Erlik



ERLIK Yellow God of Death "He, too, had heard the roar of the ten-foot bronze trumpets that blared over the bare black mountains of forbidden Pathenia, in the hands of shaven-headed priests of Erlik."-L. Sprague de Camp (rewriting R. E. Howard), The Flame Knife

Pantheon

 * Hyrkanian and Turanian Pantheon

Regions of Worship

 * Hyrkania
 * Turan

Erlik is popular among all of the Hyrkanian tribes, but the pinnacle of his popularity lies in Turan, where he is worshipped as the main deity. Also, the Living Tarim, his manifestation, resides there.

Divine Relationships

 * Tarim (Erlik's Prophet)
 * Ulgen (ally) - See Hyrkanian and Turanian Pantheon for more information on Ulgen.

Erlik has seven sons and seven daughters and he rules the seventh and final level of the nether world.

Representation
Erlik was supposedly the first man, a creation of Ulgen, but he was not given a soul. He attempted to create a soul for himself but failed, was taken to the heavens and given the mantle of death.

Hyrkanians and Turanians, of course, love the kill, so perhaps it is not surprising that a god of death, fire and war became more popular than a creator god.

Gender representation: male

Symbolism

 * Fire
 * Yellow Hand
 * Bull Head

Spheres of Power

 * Death
 * Necromancy
 * Fire
 * War

Rituals & Beliefs
Erlik is a harsh god, who requires the tempering of the soul through trials and deprivation. His tenets, as revealed by Tarim, forbid fornication, the consumption of alcohol and usury. However, even most of his priests ignore these precepts.

Lotus is considered a holy sacrament to the followers of Erlik and is reserved for those who reach Paradise. The followers of Erlik do not appreciate non-believers using lotus.

Erlik’s most fanatic followers are cannibals with filed teeth.

Erlik respects the noble warriors who wield life and death on the battlefield. Warriors are bound to send spirits of their fallen foes to Erlik in a proper way – that includes many rules, varying among the regions of Hyrkania and Turan.

It is claimed by shamans of Hyrkania that a horrific dog of Hell guards the path to Erlik's realm.

Sacrifices are made to Erlik whenever "evil spirits" strike someone. In addition, Erlik and Ulgen work together. If Ulgen expects a sacrifice and does not receive it, he often sends Erlik to punish the one who did not offer the sacrifice. That man or woman must then make a sacrifice to both gods before his or her life is righted.

The Priesthood
Clerics of Erlik who follow the strict codes of the Revelations of Tarim are said to be able to master terrible necromancy. Rumors have it that among their powers is the ability to sink into the earth and command undead.

Priests of Erlik are explicitly male.

Implementation IC & In-Game
Vanilla Ymir religion as placeholder.

More Information

 * Faith and Fervour (Conan RPG Book)
 * The Road of Kings (Conan RPG Book)
 * The People of the Black Circle (R.E. Howard)