THE DARK CHURCHES The evil deities of the world remain hidden for the most part, pursuing their own dark agendas, but their mere names inspire dread in the hearts of common folk everywhere. Playing a character devoted to one of these churches can be difficult in a party of self-styled heroes, but it is possible. By focusing on the less gruesome or morbid aspects of your church's doctrine and your deity's portfolio, you can play an interesting character, torn between dedication to a church most scorned and a desire to prove that one doesn't have to be evil to serve one of these dark deities.
ERYTHNULTHE TEMPLE OF CARNAGE Because its patron revels in absolute slaughter, the Church of Erythnul has the fewest non-evil members of all the dark faiths. No civilized land wants a sect of mass mur derers nearby; Most followers of Erythnul kill without thinking, believing that each soul they release from its mortal coil fuels the power of their deity. Many are also utterly insane. The Temple of Carnage's few non-evil members are cha otic neutral. These individuals see the practicality of leaving no foe standing. They might take prisoners if doing so serves some purpose, but they never leave survivors for long. They take great joy in battle, but they believe that slaughter should come only to those who invite it. In fact, they are convinced that releasing the souls of noncombatants actually angers the deity. From their point of view, those who do not live by the sword are beneath notice and therefore unworthy of destruction.
GRUUMSH: THE FURY OF THE EYE Only orcs and half-orcs worship Gruumsh. But even though He-Who-Never-Sleeps is a wrathful deity, his worshipers include many non-evil individuals. Gruumsh's church teaches that when the orcs have grown powerful enough, One-Eye will descend to the world and lead them on a savage tour of conquest. The non-evil members of Gruumsh's church are all chaotic neutral. Such individuals believe in the supremacy of the orc race, and that orcs are destined to triumph over their enemies one day. But they also believe that death should be reserved only for true enemies of the church—especially dwarves and elves. Gruumsh's chaotic neutral followers don't share their fel lows' absolute fervor for the annihilation of all other races. In fact, they believe that most other humanoids have some purpose—even if that purpose is serving the Fury of the Eye. However, the non-evil followers of Gruumsh do revel in battle—especially against challenging foes—and they shout praises to their deity while they lay waste to their enemies. Weaker foes are deemed unworthy of attention unless they prove to be a nuisance, in which case they are destroyed mercilessly.
HEXTOR: THE FIST OF TYRANNY The Church of Hextor took its name to mock its patron's good-aligned brother. The Fist of Tyranny seeks to rule the
world with an iron gauntlet in Hextor's name, bringing order and sowing fear wherever its members pass. A few lawful neutral members of the church, however, believe that the law of Hextor is harsh, but fair. Because Hextor's law doesn't discriminate, every law-abiding citizen has an equal opportunity to prosper in lands ruled by his church. The Fist of Tyranny brings peace to conquered areas, eliminates crime, and protects citizens by providing a strong military presence. Indeed, it brings stability and more to those who bend their knees to Hextor. A lawful neutral member of the church doesn't share all the beliefs held by the Fist of Tyranny. She believes in punishing those who violate the church's laws, but not without a fair trial. Hextor's church frequently sends dark-cloaked minions to deal with its enemies in the dead of night, spiriting them away never to be seen again. But a non-evil Hextorite would rather see such enemies brought before the public to be accused and tried openly. Hextor's justice is absolute, and all members of his church live and die by its truth.
NERULL: THE FANE OF THE SKULL The Church of Nerull is accepted in even fewer places than that of Hextor because its members worship the Lord of Death with a cold, haunting fervor. The typical follower of Nerull believes that when all living creatures have passed from this world, Nerull will have ultimate power and reward his most loyal minions with eternal unlife. Non-evil members of the Fane of the Skull are typi cally neutral. Such individuals believe that death is to be embraced rather than feared. It is merely another state of being, as is undeath. All forms of existence are equally viable, and all provide valuable insights into the workings of the multiverse. Such church members don't hold to the more wide spread doctrine that all undead serve Nerull's greater plan but believe that such creatures should be limited. They feel that the church is too eager to add to the ranks of undead by killing, and that t r u e worship of Nerull involves studying death for his greater glory. Only after full understanding of death is achieved will the world be in perfect balance.
VECNA: THE HALLS OF SECRETS The Church of Vecna is nearly equally split between evil and non-evil members. Many spellcasters pray to the Maimed Lord when they make a new discovery that could be of great value, hoping to keep their knowledge safe until they can make a fortune from a timely exposure. All members of the Halls of Secrets believe that knowledge in the wrong hands should be removed to the safekeeping of the church through any means necessary. Knowledge is too powerful and too dangerous to be left with the uninitiated. It must be guarded carefully by those with the ability to protect it and understand it fully—namely themselves. Non-evil members are typically neutral. They share the same hunger for knowledge and power as the rest, but they are less violent in its acquisition. Such members are also more likely to share what they have learned with those they trust, such as other members of the church (on rare
