The Xhazobkult was the cultural religion of some gnollish groups, that focused around the worship and creation of a being of immense demonic power, known as the Xhazobine, or Xhazobain and the partaking in demonic holy wars known as ‘Xhaz’s’. The kult most often focused around the sacrifice of slaves and captives to earn favor and boons with powerful demons, including the namesake of the religion; the Xhazobs.
History[]
The Xhazobkult is believed to have originated somewhere in southern Bulwar, around the time of 654 BA, when a gnollish warlock conducted a particularly large and brutal sacrifice, earning the attention of a Xhazob; a powerful and bestial demon who hungers endlessly for souls and suffering, who struck a bargain with the gnoll, offering them incredible power in return for the souls of her victims. When the bargain was accepted, the Xhazobkult was born.
Soon the Xhazobine and their power gathered an incredible host of gnolls from across Bulwar and northern Sarhal, rampaging in a tide of chaos and destruction in every direction; this would later become known as the first Xhaz, a kind of holy war for the Xhazobkult.
The first Xhaz came to an end at the hands of Castan the Progenitor, and dispersed the gnollish peoples of the Xhaz into Cannor for the first time.
Whilst the kult would remain present and active for centuries afterwards, terrorizing and sacrificing from Businor to Bulwar, it would be almost 1093 years before another Xhaz arose, the Draconic Xhaz, and marked a renewed fury and passion in the kult, as the existence of a Xhazobine often does, inspiring many followers to attempt to recreate the feats of power set forth.
The third Xhaz; that was active between 666 and 669 AA, is of particular note, as their encroachment into Dostanor is what prompted Daravan the Malignant to call upon a dark and profane ritual, which flooded much of their south-eastern lands, creating Daravan’s folly. Legend has it that with their dying breath, the third Xhazobain cursed the folly; forever blighting the land and connecting it to the Infernal Plane in some terrible manner.
Later on, Twin Xhaz, is of particular importance and note, as their rampage across Fangula during the years of 1240 - 1255 AA, and eventual defeat in the legendary duel there, would introduce the kult to the western Sarhaly packs; creating a strong syncretism between local Fangulan pantheonic worshippers and animist beliefs.
The kult continued to function and persist for centuries, with many major defeats marring their progress, such as the Jaddari beating back most of the Bulwari Xhazobkult, and the Haraagtseda gnolls finding great success in converting many of the eastern Sarhaly packs to the worship of Kvanga.
There was a brief period where the Xhazobkult found some purchase and success in Aelantir, due to the presence of Mykx and their piratical endeavors in the Ruined Sea.
Ultimately, the kult would come to a final and violent crescendo in the 17th century, with the rise of the Gunpowder Xhaz in western Sarhal, which, in large part, was composed of remnants of the Seascourge gnolls and Windhowler gnolls; displaced from Fangula by the purges there, and also enthusiastic kult members from across Halann. For twenty seven bloody years, they brought havoc and destruction to northern Sarhal, and Businor, only eventually being defeated by a combined effort of a Cannorian coalition and Konolkhatepi efforts. It was after this, that the kult began to enter its most profound decline.
In the modern era, the Xhazobkult is nearly extinct as a religion, though some, to this day, are still lured by the promises of power and strength offered in its dark practices.
Beliefs and Practices[]
The Xhazobkult was a massively decentralized religion, to the point that trying to ascribe any particular set of beliefs or practices to them proves difficult. Indeed, it is questionable how much of the Xhazobkult proves to be a religion as it is commonly understood, or a method of seeking power from Xhazobs and other demons.
Some kults favored more decentralized and random sacrifices, whilst others had a strict organization to it. Some placed even heavier emphasis on slavery and ensuring that all the tedious and menial work was left to the ‘Krah’, rather than their gnollish masters.
The use of ritual pyres for the sacrificing of captives and slaves: This particularly cruel practice was most likely in imitation of successful rituals which contacted a Xhazob, and indeed folktales tell that many of these pyres did catch the attention, and boons of the terrible demons.
A focus on dominance amongst kult leaders: More than pack loyalty and pragmatism, in many cases, a desire and want for complete dominance over their peers.
The attempted creation of a new Xhazobine: Many local kults proved to have a strong desire for the creation of a new Xhaz. The exact beliefs of how to do so, and the reasons varied wildly, but one can be grateful that so few have succeeded.
Fascinatingly, the sheer distances and vast geographical barriers between many local kults led to many different subsections forming, each of whom had a different prioritization of the faith's beliefs. Many, in fact, had only undertones of their fiendish past; preferring instead to focus heavily on the more animist aspects of their faith. Of course, this is not to understate that many other local kults proved to have an even stronger focus on said demonic practices.
Boons[]
As demons are both real, and interested in rewarding sacrifices in their name; the Xhazobkult could genuinely produce ‘blessings’ and powers to those who practiced its vile tenets and rituals.
Most of the boons and pacts granted where small scale and individual to the sacrifices done by individual kultists, but it is also known that larger, province wide sacrifices numbering in the hundreds and thousands could generate truly fantastical effects such as:
- The Invocation Of Hellfire: this profane ritual seared gnolls with a raging hellfire, which burrowed into their flesh and soul; granting them enhanced physical strength and durability.
- The Invocation of Chains: this invocation granted a demonic fury and terror to those affected gnolls, making their visages horrific and utterly horrifying; granting insights into greater and more profane cruelties. This invocation was given its name, due to the affected gnolls often finding their way into the position of slave masters due to their ‘talents’ in controlling rebellious Krah and working them to the bone.
- The Invocation of Blood: This boon took the form of an alteration to a gnoll’s blood and mind, twisting them into a horrific rage fueled beast, who lived only to fight; able to heal quickly and ignore injuries and the strain of battle.
- The Invocation of Gold: An odd and eclectic boon compared to the others offered, this invocation is primarily recorded being sought by the Seascourge and Ruinscourge gnolls. It granted an unusual ‘sixth sense’ towards the profitable enterprises, in return enhancing the avarice of the gnolls affected and pushing them to gather wealth, even at great personal cost.
- The Invocation of Eyes: This particularly violent invocation involves the ritualistic mutilation and burning of the affected gnolls eyes, rendering them blind conventionally, but granting the power to peer into the souls of those they ‘see’ and see their secrets laid bare.