Travis Mayes @TLMayesing
Replying to @TheEdVerse
Thank you very much for your time and information sir. As a follow up, and you tell me anything about the followers of Myrkul and how they operate?— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 4, 2020
1)
The Gray Ones (or disparagingly, “the Fingerbones”) are back, like the deity they serve, though so far they are as rare as they were before Myrkul was first supplanted as Lord of Death: black-robed priests who bear scythes 2)
…and wear skull half-masks or helms (their robes are always cowled and ankle-length, tied at the waist with a white sash or cord, and in public they often wear full armor beneath them—whereas in temples, they may bare their…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 4, 2020
3)
…faces and go barefoot).
Although they spread fear of death, they are dedicated to the care of the dying and deceased. They tend folk on deathbeds to make them as comfortable as possible, will communicate their wishes to 4)
…others, and (in return for a “skull fee”) act as an agent for a dead person after death, carrying out provisions of a will and doing deeds the deceased couldn’t complete in life (even when these involve adventuring, long…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 4, 2020
5)
…journeys, expense or danger).
They travel the Realms to do this, offering burial and funeral services (for modest fees) to the bereaved of the recently-deceased. When assisting the dying, they nurse them, putting comfort and…#Realmslore 6)
…freedom from pain first, and treatment to prevent death a close second, but reassuring the dying and their loved ones that death is a natural inevitable, and desirable transition from life to the arms of the gods, and other…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 4, 2020
7)
…existence, beyond.
Myrkulyte priests preside over funerals, serve as undertakers (preparing bodies for burial), and tend all-faith cemeteries across the Realms (as burial-ground caretakers). They hunt down and take vengeance… 8)
…on anyone who vandalizes a cemetery, so such descecrations are very rare.
As before, the Lord of Bones charges his clergy to spread two views of themselves among other mortals: that they are holy servants of utter patience and…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 4, 2020
9)
…trustworthiness, and that touching a priest of Myrkul will bring certain death. (This isn’t literally true, but there are a handful of Doombringers once more, whose actions spread real fear; they are champions of Myrkul who… 10)
…travel the Realms slaying those who mock Myrkul or do violence to Myrkul’s priests.)
Priests of Myrkul are experts about matters of undeath, and often animate skeletons as bearers, aides, and temple guardians. They have…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 4, 2020
11)
…very few temples, as before, and most of these are reoccupied former temples: crematoriums or mausoleums above dungeon-like subterranean catacombs (burial tunnels and chambers) that are generously supplied with stone 12)
…statues (of dead and decaying humans), gargoyles, and roaming undead.
Kelemvor remains the Lord of the Dead; Myrkul is the Lord of Death, and Undeath, and his priests concern themselves with dying, death, and undeath.#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 4, 2020