Gadhumûrzal - the Unclean

## **Ghadhûmûrzal - The Stained**

Name: Ghadhûmûrzal

Title: Barkh-Goth (vault master), of the stained

Origin: Chey

Domain: diseases, epidemics, poisons, decay

Typical spells: Disease spells, (crude) healing spells

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

## The faith

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

The Uruku are driven by greed for knowledge about diseases, poisons. No cult knows more about deadly substances than the cult of the Stained. Many of the devotees try to get substances to accomplish their own goals. they want to unlock the secrets of poisons and diseases. They 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 brief time.

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

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. They often have bad skin diseases from an earlier contact. Mostly they are mentally unstable and fearful of an earlier disease. A part of
his followers are looking for the secrets of the Stained one`s powers and study disease, poison, and decay.

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

He prays for never having to see another cult member again. He pays immense sums of money to the cult and the Frûmgrat and is totally obedient. He maintains close contact with the Sharogal. Some followers sacrifice their bodies for studies and experiments with new poisons and diseases.

## Bos ‘Ghadhûmûrzal- the Cult of the Stained

### ***Structure of the cult***

The members of the cult are heavily drawn to ugliness. Disfigured by the cult, they are now covered by purulent wounds, abscesses, skin diseases, etc. Their bodies are emaciated or abnormally swollen. Their clothes disintegrate on their skin and mold on their bodies. They smell like decay. The life of a cult member is short and painful. 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. As members suffer daily from wounds and disease, all of them are masters of healing and pain. They are a major part of the day so busy, repairing themselves and relieving their pain. 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. 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 comes 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. 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, close to unreadable.