D&DGII The Black Forest Mythos: Clash of the Titans, Die Hüne

One of the many features this mythology shares with the Greek, Roman, Norse, and many, many other myths across the world is the idea of the Chaoskampf. This is idea that the gods (representing order) are a younger generation to the Titans or Giants that represent chaos. It is through this battle that order is brought to the universe. It is a deeply held idea and can be found in many mythologies in the world. It even makes it way into various D&D-related products.

I am not here to debate such profound insights. I am here to say how this manifests within my syncretized mythos. 

Die Hüne

Die Hüne are the Titans and the Giants of both myths.  Primordial beings of great power that the gods defeated but still trouble them.  In this myth, the Gods fought Die Hüne and brought order out of chaos. These are not just giants and titans. These creatures are the demons of this mythology.  They are beings of primordial chaos. 

In my mind, they combine giant, elemental, and demon. The Gigantes of Greek myth (not AD&D) were more monstrous creatures.  The jötunn of Norse myth likewise were more demonic. As time passes, these titans and jötunn become more human-looking until we have something like the giants of D&D. 

My goal with Die Hüne is to return to those older, more monstrous giants. Given that this mythology is half-Roman, these people will have been familiar with some of the tales of Goliath, the Anakim, and others from Jewish mythology.  So maybe some of those tales entered into their thinking.

For these monsters I can use my write-ups for the Jötunn and my classifications of Die Hüne from previous posts.

Hüne Vater

Hüne Vater is the father of the current generation of the Gods. He killed his father and was, in turn defeated by his own son. He is the leader of Die Hüne. Before his defeat, he cursed the gods and all humankind with death. In Proto-Indo-European myths, he is the Archdemon.  He sits imprisoned in exile. 

This is a complex figure. He combines aspects of both the Roman Saturn and the Norse Surtr. He is the leader of the Primordial Chaos beings. If anything, he represents the future which is death. Surtr plays an important role in the Norse Ragnarök. Saturn/Chronus is often depicted as an old man with a scythe or sickle, an image that gives us both the anthropomorphized Father Time and Death. This why my Hüne Vater curses gods and mankind alike with old age and death. The gods have their apples to protect them. 

He is a destroyer. He killed his own father (Großvater) and impregnates his mother (Großmutter) to bring about the Hüne and the new generation of gods. He would also have aspects of Satan and Angra Mainyu. He is chaos, fire, and destruction. He wants nothing more than to destroy everything.

HÜNE VATER (Primordial Titan)
Intermediate God

ARMOR CLASS: -7
MOVE: 36"
HIT POINTS: 300
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2d10/2d10 
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Aura of the Inferno
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Blinding Defense
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 75%

SIZE: L (25")
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil
WORSHIPER'S ALIGN: Any Evil
SYMBOL: An open flame
PLANE: Hölle

CLERIC/DRUID: 5th level Druid
FIGHTER: 15th level Fighter (Barbarian)
MAGIC-USER/ILLUSIONIST: Nil
THIEF/ASSASSIN: Nil
MONK/BARD: Nil
WITCH/WARLOCK: Nil
PSIONIC ABILITY: II
S: 25 I: 14 W: 15 D: 18 C: 25 CH: 10

Hüne Vater is the father of the Hüne (Titans) and the first generation of Gods. He is chaos incarnate and is the element of fire. He lives only to destroy everything around him. He was defeated by the gods under the leadership of Unser Vater.  He is imprisoned in Hölle where he is guarded by the gods Hüter (Protector of the Dead) and Helga (The Ghost Queen), and a myriad of monsters. 

It is said that Hüne Vater created the sky and the Earth out of his parents, but this was not an intentional act of creation but one that happened due to his own destructive influences. Later Unser Vater would bring order to the universe.

If free from his prison, he can attack with two massive fists. He is surrounded by an aura of flame that can do 2d8 hp of damage to anyone within 60' of him.  Once every three turns, he can also fly into a berserker-like rage and make two additional attacks. 

Hüne Vater is not worshipped in the traditional sense. Berserkers call on him for their murderous rampage. He can be the patron for Chaotic Evil Warlocks. These warlocks are given access to any fire-based druid spell.

Großvater & Großmutter

Großvater and Großmutter are the names given to the quasi-anthropomorphic manifestation of the Father Sky and Mother Earth of the Die Hüne (the Titans/Jötunn).  Großvater was destroyed by his son Vater Hüne to make the night sky. Großmutter never fully recovered from her attack by Vater Hüne and is now still, but not dead. She ceded most of her power to her daughter Mutter Natur.

Links

• One Man's God Special: Syncretism Part 3, the Roman-Norse Pantheon
• The Monsters
• My overview and rules for these postings
• Dökkálfar and Ljósálfar
• Alp
• Die Hüne
• Jötunar
• The Gods
• Unser Vater, Father of the Gods
• Sisters of the Dawn, Liebhaberin and Ôstara
• The Mother Goddesses Herde Oberin, Mutter Natur, and Großmutter
• The Divine Twins

This is another post for my RPG Blog Carnival Horrors, Gods, and Monsters.