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Vaprak (pronounced: /ˈvæprækVÆP-ræk[13]) the Destroyer[1][2][3] was a demigod[1][7] or lesser deity[2][3][14] of greed, destruction, frenzy, and violence[7] and the patron deity of ogres[1][2][3][7][14] and trolls[1][7] He was considered one of the interloper gods of giants.[15] Othea, mother of giants, had an affair with him, which led to the birth of the ogre race.[3][14][16]

Description[]

Vaprak's avatar was a hideous humanoid ogre in form,[1][2] He had mottled greenish-brown skin[1][2] and taloned claws.[2]

Personality[]

The Destroyer preferred to rip apart his enemies with his bare claws rather than use any weapons.[1] He never made plans; he simply reacted in a destructive manner and relentless ferocity.[2][3] He was always hungry.[1]

Powers[]

Vaprak was exceptionally strong[1] and had the regenerative abilities of trolls.[1][2][3]

Realm[]

Up until the Spellplague, Vaprak resided within the Abyss,[1][10] in the realm of Shatterstone in the 524th layer.[10] Post-Spellplague, Vaprak resided within Nishrek.[6]

Relationships[]

Vaprak had a reverent fear of the giant pantheon and was afraid of losing followers to them. Thus, he constantly urged his worshipers to frenzied aggression.[2][3]

Worshipers[]

Ogres[1][3][7][15][17] and trolls[1][7][17] worshiped Vaprak, as did a number of hill giants[15][17] and even ettins.[17] Some tanar'ri priests were known to pledge themselves to his service.[18] And some humans in the land of Thay also worshiped Vaprak as part of their evil pantheon, having a temple for him in the city of Bezantur.[19]

Occasionally, a frost giant would turn to the worship of Vaprak in exchange for physical prowess, in a ritual that involved devouring a willing troll sent by Vaprak. This process transformed the few who persevered into an everlasting one, gaining enhanced strength and regenerative qualities as a result, although they attempted to hide such oddities. [20]

His worshipers favored him for his viciousness and destructive power. Vaprak sometimes rewarded his shamans with a violent rage.[1] In other instances, he would send his avatar among them to assist in conquering a weaker clan or to punish ogres who had decided to worship the giant gods instead.[2][3]

Vaprak the Destroyer's symbol was a taloned claw,[1][3][7] and the favored weapon of his clerics was also the claw;[17] however, in the Realms, his followers favored the greatclub instead.[7] The clerics would array themselves in war helmets and plate mail with blood red clothing.[11] They celebrated no holy days but worshiped from dens.[11] The priests stayed in fit physical condition and sometimes engaged in club-bashing rituals.[2] All were required to eat their food greedily and fight often.[2][3] Vaprak never sent omens.[2][3]

History[]

The true origin of Vaprak was in doubt; however, some giant tales claimed that he was the son of a horribly ugly and tall proto-ogress who disguised herself to seduce Annam All-Father, leading to Vaprak's conception. Many scholars at least agreed that Vaprak was descended from Annam in some way,[15] as the temple of Hotun-Shûl included Vaprak in a large frieze depicting Annam's greatest children,[21] but if not directly then through one of his children.[15]

Vaprak later had an affair with Annam's wife Othea, which led to the creation of the ogre race.[3][14][16] (This was before her later affair with the god Ulutiu, which resulted in the creation of the giant-kin.)[16] The trolls believed that Vaprak also bore daughters, who became the mothers of their own race.[8]

The oni, in contrast, believed that both ogres and trolls were only the offspring of ancient human warriors who had been blessed by Vaprak, whereas it was their own race who were the true descendants of Vaprak.[22] Though this was doubted by the human scholars of Kara-Tur,[23] the oni claimed that Vaprak sired three sons by demons from the Abyss, named Anori, Hakuni, and Muaj. He caused his three demonic sons to be reborn as mortals on the Material Plane, one son to each of three violent tribes. His sons, however, failed to lead their tribes in conquering the lands with their armies of ogres and trolls, being driven back by the civilized races. Enraged, Vaprak cursed his sons and exiled them forever from the Abyss, leaving them as mortals until their deaths. The descendants of Anori, Hakuni, and Muaj became the oni or ogre mages.[22]

Shining South - Kaldair and Vaprak - Vince Locke - p149

Brandobaris running from Vaprak.

Vaprak also comes into the tales of halflings regarding the founding of Luiren. Long before the fall of Myth Drannor, the Lluirwood covered the lands that would later be Luiren. These forests were inhabited by Vaprak's ogres. The god Brandobaris appeared and challenged Vaprak first to catch him. Vaprak could never catch the nimble hin after chasing him endlessly for ten days and ten nights.[24]

Next, Brandobaris challenged the ogre god to a contest of strength. Since Vaprak trusted in his own prowess, he accepted the challenge before hearing it fully. The test was to determine which god could remove a tree from the ground without damaging it. Vaprak ripped many trees from the ground but tore apart the roots of the trees in doing so. Brandobaris, on the other hand, carefully removed a tiny sapling without any harm to its single taproot. Vaprak was furious, but he had no choice but to admit defeat. He moved his ogres to the Toadsquat Mountains and left the Lluirwood to the halflings evermore.[24]

Following the Spellplague, Vaprak became an exarch of Gruumsh and made his home within that deity's plane of Nishrek.[6]

Appendix[]

See Also[]

References[]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 James Ward, Robert J. Kuntz (August 1980). Deities & Demigods. Edited by Lawrence Schick. (TSR, Inc.), p. 96. ISBN 0-935696-22-9.
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 Carl Sargent (May 1992). Monster Mythology. (TSR, Inc), p. 82. ISBN 1-5607-6362-0.
  3. 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 Ray Winninger (September 1995). Giantcraft. Edited by Karen S. Boomgarden. (TSR, Inc.), p. 57. ISBN 0-7869-0163-2.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Rob Heinsoo, et al. (April 2010). The Plane Above. Edited by Cal Moore, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 154–155. ISBN 978-07869-5392-9.
  5. Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (May 29, 2018). Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 243. ISBN 978-0786966240.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 81. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. Edited by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 221. ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.
  8. 8.0 8.1 Paul Leach (November 2002). “Malignant Growth: The Ecology of the Troll”. In Jesse Decker ed. Dragon #301 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), p. 66.
  9. Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 160–161. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 176. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 James Ward, Robert J. Kuntz (August 1980). Deities & Demigods. Edited by Lawrence Schick. (TSR, Inc.), p. 125. ISBN 0-935696-22-9.
  12. James Ward and Robert Kuntz (November 1984). Legends & Lore. (TSR, Inc), p. 125. ISBN 978-0880380508.
  13. Frank Mentzer (January 1985). “Ay pronunseeAYshun gyd”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #93 (TSR, Inc.), p. 30.
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Ray Winninger (September 1995). Giantcraft. Edited by Karen S. Boomgarden. (TSR, Inc.), p. 16. ISBN 0-7869-0163-2.
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 Carl Sargent (May 1992). Monster Mythology. (TSR, Inc), p. 74. ISBN 1-5607-6362-0.
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 Ray Winninger (September 1995). Giantcraft. Edited by Karen S. Boomgarden. (TSR, Inc.), p. 9. ISBN 0-7869-0163-2.
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 Paul Leach (November 2002). “Malignant Growth: The Ecology of the Troll”. In Jesse Decker ed. Dragon #301 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), p. 64.
  18. Colin McComb (July 1996). “The Chant of the War”. In Ray Vallese ed. Hellbound: The Blood War (TSR, Inc.), p. 51. ISBN 0-7869-0407-0.
  19. Anthony Pryor (June 1995). “Campaign Guide”. In Michele Carter, Doug Stewart eds. Spellbound (TSR, Inc.), pp. 16, 25. ISBN 978-0786901395.
  20. Mike Mearls, et al. (November 2016). Volo's Guide to Monsters. Edited by Jeremy Crawford, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 147. ISBN 978-0786966011.
  21. Travis Woodall (2017). Forgotten Traditions (DDAL5-11) (PDF). Edited by Claire Hoffman, Travis Woodall. D&D Adventurers League: Storm King's Thunder (Wizards of the Coast), p. 14.
  22. 22.0 22.1 Tim Hitchcock (November 2006). “The Ecology of the Ogre Mage”. In Erik Mona ed. Dragon #349 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), pp. 68–72.
  23. Rick Swan (July 1990). Monstrous Compendium Kara-Tur Appendix. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-88038-851-X.
  24. 24.0 24.1 Thomas Reid (October 2004). Shining South. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 149. ISBN 0-7869-3492-1.

Connections[]

Miscellaneous Monster Deities

Deities of the Post–Second Sundering Era
Ao the Overgod
Faerûnian Pantheon
Akadi | Amaunator | Asmodeus | Auril | Azuth | Bane | Beshaba | Bhaal | Chauntea | Cyric | Deneir | Eldath | Gond | Grumbar | Gwaeron | Helm | Hoar | Ilmater | Istishia | Jergal | Kelemvor | Kossuth | Lathander | Leira | Lliira | Loviatar | Malar | Mask | Mielikki | Milil | Myrkul | Mystra | Oghma | Red Knight | Savras | Selûne | Shar | Silvanus | Sune | Talona | Talos | Tempus | Torm | Tymora | Tyr | Umberlee | Valkur | Waukeen
The Morndinsamman
Abbathor | Berronar Truesilver | Clangeddin Silverbeard | Deep Duerra | Dugmaren Brightmantle | Dumathoin | Gorm Gulthyn | Haela Brightaxe | Laduguer | Marthammor Duin | Moradin | Sharindlar | Vergadain
The Seldarine
Aerdrie Faenya | Angharradh | Corellon | Deep Sashelas | Erevan | Fenmarel Mestarine | Hanali Celanil | Labelas Enoreth | Rillifane Rallathil | Sehanine Moonbow | Shevarash | Solonor Thelandira
The Dark Seldarine
Eilistraee | Kiaransalee | Lolth | Selvetarm | Vhaeraun
Yondalla's Children
Arvoreen | Brandobaris | Cyrrollalee | Sheela Peryroyl | Urogalan | Yondalla
Lords of the Golden Hills
Baervan Wildwanderer | Baravar Cloakshadow | Callarduran Smoothhands | Flandal Steelskin | Gaerdal Ironhand | Garl Glittergold | Nebelun | Segojan Earthcaller | Urdlen
Orc Pantheon
Bahgtru | Gruumsh | Ilneval | Luthic | Shargaas | Yurtrus
Mulhorandi pantheon
Anhur | Bast | Geb | Hathor | Horus | Isis | Nephthys | Osiris | Re | Sebek | Set | Thoth
Other gods of Faerûn
Bahamut | Enlil | Finder Wyvernspur | Ghaunadaur | Gilgeam | Lurue | Moander | Nobanion | Raven Queen | Tiamat



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