The Tome Of Drow Lore.pdf - RoseRed

48
Vermthizzl (The Light in the
Deep)
Symbol: None
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral (with evil tendencies)
Governs: Deep drow, fire, humour, trickery
Domains: Chaos, Fire, Trickery
Favoured Weapons: Light pick, scimitar, spiked chain
Requirements for Priesthood: Must be chosen by the
priesthood and pass a series of tests administered by the
priesthood.
Background
Vermthizzl, the Light in the Deep, is actually just a false
face created by Kez’Skul, the Trickster.
Before the end of the goblin war, when worship of the
drow pantheon was growing to crowd out worship of the
old elven pantheon in drow society, one clan that refused
to give up worship of the elven Allfather broke off from
the rest of the drow, determined to find a way around the
goblins and back to the surface. After years of wandering
through the previously unknown terrors and dangers of the
Underdeep, their faith was waning. The Trickster had never
stopped watching this clan of drow and, as their faith was at
its ebb and they found themselves huddling in terror from
the shangu at the bottom of the Underdeep, he appeared to
them in the form of a flame.
The drow took this to be a manifestation of the Allfather,
and the Trickster did nothing to disabuse them of this
notion. They gladly worshipped him, and he urged them
to remain hidden deep beneath the world, where eventually
they became the Pol’Tah, the deep drow (see page 115).
Slowly, the Trickster weaned the Pol’Tah away from the
few tenets of the Allfather they still maintained, introducing
them to a new religion he literally created as he went
along. Never in all the long millennia since that day has he
revealed himself for what he is, but the Pol’Tah have long
since forgotten the name of Allfather, believing they have
always worshipped Vermthizzl, the Light in the Deep. The
practices of this religion, which the deep drow truly believe
has not changed, would be abhorrent to the Allfather, which
only makes this millennia-long joke on the deep drow all
the funnier, at least from the perspective of the Trickster.
Still, the joke is beginning to grow stale for Kez’Skul. He
has not yet abandoned the Pol’Tah, nor would he ever reveal
the truth to them, but he has grown desirous for some kind
of change to make his aspect as Vermthizzl entertaining
again.
Religious Observances
Vermthizzl demands sacrifice but since the Pol’Tah have,
until quite recently, had no contact with any intelligent race
other than occasional battles with the shangu, they have
had to sacrifice their own to keep the Light in the Deep
burning. Every year, 16 children are chosen from the deep
drow. Eight are chosen to enter the priesthood; eight others
are kept in tiny cages within the temple, to be publicly
sacrificed throughout the year.
Temples
There is only one temple to Vermthizzl, in the deep drow
city of Drez Khelim. It is a featureless block of stone, the
interior of which is forbidden to any not of the priesthood.
Clergy
As noted earlier, the priests of Vermthizzl choose 16
children at random from the population of the Pol’Tah.
Eight of these children become sacrifices to the Light in
the Deep; the other eight enter the priesthood.
Worshippers
All of the deep drow are worshippers of Vermthizzl. There
is no other god in the society of the Pol’Tah.