As one would expect for any city of note, Thagwar is also riven by rival religious factions. The four most eminent deities of worship comprise Hmurresh, Decay, Myknosis, and the Darkthorn, though other gods are worshiped also. Each of the major four quartet is accorded around 75 Ishkarim soldiers and 150 Skeletal Warrior militia to preserve law and order within their holy precinct, but most also moonlight on the side as extortionists and stand-over people. The holy factions are as follows:
Temple of the Fly Queen (#7/31, #280/365)
"Hmurresh, queen of flies, who dwells on the Elemental Plane of Air, from where she dispatches her subjects to bring plague and pestilence to all corners of the world."
Life on Titan, Ernst Kandermann, p. 71
The temple to Hmurresh is an immense conical clay-brick hive, though one so ancient any trace of inscription has been lost from the architecture. Instead, it is a thrumming vestibule of noise, home to Emissaries of the Goddess, Fly People, and their Queen Ixtibula (quick-thinking, nervous). Hmurresh is one of the dominant deities of this plane, promulgating the stench of decay and decrepitude far and wide, and her temple occupies a prime place in Thagwar society. Ixtibula runs an intelligence network to rival that of the First Overlord, and thoroughly enjoys setting up little armed tete-a-tetes that are invariably fatal for one if not both of the opposing sides present. She is currently sitting on the news of the capture of the Maker God Bisu, and is internally debating when would be the best time to act upon this knowledge.
FLY QUEEN, SKILL 10 STAMINA 12, 2 Attacks, Large Bite or Shortsword, Light Armour.
Fly Queens are the rulers of Fly People and are identical to them in appearance, aside from a haughtier demeanor, better and more expensive clothes, and grossly enlarged mouthparts to contain vicious mandibles. They can be considered to be Priestesses of Hmurresh, having a DEVOTION score of 12 and the following Priestly Powers: Animal Command, Ill-luck, Shape Change, Weakness. In addition, once per combat, they can unleash a spray of 3-18 FLESH GRUBS at any one opponent (Test for Luck to avoid).
FLY PEOPLE, SKILL 5 STAMINA 6, Shortsword, Light Armour.
Fly People are decrepit humanoids, hunched over and vaguely human, but with the head of a Giant Fly. Thought to be a stabilized bestial Chaos race from out in the wastelands, Fly People live on the margins of regular society, in the slums and the sewers, detested by all for their filth, scum and contagious depravity.
EMISSARY OF HMURRESH, SKILL 6 STAMINA 6, Small Bite, Light Armour, Acid Spit: -1 to any Armour Roll.
The EMISSARY OF HMURRESH takes the form of a Giant Fly, with the head of a human, whose eyes have been replaced with faceted orbs of somber hue. It flits between the Planes, gathering information for its mistress, the Goddess of Flies, endlessly accumulating gossip and slander from across the Macrocosmos. The Emissary can defend itself by extruding a secondary mandibular orifice from within its human mouth; this pincered extension causes regular Small Bite damage, and their acidic spit gradually dissolves armour. Anyone wounded by an Emissary must roll a die, on a 6 they have been contaminated. Roll on the Disease chart (The Warlock Returns #9, p. 8) to determine the type and effects of their infection. Emissaries of Hmurresh are summoned to Titan by acolytes of the Fly Goddess, typically in the slums and poor quarters of large cities, for example, Shakuru, City of Beggars is a known haunt. Once per week the Emissary can Teleport to any destination on any plane, but must remain there for seven whole days before moving somewhere else using this ability.
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