NURGAL– The Plague Goddess (aka Nakasatra)

Status:  2nd Generation Elder God

Level:  5000

Avatar:  Barint

Nurgal is a distinct plague goddess, usually associated with the pox, cholera and the Black Death!

She is the Great Lady of Decay and the Mistress of Plague and Pestilence her rat like body is riddled with disease and infestation. To Nurgal all things, no matter how solid and permanent they seem, are liable to physical corruption, indeed, the very processes of construction and creation fore shadow destruction and decay. The king’s palace of today is tomorrows' ruin, the maiden of the morning is the crone of the night, and the hope of a moment is but the foundation stone of everlasting regret.

The response to Nurgal’s teachings to the rest of the godly Pantheon was rather inevitable. What else could Marnarka do but banish Nurgal when her teachings atone to the undeniable and inevitable futility of life; to lie down and accept death and the coming to naught of every endeavour?

According to her teachings when faced with the inevitability of death what answer can there be but to run through life at a great and unstoppable pace, cramming each day with hope, laughter, noise and bustle. Thus, happiness and human endeavour is sired by a coming to terms with decay and futility. This realisation is the key to understanding the Great Lady of Decay and her worshippers.

Once we comprehend what it is Nurgal embodies it becomes easier to understand what might otherwise seem contradictory or even perverse nature. On the one hand she is the Lady of Decay, whose body is wracked with disease on the other she is full of unexpected energy and a desire to organise and enlighten.

The living know that they will die, and many know that they will live with disease or other torment, yet they drive this knowledge into a corner of their minds and keep it pinned there with all manner of dreams and activity. Nurgal is the embodiment of that knowledge and of the unconscious response to it, of the hidden fear of disease and decay, and of the power of life which that fear generates.

Followers of Nurgal the plague goddess are fairly rare within towns and cities, but a few do exist, practising their filthy rites within the depths of the sewer systems. Such groups rarely number more than fifty and are largely isolated from groups in the cities and towns.

From time to time the city or town leaders will mount an expedition to exterminate them for once and for all, but the depraved worshippers nearly always escape to replenish their numbers.

Nurgal’s followers appear to suffer all the physical effects of a disease, but do not actually receive any of the debilitating effects. For example, if they were to catch leprosy their limbs would still go black, and to all appearances have the disease, but they would not loose any skills or take additional damage. If they caught the Pox, they would still have all the pustule spots and sweat as if they had a fever, though they would actually feel, and be, healthy.

SYMBOL

WORSHIP

For Nurgal bizarre rituals are held at the time of the full moon. On these nights the guild patriot will give instructions on how his clerics can best serve the “Spreader of Decay”. These are usually plots to hinder the improvement of urban areas and attempt to close down or reduce any operations involved with the maintenance of sewers or other public works.

TEMPLES

Temples to Nurgal are usually situated in the sewers, although they may be situated in the lower quarters of towns usually disguised in some way to blend in with the background. It is also quite common for Nakasatra and Nurgal priests to share the same temple.

HOLY DAYS

There are no holy days to Nurgal.

FRIENDS AND ENEMIES

Nurgal is indifferent to all other religions.

CULT REQUIREMENTS

Although mostly followed by Rattlings, other races occasional join her clerics, when they feel vengeful enough towards others.

STRICTURES

Nurgal priests must:

• Never let any disease be cured.
• Where there is an opportunity to bring order and stability a Nurgal priest must endeavour to do so (NB death, disease and decay is the truest form of natural order and stability).
• Never turn down the opportunity to spread disease.
• Enlightenment into the teaching’s of Nurgal is a must and should be attempted where possible.