Immortals of Great Hule
by James MishlerThese are the ranks of the Immortals that I have developed for Great Hule. The "Great Ones", or simply "The Eight", are the primary figures in the Hulean Pantheon. All Temples of Chaos in Great Hule will have shrines to these eight Immortals; lesser temples will serve but one to three of The Eight as well as the local favourite lesser Immortal. The overall symbol of The Eight is the Arrow of Chaos unbound; the symbol of the Temple of Chaos is the Arrow of Chaos bound by a circle (all-encompassing force of Chaos)
Bozdogan (Loki) is the Patron of Great Hule, the focus of the worship of the Holy Men, and is currently the head of the Hulean Pantheon (in the distant past, this position was held by Kraliche; see more on this in her own description as well as in the History of the Hulean Pantheon). Bozdogan is the Patron of Lies, Master of Deceit and Father of Falsehood. His symbol is a white crystal on a black field, representing the "Purity" of faith in Bozdogan, or alternatively, a black Arrow of Chaos on a white field (in his "Master of the Pantheon" aspect).
Yalanemek (Masauwu) is the "Left-Hand-Man" of Bozdogan, and is the Patron of the Diviners; Yalanemek and his minions are in charge of recruiting powerful opponents to the side of Chaos. He is also the patron of merchants and nobles, as well as those who are the "Power behind the power". As Yalanemek and his minions often see to the day to day workings of the Hagiarchy, many in the know believe that Yalanemek may well be the "Power behind the power" in great Hule. His symbol is a left hand holding an olive branch, or alternatively, a black and red "Balance" symbol (oriental yin-yang symbol, only black and red).
Savashan (Orcus) is revered by the Janissaries of Great Hule as the Patron of War and Battle; generals call on his aid for victory. Though he is thoroughly chaotic, Savashan respects organisation and planning in carrying out mass destruction; he is not subtle, rather he is thorough. He has a great rivalry with Veleketer, Chokorku and Iriyelan that causes no little dissension among the various branches of the military. His symbol is a pair of crossed daggers.
Veleketer (Alphaks) is the Patron of the Chaos Legions and the Holy Berserks; he is also placated by the populace to fend off storms and natural disasters. While Savashan plans, Chokorku plots and Iriyelan schemes, Veleketer rages against all that he despises, and he despises many, many things. His followers are the type to automatically destroy, without thought for consequence, anything that gets in their way. His symbol is a red skull with horns.
Eylenmek (Faunus) and Yazabali (Talitha) are most commonly worshipped together by the urban folk of Great Hule as Patrons of sensuality, passion, and wild abandon; rural folk also revere them as Patrons of Earth, Grain and Vine as well (note that Sevigunesh formerly held Yazabali's position of Patroness of Grains and the Earth; see more on this in her own description as well as in the History of the Hulean Pantheon). The rural festivals held to secure the success of the harvest are little more than blood-drenched revelry. Their symbols are blossoming grain stalks and ripened grape vines (rural), or the black silhouette of a pair of lovers (together, urban), or a black rose with thorns (Yazibali, urban) and a white goblet (Eylenmek, urban).
Buyulome (Thanatos) is said to ride the back of Guzelik the Great (Pearl) and bring death and destruction upon those who do not follow the Way of Chaos and revere the Great Ones properly. Buyulome and Guzelik are generally not worshipped per se; rather, they are placated by those wishing to be passed over by their wrath. The priests of Buyulome are generally shunned by even the devout peoples of Great Hule; Guzelik herself has few priests and no temples dedicated specifically to her service (at least, none within the structure of the Hagiarchy). Buyulome's symbol is a skeletal hand holding a golden orb, while the symbol of Guzelik is a pale dragons claw holding a silver orb. Together, their symbol is a bleached-white skull with bat wings and red eyes.
There are numerous other Immortals revered openly in Great Hule; all of those that are allowed by the official state religion are ethically chaotic, and either neutral or evil in moral alignment (Orumjek is the only chaotic Immortal specifically and absolutely forbidden in the Hulean Pantheon; others may fall in and out of favour as time passes and situations change).
Kabaluk (Crakkak), Kabustanir (Ranivorus), Karaskan (Jammudaru), Vurmak (Bartziluth) and Yemekhershey (Bagni) are revered by the humanoids of Great Hule. Unlike the Beastman populace elsewhere, the relationship between a specific Beastman Immortal and it's former race is not as strong in Great Hule, due to the great deal of chaotic intermixing between the Beastman races. Kraliche is also often found as the specific patroness of a tribe or two; she is revered overall as the Dark Mother of the Beastmen. Their symbols are many and various, depending on tribe or even clan. Together, they are often represented by five swords forming a five pointed star (hilts inward), surrounded by a pentagram (representing Kraliche, as the Dark Mother).
Bolshanslari (Tyche) is the Patroness of Luck in Great Hule, luck both good and bad. Those who follow her path are, perhaps, the most chaotic of all Huleans, as they go so far in their reverence of chaos that they will determine their actions by the flip of a coin. Bolshanslari has few temples dedicated specifically to her, though there is much peasant superstition about the best methods to invoke her favour. Many curses and common phrases invoke her name. Her symbol, of course, is a coin.
Buyugulmek (Eiryndul) is the wild Lord of the Forest and patron to the few elves that live in Great Hule. As elves are often out of favour with the Hagiarchy, and Buyugulmek out of favour with Bozdogan, followers of Buyugulmek tend to be very swift on their feet and quick with their wits; they are also extremely skilled at living in the wilderness, and often fall in with outlaws. His symbol is a crescent moon with a smiling face in profile.
Chokorku (Demogorgon) is the Lord of Pure Evil in the Hulean Pantheon. The darkest sorcerers and wizards turn to the Dark Child in the darkest night in their quest for power; rarely is Chokorku called upon in religious services except to placate his wrath [Demogorgon was male in WotI and female in RSCB; I've always kept him male]. Chokorku often plots to overthrow either Savashan or Veleketer to take their place in The Eight, so sorcerers of Demogorgon are often at odds with the military and the Chaos Legions; Chokorku is often on the "outside" of the official state religion as far as the Hagiarchy is concerned. His symbol is a child's face with three horns and three eyes.
Iriyelan (Set) is another rebel Chaos Immortal, often out of favour with the Hagiarchy. This comes as no surprise, as Iriyelan is the Patron of Traitors and Rebels; though the Hagiarchy reveres Chaos, they dislike those who would turn against the Hagiarchy itself (Chokorku and Buyugulmek also fall in this category; Misafir, while a troublemaker, is not a true rebel within the Pantheon). While Iriyelan has nothing to do with Buyugulmek, he often "cooperates" with Chokorku in plots to bring down Savashan and Veleketer, though most plots end up dissolving into chaos long before they reach fruition, as neither Immortal is naive enough to truly trust the other. His symbol is a snake in a figure eight swallowing its own tail.
Kraliche (Hel), the Dark Mother, Primal Mistress of Chaos, is, along with Orumjek and Sevigunesh, one of the original founders of the Chaotic nature of the Hulean Pantheon (see the History of the Hulean Pantheon to follow). Since her fall from the head position of the pantheon centuries ago, she has ended up as little more than a minor figure in the theological structure of the Hagiarchy. She is the Patroness to a few tribes of Beastmen; her priesthood is rather small among the human population as well. She is mostly revered today by wizards and mages who study transmutation and alchemy; she is also revered by a moderate number of peasants as an "Earth Mother" figure. Her symbol is a set of eight arrows pointing toward a common centre (the symbol of Primal Chaos internalised).
Misafir (Cretia) is the Patron Immortal of Minor Chaos, Disorder, Thievery, Practical Jokes and Mischief. As such he is rarely worshipped in the Temples of Chaos, rather he is placated by those who do not wish to be subject to the various crimes he might commit. He is worshipped mostly by thieves, mostly as a deterrent to his attentions, but also in respect for his more cunning deeds (there is a whole cycle of myth concerning the thefts he has attempted on other Immortals, especially the stuffy Lawful types of other pantheons, though even Bozdogan is not immune to his larceny). His symbol is a copper coin shattered into eight pieces.
Orumjek (Korotiku), Kraliche and Sevigunesh were the original founders of the Temple of Chaos; Orumjek is now the only Immortal of Chaos specifically forbidden by the Hagiarchy (see the History of the Hulean Pantheon). He is the Enemy of Bozdogan, and thus the Enemy of All that is True and Just, as far as the Hagiarchy is concerned. His followers are rebels in the society of Great Hule, and the Diviners are ever alert to the presence of the most basic thought concerning Orumjek (little do the Diviners realise that worshippers of Orumjek receive a special resistance against ESP and other forms of magical and psionic detection concerning their faith). Followers of Orumjek work in cells numbering no more than eight; their function is to spread dissent among the people of Great Hule concerning the faith in Bozdogan and the current structure of the Hagiarchy. His symbol is an Arrow of Chaos in the form of a spider; his assassins also use weaponry and materials depicting a spider motif.
Sevigunesh (Valerias) is one of the original trinity of Chaos Immortals worshipped by the peoples of Great Hule; she has since fallen from one of the leading positions in the Pantheon to that of a minor figure (her place as a Patroness of Grain and Earth has been taken by Yazibali within the last 400 years). She is now simply the Patroness of Love and Passion (whereas Yazibali is Patroness of Lust and Pleasure); needless to say, even this function has been fading under the Hagiarchy under the Master. Her followers are now few and far between; she has only one temple specifically dedicated to her (though there are still a fair number of shrines in other temples, they are most often passed up for the shrines dedicated to Yazibali). She is, however, the primary Immortal revered by the Hulean Darine (Gypsy) population. Needless to say, Sevigunesh is no friend of Yazibali's; she would favour nearly any plan to embarrass Yazibali. Her symbol is the full moon, or a red rose.
Yangunesh (Rathanos) is the Patron of Fire and Flame; his worshippers are those who use flames in their labours (including smiths, potters and a number of warriors, who revere the martial aspect of flames in warfare). A good number of wizards also revere him for his magical knowledge; his temples are often also centres for magical study. His priests are known to assist in military endeavours by summoning efreet and fire elementals. His symbol is a dagger blade made of flame with a pommel in the form of a human figure.
List of Immortals of the Pantheon of the Temple of Chaos
| Hulean Name | Common Name | AL | Areas of Concern |
| Bozdogan | Loki | CN | Lies, Rulership |
| Buyulome | Thanatos | CE | Death, The Big Nothing |
| Eylenmek | Faunus | CN | Wine, Music, Wild Abandon |
| Guzelik | Pearl | CN | Dragons, Wild Animals, Beasts |
| Savashan | Orcus | CE | Warfare, Battle |
| Veleketer | Alphaks | CE | Destruction, Storms, Berserks |
| Yalanemek | Masauwu | CN | Bozdogan's Left-Hand-Man |
| Yazabali | Talitha | CE | Sensuality, Grain |
| Bolshanslari | Tyche | CN | Luck |
| Buyugulmek* | Eiryndul | CN | Freedom, Pranks, Mischief |
| Chokorku* | Demogorgon | CE | Pure Evil, Fear, Terror |
| Iriyelan* | Set | CE | Snakes, Rebellion, Traitors |
| Kabaluk | Crakkak | CN | Orcs, The Sea, Pirates |
| Kabustanir | Ranivorus | CE | Gnolls, Destruction by Night |
| Karaskan | Jammudaru | CE | Ogres, Slimes, Vengeance |
| Kraliche | Hel | CN | Queen of Chaos, Dark Mother |
| Misafir | Cretia | CN | Minor Chaos and Disorder |
| Orumjek** | Korotiku | CN | Spiders, Enemy of Bozdogan |
| Sevigunesh | Valerias | CN | Love, Romance, Grain |
| Vurmak | Bartziluth | CN | Bugbears, Destruction |
| Yangunesh | Rathanos | CN | Fires, Efreet |
| Yemekhershey | Bagni | CN | Trolls, Devouring Everything |
* Often held to be outside the actual Pantheon.
** Not actually a member of the Pantheon under the Hagiarchy.
The alignments of the Immortals are as I have interpreted them in my translation from D&D to AD&D. Some of the kinder Immortals may actually lean toward good.
I will be posting more on the Pantheon of the Temple of Chaos (specifically, history, which also happens to be the history of Hule). Constructive comments are welcome; please do NOT let me know that this is not Canon Mystara; I am well aware of this fact...