Yog
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"He glanced back at the shadowy palm groves, among which a red glare was mounting. A chanting rose to the night, rising with a savage exultation. And another sound mingled with it, a mad, incoherent screaming, a frenzied gibbering in which no words could be distinguished. The noise followed Conan as he rode westward beneath the paling stars." -- Robert E. Howard: "Shadows in Zamboula"
Yog, the Lord of Empty Abodes.
Yog worship dates back to the Khari invasion. Ryborian scholars speculate that Yog may be a demon of the Elder Night, like those worshipped by ancient Atlantis.
Yog's doctrine is simple. Worshippers may only eat meat, never plants of any kind. They must consume human flesh at least once per month, and those who fail are considered ritually unclean until they have done so.
In Darfar itself, bodies for the cannibalistic rituals conic from raiding other tribes. Outside of Darfar, however, the Yoggites band together and take what they can get. Where there are many Darfar slaves, wandering bands hunt and kill anyone who leaves shelter at night.
Although most city residents fear the Yoggite ceremonies, they permit the Yoggites to practice their religion, as without this concession they are rebellious and violent.
For proper sacrificial power, the victims are clubbed unconscious and thrown into fire-pits. Dead sacrifices are considered inferior, as are those who have been cut, so the Yoggites do not use knives or swords. One adult can feed as many as thirty or forty Yoggites, as only a token consumption is required to meet Yog's requirements.
For obeying these strictures, Yog promises strength in battle and victory over the worshipper's foes. Such promises might hold more weight were Darfar slaves uncommon in the southern lands. Even so, Yoggites are devout enough to practice their religion wherever they go.
Spheres of Influence: Cannibalism, darkness
Symbol: Bone necklace (or bat???)
Manifestations
At each full moon, the worshippers of Yog dig a pit, into which their priests pour certain oils and set alight with a flung torch. The Darfari identify the bright flame with that of the moon overhead. They believe that, once each month, they must "eat the moon". Bathed in the fire-pit's glow, any captive, in their eyes, becomes the earthly essence of the moon. Eating outsiders' flesh is said to make the Yoggites immune to weapons.
The Ritual of Moon-Eating: grant damage resistance based on victim's hit dice. several yoggites can share one "meal", but the more foreign flesh they eat during the three days of the full moon, the longer the effects last.
The Priesthood
Yog is worshipped by two different groups: the man-eaters of jungled Darfar, and the desert-dwelling Zuagirs.
Yoggites:---a tribe of green robed nomadic raiders that live in the Southern desert. They swear by the god, Yog, and ride horses. (Sword of Skelos)
- Prerequisites: Cannibalism
- Domains: Bats, Blood, Darkness
- Turning: None