard the Dark Queen. It conflates her identity with Kadaena, who used [[Ordainers]] as [[Shu'raax|bodyguards]]. Regardless, the invoking element was not made in the First Era, being instead an intra-language translation of ancient Iruaric. Since The Dark Path would have ultimately owed its fealty to Orgiana, it is quite possible that Morgu himself was using the Dark Shrine in the [[Wars of Dominion]]. The Dark Grotto by implication did not exist until ''after'' [[Uthex Kathiasas|Uthex]] had [[magru]], and the water by the stairs ''now'' is an obscure warding against Morgu.
Morgu was originally a "Dark Spirit", similar to the Great Spirit Vult ([[Voln]]), which were [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyarlathotep#Summary extensions of will] of the Dark Lords. It would thus make no sense for Kadaena to have made Morgu unless she was herself one of the Dark Lords. Interestingly, the poem alludes to Orgiana as the "Mother" of darkness, which plays off Morgu being "born" to guard the Dark Queen. It conflates her identity with Kadaena, who used [[Ordainers]] as [[Shu'raax|bodyguards]]. Orgiana herself was known for fashioning demonic races out of mutilated spirits and for having her own dark host of demi-god spirit servants. Regardless, the invoking element was not made in the First Era, being instead an intra-language translation of ancient Iruaric. Since The Dark Path would have ultimately owed its fealty to Orgiana, it is quite possible that Morgu himself was using the Dark Shrine in the [[Wars of Dominion]]. The Dark Grotto by implication did not exist until ''after'' [[Uthex Kathiasas|Uthex]] had [[magru]], and the water by the stairs ''now'' is an obscure warding against Morgu.


The Dark Gods were speculated by some [[Loremasters]], like [[Uthex Kathiasas]], of having originated in Lord of Essaence experiments with creating non-corporeal life. (Others thought they escaped from an interdimensional prison, which may be what [[The Broken Lands]] represents.) Similarly, surviving followers of Kadaena were said to have [[The Dark Path#Behind The Scenes|created]] Great Demons, who were also demi-gods. The phonetic representation of [[Iruaric]] indicates it is the "modern" form of the language, even though it is insinuating a relationship from a hundred thousand years earlier. These followers of Kadaena were known to have worked with the Dark Gods during the Wars of Dominion. Uthex was killed in the same year [[Lorgalis|one of them]] conquered this whole region. "[[The Legend of the Necropolis of Etrevion]]" also preserved a typo implying Kadaena was [[Pales|herself]] the [[The Dark Path#Behind The Scenes|first]] moon goddess.
The Dark Gods were speculated by some [[Loremasters]], like [[Uthex Kathiasas]], of having originated in Lord of Essaence experiments with creating non-corporeal life. (Others thought they escaped from an interdimensional prison, which may be what [[The Broken Lands]] represents.) Similarly, surviving followers of Kadaena were said to have [[The Dark Path#Behind The Scenes|created]] Great Demons, who were also demi-gods. The phonetic representation of [[Iruaric]] indicates it is the "modern" form of the language, even though it is insinuating a relationship from a hundred thousand years earlier. These followers of Kadaena were known to have worked with the Dark Gods during the Wars of Dominion. Uthex was killed in the same year [[Lorgalis|one of them]] conquered this whole region. "[[The Legend of the Necropolis of Etrevion]]" also preserved a typo implying Kadaena was [[Pales|herself]] the [[The Dark Path#Behind The Scenes|first]] moon goddess.


The Dark Shrine is an allusion to "[http://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/dq.aspx The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath]" by H.P. Lovecraft. Among the borrowed features include the sheer vertical cliffs, the [[Magru|grottoes]] and [[Marlu#The Broken Lands|frescoes]], being on [[Uthex Kathiasas#Behind The Scenes|the moon]], the [[Purgatory#Archaeology|fluorescent fungi]], and especially the huge stairs leading up the dark tower of a [http://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/dq.aspx great demon] (whose [[Marlu#The Broken Lands|symbol in bas-relief]] made one shudder without knowing its meaning. The steps led to a portal returning to the enchanted woods, forbidden to the ghouls, reflected by the forest in [[The Graveyard]].) This associates Morgu with the same [[Purgatory#Archaeology|Old One]] premise as the [[Ordainer]] symbolism [[Bandur Etrevion#Behind The Scenes|below]] the Graveyard. The lesser vruul lore reflects the "night-gaunts" in the story, where the analogous "other standard" extra-planar entity of [[Rolemaster]] were "nightwings", [[Absolution Pure|soul devourers]] summoned with dark rituals making resurrection impossible ([[Lorminstra|Eissa's]] "worst possible fate.")
The Dark Shrine is an allusion to "[http://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/dq.aspx The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath]" by H.P. Lovecraft. Among the borrowed features include the sheer vertical cliffs, the [[Magru|grottoes]] and [[Marlu#The Broken Lands|frescoes]], being on [[Uthex Kathiasas#Behind The Scenes|the moon]], the [[Purgatory#Archaeology|fluorescent fungi]], and especially the huge stairs leading up the dark tower of a [http://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/dq.aspx great demon] (whose [[Marlu#The Broken Lands|symbol in bas-relief]] made one shudder without knowing its meaning. The steps led to a portal returning to the enchanted woods, forbidden to the ghouls, reflected by the forest in [[The Graveyard]].) This associates Morgu with the same [[Purgatory#Archaeology|Old One]] premise as the [[Ordainer]] symbolism [[Bandur Etrevion#Behind The Scenes|below]] the Graveyard. The lesser vruul lore reflects the "night-gaunts" in the story, where the analogous "other standard" extra-planar entity of [[Rolemaster]] were "nightwings", [[Absolution Pure|soul devourers]] summoned with dark rituals making resurrection impossible ([[Lorminstra|Eissa's]] "worst possible fate.") The night-gaunts would refuse to fly over bodies of water, which thus contains the vruul in the same way it repels Morgu himself. They guarded the caves of the mountain Ngranek, where the gods of earth lived before ascending to Kadath, which had tunnels descending to [[Purgatory#Archaeology|the underworld]].


== References ==
== References ==

Revision as of 09:35, 23 April 2016

Lesser vruul
Picture
Level 45
Family vruul family creatures
Body Type Hybrid Biped
Undead Yes (corporeal)
Areas Found The Broken Lands
BCS <Not Known>
HP <Not Known>
Armor [?]
Attack Attributes
Physical Attacks
battle axe +263 AS
Bolt Attacks
Use the Creature ability template here {{{bolt}}}.
Warding Attacks
Calm (201) +205 CS
Silence (210) +205 CS
Bind (214) +205 CS
Frenzy (216) +205 CS
Maneuver Attacks
Use the Creature ability template here {{{maneuver}}}.
Offensive Spells & Abilities
Use the Creature ability template here {{{ability}}}.
Defense Attributes
Melee <N/A> DS
Ranged <N/A> DS
Bolt <N/A> DS
Bard Base <N/A> TD
Ranger Base <N/A> TD
Sorcerer Base <N/A> TD
Wizard Base <N/A> TD
Cleric Base +190 TD
Empath Base +190 TD
Paladin Base <N/A> TD
Major Elemental <N/A> TD
Minor Elemental <N/A> TD
Major Spiritual <N/A> TD
Minor Spiritual <N/A> TD
Major Mental <N/A> TD
Minor Mental <N/A> TD
Defensive Spells & Abilities
Spirit Warding I (101)
Spirit Shield (202)
Spirit Defense (103)
Bravery (211)
Heroism (215)
Spell Shield (219)
Lesser Shroud (120)
Treasure Attributes
Coins Yes
Gems Yes
Magic Items Yes
Boxes Yes
Skin a vruul skin
Other ?

The lesser 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

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Other information

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Behind The Scenes

Vruul were originally called "gogor", a special kind of artificial being. They were invented by the Empress Kadaena, along with many dark races, and several other kinds of malevolent construct. The I.C.E. age form of Marlu (Morgu) was known for plundering ancient crypts, looking for gogor, his favored pets left over from the First Era of Shadow World. They slumbered in urns filled with a foul necrolytic fluid, and appear to be activated involving some brutal ritualistic sacrifice. Gogor were able to fly off with their victims, but these ones cannot, being older than the mechanics for flying creatures. They were not considered undead, but unholy is plausible. His interest in them was never given a canonical explanation in the Shadow World source material. It is impossible to understand the Dark Shrine, the work of Uthex Kathiasas, or the importance of the vruul without the obsolete lore as context.

In the Shadow World history, the Dark Gods did not appear until the Second Era. Without being here in the First Era, there should be no relationship with Kadaena, or her Lord of Essaence followers from that period. The significance of the "gogor" and Dark Shrine is in establishing this relationship between them both during and prior to the Wars of Dominion. Andraax notably wrote a poem addressing her dark creations that began with: "Once She whispered and life was death. Gogur arose, his wide wings spread. Talons to tear and fangs to feed, the skies were darkened with dread." This can be interpreted for us as "Gogur" referring to Morgu, the archaic form of Marlu, as being made ("spirit born of death") as her servant and master of her gogor.

The invoking element to the Dark Shrine was: "Morgu lyxatis kort. Thro dyar K'mur." The loose translation of The Temple of Darkness Poem from Iruaric was "Morgu, Cruel Master. Guard the Dark Queen." (The existence of this poem in the ruins of another location implies its authenticity.) More literally, "lyxatis" means something like "one who is the act of causing dread", or "dread incarnate." "Kort" means "master", but Morgu is the servant in this context, more like "the master's dread" or "the dread who masters [my servants]." "dyar K'mur" is a subtle play on words. While it means "dark female Lord", which is to say Lords of Essaence, the so-called "Queen of Evil" who was said to have created the gogor was actually the Empress Kadaena. K'daen or Kaeden itself means "queen", which were another of her foul constructs, with Kadaena as "high queen" or "Empress." Thus, the translation is more accurately a command, which can be pointedly rendered as: "Dread Morgu, Guard Kadaena."

This implies a relationship between the Lords of Essaence and the Dark Gods dating back to the First Era. Iruaric was the language of the Lords of Essaence, and would otherwise be out of place when speaking about the Dark Gods. However, there is another play on words, given the literal meaning of "dyar K'mur." The Charon (Lornon) deities were known as the "Dark Lords", and "Lady of Darkness" was the epithet of Orgiana (Eorgina). Orgiana was not the queen of their pantheon in the archaic theology, and resided at the time in the Black Hel with a theocracy run by the daughter of Kadaena. The Dark Path called Kadaena the "Guardian of the Forbidden", which was contemporary with her daughter, with the crypt's design being based on the temple of her theocracy. "Thro dyar K'mur" in this context means roughly the same thing as "Throk Farok."

Morgu was originally a "Dark Spirit", similar to the Great Spirit Vult (Voln), which were extensions of will of the Dark Lords. It would thus make no sense for Kadaena to have made Morgu unless she was herself one of the Dark Lords. Interestingly, the poem alludes to Orgiana as the "Mother" of darkness, which plays off Morgu being "born" to guard the Dark Queen. It conflates her identity with Kadaena, who used Ordainers as bodyguards. Orgiana herself was known for fashioning demonic races out of mutilated spirits and for having her own dark host of demi-god spirit servants. Regardless, the invoking element was not made in the First Era, being instead an intra-language translation of ancient Iruaric. Since The Dark Path would have ultimately owed its fealty to Orgiana, it is quite possible that Morgu himself was using the Dark Shrine in the Wars of Dominion. The Dark Grotto by implication did not exist until after Uthex had magru, and the water by the stairs now is an obscure warding against Morgu.

The Dark Gods were speculated by some Loremasters, like Uthex Kathiasas, of having originated in Lord of Essaence experiments with creating non-corporeal life. (Others thought they escaped from an interdimensional prison, which may be what The Broken Lands represents.) Similarly, surviving followers of Kadaena were said to have created Great Demons, who were also demi-gods. The phonetic representation of Iruaric indicates it is the "modern" form of the language, even though it is insinuating a relationship from a hundred thousand years earlier. These followers of Kadaena were known to have worked with the Dark Gods during the Wars of Dominion. Uthex was killed in the same year one of them conquered this whole region. "The Legend of the Necropolis of Etrevion" also preserved a typo implying Kadaena was herself the first moon goddess.

The Dark Shrine is an allusion to "The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath" by H.P. Lovecraft. Among the borrowed features include the sheer vertical cliffs, the grottoes and frescoes, being on the moon, the fluorescent fungi, and especially the huge stairs leading up the dark tower of a great demon (whose symbol in bas-relief made one shudder without knowing its meaning. The steps led to a portal returning to the enchanted woods, forbidden to the ghouls, reflected by the forest in The Graveyard.) This associates Morgu with the same Old One premise as the Ordainer symbolism below the Graveyard. The lesser vruul lore reflects the "night-gaunts" in the story, where the analogous "other standard" extra-planar entity of Rolemaster were "nightwings", soul devourers summoned with dark rituals making resurrection impossible (Eissa's "worst possible fate.") The night-gaunts would refuse to fly over bodies of water, which thus contains the vruul in the same way it repels Morgu himself. They guarded the caves of the mountain Ngranek, where the gods of earth lived before ascending to Kadath, which had tunnels descending to the underworld.

References

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