Dushgor – Dwimmorlaik the Curse of Rohan

## Dushgor - the Curse of Rohan

Name: Dushgor (Dwimmorlaik)

Title: Rukoth (Horse Master), The Curse of Rohan

Origin: Variag in Khand

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

Typical spells: fear, curses, influencing magic, rage

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 Morgul blades. 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.

## The faith

### ***Reasons for an Uruk’s belief in this Nazgûl***

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.

### ***Distinctive features of believers***

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, the
missions against Rohan the berserk-Nadaku among the believers decorate
their armor and shields with the symbol. Likewise, they decorate themselves
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.

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

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 a 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.

## Structure of the cults

**Bos ‘Dushgor - the Cult of The Dwimmerlaik** The cult of Dushgor is divided geographically, as well as its tasks, in two parts.

**Bos'dushgor-shapogataar - The Cult of the Dwimmerlaik-Avengers**
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.
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.
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.
The followers of the cult are always characterized by a thirst for revenge
and hatred, which drives them to their goals, which they fanatically
pursue.

**Bos'dushgor-rûk- The Cult of**
the Dwimmerlaik-riders
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.
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 campsite 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-story 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 was 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.

## Proffessions and training

**Thrak**

Rarely
do you find Thraku among the cultists.
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".

**Shatraug**

In the
west and north of Murdur, mainly the Shatraugu influence the
avenger-followers of the Dushgor, driving them into revenge and practicing
curses.
For the wisdom and teachings, they are accompanied by a few Dushatâru.

**Dushatar**

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.

## Attitude towards the other cults

**Shatraug-Goth**
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

**Khamûl Ghânshal**
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.

**Burgûl-Goth**
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.

**Maugoth-Mor**
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.

**Ghadhûmûrzal**
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.

**Narkû-Mat**
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.

**Quûral**
Trade and intrigue contradict clearly with robbery and open confrontation.
Diplomacy and negotiations are frowned upon by supporters of the Dushgor,
except for like-minded people.

**Mautark**
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.