| Horobi | |
|---|---|
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| Details | |
| Race | Spirit |
| Birthplace | Kamigawa |
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Horobi (hoh-ROH-bee)[1], Death's Wail, is a kami of death from Kamigawa.
Description[ | ]
Horobi is a terrifying kami, an ethereal spirit associated with death and despair. Twice as tall as a human, Horobi's face is a horned skull, exuding an aura of dread and malevolence. It drapes itself in black robes trimmed with white fur, which float eerily above the ground as it moves. The robes are not ordinary fabric; they seem alive, with faces appearing and disappearing within their folds, each expressing agony and sorrow. Horobi is drawn to pain and suffering, particularly the screams of its victims, which it collects like a symphony of despair. Its approach is heralded by an eerie chorus of wails and groans that precede its appearance. When Horobi claims a victim, it does so in a gruesome manner, leaving behind nothing but bones and writhing masses of worms and maggots.[2]
History[ | ]
Horobi is a powerful kami of death's wail that came into being after the Reito Massacre.[3]
During the Kami War, the nezumi village of Kitanosu began hearing the distant, unsettling sounds of wailing and crying, filling them with fear and uncertainty. The village leaders, unable to find a solution, sought advice from a shaman named Forked-Tongue. She identified the source of the sounds as Horobi, the kami of death's wail, and advised that the village must sacrifice a life to appease the spirit every third night it appeared. As the third night approached, the leaders, desperate and fearful, decided to offer the human mercenary, Sonokura, as a sacrifice. Sonokura had been a lingering presence in the village, a former warrior now fallen into disrepair, scavenging and drinking away his days. He was lured to the village outskirts and bound, his leg tendons cut to ensure he couldn't escape. The villagers left him there to be consumed by the kami.[2]
As Sonokura screamed in pain, Horobi appeared, drawn to his suffering. The kami observed him for a moment before descending upon him, its presence causing his skin to tear and contort. Worms and maggots swarmed over his wounds as the kami slowly devoured him, leaving only a pile of bones and writhing creatures. Sonokura's voice was absorbed into the kami's chorus of wails, and Horobi vanished into the night, leaving the village in a chilling silence. Meanwhile, Forked-Tongue, the shaman who had guided the villagers to make the sacrifice, sat far away in her treasury, surrounded by her wealth. She reveled in her cunning, knowing that as long as the village continued to feed Horobi, the kami would stay away from her and her precious belongings. The villagers' sacrifices kept Horobi at bay, ensuring the shaman's safety and the security of her treasures.[2]
Horobi fought against both sides during New Phyrexia's Invasion of the Multiverse killing both Phyrexians and Kamigawans across the battlefields.[4][5]
Gallery[ | ]
Original art
Story appearances[ | ]
| Title | Author | Publishing date | Set | Setting (plane) | Featuring |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Security | Gwendolyn Kestrel | 2004-09-15 | Champions of Kamigawa | Kamigawa | Forked-Tongue, Fleet-Foot, White-Whisker, Carrion-Breath, Sonokura, Grey-Brow, Horobi |
In-game references[ | ]
- Represented in:
- Quoted or referred to:
References[ | ]
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (September 14, 2004). "A Kamigawa Glossary, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b c Gwendolyn Kestrel, Security (archived).
- ↑ Security
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (Apr 3, 2023). "March of the Machine Learning, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Horobi, Death's Wail (Multiverse Legends)