One of the more isolated goblinkin deities, Kuraulyek the Horned Thief is an exile from the kobold pantheon. He is a petty and paranoid god, who created the urd race as a rival to Kurtulmak’s kobolds, but they have not the power or the courage to truly challenge them. This was another interesting deity to work on, considering how little-used urds are. Hopefully I’ve come up with some ideas that make them more interesting to use!
Kuraulyek (PDF Version)
(The Cowardly, the Winged Kobold, Horned Thief, the Master of Bats)
Demipower of the Gray Waste, NE
Portfolio: Urds, flight, air, bats, defense, cowardice, covetousness
Aliases: None
Domain Name: Oinos/Urdsrest
Superior: None
Allies: None
Foes: Dakarnok , Krocaa, Kurtulmak, Raxivort, Remnis, Syranita
Symbol: Pair of feathered wings
Wor. Align.: LN, N, CN, LE, NE, CE
Kuraulyek (kur-ALL-yek) the Winged Kobold is the creator and patron of the urd race. Like he himself, they were once kobolds, but were changed by the Horned Thief to better reflect his new form after fleeing from Kurtulmak. In his dark cave hidden in the Gray Waste, Kuraulyek learned to control the enormous bats he found upon his arrival, and thus became the Master of Bats. He has always been a greedy and cowardly being, and his cowardice has only increased as the millennia pass.
Kuralyek stays hidden in his home, Urdsnest, and maintains little contact with other powers. There is no one he can call ally, but those who call him foe are long, due mostly to his connection to the kobold pantheon. However, few actually seek him out, seeing the cowardly god as little more than a nuisance. The Horned Thief fears the wrath of Kurtulmak, and constantly expects an invasion by Steelscales and his subordinate Dakarnok. His relationship with Gaknulak is more complex. While not friends or allies, they do not hold animosity towards each other, and both allow their priests to work together if necessary. Outside of the kobold pantheon, Kuraulyek has earned the enmity of some of the avian gods, namely Syranita, Krocaa, and Remnis, for his corruption of Syranita’s magical wings and the depredations of the urdish race. Finally, the Horned Thief hates, and fears, the xvart god Raxivort for his claim over the dominion of bats. Neither power has met the other, and there is some debate as to whether Raxivort is even aware of the existence of the Winged Kobold.
The tales told by urds, and his remaining kobold worshippers, of Kuraulyek are few, generally involving thievery and trickery. They do not portray him as powerful or courageous; instead, they portray him using cunning and stealth to outwit or escape from more physically powerful but less intelligent opponents. The favorite, of course, is the tale of the theft of Syranita’s magical wings from Kurtulmak. Steelscales, portrayed as a brutal and uncaring master, constantly ignored the Horned Thief’s cunning plans and advice, putting him in excessive danger with his own poorly devised and improbably plans. In particular, Kuraulyek advocated the use of a Syranita’s very own wings, a treasure Steelscales had won from the aarakocra goddess in combat long before. Kurtulmak always refused, citing the value of the wings and claiming they were too powerful to use on any minor plot; however, the Horned Thief saw through this façade and knew his master was simply afraid of the great heights, wide open spaces, and great speed the wings would grant him. Kuraulyek plotted and planned, and through a devious trick (often involving drugged beer or ale), the god distracted Kurtulmak, used the wings himself, and flew from Steelscales’ realm to found his own amongst the other winged creatures. The tales sometimes dovetail with the urd creation myth, as having found bats such admirable creatures, and needing to create a people of his own to eventually overtake Kurtulmak’s own followers, he transformed kobold tribes that faithfully followed him by granting them bat-like wings. Some stories say that he plucked feathers from his wings, and upon grafting them to the backs of his kobold followers, they became urds. Some urd gens also claim blood relations to Kuraulyek for their chiefs, granting them the title of “Son of the Master of Bats” to legitimize their power; they are often quick to claim that other gens can have no such divine blood in their veins.
Kuraulyek will not send his single avatar to the Prime Material plane unless a large population of his followers is in dire peril. As he is particularly cowardly, he prefers to avoid direct confrontations whenever possible, even against mortal threats; most often when danger presents itself to his race, he will send one of his enormous mobats or another servant to their aid.
Kuraulyek’s Avatar (Thief 24, Cleric 18, Mage 10)
Kuraulyek appears as an urd with blue skin and large, feathered wings sprouting from his back. He rarely wears more than a simple loincloth, counting on his thick hide and agility to keep him safe. He still retains a slightly koboldish snout, a relic of his past, and his horns are larger than is typical for urds. He can only cast wizard spells from the elemental air, illusion/phantasm, and reversed necromantic schools, and while he can use priest spells from any sphere usable by his priests, he prefers the spheres of elemental air and reversed necromantic.
AC 2; MV 9, Fl 24 (MC: A); HP 106; THAC0 9; #AT 1
Dmg 1d4 + 2 (dagger +2)
MR 10%; SZ S (4 feet tall)
Str 11, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 13, Cha 17
Spells P: 9/8/8/8/6/4/2, W: 4/4/3/2/2
Saves PPDM 4; RSW 4; PP 7; BW 10; Sp 5
Special Att/Def: Kuraulyek wields a dagger +2 known as Batfang. This ordinary-seeming blade functions in a similar manner to vampiric rings of regeneration, bestowing half of all damage inflicted by the blade the wielder, even in excess of his maximum. Excess hit points are lost after 1 hour.
The Horned Thief always rides one of his enormous mobats (see Other Manifestations, below) into combat, although he can fly himself. He can pluck 1d4 feathers from his great blue wings once per day; these feathers, when tossed them into the air, transform into 8HD air elementals with 64 hit points each.
Kuraulyek can only be hit by weapons of +1 or better enchantment, and is permanently affected as if wearing a ring of free action courtesy of his wings. Once per day, he can cast haste and dimension door on himself and the mobat he is riding.
Other Manifestations
Kuraulyek prefers direct communication via dreams with his priests over omens, although he does not avoid them when he believes the situation warrants it. Typically he appears in a priest’s dreams to warn of impending danger or point out an obvious flaw in the tribe’s physical or magical defenses, as well as alerting the priests to the location of urds who have fallen under the sway of Kurtulmak’s worship. He also occasionally dictates rites and ceremonies priests should perform, but he is not a stickler for uniformity of ceremony, so long as the faith shown is genuine. His omens typically take the form of bat-like shadows that cross the path of a priest and lead them to safety or a location of interest. The screech of a mobat may also alert an inattentive follower to nearby danger. The Horned Thief most commonly manifest by sending one of his giant mobats (see below) to assist a priest in danger. If the danger is not quite so sever, but still present, he may affect a priest with an aid spell or manifest a pair of dust devils to assist in the combat.
Kuraulyek is served primarily by bats of all sorts (mobats in particular, as well as normal and large bats). In addition, he is served by air elementals, air fundamentals, air grues (ildriss), air vermin (dusters), galltrits, gremlins, mites, incarnates of covetousness, spirits of the air, and varrangoin. He demonstrates his favor through the discovery of blue bird feathers floating on the wind, as well as blue gems and stones of all sorts, particularly aquamarines, azurite, blue diamonds, lapis lazuli, sapphires, sodalite, and turquoise. The Horned Thief expresses his disfavor through the disappearance, destruction, or theft of such objects, or the discovery of such objects that turn out to be fakes or otherwise worthless.
Kuraulyek’s Mobats: AC 2; MV 3, Fl 36 (A); HD 8; hp 64; THAC0 13; #AT 1; Dmg 4d4; SA surprise, 30-foot radius screech; MR 10%; SZ H (20′ wingspan); ML Elite (13-14); Int Low (5-7); AL NE; XP 1,400.
Notes: These mobats are typically enchanted by Kuraulyek with minor magical effects such as cause fear, chill touch, mirror image, or similar low level wizard or priest spells. All other abilities are as standard mobats, except their screech has a 30-foot radius rather than 20 feet.
The Church
Clergy: Clerics, specialty priests, shamans
Clergy’s Align.: LE, NE
Turn Undead: C: No, SP: No, Sha: No
Cmnd. Undead: C: Yes, SP: No, Sha: No
All clerics (including multiclassed cleric/thieves), specialty priests, and shamans of Kuraulyek receive religion (kobold) as a bonus nonweapon proficiency.
Unlike many other goblinoid priesthoods, Kuraulyek’s clergy are almost completely uninvolved with the ruling of their tribes. They are primarily concerned with sacred rites and other religious activities, generally limiting their secular activities to magical protection and defense. The urd priesthood of the Winged Kobold also works against those urds who venerate Kurtulmak; their main goal is to stop such misplaced devotions, either by conversion or death. Otherwise, the clergy avoids contact with most other members of the kobold pantheon; in particular, the followers of Dakarnok delight in slaughtering members of the Horned Thief’s clergy. The only priesthood they have no antipathy towards is that of Gaknulak; even then, it is rare for them to coexist in the same tribe.
Priests of Kuraulyek maintain naturalistic temples in cave mouths, located in high hills and mountains. Caves that are inaccessible except through flight and underground networks are strongly preferred, and are considered especially blessed if they are the roosts of a colony of mobats. Little construction is done in these cave mouths, although the floors will be smoothed to allow the community to gather for services. The altar, generally a low stone slab, is usually located in a niche carved into one of the side walls. This niche is decorated with blue feathers, paint, and cloth. Within the cave itself, the priests build elaborate roosts for the large bats and mobats they train, using stolen items of gold or silver and blue gems to decorate them whenever possible.
Novices in the service of Kuraulyek are known as Featherlights, while full priests are known as Wingbrothers. The priesthood is not organized enough to have a genuine hierarchy; seniority is usually based purely on age. The chief priest in a community is typically known as the Master of Winds, but it is rare for any junior priests to have titles of their own. Specialty priests are known as batlords. The vast majority of the Horned Thief’s priests are urds (91%); very few kobolds follow Kuraulyek (7%). A small number of werebats make up the remainder (2%), having foresworn other deities in favor of the Master of Bats. Females are rarely called to service and make up a fairly small portion of the priesthood (8%). The majority of Kuraulyek’s priests are shamans (58%) and specialty priests (27%); the remainder are clerics (9%) and cleric/thieves (6%).
Dogma: As a merging of bats and kobolds, urds are the ultimate form of kobold. Praise Kuraulyek for this gift, and never let urds betray that gift by venerating the oppressive Kurtulmak. In the air, enemies can be slain with impunity and they cannot strike back; use this well. Attack in great numbers; there is no shame in numerical superiority. Never engage in a battle you cannot win. Seek to acquire magic to help defend your gen through any means necessary. Observe the bats, for they are the chosen messengers of the Horned Thief.
Day-to-Day Activities: The primary duty of Kuraulyek’s clergy is the defense and protection of their gens. Their main activities in this endeavor are the training of large bats and mobats, as well as the setting of magical wards and protection spells. They also perform regular blessings and ceremonies for their communities, in order to re-assure them of the Winged Kobold’s favor. They also are constantly listening for word of urds who follow Kurtulmak, and extol the virtue of converting them, or if that fails, slaughtering them.
Important Ceremonies/Holy Days: Most communities that worship Kuraulyek have their own set of holy days that are based on local myths and traditions. However, the one universal holy day all followers celebrate is the Greed’s Feast. During this ceremony, all members of the gen are expected to sacrifice valuables and significant amounts of food in order to satiate Kuraulyek’s greed and bribe him into extending extra protection to the community. This ceremony is often proceeded by a few days of large hunts and raids in order to procure items for the ceremony, although not every gen follows this path.
Major Centers of Worship: There are no known sites sacred to the Master of Bats. In addition, each gen has their own temple, and each temple serves just that gen.
Affiliated Orders: In the largest gens, urds and kobolds may form a small order of mobat-riding specialty priests and cleric/thieves. These elite priests function as swift-strike raiders when they accompany a full raiding party. All members of this order, called the Swiftwings of the Horned Thief, must have the Riding, Airborne (mobat) proficiency, and a personal mobat trained since birth. These mobats are 10% larger than normal mobats and have +1 hit point per hit die. Despite being the knightly equivalent in urd gens, they are almost as cowardly as the rest of their race, with a Morale of 8-9 (kobolds who form such an order are braver, having a Morale of 11). They will always be armed primarily with light spears, as listed below in Adventuring Garb.
Priestly Vestments: Kuraulyek’s priests wear voluminous blue robes when performing their ceremonial functions. They usually decorate these robes with blue feathers, bird bones, and if possible, blue gems in gold or silver settings. The clergy’s holy symbol is a pair of natural or dyed blue feathers tied together signifying spread wings.
Adventuring Garb: Priests of the Winged Kobold are generally indistinguishable from others of their race, wearing whatever is typical for their gen or tribe, with the addition of their holy symbol. Urds often use light spears (treat as stone spears per Player’s Option: Combat & Tactics, but they are 4 feet long and have metal heads); however, their preferred weapon is called a rock bomb. These jagged stones, often shaped to increase the sharp outcrops, are dropped from the air on unsuspecting foes, who are treated as AC 10 for such attacks. Those who are actively dodging are treated as AC 2 before dexterity adjustments. These rocks weigh about 2 pounds each, and deal 2d4 points of damage on a successful strike. Kuraulyek’s clergy are especially covetous of magical items, and go out of their way to acquire them, even from other members of their gen.
Specialty Priests (Batlords)
Requirements: Dexterity 9, Wisdom 9
Prime Req.: Wisdom
Alignment: LE, NE
Weapons: Club, dagger, dart, javelin, light spear, rock bomb
Armor: Any up to leather, no shields
Major Spheres: All, animal, charm, elemental air, guardian, sun (reversed only), weather
Minor Spheres: Combat, divination, healing, necromantic (reversed only)
Magical Items: Same as clerics
Req. Profs: Animal training (large bat or mobat)
Bonus Profs: Hiding (PHBR10)
- Batlords may be urds, kobolds, or werebats, although most batlords are urds.
- Batlords are not allowed to multiclass.
- Each day that passes, there is a cumulative 1% chance that a batlord will suffer from the spirit of avarice spell (as the 4th-level priest spell) as if cast upon them by an 18th-level priest. Once they have been affected, the percentage resets to zero and begins to accumulate again.
- Batlords may speak with bats (as the 1st-level priest spell) at will, once per day for every level they possess.
- At 2nd level, batlords can cast charm bats or magical stone (as the 1st-level priest spells) once per day.
- At 4th level, batlords can cast bat senses or thief’s lament (as the 3rd-level priest spells) once per day.
- At 5th level, batlords can summon 1d4 air fundamentals once per week. These fundamentals obey the batlord’s commands to the letter, even battling to the death.
- At 8th level, batlords can cast bat form or spirit of avarice (as the 4th-level priest spells) once per week.
- At 8th level, batlords can emit an ear-shattering screech once per day. This screech duplicates the effects of the 4th-level wizard spell shout in all respects.
- At 12th level, batlords can cast Kuraulyek’s greed (as the 5th-level priest spell) once per month.
Kuraulyekite Spells
1st Level
Charm Bats (Pr 1; Enchantment/Charm)
Sphere: Animal
Range: 0
Components: V, S
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 4
Area of Effect: 30-ft. radius, 1 or 3–6 bats
Saving Throw: Neg.
This spell affects normal and giant-sized bats. Only non-monstrous bats of animal through low intelligence can be affected (1-7). Up to 1d4+2 large or normal bats, or one huge (mobat) can be affected, and the time between saving throw checks is one month for mobats or three months for large or normal bats. If the bats are under another magical influence or willing followers of a character such as a ranger or druid, the caster’s influence can be contested. Both the caster and the original master roll Reaction checks, applying normal modifiers based on Charisma scores. The individual with the lower modified roll wins the contest. The caster gains a special -2 bonus to this check in addition to any other modifiers that may apply.
If the original master fails, each bat must successfully make a saving throw vs. spell or be charmed. If there are more animals than the caster can affect, charm bats affects the lowest Hit Dice animals first. Any creature that has suffered damage from any action of the caster during the same encounter is immune to the effects of this spell.
Charmed bats regard the caster as a trusted ally. They do not gain any ability to understand his speech, but they instinctively protect him from hostile creatures or foes, and may follow more complex orders or suggestions if the caster finds a way to make his wishes known. Self-destructive orders are ignored. If the caster harms or attempts to harm an affected creature, the spell is negated.
Speak with Bats (Pr 1; Alteration)
Sphere: Animal, Divination
Range: 0
Components: V, S
Duration: 2 rds./level
Casting Time: 4
Area of Effect: 1 bat within 30 ft.
Saving Throw: None
This spell empowers the priest to comprehend and communicate with any normal or giant bat that is not mindless. The priest is able to ask questions of and receive answers from the creature, although friendliness and cooperation are by no means assured. Furthermore, terseness and evasiveness are likely in basically wary and cunning bats, while the more stupid ones will make inane comments. If the animal is friendly or of the same general alignment as the priest, it may do some favor or service for the priest (as determined by the DM).
3rd Level
Bat Senses (Pr 3; Alteration)
Sphere: Animal
Range: 0
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 hr./level
Casting Time: 6
Area of Effect: The caster
Saving Throw: None
By means of this spell, a priest gains a bat’s ability to navigate using ultrasonic sounds. In effect, a priest can determine where objects and creatures are without using sight. The sense is precise enough to negate any attack or Armor Class penalties from blindness or darkness, and a priest can easily differentiate between species of creature based on height and shape, although specifically visual aspects, such as hair or clothing color cannot be distinguished. Using this ability does not prevent the use of any other senses, and can easily pierce sight-only illusions.
While affected by this spell, a priest is especially vulnerable to sonic and auditory attacks, suffering a -2 penalty to such saving throws. In addition, any especially loud attacks, such as the shout spell or a dragonne’s roar, stun the priest for 2d4 rounds if the saving throw against the attack is failed. Any spell or attack that mutes or silences the caster effectively blinds him, at least with respect to this spell. Finally, if a priest chooses to speak or cast a spell with a vocal component, they are effectively blind for the round in which they do so.
4th Level
Bat Form (Pr 4; Alteration)
Sphere: Animal
Range: 0
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 turn/level
Casting Time: 7
Area of Effect: The caster
Saving Throw: None
When this spell is cast, the priest is able to assume the form of any bat or bat-like creature, as adjudicated by the DM, from as small as a bumblebee bat (about one inch long) to as large as a mobat (16-foot wingspan). Other commonly assumed forms include that of a large bat, azmyth, night hunter, fire bat, or werebat. Furthermore, the priest gains the assumed form’s physical mode of locomotion and breathing. No System Shock roll is required. The spell does not give the new form’s other abilities (attack, magic, special movement. etc.), nor does it run the risk of the priest changing personality and mentality.
When the new form is assumed, the caster’s equipment, if any, melds into the new form (in particularly challenging campaigns, the DM may allow protective devices, such as a ring of protection, to continue operating effectively). The caster retains all mental abilities, including spell use, assuming the new form allows completion of the proper verbal and somatic components and the material components are available. A caster not used to a new form might be penalized at the DM’s option (for example, a -2 penalty to attack rolls) until he or she practices sufficiently to master it.
Thus, a priest changed into an azmyth could fly, but his magic resistance would be unaffected and he could not use telepathy, know alignment, invisibility or other magical powers; a change to a werebat hybrid form would provide natural attacks of 1d4 points of damage for each claw and 2d4 points of damage for a bite, but the priest would have no immunity to normal weapons and cannot transmit lycanthropy.
Naturally, the strength of the new form is sufficient to enable movement. The priest retains his or her own hit points, attack rolls, and saving throws. Only one form can be assumed by means of this spell, although the priest can revert to his or her normal form at any time, immediately ending the spell. A priest voluntarily returning to original form and ending the spell regains 1d12 hit points. The priest also returns to the original form when slain or when the effect is dispelled, but no hit points are restored in these cases.
The material component is the priest’s holy symbol.
Spirit of Avarice (Pr 4; Enchantment/Charm)
Sphere: Thought, Charm
Range: 10 yds.
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 turn/level
Casting Time: 7
Area of Effect: 1 creature
Saving Throw: Neg.
When cast, the spirit of avarice spell causes any creature of Low intelligence or higher to desire all objects of high apparent value they can see that are not already in their possession. What any particular creature finds valuable is usually based primarily on its circumstances and mentality; for example, a hungry humanoid would consider food far more valuable than a pile of gold coins. Of course, once sated, it most likely will change its mind and consider the gold more valuable than remaining food. Creatures will take whatever actions are necessary to acquire the items they desire, usually starting with demanding the objects; if this fails, they will likely resort to violence or theft. Known magical items will usually be considered more valuable and desirable, even if the victim of this spell cannot use them, over regular items, although individual creatures’ natures will vary.
When this spell is cast on an individual, they are allowed a saving throw vs. spell to avoid the effects. Each round thereafter, they must make a Wisdom check at a cumulative -1 penalty or begin to desire any visible items of apparent value, as described above. As soon as the spirit of avarice takes hold, the affected individual begins plotting the best way to get the items; unless surprise or stealth are truly viable options, they are likely to start by demanding the items. If they are rebuffed for more than three rounds, the victim must make another Wisdom check or resort to violence. If the check is failed, the immediately begin attacking until they gain possession of the item they covet; this can be with the death of the owner, or when they hand over or drop the item. As soon as the victim of the spirit of avarice possesses the item of their desire, they give it little more thought, and often treat it carelessly, although they will defend their possession to the death. At this point, they focus on another visible item and the process begins anew.
The material component of this spell is the corpse of a packrat, ferret, or small nesting bird.
7th Level
Kuraulyek’s Greed (Pr 5; Alteration)
Sphere: Numbers
Range: 30 yds.
Components: S, M
Duration: Instantaneous
Casting Time: 2 rds.
Area of Effect: 1 worn object
Saving Throw: Neg.
With this spell, the caster is able to steal an item worn by another creature using a special form of teleport. When a priest casts this spell, they must concentrate for two full rounds upon the item, letting their own greed and desire for the item seethe inside. At the end of this period, the item must make a saving throw, using their owner’s save vs. spell; if this save succeeds, the teleport fails and the owner feels a tug on the object. However, if the item fails the saving throw, it is silently teleported into the priest’s hands, unnoticed by the owner. The priest must have an unobstructed view of the item he wishes to steal, and the spell fails utterly if an attempt is made to steal an item held in another creature’s hands or an unattended item (such as on a table or in an open chest). There is a small chance that Kuraulyek himself will take notice of the use of this spell, and dispatch his avatar to demand the item as a sacrifice. The chance of this is 1% per 1000 experience value of the object stolen.
The material component of this spell is the priest’s holy symbol and a sapphire worth a minimum of 100gp.