What Once Was A Hero
I said, “You are gods, and all of you are sons of the Most High. Nevertheless you will die like men and fall like any one of the princes.” (Psalm 83:6-7, NASB1995)
What Once Was A Hero
HD/HP: Twice the maximum a player character can have
Armor: Best possible within the system
Move: Double the fastest a player character can move
Hero: This monster has 8 GLOG templates of your choice. It is recommended you limit the templates to those available within your system, but honestly, go crazy. This monster is twice even the greatest player character can be. If the maximum number of attacks a player character can make is 3 in a round, this monster can make 6. Their stats are double or half (depending on the system), as are their modifiers if there are any. You get the idea. They have the best equipment, including weapons and armor, which is often magic in some way.
Destiny
The gods determine the destinies of all people. They inscribe the lives of all the living upon their Tablet of Destinies. Those who would be great are so; those who would be little are so. According to the wisdom of the divine council, so it stands.
When the first waves of churning demons came upon land, to say we were caught "on the back foot" would be generous. We were desert rats fleeing a flash flood, scrambling madly in any direction for safety. The plague had already crippled our manpower; the gods were weary from the labors they had to once again take up. There was nothing to stay the flood which came, save for distance.
While the outer reaches of civilization were washed away in the ever expanding night of the sandstorms, those great cities far from desert and shore formed a plan. The high priests and kings were called upon, along with the diviners, the extispexes, the wise men, the generals and commanders of their thousands. Interpretation of dreams was given, lot was cast, offering was made, both star and liver were read; even the dead were included within this human council in hopes they could offer some insight into the future.
The divine council took notice of the one below and god conferred with god. A message was relayed, guidance was given, and the wise men spoke of what was to come. Mankind was too frail and the gods too weak to stem the tide, but together they could create something ready for the threat. Order would be restored.
The tablet of destinies was handed to the great king Salammu. Search was made for youths in whom was no defect, who were good-looking, showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge, and who had ability for serving in war. These were brought before Salammu; Salammu wrote their destinies for them: Qurudu!
They became unparalleled to all others. They were the greatest humanity had to offer, made greater by the divine blessing of their destinies.
Equipped with the greatest training humanity could muster, they led the charge against the frothing waves which crashed against humanity's home. Like fire from heaven they raced, like an enraged bull they charged, like a serpent they struck. They became gods to their fellow man, inspiring them to take up arms and turn the tides of chaos which threatened all of their existence.
Their destinies were fulfilled. They became Qurudu. They died Qurudu.
It is appointed for all men to die once, even those who became something greater. A stone in a river may part the stream, but eventually it is ground to sand; even a blazing torch is suffocated by the darkness.
Majority of the Qurudu died in combat against the greatest foe humanity had ever known. Their efforts and accomplishments gave humanity a few decades of breathing room against a blanket of night which would have otherwise smothered them in infancy. With their sacrifice the fleeing rats became powerful bulls determined to stem the tides of chaos. That flame has not been put out even in our day despite all that has happened.
But not all of the Qurudu died. Tales from those in the wildlands speak of those whose power is unrivaled. They are like us, but more than us. In hushed tones and whispers around campfires are their legends spread. These individuals they speak of do not belong to any tribe, clan, or kingdom. To even the Wild, they are considered wild. Some legends speak of them being corrupted; others speak of them calling fire from heaven against the night. All legends speak of avoiding them if you can.