Venari

## God of Malediction

* Artwork
* Symbol

Venari, also known the Black Blood is a lesser deity most commonly counted amongst the Malign.

He is the God of Malediction.

## History

Initially a Deity in servitude to Ophidian, Venari revelled in spreading all manner of curses and afflictions to those of the Principal Races that his master had not yet corrupted. These maledictions, termed gifts, were two-fold - that of both lycanthropy and vampirism, and while a few sought them willingly, most instead forced into acceptance. It was the latter that brought delight to the Black Blood and the Master of Malice both, and so their followers continued to enact such plots as means of worship.

The gift offered by Venari varied with the state of the moon. In its waxing phases, rising towards a full moon, it was that of lycanthropy that was granted, most commonly that of werewolf form, but occasionally other more curious beasts such as boars, bats and tigers. When the lunar cycle shifted to that of waning, it was vampirism that spread upon the fangs of his faithful, sowing undeath and hunger wherever they passed. Most had appetites for flesh and the humors esoteric, first and foremost blood, but also phlegm, lymph, plasma, yellow bile, stomach acid and black bile - as well as all manner of other components of the body. Others still, rarer and more curious instead hungered for more abstract delights, thoughts and memories, dreams and hopes, even the colour from their victim's eyes.

At some point however, Venari's knowledge of the creation of vampirism faded from his conscious, stolen as if by a thief in the night. While by nature of their affliction, those vampires created did not cease to be after a mere lifetime, in time they are their spawn would be hunted down by the zealots of Taranis, the Burning Eye and Emes, the Prince of the Eclipse, and largely extinguished. Nonetheless, they have continued to appear in popular culture, with the play *Into the Halls of Count Radomir*, penned by the Scrivener Dhavud, depicting the humourous game of deception played by one such individual trying to hide his true nature from a Priest of Emes that sought to spend a night in his company.

Since then, Venari's followers have been near exclusively that of lycanthropes.

## Enemies

Venari stalks the dark forests and shaded valleys of Ahlus, and so has grown to despise any that would seek to dispel the gloom in which he prowls. As such, particular ire is placed on both followers of Taranis, the Morning Light, whose burning gaze would destroy the shadows come day, and those of Emes, the Prince of the Eclipse, who grants illumination for those lost in the dark - and otherwise easy prey for Venari and his devotees.

Likewise, Venari is eager to enact revenge on the entity that stole away of his knowledge of the dhampir, but is yet to achieve this goal.

## Commandments

* Feast to satiate your desires. Whatever it is that you hunger for, revel in lusts never surfeited.
* Many will only take from those that surround them. Know that a gift gained may deliver just as much malice and despair as goods glommed.
* Those without understanding will meet you with fear in their hearts and silver in their hands. Return unto them fear, and scatter them into flight.

## Rituals and Ceremonies

Individuals granted either of Venari's gifts found themselves divinely driven to take part in a ritual in alternating months of the year known as the Unhallowed Hunt. For vampires, this took place on the new moon of the associated month, for lycanthropes it instead took place upon the full moon. Prior to their commencement, thralls, spawn or other servants of the group in question would kidnap away a viable target from a nearby town or village in anticipation of the festival's beginning. With the passing of twilight into night, the captive would be released into the hunting grounds, typically an isolated forest valley, but Unhallowed Hunts taking place covertly within the streets of the cities of the Realms are not unheard of - particularly amongst vampires - and told simply to survive until dawn. Provided with weaponry and armour with which to defend themselves, the blessed of the Black Blood would then give chase, clad only in the trophies of previous victims and relying only upon their natural weapons - claws and fangs alike.

If the target survived until sunrise, they would be freed and returned to their home unharmed, and as matter of congratulations their village, town or city would not be preyed upon for the calender cycle. However, those that failed to escape, refused to partake or otherwise failed to survive would be feasted upon, or more rarely offered the gift to join in the ranks. A failure meant that the next target would be chosen from the same settlement, repeated until either a champion survived or the village was exhausted of life.

Owing to its predilection to bring Venari such delight, the vampires of Ahlus developed specific rituals for the sacrifice of priests and priestesses of Taranis and Emes. Through means of corrupted variations on the conventional School of Abjuration incantation *Imprisonment*, they were able to achieve a series of alternative effects, depending on the personal preference of the individual responsible. Most simply, a target would be bound by *Chaining* onto a ritual stone covered in arcane and hungering glyphs. When bare flesh was pressed against the stone by means of the bindings being tightened, the stone would score at the victim's flesh, evicerating them layer by layer - skin, fascia, muscle and bone. As the chains continued to tighten, it was not uncommon for the body to crumble into pieces given enough time and sufficient undermining of structural integrity. A rarer variation involved a combination of two effects - that of a deep and soporific-induced *Slumber* and the separation of the consciousness via a depraved partial application of *Minimus Containment*. Watching as they mortal form was consumed, it was only at the peak of despair that the mind of the victim would follow into devourment.