Nazgûl - english

The Followers and the Cults of the Nazgûlu

Shatraug`Goth Angmar`ob - The Witch King of Angmar

· Name: Shatraug-Goth Angmar-ob

· Attribute. the Witch King of Angmar, the First

· Title: Shatraug-Goth

· Origin: Numenór

· Domain: power, domination, terror, control, tyranny, destruction, undead

· typical spells: fear, necromancy, control

The Witch King is the most powerful and feared of all Nazgûl. He is very old and gains his mighty power through the immense will of Sauron. The Witch King is both a cunning strategist and a deadly sorcerer. His veiled and armored figure is a terror to all his opponents and his presence on the battlefield, almost equivalent to a victory of evil.

Although his empire fell to Angmar a thousand years ago, the dark name of the Witch King still haunts the caves and camps of the orc tribes of the northern Misty Mountains. Many Dushatâr from the area worship him as a mystical, rapt, son of a god, who will once return and demand his claim to power again. In the ruins of his former fortress, Carn Dûm, a steadily growing circle of nefarious witches has settled down to preserve his legacy in dark rituals and to cover the lands of Arnor with fear and terror. In Gundabad, Mount Gram and other important orcish bases or settlements of the north, the Shatraug´Goth enjoys the greatest reverence. In many places it is almost as important to him as the Shakh`bûrz, in some places the Eye is even more and more forgotten, while the worship of the Witch King equals that of a god.

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In addition, ghosts, revenants and other creatures from the wake of the Shatraug`Goth still roam its ancient kingdom of Angmar). Many of them are still loyal to their master and desperately trying to continue their fight against the heirs of Arnor. Although they are usually hostile to all that is alive, a few Dushataru have already managed to force them into their service, especially when their goals are those of the Witch King.

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In Minas Morgul, the Witch King has no public worship. He is the master of the city as well as of all the Cults of the Nine, and determines and controls them, if he pleases and in his own way. To be called to an audience in his halls in the Dushgoi'mor may be the award with the highest dignity, or the dreadful end of a career. Of course, the Witch King surrounds himself only with high-ranking cultists, all of whom are slaves of his will.

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No other servant of Sauron reaches the position and the power like The Witch King did.

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The faith

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Reasons for an Uruk's belief in this Nazgûl

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Every Uruk who spends some time in Dushgoi comes into contact with the unique aura of the Shatraug-Goth. If the Uruk can withstand this enduring mental stress, without losing his own will or going crazy, he will feel a tendency to follow the Shatraug-Goth and binds himself by this subconscious test to the Cult of the First. The main reason for not giving up faith is a steady sense of reward when faith is established and lived.

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Turning away from faith is associated with severe temporary mental illnesses. The longer the Uruk holds on to the faith before turning away, the harder is the mental decline, down to a slobbering empty shell.

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Special features of believers

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A believing Uruk is characterized by his unconditional loyalty to the First and his superiors. Breaking the will of a believer is more than difficult. Mentally weak Uruku are often schizophrenic. An Uruk, who turns off his believe is often incompetent and mentally unstable.

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The Uruk and his faith, and what he does for it

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Faith is practiced less openly than it is usual with other cults. This is associated with the fact that there is no public cult of the Shatraug`Goth. Therefore sacrifices are offered silently on favorable occasions. This can be done by an Uruk alone or a group of believers. The presence of one of the rare Shatraugu or Thraku makes the spectacle less unnoticed, but makes it an unforgettable event of duels and ritual murders of the unworthy. It is not uncommon that the blood of the victim is sprayed on the living Uruku. In addition, Uruku find empowerment in their beliefs when they relieve an unworthy Uruk of his tasks.

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Bos'Shatraug-Goth - The cult of the Witch King

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Structure of the cult

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The headquarters of the cult is located in the Dushgoi. As a result, this is also the city, where the training for Shatraug, Dushatâr or Thrak begins and is completed. There are no special structures or rankings. So the cult is structured like every other one.

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The Shatraug-Goth is enthroned above all. The Durgoth-Îstugal-Shautraug-Goth'ob is the highest attainable level of the cult. If an Uruk manages to reach this position, he is the only one in the game, replacing his predecessor. He can only be seen in the presence of the Shatraug-Goth. He leads the cult and passes on the orders of the Nazgûl himself directly to the Goth-Îstugal-Shatraug-Goth'ob. These subsequently lead the cult outward and interact with others to prepare for masses, ceremonies or teachings. The last two stages consist of Îstugalu followed by the learning Fauthugalu.

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Proffessions and training

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Thrak

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Standing directly in front of a Thrak of the Bos'Shatraug`Goth is usually accompanied by subsequent pain, loss of control or mental terror. If not, the Thrak will otherwise test the belief of an Uruk and his obedience.

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An Uruk is called to be a Thrak by the Shatraug-Goth himself, but without knowing it. Rather, it is the ubiquitous terror that drives the Uruk to stand in front of him. Thus, the path of a Thrak begins with mental terror and ends only in the consummation of the Thrak. Quite a few Thrak Fauthugalu wound themselves trying to destroy their heads on the ground to avoid the terror.

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So the Thrak is a very strong-minded Uruk who uplifts the faith and morals of believers by covering them with hatred, terror, fear and control. A powerful Thrak is able to invade his mind into the head of an Uruk and terrorize him without physical exertion.

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Shatraug

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If a rare representative of the cult is encountered, it could usually be a Shatraug. They all exude an aura of power and strive to be as close as possible to the First in their appearance. Only the most powerful of them master the most frightening forms of magic.

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An Uruk with a long and strong belief usually becomes a Shatraug, which is taken from another Shatraug out of the middle of the faithful. The desire to exercise this position may be accompanied by a direct encounter between the Shatraug-Goth and the Uruk himself. Since this encounter has to be overcome mentally and physically, the chosen Shatraug is already a strong-willed and resilient Uruk. Outside of the Dushgoi, you can find the already rare Shatraug even more rarely. An exception here is the ancient Kingdom of Angmar.

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The learning process, and thus the educational or training process, of a Shatraug in the cult of the Shatraug`Goth is steady and the boundary between Nûrlal and Îstugal is fluid. Likewise, there is no specific training. An Uruk decides on the career of a Shatraug in the name of the First (as already mentioned above) usually after a direct encounter with the Shatraug-Goth. So it is possible for the Uruk, that he then seeks an already practicing Shatraug and accompanies his way. After some time, the teaching Shatraug will part with the learning Shatraug. Then this Shatraug is an İstugal and thus a full Shatraug. From now on, the Uruk will strive for greater power and always expand and refine his skills.

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The Shatraugu of the Shatraug`Goth do not have the mission to terrorize believers, but to strengthen their will and faith. They do this through sermons, teachings, sacrifices, and narratives about the First.

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Dushatar

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It is not clear if there ever was a Dushatâr in the cult of Shatraug-Goth. But if he existed, he would be so powerful that his will would have been completely robbed, and thus he would be seen exclusively at the side of the First.

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Apart from that, the Dushatâr would pay each magical casting with a mental implosion, making him an undead minion to the First at the least.

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Attitude to other cults

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The Shatraug-Goth and his cultists, thanks to their unique position in the Army of Sauron, do not have to explain or even justify themselves to anyone and have almost unrestricted command. Therefore, they are rather “positive” towards any other cults for as long as they are useful to the Fitgnau and follow all orders without hesitation.

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Khamûl Ghânshal

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· Name: Khamûl Ghânshal

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· Attribute: Khamûl the Ostling

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· Title: Durgoth (Grandmaster)

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· Origin: Wômaw

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· Domain: knowledge, charms, research, magic

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· typical spells: magical analysis, classic witchcraft (damage magic, etc.), otherwise any kind of spell possible

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Khamûl is the second highest of the Ringwraiths and the governor of Dol Guldur. A dark terror wrapped in an impenetrable veil of robes and armor. The knowledge of how he came into the service of the Shakh`bûrz has long been lost, but some believe that he once ruled over a land far beyond Murdur's eastern borders.

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As an emissary of the eastlings, lieutenant under the Witch King and Second of the Nine and as a mighty warlock all his life, Khamûl is now and forever committed to the cause of Murdur. In the Second Age, he served the Shakh`bûrz in the Tower of Barad-Dur. During the first millennium of the Third Age, he was the first whose spirit the Shakh´bûrz recalled from the void and forced back under his rule. In secret, the power of the necromancer in Dol Guldur grew steadily - and with it the power of Khamûl. He was at the side of the Dark Lord as he wrapped the Greenwood in deeper, darker shadows. When the Shakhbûrz returned to Murdur and continued to rule as the Dur Hont, Khamûl went with him and strengthened the walls of the newly built Barad-Dur with sinister spells and secret, perfidious witchcraft. In return for his loyalty, the Shakh`bûrz sent him once more to Dol Guldur to make the former cradle of his power to his main base outside Murdur and to prepare as governor the war against the Elven people and Rohan.

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Khamûl is the master of magic and his ability to direct the vortex of magic is only surpassed by the First one. Even the other Nine can only keep up with him in their own aspect of magic.

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Only with his help the Evergreen Forest became a Mirkwood and the last flickering light of the resident Elves is a thorn in his side.

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He and his servants spend much of their power to destroy Thranduil's Elven breedings. He shares the hatred he feels against the Elves with his followers. The goal of the cult is to catch the Elves and to deprive them of their power and to watch them slowly pass away.

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Collecting knowledge and magical things is their life's work, and followers rigorously pursue it.

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The faith

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Reasons for an Uruk's belief in this Nazgûl

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Most devotees are gifted with magical abilities or want to be spellcasters.

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If someone wants to learn how to control the vortex of magic and the dark arts, the cult would be the perfect place.

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Furthermore, many of his followers live in a personal hate to the Elves of Mirkwood. Since Khamûl is conducting a personal war against Thranduil, even servants who show no magical abilities are welcome to his followers.

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Special features of believers

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The devotees are usually gifted with magical powers or want to learn them.

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They are often on the verge of survivability due to the application of dark magic. Their bodies are drawn to the magic and often they are pale and physically weak.

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But they are intellectually superior to most, and their will-power keeps them living longer than the mostly well-trained Uruku.

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The Uruk and his faith, and what he does for it

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The followers of the cult of the Eastling are usually smarter and more confident than the average Uruk. They direct the duller Uruku to serve their cause and to strengthen their cult.

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They always keep an eye on finding new knowledge or magical artifacts that they can send to the cult.

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For this they use all available methods.

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The Frûmgrat

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Bos'Khamûl - the Cult of Khamûl

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After the reconquest of Dol Guldur in 2951 D.Z. and also Khamûl's appointment as governor, his cult completely changed a few years ago. The refuges of the order are still small and provisional, but the goal is to expand the cult in the next few years to a school of magic whose graduates can even match the magic of the Elven people.

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Those cultists, who received their education in Minas Morgul before they moved, are considered to be the most knowledgeable and educated Shatraugu of Murdur, and therefore enjoy a tremendous reputation throughout the world, thus they occupy a variety of positions and ranks. The Eastling always surrounds himself with a many-headed entourage of these sorcerers, which he has named the Durgoth of his cult. While the written knowledge in Dol Guldur is small, since only a few copies could be transferred from the Dushgoi, the knowledge and abilities of this Shatraug team gives them great importance. This fact makes the cult strong and makes him see beyond the loss of his resources in the heart of the kingdom. In almost all kinds of witchcraft, but especially in their arts of divination and using damaging spell, the Shatraugu from Dol Guldur are considered to be exceptionally well trained.

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However, their numbers are low and knowledgeable offspring is rare. The Uruku in Mirkwood, as most of the local recruits, are mostly from wild Hora clans, who are familiar only with the natural magic and ghost calls of their Dushatâru and are denied access to more learned forms. However, since Khamûl began to force the renegade Hora princess of Taubûrz under his rule, more and more surviving Dushatâr, who have sworn eternal fidelity to the Shakh`bûrz, are also being added to the cult. Thus, a hybrid of wise witchcraft of the veteran Shatraugu and the untamed rites of the native Dushatâru is emerging.

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Proffessions and training

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So far, only highly qualified Shatraugu are trained.

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Recently, however, some Dushatâru of the tribes of Mirkwood have been taken to the ways of the Shakh`bûrz and of the Ghânshal.

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After the basic training, the special training is in the responsibility of the Bos'ghânshal itself.

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Attitude to the other cults

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Shatraug-Goth - the Witch King of Angmar

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The Eastling knows that he is more powerful than the Witch King and only the favor of the Dur Hont to the First of the Nine does not allow Khamûl to an open confrontation to the Shatraug`goth.

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But secretly he and his servants look forward to gain the throne and the position of the First.

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Khamûl patiently waits for The Witch King to fall in favor of his Master to seize his position.

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His followers support and manipulate the Witch King's followers to corrupt them, but never openly oppose him.

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Burgûl-Goth - the Shadow King

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Shadow King's Thrugs are seen as a useful tool to make prophecies come true. They are not considered a threat because you can usually buy them with money or clever words.

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The followers avoid them and as long as no attack on one of the cult has taken place there are no disputes.

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Maugoth'mor - the Black Marshal

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This cult is also seen as an “easy-to-use tool”.

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Although the cult is known to do everything for power, the Black Marshal's followers are too dull in their senses to understand the power of the Eastling in any way.

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There are no disputes between the two cults.

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Ghadhûmûrzal - the Stained

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It`s a tiny cult, but more dangerous than most of the other cults, and its servants are hardly ever drawn into the Eastling???-Cults plans. They can not be bought or advised. Also their short-lived nature does not allow for any major planning. Their destructive power exceeds anything the cult of Khamûl has to offer. So they will be observed with watchful eyes.

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Narkû-Mat- the Immortal

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A bunch of wretched cowards which are so eager to stay alive that they have not noticed that they are already dead.

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Their abilities to stay alive are considerable, but they haven`t got more to offer. Disputes are more common, but never too serious.

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Quûral - the Traitor

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A dangerous tool that can cut your hand just as quickly as the face of its enemy.

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Many of the intrigue games are performed along with the cult to achieve the goals of the Nine.

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But the cult can`t be trusted in any case, because they mostly serve only for coin and for their own goals.

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There are no scripts which describe the attitudes to the cults of Mautark and Dushgor

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Burgûl-Goth - The Shadow King

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· Name: Burgûl-Goth

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· Attribute: The Shadow King

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· Title: Fil'Goth (Master of the Cave)

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· Origin: Kiran

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· Domain: darkness, night, death, murder, pursuit and execution of heretics and unbelievers

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· typical spells: darkness, incantations, blindness

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The Shadow King was once the ruler of a small, insignificant empire. When Sauron offered him one of the nine Rings, the prospect of such a power was irresistible for him. The result was a rapid and complete corruption, for the darkness in the heart of the king needed little encouragement to devour his nobler side. Now that his will is enslaved by Sauron, the Shadow King proudly wears his black cloak that darkens the sun and obscures his enemies' vision.

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The main aspect of Burgûl-Goth is the night and the associated darkness. It is said that only the presence of this Nazgûl devours all the light that surrounds him.

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He is wrapped in a standing veil of darkness, so that his enemies have to fight him blindly. In battles he protects his armies from sunlight by conjuring dark clouds. He controls the dark ash und dust clouds which spread out of Mount Doom. He even manages to enlarge the dark sky above Murdur to spill over the boundaries to be a menace to the lands of light and the living unbelievers.

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Another aspect is death itself, as a state of eternal darkness. The dark power held by death as a guidance for the living to gain the same finality that accompanies the Fitgnau. Any believer who has reached the goal of darkness and death is at the same time the one to enjoy the Fitgnau as a pioneer.

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The faith

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Reasons for an Uruk's belief in this Nazgûl

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Classically, the belief of Burgûl-Goth is especially spread among the Shirkuz and there especially among the Thrugu, because of their covered missions. They hope for special protection. But also among the Uruku, which are susceptible to sunlight, the believe is spread.

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Above all stands the victory of darkness over the sun on Fitgnau.

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They believe that, if they die, their dark souls will be transformed into the darkness above Murdur and become part of it.

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The more Uruku die in war, the more the darkness expands and engulfs the bright lands of the Sharaz and Golugu, making it easier for rest of Murdur's armies to defeat its enemies.

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The death of the heretics and unbelievers feeds the power of the Shadow King to keep his work alive.

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Special features of believers

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The symbol of Burgûl-Goth is a black bleeding heart pierced with a knife or a simple black heart, which is carried by many followers in any form or paint on their clothes or armor.

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Some Uruku also have their dagger decorated with the sign.

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Uruku who believe strongly over a long period of time can also physically change. This usually starts when the believers begin to suffer from extreme physical pain in the sun, which goes beyond the typical symptoms of disease.

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They are not afraid of death, because their death means for them, to serve the Shadow King and the Shakh`bûrz forever with their dark souls and make the Fitgnau more accessible.

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The followers, which have served the Shadow King for decades, wear hoods and long robes because even the brief contact with the decaying sun releases their skin from the bones.

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In extreme cases, the light of the moon is enough to burn their skin.

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The Uruk and his faith, and what he does for it

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The most famous ritual of the Burgûl-Goth`s followers - but usually also other participants - is the Bûrzil Dufumu'ob (the night of knives).

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In this night, the Uruku set out to kill the enemies of the Faith and their allies. At the beginning of the ritual, a Burgûl-Goth cultist announces the main objectives of the ritual and then blesses the weapons of the participating Uruku. They usually use one-handed swords and daggers. If no consecrated cultist is present, this task is usually taken over by a commanding officer. After their assassinations the Uruku and disciples, who gather the cut out Zuzalhûnu (heretic hearts) of their victims, must return to the cult and sacrifice them to the eternal dark heart of Burgûl-Goth. Only those who after an assassination hand over a Zuzalhûn (heretic heart) to the cult, will gain favor of the cult and thus of the Shadow King. Only those who sacrifice enough Zuzalhûnu have the opportunity to become a Thrug or later Thrak or another position or rank inside the cult.

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The Frûmgrat

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Bos'Burgûl-Goth - the Cult of the Shadow King

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The center of the Cult of the Shadow King is deep inside the Shadow Mountains in the midst of a labyrinth of gloomy tunnels, barely discoverable to the uninitiated, where even artificial or magical light can`t exist. It is said that the sanctum of absolute darkness that Morgoth himself once created is its center. Hûn'Bûrzum, the heart of darkness, this place is called, which even the magical strongest inhabitants of Minas Morgul avoid. Driven by the constant rhythmic throbbing of the Hûn`Burzum, the dark evil pulsates through the veins of the Shadow Mountains. It is strengthened by the drumming, resembling an endless heartbeat, as well as the moaning and growling chants of the drumming cultists. Within the cult, the belief prevails that light and darkness are the formative elements of the world order that are in constant conflict with each other. Darkness is interpreted as the substance of strength that will devour the weaker light on the day of Fitgnau. The most devoted cultists almost never leave the widely ramified caverns unless they have the reputation of serving in the Gund Piztor. Within the catacombs, they live an ascetic, lightless existence that is an entirely inseparable fanatical service to the Shakh`bûrz and to the Fil'goth, whose aspect of darkness they almost adore as an own deity. The daylight is their worst enemy. If they are exposed to it for a long time, they will soon lose their health. Bizarre tumors form on their skin, and their lungs spill over with black, viscous mucus and their senses begin to fade. The few of them, who stay permanently outside of these places of worship, always wrap themselves in flowing black robes during the day, which at best reveal their eyes, which are usually streaked with sickly red veins. At night, they move faster and safer than anyone else. For this reason, the cult also represents much of Murdur's most capable assassins, called the Thrugu. At first, there were only a few capable Thrugu of the Shadow King who proved their skill in eliminating heretics silently and unnoticed. Meanwhile, this field of activity is one of the most important skills of the cultists, so that today murder-orders are even a kind of initiation rite of Bos'Burgûl-Goth and it has developed its own school out of it. Some of them see themselves at the same time as judges and executioners and they travel on behalf of the cult through Murdur to track down and punish heretics, deserters, insurgents, but also simple bandits. They founded many different specialized orders to the cult, sometimes with military structures or some of them in a kind of informers- and spy-network. The cultists are in constant quarrel with the cultists of Narkû-Mat, who are constantly trying to outsmart death. The cultists of Burgûl-Goth do not fear death and see it as a last great and dark gift of life, which an Uruk has to earn himself. The cult of the Narkû-Mat is therefore regarded by them as a cult of cowards and idlers, and as abhorrent. In addition to the cult of Mautark, the cult of Burgûl`goth is one of the most disciplined cults of the Nine. Bos Burgûl'Goth and its orders train numerous of his units in the deep cave systems within the Shadow Mountains. They are trained in fighting in absolute darkness and in narrow corridors.

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In addition to the pragmatic Thrugu, the rest of the cultists are primarily sinister mystics who have knowledge in summoning up demons and spirits from the dark forces of the Shakhbûrz. The Thrugu trained in the Shadow Mountains also have during their training contact with mighty Shatraugu as a second pillar of power of the cult.

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Proffessions and training

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Thrug

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The dark fortress of tunnels in the interior of the Shadow Mountains brings the best and feared Thrugu (Assassins). They come from all parts of Murdur.

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The most promising puppies are brought here to get the Thrug-training.

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However, only very few survive the training since the cult of Burgûl-Goth only is satisfied with the best of them. As part of their training, the thrugs must kill their fellow comrades, so that from each training group only one Uruk survives.

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Thrak

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The most fanatical Thrugu of Burgûl`Goth can be trained to become one of the Thraku of the Shadow King, which are feared throughout Murdur.

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Some of them are called the Frûm`throqualu, "spirit-eaters".

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At the end of their meditative trainings, they receive the gift of the shadow from Burgûl-Goth. This gift is a black hole, which rages inside the Thraks mind. It allows the thrak to weaken the mind of other Uruku. The black hole devours the mind of the Uruk so that he suffers unimaginable torments.

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Over time, however, it devours also more and more of the wearer's mind, depending on the willpower, and the Thrak falls into madness.

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There are still some other kinds of Thraku, but the knowledge about them is hidden by their dead victims.

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Shatraug

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The Shatraug of Burgûl-Goth are powerful summoners and unsurpassed calling demonlike beings of shadows and darkness. These dangerous creatures are silent and deadly shadows. There are enough nightmare-stories that everyone in Murdur constantly fears that all the shadows have eyes and ears.

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Besides of the military structures inside some of the orders of the cult, the Shatraugu often lead them.

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Dushatar

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The few Dushataru from the cult act more like teachers to the Thrugu in Religion and Geography, because on their missions the thrugu must be prepared for certain circumstances. The thrug for example must know when there is heresy and sometimes he gets the information that his victim works and lives in another part of Murdur.

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Attitude to the other cults

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All the other cults under the Shakh`bûrz, the actual source of power, are considered powerful, and mentioning something else would be, in the eyes of the cultists of Burgûl-Goth, sheer heresy. To consider a Nazgûl as weak is a provocation and will be punished with death. The cultists of Burgûl-Goth see the Shakh`bûrz`s choice of the Nine and their order from top to bottom as correctly determined by the Big Eye. There are differences in opinions, criticism and friction about the aspects and actions of other cultists. Unbelief, insults, mockery and denial of the Lord of Murdur, as well as of those servants and allies, chosen by the Shakh`bûrz(such as the Nine, Dûrghâsh, Takhbor'karn, Luthic ...),and their worshippers, are heretical acts. This also applies to disturbing changes in the "structure" created by the Shakh`bûrz and the religious hierarchy.

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Differences between individual breeds and the purity of their blood are uninteresting and irrelevant to the heresy pursuit of Bos`Burgûl`Goth. In this case the followers behave like normal Uruku. In case of military positions of possible heretics, it is estimated how far the Frûmgrat and the Cult of the Shadow King are behind it. The followers must only be stealthy enough.

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Shatraug-Goth

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The believers know that the Witch King, as leader of the Nazgûl, stands far above all others.

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The faithful support the cult with awe and admiration, for its terror and destructive power leads to the death of many. What they do not approve of are the undead, created for the ranks of the Shatraug-Goth, because the faithful of Burgûl-Goth count either the finality of death or the life for death, but not magically created mixed existences. However, it is rather reluctantly tolerated and not openly pronounced.

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Khamûl Ghânshal

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The magical abilities of the Eastling and his cultists are seen as a purposeful and useful tool to bring death over the enemies and heretics.

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Maugoth-Mor

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The cultists and followers of Maugoth-Mor are considered a threat. With watchful eyes they are observed by the thrugu of Bos`Burgûl`Goth, because they are constantly tempted to break the clerical hierarchy created by the Shakh`bûrz. The temptation alone does not matter, because the Shakh`bûrz tolerates the fight for higher positions. Only the ways and means of the Bos Maugoth-Mor are a thorn in the side of the cultists of the Third, because the exercise of power and pain, torture and humiliation does not always lead to the final result, but, from Burgûl-Goth's point of view, only death.

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Ghadhûmûrzal

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The plagues and poisons of the cult of the Stained are often considered a useful means of bringing death over enemies and heretics. The followers of the Shadow King often like to use the fluids and other stuff from Ghadhûmûrzals poison-kitchens. It is important to the faithful that the toxins are deadly and fast. Disease infection, however, is frowned upon, because the desired death is drawn unnecessarily long.

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Narkû-Mat

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Even though the cult itself is considered powerful and, of course, accepted, the followers of the immortal are perceived as softened and cowards, with fear of death. In addition, the cultists of Narkû-Mat allegedly also create undead. Not for the war effort, but the victims of the life-prolonging magic of some more powerful Shatraug of the Narkû-mat-Cult, that turns the Shadowking-followers to dislike them. They are basically avoided, because the ideological differences are so great that only experienced Thraku, Shatraugu and Dushataru of Burgûl-Goth are able to distinguish between heresy and creed.

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Quûral

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The secret behavior of the cultists of the Quûral finds much favor among the Thrugu. Their intrigues and dark business often lead to dead casualties. In addition, the Shadow King's Thrugu often receive informations about heretics from the Hanralu and Îstashalu (spies and informants) of the cult of the Qûural, who are well paid for their treacherous services by the Bos Burgûl'Goth. However, limits are also set, and the machinations are tolerated by the Bos´Burgûl´Goth in such a way that the faith is not affected.

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Mautark

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The discipline of the faithful of the Mautark is admired, because from the perspective of the Thrugu self-restraint is a guarantee of success. Obedience, loyalty, and faithfulness are the aspects that the Bos Burgûl-Goth sees as the pillars of the faith from which emerged the great, dark Empire of Ashes. Followers are attached to the idea that the religious structure of darkness is only contained in these aspects.

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Dushgor

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Since most of the followers of the Dwimmerlaik are the Akash`Uruku of wasteland-regions of Khand, these are considered as an example of a merciless and successful religious conversion by Murdur. The breeding of the deadly black stallions is highly credited. The aspect of deadly vengeance correlates with the dogmas of the Bos´Burgûl´Goth and the art of casting deadly curses finds great acclaim.

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Maugoth'mor - The Black Marshal

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· Attribute: the black marshal

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· Title: Strok-Goth (Master of the Sanctuary)

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· Origin: Waw / Wôlim

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· Domain: suffering, retribution, fear, war, chastisement and selection, gaining power

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· Typical spells: fear, pain, damage spells

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Once a renegade king, who was clinging to the call of a murderer, the Black Marshal ruled his empire through fear and intimidation. Even as a mortal he was hated by all, and when Sauron sought allies, he accepted the Ring of Power without hesitation. In the following centuries, while he and the other kings became Ringwraiths, the Marshal's cruelty and malice deepened. As the black-hearted and cruelest Nazgûl, his name is synonymous with misery and death. Where the Black Marshal is, the servants of evil mercilessly fight for fear of their own lives just like the warriors of the good feel the grip of death around their hearts.

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The Cult of Maugoth'Mor is built on power and fear that forges its devotees and cult followers into cold, ruthless, and absolutely loyal soldiers.

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The fear of being punishing as weak forces believers to become stronger and more powerful in order to avoid any punishment.

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So there is a constant competition that only the strongest Uruku survive. The methods the Uruku use to ascend are becoming increasingly brutal and devious. The Uruku are trimmed decorated as in no other cult.

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Uruku who fail and do not fulfill their duties are severely punished, with permanent and recurring pain, reminding the Uruk of his mistakes until his death.

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The greed and thirst for power in the cult is omnipresent and the impulse of the Uruku to worship his cult.

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The faith

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Reasons for an Uruk's belief in this Nazgûl

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Driven by the hatred of everything weak and the joy in the suffering of others, the followers have the greed to become more powerful and stronger, surpassing everyone.

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Getting the Goth-Hai status is their the first target if not already born with it.

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Special features of believers

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The believers are usually adorned with many signs of their own squad and symbols of the Nine and the Eye to prove their loyalty and zeal.

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Every devotee will wear at least one mark of Maugoth'mor on his clothing.

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The faithful of the Black Marshal come almost exclusively from the ranks of warriors and soldiers. Most of them are recognized by their cruelty.

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Like the Black Marshal, his creditors are devoured by hatred and anger. They act purely selfishly and serve only the more powerful.

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They try to destroy weakness and incompetence wherever and whenever they can.

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Seeing the others suffer is one of the few things that makes them happy. Alone the thought of a battle and their screaming victims makes them fall into a frenzy of battle.

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Whether it´s their own pain or the pain of their enemies, they do not care.

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In order to achieve their goals, they are always improving their skills, whether in combat Uruk vs Uruk, listening to tactical meetings or listening to veteran stories.

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Everything that gives them an advantage in combat is used.

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Fighting is trained with special tactics and with all weapons.

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They often act intuitively without long thinking. Waiting and hesitating is a kind of weakness, because, whoever comes first, wins. If they can gain more power, they give a shit on allies, etc.

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Since the faithful are only seeking more power and strength, every conceivable remedy, powder or elixir that has a touch of success is always welcome.

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The Uruk and his faith, and what he does for it

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Faith is one of the ways to power, and so believers do everything to rise in favor of the Shakh´bûrz.

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To do that, the faithful one would do anything that would not kill him.

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As long as he gets around alive, he would commit any crime and every command to come closer to power and surpass his fellow man.

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Night of Pain:

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One of the few rites in which the faithful gather and are tested by a servant of the cult is the Night of Pain

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A Thrak of the cult suddenly meets in a field camp and gathers the simple believers and leads them to a gathering of cult servants.

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There the night of pain begins.

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The Thrak begins the rite with the following words:

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“The Black Marshal calls ...... and you have come. Know where your place is ... and serve the powerful.

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Now show the Maugoth'Mor what you can bear in pain "

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Believers are hurt by a variety of methods.

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How long they will be tortured they decide for themselves. He who begs for mercy and for his quick salvation through death will be removed. The cult servants decide who passes the exam.

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Anyone who breaks off is not worthy to go into the teaching of the cult.

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Anyone who can endure the pain the cult ministers while under protective spells or drugs will be tortured (to death) until the effects wore off.

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Those who sustain physical collapse and faints after several hours pass the test.

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The Frûmgrat

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Bos'Maugoth'mor - the Cult of the Black Marshal

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The cult of the Black Marshal is one of the larger and most respected institutions of Murdur. Due to the pragmatic training many members of the cult serve as Frûmgrat, Piz-Shatraug or Pizgothu in the Gund Piztor. It often happens that Îstugalu of the cult are literally requested by a Maugoth.

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The center of the cult is Ran'Mor-Kûtotaz, the "Black Moon Citadel", on the western walls of Minas Morgul, which is, in addition to serving as a religious house, also the city's main defense stronghold.

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High on its cold battlements watches, the Strok-Ilz'gund (star-rock sanctuary), a monument made from the black rocks of a lunar meteorite in the shape of a nine-pointed star, over the city. This monument is said to have concentrated the forces of the Black Marshal. It is also said that the Fourth of the Nine had summoned the tailed star from the night sky to build the monument in the fires of Mount Doom as a sign of his power and fidelity to the Shakh´bûrz. The unholy image feeds the faithful of Maugoth'mor with its occult power. It is also shrouded in a horrible aura that terrorizes any weak willed person approaching the citadel. The school of the Black Marshal produces primarily particularly defensive Thraku and Shatraugu. So it is hardly surprising that of all aspirants those are preferred who have already struck a soldier's career. The ubiquitous horror emanating from the Strok`Ilz'Gund makes selection extremely strict among those who feel called to learn the arts of the Black Marshal. Few of the candidates who have not been chosen by one of the Nazgûl to join the Order will last longer than a few days in Ran'Mor-Kûtotaz. The Fauthugal of the cult spend much of their training in the grueling cellars and caverns under the keep. In the low chambers are numerous bizarre apparatus, from which a sardonic aura emanates. Here, metal wheels mesh with each other, heavily laden winds whiz down and rusty blades pierce tough meat to make the novices of the cult stronger. The squeaking and pawing of the torture devices is only superimposed by the cries of agony and horror that they elicit from their victims. The aim of these idiosyncratic training methods is to break the will and understanding of the pupils until they reach a point where they have become insensitive to pain and fear. Only then, when they can no longer succumb to the whisperings of the enemy and are fully devoted to the Shakhbûrz, they become fully cultivated as Îstugal.

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In contrast to the simple believers, who carry no recognition symbol, the cult members wear a heavy chain with the symbol of Maugoth'mor.

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The chain is sharp and heavy. For years, it cuts itself into the flesh of the believer until the Uruk succumbs to it or the chain melts with the flesh. The cult servants have become blunted tools of hatred from the years of punishment and sadistic methods in the cult.

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For them, the life of an Uruk counts less than nothing.

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The only joy they can feel is the suffering and pain of the weak who are tortured or to torture others, whenever they can. Their own pain and suffering are well known as part of their life in the cult, so they try to give the same suffering to the others. They try to dominate everyone who is lower in hierarchy, and then they force them into their service.

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Thrak

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Most of the Fauthugalu that have no magic skills, which make up the majority of Fauthugalu, are destined to become a Thrak.

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These are often requested as right-hand men, spies or dargalu by the officers of the Ang`Durgrat to force troops on the right way, because their loyalty and obedience are inviolable, making them perfect for stability.

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A large part of the Thrak are sent into the breeding pits and barracks

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to train the Uruku to strip off weakness.

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The rest of them are on their way to spread the cult`s ideologies and to celebrate the night of pain.

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Like all Thraku, those of the cult of Maugoth'mor, receive a special gift.

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But the gifts of the Black Marshall or the Shakh`bûrz are cruel and cause their owners pain, anguish and suffering. Even more than in other cults.

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This allows most of the cult's thraku to easily overreact while punishing and torturing.

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Among the Uruku they are feared like no other authority.

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Shatraug

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All Fauthugalu who have even the tiniest talent for magic are taken to be trained as Shatraug.

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They are sent from the Ang'dur`Grat in all directions of Murdur to support or lead troops.

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Their decisions during battle are usually extremely grisly and disturbing to the enemy, in order to break the enemy`s will.

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They are feared by the enemies, same as under the Uruku.

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The less magic gifted are trained to become Shatraug û Shakh`bûrz (war priests), who whip the troops of the eye with zeal and fanaticism into the front lines.

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The more magic-gifted Uruku are trained to Piz-Shatraugu ("armed Shatraugu"). These fighting Shatraugu are usually in the possession of an officer's rank and lead the troops into the battle and keep in interaction to the other officers. Their magic skills are concentrated primarily in the suffering and despair of the enemy. They can turn battles into carnage and do it with joy.

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Dushatar

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The few, who are trained and have survived the education, stay deep in the citadel and execute the direct orders of the Maugoth'mor to consolidate his power to become the First of the Nine. Whatever dark magic and rituals they perform, no Uruk, who is not one of them, will ever know. Only the Supreme Servants of the cult know of their activities and guard this mystery until death.

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Gundul-Maugoth'mor:

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Those who prove themselves to be the toughest under the Fauthugalu will be honored to join the Gundul-Maugoth'mor, the Black Marshal's bodyguard. This squad, always held on company strength, is not only one of Murdur's most feared units, but also a member of the regular garrison of Minas Morgul.

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Attitude to the other cults

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Shatraug-Goth

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One day the position of this cult will be conquered, though the believers know that The Witch King stands far above everyone else.

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But first the believers fight and hunch to support the cult of the Witch King to gain his favor and to strengthen their own cult.

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Khamûl Ghânshal

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The magical abilities are unrivaled and the simple believers fear the cult almost as much as they do their own.

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If the cult needs help, the minions will take the chance and thus strengthen the relationship of both cults.

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Burgûl-Goth

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The Cult of Burgûl-Goth is the next in rank that needs to be removed to gain even more power. The Shadow King's assassins have eliminated countless members of the cult because they have not compromised on the hierarchic faith.

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It often comes to fights between the faithful of the two cults, which are prevented only by officers and members of the Frumgrat.

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Ghadhûmûrzal

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The cult of ghadhûmûzal is seen as weak. And yet, they also know the dangers of the cult, as they often work hand in hand to destroy the enemy. The arts of infesting cities and armies are often requested by servants of the Maugoth'mor to crush the enemy.

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The believers get out of their way, but it can also lead to clashes when the power of Maugoth`mor is questioned.

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Normally the disputes are usually quickly put aside again.

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Narkû-Mat

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The greed for the knowledge of immortality does not allow an open enmity between the two cults. But it lets the faithful fight each other as often as supporting themselves in other matters.

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Believers will always support this cult if they act against one of the other weak cults.

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Quûral

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Because the Traitor`s servants barely show themselves and usually remain hidden behind their coins or spinning their intrusions, it often leads to heated arguments when one of the creditors is unmasked. It is known that if there is money to be made, it is by the followers of the Quûral.

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Mautark

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An annoyance in the eye of the Cult of Maugoth'mor, as the Bos-Nadak occupy important positions that would otherwise be taken by members of the Cult Maugoth'mor.

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This often leads to tensions that discharge in bloody battles.

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This goes so far that they can be terminated only by intervening the Furmgrat or the officers.

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Since these are often provided by members of the two cults, the fights usually end forever.

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Dushgor

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In the eye of the Bos`Maugoth`Mor the Cult of the Dwimmerlaik is the weakest of the cults and so are his followers.

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Dispute will be openly discharged.

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But it usually stays with minor friction that rarely degenerates, because no threat is seen in this cult.

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Ghadhûmûrzal - The Stained

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· Name: Ghadhûmûrzal

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· Attribute: of the stained

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· Title: Barkh-Goth (vault master)

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· Origin: Chey

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· Domain: diseases, epidemics, poisons, decay

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· typical spells: Disease spells, (crude) healing spells

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Even as a mortal, the stained had something repulsive about him that people with a good heart avoided. By the advantages of his rank and the grace of a noble birth, he secured his position, but with every passing day he sank deeper into despondency. For Sauron, it was easy to ensnare this fallen man and nourish the sparks of corruption in him until he consumed the king's body like a fire. When the other Nazgûl were slowly corrupted by their rings, the Stained leaned deliberately. Now all life is rebelling in its presence - plants wither, animals fall ill and courageous warriors despair. He is an abomination, pure poison for life, honor and hope.

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The cult is extremely small, because its members die very fast. But one living full member is more powerful than whole companies.

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The faith

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Reasons for an Uruk's belief in this Nazgûl

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The Uruku are driven by greed for knowledge about diseases, poisons.

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No cult knows more about deadly substances than the cult of the Stained.

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Many of the devotees try to get substances to accomplish their own goals.

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They want to unlock the secrets of poisons and diseases.The despise all that lives. Their mere presence makes the creation despair. Whether lepers, outcasts, cripples and mutilated, the Stained receives them all without hesitation. Rank and name have no meaning here, because they will all pass away anyway. But with the Stained, they get the chance to gain power that no mortal should ever receive, even if it's only for a short time.

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Special features of believers

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They only whisper his name in fear. They usually carry a lot of antidotes and healing ointments with them in order to be prepared for any possible contact with poisons and diseases.

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They often have bad skin diseases from an earlier contact.

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Mostly they are mentally unstable and fearful by an earlier disease.

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A part of his followers are looking for the secrets of the Stained one`s

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powers and study disease, poison and decay.

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The Uruk and his faith, and what he does for it

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He prays for never having to see another cult member again.

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He pays immense sums of money to the cult and the frumgrat and is totally obedient.

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He maintains close contact with the Sharogal.

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Some followers sacrifice their bodies for studies and

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experiments with new poisons and diseases.

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The Frûmgrat

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Bos'Ghadhûmûrzal- the Cult of the Stained

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The members of the cult are heavily drawn to ugliness.

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Disfigured by the cult, they are now covered by purulent wounds, abscesses, skin diseases, etc.

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Their bodies are emaciated or abnormally swollen. Their clothes disintegrate on their skin and mold on their bodies.

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They smell like decay.

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The life of a cult member is short and painful.

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Most members take with them what they can get, but even food and drink decay before reaching their mouths. They use drugs to bear these quarrels.

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As members suffer daily from wounds and disease, all of them are masters of healing and pain.

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They are a major part of the day so busy, repairing themselves and relieving their pain.

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In a narrow system of corridors and chambers under Minas Morgul live leper apprentices, bent over ancient, moldy folios and hidden behind black robes, they study lessons from bygone days.

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Only here they are undisturbed, no one gets lost so far inside the caverns of Dushgoi and nobody would even try to voluntarily come close to their foul aura. Many have a repulsive appearance, are deformed or are in some way restricted. So it is not surprising that Nadaku rarely come out of their ranks. Zîmalu (alchemists), Sharogalu (healer) or Shatraugu, who absorb the teachings of the stained. They feed the black-green waters of the Morgulduin with poisons and stay in the damp and mushroom-covered canals to consume the powers of the disciples. Diseases are often bred in them, and they carry them through their shortened life in their contaminated blood. They cough blackish secretions, have sores that open at irregular intervals or festering blisters on various parts of the body. A few of the students never see the outside world again, either they are already dying or too fragile to be of use outside the walls.

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However, when placed in outposts, fortresses or troops, contact with them, whether out of fear of contagion or due to their outward appearance and apparent weakness, is avoided by other Uruk. All other knowledge is rotten away, and perhaps because of mold and decay unreadable …

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Narkû-Mat - the Immortal

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· Name: Narkû-Mat

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· Attribute: the Immortal

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· Title: Kûaz-Goth

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· Origin: Urd

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· Domain: time, Life, power transfer, artifacts, protection, permanence, recovery

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· magic spells: divinations, artifact spells, time-specific magic spells, magic-lifting / reflective spells

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The immortal has survived where others have fallen. It is said that he is the eldest of the Ringwraiths, and the last one who succumbed to the corrupting influences of the ring of power. It was only when he realized that despite the power the ring promised him, that the day would come for him to die, that he bowed to Sauron and swore eternal fidelity far beyond death. Sauron invoked this oath of eternal faithfulness, and gave the king immortality associated with eternal torment and endless pain because he dared to oppose him for so long. This does not mean, however, that the heart of the immortal would be less black than that of the other Nazgûl. On the contrary, his prolonged resistance to Sauron's influence only made him fall deeper into the darkness, turning him into a selfish, nasty creature whose sole purpose is to outlast all other beings. Therefore, the Immortal has devoted himself with a true obsession to mastering evil magic and learned to deprive other beings of life energy and magic and to protect himself with the surrounding mystical energy.

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The faith

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Reasons for an Uruk's belief in this Nazgûl

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Nârku-Mat is the one who defeated death. He offers the Uruku the chance to do the same.

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Many of the Uruku, who would soon be dead, turn to the Nârku-Mat cult to avoid death.

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The cult and its master know thousands of ways to cheat death.

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Hundreds of Uruks have given their soul to the Immortal to continue living.

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Hundreds of Uruku learn his methods of restoration, strengthening, protection and permanence to possess the power to banish or defeat death.

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Nârku-Mat is called by the Uruku when they are most desperate. He is the one who can provide protection and healing.

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A talisman from the cult of Nârku-Mat has already saved the lives of many Uruk and is worth more than a bare gold coin.

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Special features of believers

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Many of the cult's followers were brought to the brink of death, and were rescued by members of the cult. Most of the doctors and healers are followers of Nârku-Mat to get the secrets of his craft and finally defeat death.

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Many of the cult followers were close to death, which is why they

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enjoy life to the fullest.

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They are whoring, drinking, eating and taking drugs as much as they can, because they know how fast life can end.

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Many of the Uruku carry talismans, fortune charms, and artifacts that they use to protect themselves from death.

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The Uruk and his faith, and what he does for it

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Many of the Uruku, who join the cult, do that because they have no

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other alternative. Because usually the cure is only lasting, if there is a regular supply of appropriate potions or appropriate magic. So they are tied to the cult and to its mercy. Other Uruku exchange their souls to live a few more years. These will be sucked out when the time comes as voluntary victims by members of the cult, and all their remaining years will be sacrificed to the cult.

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Those who are not yet bound to the cult with body and soul serve it for sheer self-interest. The cult presents many raw materials, to which an Uruk does not come easily. The only thing the cult demands are the research and insights they gain.

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The cult just has to wait, because at some point there is time for every Uruk to turn to the cult or to die.

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The Frûmgrat

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Bos'Narkû-mat - the Cult of the Immortal

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It is not clear whether and where a center of the cult exists, nor is it possible to give reliable information about the number of disciples of the immortal. This is mainly due to the fact that the high-cultists of the cult show themselves in rare exceptional cases in public. Rumor has it that their age has already reached such an advanced stage that any effort can overburden them. This is contradicted, however, by reports of clandestine gatherings of the cultists on remote, uninitiated, hidden places in the Shadow Mountains, where they celebrate nefarious masses in honor of the Dur Hont and perform sinister, secret rites to prolong their lifetime. The quest for that immortality that was already part of their master's life, which depends on the mercy of the Shakhbûrz, apart from the burden and infirmity of old age, is the most important and supreme principle of their existence. The long way for them begins with abandon, abstinence, and self-flagellation, which are meant to strengthen the body and cleanse the mind. The first Hîsht-Dûmp of their training, they spend as hermits in the lonely cave cliffs of the Shadow Mountains, where they study the teachings of the eye almost to become a faithful servant. Only once in the month they receive a visit from their teacher, under whose guidance they inflict wounds on themselves. It`s strictly forbidden to heal these injuries themselves, instead their job is to stand idly by their recovery. This method serves as an inner retreat and, above all, trains their understanding of the meaning of time. In addition, this method creates a kind of natural selection, because by no means every aspirant survives this kind of mental self-flagellation. While there are many rites and practices designed to delay death, the cultists guard these secrets like their eyeballs. Even within the cult, individual members remain jealous of the last mysteries of escaping death. It is only through longtime research and risky self-attempts that a single cultist is able to learn them and thus receive the highest consecration of the cult and become the Kûaz´goth ("Eldest-ones"). It is said that the most powerful of them have the power to transfer the effects of their aging on other living things or even things. Some should be nourished by the suffering and pain inflicted on others, or kept alive by their sheer, flaming hatred. Others, like vampires, deprive other creatures of their vitality and use them for themselves. All cultists, on the other hand, should be able to rob and absorb magical powers or banish them into artifacts. Basically, therefore, the training of a cultist of The Immortal is never completed. Many stay regularly with their teachers or organize themselves in loose circles for joint research. However, before a Fauthugal receives his first consecration, which makes him an Îstugal ("knowing one") and thus a full-fledged cultist, he still spends many Hîsht-Dûmpu (the exact number varies greatly depending on the student's illogicality and the nature of the cult) with his teacher. The contents of this doctrine also vary greatly depending on the teacher. In addition to learning the rituals of extending life, they are limited to the following topics:

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- History - Mastering time requires a profound knowledge of the past, and teachers have a wealth of knowledge due to their age.

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- Prophecy - The ability to look into the future and to be able to interpret certain circumstances or things is an art, every cultist masters. The individual practices are very different (from the bone oracles of a wild Dushatâr to the high astronomy of a learned Shatraug), The Falgashud ("oracle") of the cultists is a highly regarded ceremonial, which is celebrated in various places for each Hîsht-dûmp; be it the Dushatâr, who points the future of his tribe, the Piz-Shatraug who foretells to his squad or his officer, or a Kûaz-Goth, who speaks the oracle for Minas Morgul and all Murdur.

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- Breeding Programs - Through their life-long research, cultists of the Immortal are also gifted in breeding issues. It is said that with the help of the Immortal and his followers, it was even possible to let the Mazauk-hai become what they are today. The cultists have become very popular guides when it comes to improving a breed. Many have tried to win them over for crossbreeding, but this is considered a mortal sin in cult circles. After receiving the first ordination, many of the cultists remain in Minas Morgul or go to other religious centers to advance their research and perfect their skills. However, quite a few, including Goth-hai in particular, also hold jobs at the Gund Piztor (often as seers or consultants to officers) or at important institutions in Murdur. In contrast, the Dushatâru of the cult often return to their tribes, where they are usually considered a sage among the Uruk-lata. As a symbol of their affiliation, many cultists adorn themselves with the bones of those who have not been able to attain the state of eternal life to escape transience.

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- Necromancy: "You must know your enemy to fight him meaningfully" there are scattered factions in the cult, dedicated to the teachings of necromancy. Among them, there are pragmatic Kûaz-Goth, who have reached their old age through the deprivation of life energy, and thus lifetime, of their victims. After the ritual the miserable and desperate creatures are led to a life and eternal existence without worries. However, they are then hidden in secret caves as reservates in the south of Murdur as will-less undead, such as Skeletons, ghouls, zombies, etc., kept. These should then serve the cult as a kind of joker when it comes to final wars before Fitgnau.

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There are no detailed descriptions of specialized professions inside the Cult of Narkû-Mat.

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Quûral - the Traitor

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Name: Quûral

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Attribute: The Traitor

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Title:

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Origin: Wâlim

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Domain: intrigue, wealth, stealth, luck, greed, diplomacy, contracts

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Typical spells: Charms, influencing magic, glamor or distraction spells

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Cursed long ago for the abandonment of Sauron's dominion by the South Country, the Traitor is a crafty, decadent, self-ruling creature without equal. As overseer of the Shakh`bûrz treasure troves, it is up to him to fill them with his cunning business. During his mysterious nomadic forays, mainly through Harad and along the coasts, there are frequent conspiratorial meetings with various influential trade partners and the rulers of his cult, the Lâmzûr`goth. These gatherings, which take place in Quûral`s magnificent tent-castle, where gigantic snakes wind around his edifice and venomous scorpions stalk, are often conspiratorial sessions in which intrigues are forged against Murder's internal and external enemies. In the business negotiations of Quûral, it often happens that formerly confident negotiators are broken so that they crawl back home as Murder's eternal debtors. If they want to retaliate and use their small force to overrun the seemingly easily attackable tent-castle of Quûral, they will always find only pristine desert sand.

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The faith

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Reasons for an Uruk's belief in this Nazgûl

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The devotees of the cult know of the wealth that the Quûral has accumulated and hope that they will fill their pockets with a part of it. He is also the one who should bring luck for dice and cards. The best spies and messengers of Murdur are found under the devotees of the Traitor. Many get their important information from his cult, because knowledge is power.

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Special features of believers

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They act according to the Nine Laws. Many are gamblers.

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They never try to be in the foreground and always have one open ear to chatting in their environment.

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The Uruk and his faith, and what he does for it

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The Uruk steals, robs and betrays others as long as he becomes wealthy or gets enough information about others. But he must not violate the nine laws of Quûral.

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The Frûmgrat

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Bos'Quûral- the Cult of The Traitor

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Tum-Mârubh Quûral`ob - The Rules of Quûral

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1. Always act in the spirit of the Shakhbûrz.

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2. Never reveal yourself.

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3. Honor is a construct of the weak, heretics, lazy, decadent and hypocrites.

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4. Do not do selfish acts.

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5. Act only on behalf.

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6. Preserve silence.

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7. Know everything.

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8. Keep the balance.

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9. Choose your funds wisely.

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The rules that apply to all members of the cult, regardless of position, are known beyond the cult's boundaries. Offenses are severely punished within the cult. Many Uruku outside of the cult, who still feel attached to the Quûral, use the rules of faith as guidelines for their actions.

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The Quûral names the Lâmzûrgoth, who in turn once named an unknown number of Îstugal.

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Each Îstugal may train a maximum of three Nûrlalu in his life. They only know their own teacher and their (later) students. They have a camouflage identity that ranges mostly from Pizurk to Pizbûr. They fulfill orders of the Lâmzûrgoth, for example: news delivery, document falsification, large-scale intrigues, resource procurement.

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Fauthugalu build a camouflage identity or retain their original identity parallel to their cult education. During their apprenticeship they have to pass nine examinations, which are aligned to the Tûm-Mârubh. These can also consist of several small tasks. The apprenticeship also includes the establishment of relationships up to a network of connections, for example: thugs, people in administrative positions, informants, financiers, messengers.

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The Dushatâru of Quûral are limited to wild Uruk-tribes or Harads (Haradrim). Pure Thraku and Shatraugu are rare in the ranks of the cult; more common are mixed forms of these two professions.

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The Grand Masters Title is Lâmzûr`goth (Master of Cunning Tongues)

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Their domains are: Information Procurement, Resource Trading, Camouflage, Intrigue, and Diplomacy (Interaction)

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Mautark - The Knight of Umbar

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· Name: Mautark

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· Attribute: The Knight of Umbar

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· Title: Dulug-Goth

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· Origin: Numenór

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· Domains: Weaponry, Loyalty, Duty, Discipline, Strategy and Tactics, Sea

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· typical spells: not known

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As with all Nazgûlu, the origin of the Knight of Umbar is mysterious.

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If the rumors are true, he was once a High King of Númenór who ruled the southern lands before the days of the Last Alliance. Today, the Mautark is considered one of the most loyal vassals of the Shakh`bûrz.

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Yet, there isn`t much written about the devotees of Mautark.

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The believers have simply no time to write, because of their martial business.

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The Frûmgrat

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Bos'Mautark - the Cult of The Knight of Umbar

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The still most important sanctuary and former center of the cult is located on the coast of Umbar on a huge rock on one of the many reefs, which may be entered only by the cultists themselves. Many centuries ago, according to rumors, on the opposite side of the coast, Dot-Boskala, the "Order of the Sea", was hewn out of this rock, whose widely branched passages and storeys are said to extend far below the surface of the sea. Behind closed doors it is said that the high Masters would pay homage here to the hideous Dâgalûr of the deepest depths, which Mautark was said to have pacified and forced into his service in days long forgotten. In Umbar, there is a belief that the cultists still keep this creature of the city so that it can not be dangerous to them in its obscene, all-consuming anger. Since the Mautark has left Umbar, his cult has continued to spread. It began when many distinguished warriors began to emulate him as a traveling traveler who spreads the word with sword and word. Over time, they built many smaller castles for their orders throughout the empire. Most of them are located near important sanctuaries that are networked with each other through pilgrimage paths. The protection of these places of worship and their faithful inhabitants and visitors who travel them is now the main task of the Bos'Mautark. Often, the cult's warriors are also used as escorts for high religious leaders. Today, the center of the cult is the Bos-Maufulug (Order Barracks), a kind of religious school in Minas Morgul. There the new Fauthugalu will be trained with all possible arms, get physical exercises all in the observance of the strict rules of the order, also many Îstugalu of the cult return here as often as possible, in order to refine their martial arts for the Fitgnau and strengthen their faith in prayer. Every Hîsht Dûmp a selection of new Fauthugalu takes place in the so-called Fil-Lammau (Cave Pitfight), a days-long match-like spectacle. A huge facility was erected directly at the Morgul Pass, where the aspirants compete with each other in uninterrupted pit fights. Only those who have enough fighting skills not to succumb to one of their many competitors, as well as the stamina of not falling victim to complete exhaustion, are considered worthy to join the Order. At the end of the excretions the bottom of the pits are ankle-high covered with blood. Often the fighters are veterans, ashûrz nadaku, junior officers or other deserving soldiers who overtake the reputation of the Mautark and who report to Fil-Lammau.

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Many tribal chiefs and officers find it very ambiguous to let their best warriors participate in these competitions. On the one hand, the risk of losing an important warrior in either these battles or losing them to the Order is enormous, but on the other hand, there could not be anything more glorious than having one of the cultists in their ranks.

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That's why many high-ranking people like to travel to the competition to observe the performance of their own protégé and make high bets on him. The training of the Fauthugalu aims for strengthening the candidates to lone fighters and also strengthening their bodies as well as possible. For that torture methods are also on the agenda. Some of them discover a gift given to them by the Shakh´bûrz during their apprenticeship and are then trained to become a Thrak. Like the other Îstugal of the Order, who are called after the completion of their training “Bos-Nadak”, they travel as lonely wandering preachers from that time on through the realms for the ideal of their lord, or they return to their old positions at the Gund Piztor or get there a new task. They are very popular as instructors because of their diverse skills, their high level of discipline and their inner peace. Rarely does it happen that the Order goes to battle in unison. This only happens when the Mautark himself or the head of the order call to a Tum Mazauk (religious war). The religious rules of the Bos'Mautark oblige the cultists to self-control, humility, contentment and reason. They also say that each member of the Order must be aware that the Shakh`bûrz has chosen it as one of its deadliest weapons. Therefore, a cultist may only draw his own weapon to kill in the spirit of the Dur Hont. Often the members of the Order, by strictly following the rules of the Mautark, radiate enormous self-assurance, natural serenity, and almost tangible authority, which is partly feared by their officers. Their special training makes them the most capable combatants and key advisers to their superiors, as well as their closest rivals for power and influence within a unit.

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Dushgor / Dwimmorlaik - the Curse of Rohan

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· Name: Dushgor (Dwimmorlaik)

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· Attribute: The Curse of Rohan

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· Title: Rukoth (Horse Master)

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· Origin: Variag in Khand

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· Domains: rage, revenge, retribution, curses, messages, the breeding of the Black Horses

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· Typical spells: fear, curses, influencing magic, rage

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The Dushgor is perhaps the most mysterious of all Nazgûlu, for there are few records of his past actions in the scholarly folios. In Rohan, however, this Nazgûl is more feared than anyone else, for he has been plaguing this kingdom for countless centuries, leading the Dark Lord's henchmen against the sons of Eorl. It is also known that he owns the largest and most powerful of the nine Morgulblades. Outside of Mordor Dushgor is worshiped like a god, especially by the human and half-human Variag-tribes. Main aspects of the Dushgor are revenge, retribution and as well, as the breeding of the black steeds. The secondary aspects are curses and the associated fear of curses by opponents. It is said that all the warriors and devotees who join the battle at his side, by his very presence, fall into a delusional bloodlust, fueled by inexplicable thoughts of revenge, rage, and anger. The Dushgor, fighting and sitting on his mount, is constantly issuing dark curses and, in addition to the aura of horror that clings to all nines, and he brings a fear of just these curses to his enemies. This aura also has a lasting effect on the enemy survivors of the battle and later drives them into madness.

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The faith

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Reasons for an Uruk's belief in this Nazgûl

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The belief in the Dushgor is especially widespread among the Variag of Khand and has established itself over the millennia, especially in southeastern Murdur among the Uruku. The Dushgor was a great king of the Variag, and this folk of horsemen worshiped him even in his lifetime like a god and they swore him fidelity forever. So the black steeds must also be honored because of this. All of the people swore to support the Dushgor to take revenge on the west. In the southeast of Murdur, at the border of Khand live many Uruk clans as well as many Variag-Uruk- and Variag-Troll-hybrid-tribes that do not break with this tradition. After only a few centuries these devotees have brought the faith into the north and west of Murdur and have converted many Uruku to their faith, especially with the aspects of revenge and retribution, because only this endless desire for revenge enables the Uruku to overthrow their enemy with bloodthirst. For them this is the right way to get the fitgnau.

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Special features of believers

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The symbol of Dushgor consists of the head and neck of a black horse in the side profile with a red glowing eye. This symbol decorates mainly the clothes of the servants of Dushgor, which live on and at the plain of the Black Horses and in the tent-castle of Dushgor. In particular, in the missions against Rohan the berserk-Nadaku among the believers decorate their armor and shields with the symbol. Likewise, they decorate themseves with long black horse hair. The followers are recognized by the fact that even in trivialities quickly fall from a cursing revenge into a hard-to-predict, wild berserker rage that is so strong and does not seem to end, so that they must be locked in special cages. If it comes to a battle, these mad ones are carted in their cages in the front row and rushed as a chaotic and deadly nemesis on the opponents.

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The Uruk and his faith, and what he does for it

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The less combative cultists are constantly practicing cursing and they support, by witchcraft and by polarized tales, the devotees` desire for revenge. Every year and about two weeks after the gestation period, when many mares die of the incurable horse disease that was once brought to the East by the ancestors of the Rohirrim, the cultists gather around the burning pyre of mare carcasses for the "big culling", that symbolized the misery and shame that the western peoples had caused thousands of years ago. At this festival of cult, called "Zer'Ghaash," the cultists point out to the followers that Dushgor, through his thirst for revenge, had the power to put an end to everything and so becomes more powerful to get with his followers closer to the Fitgnau. Wild, trance-like dances and staccato drum rhythms intensify the angry mood. At the end of the ritual, prisoners are sacrificed and eaten. The followers are also often on horse robbery, because by each robbed horse that is brought to the tent castle of the horse master, they rise in the favor of the upper cultists and in the favor of Dushgor.

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The Frûmgrat

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Bos'Dushgor - the Cult of The Dwimmorlaik

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The cult of Dushgor is divided geographically, as well as in its tasks, in two parts.

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Bos'dushgor-shapogataar - The Cult of the Dwimmorlaik-Avengers

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The followers of this branch spend their lives in seeking revenge. Many followers of this cult have always started smaller attacks against Rohan. The followers are established warriors that enhance hatred and anger among their fellow combatants.

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Units led by a Dushgor's Shatraug are often suicide squads who fanatically try to defeat their targets, regardless of their own losses. These followers were always in charge of all battles against Rohan.

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Undoubtedly, these followers are also responsible for the fact that the Rohirrim always live in fear of Dushgor since they have been haunted for centuries. Of course, there are also followers of Dushgor who do not act directly against Rohan, even if they are few.

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The followers of the cult are always characterized by thirst for revenge and hatred, which drives them to their goals, which they fanatically pursue.

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Bos'dushgor-rûk - The Cult of the Dwimmorlaik-riders

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This secession of the cult is a closed society about which not much is known. The cult can be found at a small base in the middle of the plain of black steeds, where it is fully devoted to the breeding of the black steeds. The black steeds are very special and only a few are allowed to ride them, as once the Shakh`bûrz himself, the Nine, or the Mouth of Sauron.

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The largest cult sites of the Dwimmorlaik riders are located on the plain of the Black Steeds in the Gorgoroth and mainly to the east of the "Paddock of Black horses" near to the camp site of Olbamarl, where there are also numerous stable-tents, and where the stolen horses intended for breeding are housed. The tent-castle of the Dushgor in Olbamarl stands directly on the border to the neighboring land of Khand and at the foot of the paddock, which is an approximately 35 square miles large, fenced plateau, where at present about 30 stallions Dushgors grow and live on the grassy areas, and which is very difficult to access. The entrance to the plateau is a wide tunnel that leads from the main stables of the tent-castle about 900 feet through the interior of the plateau and ends in a large gate with stables. Here is also the entrance to the cave-city of Olbamarl, which extends far into the interior of the plateau. The tent-castle itself is a unique building in Middle-Earth. It is a huge, multi-storey yurt-castle. At first glance, it is thought to be made of regular brownish-gray tarpaulins, but in reality it is stony. Thousands of years ago, when the Dushgor set up his base there to stay near his black stallion, he gradually built the castle from peeled skins of stone-trolls hunted in the Shadow Mountains that were killed, skinned at night, then packed in a light-tight package and also at night were stretched over the yurt-scaffolding. At the first daylight his castle then consisted of several stone layers in addition. The daily happenings within the castle and on and below the plateau are without exception characterized by the task of the breeding of the black steeds. For the followers bring constantly new mares. The stolen and sorted stallions are brought deep into the inland of Khand, where they are safe from the horse-disease and are ridden by the Variag. The mares are examined by experienced cultists and branded with the symbol Dushgor, if they are suitable for the breeding. If the mares are ready for the reproduction, they are led through the tunnel to the paddock so that the black stallions can get them for their reproduction. After about 11 months of gestation they are caught on the plateau by the followers and penned in the gate at the upper end of the tunnel. After the foal is there, it is examined. If it is a mare, it will be taken together with the mare to a gate outside the tent-castle to die there. If it is a healthy stallion, it will be kept by the cultists in the upper stables until it has no need for milk. The cultists also take care of the Black Steeds, which are well guarded in the main stables of Dushgor`s Castle. These Chosen Nine Stallions are brought to the Gorgoroth and the Plain of the Black Horses, to become strengthened by the High Magic of the Shakh'bûrz and awaiting their use for the Nâzgulu. A few cultists are on the hunt for the Mearas of the Rohirrim to steal them for breeding, in the belief that the contagion and thus the plague, called "zer", that clings to the black stallion will be extinguished. If that happened, Murdur would set up a whole equestrian-army with the "Blacks" to fight for the Fitgnau, but for now only a few special persons are allowed to ride these horses.

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Thrak

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Rarely do you find Thraku among the cultists.

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Rage for revenge, hateful speeches as well as curses out of pure undiscipline and rudeness against themselves, provide for a fast, but then also spectacular demise. The few who are in control for a long time are, on behalf of the eye, in search of the noblest horses for the breeding of the Blacks, or secretly build whole troops of "Cage-Uruku".

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Shatraug

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In the west and north of Murdur, mainly the Shatraugu influence the avenger-followers of the Dushgor, driving them into revenge and practicing curses.

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For the wisdom and teachings, they are accompanied by a few Dushatâru.

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Dushatar

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In the black steed breeding places and in the Uruk-clans and Variag-tribes in the east and southeast Murdur, who worship the Dushgor, it is mainly the Dushatâru who spread the wisdom and teachings of the Horse Master and influence the people. During the "Zer`Ghaash" they are additionally supported by the few Shatraugu of the tribes.

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Attitude to the other cults

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Shatraug-Goth

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The faithful support the cult of the Witch King with awe, devotion, and admiration, for his exemplary terror and destructive power are desirable goals of the avenging followers of Dushgor.

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Khamûl Ghânshal

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Although the magical abilities of the Eastling and his cultists are considered to be effective, the use of magic for Dwimmerlaik's followers only relates to the working of curses. Everything else is regarded as soft magical playing, because the true craft of the art of war has a higher priority to them.

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Burgûl-Goth

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The Cult of the Shadowlord is considered a suitable instrument of revenge, although the cultists of the Dushgor prefer the open confrontation, rather than the often secretive assassinations of the Bos Burgûl-Goth.

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Maugoth-Mor

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Because the cult of the Dushgor knows that the Maugoth-Mor followers do not see them as a serious threat, they also have little to fear. But if there is actually a dangerous situation between supporters of the two cults, the later retaliation on the part of the Dwimmerlaik cult will be more drastic than usual.

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Ghadhûmûrzal

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Among the followers of Dushgor there are conflicting views on the cult of the Stained. On the one hand, from the perspective of some followers, the Fifth of the Nazgûl is supposed to be the source that has spread the plague of the steeds, which is transferable to other living beings, and has brought misery. On the other hand cultists of Dushgor see in the "epidemic cult" also the possibility to become masters over the "Zer" in order to finally provide a whole equestrian army with the "Blacks". How the cults continue to stand together, the future will show.

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Narkû-Mat

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The excessive “lust for life” is shared by the followers of Dushgor with those of the immortal. Otherwise, these two cults have nothing to do with each other.

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Quûral

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Trade and intrigue contradict clearly with robbery and open confrontation.

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Diplomacy and negotiations are frowned upon by supporters of the Dushgor, except for like-minded people.

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Mautark

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Discipline, obedience, loyalty, and military faithfulness are considered by the cult of Dushgor as useless, when an Uruk knows what he has to do and what he is destined for.

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