Mal’Gorath, known as The Abyssal Hunger, personifies the darkest aspects of corruption, darkness, and despair within the pantheon of the
Old Ways. This deity thrives in the shadows of the world, spreading decay and ruin wherever his influence reaches. Mal’Gorath is the embodiment of malevolent force that seeks to consume and corrupt, drawing those who succumb to despair or seek power through dark dealings. His followers embrace the nihilistic pursuit of destruction, seeing in Mal’Gorath a reflection of the inevitable entropy and decay of all things.
Appearance
Physical Description: Mal’Gorath is often depicted as a towering, shadowy figure, with eyes that glow with a malevolent red light. His form is both imposing and ephemeral, as if composed of darkness itself, shifting and twisting unnaturally.
Symbols or Attributes: Frequently associated with symbols of decay and corruption, such as rotting foliage or corrupted creatures. His presence is often marked by a chilling sense of dread and a noticeable darkening of the surroundings.
Preferred Manifestations: Mal’Gorath prefers to manifest in places that have been touched by tragedy or are steeped in despair, such as battlefields, ruined cities, or haunted forests.
Followers
Common Followers: Cultists, necromancers, and those who have lost all hope. His adherents are often those who have been broken by life and now seek to break others in turn.
Preferred Followers: Sorcerers and warlocks who derive their powers from dark pacts, as well as leaders of destructive cults.
Worship Style: Worship of Mal’Gorath is macabre and often involves sacrificial rituals and dark rites that embrace despair and nihilism.
Temples and Shrines: Shrines to Mal’Gorath are hidden in places of despair and desolation, often underground or in abandoned structures where darkness prevails.
Teachings
Core Tenets or Dogma: Embrace the power of darkness, spread corruption, and succumb to the natural decay of all things.
Ethical Stance: Encourages the spread of despair and destruction as a means to gain power and influence.
Taboos: Abhors the light, both literal and metaphorical, and any actions that would restore hope or rejuvenation.
Abilities
Divine Powers: Ability to corrupt both land and minds, invoke darkness, and command creatures born from despair.
Blessings: Followers might receive enhanced abilities to manipulate shadows, resilience against effects of despair and fear, or powers to drain life and hope from others.
Curses: Enemies of Mal’Gorath may find themselves cursed with bad luck, perpetual fear, or a life leached of joy and meaning.
Myths and Legends
Creation Myth: Arisen from the deepest shadows of the first night, Mal’Gorath was spawned from the absence of light and life, destined to forever oppose the creation and harmony of the cosmos.
Major Myths: The Eclipse of Hope, where Mal’Gorath blotted out the sun of a flourishing kingdom, plunging it into despair and ruin.
Relics and Holy Artifacts: The Veil of Shadows, a cloak that renders the wearer almost invisible and completely mutes their emotions, symbolizing their complete submission to despair.
Relationships
Allies among the Pantheon: Occasionally aligns with other deities of chaos and destruction, though his relationships are tenuous as he trusts no one.
Rivals or Enemies: In constant conflict with deities of light, hope, and creation, who work to undo his corrupting influences.
Relationship with Mortals: Feared and revered in equal measure, Mal’Gorath is a patron of those who have embraced the darkest aspects of power and despair.
Influence
Historical Influence: Mal’Gorath’s touch is evident in histories marred by tragedy and despair, where civilizations fell into decay.
Current Influence: Continues to exert influence in areas plagued by corruption and darkness, inspiring fear and desperation.
Prophecies: Central to dark prophecies that foretell an age of shadows, where his power will grow unchecked, leading to a world consumed by despair.
Mal’Gorath’s profile underscores his role as a deity of corruption and despair within the pantheon of the
Old Ways, emphasizing how his dark influence seeks to undermine and corrupt the very fabric of existence, offering a stark contrast to forces of creation and light.
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