Page 146 - Eberron -Rising from the Last War_Neat

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B L O O D O F V O L THE VOICE OF
Everyone has a spark of divinity. Find that � � ( L A N �
power within.
• Death is the end, Dolurrh is oblivion, and if the gods
exist, they are cruel. Stand with those you care for; all COR P S E C L E R I C
we have is this life and each other.
N
What just god would allow death and suffering? The
Blood of Vol teaches that we all have the potential to CO D E M N S C L AW
become divine beings-and that death is a curse, de­
signed to kill you before you can unlock the divinity
within you. Last month, the Emerald Claw took credit for the ghoul
The Blood of Vol is a grim faith, founded by Erandis outbreak in Wroat. This terrorist organization has a new
d'Vol, an elf from Aerenal. It asserts that death is obliv­ and unusual critic: Hask Malevanor, an "abactor" of the
Blood of Vol and high priest of the Crimson Monastery,
ion, that the universe is uncaring, and that if the Sover­ a temple in the city of Atur in Karrnath. Something else
eigns exist, they are cruel. Its followers study the secrets you should know about Abactor Malevanor: he's been
of blood and life, and because they believe that death is dead for over fifty years! This putrid priest says that
the end, they see nothing wrong with using the bodies there's nothing unholy about his condition, swearing
of the fallen to serve the living. Seekers of the Divinity that his people revere all life. Despite the fact that the
Within (as the faithful call themselves) are glad to be terrorists included priests from his church, Malevanor
reanimated after death; at least they can do some good. insists that his parishioners despise the Emerald Claw
Because of this association with necromancy, many and harbor no hostility toward Breland.
While we'd like to take the abactor at his word, our
believe the Blood of Vol embraces death and its follow­ research shows that Malevanor was personally involved
ers want to become undead. Both ideas are false. The in the program that produced the infamous Karrnathi
Blood of Vol sees death as the ultimate evil. Seekers undead soldiers. After decades of driving the Karrnathi
don't want to become undead; they want to become war effort, this foul creature expects us to believe that he
divine beings. The faith teaches that divinity is tied to has nothing to do with the necromantic attacks on our
blood and soul, and the undead can never fully harness people? Here at the V o ice of Breland, we think something
that power. The mummies and vampires of the Blood of about this smells rotten, and it's not just the mummy.
Vol have sacrificed their chance at divinity to guide the
living. They're martyrs, not something to envy.
In addition to a general revulsion toward the undead, TEMPLES
the public opinion of the Blood of Vol is colored by the A shrine devoted to the Blood of Vol requires only an al­
actions of the Order of the Emerald Claw. This extrem­ tar and a means for collecting ritually spilled blood.
ist sect serves a lich known as the Queen of Death, and Temples of the Blood of Vol are fortified structures,
it employs necromantic magic in acts of terror. However, built to serve as sanctuaries. In contrast to the Silver
most Seekers don't support the Emerald Claw. Flame, such temples are stark and functional. Temples
The Blood of Vol has its strongest following in Karr­ include vaults or catacombs, designed to hold undead or
nath and the Lhazaar Principalities. For a time, it was to store corpses.
the national religion of Karrnath. Though fallen from
favor, the faith is still practiced openly in that nation. C U L TS OF H E
T
SYMB O L D R AGO N B E LOW

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o
o
The power f a cleric f the Blood f Vol comes from • A paradise exists within the world, a vale bathed in
within them. As such, every cleric chooses a unique the light of the Inner Sun. Earn your passage with the
holy symbol-an object that resonates with them. More blood of worthy foes.
generally, the faith is represented by a tear-shaped red • Our existence is a chrysalis state, preparing us for
gemstone or shard of glass. Priests of the Blood of Vol transcendent immortality within the bowels of the gib­
wear robes of red and black. bering mouther.
• The Lord of Eyes sees all secrets. Its gaze elevates
RITES the worthy and slays the unbeliever. Drive doubt from
The services of the Blood of Vol focus on drawing the your heart, and you will see reality through new eyes.
faithful together as a community and encouraging peo­ The Cults of the Dragon Below are wildly diverse. The
ple to find power within themselves. The most import­ tenets above describe the beliefs of three different
ant ritual of the faith is the Sacrament of Blood. After a cults. Warlocks draw power from demon overlords, and
sermon, each member of the congregation sheds a small daelkyr cultists serve mind flayers and beholders. Oth­
amount of blood into a basin. This is a symbol of unity, ers embrace deep convictions that others see as mad­
and a message that members of the community would ness. Outsiders use the term "Cult of the Dragon Below"
shed their blood to defend one another. In some temples, as a blanket term to describe these disparate beliefs,
this blood is donated to vampire champions of the faith. but the cultists don't use this name or see themselves as
part of a greater whole.

CHAPTER 2 / KHORVAIRE GAZETTEER
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