A Xhazobine, or Xhazobain for male examples, is a type of gnollish warlock known for immense power and strength, born out of the pact between a gnoll and a Xhazob, a type of primal and savage demon; which is summoned by immense sacrifices on a truly horrific scale.
Historical Xhazobine’s[]
There have been at least five major Xhazobine’s throughout history, each of which found their own ritualistic ways to contact and form a pact with a Xhazob. What does not differ between each, however, is the scale of bloodshed and destruction they unleash unto the world.
The First Xhazobine was a gnollish warlock, hailing from somewhere in southern Bulwar. They managed to make contact with a Xhazob, with the greatest ever- at the time - sacrifice conducted by a singular gnoll. The power infused into them on that day- that being incredible magical strength fueled directly by demonic energies as well as enhanced physical strength and an innate talent for violence - would terrorize Bulwar and Cannor for decades- between 654 BA and 618 BA, before their eventual death at the hands of Castan the Progenitor during the Battle of White Flame.
This violent and powerful legacy would both mark the start of the Xhazobkult and made many seek to replicate her feats of power and conquest, conducting mass sacrifices in the name of the Xhazob’s, courting their power and strength. Fortunately for the world, and unfortunately for records, very few specifics survive on what was done in these attempts.
However, despite that, some gnolls did manage to succeed. First was the Draconic Xhaz, who originated in Businor in 475 AA, and proceeded to conquer and pillage much of the surrounding regions, pushing as far north as Trialmount to meet with the dragon Zaamalot the black, who would kill the Xhazobine in 480 AA.
The third gnoll who is known to have made contact with a Xhazob was a male gnoll, marking the first Xhazobain. They would rampage through the Suncrown gnollish kingdoms, and much of the rest of Bulwar in the years 666 AA and 669 AA, but would ultimately meet their demise in what would become Darvan’s folly, at the hands of the Daravan the Malignant infamous ritual, which destroyed and blighted the land.
The Twin Xhaz, presents a fascinating divergence from the traditional Xhazobine pattern. In 1240 AA, the twin Xhaz’s mother conducted a mass sacrifice, and successfully contacted a Xhazob. However, unlike in any other recorded instance, it was not her that was granted the power, but instead the children she has been pregnant with. In a brutal display, they reportedly devoured their way out of their mother, and had grown to full size and strength within a year. They would rampage across Sarhal, starting in the east, and quickly and violently rampaging west towards Fangula over the course of another 15 years, devastating the Fangulan Empire and laying the foundations for its destruction as well as propagating the Xhazobkult. Ultimately, they were slain in a duel with a powerful Planetouched warrior.
The last known major Xhazobine was the Gunpowder Xhaz; otherwise known as Zinhakan Bane-of-Kings, who erupted in northwestern Sarhal in 1662, and would carve a bloody swath through much of northern Sarhal, and parts of Businor. Ultimately the Xhaz was crushed after twenty seven years by Konolkhatepi efforts and a coalition of Cannorian forces, with Zinhakan being slain by a band of adventurers.
Since then, no Xhazobine have been recorded or reported, leading most to believe that the scale of sacrifices needed and the level of control necessary to achieve as such to no longer be in the hands of Xhazobkultists.
Attempted Xhazobine’s[]
Whilst there have undoubtedly been many Xhazobkultists who have attempted to become a Xhazobine, the vast majority failed to even stir the attention of a Xhazob, let alone their approval. Compiled here are a list of known gnolls who attempted to become a Xhazobine/Xhazobain.
Zokka Devourer-of-Darkness: The legendary foe of Jaddar, it is widely believed; based on testimony from converted gnolls and Bulwari folktales, that Zokka was a fervent Xhazobkultist, even by the standards of the time, and hungered to become the second Xhazobain; prompting his destructive conquests of much of Bulwar.
Xuret Empress-of-Gnollkind: Granddaughter of the infamous Grizaka, she sought to gain control of Gnollakaz in the aftermath of her mothers death; backed by warlock and Xhazobkultist shamans primarily as well as many traditional ‘enemies’ of the Gnollakaz pack. Eventually, however, she was defeated; her attempts to make contact with a Xhazob having failed.
The Ritual[]
There are many differing accounts and tales of the rituals a Xhazobine has used to achieve Xhazhood, scattered between many different local cultures and variants; and distorted by time and myth. Common elements of the ritual are listed below. It is worth knowing, however, that demonologists suspect that a Xhazob likely cares very little for the specifics of the ritual, so long as its bloody hunger for souls and suffering be satiated.
The most common, in fact universal, trait of the ritual is mass sacrifice, upwards of thousands- perhaps tens of thousands - of people have to be sacrificed to merely catch a Xhazob’s attention; many gnollish folktales say that the more cruel the method of sacrifice, the more likely to gain a Xhazob’s favor. Common methods include: Mass killing via exsanguination, mass poisoning, brutal and ritualistic cannibalization and most famously hellfire pyres.
Some gnollish beliefs purport that ritualistic mutilation of the gnoll trying for Xhazhood; via burning, tattooing, and other such practices aids in the chance of success.
Some gnolls, especially Ruinscourge gnolls, encouraged the use of intoxicants and hallucinogens during the attempted ritual; believing it to place one closer to the Infernal Planes and thus more likely to contact a Xhazob.
A singular historical account does exist, having been retrieved from the traumatic journalling of an escaped Maqeti slave a few years before the appearance of the Twin Xhaz the summary of which is included below.
The seeker of Xhazhood, and their horde gathered at the site of a recent conquest, a ruined city drenched in blood. There they constructed concentric rings of pyres around a huge central pyre, thousands of sentient creatures were fed to the flames or devoured alive as the gnollish horde conducted a multi day orgy of violence and debauchery. Many lesser demons reportedly appeared, entering through unplanned portals, drawn by the dark energy generated by the carousing gnolls.
Once the celebrations reached their height and the lead Kultists determined that a Xhazob's attention had been gained, the supplicant ritually mutilated themselves and devoured the hearts of 3 shamans before being bound in Ironwood Chains and then threw themselves upon the central pyre.
The account from this point forwards is vague and full of fevered rambling but respected demonologists and historiographers have speculated that should such a ritual be successful the pyre would flare with a blinding green light as a deafening explosion rocks the area, within the wreckage of the central pyre the new Xhazobine/Xhazobain would emerge unscathed, the demonic energy of a Xhazob enhancing their warped and monstrous form.
But should they fail and earn the Xhazob's ire, instead the great demon itself would rip forth from the pyre, slaughtering and consuming the gnollish horde as punishment for their paltry offerings before returning to the Abyss, unable to sustain its presence in the mortal realm without a host.