Dalaghthanach, The COrpse King
"Where ash breathes and souls rot, I rise. I am the hunger that outlasts ruin."
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Realm of Influence: The Material Plane
Current Status: God of Unmaking and Ruin, Bound Servant of Renji, Enemy of Regean and the Feywild
Various art of Dalaghthanach
Summary
Dalaghthanach, known across the continent as the Corpse King or the Lichfather, is a chaotic evil god of undeath, decay, and forbidden rebirth. Once a fearsome dracolich who ruled over hidden tombs and broken kingdoms, he has ascended into a twisted divinity, lording over the realms of necromancy, tyranny, and ruin. Unlike many gods of undeath who offer cold detachment, Dalaghthanach is visceral—his domains are soaked in blood, rot, and bone. His presence is always accompanied by a chill wind, a foul stench, or a memory that should have stayed buried. Worship of him is rarely public but incredibly persistent, especially among the desperate, the betrayed, and the power-hungry.
Though his rule is steeped in cruelty, his cult offers a dangerous form of hope: the promise of power after death, of vengeance returned from the grave, and of dominion that even time cannot erase. His temples, often hidden within ruined cities or sunken crypts, teem with necromantic rites and living sacrifices. He demands loyalty, often extracting it through pacts or reanimation. Dalaghthanach’s rise during the Ruby Age has unsettled even veteran members of the Black Church, for his influence seems to deepen with each passing year, especially in places where the natural order has been violently overturned.
His sigil—a broken crown atop a skull bound in red chains—is a grim reminder that death, in his service, is not an end but a beginning. Dalaghthanach has also shaped orc history in a dark way: long ago, his brief union with the mortal Ayo Jabe created a schism within the Seven Eye Federation, the scars of which still linger. Their bond, now twisted and broken, left behind both terrible relics and cursed bloodlines. Many orcs still view Dalaghthanach as a cautionary tale of unchecked ambition and sorcerous pride.
His followers believe that through death comes ultimate clarity. They are encouraged to embrace undeath not as corruption, but as transformation. Though many claim to worship him for pragmatic power, those who stay long enough are invariably transformed—physically, spiritually, and mentally. The longer one serves Dalaghthanach, the more difficult it becomes to distinguish oneself from the grave-bound horrors one commands.
Rivalry Between Dalaghthanach and Regean
The conflict between Dalaghthanach, the Lich-Wyrm of the Material Realm, and Regean, the White Flame of the Feywild, is one of the most violent and long-standing divine rivalries in Kol’s cosmological history. Born of betrayal, ambition, and opposing visions for draconic destiny, this war between two mighty dragons has ignited constant strife between parts of the Material Plane and the Feywild, with devastating effects on mortals and immortals alike. The rivalry is not just personal—it is metaphysical, pitting undeath against hope, consumption against compassion, and Ahriman’s hunger against Ceslida’s healing.
Regean, once the daughter of the corrupted titan Malthor, turned against her father and sided with the gods during the Carcosa Catastrophe. Dalaghthanach, meanwhile, fell deeper into undeath and darkness, binding his soul to ancient rituals of consumption and aligning himself fully with Renji, the chaotic god of death and rebirth. This schism split dragonkind itself—Regean inspired many metallic and primal dragons to follow the light, while Dalaghthanach corrupted the chromatic and bone-clad with promises of unending hunger, transformation, and power. Many dragons now fight their own kin, forced to choose between the White Flame or the Black Spiral.
The rivalry has scarred the ley lines of Kol. When Dalaghthanach’s corruption seeps into a region, the land becomes twisted—dreams rot, and corpses rise hungry. Regean’s forces often arrive too late to stop the destruction, but when they do clash, their battles reshape reality. In one such war, the forests of Arwythir were burned into glass, and a mountain chain in the Feywild was shattered into floating fragments. This eternal feud also bleeds into the spiritual and political realms. Entire cults, kingdoms, and even planes of existence must choose allegiances, knowingly or not, perpetuating the feud with every choice made and every soul twisted.
The Black Church and the Silver Temple both observe this divine conflict with wary reverence. To them, Regean and Dalaghthanach represent two possible futures for Kol: one of painful healing through unity, the other of annihilation through boundless hunger. The Cult of Dalaghthanach dreams of Regean’s death with every chant, every sacrifice, every ritual. The Priestesses of Regean respond not with hate—but with defiance, song, and shield. Until one is destroyed, Kol will remain a battlefield between their opposing flames.
Tenets of Dalaghthanach
Death is the Doorway, Not the End
Mortality is a trial; only through death can truth be revealed. The flesh is weak, but bones are eternal.Rule from the Crypt, and Rule Forever
Power that does not survive the grave is worthless. Build kingdoms that rot but never fall.Memory is a Weapon
The past is a sword—hone it, wield it, and strike down the ungrateful living.The Betrayer Deserves Chains
Let no betrayal go unpunished. Reanimate your vengeance and set it loose.Obedience is Power
Mastery over death requires control in life. The more you command, the more he gifts you.
Structure of the Church of Dalaghthanach
The Bone Prince/Princess: The high cleric and undisputed voice of Dalaghthanach. They are always undead, preserved in ritual embalming and wearing a crown made from the fused jawbones of failed successors. They perform the most sacred rites and command entire legions of undead in times of war.
Crypt Lords: Regional governors of the church, each ruling from a fortified necropolis. These figures are often powerful necromancers or liches themselves, serving as both rulers and religious icons. They receive direct visions from Dalaghthanach through blood rituals.
Embalmed Speakers: Priests who have undergone the Rite of Mummification while still alive. They deliver Dalaghthanach's will to mortals and oversee initiation rites, battlefield blessings, and punishment rituals. Their eyes are sewn shut as a sign of devotion.
The Hollow Choir: A secretive inner circle made up of banshees, wights, and shadowcasters who sing the Deathlitany, a continuous psalm believed to awaken avatars of Dalaghthanach. Their influence is hidden but immense.
Gravetouched Acolytes: New initiates and living servants of the church. They carry out daily operations, gather corpses, and spread the word of undeath in secret. Most aspire to earn their first death within five years.
The Church of Dalaghthanach in the Age of Ruby
The rise of the Ruby Age has emboldened the Cult of Dalaghthanach. Though never entirely banished, the church had long operated in the shadows. Now, in the chaos brought by the faltering cycles of judgment and the sleeping of the gods, Dalaghthanach's faithful have seized their moment. Temples once sealed shut have reopened. Whispered chants of the Bone Psalm have resurfaced across the material plane, and undead warbands have risen in remote territories.
Black Church intelligence has tracked increased sightings of Gravetouched and Hollow Choir operatives across Somnuria. The Seven Eye Federation is rumored to contain at least one tribe in secret alliance with Dalaghthanach, while parts of the Abandoned Lands are overrun with bone-clad mercenaries. A growing number of necropolises are protected by arcane wards not seen since the Carcosa Catastrophe.
What troubles the Black Church most is the increasing evidence that Dalaghthanach, Malthor, Udrim, and Saint Krajevi are coordinating. While no open declaration of war has been made, the quiet alliances and patterns of influence suggest an impending conflict—one tied to the ominous prophecy of Annwn Tân Parhaol. Though details are scarce, Dalaghthanach’s movements indicate preparation, not survival. Whatever is coming, he plans to be its judge, jury, and executioner.
In some corners of the world, Dalaghthanach is being openly worshipped by fringe groups of nobles and aristocrats. These decadent sects believe undeath is the ultimate display of wealth and power—eternal dominion over their holdings. This troubling trend has sparked moral panic in major cities and led to quiet purges by competing divine orders, especially by Ceslida’s and Grod’s followers.
Despite his alliance with Renji, the cult remains disjointed. There is always infighting among his many acolytes, especially those who crave the mantle of Bone Prince. But Dalaghthanach allows this. He knows rot spreads faster in broken things.
Rituals and Dogma of the Church of Dalaghthanach
1. The Rite of Bonefire Ascension
This gruesome and sacred ritual is held on nights when the moons are shrouded. Devotees gather in hollowed caverns or burnt clearings to burn offerings of bone, charred dragon scales, and blackened feathers in a corrupted flame that burns blue and green. Initiates seeking higher rank within the church must place their hand into this flame and retrieve a token—usually a fragment of a fallen enemy or relic—without screaming. It is said the flame licks away cowardice and binds the soul deeper to Dalaghthanach’s will. Those who succeed are marked with a spiral brand and granted visions of their next hunt.
2. Communion of Echoing Hunger
At dawn, cult members perform a ritual fast, followed by a silent procession into old ruins or underground temples. There, led by a Bonekeeper, they engage in a silent feeding ritual: a symbolic feast of raw meat, ash bread, and bloodwine meant to symbolize the void within and Dalaghthanach’s eternal hunger. Each bite is taken in rhythm with a whispered chant, believed to be a mimicry of the beast-god’s chewing in the Abyss. After the ritual, the consumed followers enter a trance where they often receive disturbing prophecies. The Church interprets these visions communally, believing them to be blueprints for future devastation.
3. Binding the Scales
This is a once-in-a-lifetime rite where a cultist forges a personal bond with a dragonkin or serpent creature, offered to them by the Church or taken by force. The ceremony includes the etching of both beings’ flesh with blood sigils, and the breathing of ash smoke laced with powdered bone and venom. During the rite, a ghostly image of Dalaghthanach is said to flicker in the smoke, judging the pact’s worth. If accepted, the creature and cultist are soulbound—death to one eventually damns the other. This ritual strengthens Dalaghthanach’s grip on all things scaled and winged, and reinforces his claim as the master of corrupted dragonkind.
Prayers of the Church of Dalaghthanach
1. The First Roar
"Dalaghthanach, O Maw Unending, split the silence with your scream.
Let my voice echo your hunger, and my heart drum your fury.
I offer this breath to your fire, this blood to your purpose.
Swallow me whole and forge me anew in pain and promise.
May my enemies hear your growl in my footsteps."
This prayer is whispered by initiates before any battle or mission. It’s believed to draw the god’s attention and channel his wrath into their weapons and soul. The line “Swallow me whole” signifies a willingness to die for the church and be reborn in Dalaghthanach’s corrupted image. Warriors sometimes tattoo or carve this prayer into their armor.
2. Whisper Beneath the Scales
"Beneath the scales, the truth writhes.
In the shadow of your wings, I find terror and clarity.
Let my mind slip from light and bathe in your madness.
Devour my weakness and leave only bone, venom, and will.
Dalaghthanach, let me whisper what others dare not scream."
This prayer is commonly used in moments of doubt or despair. Followers chant it during times of transformation, secrecy, or subterfuge—particularly when making pacts, accepting mutations, or betraying former allies. It is considered one of the most dangerous prayers to speak aloud, as it often invites hallucinations or temporary possession.
3. The Final Gaze
"When flesh fails and breath flees, I look not to mercy, but to you.
You who waited in the dark, coiled around my fate.
Take my body into your pit, let my bones line your throne.
Raise my soul as ash and fang, to bite the ones who forget.
Dalaghthanach, great coil of endings, let me burn."
This is a funeral prayer—spoken over the bodies of fallen cultists or in moments of personal sacrifice. It is sometimes etched into tombs, weapons, or banners. Church doctrine teaches that those who die while reciting it are instantly absorbed into Dalaghthanach’s court of bone, where they await resurrection as dragons or revenants.
Hymns of the Church of Dalaghthanach
1. "Wyrm Without End"
“There is no tail, there is no head,
The Wyrm devours, the Wyrm is fed.
Through flesh and flame, through time and hate,
The world shall break beneath his weight.
O Dalaghthanach, great and wide,
Coil around us, be our guide.”
This hymn is chanted during church processions, especially on nights with no moons. Its repetitive, looping structure is meant to reflect the eternal spiral of the Wyrm. In large ceremonies, the hymn is sung in a round, with overlapping voices creating a cacophony that mirrors the cult's chaotic theology. Children of the cult are taught this hymn as one of their first rites.
2. "Scales of the Black Sun"
“Scales like void and stars that scream,
A tyrant bound to no man’s dream.
He rose in fire, he struck the sky,
The gods did tremble, the world did die.
We sing the hymn, we mark the pyre,
Our faith is bone, our voice is fire.”
This hymn is often used to inspire cultists before major acts of destruction or war. It invokes Dalaghthanach's rebellion against other gods and his deep connection to cosmic chaos. Some claim that when sung during storms, lightning strikes with unnatural frequency nearby. Cult leaders treat this hymn as both warning and prophecy.
3. "The Hunger That Watches"
“In silence he waits, in silence he sees,
The hunger that watches beneath roots and seas.
He comes not loud, but slow and near,
He smells your doubt, he drinks your fear.
Praise be the dark, the maw, the deep,
He comes for those who dream and sleep.”
A chilling lullaby, this hymn is performed during rites of transformation or when welcoming new initiates. The melody is intentionally unsettling, played with dissonant chords or bone flutes. It is believed that humming this hymn can protect against false gods and visions sent by the Feywild or Celestial realms. The phrase "The Hunger That Watches" is also a title sometimes given to Dalaghthanach himself.
Sermons of the Church of Dalaghthanach
1. "The World is a Lie of Stillness"
"The earth you tread is not solid. The laws you cling to are not truth. There is only motion, only hunger, only the spiral. The gods you serve are temporary dreams. Dalaghthanach devours even time, even fate. Bow now, not in worship, but in awe—for the Wyrm coils not to protect, but to crush. And when he stirs, the world will remember it was never safe."
This sermon is used to disillusion acolytes from traditional faiths. It strikes at the foundation of order and encourages the release of all attachments, even to memory or morality. Priests often pair it with hallucinogenic incense or a demonstration of physical transformation—such as bloodletting, grafting, or serpentine dance.
2. "The Fire Beneath the Roots"
"You look up for gods, but the truth was always below. Beneath your cities, beneath your altars, the fire has waited. A flame that eats stone, that bleeds into roots. Dalaghthanach was chained in the dark, but never still. Every lie told by the Fey, every pact forged by the Celestial, every promise whispered by the Dead—he heard them all. He will rise through your garden and leave behind only ash."
A fiery sermon often preached before unleashing destructive forces or encouraging rebellion. The metaphor of fire beneath roots emphasizes the corrupting, inevitable force of Dalaghthanach's hunger, even in the most sacred or seemingly "good" places.
3. "All Are Coils of the Wyrm"
"You think yourself singular, individual, apart. But your life, your breath, your blood—it is already his. You are born coiled. You are born dreaming of his maw. Every scream is a hymn, every wound a verse. The Wyrm does not need your belief. He already has your body."
This sermon is used during initiations and forced conversions. It teaches that resistance is futile—not because of power, but because Dalaghthanach is already part of the natural order. Cultists believe even those who oppose the Wyrm are, in truth, just playing their role in his devouring spiral.
