The Butchers
 | |
|---|---|
| Deity | Voodrith, God of Slaughter |
| Domains | Chaos, Destruction, Evil, War, Madness |
| Races | Any |
| Classes | Clerics |
| Alignments | Chaotic Evil |
| Holy Days | Unknown |
| Place of Worship | Unknown |
| Holy Symbol | Skull-faced Squid |
| High Priest | Unknown |
| Major Temple | The Slaughterhouse |
Priests of Voodrith are rare, as the Order's message of wrath, disaster, and destruction resounds with only the most chaotic and evil of beings. The Order is invisible to the public - its priests wear no insignia, its temples are hidden and unmarked, and its followers often take on the trapping of other religions. Thus disguised, the Priests of Voodrith - called the Butchers - are able to move through society unnoticed. Missing persons are often attributed to the Butchers coming to claim food for the God of Slaughter.
While the highest-level priests tend to Voodrith at the Slaughterhouse Temple, most priests are sent on missions for the Order - some of which take them to the remote corners of the Realm. A dedicated priest of Voodrith will have the tattoo symbol of the god somewhere discretely hidden on their body.
Those wishing to inquire into joining the Order can do so at the Skull and Squid pub in Teufeldorf. The identities of the high priests of Voodrith are unknown.
The Legend of the Slaughterhouse
"Great cities are built on the backs of slaves" is an ancient proverb. And Teufeldorf is no exception. Although slavery was outlawed in the Second Age by the Ranger Kings, the Slave Pits of Teufeldorf were a fixture in the City-State for many centuries. Among the largest and most infamous of the slavers in Teufeldorf were three brothers - the Silgars - who ran the Slaughterhouse. The Slaughterhouse provided both a way to buy slaves brought from around the Realm and a manner of getting rid of them when they had reached the end of their usefulness. It is the latter business which set the Silgars apart from their competitors.
At the center of the Slaughterhouse was a massive, circular arena - a stadium of sorts - with seating for several hundred spectators. The main floor of the Slaughterhouse arena sloped slightly towards a large, iron-grated pit. The pit was where slaves who died in the arena were dismembered and discarded. It was, however, the denizen of this pit, called Voodrith, God of Slaughter, that drew the most attention. From the pit radiated an aura of pure evil - one that filled the arena with a palpable aura of wrath, disaster and destruction. Tentacles were often seen sliding from the grate, grabbing the leg of an unwary slave during combat. Rending sounds and a stench of death hung over the entire structure.
From the staged battles, the Silgars became wealthy, eventually forming a small temple to Voodrith and enlisting priests to ritually care for the creature that lived in the pit. When the Ranger Kings shut down the Slave Pits - including the Slaughterhouse - in 701 SA, the entire floor of the arena was blocked over with stone. The Silgar descendants moved into other trades - black magic by all rumors. The priests of Voodrith remained, however. By 750 SA, a small temple to Voodrith - completely hidden behind the guise of a pub - the Skull and Squid - was built on top of the old Slaughterhouse grate. Even today, a small order of dedicated priests tend to the needs of Voodrith - seeking to spread the fear, wrath and destruction of their master.