Major Deities of Faerun

[ancientempathy]

Azuth

The High One, Patron of Mages, Lord of Spells

Lesser Deity
Symbol: Human left hand pointing upward outlined in blue fire
Home Plane: Dweomerheart
Alignment: Lawful neutral
Portfolio: Wizards, mages, spellcasters in general, monks (Shining Hand)
Worshipers: Philosophers, sages, sorcerers, wizards
Cleric Alignments: LE, LG, LN
Domains: Illusion, Knowledge, Magic, Law, Spell
Favored Weapon: “The Old Staff” (quarterstaff)

Azuth (ah-zooth) concerns himself with the advancement and preservation of the magical arts. Worshiped by all manner of spellcasters (and wizards in particular), the crafty deity has long acted as an advisor to the sitting deity of raw magic; he and Mystra share an amicable relationship akin to that of a tutor and his favored student. Other deities find him crotchety, not understanding his dry wit or ceaseless dedication to collecting magical knowledge. Azuth most often appears as a white-bearded man wearing elaborate, antique clothing and wielding the powerful, gem-topped Old Staff.

Among the most blessed of Azuth’s terrestrial servants are the Favored, thought to be a cadre of slain human wizards resurrected by the Lord of Spells himself but which are in fact magical constructs of his subconscious mind. The Favored further the development and channeling of the Weave through written formulas, a process Azuthans view as the apogee of human scientific achievement. Possessing uncanny abilities such as telekinesis and flight, these paragons of magical power deliver important messages to the flock and herald new developments in the magical sciences. Azuth has struggled desperately since the Time of Troubles to reconcile the old Mystra with the new, and with the resulting difference in the Weave that blankets Toril. Though the deity does not know it, the Favored--mental manifestations of this struggle--are tearing his church apart and may cost the Lord of Spells, and his worship, significantly.

Despite the ecclesiastical turmoil within, many outsiders view Azuth’s religion as tradition-bound. To them, it adapts to the times at a glacial pace, concerning itself overmuch with abstract arcane debates while remaining blind to the problems that beset the land. Since so many of Azuth’s followers take a neutral stance on matters of morality, the church often comes under criticism by the more proactive cults of Mystra.

Clerics of Azuth pray for their spells at dusk. Whenever a mage ascends to the rank of Magister, Azuth’s church celebrates a holiday. His clerics recognize few other holidays of note, though liturgical readings at mealtimes play an important role in honoring the Lord of Spells. Texts composed by famous wizards make up the bulk of the church’s canon. Clerics of Azuth commonly multiclass as arcane devotees or wizards.

History/Relationships:

As a mortal, Azuth coveted power, researching the arcane lore of a dozen fallen empires in an effort to further his magical study. His dedication eventually led to his being installed as the first Magister, a position created specifically by Mystra to recognize her most promising mortal pupil. Azuth then sough to carve a piece of the deity Savras’s divinity and bind it to himself--an experiment that ultimately failed. This led to a series of battles with Savras, ending with that deity’s imprisonment in a staff. With the help of Mystra, who had become his lower, Azuth finally ascended to divine status. Savras (now freed from his imprisonment) grudgingly serves Azuth, as does the generally untrustworthy Velsharoon.

Dogma:

Reason is the best way to approach magic, and magic can be examined and reduced to its component parts through study and meditation. Maintain calm and use caution in your spell casting and magic use to avoid making mistakes that even magic cannot undo. Use the Art wisely, and always be mindful of when it is best not to use magic. Teach the wielding of magic and dispense learning throughout Faerun that the use and knowledge of magic may spread. Live and teach the idea that with magical power comes grave responsibility. Learn every new spell you discover and make a copy for the temple library. Do not hoard your knowledge, and encourage creativity in magic in all ways and at all times.

Clergy and Temples:

Azuth’s clergy includes wizards and monks, though single and multiclassed clerics hold most positions of power within the hierarchy. These individuals, known collectively as the magistrati, facilitate communications between arcane spellcasters. Magistrati tend to dress in elaborate and impractical dull-colored clothing accented by absurdly high collars, large gats, and stoles bearing arcane symbols.

Azuthan centers of worship are common in civilized nations, particularly in cities with powerful arcane guilds. There, magistrati enforce the Magebond, an informal agreement taught to nearly all wizards since the era of Azuth’s reign as the first Magister. The Magebound stipulates that disputes between wizards should not spill over into the community at large--that magic is best left to those with the willpower to study and master it, and that the destruction inherent in magical duels casts mages in the worst light imaginable. (Of course, as many wizards scoff at these “rules” as follow them.) Conflicts between wizards, according to the tenets of the Magebond, should be conducted in private according to the dictates of a complicated, usually nonlethal ritual that pits mage against mage in a spellweaving duel. Naturally, the magistrati oversee such contests, and they keep the lore and ritual of these duels a closely guarded secret.

The most powerful member of a given temple community is known as the “First,” and is referred to as “Revered One” by his or her inferiors. Those who have served the High One for a great deal of time are sometimes called “Master,” but the clergy frowns upon more ostentatious titles. Many patriarchs live to be well over 150 years old, spawning rumors falsely claiming that high clerics of the inner circle have discovered the secret to immortality.

Azuth’s Favored hold an important place in the clergy, both outside and above the regular church hierarchy. Recently, two influential Favored have ascended to important roles within the church. Meldrathar Gath of Halruaa leads the Loomwarden faction, whereas Szesoch Vurlagor of Thay leads the more accepting Spellsavants. The stern Loomwardens question the somewhat chaotic nature of Mystra, the Mother of All Magic, who is often a patron of sorcerers. They distrust sorcerers for the accident of their innate ability, at best reminiscent of the ancient arch wizards of Netheril, who through raw spell casting power brought a great empire to ruin. In cities such as Halarahh and Bezantur, influential Loomwardens work behind the scenes to bar sorcerers from positions of power and thwart what they see as a danger. The Spellsavants, on the other hand, urge cooperation between all types of arcane spellcasters, holding that through cumulative effort humanity’s knowledge of magic as a whole intensifies. Since the Time of Troubles, these mutually exclusive ideologies have come into sharper and sharper conflict, with entire churches splitting apart along factional lines.

//From Forgotten Realms - Faiths and Pantheons sourcebook, pgs. 12-13

Manifestations

Animals/Plants - gray cats, gray dogs, gray owls, gray mice
Monsters - golems, devas
Gems/Precious Metals - N/A
Colors - shimmering gray
Miscellaneous - intangible mouth with moustache and beard, upright glowing hand with silver aura on extended forefinger, electric blue radiance

//From the Deities Do’s and Don’ts web supplement, pg. 10

[ancientempathy]

Bane

The Black Lord, the Black Hand, the Lord of Darkness

Greater Deity
Symbol: Green rays squeezed forth from a black fist
Home Plane: The Barrens of Doom and Despair
Alignment: Lawful evil
Portfolio: Strife, hatred, tyranny, fear
Worshipers: Conquerors, evil fighters and monks, tyrants, wizards
Cleric Alignments: LN, LE, NE
Domains: Evil, Destruction, Hatred, Law, Tyranny
Favored Weapon: “The Black Hand of Bane” (morningstar)

The twisted halls of Zhentil Keep echo with malign invocations chanted in shadowy temples throughout Faerun. Bane (bain), the Lord of Darkness, has conquered death itself, returning to the world to give dark inspiration to a thousand intrigues, to foment fear and hatred in civilized lands, and to reassure the common mortal that tyranny, though it may suffer occasional defeat, will never die.

Though Bane transcended mortality centuries ago, his primary goal remains notably human--he seeks nothing short of the total domination of Faerun. When his servants sit upon the throne of every land, when commoners serve their masters in fear for their very lives, and when altruism and hope have been erased from the world, then will Bane rest. Until that dark day, however, the Black Hand has eternity to hatch demented plots and vile intrigues. Eventually, he will rule all Faerun, but there’s no hurry. Getting there will be half the fun.

Bane prefers to keep to the shadows, allowing his servants to carry out his intricate plans. On the rare occasion in which he appears, he takes the form of a shadowy humanoid figure--often bare-chested, sometimes wearing dark armor and a stylish black cloak streaked with red. His right hand, invariably protected by a jeweled metal gauntlet, is all the weapon he needs to dispatch the few foes brave (or foolhardy) enough to attack him. He has no tolerance for failure and seldom thinks twice about submitting even a loyal servant to rigorous tortures to ensure complete obedience to his demanding, regimented doctrine. Though possessed of an unforgiving wrath when aroused, Bane is slow to anger, existing in a perpetual state of controlled burn.

Bane’s tyranny is known throughout the continent, and his is the image most seen as the face of evil. When news of Bane’s destruction during the Time of Troubles made its way throughout Faerun, no fewer than twenty-seven nations declared national festivals of celebration and thanksgiving. The commoner sees Bane’s clerics as petty would-be dictators unafraid to use immoral tactics and unthinkable violence to spread their influence and agenda. The adventurer sees the clergy as constant interlopers and enemies, agents of a rigid, evil philosophy who side with monsters, devils, and savage humanoids to further their wicked ends. Canny nobles glimpse the truest threat, that some of their peers pay homage to the Black Lord to gain through guile and subterfuge what soldiers cannot conquer by force.

Clerics of Bane pray for spells at midnight. Their religion recognizes no official holidays, though servants give thanks to the Black Hand before and after major battles or before a particularly important act of subterfuge. Senior clerics often declare holy days at a moment’s notice, usually claiming to act upon divine inspiration granted to them in dreams. Rites include drumming, chanting, and the sacrifice of intelligent beings, usually upon an altar of black basalt or obsidian. Of late, clerics of Cyric have become a preferred sacrifice, though old favorites such as paladins, unicorns, children, and celestials remain popular with traditionalists. Clerics of Bane most commonly multiclass as fighters, monks, blackguards, or dreadmasters. Those associated with the Cult of the Dragon often multiclass as wearers of purple.

History/Relationships:

Even as a human, Bane wanted nothing more than to become the most feared, respected tyrant the world had ever known. However, doing so would required an infusion of arcane power greater than that usually accorded to mortals. Hence, the calculating despot joined forces with the similarly driven humans Bhaal and Myrkul in a pact of mutual assistance that would end in the apotheosis of the entire trio. The three villains adventured across the breadth of Faerun, defeated countless foes, slew one of the Seven Lost Gods, and traveled throughout the Lower Planes before achieving that goal. They benefited from the generosity (or, as some suggest, indifference) of the dispassionate Jergal, who had become bored with his role as a patron of strife, death, and the dead. Each gained one-third of Jergal’s portfolio and dominated their area of concern for centuries.

However, even complete control over strife was not enough for Bane, whose desire for supremacy led him, in 1358 DR, to once again team with Myrkul. The pair stole the Tablets of Fate, inscribed by Lord Ao to outline the roles of the deities of Toril. This precipitated the calamitous Time of Troubles, during which Bane was slain by Torm the True in a furious battle in the harbor of Tantras. It seemed the Black Lord’s ceaseless ambition had at last led to his destruction. Bane’s church fragmented, with most of the faithful defecting to the clergies of Cyric, who inherited Bane’s portfolios, and Iyachtu Xvim, a progeny of Bane’s coupling with a powerful demon. Agents of weal and freedom breathed easier in those days, knowing that Toril was rid of perhaps its greatest menace.

Those who let down their guard, however, did so rashly, and far too soon. On Midwinter night of 1372 DR, Xvim burst in a conflagration of diabolical green light. From the smoking husk of his remain emerged a newly reinvigorated Bane, his right hand ablaze with green fire. Xvim, it appeared, had been little more than a sentient cocoon, a shell in which grew a festering larva that would, in time, become Bane. Within days, the Xvimlar clergy had converted to the worship of Bane, and a great evil once again cast its calculating stare over the lands of Faerun.

Bane hates virtually the entire Faerunian pantheon but holds special antipathy for Torm, Cyric, Mystra, Tempus, Helm, Lathander, Oghma, and Ilmater, in that order. He has established a working relationship with Loviatar, Mask, and Talona, but as these deities desperately fear him, the alliances are not strong.

Dogma:

Serve no one but Bane. Fear him always and make others fear him even more than you do. The Black Hand always strikes down those that stand against it in the end. Defy Bane and die--or in death find loyalty to him, for he shall compel it. Submit to the word of Bane as uttered by his ranking clergy, since true power can only be gained through service to him. Spread the dark fear of Bane. It is the doom of those who do not follow him to let power slip through their hands. Those who cross the Black Hand meet their dooms earlier and more harshly than those who worship other deities.

Clergy and Temples:

Bane orders his clerics and followers to achieve positions of power within their society, either through force or trickery, and to use that power to further the cause of hate, fear, destruction, and strife. The Black Hand much prefers that his clerics subvert governments and carry out their agendas under cover of the rule of law, but he tolerates a limited amount of discord and debauchery. Torture, beatings, and calculated assassinations frequently come into play in such operations, and rare indeed is the initiate of the Lord of Darkness who does not possess at least rudimentary skill in such enterprises. The church operates under a strict hierarchy--questioning or disobeying the orders of a superior is an insult to Bane’s supremacy, and is punishably by torture, disfigurement, or death.

Bane’s temples tend to reflect the clergy’s regimented doctrines. Tall, sharp-corned stone structures featuring towers adorned with large spikes and thin windows, most Banite churches suggest the architecture of fortified keeps or small castles. Thin interior passageways lead from an austere foyer to barrackslike common chambers for the lay clergy, each sparsely decorated with tapestries depicting the symbol of Bane or inscribed with embroidered passages from important religious texts. Temples frequently include an exposed central courtyard used for military drills and open-air ceremonies, as well as a more traditional mass hall for the congregation at large. Most churches feature extensive subterranean dungeons replete with torture chambers, starvation wells, and monster pens.

Before the Time of Troubles, Bane’s church was driven by internecine strife, divided into the Orthodox sect (commanded primarily by clerics) and the Transformed church (dominated by wizards). Bane himself encouraged this struggle, appreciating the value of dissention even when applied to his own servants. His long dormancy seems to have cleared his mind on this matter, however, as he has acted personally to eradicate these divisions, even going so far as to name Fzoul Chembryl, the ruler of Zhentil Keep, as his personal Chosen Tyrant and infallible mortal representative. The formerly fractious Banites have made common cause in vicious pogroms against those clerics who turned to Cyric after Bane’s “death” and who have not returned to the fold; their increased cooperation can only lead to foul tidings for the rest of Faerun.

//From the Forgotten Realms Faiths and Pantheons, pgs. 14-16

Manifestations

Animals/Plants - vultures, green-eyed blackcats, bats, black dogs
Monsters - baatezu, beholders, black dragons, death tyrants, banelars, beasts of Bane, fang dragons, green dragons, hell hounds
Gems/Precious Metals - black sapphire (approval), powdered red carnelian (disapproval), hematite, emeralds, bloodstones
Colors - black, red, vile green
Miscellaneous - eyes of red or green blazing flame surrounded by darkness, black taloned hand with an icy touch, possession

//From the Deities Do’s and Don’ts web supplement, pg. 10

Miscellaneous Info:

Jan 4, 2005 2:41:01 GMT -5 Kharn597 said:

The below is about the church of Bane and is all out of Lords of Darkness source book by Jason Carl and Sean K Reynolds for the Faerun campaign setting, pages 118 to 120. I hope this help people who want to play as Banites, understand them better and the DMs in involving the church of Bane in FRC.

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The Church of Bane
The dread deity Bane is alive again and closing his hand about Faerun. Bane’s return has made an impression on the good people of Faerun, for only now do they realize how easy they’ve had it for the past fourteen years, with the evil deities fighting each other and in some cases enacting purges among their own ranks. The forces of Bane are marshaled and stand ready with firm faith in their reborn deity. Aided by the Zhentarim and dark magic, the Banites are a threat to the safety of all Faerun. Because he has always been more appealing than Cyric or Xvim, Bane is drawing his lost worshippers back to the fold and gaining converts from the disillusioned members of other faiths.

Brief History
Bane was scourge upon the world for hundreds of years. Controlling, intelligent, and incredibly evil, his servants were the source of much misery. When Bane was slain by Torm during the Time of Troubles, the common folk rejoiced, only to find his successors, Xvim and Cyric, to be almost as much trouble, although certainly not as intelligent or competent. Now that Bane has returned, he is showing the competence and power that made him feared name for centuries. Though he battles Cyric frequently and still must face his traditional foes, the Black Hand is confident and plans to lead his church in conquest of all Faerun.

The Organization
The church of Bane is well organized, well equipped, and populated by people who understand the need for order and enjoy hurting those weaker than they. This combination of qualities makes the church of Bane a more credible threat than the church of Cyric, despite the Dark Sun’s greater numbers and his worshipers’ willingness to sacrifice themselves in a frenzy of killing.
These statistics refer to the church of Bane as a whole.
Headquarters: Zhentil Keep, the Moonsea.
Hierarchy: Militaristic.
Leader: Fzoul Chembryl, Chosen of Bane.
Religion: Bane.
Alignment: LE, NE, LN
Secrecy: Low.
Symbol: Bane’s symbol has undergone changes since his rebirth. While it once was an upright black hand on a red shield, some elements of Xvim’s symbol (green glowing eyes in darkness or on a black hand) have been retained, and Bane’s church now rallies behind a black fist with beams of green light being pressed from it.

Hierarchy
As both a lawful entity and the deity of tyranny, Bane expects a well-defined structure for his church and compliance in all given orders. The head of the church is Fzoul Chembryl, who has absolute authority over all other members of the church. Headquartered in Zhentil Keep, the church is organized like a military unit, with each temple having a clear chain of command and the temple leaders (called Imperceptors) reporting to a senior cleric of a region, who reports to Fzoul or one of his direct underlings.
Most of the important members of the church of Bane are described in the Zhentarim section of this book.((look under the Zhentarim for an article from the book I posted))

Motivation and Goals
The church’s goals are simple --- convert all to worship of Bane, and destroy those who do not convert. It is presumed that some exceptions would be made for servants of allied deities (such as Loviatar, Malar, Mask, and Talona). In the meantime, people should be made to fear Bane so that they invoke his name in fear and to ward him off, which gives him some small power.
The church of Bane uses force and persuasion to control territory, whether by marching armies against reticent towns or by bribing bored nobles with slaves, riches, and offers of power. With it close ties to the Zhentarim, the church has been able to focus on subtler methods of conversion, leaving the more direct methods to the black network.

Recruiting
Given that it wishes to convert everyone to worshipping Bane, the church is very open to new recruits. Anyone can swear loyalty to Bane and join the church. However, the church expects loyalty and is not stupid, so it performs alignment checks on new recruits (with detect chaos and detect good) to see if they are fakers or potential saboteurs. Even those with alignment differences are given the opportunity to convert (often with an atonement spell), for Bane recognizes the value of those who have seen the lure of good and turned away from it to serve evil (one of his most powerful servants is a blackguard of this type, after all)

Allies
Followers of Bane can sometimes enlist the aid of his servitor deities Loviatar, Malar, Mask and Talona, although their alliance is more a pact of mutual nonaggression than true friendship. The greatest ally to the Banites is the Zhentarim, and all followers of Bane are being taught how to recognize Zhentarim safe-markings and proper countersigns to give and agent of the Black Network.

Enemies
Because it wishes to subvert and destroy all other faiths, the church of Bane is opposed by nearly every other church in Faerun (some of the weaker deities hope that by serving him, they may survive). The rivalries with the churches of Helm, Ilmater, Lathander, Mystra, Oghma, Torm and Tyr are particularly strong, and Banite clerics take great pains to kill clerics of these faiths in gruesome ways, leaving them to be discovered by unsuspecting innocents.
Cyric is Bane’s greatest divine foe, for the Dark Sun wishes to reclaim the portions of his portfolio taken by Xvim, which were then passed to the new Bane. Bane has similar feelings for Cyric, and would love to crush the upstart under his heel, seizing his lost portfolios in return. Banites enjoy branding Cyricist corpses and altars with the word “heretic” as warning to other followers of the Dark Sun.
The Banites are also opposed by the Harpers, the Lords’ alliance, the Emerald Enclave, and other groups that respect local governments and the freedom of people to make decisions abut their lives.

Encounters
In combat situations, the faithful of Bane are trained to follow orders from clerics. In turn, the clerics are expected to react intelligently in combat, give precise orders, and have those orders carried out. Clerics of Bane try to maximize the use of flanking, cover, and the strengths of their troops, using their spells to increase their own abilities or directly attack their enemies. Banite clerics tend to rely upon wands and potions to heal their allies, since they dislike preparing cure spells, seeing this as a weak-willed usage of Bane’s gifts. Defensive magic items, however are acceptable and common.
Bane and Xvim have provided their clergy with several unique spells, and Bane continues to grant these spells to his worshippers, even though some of them have spread to other faiths. These spells are battletide, mystic lash, and stone walk. Since his return, many of his faith have been using a weapon they call a Banesword, and these Blades are becoming recognizable as Bane’s own symbol

Rituals
The church of the Black Hand knows many dark rites that grant the devout recipient powers or immunities in exchange for sacrifices. Each ritual takes several hours of prayer and requires the intervention of two clerics of Bane, one whom must be at least 7th level.
Ritual of Terror’s Allegiance: This ritual cements the recipient’s loyalties to Bane, reducing the change that they might be controlled by another being. The targets gain a +4 morale bonus on Will saving throws against fear and a +2 morale bonus on all other mind-effecting effects. The ritual requires a black star sapphire worth 1,000 gp or more as a material components and drains 800 XP from the recipient.
The Rite of Dread Presence: The recipient gains the ability to use a fear spell once per day as a supernatural ability. The caster level 7th, and the DC is 14+ the recipient’s Charisma modifier. The ritual drains 2,000 XP from the recipient.

Temple of Black Gauntlet
When an evil church needs to assemble a small army of fanatics, often the best way to do it is find a location out of the eye of civilization, build a fort there, and garrison troops and clerics, slowly building up the defenses until it is a fully operational facility with hundreds of faithful. The Temple of the Black Gauntlet is one such place in the early stages of development. With a little over fifty residents, the temple is a sparsely populated building without a defensive wall or any supporting buildings. The population is low enough residents can survive by hunting and foraging, supplemented with occasional supplies purchased from a nearby settlement and food conjured by the clerics.
The Temple of the Black Gauntlet can be placed in almost any location that is at least a day’s march from the nearest road. It existence is not known to people living in local settlements. If left unchecked, the temple may become the center of a new Banite controlled area, with the servants of the Black Hand demanding tribute from nearby villages and making raids on enemy temples.
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[ancientempathy]

Chauntea

The Great Mother, the Grain Goddess, Earthmother

Greater Deity
Symbol: Blooming rose on a sunburst wreath of golden grain
Home Plane: House of Nature
Alignment: Neutral good
Portfolio: Agriculture, plants cultivated by humans, farmers, gardeners, summer
Worshipers: Peasants and indentured servants, druids, farmers, gardeners
Cleric Alignments: CG, LG, N, NG
Domains: Animal, Earth, Good, Plant, Protection, Renewal
Favored Weapon: A shock of grain (scythe)

Chauntea (chawn-tee-ah) is as old as Toril itself. Hers is the divine spark that gave life to the natural world, the vibrant, caring spirit infused with the planet at the moment of its creation. Originally a deity of wild places and animal life, Chauntea has grown with her world, changing and adapting to its many developments. The millennia have taught her patience--to the point of being at times ponderous. Chauntea loves the inhabitants of her world, and she likes nothing more than instructing Toril’s denizens on how the land itself might enrich their lives. Hers was the hand that guided the first mortal wanderers to give up the uncertainty of the gatherer for the stability of the field. Today, Chauntea is worshiped as the Great Mother of agriculture, the kind benefactor who ensures a strong harvest, healthy meals, and robust country living.

Chauntea rarely manifests herself in physical form, preferring to diffuse her essence throughout the living land of Toril. Religious icons depict her as a matronly, middle-aged woman with pale white hair a welcoming smile. She wields a sturdy shock of grain as both walking staff and weapon, on the unusual occasion in which she finds herself in battle.

Worshiped by farmers, gardeners, agricultural slaves, and any who make their living off the land, Chauntea is seen by most Faerunians as an integral part of the natural cycle of life. Wealthy landowners and simple farmers alike come to the local cleric of the Earthmother for advice on bringing in the harvest or in setting next season’s crop. When foul weather or disease leads to blighted fields, growers turn their gaze and prayers to Chauntea in hopes that her attentions will salvage the seasonal yield. Those who subvert the harvest for ill ends have much to fear from Chauntea’s servants, who take their role as pastoral protectors very seriously.

Chauntea’s clerics and druids pray for spells at sundown. The clergy holds few organized holidays, instead instructing the faithful to give thanks to Chauntea at every sunrise, and in every moment the natural beauty of the world fills them with joy. A long-standing tradition within the church holds that a newly wedded couple should spend their first night together in a freshly tilled field, which is said to ensure a fertile union. Fertility plays an important role in the Chauntea faith, and a hedonistic celebration during Greengrass encourages excessive drinking, eating, dancing, and uninhibited behavior. The clergy observe solemn High Prayers of the Harvest during a ritualized annual ceremony coinciding with the start of the harvest. Chauntea’s clerics most often multiclass as rangers or druids.

History/Relationships:

Chauntea is one of the oldest Faerunian deities. Shar and Selune predate her, having given her life when they created the world of Toril. In the ensuing millennia, Chauntea has forged passionate relationships with several deities, many of whom no longer exist in any meaningful form. So too has she battled (and even destroyed) deities who schemed to befoul Chauntea’s world. Some of her worshipers claim that Chauntea is the progenitor of all the mortal races, that the creatures who populate the world first emerged from her womb in the days when the air was quiet and the earth was still. In those early centuries, Chauntea was known as Jannath the Earthmother, a wild deity who ran with animal packs and rejoiced in the unhindered growth of wilderness. Though the people of the Moonshae Isles continue to worship this aspect of the Great Mother, the deity herself has moved on, changing as the world changes.

In the last several hundred years, Chauntea has become enamored with the inhabitants of her world (particularly humans) to the point at which she now focuses her attention completely on helping them live off the land. She preaches a reverence for nature and urges the folk of civilized lands to repair what they have damaged, but she long ago ceded the wildlands to other deities. This development has led to a cooling of relations with Silvanus--some of his more militant druidic worshipers believe that the Great Mother has betrayed herself and sold out the world to the all-too-rapid encroachment of civilization. Her ties to other nature deities, particularly Shiallia, Mielikki, Lurue, and Eldath, remain strong. She shares a fondness for Lathander that has at times become intimate, and the two deities currently spend a great deal of time together. Chauntea opposes Auril, Malar, Talos, and Umberlee, and she views the return of Bane as a dark omen. Talona, Lady of Poison, is the Great Mother’s most hated foe, as her propensity to bring blight, poison, and disease to the natural world fills Chauntea with great fury.

Dogma:

Growing and reaping are part of the eternal cycle and the most natural part of life. Destruction for is own sake and leveling without rebuilding are anathema. Let no day pass in which you have not helped a living thing flourish. Nurture, tend, and plant wherever possible. Protect trees and plants, and save their seeds so that what is destroyed can be replaced. See to the fertility of the earth but let the human womb see to its own. Eschew fire. Plant a seed or small plant at least once a tenday.

Clergy and Temples:

Members of the Great Mother’s clergy divide themselves into two factions of roughly equal size. Those clerics who minister to farmers and agricultural workers in cities, towns, and villages refer to themselves as Pastorals, while those of the wilder, older sect that caters to the wilderness call themselves, with a touch of arrogance, the True Shapers. Memebrs of both sects recognize no central authority--theirs is a highly individualistic faith. Chauntea sets out a doctrine outlining a general set of values and taboos, but how each cleric adapts this code for herself and her flock is largely a matter of personal interpretation. The church welcomes members of all races, though women vastly outnumber men, perhaps because the religion’s liturgy is infused with references to fertility, motherhood, and femininity.

Clerics and druids of Chauntea often double as farmers or gardeners, and Pastorals frequently hold positions of great respect in rural communities. They were usually born in small villages or country farms, and while few eschew cities altogether, most came to the church through an appreciation of natural beauty, a feeling of peace when standing at the center of a tilled field under the light of the midsummer sun. They earn the admiration of their peers by strengthening yields and driving away natural blights or predators with magic spells. They also don’t hesitate to pin up their skirts and join locals at harvest time, keeping farming families healthy and providing an additional pair of hands for even the most arduous and menial tasks. Like their deity, most who serve Chauntea are patient and quiet, slow to anger, and prefer passive diplomacy to open conflict.

Surprisingly, quite a few cities sport temples to the Great Mother, usually large, many-windowed structures that double as granaries or impressive open gardens. In the outlands, most ceremonies take place under the light of the sun or moon, with clerics holding special services in their homes, small shrines, or even barns or haylofts. In such places, clerics and druids of Chauntea instruct congregants on proper methods of planting, identification of plant and animal diseases, and herblore. Many perform marriages and act as midwives for human and animal births. They preach a respect for the natural world and emphasize programs of replanting, careful irrigation, and crop rotation to ensure that the earth is not despoiled.

Militant druids of Silvanus scoff at these lessons, however, claiming that the very act of agriculture is an affront to nature. It allows more people to live in a given area that can be sustained in the long term, and hence fosters overpopulation and environmental destruction, despite the best intentions of the Pastorals. They assert that over time, Chauntean agriculture, with its diverted waterflow, drained wetlands, and emphasis in supporting cities, will do irreparable damage to the natural balance. The Pastorals have caused a great deal of turmoil among the True Shapers (most of whom are themselves druids). Numbers of the more primal Chaunteans have become Silvanites in the last century, leading to a cooling or relations between even the more moderate members of both clergies.

//From the Forgotten Realms - Faiths and Pantheons sourcebook, pgs. 17-18

Manifestations:

Animals/Plants - seeds, larks, robins, red hens
Monsters - sprites, talking trees
Gems/Precious Metals - N/A
Colors - white, yellow, forest green
Miscellaneous - flower where none should be that grows and blooms with great speed, motes of light

//From the Deities Do’s and Don’ts web supplement, pg. 10

[ancientempathy]

Cyric

Prince of Lies, the Dark Sun, the Black Sun

Greater Deity
Symbol: White jawless skull on black or purple sunburst
Home Plane: The Supreme Throne
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Portfolio: Murder, lies, intrigue, deception, illusion
Worshipers: Former worshipers of Bane, Bhaal, and Myrkul, power-hungry (primarily young) humans
Cleric Alignments: CE, CN, NE
Domains: Chaos, Destruction, Evil, Illusion, Trickery
Favored Weapon: “Razor’s Edge” (longsword)

Cyric (seer-ick) is a petty, self-centered, megalomaniacal deity who holds himself above all other deities. He has an immense following throughout Faerun: The unholy radiance of the Dark Sun draws power-hungry mortals like moths to a flame and then inexorably consumes them. Cyric was once insane, but his bout with divine madness has finally ebbed, and he no longer believes himself more powerful than all other deities. The Prince of Lies delights in spinning webs of deception that lead both mortals and deities to their ruin and pit friends and lovers against one another. He has assumed many guises since his ascension: a bloody wraith, a cloud of poisonous smoke, or a sudden gloom containing the phantom images of whirling human skulls and the intent gaze of two black eyes. However, his true form is believed to be that of a slim man with blazing dark eyes and chalk-white skin.

The church of Cyric is widely (and justly) hated across all Faerun, for the Dark Sun’s followers are pledged to spread strife and work murder everywhere. The followers of good-aligned deities hate Cyric’s church for the wicked acts of its members. The followers of neutral-aligned deities, and even the faithless, detest the intrigues, murder, and discord sown by Cyricists that disrupt the lives of all. The followers of evil-aligned deities view Cyric’s church as mad with power and a threat to their own influence--the Prince of Lies has shown himself willing to do almost anything, including kill rival deities whose power he coverts.

Cyric’s clerics pray for spells at night, after moonrise, when the Dark Sun’s radiance is at its height. Cyric’s church has few holy days and does not even celebrate the date of the deity’s ascension, for to do so would also honor Mystra (“the Harlot”, to Cyric’s worshipers) and imply that Cyric has not held the mantle of divinity for all eternity. However, whenever a temple acquires something or someone important enough to sacrifice to Cyric, its high cleric declares a Day of the Dark Sun to signify the holiness of the event. Eclipses are always considered holy, and are often celebrated by feasts, fervent prayers, and the murder of a high-ranking cleric or paladin of Lathander. Cyric’s clerics often multiclass as assassins, blackguards, illusionists, rogues, or strifeleaders.

History/Relationships:

Once mortal, Cyric was elevated to divine status by Ao at the conclusion of the Time of Troubles in 1358 DR, as was Midnight (Mystra). Upon his ascension, Cyric claimed the portfolios of Bane, Myrkul, and Bhaal, largely subsuming their churches into his faith as well. The Dark Sun then slew Leira, Lady of the Mists, with the aid of Mask in the form of the sword Godsbane.

A decade later, in 1358 DR, Cyric created the Cyrinishad, a tome of great power that proclaimed him the One True Deity. Cyric unwisely read his own book, a mistake that cost him his sanity and led to the loss of Myrkul’s former portfolio to Kelemvor, a mortal with whom Cyric had once adventured. Moreover, Oghma and Mask conspired to create another tome entitled The True Life of Cyric, and with it the Dark Sun’s plot was foiled--although not before the destruction of Zhentil Keep. However, caught in the web of his own plots, Mask read the Cyrinishad as well, enabling Cyric to steal the portfolio of intrigue from him, along with some of the divine power of the Master of All Thieves.

A year later, in 1369 DR, Cyric was accused of innocence by reason of insanity, thereby failing in his divine duty to spread strife and discord. Cyric’s Chosen, a former Calishite merchant named Malik, arranged for his patron to read The True Life of Cyric and thus regain his sanity. A tribunal of greater deities then found the Dark Sun guilty of his crimes and allowed him to keep his divine statue.

Now Cyric continues his murderous intrigues with renewed fervor, ever striving to undermine his fellow deities and destroy all that they hold previous in the mortal realm. He has no allies, although from time to time he pretends to work with various deities in order to ensure their eventual downfall. The Prince of Lies particularly hates Mystra and her former lover, Kelemvor. He exacted a small measure of vengeance against them by engineering the rift that forever sundered their mortal bond of love. However, Cyric now views Bane as the greatest threat to his power, and the brewing war between these two lords of evil may eventually consume Faerun in a great holocaust.

Dogma:

Death to all who oppose Cyric. Bow down before his supreme power, and yield to him the blood of those that do not believe in his supremacy. Fear and obey those in authority, but slay those that are weak, of good persuasion, or false prophets. Battle against all clergy of other faiths, for they are false prophets and forces who oppose the One True Way. Bring death to those that oppose Cyric’s church or make peace, order, and laws, for only Cyric is the true authority and all other authority must be subverted. Break not into open rebellion, for marching armies move the false deities to action. Fell one foe at a time and keep all folk afraid, uneasy, and in constant strife. Any method or means is justified if it brings about the desired end.

Clergy and Temples:

Clerics of the Dark Sun pledge to spread strife and work murder everywhere to make folk fear and believe in Cyric. They support rulers with a taste for cruelty and empire building but indulge in intrigue in every land. They avoid plunging realms into widespread war, which would pay honor only to Tempus the war deity. At least, this is the ideal Cyricists pay lip service to. In truth, Cyricists spend most of their time scheming against one another, each striving to strengthen his or her personal power in an endless struggle of cabal against cabal. To make matters worse, during his madness Cyric spoke often to his faithful clergy, but not with one voice. As they all fear him, and each believes what he says is the One True Way, his words set Cyricist temples at cross purposes. His clerics are at one another’s throats as often as they are promoting the defeat of other religions.

Cyric’s temples are festering sores of evil that vary widely in appearance, reflecting the deity’s chaotic nature. Many are hidden within caves or existing structures, including abandoned buildings, crumbling sewers, and forgotten dungeons, from which terrifying screams echo at irregular intervals. Many such complexes once served as temples of Bane, Bhaal, or Myrkul, and thus resemble the grim, foreboding keeps of the Black Lord, the hidden guildhalls of the Lord of Murder, or the tomblike vaults of the Lord of Bones. All have in common a bloody sacrificial altar and a great hall where the local high cleric can rant to the assembled worshipers at irregular intervals.

When not disguising themselves to move in secret among the general populace, clerics of Cyric dress in black or dark purple robes trimmed with silver, with or without hoods. They wear silver bracers or bracelets (usually stamped with the skull-and-sunburst symbol of Cyric) to symbolize the church’s enslavement to Cyric. Some clerics paint the symbol of their deity on their cheeks or foreheads on high holy days.

The Prince of Lies recognizes no single pontiff who rules over the entire faith, although a dozen or more powerful clerics believe that Cyric intends them to achieve such a role. Such conflicts stem from the time when the Dark Sun in his madness deliberately pitted his faithful against one another. Although the Prince of Lies has ceased doing so overtly, schisms within the faith have by no means healed, and the chaotic nature of his followers makes it unlikely they ever will. Clerics of Cyric dominate most factions, although powerful sorcerers, wizards, barbarians, fighters, rangers, and blackguards play important roles as well.

Currently the two most powerful factions are found in Amn. Watchful Skull Tynnos Argrim is high cleric of the Mountain of Skulls in the Cloud Peaks and founder of the devout order of assassins known as the Flames of the Dark Sun. He has consolidated his influence over the Dark Redoubt, a temple in the Tejarn Hills once led by a rival sect, and allied himself with the armies of Amn against the Sythillisian Empire. Blackwill Haarken Akhmelere, high cleric of the Twin Towers of the Eternal Eclipse, is working with the army of monsters led by two ogre magi from the city of Murann and now maintains a stranglehold over trade passing along the Trade Way. A third faction, growing in strength, wars with the clergy of Bane in Darkhold for control of the western branch of the Zhentarim. The leader of this faction is at present unknown. Some believe a charismatic cleric named Dag Zoreth has assumed the mantle of leadership, while others claim that a military commander known as the Pereghost commands the loyalty of the Dark Sun’s faithful. In any event, it is this faction of Cyricists who are most likely to ignite an openly holy way with the church of Bane.

//From the Forgotten Realms - Faiths and Pantheons sourcebook, pgs. 20-21

Manifestations:

Animals/Plants: N/A
Monsters: nightmares, undead, banelars
Gems/Precious Metals: N/A
Colors: black, dark purple, silver
Miscellaneous: bloody wraith (in dreams), cloud of poisonous smoke, a dark space filled with phantom images of whirling skulls

//From the Deities Do’s and Don’ts web supplement, pg. 10

Miscellaneous Info:

Nov 20, 2004 8:33:30 GMT -5 Gordy101st said:

Taken from Elminster speaks:

Serving the Dark Sun

Gormstadd justifies the delays in repairing and renewing the temple in two ways. He keeps a committee formed from his Exalted busy debating whether or not the holy grounds should be expanded north, involving the expense of a new wall and a loss of some of the Blackrukth, or expanded into land occupied by private dwellings, which will involve the cost of purchasing such holdings and--to gain local support--relocating the inhabitants to new dwellings at temple expense. The only empty ground near the temple lies due east, and is swampy land beyond the often-flooded East Pantry; its soggy condition has already caused that area of the wall to sink alarmingly.

The second route to ongoing delay is through his own loudly-lamented (and trumped-up) difficulties in finding workers he can trust. He insists that anyone setting foot inside the temple proper must be an avowed and demonstrably enthusiastic (through services or generous offerings) worshipper of the Dark Sun--and claims that his attempts to lure Cyricists who are masons or roofers or timberers from other places have thus far failed--the faith of True Darkness is flourishing so that all such crafters have long lists of tasks not yet begun, and Voonlar would only take its place very far down on them.

The busily scheming Dark Patriarch of Voonlar governs a Dark Blessed consisting of thirty human males: two Dark Hands (6th-level Fighters); four Blacksun Scourges (3rd-level Fighters); eight Sunshadows (2nd-level Fighters); and sixteen Fingers of Cyric (4th-level Fighters).

The Fingers are the well-trained (and locally deeply-hated, as the brutes who with club and blade and dog fangs carry out temple policy--and are not above "accidentally" torching the carts, produce stores, and even homes of those they don’t like the looks of) temple guards. Hailing from larger Cyricist temples and sent to Voonlar to replace warriors lost to adventurer raids, they are expert sentinels. Practiced in the use of longswords and short bows, they wear plate armor and use shields (unlike their chainmailed predecessors), employing six war-dogs whenever they are sent outside the holy temple grounds (kenneled next to, but kept apart from, the Mad Black Hounds, in stone cells set into the walls on either side of the north gate). Gormstadd quite rightly regards most of them as spies set upon him by Cyricists elsewhere, and is careful to act every inch the loyal and even fanatical priest of the Dark Sun at all times when he might be under their observation.

He’s also well aware that although the most recklessly ambitious of his clergy are among the youngest Sunshadows, the real danger to him comes from possible treachery on the part of his two Dark Hands, Meirgin "Daggers" Windtalon and Bastabar Yulgont. Gormstadd has been careful to foster a feud between them, playing one off against another until their hatred--masked by silken politeness that fools no one--is so deep and savage that they can never hope to work together against the Dark Patriarch.

Gormstadd has been heard to call the two "my true vipers," undoubtedly a reference to the old maxim, "Temples of dark gods are truly nests of vipers; the power of such deities is most clear when one considers how seldom the snakes fang each other."

[ancientempathy]

Eilistraee

The Dark Maiden, Lady of the Dance

Lesser Deity
Symbol: Nude long-haired female drow dancing with a silver bastard sword in front of a full moon
Home Plane: Arvandor (also the Demonweb Pits)
Alignment: Chaotic good
Portfolio: Song, beauty, dance, swordwork, hunting, moonlight
Worshipers: Good-aligned drow, hunters, surface-dwelling elves
Cleric Alignments: CG, CN, NG
Domains: Chaoc, Charm, Drow, Elf, Good, Moon, Portal
Favored Weapon: “The Moonsword” (bastard sword)

The patron of good-aligned drow and those of that race who wish to live in the Realms Above in peace, Eilistraee (eil-iss-tray-yee) is a melancholy, moody deity. She is greatly angered by the evil of most drow but glad that some have worked their way free of the Spider Queen’s web. Eilistraee is a lover of beauty and peace but is not averse to striking back against those who would harm her followers. She appears as an unclad, glossy-skinned drow woman of great height with ankle-length, sweeping hair of glowing silver.

The church of Eilistraee is little known and poorly understood by inhabitants of the surface world. Few among the surface-dwelling races give any credence to rumors of good-aligned drow emerging from the Underdark. The possibility of a deity who supports such folk is simply beyond the ken of nonelves, who generally dismiss such talk as idle rumor or a plot by evil drow raiders.

Most elves willfully ignore such talk, uncomfortable for what it might mean to the central tenets of their culture: Dogma teaches that the Crown Wars were primarily caused by the unbridled evil of the ancestral drow. Only among like-minded groups active in the same regions as the church of Eilistraee has the faith begun to be recognized for the hope that it holds out. In particular, the Harpers have begun secretly supporting the church of the Dark Maiden and work toward the day when it is fully accepted throughout Faerun.

Clerics of the Dark Maiden pray for spells at night, after moonrise, singing them whenever possible. Their rituals revolve around a hunt followed by a feast, dancing (wearing as little clothing as possible), and a Circle of Song. This last is held preferably in a wooded glade on a moonlit night, in which the worshipers sit and dance by turns in a circle, each one leading a song. Worshipers of Eilistraee try to let out all the gathered emotions of the day with an evensong. This is a personal thing, often wordless, and done in private. Clerics of the Dark Maiden who have the coin to do so are expected to hire any strangle minstrel or bard they meet for a song or two; lay worshipers are encouraged but not required to do so.

Eilistraee’s church observes a number of festivals. The Sword Dance is a ritual of shedding a small amount of blood and invoking Eilistraee’s favor to prevent a blade from breaking or rusting for the next three months. The High Hunt, celebrated at least once each season, is a nocturnal pursuit of a dangerous beast or monster, led by clerics of Eilistraee. By tradition, the hunters may use any bladed weapons and wear anything--except the clerics, who go naked, each carrying only a single sword. If the quarry is slain, the celebrants chant prayers and perform a circle dance to the deity. At least once a year, clerics of Eilistraee undertake a Run. Those who are not drow blacken their bodies with natural dyes and oils, and all, drow or not, boil certain leaves and berries to make their hair silvery. They then go wandering on the surface world, trusting to their music, kind ways, and sword skills to keep from being slain on sight. They go where they are strangers, making an effort to seek out elven communities, and bring them game, succor, and helping hands. They try to learn new songs, music, and sword ways, and do not come to preach their faith or make a mark for themselves.

In the end, all clerics of the Dark Maiden who do not die in battle hold their greatest ritual, the Last Dance. In their old age, they hear Eilistraee singing to them by night, calling them to her. When the song feels right, they go out unclad under the moonlit sky and dance--never to be seen again. Those who have observed such dances say that the deity appears and sings overhead, and the aged cleric begins to dance more effortlessly, looking younger and younger. Her hair begins to glow with the same radiance as the Dark Maiden’s, and then she becomes slowly translucent, fading away as the dance goes on. In the end, only a silvery radiance is seen, with two voices--the deity and her cleric--raised together in melancholy, tender song.

Eilistraee’s clerics often multiclass as fighters, bards, rangers, or sword dancers.

History/Relationships:

The daughter of Corellon Larethian and Araushnee (who later became Lolth), and sister of Vhaeraun, Eilistraee was banished along with the other drow deities for her (inadvertent) role in the war against the Seldarine. Despite being absolved of any crime, Eilistraee insisted upon this punishment from her reluctant father, because she foresaw that the dark elves would need a beacon of good within their reach. Her allies are the Seldarine, Mystra, Selune, and the good deities of the Underdark races; her enemies are the evil deities of the Underdark, especially the rest of the drow pantheon.

Dogma:

Be always kind, save in battle with evil. Encourage happiness everywhere. Learn and teach new songs, dances, and the flowing dance of skilled sword work. Promote harmony between the races. Befriend strangers, shelter those without homes, and feed the hungry. Repay rudeness with kindness. Repay violence with swift violence so that those that cause it are swiftly dealt with. Aid drow in distress, and give them the Lady’s message: “A rightful place awaits you in the Realms Above, in the Land of the Great Light. Come in peace and live beneath the sun again where trees and flowers grow."

Clergy and Temples:

Whenever and wherever possible, faithful of Eilistraee encourage drow to return to the surface world. They work to promote harmony between drow and surface-dwelling races, to establish drow as rightful, nonevil inhabitants of Faerun. They nurture beauty, music, the craft of making musical instruments, and song wherever they find it; assist hunters and hunting; and help others in acts of kindness whenever they see ways to do so. Clerics are expected to be skilled in hunting and in playing at least one of the Dark Maiden’s favored instruments (horn, flute, or harp). They must be adequate singers as well as fit, graceful dancers. They gather songs and musical knowledge constantly, and acquire training in the use of the sword when they can.

Temples of the Dark Maiden are typically established in the mouths of dark caverns and in dim forests on the surface world from which her clerics can venture forth at night, to brave the moonlight. It is rare for clergy of Eilistraee to found a temple below the surface. The Dark Maiden’s clergy seek out pristine, natural sites that need little modification. These places of worship are developed much like those dedicated to the Seldarine. Temple complexes typically include a glade in which to dance, offering an unobstructed view of the moon, and a sheltered place away from the light of day (often an access tunnel to the Underdark). Other common features are a thick tree canopy, a lively freshwater stream, a forge and smithy, and a vein of iron or some other metal suitable for the crafting of swords. However, the simplest shrine of the Dark Maiden requires naught but a moonlit glade and a song (audible or imagined) that draws one into a dance.

Clerics of Eilistraee wear their hair long and dress practically for whatever they are currently doing. For rituals, they wear as little as possible. Otherwise, they tend to wear soft leathers for hunting, aprons while cooking, and--rarely--armor when battle is expected. When relaxing, they favor silvery, diaphanous gowns. Most clerics prefer holy symbols of silver, typically worn as pins or hung around the neck on slender silver or mithral chains.

The church of Eilistraee has little in the way of formal hierarchy. Its congregants tend to gather in small, independent bands in deep forests across Faerun. One individual is acknowledged as the high cleric of the faith, however. Qilue Veladorn, Chosen of Eilistraee, Chosen of Mystra, and one of the Seven Sisters. Qilue’s authority is a subtle one, her words taken by most members of the faith as advice from a wise elder sister.

//From the Forgotten Realms - Faiths and Pantheons sourcebook, pgs. 23-24

Manifestations:

Animals/Plants: silver moths, silver-striped tabby cats
Monsters: aasimar, light archons, lythari, pixies, silver dragons
Gems/Precious Metals: mithral, moonstone, silver
Colors: silver
Miscellaneous: distant hunting horn, silvery radiance, harp notes

[ancientempathy]

Gond

Wonderbringer, Lord of All Smiths

Intermediate Deity
Symbol: A toothed metal, bone, or wood cog with four spokes
Home Plane: House of Knowledge
Alignment: Neutral
Portfolio: Artifice, craft, construction, smith work
Worshipers: Blacksmiths, crafters, engineers, gnomes, inventors, Lantanese, woodworkers
Cleric Alignments: Any
Domains: Craft, Earth, Fire, Knowledge, Metal, Planning
Favored Weapon: “Craftmaster” (warhammer)

Gond (gahnd) is a burly smith with a mighty hammer, forge, and anvil that allow him to craft the stuff of stars. Venerated by humans and gnomes (who know him as Nebelun) alike, Gond transforms ideas into concrete form and inspires mortals to make new things. He cares only for the act of creation, playing little heed to the consequences of letting loose his inventions into the world. Some in the church of Mystra oppose the Wonderbringer for holding technology over the Art, but in truth Gond views magic as simply another tool by which he can create new devices.

The church of Gond is largely tolerated across Faerun. Its members are found in human-ruled bastions of evil and strongholds of good alike, as well as in an increasing number of rock gnome communities. Only in the island realm of Lantan is his faith preeminent, anointed as the state of religion. In the lands of Durpar, Estagund, and Var the Golden the deity is known as Zionil, patron of inventors, craft folk, and creators. Most merchants cultivate strong relationships with the local clergy of the Wonderbringer, in hopes of acquiring and selling their latest inventions at great profit. However, at times the followers of Gond inadvertently create something that upsets existing markets, earning them sudden and unexpected hostility from other faiths.

In recent years, the church of Gond has earned the ire of rulers across Faerun for introducing smoke powder and firearms to the realms. Most view such weapons as a threat to their authority, as they approximate the power of a wizard’s spells yet are useble by commoners who are not invested in supporting the status quo. Only continued efforts by the church of Gond have kept smoke powder in check and, inadvertently, preserved the faith’s untrammeled status in most cities. The church takes whatever steps are necessary to ensure such technology remains proprietary, eliminating rivals with sabotage, diplomacy, and financial influence.

Clerics of Gond pray for their spells in the morning before the morning meal. Daily rituals to Gond are simple: muttered prayers upon rising and retiring, which are often incorporated into dressing or disrobing, and a longer prayer of thanks at the main meal. Clerics offer a special prayer of thanks and dedication of their work before commencing any new creation (as opposed to repair or maintenance). Their one holy festival is the Ippensheir, named for Ippen, Gond’s First Servant, and celebrated during the twelve days immediately following Greengrass. All clergy of Gond and his devout worshipers gather at a temple, abbey, or holy site where a famed inventor or craftsmen once worked. It is a time of feasting, drinking, and revelry, during which they show inventions to and share innovations with their fellow Gondar. Some visit as many gatherings of the faithful as they can during this time, using a network of portals maintained by the church to link major defensible holy houses.

One strange practice of the faith requires that Gondar make two copies of any new machine or tool they discover, if possible. One copy is hidden away against the prying eyes of thieves or vandals for later display to fellow Gondar, and the other is smashed--or preferably, burned--as part of the Sacred Unmaking, a prayer of offering to Gond. This ceremony reinforces Gond’s dominion over both constructive and destructive engineering. Some clerics multiclass as rogues, but only out of an interest in lock picks and other small tools. Many become techsmiths.

History/Relationships:

Gond is an enigmatic deity. He serves Oghma in the thirst for knowledge, but is so independent of his superior that many forget their relationship. He is friendly with Lathander, Waukeen, and Tempus, for his inventions relate to creativity, profit, and war, respectively. His only true foe is Talos, whose unhindered destruction threatens not only Gond’s inventions but also his dominion over devices of destruction.

Dogma:

Actions count. Intentions and thought are one thing, but it is the result that is most important. Talk is for others, while those who serve Gond do. Make new things that work. Become skilled at forging or some craft, and practice making things and various means of joining and fastening until you can create devices to suit any situation or space. Question and challenge the unknown with new devices. New inventions should be elegant and useful. Practice experimentation and innovation in the making of tools and the implementation of processes, and encourage these virtues in others through direct aid, sponsorship, and diplomatic support. Keep records of your strivings, ideas, and sample devices so that others may follow your work and improve on what you leave behind and encourage others, such as farmers and hunters, to think of new tools, improved ways of crafting and using their existing gear, and new ways of doing things. Observe, acquire, and store safely the makings of others and spread such knowledge among the Consecrated of Gond. Discuss ideas and spread them so that all may see the divine light that is the Wonderbringer.

Clergy and Temples:

Except on the island of Lantan, the church of Gond consists largely of itinerant clerics who move from town to hamlet to city, finding employment as master crafters, builders, smiths, and engineers. Settling in one place is frowned upon unless a cleric can show his or her superiors that the prospective home is a center for innovation that bears constant watching, such as Waterdeep, Athkatla, Suzail, or Zhentil Keep. The church encourages making a handsome living in service to the Wonderbringer, however, for how better to demonstrate the rewards of following the Way of Gond? As they travel, Gondar clergy establish caches, investments, and alliances, and grab samples of any new inventions they come across. It is their duty to assist inventors and innovators and to file regular reports with the nearest Master (one who leads a religious community or tends a holy site) by means of messengers of the faith.

Temples of Gond tend to be imposing stone structures, boxy in shape and encircled with stout-pillared porticos. Little decoration adorns the interior aside from sprawling displays of items created by members of the clergy. Some such exhibits are of historical interest, while others represent the latest creative endeavors of master crafters. The central altar of the temple always involves a massive anvil surrounded by endlessly spinning cogs in a great machine. Backrooms serve as workshops, crammed with projects both ongoing and abandoned.

Gondar clergy wear saffron ceremonial vestments with a crimson collar and stole. Over the right or left shoulder, they wear a leather sash ending in a large pouch. The sash is dotted with small metal tools, gears, wire, cord, locks, hooks, hasps, buckles, and bits of steel, tin, and wool--in short, anything that might prove interesting or useful in a pinch (including lock picks for those skilled at such things). Their vestments also include enormous sunhats and belts of large, linked metal medallions. They wear Gond’s holy symbol as a pendant fashioned of bone, brass, bronze, or ivory.

The heart of the Gondar faith is the High Holy Crafthouse of Inspiration in the city of Illul in Lanthan. This large, walled monastery is run by Danactar the High Artificer, Most Holy Servant of Gond, the highest-ranking mortal cleric of the Wonderbringer. Although in theory the High Artificer’s authority extends over all Faerun, in practice the church of Gond is loosely organized into three major branches. On the isle of Lantan and Suj (Lantan’s southern companion isle), Danactar reigns supreme in all matters ecclesiastical and is a leading member of the Ayrorch, the council of twelve that rules Lantan. The High Artificer’s word also carries great authority among lantanese expatriates, itinerant merchants whose maroon-sailed, lateen-rigged ships ply the southern seas of Faerun. The word of Danactar is typically presented by the Lantar, the chief Lantanese envoy, currently a high-ranking cleric of Gond named Bloenin. Among the rest of the Gondar faith, the High Artificer is known and nominally acknowledged, but few pay great heed to edicts from distant Illul. Such independence among the Gondar of mainland Faerun can only increase following the recent destruction of Tilverton, home to the House of the Wonderbringer, the most prominent church of Gond in central Faerun.

Outside the ecclesiastical hierarchy, most members of the church of Gond are members of one or more honorary orders and societies sponsored by the faith. These include the Order of Puissant Stonemasons and Stonecarvers, the Holy Order of Most Skilled Architects and Bridgemakers, the Armorers of the Wonderbringer, the Most Arcane Order of Gearmakers, Clockmakers, and Automationists, the Society of Creative Castle Design and Construction, and the Industrious Brothers and Sisters of Carpentry, Cabinetry, Puppetry, and Toymaking.

//From the Forgotten Realms - Faiths and Pantheons sourcebook, pgs. 25-26

Manifestations:

Animals/Plants: N/A
Monsters: golems, pseudo dragons, animated furniture
Gems/Precious Metals: N/A
Colors: saffron, crimson
Miscellaneous: forge hammer wreathed in smoke, black eyes wreathed in smoke and accompanied by the distant sound of hammering

[ancientempathy]

Helm

The Watcher, the Vigilant One

Intermediate Deity
Symbol: Staring eye with blue pupil on the front of upright war gauntlet
Home Plane: House of the Triad
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Portfolio: Guardians, protectors, protection
Worshipers: Explorers, fighters, guards, mercenaries, paladins
Cleric Alignments: LE, LG, LN
Domains: Law, Planning, Protection, Strength
Favored Weapon: "Ever Watchful" (bastard sword)

Helm (helm) is the ultimate guardian, the ever-vigilant sentry who allows nothing to compromise his duty. Often seen as cold and emotionless, he appears as a giant man in full plate armor. In truth, Helm is simply a stern disciplinarian dedicated to his appointed task. He is fond of children and more tolerant of their minor infractions than of anyone else’s. Many believe that Helm would give his own life to guard something entrusted to him. He is silent on the matter.

The church of Helm was once seen as a bastion of stability and safety in the oft-dangerous North. Its members were highly respected for their pledge to defend civilization against the dangers of the wild and the monsters of the depths. However, during the past fourteen years it has shrunk greatly in numbers and influence. Helm served his duty faithfully and faultlessly during the Time of Troubles, but he played a role in confining the other deities to Faerun. The death and destruction that resulted from the Avatar Crisis earned the Vigilant One and his followers a great deal of enmity from members of other faiths, particularly those of Mystra, Bane, and Torm. In the South, Helm’s role during the Time of Troubles was not viewed as unfavorably as it was in the North, but recent events have further sullied the name of the deity and his clergy. Word has begun to trickle back to Faerun of the church’s activities in far-off Maztica; the brutal and unflinching subjugation of the native populace and the rape of the verdant land’s riches. The church is only just starting to recover, thanks in large parts to the need for skilled guardians to defend against the waxing power of evil.

Clerics of Helm pray for their spells in the morning promptly after rising or just before retiring for the evening. Their one holy day is the Ceremony of Honor to Helm, which takes place on Shieldmeet. The most holy major Helmite ceremonies are the Consecration of a Postulant, which confirms a seeker as one of the clergy, and the Consecration of a Glymtul, which dedicates an special item to Helm’s service (glymtal is an ancient word for “favored thing”). Other ceremonies of note are the Purification and the Holy Vigil. The Purification is a renewal of faith undergone by beings returning to the faith or atoning for a shortcoming in vigilance, loyalty, or worship. The Holy Vigil marks the ascension of a cleric to a higher rank. It is a nightlong ceremony that tests the willpower of the candidate, whose weapon is enspelled to levitate by a senior cleric through ritual magic, the candidate’s concentration keeps it hovering. Clerics of Helm never command undead, although evil clerics may rebuke undead. They most commonly multiclass as fighters or paladins.

History/Relationships:

Helm always borne a heavy load, symbolized by his omnipresent suit of armor. As the eternal sentry, he knows that the end of the world will inevitably come on his watch. Nevertheless, he serves without complaint, willing to make any sacrifice to protect his charge. Thus, Helm is implacably opposed to the machinations of Bane, Cyric, and Shar, whose insidious plots eternally threatened Faerun. He also fights the unbridled fury and destructive impulses of Garagos and Talos at every turn. Helm is not amused by Mask’s thievery or his jests, viewing the Lord of Shadows as simply another threat to be defeated. Of the good-aligned deities, only Torm truly understands Helm’s unbending commitment to his charge. Relations between the Loyal Fury and the Vigilant One are strong, enough so that the two churches have grudgingly begun to heal the rift between them, at the command of their respective deities.

Dogma:

Never betray your trust. Be vigilant. Stand, wait, and watch carefully. Be fair and diligent in the conduct of your orders. Protect the weak, poor, injured, and young, and do not sacrifice them for others or yourself. Anticipate attacks and be ready. Know your foes. Care for your weapons so they may perform their duties when called upon. Careful planning always defeats rushed actions in the end. Always obey orders, providing those orders follow the dictates of Helm. Demonstrate excellence and purity of loyalty in your role as a guardian and protector.

Clergy and Temples:

Helmite clergy believe they can win back the rightful power of Helm only through demonstrating excellence of vigilance and purity of loyalty. In their roles as guardians and protectors, they have set about training bodyguards everywhere and spread the word that only Helm tested worshipers of the Vigilant One are truly reliable. The church of Torm greets such claims coolly, though, ensuring that true rapprochement between the faiths will be long in coming.

Temples of Helm are always imposing edifices built solely for defense. Many are fortified abbeys located near dangerous and evil areas, where they form a line of defense against the encroachment of powerful enemies. Major cities usually have a temple or shrine to Helm, for his clerics make excellent guards or leaders of guards. Wherever they are located, Helm’s faithful watch their houses of worship with unceasing vigilance. Frequent guards are spectators, a race of smaller beholderkin, which infuriates the church of Bane and its allied beholders. At the heart of the endless barracks, armories, and training chapels is the central altar, which is always a massive suit of full plate mail. All such suits of armor are holy relics of the faith, having once been worn by one of Helm’s most esteemed champions. All who seek sanctuary are welcome within a temple of Helm, but if they are accused of a crime, they must willingly submit to the local laws of the land and its justice, if lawfully executed. Despite its risks, many accept this condition, for Helm’s followers always ensure that the accused receives a fair trial.

Clerics of Helm wear spotless, shining, full plate armor (often with the everbright property) and open-faced helms, often topped with plumes. They may drape this armor with red cloaks and tabards of steely gray, and such garments--or the armor itself--may be adorned with the Unsleeping Eye in the center of both back and breast. In southern regions, Helmite clergy often wear fine full plate set with gems and worked with gold filigree, accentuating great golden eyes set in the centers of both breastplate and back. In areas where heavily armored clerics are frowned on, the armor is reduced to a set of heavy shoulder plates, but the helm always remains.

The church of Helm is organized into a strict military hierarchy, and every member of the faith can easily determine his or her rank relative to the others. In centuries past all members of the faith ultimately reported to a single Supreme Watcher, but there has been no pontiff of the faith since the Year of the Watching Helm (992 DR). It is whispered, always out of range of known Helmites, that the taint of corruption had spread among the seniormost clergy of the Watcher in that era, and that the deity himself came to smite those who would betray their sacred trust. In the centuries since that purging of the faith, the church of Helm has been ruled by the Council of Helms, an assembly of the elder members of the faith. Chief among its duties is to be ever vigilant against the taint of corruption spreading in its own ranks, a practice that has proved effective in rooting out insidious threats to the faith.

Many Helmite abbeys maintain powerful church armies or sponsor orders of guardians. The Companions of the One True Vision is an order of crusading Helmite clerics and fighters, whose members were known for unswerving loyalty. Their shock troops followed orders to engage the most difficult objectives without breaking and held the most trying positions against overwhelming odds. Recently, however, members of this order, many of whom served in the Helmite actions in Maztica, have taken a beating in popular reputation. Other orders include a small fellowship of battlefield healers known as the Watchers Over the Fallen, a group of dedicated bodyguards called the Everwatch Knights whom Helmite temples hire out to generate revenue, and an order of paladins called the Vigilant Eyes of the Deity.

//From the Forgotten Realms - Faiths and Pantheons sourcebook, pgs. 28-29

Manifestations:

Animals/Plants: N/A
Monsters: helmed horrors, spectators
Gems/Previous Metals: N/A
Colors: steel, red
Miscellaneous: upright metal gauntlet, closed war helm, glow or vibration on weapons consecrated to Helm

//From the Deities Do’s and Don’ts web supplement, pg. 12

[ancientempathy]

Ilmater

The Crying God, the Broken God

Intermediate God
Symbol: Pair of white hands bound at the wrist with a red cord
Home Plane: House of the Triad
Alignment: Lawful good
Portfolio: Endurance, suffering, martyrdom, perseverance
Worshipers: The lame, the oppressed, the poor, monks, paladins, serfs, slaves
Cleric Alignments: LG, LN, NG
Domains: Good, Healing, Law, Strength, Suffering
Favored Weapon: An open hand (unarmed strike)

Gentle and good-spirited, Ilmater (ill-may-ter) is a quiet, even-tempered deity who willingly shoulders the burdens and tears of a long-suffering world. Although he is slow to anger, the wrath of the Broken Deity is terrible in the face of extreme cruelty or atrocities. He takes great care to reassure and protect children and young creatures, and he takes exceptional offense at those who would harm them. The Crying God appears as a man whose body has been badly mutilated by punishment on the rack, crisscrossed with marks of torture and having broken and ravaged joints. He is short, burly, balding, and wears only a breechcloth, but his kind, homely face is warm and comforting.

Misunderstood by most, pitied and even scorned by a vocal minority, the church of Ilmater yet has one of the largest and most faithful followings in Faerun. In a cruel world, the suffering, the sick, and the poor have come to rely only on the Crying God’s followers to provide succor to all. The church of Ilmater is widely loved by common folk in settled lands everywhere, and its clergy can count on generous support in their lifelong mission of healing. Those who cannot comprehend why anyone would willingly submit to the torments and cruelties that Ilmater’s faithful seem to welcome misunderstand the church. Among those who hate weakness, the church of the Crying God is seen as weak and foolhardy--cruel tyrants and powerful villains alike dangerously underestimate its members.

Clerics of Ilmater pray for spells in the morning, although they still have to ritually pray to Ilmater at least six times a day. They have no annual holy days, but occasionally a cleric calls for a Plea of Rest. This allows him or her a tenday of respite from Ilmater’s dictates, to prevent emotional exhaustion or allow the cleric to do something Ilmater would normally frown upon. This custom is an established tradition that some leaders of the faith rely upon, sending their best fighting clergy out to do things that the church cannot otherwise accomplish (covertly removing a tyrant rather than confronting him openly, for example). The most important ritual is the Turning: It is the duty of every cleric of Ilmater to convince the dying to turn to Ilmater for comfort, receiving the blessing of the Broken God before they expire. (This deathbed prayer does not change the person’s patron deity to Ilmater.) As the veneration of Ilmater grows, even in death, his healing power becomes greater. Many clerics learn the Brew Potion feat so that they can help those beyond their immediate reach. One group of Ilmatari monks, the Broken Ones, acts as defenders of the faithful and the church’s temples, as well as agents of punishment for those who cruelly harm others. These monks can multiclass freely as arcane devotees, clerics, divine champions, divine disciples, divine seekers, or hierophants.

History/Relationships:

Ilmater is an older deity who has long been associated with Tyr (his superior) and Torm, who together they are known as the Triad. The Triad work together closely, for in union they are stronger than as individuals. Ilmater is also allied with Lathander. He opposes deities who enjoy destruction and causing pain and hardship for others, particularly Loviatar and Talona, whose natures are diametrically opposed to his own. Other foes include Bane, Garagos, Malar, Shar, and Talos.

Dogma:

Help all who hurt, no matter who they are. The truly holy take on the suffering of others. If you suffer in his name, Ilmater is there to support you. Stick to your cause if it is right, whatever the pain or peril. There is no shame in a meaningful death. Stand up to all tyrants, and allow no injustice to go unchallenged. Emphasize the spiritual nature of life over the existence of the material body.

Clergy and Temples:

Ilmatari share what they have with those in need and always take time to counsel those who are upset and care for the injured. Ilmatari speak for the oppressed, guide the lost, feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, and gather herbs and make medicines at all times for disasters to come. They bury the dead, treat the diseased, and give food, drink, and firewood to the poor. They see life as sacred and suffering as holy, but they do not stand in the way of others’ desires or condemn them for their chosen path. When war is expected and time permits, clerics of Ilmater gather in strength with litters, shovels, tents, splints, bandages by the cartload, and wagons of medicines and healing potions to tend those who will soon suffer. They also tour the wealthier cities and settlements of Faerun soliciting money to support the church.

Temples of Ilmater are typically located in the countryside along major routes, serving as waystations for weary travelers. Most are named for an Ilmatari saint, of which there are many. Most are manors of a sort, with protective walls around at least a chapel, chapter house, stable, and garden. Many have facilities dedicated to the care of the sick and injured. Others contain libraries, monks’ quarters separate from the chapter house, or barracks for an affiliated knightly order.

Ilmatari wear a solid gray tunic, tabard, and trousers, or gray robes. They wear skullcaps in gray (most clergy members) or red (senior clerics). Novices who have not yet been adorned wear no skullcaps. The symbol of Ilmater is worn as a pin over the heart or on a chain around the neck and serves as a holy symbol. Some of the older members of the faith have a gray teardrop tattooed to one side of their right or left eye.

The Adorned, as the clerics and monks of Ilmater are known, are organized in an informal hierarchy centered on the leader of a large temple, abbey, or monastery to whom the Ilmatari of the region report. Abbeys and monasteries are usually tied to specific temples, often adding a second tier in the informal hierarchy. There is no one pontiff of the faith or governing body, although the senior clergy come together for informal conclaves on occasion. Although most monks dwell separate from the church in monasteries or abbeys, some reside in Ilmatari temples as teachers or defenders.

Ilmater’s church has several affiliated knightly orders of paladins and warriors, including the Companions of the Noble Heart, the Holy Warriors of Suffering, the Order of the Golden Cup, and the Order of the Lambent Rose. Monastic orders are also numerous, and include the Disciple of St. Sollars the Twice-Martyred, whose most famous facility, the Monastery of the Yellow Rose, is located in Damara, high up in the Earthspurs near the Glacier of the White Worm. (Monks of this monastery specialize in genealogical studies.) Other Ilmatari monastic orders include the Followers of the Unhindered Path, the Disciples of St. Morgan the Taciturn, the Sisters of St. Jasper of the Rocks. Most Ilmatari monasteries traditionally are named after flowers that symbolize something of significance to the order, though this is not mandated.

//From the Forgotten Realms - Faiths and Pantheons sourcebook, pgs. 30-31

Manifestations:

Animals/Plants: white doves, white donkeys, sparrows, field mice, daisies, white roses
Monsters: devas, planetars, solars
Gems/Precious Metals: N/A
Colors: gray, red
Miscellaneous: unseen watchful presence accompanied by howling, possession

//From the Deities Do’s and Don’ts web supplement, pg. 12

[ancientempathy]

Kelemvor

Lord of the Dead, Judge of the Damned

Greater Deity
Symbol: Upright skeletal arm holding the golden scales of justice
Home Plane: The Fugue Plane
Alignment: Lawful neutral
Portfolio: Death, the dead
Worshipers: The dying, families of the dying, gravediggers, hunters of the undead, morticians, mourners
Cleric Alignments: LE, LG, LN
Domains: Fate, Law, Protection, Repose, Travel
Favored Weapon: “Fatal Touch” (Bastard sword)

Kelemvor (kell-em-vor) is the latest in a long line of Faerunian deities to command the forces of death and oversee the fate of the dead. Death has been the greatest constant throughout human history, but the way humans viewed this unavoidable force has changed considerably as different deities arose to oversee it. During the reign of the inscrutable Jergal, death and the afterlife held a great deal of mystery for the common person. Most feared what they did not know or understand. When Myrkul took the office of Lord of the Dead after Jergal tired of it, humanity’s worst fears were given form. Evil cultists reminded the living of the dead’s power and influence, which extended far beyond the grave. In those days the lines between dead and undead became blurred, and commoners knew that to be taken into Myrkul’s embrace was no protection from being raised by some demented necromancer. Things got worse when Myrkul was destroyed during the Time of Troubles and Cyric assume the role, as the notoriously petty and flawed Black Sun seemed to offer not even the pale assurances of his forebears. Kelemvor, who assume the mantle ten years after the Godswar, has taken a decidedly different approach.

Kelemvor urges his clerics to act as stewards of the afterlife and to teach the people of Faerun that death is a natural part of life. There is nothing to be feared in the transition, for only the truly wicked, the Faithless, or the False must fear the world beyond the Fugue Plane. Kelemvor views all undead as abominations, ordering his servants to destroy them at every turn. Kelemvor is a taciturn deity, and until recently was not completely sure of himself or his role. He has placed such uncertainties behind him, however, and approaches his duty as judge of the afterlife earnestly, tempering his strong sense of justice with kindness and forthrightness. He is not, however, particularly clever, and prefers to solve problems with direct action that sometimes leads to unintended results.

Kelemvor’s clerics make every attempt to minister to the common people, to demystify the process of death and help the bereaved cope in times of loss. Most folk welcome the appearance of clerics of Kelemvor, thankful for their light touch and calming demeanors--a welcome change from the days when unsettling clerics of Myrkul demanded funerary fees that seemed all too close to extortion. Children (particularly those growing up near evil kingdoms) hold militant clerics and paladins of Kelemvor in awe as undead hunters, and communities beset by the attentions of necromancers or tomb robbers often come to his clergy for aid.

Clerics of Kelemvor pray for spells at sundown. Most holy ceremonies involve blessing a soul for the transition into the afterlife. If present at the moment of death, a cleric of Kelemvor performs the Passing, a simple ritual alerting Kelemvor to the arrival of this new wanderer on the Final Road. When an entire battlefield or plague-ravaged community requires last rites, Kelemvorite devotees perform the Lament for the Fallen. This ceremony, similar to the Passing, features low, droning chants and rhythmic beating of ash staffs upon the open ground. At a private ceremony known as the Daeum, clerics of Kelemvor celebrate their deity’s soothing doctrine and fund church activities with the goods of those who have died without heirs. Both Shieldmeet and the Feast of the Moon are of special spiritual significance to Kelemvor’s adherents, when clerics recount the Deeds of the Dead that they never be forgotten. Rarely, powerful clerics use these days to cast “true resurrection”, returning to life heroes of the distant past who are needed in the present day. Kelemvor’s clerics sometimes multiclass as necromancers, rangers, or doom guides, using their knowledge to hunt down and destroy undead. Clerics of Kelemvor never rebuke or command undead.

History/Relationships:

If not for the Time of Troubles, the mortal warrior known as Kelemvor Lyonsbane likely would have died o some battlefield, alone and unmourned. He was the victim of a bewildering ancestral curse that forced him to assume the form of a violent magical panther whenever he performed a rare act of kindness. However, he fell in with a band of adventurers that included Cyric of Zhentil Keep and a young arcane spellcaster called Midnight. By the end of the Godswar, all three had become deities, through cunning plots and betrayal or purest happenstance.

As deities, the three former companions still retain what might be called a relationship. Cyric despises both Kelemvor and Midnight (who became Mystra), blaming them for his frequent setbacks. Cyric plots endlessly to regain dominion over death, a portfolio he held briefly, and instructs his mortal followers to oppose those of Kelemvor by disturbing the rest of the dead, mutilating corpses to prevent identification, and supporting all kinds of necromantic activity. As mortals, Mystra and Kelemvor were lovers, though it remains uncertain if their relationship survived the events of the past fourteen years. Mystra aids Kelemvor from time to time, but the demands of her station prevent frequent contact. Kelemvor hates Velsharoon for his support of necromancy and Talona for her poisons and diseases, which send many souls to the Fugue Plane prematurely. Kelemvor spends a great deal of time in the company of Jergal, with whom he lives in the Crystal Spire of the Fugue Plane and from whom he learns the responsibilities and requirements of his station. The Forgotten One’s stark pragmatism and almost chilling lack of pity disturb Kelemvor, however, and though he respects Jergal, it is a stretch to say that hey trusts the elder deity.

Dogma:

Recognize that death is part of life. It is not an ending but a beginning, nor a punishment by a necessity. Death is an orderly process without deceit, concealment, and randomness. Help others die with dignity at their appointed time and no sooner. Speak against those that would artificially prolong their life beyond natural limits, such as the undead. Do honor to the dead, for their strivings in life brought Faerun to where it is now. Forgetting them is to forget where we are now, and why. Let no human in all Faerun die a natural death without one of Kelemvor’s clerics at her side.

Clergy and Temples:

Clerics of Kelemvor perform funerals, settle the affairs of the dead, and often are called upon by local lords or magistrates to oversee the execution of last wills and testaments. They preach to the masses the doctrine of a peaceful afterlife journey, and ensure that the bodies of the dead are buried safely and according to religious tradition. They mark sites ravaged by disease with plague warnings, and attempt to cure disease wherever they encounter it. Clerics of Kelemvor consider all undead abominations, and do whatever they can to put them to eternal rest. They contend that those who create undead are fit only for swift and utter destruction (an important difference between Kelemvorite clergy and that of Jergal, who hold that certain undead have their use). Kelemvorite clergy sometimes declare crusades against the undead or against creatures deemed to have caused too much untimely death. Occasionally, this leads them to employ adventurers to solve problems with which they cannot contend alone.

Members of the clergy tend to be taciturn, even morose at times. Many came to the church after losing loved ones to undead incursions, or even after dying themselves and being so profoundly touched by the experience that they enrolled in the clergy shortly after returning to life. Many of the older members of the clergy once worshiped Myrkul, and even fourteen years after that deity’s destruction, some have difficulty coming to grips with the doctrinal differences between the two faiths.

Many Kelemvor’s temples used to be temples of Myrkul, and hence have less inviting or soothing architectural than their high clerics might prefer. Bone-and-skull motifs predominate, and some of the larger temples even feature now-sealed chambers once used for revivification or darker rites.

//From the Forgotten Realms sourcebook - Faiths and Pantheons, pgs. 33-34

Manifestations:

Animals/Plants - N/A
Monsters - N/A
Gems/Precious Metals - N/A
Colors - gray, silver
Miscellaneous - floating skull with hood and tattered robe

//From the Deities Do’s and Don’ts web supplement, pg. 12

[ancientempathy]

Kossuth

The Lord of Flames, the Firelord

Greater Deity
Symbol: A twining red flame
Home Plane: Elemental Plane of Fire
Alignment: Neutral
Portfolio: Elemental fire, purification through fire
Worshipers: Druids, elemental archons, fire creatures, Thayans
Cleric Alignments: CN, LE, LG, LN, N, NE, NG
Domains: Destruction, Fire, Renewal, Suffering
Favored Weapon: Tendril of flame (spiked chain)

Patron to creatures of elemental fire and those entranced by the intricate dance and destructive powers of flame, Kossuth (koh-sooth) holds little affection for his followers on Toril. He does, however, reward them frequently, and his cult continues to spread at what some might term an alarming rate. A distant and alien entity, Kossuth seems to have some sort of plan for his mortal followers and rapidly growing church, but none except perhaps the highest clerics have any insight into what that plan may be. To devotees, Kossuth is the cleansing flame, the spark of innovation, the tempering force of reason, and the heart of all passion. They rank fire as the most important of the elements, and sometimes go to dangerous and damaging lengths to prove its supremacy. Kossuth is usually depicted as a huge pillar of flame boiling skyward.

Throughout Faerun, temples of the Firelord actively recruit from the ranks of the poor and the disaffected, offering a regimented program of progression through self-denial. New recruits adopt a repressive, ascetic lifestyle in hopes that, through recruiting other followers, they will advance to a higher level (“terrace”) of the organization. Each new terrace offers more benefits than the one before, enticing members of the lower ranks to greater and greater acts of religious devotion to advance to the next rank. As the stakes become richer, the associated risks become greater, and the faithful often immolate themselves in display of fire’s awesome power. Such a death holds little fear for the dedicated follower, however, who believes that those who die by flame in Kossuth’s service will serve him as honored warriors in the hereafter.

Skeptical outsiders view Kossuth’s church as a mysterious, highly complex organization that shuns critics but welcomes newcomers with a little too much enthusiasm. They cynically note the high death rate of young aspirants, suggesting that those in the upper echelons purposely send their inferiors on suicide missions to increase their own share of the spoils. The poor and desperate, who fill most of the lower ranks, angrily deny such accusations: For them, the Kossuthan church offers advancement through hardship that can lead to vast wealth and prestige.

Clerics of Kossuth choose sunrise or high sun as their prayer time. Their liturgy holds that the sacred flame originates in the south, so they conduct all prayers and holy services facing that direction. The congregation and clerics of each temple consider the birth date of their high cleric a special holiday, lighting tremendous bonfires and making great sacrifices on such occasions. When a cleric gains a level or promoted within the church hierarchy, he or she must endure the Oath of Firewalking, a secret ceremony in which the cleric walks upon a bed of burning coals. Clerics often multiclass as monk of the order appropriate to their alignment. Some clerics multiclass as wizards or sorcerers, focusing on fire magic. A rare few become elemental archons.

History Relationships:

A supremely powerful elemental being known as Kossuth has lorded over fire since the earliest moments of the multiverse, through whether or not the contemporary Kossuth is the same, primordial being or one in a long line of similarly named successors is a matter of much conjecture. The Lord of Flames rarely intervenes in affairs of the moral world, spending most of his time embroiled in the intrigues of the Inner Planes. In -150 DR, powerful Raumatharan wizards managed to summon Kossuth from his elemental home and instructed him to destroy a besieging army from hated Narfell. This he did, but he soon turned against the wizards, incinerating their city for their arrogance. The resulting conflagration consumed much of the northern coast of the Alambar Sea, and the fires of Kossuth anger burned stronger for more than a decade after his withdrawal from Toril. He appears to have paid little attention to the world since, though his faithful in Thay credit him with intervening in the disastrous Salamander War of 1357 DR and preventing that from becoming an even greater debacle. Kossuth’s name is not among the deities spotted in Faerun during the Time of Troubles, which suggests either that he somehow escaped Ao’s wrath or simply kept quiet as the world fell apart around him.

Kossuth’s doctrine of elemental supremacy virtually ensures conflict with the other elemental lords, and the Lord of Flames harbors especial hatred for Istishia, whom he views as pathetic and weak. In response, the King of the Water Elementals instructs his followers to work against the plans of Kossuth at every turn. Open warfare between the two clergies is rampant. The Firelord interacts very little with the other deities of Faerun. Moradin and Flandal Steelskin honor him for the heat of the forge, but he barely responds. The return of Bane pleases Kossuth, however; the two deities seem to agree on the importance of a strong religious hierarchy and have a common intolerance for the ephemeral and unpredictable nature of chaos.

Dogma:

Those fit to succeed will do so. Kossuth’s faith is innately superior to all other faiths, particularly that of Istishia. Fire and purity are the same. Smoke is produced by air in its jealousy. The reward of successful ambition is power. Reaching a higher state is inevitably accomplished by difficulty and personal pain of some sort. Kossuth sends his pure fire to cleanse us all and temper our souls so that we can achieve a pure state. Expect to be tested, and rise to the challenge, no matter what difficulty and pain it brings. Those above you proven their worth and deserve your service. Guide others to Kossuth’s pure light so that he may reforge all life into its essential form.

Clergy and Temples:

Clerics of Kossuth divide themselves into two factions, the Tendrils and the Burning Braziers. The Tendrils make up the bulk of the order and hold most of the ecclesiastical power. They see to the affairs of the temple, officiate at holy days and ceremonies, and preach to local Kossuthan communities. The Braziers represent the adventuring and missionary arm of the church, traveling the wilderness to bring new lands into Kossuth’s scalding, purifying light.

Both factions subscribe to a strict hierarchy. A temple’s high cleric, called an Eternal Flame, represents the highest possible religious authority. All are subservient to the local Eternal Flame; Braziers tend to follow the lead of the nearest such leader during their travels. Below the Eternal Flame are various terraces holding dominance over the ranks below. Adherents on the lowest terraces deny themselves all worldly goods and pleasures, donating to the higher terraces all but the minimum needed to remain alive. (In the case of adventuring clerics, this minimum includes armor, weapons, and magic items.) As a cleric advances through the terraces, more and more rights and pleasures are granted to him, but only through great hardship and difficult--often fatal--tests of faith.

Kossuth’s adherents tend to be fanatical schemers who wish to “cleanse” the world and rebuild it according to the Firelord’s dictates. Highly motivated and easily manipulated, clerics of the lower terraces tend to ‘burn out” quickly (often literally) in their efforts to advance to the next terrace. Senior clerics use their underlings as pawns, frequently sending them on missions for which they are not properly trained or equipped, so that only those of the highest skill and ambition will advance. All clerics of Kossuth share a fiery temper. They are quick to take offense and use violence to enforce the rigidity of their chosen lifestyle. The primary goal of all clerics is to acquire land, wealth, influence, and power, and few church activities involve anything that does not directly contribute to one of these goals.

The church boasts no fewer than three orders of fighting monks, each corresponding to a different lawful alignment - the Disciples of the Phoenix (good), Brothers and Sisters of the Pure Flame (neutral) and the Disciples of the Salamander (evil). The Kossuthan church has held a place of importance in Thay for generations, in part because it is one of the few agencies by which non-Mulan Thayans can raise their station in life.

Temples to Kossuth follow a ziggurat type of architecture that mirrors the structure of the church at large. Often carved from lava, these imposing edifices feature constantly burning braziers and bonfires, with several dozen adherents tasked with keeping the holy flame alive. The largest Faerunian temple of Kossuth is the Flaming Brazier, in Bezantur.

//From the Forgotten Realms Faiths and Pantheons, pgs. 35-36

Manifestations:

Animals/Plants: N/A
Monsters: fire elementals, salamanders, efreet, fire genasi, azers, smoke mephits, magma mephits
Gems/Precious Metals: N/A
Colors: red, crimson, orange
Miscellaneous: any fire of significant size

//From the Deities Do’s and Don’ts web supplement, pg. 12

[ancientempathy]

Lathander

The Morninglord

Greater Deity
Symbol: Sunrise made of rose, red, and yellow gems
Home Plane: House of Nature
Alignment: Neutral good
Portfolio: Athletics, birth, creativity, dawn, renewal, self-perfection, spring, vitality, youth
Worshipers: Aristocrats, artists, athletes, merchants, monks (Sun Soul), the young
Cleric Alignments: CG, LG, NG
Favored Weapon: “Dawnspeaker” (light or heavy mace)

Whenever humans embark on a new journey, enter a contract, or start a political or romantic relationship, chances are good that they whisper a prayer to Lathander (lah-than-der), deity of dawn, renewal, and vitality. Though he is among the oldest of the Faerunian pantheon, the Morninglord nonetheless retains the cherry optimism of youth that makes him the perfect symbol of beginnings. Ever willing to pass over the defeats of today to focus on the victories of tomorrow, Lathander preaches a doctrine of proactive good works and constant reevaluation of society’s traditions and mores. He also urges the destruction of undead, which he views as a vile corruption that mocks creation and true life.

Critics suggest that Lathander’s aggressive altruism often gets in the way of his good sense. His vanity and enthusiasm cause him to discount the consequences of his actions: He simply hopes for the best and attacks a problem head on, regardless of the ramifications. Never was this character flaw so clearly illuminated than during the Dawn Cataclysm, a catastrophe second only to the Time of Troubles, in which Lathander attempted to reshape the entire pantheon in his own image and thereby triggered a major struggle. His ultimate failure resulted in the destruction of several deities and powerful outsiders, led to the collapse of a half-dozen theocracies, and presaged the fall of Myth Drannor.

Despite the failures of the distant past, Lathander’s faith remains extremely popular and powerful today, especially among idealistic young nobles (though seldom their parents). They claim to be personally tasked by the Morninglord to see to the affairs of their lessers, as though their fortuitous accident of noble birth granted them a writ to serve as Lathander’s mortal representatives. For many young aristocrats, a foray into Lathanderism represents a last act of rebellion before accepting the responsibilities of the nobility. Those of truer heart, however, remain in the church and often end up making a profound difference in their community. Commoners appreciate such treatments, making the Morninglord popular among all social classes.

Clerics of Lathander pray at dawn. Most holy services take place just as the light of the sun breaks the horizon, with secondary gatherings occurring at high sun and sunset. Ceremonies are joyful but dignified and feature singing, offerings, and ritual drinking of well water touched by the light of dawn. On Midsummer morning and on the mornings of the vernal and autumnal equinoxes, Lathanderian clerics perform the Song of the Dawn, a popular and complex musical ceremony that attracts even nonworshipers to the Morninglord’s cathedrals. Lawful clerics often multiclass as paladins.

History/Relationships:

Lathander’s friendly demeanor makes him almost as popular among other deities as he is among the mortals of Toril. The deities, however, tend to have longer memories than their followers; many appreciate Lathander’s calls to action and altruistic rants but try to keep him from doing too mch damage to the status quo. He gets on well with other idealistic deities such as Eldath and Lliira, or with those such as Lurue and Siamorphe, who prefer to focus on the pleasurable and good things in life. The Morninglord’s command over creativity brings him into friendly contact with Oghma, Milil, and Gond, and his unflinching hatred of the undead has made him a fast ally of Kelemvor. Chauntea seems to appreciate his exuberance more than any other member of the Faerunian pantheon, perhaps because it brightens her ancient soul. She and Lathander believe that their fates are intertwined, and while their romance has faded and flared intermittently over the centuries, they always seems to return to each other.

Lathander somewhat naively holds evil deities such as Bane, Cyric, Loviatar, and Talos personally responsible for the majority of Toril’s ills. He particularly dislikes Shar, whom he views as an eternally corrupting force, the foul cancer at the heart of every shadowy intrigue against him and his church. Lathander believes that the Dawn Cataclysm occurred because of the Lady of Loss secretly corrupted his efforts, and he is hatching plans to ensure that does not happen again.

Helm harbors ill feelings toward the Morninglord that date back to the Dawn Cataclysm, when Lathander indirectly caused the destruction of Helm’s lover Murdane, a lesser deity of reason and pragmatism. No doubt the Vigilant One would be chagrined to learn that Lathander has, since the Time of Troubles, been working on some of the incantations and machinations that brought about that catastrophe so long ago. Oghma, Chauntea, and Lliira know of Lathander’s plans, but so far, each has remained silent. With the return of Bane, many progressive deities believe that direct action must be taken to destroy evil once and for all, and that no unintended consequences of Lathander’s plans could be as threatening to the world as simply standing by and doing nothing.

Dogma:

Strive always to aid, to foster new hope, new ideas, and new prosperity for all humankind and its allies. It is a sacred duty to foster nw growth, nuture growing things, and work for rebirth and renewal. Perfect yourself, and be fertile in mind and body. Wherever you go, plant seeds of hope, new ideas, and plans for a rosy future in the minds of all. Watch each sunrise. Consider the consequences of your actions so that your least effort may bring the greatest and best reward. Avoid negativity, for from death comes life, and there is always another morning to turn a setback into a success. Place more importance in activities that help others than in strict adherence to rules, rituals, and the dictates of your seniors.

Clergy and Temples:

Clerics of Lathander tend to be ebullient utopists, “morning people” in every sense of the phrase. They encourage social, cultural, and political progress as agents of personal liberty, artistic expression, and racial harmony. Lathander’s clerics sponsor athletic and artistic competitions to showcase the talents of the community, and they often finance the recovery of lost treasures or important symbols to give the people hope and encourage further good works. The tenets of Lathanderism urge respect toward one’s fellows and the natural world and intolerance for evil or those who unwittingly aid evil through slothful inaction. Militant followers stand at the vanguard of efforts to clear civilized lands of harmful beasts or purge the taint of the undead from the world.

Powerful members of the church protect their communities from malign extraplanar interests by acting as exorcists or fiendslayers. The church recognizes no central authority; the head of each temple is afforded similar respect by followers everywhere. Clerics refer to one another as Dawnbringers.

The ostentatious cathedrals of Lathander, with their abundant statuary and gaudy stained-glass windows, reflect the order’s great wealth. All temples include a mass hall that faces eastward, allowing the congregation to watch the first rays of the rising sun. In crowded or walled cities, temples are built for height, with ceremonies held on the third or even fourth floor of the structure. When such construction is impossible, a complex series of mirrors channels the sun’s rays. Lathanderian architecture is dominated by elaborate fountains that often spill into shallow moats of holy water winding throughout the temple complex.

Within the last year, Lathander’s most trusted servants have received word of their deity’s secret plan. Dawnbringers refer to a mysterious event known as the Deliverance, which will have important consequences for the world, especially for those who are antithetical to Lathanderian beliefs. No mortals know the details of the Deliverance, but the prospect of the Morninglord taking a more active role in the affairs of Toril fills his already excitable worshipers with an almost unsettling glee. They have initiated an aggressive proselytizing effort to encourage others to join their church before it is too late.

//Faiths and Pantheons, pg 37-38

Manifestations:

Animals/Plants: robins, red peacocks, butterflies, aster blossoms
Monsters:
Gems/Precious Metals:
Colors: yellow, red, rose
Miscellaneous: intense rosy radiance surrounding a person’s body

//Do’s and Dont’s, pg. 12

[ancientempathy]

Lolth

Queen of Spiders, Queen of the Demonweb Pits

Intermediate Deity
Symbol: Black spider with female drow head hanging from a spider web
Home Plane: Demonweb Pits
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Portfolio: Assassins, chaos, darkness, drow, evil, spiders
Worshipers: Drow and depraved elves, sentient spiders
Cleric Alignments: CE, CN, NE
Domains: Chaos, Drow, Evil, Darkness, Destruction, Spider, Trickery
Favored Weapon: A spider (dagger)

Cruel and capricious, Lolth (loath) embodies the absolute evil of the drow. She is malicious in her dealings with others and coldly vicious in a fight, coveting the power of deities worshiped by the surface races. Some believe her to be insane, because the Queen of Spiders pits her own worshipers against one another in an endless struggle for “station.” She can be kind and aids those she fancies, but she thrives on death, destruction, and torture--including those of her own worshipers who have displeased her. Although she can appear in the form of a giant black widow spider with crimson eyes, Lolth’s true form is that of a human-sized, exquisitely beautiful female drow.

The Queen of Spiders is the subject of terrifying legend among most surface dwellers and seen as virtually synonymous with the greatly feared drow. Few elves are even willing to discuss their deep-dwelling kin, let alone the dark deity who is blamed in large part for their depravity. Only the drow clerics of Eilistraee are even willing to speak of Lolth, and their fury at her enslavement of their kin excess even that of other elven subraces. In the Underdark, her church is a well-known evil, hated by dwarves, svirfneblin, and other races for the cruelty of her clerics. Dark elves who venerate other evil deities, as well as all male drow who pay her homage, revile the church of the Spider Queen for its power--though they would seize such power for themselves if they could.

Clerics of Lolth pray for spells after waking from trance or before retiring to trance. They are always female. Lolth requires regular homage from her clerics: submission in prayer, plus offerings. Lolth’s aid requires sacrifices, traditionally the blood of drow faithful or captured foes, spilled with a spider-shaped knife whose eight descending legs are blades. Ceremonies sacrificing surface elves are performed monthly during nights of the full moon as deliberate affronts to Sehanine, Lolth’s hated rival. Rituals customarily take place among women only, in a sacred room or area, but those requiring extraordinary power or a public display may be celebrated in the open and in mixed company. The most powerful ceremonies defy description and are seldom seen by nondrow.

Rituals to Lolth involve the burning of precious oils and incense, live offerings, and riches of all sorts, particularly gems. These are customarily placed in a bowl-shaped depression in a black altar or a burning brazier, from which black-and-red flames leap to consume the offerings. If the deity is angered, or impostors are present, the flames may also arc to consume other valuables, such as magic items, jewelry, and clothing. Large, important rituals customarily use eight braziers, to provide additional flame and to represent Lolth’s eight legs.

Lolth allows herself to be contacted directly (such as with a commune spell) only when it pleases her to do so. Otherwise, the call reaches her servant yochlols (amorphous demons able to take the form of an elf or spider). When Lolth is displeased, she sends a yochlol or a myrlochar (a spider demon of lesser rank) to attack the cleric. Lolth’s clerics sometimes multiclass as arachnes, fighters, or sorcerers.

History/Relationships:

Lolth was once Araushnee, the consort of Corellon Larethian, patron of artisans, the deity of elven destiny, and--later, by Corellon’s decree--the keeper of those elves who shared her darkly beautiful features. The Weaver of Destiny bore her lover two children, Eilistraee and Vhaeraun, before she betrayed him and tried to invade Arvandor, along with Ghaunadaur, Malar, and many other fell deities. For her crimes, Araushnee was banished to the Abyss in the form of a spider demon, where she took the name Lolth. As the original patron of the dark elves, the Queen of Spiders established herself as the unchallenged ruler of the drow pantheon. Lolth finds it convenient to ally herself on occasion with Loviatar and Malar, and, since the Time of Troubles, to masquerade as Moander, an ancient deity of rot, corruption, and decay. Lolth’s foes include the Seldarine (the elven pantheon), Ghaunadaur, Eilistraee, nondrow Underdark deities, and Gruumsh.

Dogma:

Fear is as strong as steel, while love and respect are soft and useless. Convert or destroy nonbeliever drow. Weed out the weak and the rebellious. Destroy impugners of the faith. Sacrifice males, slaves, and those of other races who ignore the commands of Lolth or her clerics. Raise children to praise and fear Lolth, each family should produce at least one cleric to serve her. Questioning Lolth’s motives or wisdom is a sin, as is aiding nondrow against the drow, or ignoring Lolth’s commands for the sake of a lover. Revere arachnids of all kinds; those who kill or mistreat a spider must die.

Clergy and Temples:

Clerics of Lolth are the rulers, police forces, judges, juries, and executioners of drow society. They wield power in keeping with the cruel and capricious nature of Lolth herself, and manipulate (often by brute force) their fellow drow to behave as their deity. The ultimate aim of every cleric is to achieve and keep the favor of Lolth. They believe that the spirits of those who die in her favor go to the Demonweb Pits, where they become yochlol and other servant creatures, while those in Lolth’s disfavor pass into torment on another plane somewhere. (Accursed souls may someday return to Faerun as snakes or spiders; drow beliefs on such matters often change with time and location.) Although she often rewards treachery and cruelty, Lolth does not look kindly on those who let personal grudges and vengeance bring defeat or shame to their House, clan, city, or band.

Drow noble Houses have their own private temples, and every drow city ruled by the church of Lolth has at least one large, open public gathering area for large rituals, calls to war, and the like. Most cities also have a grand temple to the Spider Queen, used for training clerics. In every temple, despite large differences in size, opulence, and importance, certain constants apply. Inner chambers are for the worship and business of Lolth, including most spell casting. These chambers are always shrouded in darkness, except for the radiance involved in spell casting and rituals. Antechambers are set aside for war councils and most business wherein clerics meet with drow males and outsiders. Most temples have guardian creatures, often hidden and occasionally magical in nature, which usually include spiders of all sorts. Statuettes of the Spider Queen, usually worked of black stone, are present in all temple chambers. Marble and obsidian are favored materials for statuary and temple furniture. There are always large braziers, ornately carved with spider shapes, and at least one altar of black stone.

When participating in rituals, clerics of Lolth work unclad or wear black robes trimmed with dark red and purple (lesser or novitiate clerics instead wear dark purple or red trimmed with black). In some cities, they wear ornate helms carved to resemble writhing spiders, while in others heads are always left uncovered. Jewelry consists of spider medallions and similar pieces, all made of platinum. Clerics prefer to display either a platinum disk at least 3 inches in diameter with Lolth’s holy symbol embossed in black enamel or a platinum representation of it, on a platinum or mithral chain.

Chaotic in the extreme, the church of Lolth has little formal hierarchy outside that imposed by its most powerful members and shaped by the will of Lolth. In drow cities ruled by clerics of the Spider Queen, such as fabled Menzoberranzan, the seniormost clergy also lead the most powerful drow noble Houses and rule through a noble council led by a single Matron Mother. In other cities, there may not be a single ruling council or a single ruling cleric. In most cases, the hierarchy of the church is inextricably linked with the theocracy of the associated city.

//From the Faiths and pantheons, pgs. 40-41

Manifestations:

Animals/Plants: spiders
Monsters: yochlols, myrlochars, draglifts, araneas, bebiliths, deep dragons, driders, ettercaps, quasits, retrievers, monstrous spiders, chitines, choldriths
Gems/Precious Metals: amber (with a spider trapped within it), black sapphire
Colors: black, red, purple
Miscellaneous: spider-shaped shadow, flickering black mauve-edged aura, cruel feminine laughter

//Do’s and Don’t’s, pg. 13

[ancientempathy]

Malar

The Beastlord, the Black-Blooded Pard

Lesser Deity
Symbol: Bestial claw with brown fur and curving bloody talons
Home Plane: Fury’s Heart
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Portfolio: Bloodlust, evil lycanthropes, hunters, marauding beasts and monsters, stalking
Worshipers: Hunters,evil lycanthropes, sentient carnivores, rangers, and druids
Cleric Alignments: CE, CN, NE
Domains: Animal, Chaos, Evil, Moon, Strength
Favored Weapon: A beast’s claw (claw bracer)

Malar (mahl-arr) is a primordial, savage deity who revels in the hunt and the blood of the kill. Appearing as a sleek and supple catlike beast with blood-spattered ebony fur, Malar delights in instilling fear in his victims, for her can literally smell and taste the essences of their terror. The Beastlord is known by many names in many lands, including the Stalker along the shores of the Vilhon Reach, the Render across the Endless Ice and the Great Glacier, the Blue Bear among the Uthgardt, and Herne among the orcs of the High Forest.

In civilized settings, the church of Malar is widely loathed, for its members--often evil lycanthropes--are some of the most dangerous threats to the safety of the local populace. Along the frontier and in wilderness settings, however, those who must hunt for food reluctantly pay homage to the Beastlord, even as they fear his cruelty. Outsiders sometimes differentiate between “Hunts,” as Malarite bands are known, that operate openly and those that stalk the night. Some realms, such as Cormyr, legally recognize the former as having dominion over hunting while considering the latter to be little more than dangerous predators to be driven off or slain.

Clerics of Malar pray for spells at night, preferably under a full moon. They also offer prayers to the Beastlord before the chase, during pursuit, and while drinking a toast over the slain quarry (sometimes with its blood). The droning Bloodsong is intoned over the bodies of all creatures slain during a hunt, and specific ritual prayers and chants accompany feasting on any prey. Two great rituals are the Feast of the Stags and the High Hunt. In the former, clerics and worshipers of Malar hunt plenty of game before Highharvestide and then invite all (especially those not of the faith) to join them at a feast, where they pledge to hunt in the coming winter to provide for the needy. (This is one of the few things the church does that pleases the common folk.) During the High Hunt, held each season, worshipers adorned in kill trophies hunt a humanoid, who can win his or her life and a boon by escaping or surviving a day and a night. Malar’s clerics often multiclass as barbarians, rangers, or druids. Many are evil lycanthropes such as werewolves.

History/Relationships:

Malar is an ancient deity who dates back to the days when the first beasts stalked the land. He has always hated the Fair Folk and maintains a long-standing alliance with Lolth against the Seldarine. Over the centuries, he has tried to usurp power from other deities with varying degrees of success. He is one of the Deities of Fury, along with Talos (his superior), Auril, and Umberlee, and he is allied against the deities of peace, civilization, and nature, but harbors a particular loathing for Nobanion since that deity defeated him in a fierce conflict, known as the Roar of Shadows, during the Time of Troubles.

Dogma:

Survival of the fittest and the winnowing of the weak are Malar’s legacy. A brutal, bloody death or kill has great meaning. The crux of life is the challenge between the hunter and the prey, the determination of who lives or dies. View every important task as a hunt. Remain ever alert and alive. Walk the wilderness without trepidation, and show no fear in the hunt. Savagery and strong emotions defeat reason and careful thought in all things. Taste the blood of those you slay, and never kill from a distance. Work against those who cut back the forest and who kill beasts solely because they are dangerous. Slay not the young, the pregnant, or deepspawn so that prey will remain plentiful.

Clergy and Temples:

Clerics of Malar indulge in hunting as often as possible. They drive the hunt to make it as dangerous as possible to prey and predator alike, and try to ensure that its bloody finale takes place in a settled area. Common folk do not appreciate having desperate wolves, displacer beasts, and the like chased through town, and they tend to hate and fear Malar’s faithful--which is the whole idea. Malarite clergy also preach the joy and bounty of the hunt and work to thwart the expansion of civilization to preserve as much wilderness as possible. To this end, they stage raids and acts of vandalism that are popular with outlaws and bored young nobles. Malarites oppose druidic circles dedicated to Eldath, Mieliiki, Silvanus, and similar deities and their allies, such as the Harpers. Such groups promote and maintain natural balance, which Malarties see as interfering with the rightful triumph of the strong over the weak.

Temples of Malar are rare, as most Hunts eschew formal buildings for shadowed wilderness glades. Unlike most druidic circles, those of Malar’s worship consist of inwardly curving, fang-shaped stones arranged in a ring. In more civilized settings, where the activities of Malarites are viewed with loathing, the sacred area may be hidden within extensive limestone caverns accessible via a sinkhole above the center of the stone circle. The twisting subterranean passages serve as hunting grounds through ruthless Malarties stalk sentient prey (particularly humanoids) captured from the surrounding region.

Ceremonial headgear is made from the pelt and head of the most impressive beast the cleric has killed with bare hands (usually a bear or great cat, but sometimes an owl bear, displacer beast, or a stranger creature). Malarties carry hunting horns at their belts and are never without several daggers sheathed in boots and belts, strapped to either forearm, or hidden in a stealth at the nape of the neck under the hair or in an armpit. Woodland garb of red or brown is the favored dress for hunts, often concealed by day under a wood cloak of mottled black, gray, and green. Clerics looking to make an impression may also wear necklaces of animal bones, fangs, and claws and a variety of pelts.

The church of Malar is loosely bound and without a central hierarchy. It is organized around the concept of the Hunt and consists of local, independent cells. This makes it all the more difficult to counter or remove, for as soon as one den of Malarties is contained, another arises. Huntmasters are the informal religious leaders of the church and may be clerics, druids, rangers, or shape changing predators. They decide the locale, time, and prey of the ceremonial hunts of the faithful. The office of Huntmaster is won by challenge--a fight to the death if the incumbent does not resign.

//From the Faiths and Pantheons, pgs. 43-44

Manifestations:

Animals/Plants: bears, wild hunting cats, wolverines, wolves
Monsters: beasts of Malar, displacer beasts, fang dragons, leucrottas, evil lycanthropes, owlbears, perytons
Gems/Precious Metals: N/A
Colors: red, brown, gray, black
Miscellaneous: cloud of darkness with two red feral eyes, animate beast limb

//From Do’s and Don’t’s, pg. 13

[ancientempathy]

Mask

Master of All Thieves, Lord of Shadows

Lesser Deity
Symbol: Black velvet mask tinged with red
Home Plane: Plane of Shadow
Alignment: Neutral evil
Portfolio: Shadows, thievery, thieves
Worshipers: Assassins, beggars, criminals, rogues, shades, shadow dancers
Cleric Alignments: CE, LE, NE
Domains: Darkness, Evil, Luck, Trickery
Favored Weapon: “Stealthwhisper” (longsword)

Mask (mask) is self-possessed, confident, and fond of intricate plots, though his schemes are always getting him in trouble. The Lord of Shadows is wary but cool, never losing his temper, and he always seems to be holding back a mocking comment. Mask’s ever-changing appearance serves him well: His true form is unknown.

The church of Mask is widely feared, not so much for its supposed cruelty as its penchant for thievery and stalking the shadows. Most outsiders view it as little more than an organized guild of rogues cloaked in the veneer of religion--a surprisingly accurate depiction. In political circles, the Lord of Shadows’ reputation for intrigue lingers on, and astute observers have noted that his church often acts as a network of spies for hire as well.

Clerics of Mask pray at night in darkness or shadows. At least once a month, each major temple performs the Ritual of the Unseen Presence to acknowledge Mask’s constant scrutiny of all deeds, no matter how well hidden. This involves hymns, chanted verse, and offerings of wealth. Lay worshipers and Maskarran also participate in daily Sunset Prayers, in which they kneel, worship before the central altar, and proffer coin. In recognition of the wry humor of Mask, who so often makes the high low and the low high, junior clergy give money to senior clergy, and the highest-ranking cleric gives coin to the lowest-ranking. Clerics tend to multiclass as assassins, bards, divine seekers, guild thieves, rogues, shadow adepts, or shadowdancers.

History/Relationships:

Mask’s penchant for intringues and larceny has cost him not only potential allies but, of late, a great deal of power as well. During the Time of Troubles, the Lord of Shadows assumed the guise of Godsbane, the sword the mortal Cyric wielded to slay Bhaal, Lord of Murder. After the Avatar Crisis, he betrayed Leira to Cyric, enabling the Dark sun to seize the portfolio of illusion. Mask’s multilayered plots ultimately resulted in his reading of the Cyrinishad, a mistake that nearly destroyed him, cost him much of his divine power, and allowed Cyric to seize the portfolio of intrigue. To make matters worse, the Lord of shadows earned the enmity of Kezef the Chaos Hound, a powerful extraplanar entity. Mask finally got Kezef off his trail after acquiring Houndsbane, a powerful magic sword crafted by the Lady of Mysteries. Should Mask ever lose that weapon, however, Kezef will renew his pursuit immediately.

Mask has made overtures to Bane since his return regarding a possible alliance, but the Black Lord is well aware of the true nature of the Master of All Thieves. Mask hates Cyric for stealing part of his portfolio and endlessly schemes to regain that which he considers rightfully his. Ironically, Shar, who wishes to steal the portfolio of shadows from him, is now watching him. By nature, Mask is opposed to Waukeen and Helm, although deities such as Deneir, Oghma, Torm, Tyr and Selune work to thwart his plots as well.

Dogma:

All that occurs within shadows is in the purview of Mask. Ownership is nine-tenths of what is right, and ownership is defined as possession. The world belongs to the quick, the smooth-tongued, and the light-fingered. Stealth and wariness are virtues, as are glibness and the skill to say one thing and mean another, twisting a situation to your advantage. Wealth rightfully belongs to those who can acquire it. Strive to end each day with more wealth than you began it, but steal what is most vital, not everything at hand. Honesty is for fools, but apparent honesty is valuable. Make every truth seem plausible, and never lie when you can tell the truth but leave a mistaken impression. Subtlety is everything. Manipulation is better than force, especially when you can make people think they have done something on their own initiative. Never do the obvious except to conceal something else. Trust in the shadows, for the bright way makes you an easy target.

Clergy and Temples:

The church of Mask is second only to the church of Waukeen in wealth. Members of the clergy can call on untold wealth stolen in the past and hidden away in secret places. Maskarran do not hoard and gloat over their takings like dwarves croon over gold; they actively use it to buy agents, bribe officials, sway agreements, and manipulate folk. Clerics work behind the scenes to achieve mysterious ends. This may take several attempts, perfectly acceptable as long as it does not become too obvious who is behind them. It is to the advantage of such seasoned conspirators that many gullible folk think Mask is dead and his worship reduced to scattered cults.

From day to day, Maskarran typically tend to their plots and provide support to and collect tithes from individual thieves and thieves’ guilds. Each temple has its own policy about reporting unaffiliated thieves: Some provide aid but covertly inform the local guild, others refuse aid and inform, and still others help whoever pays the proper tithe and inform no one. Maskarran strive to keep hidden, sometimes holding services in underground shrines beneath local thieves’ guilds. In areas with a single strong guild, the temple is usually connected to the guild hall via underground tunnels or sewers. In large cities with competing guilds, the temple is recognized as neutral ground by all sides. The central Altar of the Masked Deity is always a massive stone block with a mask of black velvet, fur, or silk floating above it or a wall mosaic inlaid with precious gemstones behind it.

Ceremonial Maskarran dress consists of tunics and trousers in a colorful motley. The tunics sport ballooned sleeves and cuffs and bright embroidery to display wealth. The entire outfit is covered with a full-length, hooded gray cloak that can be drawn shut to hide the colors beneath. A black cloth mask is worn beneath the hood. In areas where Mask’s worship has fallen on particularly hard times, only the gray cloak and mask are worn as a symbol of his favor. Inside the temple, the masks are of black gauze and do not conceal the identity of the wearer; in public, such masks are usually heavy, black wool or double-thick silk and cover most of the face (and beard, if necessary.)

Historically, the church of Mask has consisted of a loosely linked web of independent operators, individual temples, and regional organizations. While that structure has not fundamentally changed, recent reverses suffered by the faith have prompted leading clergy to work towards greater cooperation within the church as a whole. As a result, many secrets are being passed along to where they can best be used to the church’s advantage. This has, at least for the moment, stemmed the faith’s loss of influence to the church of Cyric.

//Faiths and Pantheons, pgs. 45-46

Manifestation:

Animals/Plants: gray horses, gray or black cats, gray dogs, gray goats, crows, condors, gray doves
Monsters: annis hag, doppelgangers, ettercaps, wererats, werewolves, shadow dragons, shadows
Gems/Precious Metal: smoky quartz, gray chalcedony, gray and banded onyx
Colors: gray, black
Miscellaneous: drifting amorphous darkness with or without a cowled human head, quiet chuckling laughter, black nail-less hand, shadows where there should be none.

//Deities Do’s and Donts, pg. 13

[ancientempathy]

Mielikki

Out Lady of the Forest, the Forest Queen

Intermediate Deity
Symbol: Gold-horned, blue-eyed unicorn’s head facing left
Home Plane: House of Nature
Alignment: Neutral good
Portfolio: Autumn, dryads, forest creatures, forests, rangers
Worshipers: Druids, fey creatures, foresters, rangers
Cleric Alignments: CG, LG, NG
Domains: Animal, Good, Plant, Travel
Favored Weapon: “The Hornblade” (scimitar)

Mielikki (my-lee-kee) is a good-humored deity who is quick to smile and confident in her actions. She is fiercly loyal to and protective of those she calls friends but considers carefully before including someone among them. While she knows death is part of the cycle of life, she is not as hard-hearted as Silvanus and often intervenes to cure the injuries of a creature because she finds them hard to bear. Mielikki appears as a robust, russet-haired, brown-eyed woman of shapely form and lithe grace, garbed in leather armor of muted green and brown.

The church of Mielikki is well-regarded in wilderness areas, where rangers are often the only shield against the dangers of the frontier. Correctly or not, most see its clergy as far more willing to seek an equitable balance between settlement and preserving nature than the faithful of Silvanus or the elves who have long stalked the forests. Moreover, her church is seen as a necessary counter to the bestial savagery of the Beastlord’s followers.

Clerics, druids, and spell casting rangers of Mielikki pray for spells in the morning or evening but are required to observe both. They listen to and understand the whispers of the woods after a period of meditation and extended introspection. Once a month, each cleric or druid is required to perform the Song of Trees, a ritual that calls forth a dryad or treant, and then serve the creature by performing small tasks for a day. The church’s most holy rituals, called the Four Feasts, take place on the equinox and solstices. They celebrate the sensual side of existence and involve singing praises to the Lady in forest depths wherever possible. Celebrations on Greengrass and Midsummer night are similar to the Four Feasts, but they also include planting rites and the Wild Ride, where herds of unicorns gather and allow the faithful to ride them bareback through the forest. On years when Shieldmeet follows Midsummer, the Ride continues for that day and night if desired. Almost all clerics of Mielikki multiclass as rangers or (to a lesser extent) druids. Her druids may use armor and weapons allowed to rangers and not be in violation of their sacred oaths.

History/Relationships:

Mielikki is the daughter of Silvanus and sister of Eldath. Gwaeron Windstrom and Shiallia serve her, and Lurue the Unicorn is her mount when she rides into battle. Mielikki is friendly with Shaundakul and Lathander and opposes evil-aligned deities, particularly Malar, Talos, and Talona.

Dogma:

Intelligent beings can live in harmony with the wild without requiring the destruction of one in the name of the other. Embrace the wild and fear it not, because the wild ways are the good ways. Keep the Balance and learn the hidden ways of life, but stress the positive and outreaching nature of the wild. Do not allow trees to be needlessly felled or the forest burned. Live in the forest and be a part of the forest, but do not dwell in endless battle against the forest. Protect forest life, defend every tree, plant anew where death fells a tree, and restore the natural harmony that fire-users and woodcutters often disrupt. Live as one with the woods, teach others to do so, and punish and curtail those that hunt for sport or practice cruelties on wild creatures.

Clergy and Temples:

Clerics and druids of Mielikki are oriented toward protecting nature (especially forests) from the forces of evil and ignorance. They often wander among small communities nestled at the edges of forests both great and small, encouraging the inhabitants to care for and respect the trees and the life beneath their leafy boughs. They try to prevent further encroachment by civilization on the remaining great forests by teaching careful forest husbandry. When called upon, they defend the trees with force of arms if necessary. Rangers of the faith protect and support the clergies of Eldath and Silvanus, and they aid the Harpers in defending, renewing, and even extending forests and forest life. They oppose those who deal in fire magic (notably the Red Wizards) and encourage both city and farm-dwelling folk to view woodlands as pleasant refuges for renewal and enjoying natural beauty, not deadly wilds to be feared and fought.

The members of Mielikki’s church are widespread and rarely collect into large groups for any length of time. There are few temples to the Forest Queen; most worship takes place in glades or at small shrines. Temples always include a small stand of trees if not actually constructed in a grove. Most have at least one oak, which serves as both altar and the home of a dryad. Small forest creatures are always welcome within such houses of worship, and many reside therein year-round.

Mielikkian ceremonial garb consists of trousers, brown boots, a short cape (woven by dryads from spider silk and tinted with natural dyes), and a tabard that is long-sleeved in winter and sleeveless in summer. Capes cover armor (typically chain mail) in times of war. Colors vary with the seasons, each season having a base color and an accent. Winter is white with green accents, spring green with yellow accents, summer yellow with red accents, and fall red with white accents. The unicorn’s head of Mielikki, carved of ivory or bone or stitched in silver thread, is always worn over the heart.

Much like the Harpers, the church of Mielikki has no formal hierarchy but is instead led by the most senior clergy of the faith. Elder clerics, druids, and rangers gather about them a network of allied individuals who share information and come together to achieve the church’s ends. In recent years, the church has organized into three branches: the Heartwoods (dryads and treants), Arms of the Forest (clerics and druids), and Needles (rangers). Mielikki has dictated this to ensure the continued vitality of the faith and preserve the ancient ways of the forest.

//Faiths and Pantheons, pg. 48

Manifestations

Animals/Plants: hawks, songbirds, wolves
Monsters: dryads, satyrs, sprites, treants, unicorns
Gems/Precious Metals: N/A
Colors: green, red
Miscellaneous: glowing white unicorn that gallops through the air, drifting radiance (blue-white or green, gold, and rust)

//Do’s and Don’t’s, pg. 13

[ancientempathy]

Mystra

The Lady of Mysteries, the Mother of All Magic

Greater Deity
Symbol: Circle of seven blue-white stars with red mist flowing from the center
Home Plane: Dweomerheart
Alignment: Neutral good
Portfolio: Magic, spells, the Weave
Worshipers: Elves, half-elves, incantatrixes, mystic wanderers, sorcerers, spelldancers, spellfire channelers, wizards
Cleric Alignments: CG, LE, LG, LN, NG
Domains: Good, Illusion, Knowledge, Magic, Rune, Spell
Favored Weapon: Seven whirling stars (shuriken)

Mystra (miss-trah) provides for and tends to the Weave, of which she is effectively the embodiment. The Weave is the conduit that enables mortal spell casters and magical crafters to safely access the raw force that is magic. Mystra is also the deity of the possibilities that magic can bring about, making her one of the most powerful beings involved in Toril. Although she favors the ethos of good, she has learned that as deity of magic, she must preserve the Balance. While she can prevent the creation of new spells and magic items that her philosophy opposes, she rarely exercises this ability unless they threaten the Weave or magic in general. Mystra appears as a beautiful human woman with dark, flowing hair and radiant skin.

The church of Mystra is very powerful across Faerun and includes many adherents among the populace. Were more wizards and sorcerers devout worshipers of the Lady of Mysteries, the faith would undoubtedly be the most powerful in all Faerun. Mystra’s followers have lost a great deal of influence since the Time of Troubles, when magic ran amok and caused great destruction. The deity’s actions over the past decade have only driven more worshipers, particularly evil wizards and sorcerers, into the arms of Shar.

Clerics of Mystra pick one time of day or night to consistently pray for spells. They celebrate the 15th day of Marpenoth, the anniversary of the ascension of the current Mystra from her mortal form, but otherwise have few calendar-related rituals, focusing more on a personal style of worship. For some devout arcane spell casters, this never goes beyond a whispered prayer of thanks with each spell they cast, coupled with some thought as to the moral consequences of its use. Two ceremonies of great personal significance are Starflight and Magefire. The former centers on a fly spell that permits flight for as long as the stars are visible in the sky. It is often used as an initiation when an individual joins the church of Mystra or a celebration when two worshipers are wed. During Magefire, great magic power surges through one’s body, blazing in flickering blue fire as it spills forth in cleansing and renewal. The Hymn to the Lady is a solemn ritual performed mostly at funerals. While the living clergy intone a plainsong dirge, visions arise of dead mages and Mystran clerics; Mystra often inserts her own guiding scenes. Mystra’s clerics usually multiclass as arcane devotees, dweomerkeepers, sorcerers, or wizards.

History/Relationships:

Mystra is the third deity to hold the position of Lady of Mysteries and Mother of All Magic since the rise of Netheril. The first was Mystryl, who died saving the Weave from the arrogance of the Netherese arch wizard Karsus. The second Lady of Mysteries was the first to create the Chosen of Mystra, including Elminster, Khelben, and the Seven Sisters. She died at the hands of Helm during the Time of Troubles while trying to return to the planes. At the end of the Avatar Crisis, a mortal wizard named Midnight assumed the name of her predecessor upon ascension to divinity. Like Cyric and Kelemvor, it took the new Mystra some time to grow into her role as a deity. For a decade, she battled her old enemy Cyric on many occasions, and for a time, withheld the use of magic from deities and mortals alike. However, since then she seems to have learned her role as guardian of the Balance and impartial arbiter of the Weave.

Mystra’s customary advisor is Azuth, although the Lord of Spells is less close than he was with the previous Lady of Mysteries. Savras and Velsharoon, who thus indirectly report to Mystra as well, serve Azuth. The Mother of All Magic maintains close alliances with deities of knowledge, such as Oghma, Deneir, and Milil, as well as the deities of magic in other pantheons, including Corellon Larethian, Isis, and Thoth. Although she still hates Cyric with a passion and views the return of Bane with burgeoning hatred, Mystra’s chief antagonist is Shar. Shar secretly created the Shadow Weave long ago in response to Selune’s creation of Mystryl and the Weave (to which Shar inadvertently contributed as well). Mystra sees Shar’s actions as a direct threat to her own portfolio and a grave danger to the integrity of the Weave, and her ties with Selune are strong and growing. It is Mystra’s aim to eventually subsume the Shadow Weave into her own portfolio, even if that means sacrificing her last remaining vestiges of humanity and inherent goodness and absorbing more of the darkness that is Shar.

Dogma:

Love magic for itself. Do not treat it just as a weapon to reshape the world to your will. True wisdom is knowing when not to use magic. Strive to use magic less as your powers develop, for often the threat or promise of its use outstrips its actual performance. Magic is Art, the Gift of the Lady, and those who wield it are privileged in the extreme. Conduct yourself humbly, not proudly, while being mindful of this. Use the Art deftly and efficiently, not carelessly and recklessly. Seek always to learn and create new magic.

Clergy and Temples:

Mystran clergy work hard to preserve all magical lore so that magic can flourish in the future regardless of what befalls the thinking races of Faerun or the powers of the planes. They maintain secret libraries, private safe holds, well-guarded research laboratories, and small, hidden stashes. Mystrans also search out beings skilled in spell use and keep watch on the power and behavior of individuals likely to become magic-wielders of importance. The clergy actively seek out sources of old magic, often from tombs, dangerous ruins--even liches. They consider it more crucial to know the precise location of artifacts and items of magical power than to possess them, but wherever possible, they work to wrest control of such things from the aggressively evil, the irresponsible, and the unsound of mind. While some of Mystra’s clerics follow the teachings of the older, lawful neutral incarnation of the deity, most have changed alignment in accordance with her current incarnation or have left the faith. All clergy of Mystra are expected to devise their own new magic (whether it be spells or items) upon gaining sufficient experience. In this way, magical study remains a growing, vibrant thing, and magic is not merely seen as a handy tool for rulers and engineers to tame Faerun, but remains a thing of wonder.

Temples of Mystra can be almost any size and style of structure; some shrines are natural caves or grottoes. All are living works of art--or rather, Art--raised with magic and enwrapped in countless spells. Most are filled with magic items, many of which are of an esoteric rather than practical nature. Most include an open central courtyard in which daily services are held and from which one can see the stars at night or a magical representation of them. Lesser rooms house libraries of magical lore or serve as work shops and laboratories for experimentation in the Art. Sites dedicated to the deity are enhanced by the Weave to augment spellcasting power. Any spells cast within by her clerics can benefit from one met magic feat without needing to take up a higher level spell slot; the benefit ends if the recipient leaves the location of the temple.

The ceremonial garb of Mystran clerics consists of simple blue robes, sometimes trimmed with white, accented by a cloak of deep blue in colder climates. Some form of blue headgear is required, though this may range from a plain skullcap for the scholarly orders of the Sword Coast North to wide, ornate hates and helms in southern lands.

Mystra’s symbol was a blue-white star before the Time of Troubles, but both old and new symbols are still in use. Mystran clerics are very tolerant of the older worship of Mystra, as they feel that progress comes only by learning about the past. They let established symbols of the old faith stand, but when creating new symbols, they always use the new sigil of their deity.

All wielders of magic and seekers after arcane lore of any race are welcome in the service of Mystra. The hierarchy of the Mystran faith is wide and varied, separating into orders concentrating on one form of magical energy. Relations between the various orders and subgroups of the faith are very good. Both divine and arcane spell casters fill its ranks without regard to experience level or origin. The general rule of the Mystran faith is that talent and ability outweigh social rank or legendary feats.

The church also sponsors a knightly society of paladins, a small order of rangers, and an assembly of bards. The Knights of the Mystic Fire often accompany members of the clergy on quests to locate lost hoards of ancient magic. These paladins also form the cadre of leaders for small groups of armed forces who guard Mystra’s larger temples and workshops. The rangers, known as the Order of the Shooting Star, serve as long-range scouts and spies for the church. They also deal with magical threats against the natural order of things, such as unloosed fiends and creatures born of irresponsible arcane experimentation. Bards of the Children of the Starry Quill often work as information gatherers and rumormongers for the church or spend time in libraries unearthing magical knowledge and preserving it for posterity. Some members of the Starry Quill are Harpers.

//Faiths and Pantheons, pgs. 50-51

Manifestations:

Animals/Plants: blue jays, sparrow hawks, white cats, dogs, donkeys, horses, mules with blue or mismatched eyes
Monsters: devas, light archons, guardinals (any), metallic dragons, pseudo dragons, pegasi, unicorns
Gems/Precious Metals: rainbow tourmaline, amaratha, beljuril, blue or clear gems of any kind
Colors: blue, white
Miscellaneous: blue-white glow that illuminates people or objects, graceful female hand surrounded with blue-white motes of light

//Do’s and Dont’s, pg. 13

[ancientempathy]

Oghma

The Lord of Knowledge, Binder of What is Known

Greater Deity
Symbol: Blank scroll
Home Plane: House of Knowledge
Alignment: Neutral
Portfolio: Bards, inspiration, invention, knowledge
Worshipers: Artists, bards, cartographers, inventors, lore masters, sages, scholars, scribes, wizards
Cleric Alignments: Any
Domains: Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Travel, Trickery

Followers of Oghma (ogg-mah) tell an interesting tale regarding the earliest days of existence. Not long after Shar and Selune created Toril and gave birth to Chauntea, the world’s animating spirit, a traveler ventured to the world from a distant realm. He came upon a chaotic landscape of indistinct, shapeless concepts yearning to be given solidity. To each of these concepts he gave a name that would define it in the eons to come. Such was the power of these names that the concepts transcended their elusive existence, bound to physical form in the material world. Thus, did Oghma, the Binder of What is Known, give order to chaos and claim an honored place among Toril’s oldest deities.

Oghma’s dominion over the realm of ideas continues to this day. The Lord of Knowledge sits in judgment of all ideas, deciding whether they will be allowed to spread, or whether they will die with their originator. In this regard, the Binder exercises a great deal of caution, for the experience of countless ages weighs heavy on his heart. He prefers a doctrine of ideological conservatism, hoping that no new thought disrupts the delicate balance he has nurtured since the beginning of time. Despite this, Oghma exudes an outwardly cheerful demeanor, using his good looks, skillful debate, and peerless charm to sway even the most ardent opponents to his way of thinking. Radical deities such as Lathander and Lliira, who frequently oppose Oghma’s rigid adherence to the status quo, view his orations as hidebound and manipulative. Nonetheless, all but the most vile and loveless appreciate the fine lilt of his voice and his delicate, skillful performance on the yarting (a type of guitar). Oghma’s legendary musical skill and geniality define mortal impressions of the deity. He is the patron of bards, and most consider him the source of creative inspiration and the protector of accumulated knowledge. Served by sages, wizards, bards, and nay who base their lives on the exchange of knowledge or song, Oghma is honored by members of every race, social class, and creed.

Clerics of Oghma pray for spells in the morning. Every day, they perform two rituals known as the Cornerstones of the Day. The first, the Binding, is a morning ceremony of writing mystic symbols during silent prayer. The second, known as the Covenant, is an evening ritual sharing works of wisdom, song, and new knowledge. Clerics celebrate Midsummer and Shieldmeet as holy days, since these occasions traditionally mark new agreements or pacts, when many written contracts, deeds, and bonds are drawn up. When a child follower of Oghma achieves his or her twelth year (or equivalent for nonhuman worshipers), local clerics perform a private ceremony known as the Naming. They reveal to the youth his or her “True Name,” a secret signifier that represents that being’s true essence. One’s True Name is used only in personal prayer to the Lord of Knowledge and should not be shared with anyone. Oghmanytes believe that knowing one’s True Name gives power over the person, and hence do not mention it even to their closest friends or relatives. Oghma’s clerics often multiclass as bards and sometimes as wizards or lore masters.

History/Relationships:

Most Oghmanyte myths date to the earliest centuries of human existence. Some claim that Oghma gifted the world with written language, others that the Binder is responsible for all concepts. While such theological pedantry incites endless debate among the scholarly classes of Faerun, nearly everyone agrees that Oghma is ancient and has been widely worshiped since before the dawn of history. Together, Oghma, Denier, Milil and Gond are known as the Deities of Knowledge and Invention. The Binder has a somewhat patronizing relationship with Deneir and Milil, whom he treats as his servants in the preservation and promulgation of knowledge. He appreciates Gond’s enthusiasm and creativity but frowns at the Wonderbringer’s constant desire to push technology further and further, putting innovation ahead of introspection. Oghma dislikes Mask, Cyric, and bane, viewing them as the most credible threats to his beloved balance.

Dogma:

Knowledge, particularly the raw knowledge of ideas, is supreme. An idea has no weight, but it can move mountains. The greatest gift of humankind, an idea outweighs anything made by mortal hands. Knowledge is power and must be used with care, but hiding it away from others is never a good thing. Stifle no new ideas, no matter how false and crazed they seem; rather, let them be heard and considered. Never slay a singer, nor stand by as others do so. Spread knowledge wherever it is prudent to do so. Curb and deny falsehoods, rumor, and deceitful tales whenever you encounter them. Write or copy lore of great value at least once a year and give it away. Sponsor and teach bards, scribes, and record keepers. Spread truth and knowledge so that all folk know more. Never deliver a message falsely or incompletely. Teach reading and writing to those who ask (if your time permits), and charge no fee for the teaching.

Clergy and Temples:

Clerics of Oghma are known as Namers. The church welcomes members of all races and philosophies, provided prospective clerics swear to the doctrine of the Binder of What is Known and dedicate themselves to acquiring, administering, and protecting knowledge. Members of the church might remain cloistered in temples (usually academics or sages more at home among stacks of books and scrolls than among their fellows) or travel the land, recording their experiences and periodically reporting to the temples they encounter on their travels. Wayfaring clerics and bards within the church tend to be adventuresome and curious, bon vivants who occasionally come into ideological conflict with their academic counterparts. The two branches need each other, however, and such reprobation seldom escalates beyond mild disapproval.

Far more common in cities than the wilderness, temples of Oghma resemble libraries filled with acolytes huddled over desks covered in books, maps, and scrolls. Many support themselves by selling writing implements, services, or maps, often to adventurers. Most temples include extensive binderies to aid cloistered clerics in producing religious tracts and volumes that will form the basis of future temple libraries.

The church is currently experiencing serious factional disagreement along hierarchical lines. Before the time of Troubles, adherents swore by the word of the Grand Patriarch Cullen Kordamant of Procampur, a pontiff recognized as the terrestrial Voice of Oghma. Kordamant vanished from his home amid the chaos of 1358 DR, however, and since then most temples of Oghma have aligned themselves with one of two factions. The Orthodox Church of Oghma, based in Procampur, holds that Kordamant has ascended to a semi divine state and serves Oghma on the planes. Until the Binder tells his followers otherwise, they believe that no new Voice should be named.

Sembia’s powerful and deeply conservative Oghmanyte Church claims that the Binder himself recently declared their high cleric Undryl Yannathar to be Great Patriarch, a contention the Orthodox Church intensely refute. The factions refuse to find common ground and press temples throughout Faerun to declare themselves for one side or the other.

//Faiths and Pantheons, pgs. 52-54

Manifestations

Animals/Plants: N/A
Monsters: golems, metallic dragons, lillends
Gems/Precious Metals: N/A
Colors: white, black, gold
Miscellaneous: blue-green radiance accompanied by chords of menacing music, blinding white light with or without eyes of fire

//Do's and Dont's, pg. 13

[ancientempathy]

Selune

Our Lady of Silver, the Moonmaiden

Intermediate Deity
Symbol: Pair of female eyes surrounded by seven silver stars
Home Plane: Gates of the Moon
Alignment: Chaotic good
Portfolio: Good and neutral lycanthropes, moon, navigation, questers, stars, wanderers
Worshipers: Female spell casters, good and neutral lycanthropes, navigators, monks (Sun Soul), sailors
Cleric Alignments: CG, CN, NG
Domains: Chaos, Good, Moon, Protection, Travel
Favored Weapon: “The Rod of Four Moons” (heavy mace)

Selune (seh-loon-ay) represents the mysterious power of the moon, the celestial force that influences the tides, changes lycanthropes, orders of reproductive cycles, and pulls at the edges of sanity. An incalculably ancient deity, Selune approaches existence with the placid calm of dappled moonlight. Like the moon itself, the quietly mystical Lady of Silver has many faces. At times, she seems distant, cloaked in the sadness of past defeats and tragedies. At others, she dances joyfully, her lithe form glowing with majestic radiance. A chotic being well accustomed to change, Selune can be count on for at least one constant--her ceaseless war against her archnemesis Shar. Together the two created Toril and infused it with life, and ever since, they have battled over the fate of their creation.

Many of Faerun’s residents live according to the dictates of the night sky, and hence Selune boasts a highly diverse body of worshipers. Seafarers turn to the star-speckled canopy above their nocturnal voyages to navigate the seaways, often offering prayers to the Moonmaiden to protect them from Umberlee’s attentions. Nonevil lycantrhopes honor Selune as the master of their fate, as do astrologers and fortune tellers, albeit for different reasons. The common folk know servants of Selune as mysterious agents of good, enemies of evil were beasts and undead, and caretakers of lunatics and the infirm. Though few understand the intricacies of her ancient religion, most good-hearted Faerunians respect her clergy and pay homage to her when the moon is full.

Clerics of Selune pray for their spells at night, always facing in the direction of the moon when visible. Women heavily outnumber men, and many of the church’s rituals honor the woman’s role as a teacher and role model in the home and in society at large. Selune’s doctrine suggests that the moon exerts a subtle influence upon the natural cycles of a woman’s body. A female cleric of Selune believes she is closest to her deity during the full moon, and during that period, she conducts morning ceremonies to open herself to special visions, insights, and intuitions. Milk, as a symbol of motherhood and the sustaining power of the feminine, plays an important role in most Selunite ceremonies. All clerics observe two annual holidays, the Conjuring of the Second Moon and the Mystery of the Night. The Conjuring of the Second Moon, held every Shieldmeet, is a coordinated chant at every Faerunian temple of Selune. This confluence of devotional energy summons the Shards, a cadre of blue-haired female planetars, to do the bidding of Selunes terrestrial clergy for a single night--usually battling the forces of Shar. On the following dawn, the Shards elevate one moral cleric to their order. The Mystery of the Night must be performed once every year by each cleric of Selune. During the ritual, clerics fly high into the air to commune with the Moonmaiden while in a deep trance. Selune’s clerics often multiclass as bards, silverstars, or sorcerers.

History/Relationships:

According to the oldest myths, Lord Ao created the universe that now holds the world of Toril. Through this act of creation, protoplasmic raw existence took the form of twin deities, one representing light and one representing darkness. These deities, Selune and Shar, birthed the heavenly bodies, in the process creating Chauntea as the animating spirit of the world of Toril. Chauntea begged the sisters to grant her world warmth and light that life might flourish upon it. Selune relented, igniting the sun with elemental fire. Shar, who treasured the primordial darkness and resented Chauntea’s concept of life, lashed out at her sister, initiating a conflict that has endured to the present day. Enraged, the Lady of Loss snuffed out the lights of selune, greatly weakening her in magical battle. Finally, the Moonmaiden tore a piece of her magical essence from herself and flung it at Shar. When the blast hit the Dark Deity, it ripped away some of her essence as well. From the meld of light and dark energies came Mystryl, a being of pure magic who went on to shepherd the Weave blanketing all Toril. Mystryl more closely identified with Selune, granting the Moon maiden a powerful ally--at terrible cost. Selunes magical onslaught cast Shar into the darkness for centuries and allowed warmth and light to grace Toril, but the assault wounded her to the core. Since then her power has waxed and waned with the passing of epochs, while Shar, ever waiting to strike from the shadows, retains much of her ancient strength.

Selune’s power seems to be on the rise. Prior to the Time of Troubles, her potency had ebbed to the point that she was a servitor to Sune Firehair. In the last decade, however, she has once again branched out on her own, forging new alliances in her eternal battle against her dark sister. Among her strongest allies in this cause is Mystra (the second deity to follow her ancient, long-dead friend as protector of the Weave), especially since Shar created the mysterious Shadow Weave, a force antithetical to Mystran doctrine. Lliira and Eilistraee share Selune’s love of moonlit frolics. She respects Lathander’s passion and hopes that by working together the two can cast destroying light upon Shar’s ever-present darkness. Selune struggles with Umberlee over the fate of ships at sea, and with Mask over the evil he commits in the moonlight’s dark shadows.

Dogma:

Let all on whom Selune’s light falls be welcome if they desire. As the silver moon waxes and wanes, so too does life. Trust in Selune’s radiance, and know that all love alive under her light shall know her blessing. Turn to the moon, and she will be your true guide. Promote acceptance and tolerance. See all other beings as equals. Aid fellow Selunites as if they were your dearest friends.

Clergy and Temples:

The Moonmaiden’s clergy believe that “anywhere the full moon shines is the place for Selune.” Her worshipers tend to be patient, accepting all with an understanding ear and a healing hand. Selune’s lessons of compassion and guidance through observation of the heavens resonate strongest with sailors, nonevil lycanthropes, and especially female casters. Her church possesses a very chaotic hierarchy, which occasionally shifts with the phase of the moon or other less predictable heavenly phenomena. Clerics of Selune value self-reliance, humility, and practical application of common sense far more than rigid adherence to stodgy ceremonies. Clerics frequently arm themselves with a special kind of mace known as the Moon’s Hand, which replaces the standard head of the weapon with a representation of the moon (those of different temples prefer different phases). Moon’s Hands come in heavy and light varities, and are in all other ways identical to maces.

The appearance of Selune’s temples vary as much as her clerics, from small shrines in the wilderness to huge open-air or skylit buildings the size of great mansions. Reflecting ponds, small gardens, and feminine zymology dominate Selunite architecture.

Itinerant clerics wander Faerun in search of potential worshipers, always keeping an eye out for those afflicted by lycanthropy or madness. Those with the capability to heal sufferers do so; others accompany them to the nearest temple of Selune, where they are cared for by senior clerics. Wanderers of the church also subtly spread an ideology of female empowerment entwined with Selunite homilies, which is growing popular among alewives, laundresses, seamstresses, and servants. Those clerics who remain bound to temples (usually but not always due to age) dispense healing, earn coin for the church by telling fortunes from star charts, and minister to residents of the sanitariums and asylums that frequently abut Selunite temples. Both types of clerics unite when evil lycanthropes threaten the community, doing everything within their power to root out the magical affliction and cure or destroy it.

//Faiths and Pantheons, pgs. 55-56. Eric L. Boyd and Erik Mona

Manifestations

Animals/Plants: Owls
Monsters: song dragons, good lycanthropes, the Shards
Gems/Precious Metals: moonstone
Colors: blue, silver
Miscellaneous: trail of dancing lights, moonfire

//Deity Do’s and Don’ts, pg. 14. Sean K Reynolds

[ancientempathy]

Shar

Mistress of the Night, Lady of Loss, Dark Goddess

Greater Deity
Symbol: Black disk with deep purple border
Home Plane: Plane of Shadow
Alignment: Neutral evil
Portfolio: Caverns, dark, dungeons, forgetfulness, loss, night, secrets, the Underdark
Worshipers: Anarchists, assassins, avengers, monks (Dark Moon), nihilists, rogues, shadow adepts, shadow dancers
Cleric Alignments: CE, LE, NE
Domains: Cavern, Darkness, Evil, Knowledge
Favored Weapon: “The Disk of Night” (chakram)

After Lord Ao created the universe, the swirling chaos coalesced to form twin deities: Selune, a being of light and creation, and Shar (shahr), a power of darkness and destruction. Shar’s existence, paradoxically, is tied to the shrouded nothingness that existed prior to Ao’s act of creation. Shar reflects the primal dark, the flawless void erased at the beginning of time by a distant, unconcerned over deity. Her heart longs for a return to the calm of nonexistence, and she schemes from the shadows to tear down establishments, destroy order, and undermine all creation. Religious art depicts Shar as a black sphere outlined in a magical purple flames or a beautiful human woman with long, raven-black hair dressed in swirling dark garb. In this guise, her haunting purple eyes have coal black pupils that reflect the primeval void.

Since her earliest battles with Selune (which continue to this day), Shar has gained dominion over pain hidden but not forgotten, carefully nurtured bitterness, and quiet revenge for old slights. Deeply twisted, the Lady of Loss favors secrets, underhanded dealings, and subterfuge. She uses her mortal worshipers as pawns in a perverse game against everything that has been, is, and will be. Patron of the Shadow Weave, a corrupting magical force based upon nothingness and mad secrets, the Mistress of the Night bolsters her impressive power with temptation and guile.

Shar’s love of secrecy serves her clergy well, and most residents of Faerun know very little about her mysterious cult. All regard her as a dark and vengeful deity, but many seek out her servants in times of grief or bereavement. There is a pervasive belief that her clergy aids those who have been wronged or who have suffered a great loss. Instead of offering release from the pangs of grief, though, Shar’s clerics reinforce supplicants’ regrets and feelings of betrayal, turning their focus to bitterness and revenge. Good clerics (particularly those of Mystra, Lathander, and of course, Selune) warn of the dangers of seeking such solace, but desperation often gets in the way of better judgment, and the ranks of Shar’s clergy swell with each passing year.

Clerics of Shar pray for their spells at night. Because most of her followers keep their devotion a secret, the religion has but one fixed holiday. During the Festival of the Moon, Sharrans celebrate the Rising of the Dark, when the directors of local cults outline the dark plots of the coming year over the quivering body of a live sacrifice. Once a tenday, followers must engage in an act of wickedness, ideally after a nocturnal dancing and feasting ritual known as a Nightfall. Shar’s clerics often multiclass as rogues, with her most debased and accomplished servitors becoming nightcloaks. Those clerics associated with the Cult of the Dragon often multiclass as wearers of purple.

History/Relationships:

Shar’s ceaseless battles against her bright sister have caused the creation and destruction of several deities throughout history. Though Selune strikes openly and forcefully against her twin at every opportunity, Shar prefers subversion, using her mortal worshipers to attack Selune’s clergy and those things Selune holds dear, rather than at the deity herself. Still, she occasionally moves directly against minor enemies. During the Time of Troubles, Shar killed Ibrandul, a lesser deity of caverns, dungeons, and the Underdark, as an act of pure opportunism. She continues to grant spells to clerics in the name of Ibrandul, reveling in the deceit of the entire affair. Shar may attempt to consume Mask as well, for she nurses a cold anger for his dominion over shadow. Shar’s love of dark spaces bring her into frequent conflict with deities of light and fire, and her desire to dominate the concept of revenge sets her against the ancient, dwindling power of Hoar. Her only frequent ally is Talona, who may eventually serve Shar in return for the Dark Goddess’s aid in murdering her hated enemy Loviatar.

Dogma:

Reveal secrets only to fellow members of the faithful. Never follow hope or turn to promises of success. Quench the light of the moon (agents and items of Selune) whenever you find it, and hide from it when you cannot prevail. The dark is a time to act, not wait. It is forbidden to strive to better your lot in life or to plan ahead except when directly overseen by the faithful of the Dark Deity. Consorting with the faithful of good deities is a sin except in business dealings or to corrupt them from their beliefs. Obey ranking clergy unless it would result in your own death.

Clergy and Temples:

Shar’s doctrine of vengeful nihilism appeals to those who have suffered great loss or betrayal. Her dominance over darkness and night makes her popular with the blind (especially those accidentally or intentionally blinded due to the actions of others), nocturnal or subterranean humanoids, and creatures who shun the light, including many types of goblinoids. All who favor the dark or who do their business by night (such as cutthroats and thieves) curry her favor, as do many whose deranged world views might be interpreted as insanity. The insane seem to have a natural affinity for Shar’s teachings, which may be why so many of Selune’s clerics seek out the mad and attempt to cure or imprison them.

The church is made up of independent cells that have strong, authoritarian rulers. Few adherents know the real names of others in the local cult, and almost no one knows the name of the leader of the larger regional organization. In areas where Shar’s cult is strong, wars of assassination against Selunites are common. This keeps the church fairly small, since many Sharrans die in these attacks or are put to death by local magistrates shortly afterward. Temples of Shar vary in description but usually double as a place of business or residence. Most feature at least one room bathed in deeper darkness, which is used in religious ceremonies and ritual killings.

Shar’s clergy revel in secrets. In civilized lands, they frequently establish exclusive social clubs or false cults to further corrupt the foundations of mannered society. Cultists work to overthrow governments, promote vengeance, organize cabals, and foment unrest through calumny and sedition. Sharrans believe that all that matters is the freedom to live by one’s own dictates; the state exists to limit freedoms and is hence an inherently immoral institution that should be crushed. To them everything deserves to perish, and their duty in life is to encourage the process of destruction. The Dark Moon, an elite order of sorcerer-monks, employ the power of the Shadow Weave to further the Dark Goddess’s agenda.

//Faiths and Pantheons, pgs. 58-59. Eric L. Boyd and Erik Mona

Manifestations

Animals/Plants: ravens, crows
Monsters: death tyrants, nightshades
Gems/Precious Metals: N/A
Colors: purple, black
Miscellaneous: amorphous tendrils of darkness, violet auras

//Deity Do’s and Don’ts, pg. 14. Sean K Reynolds

[ancientempathy]

Shaundakul

Rider of the Wings, the Helping Hand

Lesser Deity
Symbol: A wind-walking bearded man in traveler’s cape and boots
Home Plane: Gates of the Moon
Alignment: Chaotic neutral
Portfolio: Travel, exploration, portals, miners, caravans
Worshipers: Explorers, caravaneers, rangers, portal-walkers, half-elves
Cleric Alignments: CE, CG, CN
Favored Weapon: “Sword of Shadows” (greatsword)

Shaundakul (shawn-da-kul) is a lonely deity of few words who lets his deeds speak for him. He is kind but stern, with a rugged sense of humor that sometimes comes to the fore. His faith is on the upswing in part because of his willingness to personally recruit worshipers while manifesting in the world in physical form. Clad in his dark, swirling cloak, leather armor, and boots that never quite touch the ground, the Rider of the Winds cuts a regal figure with his massive great sword ever at the ready. Tall and handsome, Shaundakul walks in silence but is surrounded by the ever-present keening whistle of the wind.

After falling into obscurity in the wake of the fall of Myth Drannor, the church of Shaundakul has been greatly revitalized since the Time of Troubles. The decade-long absence of Waukeen and near collapse of her church in the wake of the Avatar Crisis caused many merchants, particularly caravaneers, to turn to Shaundakul for a time. Although many merchants have since returned to the church of the Waukeen, others, particularly those infected with wanderlust, have stayed faithful, and the church has continued to grow. Today, the church of Shaundakul attracts many brave adventurers and daring explorers to its ranks, and word of their latest exploits is eagerly awaited in the cities in which they are based.

Clerics of Shaundakul pray for their spells in the morning right after the wind shifts from the changing temperature. Their holy day is the Windride, which is celebrated on the 15th day of Tarsakh. On this day, Shaundakul causes all his clerics to assume gaseous form at dawn, if they cannot wind walk on their own, so that they are carried with the wind. They return to normal (and are lowered safely to the ground) at dusk, usually in some place they have never been before. Shaundakul’s clergy members have a few simple ceremonies they practice when appropriate. They are to utter a simple prayer every time the wind changes significantly. Whenever they discover previously uncharted territory (such as an undiscovered valley, lake, or island), they are to create a small throne of rocks marked with Shaundakul’s symbol near the location where they first made the discovery. If capable, they are to create a shrine to Shaundakul using stone shape. Shaundakul’s clerics commonly multiclass as rangers or windwalkers.

History/Relationships:

Shaundakul is an old deity, once an intermediate deity popular in the Moonsea, whose divine status predates the creation of Beshaba and Tymora from Tyche. Shaundakul’s church collapsed and his followers dwindled in the aftermath of the fall of Myth Drannor, and he dwindled in status to the rank of demipower. Beshaba later used his name to promote discord among the nomads of anauroch, who now curse him as the Treacherous Lurker in the Sands. Since the Time of Troubles, Shaundakul has risen back to the level of lesser power and allied himself with deities such as Akadi, Mielikki, and her allies, Selune, Tymora, and the more daring members of the Seldarine. He opposes Shar because he dislikes secrets and enjoys spreading the word of hidden places. He battles with Beshaba for the suffering she has inflicted in his name.

Dogma:

Spread the teachings of the Helping Hand by example. Work to promote him among traders, especially trailblazers who seek out new lands and new opportunities. Unearth and reactively ancient shrines of Shaundakul. Ride the wind, and let it take you wherever it blows. Aid those in need, and trust in the Helping Hand. Seek out the riches of the earth and sea. Journey to distant horizons. Be the first to see the rising sun, the mountain peaks, the lush valleys. Let your footsteps fall where none have tread.

Clergy and Temples:

Members of the clergy are expected to live off the land and work as guides and protectors of travelers, caravans, and mining expeditions. Many serve as guides for adventuring companies or as explorers. A very few are Harpers. All seek to visit the scattered shrines of Shaundakul (particularly the great one in Myth Drannor) as frequently as possible and to construct new ones when they acquire sufficient resources. Ever since Shaundakul added portals to his portfolio, his clerics have been tasked with locating and identifying portals that would be useful for trade and exploration.

Shaundakul prefers to be venerated at shrines, most of which are uninhabited and in remote places. Typically, a shrine to Shaundakul is a stone dais built atop a high place, crowned with a stone seat or throne, and accompanied by one or more stone pillars pierced with holes through which the wind whistles. Many such shrines exist throughout the Moonsea and the Stonelands, some of them over a thousand years old. Shaundakul is not commonly worshiped within cities and he has few formal temples as a result. Because the clergy members love to wander, his few temples constantly have new clerics arrive as others leave.

Shaundakul’s clerics wear a dark swirling cloak over a garb appropriate for the trail, and favor dark colors and silver in general. Many wear their holy symbol on the back of their gauntlet (usually leather or chain mail).

Shaundakil’s church is loosely organized, and its branches are largely independent. There is little in the way of formal hierarchy, although those who served the Rider of the Winds prior to the Godswar hold positions of great respect in the church. Since the Time of Troubles, several military orders have been founded in the name of Shaundakul. The Fellowship of the Next Mountain is an order of rangers and clerics who typically work alone, blazing trails in the uncharted wilderness areas of the Sword Coast North and Moonsea North. The Knights of the Shadow Sword are an elite order of fighters and rangers based in Shaundakul’s Throne and dedicated to cleansing Myth Drannor of the evil that haunts its streets and ruins. Initially, they are fortifying the ancient Myth Drannan temple as a base of operations and sending out scouts to reconnoiter the ruined city. The Riders of the West Wind are an order of clerics and a few rangers who hire themselves out as a mercenary company to guard caravans heading through uncharted wilderness to distant lands.

From Faiths and Pantheons, pgs. 60-61. Eric L. Boyd and Erik Mona

Manifestations

Animas/plants: squirrels, wolves, gulls, hawks, rabbits
Monsters: air elementals
Gems/Precious Metals: N/A
Colors: Deep purple, silver, brown
Miscellaneous: glowing hand surrounded by winds, wind walls

Deities Do’s and Don’t’s pg. 14. Sean K Reynolds

[ancientempathy]

Silvanus

Oak Father, the Forest Father, Treefather

Greater Deity
Symbol: Green living oak leaf
Home Plane: House of Nature
Alignment: Neutral
Portfolio: Wild nature, druids
Worshipers: Druids, woodsmen, wood elves
Cleric Alignments: CN, LN, N, NE, NG
Domains: Animal, Plant, Protection, Renewal, Water
Favored Weapon: “The Great Mallet of Silvanus” (maul)

Although wise and beneficent, the paternalistic Silvanus (sihl-vann-us) can be emotionally distant when it comes to the necessity of having a balance in nature and wrathful toward those who threaten wild places. He appears as an old, bearded, incredibly wise human male face floating in midair among trees or sprouting from the trunk of an especially old and large specimen.

The church of Silvanus is spread everywhere across Faerun and is far stronger than many might think. Nevertheless, most outsiders view the church of Chauntea, as patrons of agriculture, as being favorably inclined towards the expansion of civilization, while the church of Silvanus is the implacable foe of those who would settle new lands. Neither impression is correct, yet the church of the Oak Father is often perceived as little different from those faiths that venerate the Deities of Fury.

Clerics and druids of Silvanus prepare spells at sundown or in moonlight. Holy days are Greengrass, Midsummer night, Highharvesttide, and the Night the Forest Walks. This last holiday takes place when the deity grows restless. He then causes trees to move, streams to change course, caves to open or close, forest creatures to stir, and forest magic to strengthen. His clerics always turn undead rather than rebuking them.

Many rituals of worship to the deity take place in a crown stand or tall, ancient trees on a hilltop. The deity must always be worshiped by sacrifice, but never by blood sacrifice. Instead, something made from material taken from a wood must be ceremonially broken and buried--not burned. For example, a cart, wagon, or chair fashioned from the wood of felled trees could become a sacrifice to Silvanus. The simplest prayer to Silvanus is the Call of Oak, Ash, and Thorn, wherein a cleric gathers leaves of the three named sorts of trees, floats them on water, and entreats Silvanus to hear a prayer. For deeper concerns (a conversation with a servant of the deity, or the receipt of godly favors or magical powers) a Vigil is often employed: The worshiper anoints his or her own body with a powder of crushed acorns and mistletoe leaves mixed with rainwater or spring water and lies down on, or in contact with, a growing tree for most of a night. Some part of the bare flesh of the faithful must touch green, growing moss, so moss-covered giant trees are most favored for use in Vigils.

The two most powerful and holy rituals of Silvanites are the Song of the Trees and the Dryad Dance. The former is a haunting repetitive chant that draws woodland creatures to gather and be healed. The latter is a wild revitalizing ritual of piping and dancing that calls dryads out of the woods to wander, even far from their trees, to mate with humans. Sadly, it seems the most often performed ceremony in the Silvanite canon is the Thorncall, a ritual magic that raises thick walls of deadly tearing thorns out of the forest soil. These barriers are permanent and as labyrinthine as the presiding cleric desires, but they can only be called up when a servant of Silvanus (a worshiper or a servitor creature, such as a stag) has been slain or shed much blood in the vicinity. The Thorncall ritual is used to keep our those who would burn or despoil the forest in such a way as to upset the Balance. Many of his clerics multiclass as druids, forest masters, hierophants, or rangers.

History/Relationships:

Like Oghma, Silvanus is an old deity with many ties to other planes. He is closely allied with Chauntea, and is served directly and indirectly by Eldath, Mielikki, Gwaeron Windstrom, Lurue, and Shiallia. He is bitterly opposed to the activities of Malar and his church, as the Beastlord is consumed with bloodlust and his followers would hunt every creature in existence to extinction if given leave. Likewise, although Silvanus recognizes the role that both disease and natural acts of destruction play in the Balance, the Oak Father hates both Talos and Talona, for both care nothing for the natural order and seek only to indulge their most destructive impulses.

Dogma:

Silvanus sees and balances all, meting out wild water and drought, fire, and ice, life and death. Hold your distance and take in the total situation, rather than latching on to the popular idea of what is best. All is in a cycle, deftly and beautifully balanced. It is the duty of the devout to see this cycle and the sacred Balance as clearly as possible. Make others see the Balance and work against those that would disturb it. Watch, anticipate, and quietly manipulate. Resort to violence and open confrontation only when pressured by time or hostile action. Fight against the felling of forests, banish disease wherever you find it, defend the trees, and plant new flora wherever possible. Seek out, serve, and befriend the dryads and learn their names. Kill only when needful, destroy fire and its employers, and beware orcs and others who bring axes into the forest.

Clergy and Temples:

The church of Silvanus endlessly strives to preserve the sacred Balance, despite population pressures that lead to too-heavy hunting or farming. Members of the clergy work to redirect development and control populations through covert sponsorship of brigands, breeding and selective placing of predators, and other means. It is essential that such work be as secretive as possible, so that most folk view the servants of Silvanus as essentially benign lovers of trees. Wildlife breeding, nursing sick animals, and replanting trees and wild shrubs are all work that should be done as publicly as possible to support this perception--and as necessary work to redress the slipping Balance, of course. Silvanite clergy make a lifelong study the intricate workings of the life-cycles of all living creatures in Faerun and learn to take the long-term view so that the manifold implications of every action and combination of actions can be seen clearly well into the future. By planning for the long term, Silvanite clergy hope never to take a serious misstep and worsen any shift of the Balance. Superior patience, natural knowledge, and anticipation are the hallmarks of a worthy servant of Silvanus. They are also the qualities that make any Silvanite cleric a deadly foe. A Silvanite should never be surprised at an unexpected turn of events and always be three or four steps ahead of an opponent, prepared for victories well beyond the battles that an enemy can see.

Silvanus’s church largely eschews formal temples and favors small communities over large cities, although clusters of his clerics work in large cities to create gardenlike walled areas of wild forest within the city limits. Most of the faithful worship the Oak Father amidst stands of forest giants, particularly ancient oak trees, or within rings of standing stones set deep within the great forests of Faerun.

The ceremonial dress for both clerics and druids of Silvanus is a suit of armor made of overlapping leaves. For clerics, the leaves are made of metal plates and the suit functions as a set of scale mail. For druids, the leaves are made of green-tined leather and the suit functions as leather armor. Either set is worn with green breeches and shirt. The outfit is topped with a large helm with oak leaf-shaped wings. The church of Silvanus consists of a central hierarchy dominated by druids, but many members, particularly clerics and rangers, stand outside the formal hierarchy. The structure of the church is patterned after the circles of the ancient druids. A highranking druid, called an arch druid, leads most Circles and members are all considered an initiates of varying level. Each arch druid in turn reports to the grand druid of the region, and all the grand druids in turn report to the great druid of the faith. The last is a difficult office that is never held by any one individual for more than a few years. Former officeholders are considered elders of the faith.

From Faiths and Pantheons, pgs. 63-64. Eric L. Boyd and Erik Mona

Manifestations

Animals/Plants: deer, badgers
Monsters: treants, dryads, unicorns, satyrs, sprites
Gems/Precious Metals: N/A
Colors: leaf green
Miscellaneous: an oak leaf blown out of nowhere, green glow that quenches fire, stag horned silent man with shaggy barklike fur

Deities Do’s and Don’t’s pg. 14. Sean K Reynolds

[ancientempathy]

Sune

Firehair, Lady Firehair

Greater Deity
Symbol: Face of a red-haired, ivory-skinned beautiful woman
Home Plane: Brightwater
Alignment: Chaotic good
Portfolio: Beauty, love, passion
Worshipers: Lovers, artists, half-elves, adventurers
Cleric Alignments: CG, CN, NG, LG (paladins only)
Domains: Chaos, Charm, Good, Protection
Favored Weapon: A silken sash (whip)

Fairest of the deities, Sune (soo-nee) is benevolent and sometimes whimsical. She always appears as a radiantly beautiful red-haired woman of incredible charm. She alternates between deep passions and casual flirtations and has been romantically tied to many of the other Faerunian deities. Sune enjoys attention and sincere flattery, and avoids anyone who is horrific or boorish. Lady Firehair loves and protects her followers, who in turn manifest and protect the beauty of the world.

Aside from those who despise love and beauty as a manifestation of weakness, the church of Sune is widely loved throughout Faerun and has many adherents to its teachings. However, as most Sunites are seen as flighty, vain, and superficial but basically harmless, the church of Sune has less influence than its prominence might otherwise suggest. Sunites have an intense rivalry with the followers of Hanali Celanil, the elven deity of beauty.

Sune’s clerics pray in the morning after a refreshing scented bath (or after at least washing their hands). Greengrass and Midsummer Night are both Sunite holy days, celebrated with a great deal of outdoor frolicking and with night-long flirtatious chases through forests and parks. Individual temples celebrate numerous local holy days as well. At least once a month, the church of Sune holds a Grand Revel, a large party with dancing, poetry recitation, and heartrendingly beautiful or soulfully rousing music to which outsiders are invited with the intent to attract converts. A Feast of Love is a more intimate, quiet affair, open only to the faithful, who lie on couches and indulge in liqueurs, appetizers, and sweet pastries while lone dancers perform. These dances are interspersed with readings of romantic verse, prose, and songs of love sung by skilled minstrels. Such rituals always break up into private gatherings, though bards are always on hand to relate tales of courtly love or mysteries of Faerun for those who do not feel like socializing more privately. Sunites also offer personal prayers to Sune by standing in a pool or bath and looking into a mirror lit only by natural light or candles. Sune sends guidance to them by visions visible in the mirror, often by altering the reflection of the worshiper in some way. The influx of adventurers into Sune’s clergy in recent years has reduced the huge former gender disparity in the church so that now females only outnumber males four to one. Sunite clerics tend to multiclass as bards, heart warders, or rogues.

History/Relationships:

Sune shares the waters of the Evergold, a sacred pool, with Hanali Celanil, the elven deity of beauty, and Sharess, the lusty feline temptress whom she rescued from Shar’s shadow during the Time of Troubles. Sune is also allied with similarly minded deities such as Selune, Milil, and Lathander. Sune is served by Lliira and was once served by Selune, but the Moonmaiden has now once again gone her own way. Sune’s nature makes it difficult for any being to be angry with her for long, and so she has no true enemies, although she dislikes Auril, Malar, Talos, Umberlee, Talona, and Tempus, for they are often responsible for the destruction of beautiful things. Tempus finds her dislike not worth reciprocating, since he considers her irrelevant, flighty, and not worth the conflict. Sune earned the enmity of Shar during the Time of Troubles, for the Nightmaiden did not appreciate being denied her conquest of Sharess, and so the Lady Firehair now quietly supports Mystra in her brewing battle with the Mistress of the Night.

Dogma:

Beauty is more than skin deep. It issues from the core of one’s being and reveals one’s true face to the world, fair or foul. Believe in romance, as true love will win over all. Follow your heart to your true destination. Love none more than yourself except Sune, and lose yourself in love of the Lady Firehair. Perform a loving act each day, and seek to awaken love in others. Respond to love at least once a day. Encourage beauty wherever you find it. Acquire beautiful items of all sorts, and encourage, sponsor, and protect those who create them. Keep your own body as comely as possible and as attractively displayed as situations warrant. Let hairstyle and clothing best suit your personal appearance, striving to stir and delight others who look upon you. Moreover, hide not away, but always seek to present yourself to those around you in a pleasing variety of garbs and activities so as to move them with love and desire. Love those who respond to your appearance, and let warm friendship and admiration flower where love cannot or dares not.

Clergy and Temples:

Sunites are aesthetes and hedonists, who actively seek out pleasure and beauty in all things. The pursuit of aesthetic enjoyment is their life. Sunite clergy buy beautiful items of art, sculpture, and handiwork whenever they find it, sponsoring good artists where necessary and overpaying for such items so as to drive prices up, creature more demand, and so increase the supply of things of beauty. This is to be done as often as funds afford and subtlety permits, and in disguise if need be. Whenever Sunite clergy must perform dirty tasks, the use of disguise is encouraged to protect the body as well as to conceal identity. The devout clerics always hires or supports adventurers and others to destroy things who vandalize beautiful creations. All clergy of Sune also strive to create beauty in a personal way, preferably as a creator of static fine art (blown-glass ornaments, paintings, or tapestries are all fashionable), but as a dancer if one fails at all else. When one of them gains expertise in crafting things of beauty, she or he is obliged to pass on such learning by training others and turning away no one who shows genuine promise. Any money made through such trainings should be given to the church to further the growth of beauty and love everywhere.

Although Sunite clergy can rebuff unwanted advances, they generally strive to build friendships and romantic feelings between themselves and others in general wherever they go so that love may prosper everywhere in Faerun. As the lonely are in most need of such things (and the most likely to join in love of the Lady Firehair), they are sought out by diligent clergy for friendship. Everyone, no matter how homely or disparate in faith from the path of the Lady, should be assisted by gifts and advice to make themselves as beautiful as possible. Sune’s clerics sponsor artisans, build friendships and romances with themselves and among others, and destroy those who vandalize things of beauty. Sune has seen the benefits of Tymora’s patronage of adventurers and wishes to tap into this source of worshipers, so the church supports gallant knights and explorers who are willing to search for lost jewels and priceless works of art or who are on missions to rescue their true loves.

Sunite temples are either stunningly beautiful edifices of fantastic design or classically elegant structures strategically enhanced by sculptured landscaping constructed with numerous picturesque paths and promenades and surprising and enchanting nooks in which to share moments of love, beauty, and passion. Many Sunite temples sport formal gardens with gorgeous flower beds, trellises and bowers of well-trained vines, and carefully pruned trees and topiaries. Fine sculptures and sumptuous fountains that play with soft, magical lighting provide focal points in most Sunite temple gardens.

Sunites are not bashful about their bodies. The standard ceremonial garb of Sunite clerics is monastic robes for men and habits for women, both cut to show off the figure of the wearer and dyed a deep crimson. Hair is normally worn long and allowed to fall free during rituals. At other times, clerics bind their tresses back with crimson scarves and wear clothing appropriate to the situation but always flattering to the form. While red hair is considered touched by the deity, all shades of hair and skin are welcome, provided they are unmarred and lovely.

The Sunite church’s organization is loose and informal, and its leadership changes regularly with the whims of its clergy. The most attractive and charismatic Sunite clergy are usually the high clerics. Little is thought of a cleric dropping everything and going bounding off into the wild, particularly if the goal is some beautiful object or some beautiful individual, and such behavior creatures little scandal in the church.

From Faiths and Pantheons, pgs. 65-67. Eric L. Boyd and Erik Mona

Manifestations

Animals/Plants: red doves, chestnut horses, red poppies, roses, rose petals
Monsters: Satyrs, dryads
Gems/Precious Metals: rubies
Color: deep crimson
Miscellaneous: phantom caress or kiss, gentle crooning audible to worshipers

Deities Do’s and Don’t’s, pg. 14. Sean K Reynolds

[ancientempathy]

Talos

The Destroyer, the Storm Lord

Greater Deity
Symbol: An explosive lightning strike
Home Plane: Fury’s Heart
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Portfolio: Storms, destruction, rebellion, conflagration, earthquakes, vortices
Worshipers: Those who fear the destructive power of nature, barbarians, fighters, druids, half-orcs
Cleric Alignments: CE, CN, NE
Domains: Chaos, Destruction, Evil, Fire, Storm
Favored Weapon: A lightning bolt (longspear, shortspear, or halfspear)

Talos (taahl-ose) is a violent, short-tempered, and angry deity who exults in chaos and revels in destruction. Often petty and vengeful, the Storm Lord is a powerful bully and is often motivated by rage and the desire never to appear weak or compromising in any way to his followers. Known as Bhaerlros among Calishites and Kozah among the Bedine, Talos appears as a one-eyed, broad-shouldered, and bearded man clad in half plate armor and black leather gloves. His empty eye socket is filled with whirling stars and covered by a dark patch.

The church of Talos is relatively small for a greater deity and almost universally despised, for his followers bring nothing but destruction and leave only ruin in their wake. They are fanatical in their love of destruction and are unafraid to call storms upon ships, towns, or cities in the name of their crazed deity. However, many fear and propitiate the Storm Lord, ensuring that he remains one of the most powerful deities of the Faerunian pantheon.

Talassans pray for their spells at different times of the day over the course of the year, with the time varying with Talos’s whim (he rarely has them stick with the same time of day for more than a tenday). Clerics of Talos celebrate his annual festivals (Greengrass, Midsummer, and so on) with great ceremonies that call down lightning and summon storms. Their most sacred ritual is Calling Down the Thunder, in which they slay an intelligent being by lightning. The most frequently seen ritual is the Fury, in which a cleric prays, then makes berserk attacks on people and items in an effort to visit considerable destruction on a place or encampment within a short time by hurling spells and burning torches while howling Talos’s name, followed by praying again (if the cleric survives). It is considered most holy when performed by a lone Talassan cleric, but against formidable foes, clergy of Talos usually attack together or draw off defenders to destroy them singly. Talos’s clerics tend to multiclass as barbarians, sorcerers, storm lords, and wizards. Those working with the Cult of the Dragon sometimes multiclass as wearers of purple.

History/Relationships:

Talos was formed from the first battle between Selune and Shar. He is now the leader of the Deities of Fury: Auril, himself, Malar, and Umberlee. Although he has no compunction about usurping her portfolio, Talos has a close and cordial relationship with Auril. His relationship with Umberlee is simultaneously flirtatious and filled with rivalry. However, he only works with the Beastlord grudgingly, and Malar would kill him if he could. Talos has a history of elevating powerful mortals to divinity and then forcing them to deplete themselves in his service, the most recent of which is Velsharoon. Velsharoon has been more successful than most such empowers elevated by Talos, in that he still survives and wisely shifted his nominal alliance to Mystra and Azuth. Talos tried to assume dominion over wild and destructive magic under the alias of Malyk, but he was forestalled by Mystra and has since moved on to other brazen attempts to grab power. He hates deities those that would dare to alter the weather. His list of enemies include Chauntea, Eldath, Lathander, Mystra, Sune, Deneir, Gond, Helm, Mielikki, Oghma, Shiallia, Silvanus, and Tyr.

Dogma:

Life is a combination of random effects and chaos, so grab what you can when you can, because Talos may take you to the afterlife at any moment. Preach the might of Talos, and always warn others of the forces only he can command--the fury of all Faerun. Walk unafraid in storms, forest fires, earthquakes, and other disasters, for the power of Talos protects you. Do so publicly wherever possible, so that others see that only Talos can protect them. Make others fear Talos by showing the destruction he and his servants can cause. To avoid tasting his fury, pray to him energetically and tell all folk that such observances--and only such observances--can protect them from the furies of gales, hailstorms, winds, floods, droughts, blizzards, hurricanes, and other natural dooms. Hurl such forces at one’s foes if Talos deems a place or a person worth defending. One cannot afford to ignore Talos, but must bow down and worship him. Proclaim this message to all and show everyone the destruction even the slightest of the servants of Talos can cause.

Clergy and Temples:

Talos always has too few worshipers for his liking, so his clergy are sent out into the world to spread word of his might and to try to recruit others to his worship--either out of fear or because such people enjoy the wielding of raw power. As examples to all, the fatalistic clerics of Talos tend to indulge in acts of random or spiteful destruction as they travel and to make examples of all folk who stand up to them from entering a community or passing along a road. Some clerics pillage, burn, and steal as enthusiastically as any brigand, and hamlets that fight them off tend to be visited a season or so later by a gathering of Talassan clerics who try to slaughter everyone and lay waste to the place. This practice had led to some settlements fearfully hiring “adventuring bands in residence” to ward off a similar fate after one or more citizens have had hostile dealings with any Talassan clergy. Talos does not seem to mind clerics who indulge in fulfilling personal desires for wealth, food, luxury items, and wanton behavior as long as they call up a storm or engage in random, spectacular acts of violence once every tenday or so (toppling towers is always effective). As a result, some clergy have taken up a life of brigand. They pose as lunatics in order to spread the word of Talos as ordered, and the rest of the time they adopt disguises to scout out rich prizes.

Most Talassan temples and shrines are secret because of the reputation of the church. The worship of Talos is outlawed in many countries. Where there are public temples to Talos, many of them take the form of castles or walled compounds because they must often serve as strongholds that the faithful of Talos can defend against angry folk. Such sites seem to always lie in the path of great storms, on the fault lines of earthquakes, or in path of lava pouring forth from a volcano, yet Talos ensures they always survive unscathed.

High clergy of Talos have ceremonial robes of blue-white streaked with crimson that seem to crackle with lightning. All other clergy have formal dress of robes and cloaks of black shot through with teardrops and jagged lines of gold or silver--garb that has earned them the unflattering name “doom crows” in the rare times someone has survived seeing an official ceremony. The robes have jagged hems and rough, uneven sleeves. A black eye-patch is always worn, even if the clergy member has good vision in both eyes. When not performing holy rituals, they tend to dress shabbily and eclectically.

Rumors tell of a mysterious group of wizards who specialize in exotic combinations of elemental magic, known as the Lords of the Tempest, that owes allegiance to Talos. Other whispers in dark places speak of Talos’s sponsorship of certain necromancers into lichdom, and of a cabal of crazed sages and mystics intent on bringing about the end of the world. Known only as the Circle of Rust and the Worm, these entropists have sought and obtained the Destroyer as a patron.

The church of Talos has no central hierarchy, and low-ranking clerics of the Storm Lord obey their masters only as long as they fear the greater might of the senior clerics. From time to time the church of Talos is wracked by internal warfare, such as was the case recently between the northern-based followers of Talos and the southern-based followers of his alter ego, Bhaelros. However, the Storm Lord generally prefers that his followers wreak devastation on the rest of the world, not each other.

From Faiths and Pantheons, pgs. 68-69. Eric L. Boyd and Erik Mona

Manifestations

Animals/Plants: N/A
Monsters: vargouilles, yeth hounds, quasits
Gems/Precious Metals: N/A
Color: Black, gold, silver
Miscellaneous: bellowing laughter in the heart of strong winds, pair of fist-sized storm clouds with lightning and thunder, red lightning

Deities Do’s and Don’t’s, pg. 14. Sean K Reynolds.

[ancientempathy]

Tempus

Lord of Battles, Foehammer

Greater Deity
Symbol: A blazing silver sword on a blood-red shield
Home Plane: Warrior’s Rest
Alignment: Chaotic neutral
Portfolio: War, battle, warriors
Worshipers: Warriors, fighters, barbarians, rangers, half-orcs
Cleric Alignments: CE, CG, CN
Domains: Chaos, Protection, Strength, War
Favored Weapon: “Battle Prowess” (battleaxe)

From astride his twin steeds--Veiros the white mare and Deiros the black stallion--Tempus (tem-pus) governs the tide of war and dispenses his favors at random, his chaotic nature favoring all sides equally in time. The deity of war is liable to back one army one day and another one the next. Soldiers of all alignments pray to him for help in coming battles. Mighty and honorable in battle and a strong and robust deity, Tempus answers only to his own warrior’s code and pursues no long-lasting alliances. He is known to love food, drink, and the hunt, though he loves battle best. He always appears as a human giant in battered and bloodied plate armor with his face hidden by a massive war helm. He bears a great battle axe or a black sword notched and stained from much use in his gauntleted hands.

The church of Tempus is perhaps the most widely known in battle-stricken Faerun. Countless centuries of warfare have unfolded on the battlefields of the world, and followers of the Foehammer have fought ably and honorably for all sides in nearly every such conflict. The independence of the Lord of Battles and his followers has ensured that his church is widely respected by members of all faiths, and none doubt that they too might prevail in the next battle if only the Foehammer’s fickle nature smiles their way again. Nearly every combatant has fought alongside a cleric of Tempus at some point or the other, and just as many have also fought against a cleric of Tempus. Only the church of Eldath truly wishes there were another way.

Tempus’s clerics pray for spells just before high sun. The eves and anniversaries of great battles are the holy days of the church of Tempus, and as such vary from place to place. The Feast of the Moon, honoring the dead, is the most important fixed date in the religious calendar. Each temple holds a Feast of Heroes at high sun and a Song of the Fallen at sunset, and most also have a Song of the Sword ceremony after dark for lay folk. It is also expected that at least once a tenday worshipers of Tempus spill a few drops of blood (preferably their own or a worthy foe’s) and sing the Song of the Sword in Tempus’s honor. The ritual performed by most of the faithful is a prayer for valiant performance and survival in the fray ahead, made to the war deity over the weapon the praying being most often fights with. If a new weapon comes into the believer’s possession before a battle--particularly in the form of hard-won booty00it is taken as a sign of Tempus’s favor, and this weapon is the one used in worship. Tempus’s clerics usually multiclass as barbarians, divine champions, or fighters. Most tend to be battle-minded male humans, although others are also welcome.

History/Relationships:

Tempus arose from the first battle between Selune and Shar, one of many such war deities to walk the world. In time, he defeated each and every one of his rivals in battle, the last of which was Garagos the Reaver. Some oracles claim that in years to come Tempus may find himself at war with Anhur as the Faerunian and Mulhorandi pantheons clash and (inevitably) merge. In recent years, Tempus sponsored the divinity of the Red Knight, a relationship akin to that of a fond and protective father to a brilliant daughter who works hard at the family business--war. The Foehammer is casually friendly with martially inclined deities such as Nobanion, Gond, Valkur, and Uthgar. He considers Eldath, his diametric opposite, to be naïve and weak. However, out of respect for her convictions, he punishes those of his faithful who abuse her clergy, shrines, or temples, feeling that war has little meaning without peace to define and highlight it. Sune, who considers him a foe, he regards as irrelevant and flighty and therefore unworthy of active opposition. It is unclear why Tempus tolerates the continued survival of Garagos, although some sages have speculated that Tempus knows that a new challenger is inevitable and he prefers to use the Reaver as a stalking horse to draw out such potential foes. Others claim that Garagos represents that one bit of warfare that Tempus finds personally distasteful, the savage madness of a battle rage, and that he deliberately ceded that aspect of the portfolio of war, though he is still worshiped by many barbarians.

Dogma:

Tempus does not win battles, he helps the deserving warrior win battles. War is fair in that it oppresses and aids all equally and that in any given battle, a mortal may be slain or become a great leader among his or her companions. It should not be feared, but seen as a natural force, a human force, the storm that civilization brings by its very existence. Arm all for whom battle is needful, even foes. Retreat from hopeless fights but never avoid battle. Slay one foe decisively and halt a battle quickly rather than rely upon slow attrition or the senseless dragging on of hostilities. Remember the dead that fell before you. Defend what you believe in, lest it be swept away. Disparage no foe and respect all, for valor blazes in all regardless of age, sex, or race. Tempus looks with favor upon those that acquit themselves honorably in battle without resorting to such craven tricks as destroying homes, family, or livestock when a foe is away or attacking from the rear (except when such an attack is launched by a small band against foes of vastly superior numbers). Consider the consequences of the violence of war, and do not wage war recklessly. The smooth-tongue and fleet of feet that avoid all strife and never defend their beliefs wreak more harm than the most energetic tyrant, raider, or horde leader.

Clergy and Temples:

Clerics of the war deity are charged to keep warfare a thing of rules, respected reputation, and professional behavior, minimizing uncontrolled bloodshed and working to eradicate feuding that extends beyond a single dispute or set of foes. At the same time, training and readiness for battle must be promoted if civilized human holdings are to survive in Faerun in the face of monster raids and orc hordes--and the power of Tempus to aid those he favors in battle must also be promoted. Warriors who employ poison or taint wells, sow fields with salt, kill noncombatants, indulge in torture or the wanton slaughter of innocent folk when they are not at war, or commit similar sings against fair battle are to be denied the favor of the deity, their crimes are to be publicized far and wide, and they are to be made to atone for their deeds or perish. War clerics must preserve the names of the honored battle-fallen, both on gravestones and other such memorials, in their prayers to Tempus, and in an annual chant at the March of the Dead, wherein clerics of the war deity go through the streets to call all folk, worshipers and nonbelievers alike, to the local Feast of the Moon hosted by their temple. Clerics are also charged to collect and venerate the weapons and armor of famous and respected warriors, even if these are broken or have deteriorated, for they retain something of the battle lust and energy associated with the deeds they participated in.

Temples of Tempus are usually what are more commonly thought of as walled military compounds than what most picture as temples. Aside from a central shrine to honor fallen decorated with the battered shields and rusted blades of the dead, most temples of Tempus are given over to the necessities of warfare, including armories, barracks, and training grounds. The wealthiest fortified abbeys sometimes contain libraries, but such contain only a history of warfare and an accounting of the fallen.

When not in battered armor, cleric of Tempus often wear helms or steel skullcaps, though they are careful never to cover their faces, for such close emulation of Tempus is thought to be an affront to the Lord of Battles. Some of the fanatical wandering clerics never remove all their armor at any time, but in the temples of the big cities clergy are rarely seen in armor except at ceremonies held before armies march or a siege begins. The formal robes of a cleric of Tempus always sport trim the crimson hue of fresh blood, but vary in overall color from place to place and rank to rank, with darker-colored robes are worn by those of lower ranks. Most war clerics wear ceremonial garments of brown or purple. Red or amber is worn by senior clergy, and yellow or white by those of the most exalted rank. Aside from their trusty battleaxes, many senior clerics of Tempus also favor spiked gauntlets as a mark of their station.

Given its predilection to support both sides of any fight, the church of Tempus necessity lacks any central authority that might come down in favor of one side or the other. However, within a given temple or military order, there is usually a strict adherence to military rank and a cleric chain of command. The Tempuran church also has many affiliated orders. Two of note are the Order of the Broken Blade and the Order of the Steel Fang. The former honors those warriors and clergy who are injured in Tempus’s service and can no longer fight in the front lines. Broken Blades often serve in support functions at temples and shrines and take a personal oath upon joining the order to defend the holy site where they reside to the death as a final line of defense. The latter group is an elite fighting order within the church whose members are often assigned to the most hazardous duties. Steel Fang units are led by battle-hardened members of the clergy. Many mercenary companies and knightly fighting orders of crusaders also avail themselves of a connection to the church. One badge of the deity seen among his affiliated mercenaries is a rusty brown dagger, shown diagonally with its point to the upper right, dripping four drops of blood.

Deiros and Veiros

Tempus has two horses, Deiros and Veiros. Deiros is a black stallion and Veiros is a white mare. He is usually seen riding one or the other, or occasionally both (standing with one foot on each horse’s back).

Deiros and Veiros: Male and female advanced dire horses; CR 4; huge animal; HD 24d8+192; hp 300; Init +0; Spd 60ft; AC 17 (touch 8, flat-footed 17); Atk +26 melee (1d6+10, 2 hoobes) and +21 melee (1d4+5, bite); Face/Reach 10 ft. by 20 ft./10 ft.; SQ Low-light vision, scent; AL N; SV Fort +22, Ref +14, Will +16, Str 30, Dex 11, Con 26, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 10.
Skills and Feats: Hide -8, Listen +8, Spot +10
Low-Light Vision: Deiros and Veiros can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar low-light conditions.
Scent (Ex): Deiros and Veiros can detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell.

From Faiths and Pantheons, pgs. 71-73. Eric L. Boyd and Erik Mona

Manifestations

Animals/Plants: eagles, badgers, war horses, war dogs, panthers, tigers
Monsters: N/A
Gems/Precious Metals: N/A
Colors: brown, purple, blood red
Miscellaneous: visions of dead warriors, white mare (Veiros), black stallion (Deiros), sudden appearance of weapons

Deities Do’s and Don’t’s pg. 14. By Sean K Reynolds

[ancientempathy]

Torm

The True, the True Deity, the Loyal Fury

Lesser Deity
Symbol: Right-hand gauntlet held upright with palm forward
Home Plane: House of the Triad
Alignment: Lawful good
Portfolio: Duty, loyalty, obedience, paladins
Worshipers: Paladins, heroes, good fighters and warriors, guardians, knights, loyal courtiers
Cleric Alignments: LG, LN, NG
Domains: Good, Healing, Law, Protection, Strength
Favored Weapon: “Duty’s Bond” (greatsword)

Torm (torm) the True, patron of paladins and unswerving enemy of corruption and evil, serves the people of Faerun by exemplifying the chivalric ideal. An ascended hero who lived his mortal life in service to a just sovereign, Torm eschews the pretense of his fellow deities, instead adopting a humble position that he exists to serve the common good and the rule of law as established by honorable mortal rulers. Though a true deity with awesome power at his disposal, the Loyal Fury is all too familiar with the failings of mortal men, having fallen victim to hubris, gullibility and ignorance when confined to a mortal shell during the Time of Troubles. During that seminal event, Torm allowed himself to be controlled by his own corrupt, oppressive clerics for a short time, an occurrence that gave him perspective on his own flaws and enhanced his sense of humility. Stern, righteous, and unyielding in the face of evil, Torm’s spirit lifts when dealing with his friends, the weak, the defenseless, and the young.

Torm battled Bane in the harbor of the city of Tantras during the Time of Troubles, destroying the Black Lord in personal combat (he too died in the conflict, but was later returned to life by Ao). As such, he became a hero to good-hearted people throughout the continent, a savior who in slaying Bane delivered Faerun from the machinations of the deity of strife and tyranny. Torm’s destruction of Bane broke the back of Zhentil Keep by eradicating that nation’s divine support, allowing the Dalesfolk, for a short while, to breathe a sigh of relief. In nations across the continent, Torm became a symbol of heroism and bravery, the ideal knight serving his followers with a transforming act of self-sacrifice appreciated even by great Ao himself. This adoration extended to Torm’s church, which experience a renaissance and philosophical blooming as its numbers swelled and new thinkers and adherents joined the congregation. In the fourteen years following that time clerics of Torm have enjoyed popularity unparalleled in Faerun.

Now that Bane has returned, the people look to the Loyal Fury and his mortal agents for salvation once again. They eagerly hope that the menace of the Black Hand can be dealt with after another great battle, that the revived church of Bane can be crushed by an army of paladins with holy hearts and sanctified swords. Such has happened within the lifetime of every adult in Faerun, and many expect it to happen again. Torm and his followers take a more realistic view, knowing that the current day is far different from the Time of Troubles, when the two deities met as essentially equal mortals. They know that the secrecy of Bane’s cult prevents open warfare, and that the menace of the Black Hand returned will not be quenched easily or without great loss of life. Both Torm and his holy warriors know the costs, and both are more than willing to pay them to deliver the good people of Faerun from a world dominated by the lord of Darkness.

Clerics of Torm pray for their spells at dawn. On the 13th of Eleasis, they celebrate a somber ceremony known as the Divine Death to commemorate Torm’s sacrificial destruction of Bane. The 15th of Marpenoth sees a more jovial ritual in the form of the True Resurrection, which celebrates the anniversary of Torm’s return to Toril at the behest of Ao. Shieldmeet, traditionally a time when Faerunians enter new agreements and compacts, is a time of great religious significance to followers of the deity of duty who take their oaths very, very seriously. In addition to the daily morning prayer, clerics are expected to give thanks and honor to Torm through quiet prayers at noon, dusk, and midnight. Torm’s clerics often multiclass as divine champions, divine disciples, or paladins.

History/Relationships:

Torm serves Tyr as war leader and champion, as he once did for a mortal monarch in the days immediately following the Fall of Netheril. Scholars disagree on where Torm’s kingdom was located, or even what it was called, but the most believable theories place it somewhere south of the Lake of Steam, in the area now known as the Border Kingdoms. Whole knightly orders in service to Torm’s church seek the location of this kingdom, which the clerics refer to as the High Seat, or Chalsembyr. They hope that discovering the location might give them more insight into Torm’s life as a mortal, one of the few subjects about which he absolutely refuses to enlighten his followers. Some interpret his reticence as a game, as if Torm keeps Chalsembyr’s location a secret in order to test his faithful, who routinely go on quests to locate it. Lore of the faith holds that he who discovers the whereabouts of the Loyal Fury’s mortal home will be raised up to the celestial planes as Torm’s divine servant.

Prior to the Time of Troubles, Torm served Tyr as a loyal demipower. After his resurrection at the hands of Ao, the Maimed Deity elevated him to lesser deity status, and greatly enhanced his duties, granting him control of several armies of celestial warriors to use in outer planar conflicts. Torm, Tyr, and Ilmater work together frequently, and ar known as the Triad. At Tyr’s insistence, Torm has of late befriended the Red Knight in an attempt to temper her lust for war with an appreciation for justice. His kinship for Helm dates back several centuries, though the clergies of the Loyal Fury and the Watcher currently find themselves at odds on several important ideological and political issues. As a pro-active enemy of evil, Torm finds that his ideals and philosophies often square with those of Lathander, whom he greatly respects.

After destroying bame, Torm turned most of his attentions to Cyric, working with Mystra, Oghma, and Mask in dethroning the Black Sun from his position as Lord of the Dead. He deeply regrets not destroying Cyric in that instance, and has vowed to remedy that regret should the two deities meet again. Torm found the alliance with Mask distasteful, and hopes to force the Lord of Shadows to reform himself by thrawting his plans as often as possible. Since the return of the Black Hand, however, the bulk of Torm’s ambition and planning has gone toward defeating the dark intrigues of Bane.

Dogma:

Salvation may be found through service. Every failure of duty diminishes Torm and every success adds to his luster. Strive to maintain law and order. Obey your masters with alert judgment and anticipation. Stand ever alert against corruption. Strike quickly and forcefully against rot in the hearts of mortals. Bring painful, quick death to traitors. Question unjust laws by suggesting improvement or alternatives, not additional laws. Your fourfold duties are to faith, family, masters, and all good beings of Faerun.

Clergy and Temples:

Clerics and paladins of Torm swear themselves to the Penance of Duty, a guide of responsibilities and obligations outlined by the Loyal Fury himself after discovering the rife corruption within the church during the Time of Troubles. To repay their persecution of other goodly religions, the clergy must aid the establishment of other good faiths as part of the Debt of Persecution. The Debt of Dereliction states that Torm’s agents must expend every resource possible to eliminate cults of Cyric and Bane, and to work against the insidious Zhentarim. The Debt of Destruction stipulates that the clergy record the locations of dead and wild magic areas and do what they can to heal these wounds to the Weave. Additionally, clerics and paladins of Torm stand vigilant against corruption within goodly organizations, knowing that what could infect their stalwart order is doubly likely to writhe into the affairs of less watchful bodies. Many travel the world righting wrongs and spreading the good works of Torm.

High Cleric Barriltar Bhandraddon serves as Torm’s pontiff in Faerun, ruling from the impressive Temple of Torm’s Coming in Tantras. Bhandraddon’s reach extends far, and in the last decade he has sponsored several continent wide knightly orders, including the prestigious Order of the Golden Lion, members of which guard temples and wander Faerun in service to the Penance of Duty. The order is currently led by the affable Tantran paladin lord Garethian the Infallible (a humble man whose title is more an exercise in ironic self-deprecation than braggadocio). Since Bane’s return, many important leaders and field agents of the church have been assassinated, and many of Torm’s knights urge more decisive action against the Black Hand’s honor-less followers.

Temples of Torm frequently double as citadels. Often constructed high on mountains to offer their residents a clear view of the surrounding area, such structures feature drilling grounds, high towers, austere quarters for resident and visiting knights, and plainly adorned, simple worship halls. White granite walls and statues of lions and armored figures predominate, with badges of knights who fell in duty lining the high-ceilinged hallways.

In order to gain the power necessary to destroy Bane’s avatar during the Time of Troubles, Torm absorbed the souls of all his worshipers in Tantras. The voluntary soul-transference killed the mortals, ending thousands of lives in a matter of moments. As the city had been for centuries the center of his religion, with members of the faithful flocking to it since word spread of his arrival early in the Avatar Crisis, entire neighborhoods were left barren of life. Even though Torm required every once of devotional power to destroy his enemy, he could not bring himself to ask children to sacrifice themselves, especially as he knew many of them couldn’t understand the importance of what was happening. He assured their faithful parents that the children would be cared for, and to this day those children, ranging in age from 14 to 28, are known as the Martyr’s Progeny. Many have gone on to enter Torm’s clergy and some have even exhibited strange powers related to bravery and strength in the years since their parents heeded Torm’s desperate call.

Gold Dragon (Torm’s Mount)

Torm can ride either a war horse or a dragon into combat. His favorite mount, however, is an ancient gold dragon.

Male Ancient Gold dragon: CR --; Gargantuan dragon (fire); HD 43d12+387; hp 666; Init +4; Spd 60 ft, swim 60ft, fly 250 ft. (clumsy); AC 50 (touch 6, flat-footed 50); Atk +60 melee (4d6+21, bite) and +55 melee (2d8+10, 2 claws) and +55 melee (2d6+10, 2 wings) and +55 melee (2d6+31, tail sweep); Face/Reach 20 ft. x 40 ft./15 ft.; SA Breath weapon (60-ft. cone of fire, 20d10, save DC 40), breath weapon (60-ft. cone of weakening gas, Str damage 10, save DC 40), frightful presence, spell-like abilities, spells; SQ Blindsight 300 ft., command gold dragons, detect gems 3/day, dragon traits, empathic link with Torm, fire subtype, improved evasion, keen vision, luck bonus 1/day, share saving throws with Torm, share spells with Torm, water breathing; AL LG; SV Fort +36, Ref +23, Will +34; Str 52, Dex 10, Con 29, Int 28, Wis 29, Cha 28.
Skills and Feats: Bluff +44, Concentration +44, Diplomacy +50, Escape Artist +35, Hide -12, Intimidate +13, Jump +91, Knowledge (arcane) +44, Knowledge (architecture and engineering) +39, Knowledge (geography) +39, Knowledge (history) +39, Knowledge (local) +39, Knowledge (nature) +39, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +39, Knowledge (planes) +39, Knowledge (religion) +39, Listen +44, Scry +44, Search +44, Sense Motive +19, Spell craft +79, Spot +44; Cleave, Flyby Attack, Great Cleave, Hover, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, , Quicken Spell-like Ability, Snatch, Sunder, Wingover.

Breath Weapon (Su): Torm’s dragon can breath a 60-foot cone of fire that deals 20d10 points of damage to any creature that fails a Fortitude save. The dragon can also breath a 60-foot cone of weakening gas that deals 10 points of temporary Strength damage to any creature that fails a Fortitude save. He is immune to his own breath weapons.

Frightful Presence (Su): This ability takes effect automatically when Torm’s dragon attacks, charges, or flies overhead. It affects only opponents within 300 feet that have fewer than 43 HD. The affected creature must make a successful Will save (DC 40) or become shaken. Success indicates that the target is immune to the dragon’s frightful presence for one day.

Spell-like Abilities (Sp): 3/day--bless, polymorph self; 1/day--geas/quest, sunburst. These are as the spells cast by a 15th-level sorcerer. Base save DC = 19 + spell level.

Spells (Sp): Torm’s dragon casts spells as a 15th-level sorcerer.

Detect Gems (Sp): This is a divination effect similar to a detect magic spell, except that it finds only gems. The dragon can scan a 60-degree area each round for 1 round he knows if there are any gems within the area; 2 rounds of concentration reveal the exact number of gems; and 3 rounds reveal their exact location, type, and value.

Dragon Traits: Immune to sleep, paralysis effects; dark vision 60 ft; low-light vision.

Keen Vision: Torm’s dragon sees four times as well as a human in low-light conditions and twice as well in normal light. It also has dark vision with a range of 1,000 feet.

Lucky Bonus (Sp): Torm’s dragon can touch one gem, usually embedded in his hide, and enchant it to bring good luck. As long as he carries the gem, he and every good creature in a 1,000-foot radius receives a +1 luck bonus on all saving throws and similar dice rolls, as for a stone of good luck. If he gives the gem to another creature, only that bearer gets the bonus. The enchantment lasts 1d3 hours plus 30 hours but ends if the gem is destroyed.

Water Breathing (Ex): Torm’s dragon can breathe underwater indefinitely and can freely use his breath weapon, spells, and other abilities while submerged (the cone of fire becomes a cone of super-heated steam underwater).

Sorcerer Spells Known (6/9/8/8/8/8/7/5; base DC = 19 + spell level):
0 - detect magic, disrupt undead, light, mage band, open/close, prestidigitation, ray of frost, read magic, resistance
1st--charm person, comprehend languages, endure elements, magic missile, shield
2nd--blur, bull’s strength, cat’s grace, invisibility, see invisibility
3rd--fireball, gaseous form, haste, slow
4th--charm monster, locate creature, minor creation, polymorph other
5th--dream, pass wall, permanency, wall of force
6th--contingency, disintegrate, true seeing
7th--delayed blast fireball, prismatic spray

From Faiths and Pantheons, pgs. 74-77. Eric L. Boyd and Erik Mona

Manifestations

Animals/Plants: pure white roses
Monsters: gold dragons, silver dragons, lammasus, pegasi
Gems/Precious Metals: white diamond
Colors: steel
Miscellaneous: 12-foot-tall flying metal gauntlet with a white aura and arcs of lightning, animated weapons, images burned into fabric (usually a gauntlet, shield, or sword)

Deities Do’s and Don’t’s, pg. 14. By Sean K Reynolds

[ancientempathy]

Tymora

Lady Luck, the Lady Who Smiles, Our Smiling Lady

Intermediate Deity
Symbol: Silver coin featuring Tymora’s face surrounded by shamrocks
Home Plane: Brightwater
Alignment: Chaotic good
Portfolio: Good fortune, skill, victory, adventurers
Worshipers: Rogues, gamblers, adventurers, Harpers, lightfoot Halflings
Cleric Alignments: CG, CN, NG
Domains: Chaos, Good, Luck, Protection, Travel
Favored Weapon: A spinning coin (shuriken)

Tymora (tie-more-ah), the friendly, graceful, and kind deity of good fortune, owes her impressive popularity to two factors. Firstly, her dominance over narrow escapes and lucky discoveries makes her the patron of choice to Faerun’s burgeoning adventurer population, who propitiate her in hopes of prolonged survival and spectacular takes. The greatest boon to her church came during the Time of Troubles, however, when Tymora appeared to followers in Arabel and set up shop in the temple known as the Lady’s House. As the entire continent quaked with magic gone wild, Tymora offered all-too-absent stability and the reassurances that some deity still cared about their human subjects. The ability to actually meet a deity (in exchange for a reasonable donation to the church, of course) bolstered faith in desperate times, and the ranks of her clergy and followers swelled accordingly.

Those commoners who fail to take themselves too seriously see the servants of Tymora as energetic advocates of fun and adventure. The clerics preach a doctrine that urges their followers to take chances and do something, rather than sitting around and daring nothing. Accordingly, those who choose Tymora as patron tend to possess a zest for life and a calm assurance that the Lady Who Smiles will ensure they live a long and fruitful life. Halflings consider Tymora to be one of Yondolla’s Children, and consider her widespread worship in human lands as simply the greatest of Lady Luck’s numerous humorous cons.

Clerics of Tymora, often called luck bringers, pray for their spells in the morning. The faithful typically greet each other by touching holy symbols, often embracing to do so. The clergy officially recognizes no set rituals, with religious observances varying wildly according to the dictates of each temple. Tymora’s clerics most commonly multiclass as bards or rogues, but they have been known to try almost any class combination. A rare few become auspicians.

History/Relationships:

Prior to the Dawn Cataclysm, a single deity, Tyche, controlled both good and bad luck. A fickle deity whose attention just as often brought calamity as calm, Tyche wandered through her existence controlled only by her whims, seldom concerning herself with anything or anyone for more than a moment. As luck would have it, the amorous deity found herself embroiled in the war between deities initiated by Lathander, who attempted to restructure the Faerunian pantheon according to his own sense of propriety. Deciding quickly that her paramour had become altogether too serious, Tyche kissed the Morninglord with misfortune and left him to his fate.

During her travels, she came upon a beautiful rose, which she attempted to pluck from the earth. Curiously, the flower would not budge, so she cursed it with bad luck, whereupon its stem broke and it fell to the ground. Thinking little of the incident, she placed the rose in her hair and continued her roaming, oblivious to a dangerous corruption on her very person. The rose had been an aspect of Moander, deity of rot and decay. In short order, Moander worked its corruption into Tyche’s ear, eagerly draining the deity’s lifeforce and withering her form within. When she finally returned home, the oblivious Tyche came upon her friends Lathander and Selune, as well as Azuth, who had been warned of Moander’s attack through consultation with the Pale Tesseract. Before the disgusting creature that had once been Tyche could greet her former companions, Selune lashed out with a bolt of purifying light. Tyche’s form split right down the middle, and from the husk emerged a completely new deity.

A bright, somewhat smaller version of Tyche arose first, looking upon the three deities with a bemused expression of confused recognition, as if she had known these figures in dreams even if they had never met. Bold, beautiful Beshaba was second to arise.

After a brief battle in which the good and evil aspects of the fallen Tyche nearly destroyed each other if not for the combined effort of Azuth, Lathander, and Selune, Beshaba cursed the four deities, decrying them as murderers and luckless villains unworthy of both her presence and her good will. Swearing to bedevil their followers with ill fortune for eternity, the Maid of Misfortune left the assembly in a torrent of acrid smoke and foul language. The newborn deity, Tymora, simply shrugged, a small frown her only display of emotion.

Since that day, Tymora and Beshaba have continued their struggle. For Beshaba, their battle is one of wholehearted destruction. Tymora, for her part, seeks to stave off the Maid of Misfortune’s depredations, occasionally punishing her cruel ambition with a particularly choice humiliation.

Though it would not be fair to call Tymora cruel, she does delight in practical jokes, often attempting to bring good humor to stern deities such as Helm and Tyr through the careful application of gentle teasing and playful trickery. Though she inherited all the good qualities of her progenitor, she also retains much of Tyche’s romantic fickleness--she’s seduced dozen of deities and countless mortals, seldom staying with a single paramour for more than a year or two. She shares a somewhat casual, long-running romance with the Halfling deity Brandobaris, whose passion for daring-do and ribald shenanigans rivals her own.

Dogma:

One should be bold, for to be bold is to live. A brave heart and a willingness to take risks beat out a carefully wrought plan nine times out of ten. Place yourself in the hands of fate and trust to your own luck. Bear and conduct yourselves as your own masters, showing your good or bad fortune as confidence in the Lady. Chase your own unique goals, and the Lady aids the chase. Without direction or goals, you soon know the embrace of Beshaba, for those on no set course are at the mercy of misfortune, which has no mercy at all.

Clergy and Temples:

Clerics of Tymora favor gaiety and spontaneity, believing that those who enjoy the greatest fortune are those who take the greatest risks. They position their temples as refueling stops for adventuring bands, often offering such staples as holy water and healing potions. Some churches take this a step further, offering excessive secret aid to the most daring of adventurers in a public relations effort to “prove” the value of Tymora’s doctrine. Clerics hail the miraculous success of these heroes upon their return from dangerous dungeons and haunted tombs, declaring their survival and plunder the reward of Lady Luck. When such groups are consumed by walls of living tentacles or walk into a sphere of annihilation set into the mouth of giant bas-relief demon faces, Tymoran clerics are notably silent.

Each Tymoran temple is an independent operation with its own hierarchy and doctrinal interpretation, which usually boils down to the whims of the high priest or priestess informed by a baseline collection of beliefs and customs. This longstanding tradition has recently encountered a challenge in the form of Daramos Lauthyr, high priest of the Lady’s House of Arabel, who seeks to unite the church under a single pontiff--himself.

Faiths and Pantheons pgs. 77-78. Eric L. Boyd and Erik Mona

Manifestations

Animal/Plants: N/A
Monsters: celestial lions, unicorns
Gems/Precious Metals: N/A
Colors: blue, silver
Miscellaneous: silver bird, silver pegasus

Deities Do’s and Don’t’s pg. 15. By Sean K Reynolds

[ancientempathy]

Tyr

The Even-Handed, the Maimed God, the Just God

Greater Deity
Symbol: Balanced scales resting on a war hammer
Home Plane: House of the Triad
Alignment: Lawful good
Portfolio: Justice
Worshipers: Paladins, judges, magistrates, lawyers, police, the oppressed
Cleric Alignments: LG, LN, NG
Domains: Good, Knowledge, Law, Retribution, War
Favored Weapon: “Justicar” (longsword)

Before every criminal trial in civilized lands, good-hearted magistrates whisper prayers to Tyr (teer) the Even-Handed, asking that he guide their judgments with temperance and resolve. A utopian interloper deity who long ago came to Toril from a foreign cosmos, Tyr sees himself as a father figure working to craft a perfect society among the people of Faerun, whom he views as his wayward children. The pain of knowing that his mortal charges cannot hope to initiate and protect a flawless, completely just orderly existence tinges Tyr’s philosophy with an undercurrent of resigned sadness.

Religious iconography depicts Tyr as an aging one-handed warrior, often with a bloody bandage covering his wounded eyes. The so-called Maimed God lost his right hand in battle with the ravenous entity known as Kezef the Chaos Hound. Tyr’s blindness dates to the Time of Troubles, when Ao himself scoured his eyes for failing to witness the theft of the Tablets of Fate and for allowing discord among the gods of Toril. Worshipers have allegorized Tyr’s wounds as emblematic of the blindness of justice and the price the truly just must endure on the path of righteousness and stern defense of the law. Particularly radical Tyrran sects advocate self-mutilation among their adherents, a practice condemned by the large majority of the faithful, who nonetheless ritualistically don gauze eye coverings and an off-colored glove on their right hands to honor the Blind Overlord.

Commoners view Tyr and his clerics as stern arbiters of justice, often missing the paternal philosophical nuances of Tyrran doctrine for its more obvious black-and-white teachings on the nature of morality. They tend to view Tyr as something of a divine constant--they know that Tyr expects fairness, good judgment, and kindness toward the innocent from his followers, and hence afford Tyr’s clerics a great deal of trust.

Clerics of Tyr pray for spells at dawn. In addition to numerous minor holidays, Tyr’s priesthood follows a strict regimen of monthly high rituals. On the first of each month, Tyrrans celebrate Seeing Justice, at which specially chanted prayers elicit the appearance of a white-hot war hammer that glows with heat and light. The thirteenth day brings celebration of the Maiming, at which the congregation sings loud, booming hymns as an illusionary gauntleted hand surrounded by a nimbus of burning blood appears above them. A similar ritual called The Binding, which takes place on the twenty-second day of each month, involves an image of burning, crying eyes. Tyr’s clerics often multiclass as paladins.

History/Relationships:

Tyr came to Toril in -247 DR in an event known as the Procession of Justice. Bursting from a gate near modern-day Alaghon in Turmish, he led a force of 200 archons across the Vilhon Reach in an effort to pacify the remnants of ancient Jhaamdath, which had fallen to lawlessness and brigandage following that empire’s destruction at the hands of its elven enemies. In the ensuring battle, Tyr’s host slew Valigan Thirdborn, a lesser deity of anarchy whose rise in -269 DR directly coincided with the ascendance of the bloodthirsty Exarch Thelasan IV, who spurred the Emperor into greater conflict with the elves.

Tyr’s actions and sacrifices during the Procession (which lasted until -238) attracted the attention of the previously obscure Illmater, who joined forces with Tyr in -243 DR. Years later, long after the Procession had ended with most of Tyr’s servants banished or killed and the deity himself taking interest in Toril at large at the expense of his initial, highly targeted campaign, Torm joined up as the Just God’s war leader. Together with Ilmater, the deities became known as the Triad, by which they are still referred to this day.

Over the more than 1,600 years since his arrival, Tyr has expanded his dominance over the whole of Faerun--few are those who do not know his name or the enthusiastic ideals he represents. His is a civilizing voice, urging the construction of moral and legal codes and the administration of fair justice for sentient creatures in every land. In this regard he is both progressive and regressive, representing a force for cultural development in lands with corrupt or no legal systems and representing a stern defense of the status quo in nations with well-established codes of law.

Tyr’s relatively short time on Toril has gained him a host of enemies. He fiercely opposes deities dedicated to tyranny, evil, or lawlessness, and bears particularly enmity toward Bane, Cyric, Mask, Talona, and Talos.

Dogma:

Reveal the truth, punish the guilty, right the wrong, and always be true and just in your actions. Uphold the law wherever you go and punish those who do wrong under the law. Keep a record of your own rulings, deeds, and decisions, for through this your errors can be corrected, your grasp on the laws of all lands will flourish, and your ability to identify lawbreakers will expand. Be vigilant in your observations and anticipations so you may detect those who plan injustices before their actions threaten law and order. Deliver vengeance to the guilty for those who cannot do it themselves.

Clergy and Temples:

The Tyrran faith appeals to those who seek to bring order to the disorderly, to punish the wicked, and to ensure that civilization prospers through a careful, fair system of justice. Theirs is a doctrine of justice through benevolent force and armed vigilance, a philosophy that makes the faith attractive to paladins and lawful fighters. Most adherents do not fight in the field, however, instead seeing to important battles in the courts as bureaucrats, judges, bailiffs, and merchants. Tyrrans tend to view all affairs in clear-cut moral terms, preferring to see the world ordered by just laws that provide the greatest benefit to all. They tend toward intolerance, sometimes violently so, and seldom tolerate mockery, parody, or the questioning of their faith.

Clerics of Tyr bring law to lawless lands, often serving as judge, jury, and executioner. Without a civilized legal code with which to guide their judgments, they often default to a doctrine roughly equivalent to “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” However, Tyrrans prefer to err on the side of mercy, and frequently commute otherwise harsh sentences for cases in which the offender was ignorant of any wrongdoing. Such criminals usually find their names recorded in the cleric’s Book of Lawgiving, which is then shared with the nearest temples to prevent that perpetrator repeating the offense and getting off lightly. Powerful clerics frequently employ the mark of justice spell to add magical coercion to their stern lectures to convicted criminals.

In civilized lands, Tyrrans (inevitably called “tyrants” by their legion detractors) tend to become legal experts, advising rulers, judges, or powerful merchants on the intricacies of the law and arguing cases before magistrates. They view the latter as charity, donating their (sometimes lavish) “speaking fees” to the church.

Regardless of their setting, Tyrrans never enforce a law that can be shown to be unjust--defined by the church as out of compliance with the principles and definitions adhered to by other laws in the body of legal doctrine of which it is part. This sometimes forces Tyrrans to support very unfair laws that are, nonetheless, just. In many such cases, Tyrrans attempt to change the laws by working within the system. Those who break even unfair laws as a form of defiance or political dissent are nonetheless guilty, in their view, and deserve to be punished to the fullest extent the law allows.

In some cases, Tyrrans act as agents of vengeance for those who have been wronged and who cannot afford or are no longer around to defend themselves. In such cases, when the law is so broken down as to become meaningless, clerics of Tyr act openly to defy evil or corrupt forces, martyring themselves if such becomes necessary.

The well-connected, highly organized Church of Tyr sponsors an extensive system of fortified temples throughout Faerun. Each subscribes to a strict set of internal rules known as the Innumerable Edicts, which seems to grow more pedantic and onerous with each passing year.

Currently, the sprawling Fortress Faithful in Tethyr (south of Zazesspur) holds the most influential position in the church, as many faithful flocked there during that land’s recent civil war, and have stayed on to ensure stability in the region. The massive House of Tyr’s Hand in Thesk represents a more staid, traditionalist sect of the church, and shelters the Just Knights--clerics, fighters, and paladins who have honored the Maimed God in countless battles against their aggressive neighbors in Thay. Individual temples of Tyr offer lodging, fresh mounts, healing, spell aid, weapons, gear, and holy advice, as well as confession of sins, which plays an important absolving role in the faith.

Faiths and Pantheons pgs. 79-80. Eric L. Boyd and Erik Mona

Manifestations

Animals/Plants: war dogs of unusual intelligence and size
Monsters: N/A
Gems/Precious Metals: N/A
Colors: blue, purple, white
Miscellaneous: echoing gong stroke accompanied by a chorus of male voices, glowing warhammer

Deities Do’s and Don’t’s, pg. 15. By Sean K Reynolds

[ancientempathy]

Umberlee

The Bitch Queen, Queen of the Depths

Intermediate Deity
Symbol: Blue-green wave curling left and right
Home Plane: Fury’s Heart
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Portfolio: Oceans, currents, waves, sea winds
Worshipers: Sailors, were sharks, sentient sea creatures, coastal dwellers
Cleric Alignments: CE, CN, NE
Domains: Chaos, Destruction, Evil, Ocean, Storm, Water
Favored Weapon: “Drowning Death” [trident] or jellyfish [trident]

Malicious, mean, and evil, Umber lee (um-ber-lee) is the terror of sailors and coastal dwellers across the world. She breaks agreements on a whim and takes great pleasure in watching others die by drowning or in the jaws of sea predators. Vain and desirous of flattery, she is excessively greedy for power and revels in exercising it. Weresharks are her creations, and theirs is one of the few races that worship her out of admiration rather than fear. The Bitch Queen is always depicted as a female blue-green torso garbed in shells and a mauve cape made from jellyfish rising out of the waves from taloned hands, elbow fins, eyes of pale pearly death, and hair of kelp.

Like the church of Talos, the church of Umberlee is almost universally despised and propitiated only out of fear. Nevertheless, despite the promise offered by the relatively weak church of Valkur, nearly every sailor makes an offering to the Bitch Queen before heading into her domain and Umberlant clerics can walk unmolested in dockside wards in most ports. They are even welcomed aboard most ships, in hopes that their presence will help appease the Bitch Queen.

Umberlant clerics pray for spells at high tide (in the morning or evening), making offerings and self-anointing on the brow, hands, and feet with sea water. The Drowning is a private ritual, and only clergy members may witness it or take part. In the Drowning, a supplicant lies before an altar and is surrounded by candles lit to the deity, each placed with an intoned prayer by a different Umberlant cleric. The attending clergy then withdraw and release a wave of sea water to flood the room in a huge breaking wave and then flow away. Supplicants who survive are confirmed in the service of Umberlee and warned that if they should ever betray the Queen of the Deeps, drowning is the fate that awaits them. They were spared during the Drowning and so can be taken by the Sea Queen at any time to come. (Clergy whom the Sea Queen feels have failed her go to sleep one night never to awaken, dying under the night of drowning, their lungs mysteriously filled with sea water.) The two public rituals of the Umberlant faith are the First Tide and the Stormcall. The former is celebrated when the ice breaks up in a harbor and involves a parade through town with a caged animal, which is then tied to a rock and hurled into the sea. If it reaches shore alive, it is treated as a sacred animal for the rest of its days. Stormcall is a mass prayer to send a storm to devastate a specific harbor or ship or to turn away an approaching storm or one that has already broken upon the worshipers. Its participants pray around pools upon which float candles on driftwood planks, and throw sacrifices into the pools. A doused candle is a sure sign of the Bitch Queen’s anger. Umberlee’s clerics tend to multiclass as druids, fighters, rogues, divine disciples, or waveservants.

History/Relationships:

Umberlee is one of the Deities of Fury. She serves Talos, along with Auril and Malar. Talos has been encroaching upon her portfolio, and since she lacks the strength to fight him, Umberlee has been trying to distract him with romantic intrigues. She fights Selune and Valkur (to whom sailors pray to bring them home safely), Chauntea (for her dominion over land), and Sune (whose beauty she envies).

Dogma:

The sea is a savage place, and those that travel it had best be willing to pay the price of challenging Umberlee’s domain. All should know the Bitch Queen and fear her, for the wind and the wave can reach everywhere if sufficiently angered. Fair offerings bring fair winds to sea travelers, but those that do not pay their respects will find that the sea is as cold as Umberlee’s heart. Spread the word of the might of Umberlee, and let no service be done in her name without a price. Make folk fear the wind and wave unless a cleric of Umberlee is there to protect them. Slay those who ascribe sea and shore storms to Talos.

Clergy and Temples:

Umberlant clergy are charged to spread respect for Umberlee by preaching of the doom she has wrought in the past and the storms to come in all coastal cities and settlements. Along the way, they seek to build up favor enough to be washed ashore by the deity if they are ever in danger on the seas and to enrich themselves by accepting offerings, selling the safety of their own presence on shipboard, or by casting certain spells.

Temples of Umberlee are always located along the coast or underwater. Many lie within sea caves, while free-standing structures are usually are constructed from flotsam, surf-pounded rocks, and the shells of great sea beasts. Umberlant temples are mainly vehicles for sailors and merchants to make offerings of candles, flowers, candies, or coin to appease the Bitch Queen’s wrath.

The ceremonial garb of the Umberlant clerics consists of a skintight blue or green body stocking worn with a voluminous cape of blue or green trimmed with white fur (to represent foaming breakers). A tall collar, similarly trimmed, rises from the back of the cape’s neck. A popular badge of rank is the skeletal hand of a drowned victim.

The church of Umberlee is disorganized and run differently in different locales. The only organized hierarchy is that imposed by a particularly favored and powerful cleric, and such regimes are inevitably washed away in time by the ever-fickle Bitch Queen. Clerics of the faith are even given to dueling each other to settle disputes of rank or ability, although such combats are rarely fatal. Instead, the loser is usually thrown aboard the next ship to leave port, regardless of the destination.

Faiths and Pantheons pgs. 82-83. Eric L. Boyd and Erik Mona

Manifestations

Animals/Plants: sharks, jellyfish
Monsters: sea-dwelling undead, krakens
Gems/Precious Metals: N/A
Colors: blue, green
Miscellaneous: wind or waves accompanied by a cruel laughter

Deities Do’s and Don’t’s, pg. 15. By Sean K Reynolds

[ancientempathy]

Uthgar

Father of the Uthgardt, Battle Father

Lesser Deity
Symbol: That of the individual beast totem spirit
Home Plane: Warrior’s Rest
Alignment: Chaotic neutral
Portfolio: Uthgardt barbarian tribes, physical strength
Worshipers: The Uthgardt tribes, barbarians
Cleric Alignments: Varies with beast totem (see below)
Domains: Animal, Chaos, Retribution, Strength, War
Favored Weapon: Appropriate beast totem spirit (battleaxe)

Father of the Uthgardt barbarians of the Savage Frontier, Uthgar (uhth-gar) is a proud, fierce, and independent warrior. According to some legends he is the son of Beorunna (a Netherese warrior hero whose followers became the barbarian tribes of the North), while others claim he is the divine offspring of mighty Tempus. The Battle Father has few friends and has remained relatively uninvolved in divine politics. Uthgar’s full and hearty laugh rings out whenever he hears a good joke. He enjoys sensual pleasures of the flesh, even in his divine state, and likes to hunt, eat, drink, and be merry in his feast halls with the warrior spirits he has called to serve him. Although he is a tireless and methodical tactician, his battle strategies are not terribly inspired. He is driven to win in the long run, however, especially if the Uthgardt barbarians (his people) are threatened. Uthgar has many faces, in his guises as the various beast totems, but in his hall he is always depicted as a tall, burely, bearded, blond-haired warrior with eyes of piercing blue dressed only in a battle harness, leather breechcloth, and furred boots.

Little known outside the harsh realm of the North, the church of Uthgar does not exist per se outside the collected ranks of those who venerate the various beast cult shamans. Although generally seen as savage and frightening by other inhabitants of the Savage Frontier, in truth the character of the church of Uthgar varies greatly from tribe to tribe. In recent years, Uthgar’s people have worked to remove the stain of their reputation caused by the cruel actions of the now-defunct Blue Bear Tribe (whose totem was defeated and absorbed by Malar the Beastlord), and that fact has increased acceptance of Uthgar outside the barbarian tribes. Religious fervor within the tribes has increased because several infants in each tribe have been born with a beast-totem birthmark, which has been taken as a sign of great favor. These two factors have caused Uthgar to rise to the level of a lesser deity.

Clerics of Uthgar pray at dawn or sunset. They are almost exclusively male, and each worships the beast totem spirit of his tribe. The spring equinox and both solstices are holy days, and all tribes converge upon their ancestral mound (or Beorunna’s Well, the holiest of the ancestral mounds) during the autumn equinox to perform ceremonies, make agreements, and commune with ancestral spirits.

During the Runemeet, Uthgardt youths desiring to be adults (and warriors of all ages) participate in the ritual of the Runehunt, in which those involved seek victory over the tribe’s ritual enemies--usually orcs. When youths complete a Runehunt successfully, Uthgar’s clerics hold a ceremony, known as the Telhut, to initiate them into manhood. Uthgardt clerics of Chauntea initiate Uthgardt girls into womanhood at this time as well.

Rather than follow the one step rule, clerics of Uthgar (and those who take him as a patron deity) must abide by the somewhat broader alignment guidelines of the beast totems who mediate between Uthgar and his people. Any alignment that fit’s the guideline for a beast totem is suitable for a cleric of Uthgar of that totem. The names and alignment guidelines of the totems are Black Lion (CG), Black Raven (CE), Blue Bear (CE), Elk (CN), Gray Wolf (CN), Great Worm (CG), Griffon (N), Red Tiger (CN), Sky Pony (CN), Tree Ghost (NG), and Thunder beast (CN). Uthgar’s clerics often multiclass as barbarians, druids, or rangers.

History/Relationships:

Uthgar was once a mortal Northlander from Ruathym named Uther Gardolfsson, brother to Morgred (the “Morgur” of Morgur’s Mound), who gained fame by invading the fabled realm of Illusk before moving into the northern interior. There, his followers united with Netherese refugees who had reverted to a primitive way of life to form a dynasty of barbarians, the Uthgardt. As he lay dying of wounds received in battle with Gurt, Lord of the Frost Giants, Uthgar was raised up as a demipower by Tempus, who admired his fighting spirit. Uthgar counts only the Lord of Battles as an ally. The Father of the Uthgardt dislikes Helm, Ilmater, Torm, and Tyr, for they have stolen away the devotion of all but one cleric of the Black Lion tribe. He holds Malar responsible for the destruction of the Blue Bear tribe (a fragment of which survives as the new Tree Ghost tribe), and he hates Auril for turning the Elk Tribe away from his worship. Other than enmities stemming from encroachment upon his followers, Uthgar holds himself aloof, unconcerned with divine politics and struggles.

Dogma:

The dogma of the Uthgardt religion varies slightly from tribe to tribe as each beast cult emphasizes different “barbarian” virtues. In general, shamans are charged as follows when they are initiated into the Uthgardt faith: Strength is everything. Civilization is weakness. Men should fight, hunt, and raid from the weak to provide for their wives and families. Family is sacred, and its bonds are not cast aside lightly. Arcane magic is effete, self-indulgent, and ultimately leads to weakness. Reliance upon arcane magic is an evil and false path that leads to death and ruin. Revere Uthgar, your ancestors, and your tribe’s beast spirit. Study the beast so that you know its virtues and its weaknesses; claim its virtues as your own and weed its weaknesses from your spirit. The beast holds wisdom and raw power that you can make your own. Make the others of your tribe fear and respect your power and knowledge so they heed the wise words your ancestors speak through you to them.

Clergy and Temples:

The church of Uthgar is divided among the eleven beast totem spirits that serve Uthgar as intermediaries to the Uthgardt tribes of the Savage Frontier. Uthgar is not worshiped directly, but each tribe venerates one of these servant spirits as the divine embodiment of the spirit of their tribe--the symbol of its vitality, wisdom, mystical ability, endurance, speed, and moral nature. Uthgardt shamans tend to the respective needs for their tribes, teaching tribal history and customs passed down by heroics tales and lineage chants in an oral tradition spanning centuries. They provide healing for their tribes, initiate youths into manhood after they complete their tribal quest (often missions against a tribe’s ritual enemy), and provide counsel to the tribe’s chieftain and elders. When the tribe faces a new situation or a quandary, shamans consult with the ancestral spirits and totem animal great spirit to find guidance. All Uthgardt shamans believe that personal strength can demonstrate purity of purpose, and so arguments are often settled by a test of strength or a battle to first blood, to surrender, or to the death-if the matter is serious enough. At Runemeet, shamans officiate over the tribal rites of passage.

Uthgar has neither temples nor shrines, and his clerics can perform necessary ceremonies in any location, though their tribes’ ancestral mounds are their most holy sites. (Each tribe and its beast totem are tied to a particular ancestral mound.) These huge earthwork mounds, often shaped like the totem beast of the tribes that gather at them, are sacred burial grounds where only the greatest shamans and chiefs are interred. Most tribes believe their tribal founders are buried in their ancestor mound. Although there are many lesser burial mounds and shrines revered by smaller clans within the tribes, it is to the large mounds devoted to their most ancient and holy ancestors that the Uthgardt tribes return each fall to spend their winters near the protection of their ancestors. The ancestor mounds are all roughly similar. Two mound rings called cairn rings surrounded a large central altar mound. The ancestor mounds of large tribes may also be surrounded by smaller, nondescript burial mounds. Usually all mounds are formed of turf-covered earth. The Uthgardt correctly believe that the spirits of dead ancestors protect the graves from harm.

For high rituals at the ancestral mound or when honoring the appointment of a new chieftain for the tribe, clerics of Uthgar dress in a high holy regalia of leather-and-fur tunics, breeches, breechcloths, and boots covered in intricate, mystic designs and ornamentation and thongs and fringes to which are attached beads and holy relics of personal importance (usually revealed to them as objects of power by spirits in visions). When a shaman dies, his relics are buried with him in his ancestral mound. Rather than a holy symbol, Uthgardt shamans carry a sacred bundle, a leather satchel containing spell components, objects too holy for others to see, and small carved miniature depictions of the shaman’s totem animal, all of which have been gained by the shaman at the request of his ancestral spirits.

There is no church wide hierarchy among the faithful of Uthgar. Rather, worshipers of each tribe (totem) revere their religious leaders, with the eldest and most charismatic garnering the greatest respect and influence. Many beast totem clerics consider the church of Uthgar to be greatly threatened by the encroachment of foreign deities and a consensus is emerging among the remaining clerics that the foreign deities must be cast out and their clerics driven off.

Sky Pony (Uthgar’s Mount)

Uthgar is often seen riding his sky pony, a light gray advanced Pegasus.

Sky Pony: Male advanced Pegasus; CR 3; Large magical beast; HD 8d10+24; hp 68; Init +2; Spd 60 ft., fly 120 ft. (average); AC 14 (touch 11 flat-footed 12); Atk +11 melee (1d6+4, 2 hooves) and +6 melee (1d3+2, bite); Face/Reach 5 ft. x 10 ft./5 ft.; SA Spell-like abilities; SQ Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; AL N; SV Fort +9, Ref +8, will +5; Str 18, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 13.
Skills and Feats: Diplomacy +3, Hide -2, Listen +14, Sense Motive +7, Spot +14, Wilderness Lore +7; Alertness, Iron will.

Spell Like Abilities (Sp): At will - detect good, detect evil. Both of these abilities work in a 60-yard radius as the spells cast by a 5th-level sorcerer.

Low-Light Vision: The sky pony can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar low-light conditions.

Scent (Ex): The sky pony can detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell.

Faiths and Pantheons pgs. 84-87. Eric L. Boyd and Erik Mona

Manifestations:

Animals/Plants: black lions, black ravens, cave bears, elk, golden eagles, gray wolves, red ponies, red tigers
Monsters: griffon, pegasi, treants
Gems/Precious Metals: N/A
Color: brown, tan
Miscellaneous: vision of a battleaxe

Deities Do’s and Don’t’s, pg. 15. By Sean K Reynolds

Uthgardt Barbarian Tribes

From the FRCS

[ancientempathy]

Waukeen

Merchant's Friend

Lesser Deity
Symbol: Gold coin with Waukeen's profile facing left
Home Plane: Brightwater
Alignment: Neutral
Portfolio: Trade, money, wealth
Worshipers: Merchants, traders, the wealthy, rogues (those who learn the thiefly arts in order to fight thieves)
Cleric Alignments: CN, LN, N, NE, NG
Domains: Knowledge, Protection, Travel, Trade
Favored Weapon: Cloud of coins (nunchaku)

Vibrant and vivacious, Waukeen (wah-keen) is a relatively young, hardworking deity who loves wealth not for itself but for what can be done and acquired with it. She enjoys bargaining and the hustle and bustle of the marketplace. She rules over deals done above and below the table--legitimate as well as black market commerce. She is interested in innovation, but can also be stubborn and persistent, which sometimes gets her into trouble. The Merchant's Friend appears as a slim, beautiful woman with golden eyes and long, luxuriant hair the hue of spun gold. Her gowns are woven of gleaming, gem-studded strips of precious metals and her gold-soled boots made from links of laced pearls.

Widely admired and envied before the Time of Troubles, the Merchant's Friend's church suffered greatly during the Interdeium of Waukeen, a span of several years in which she was missing and presumed dead. Although Waukeen has begun revitalizing the faith of her worshipers, the opinion of the outside world may take far longer to recover. All sorts of rumors about Waukeen's disappearance and return are still being banded about, with allegations that she is really dead or that she consorted with fiends being the most damaging and persisent tales told.

Clerics of Waukeen pray for spells just before sundown and must initiate their prayers by throwing a coin into a ceremonial bowl or a body of water. The church celebrates a dozen high festivals spaced over the course of the year that honor accounting (Cold Counting Comfort on Hammer 15), textiles (Great Weave on Alturiak 20), wealth (High Coin on 30 Ches), generosity (Spheres on Tarsakh 10), benefactors (Sammardach on Mirtul 12), finery (Brightbuckle on Kythorn 21), deal-making (Sornyn Flamerule 3-5), bounty (Huldark on Elesias 17(, magic (Spryndalstar on Eleint 7), guards (Marthoon on Marpenoth 1), craft (Tehennteahan on Uktar 10), and the dark side of wealth (a solemn rememberance of the evils of excess) (Orbar on Nightal 25). Clerics often multiclass as bards, goldeyes, or rogues to enhance their contacts and negotiating skills.

History/Relationships:

At the time of the Time of Troubles, Waukeen was still a relatively young deity with few enemies other than Mask, whose portfolio was naturally opposed to hers. As such, it was quite unexpected that Waukeen was never seen during the Time of Troubles and never reclaimed her mantle following its conclusion. The truth behind her disappearance is that she conspired with Lliira to leave her divine mantle behind and escape to the Astral Plane with the aid of a deity from another world. Once on the Astral Plane, she intended to make her way back to her realm via the Abyss through the purchased aid of the demon lord Graz'zt. However, Graz'zt betrayed her, making her his prisoner, and it was not until she was rescued by daring adventurers in 1371 DR that she regained her divinity. Waukeen has since revitalized and reassured her worshipers of her existence and her restored divine power. She is very closely allied with Lliira (who held her portfolio in trust while she was imprisoned), Gond (whose inventions she appreciates), and Shaundakul (whose portfolio complements hers). Aside from Mask, her only true enemy is Graz'zt, agaisnt whom she has sworn her eventual revenge.

Dogma:

Mercantile trade is the best road to enrichment. Increasing the general prosperity buys ever greater civilization and happiness for intelligent folk worldwide, bringing people closer to the golden age that lies ahead. Destroy no trade goods, raise no restrictions to trade, and propagate no malicious rumors that could harm someone's commerce. Challenge and refute unproven rumors that could negatively impact trade when heard. Give money freely to beggars and businesses, for the more coin everyone has, the greater the urge to spend and trade rather than hoard. To worship Waukeen is to know wealth. To guard your funds is to venerate her, and to share them well seeds your future success. Call on her in trade, and she will guide you in wise commerce. The bold find gold, the careful keep it, and the timid yield it up.

Clergy and Temples:

Waukeenar travel the world aiding merchants or staff temples in large cities that serve as money lending and changing houses, safe storage warehouses, and (covertly) fences for stolen goods--all in exchange for fees. Waukeen’s clergy members are under orders to donate 25% of their monetary income to the church, to invest in all enterprises that have any reasonable hope of succeeding if they are run by devout worshipers of the deity, and to consider other investments if approached by entrepreneurs willing to make substantial offerings to the deity. Waukeenar are not above manipulating trade by means of rumors, buy-ups, hired border brigands, and the like, but strong public criticism of such unsubtle tactics in the past has led the church to officially deny undertaking such things and to order its clerics to do such work only with the greatest subtlety, so that no one who suspects their hands at work will be able to prove anything. Personal enrichment is the sign of a wise cleric, but this must be done through arms-length investments, not openly unlawful acts.

Temples of the Merchant’s Friend are almost always located in cities where commerce is in its fullest flower. Temples of Waukeen are built in many architectural styles, but a preference for ornate decoration is prevalent no matter whether the building is a soaring cathedral or a classical temple featuring a large portico and many columns. Such houses of worship are always constructed with the finest materials and with no expense spared. Decoration in Waukeen’s temples covers the floors, walls, roof pillars, and ceiling if possible. The decorative elements are baroque, intricate, brightly colored, and feature as much precious metal and as many gemstones as can be fitted into the design. However, despite their lavish adornment, inside and out, typically underneath the gold leaf is an all but impregnable fortress more secure than a king’s treasury. Such temples provide wealthy merchants who give generous tithes to the temples sumptuous cleric-guarded accommodations in town during their stays. Such temples can also be rented by the faithful for lavish fetes, useful for impressing potential trading partners and upstaging rivals.

Waukeen’s clergy members are among the most lavishly dressed, rivaling those of Sune, Milil, and Lathander in their rich robes. Waukeenar ritual garb is gaudy and ornate, with white silk undergarments, slashed and fluted sleeves and boots, pince-nez and lorgnettes (if the clerics have any weakness of vision); various useful items dangling from silk ribbons, and tall gilded and gem covered miters. Tunics, trousers, hose, or tabards may be worn as desired (or as the season makes practical), but these are always of the finest, most costly fabrics and furs, dyed and arranged for the most vibrant display possible. The entire ensemble is be covered by a gilded scarlet cloak heavy with the weight of thousands of wheels, plates, clasps, and flourishes of various precious metals. The costume is finished off with white gloves and a gilded rod or staff, which is either magical or ornately carved and set with gems. High clergy usually wear coronets with their miters, and outshine many monarchs with their garb.

The Waukeenar faith is a hierarchical one that has traditionally been led by a single pontiff, known by the rank of Holycoin. Through the long years of the Merchant’s Friends absence, Holycoin Voice of the Lady Tharundar Olehm held Waukeen’s church together from Goldspires, the great abbey overlooking the Merchant’s Bay of Athkatla. Now that Waukeen has returned and the church is well on the road to recovery, the aged patriarch’s thoughts have tuned toward retirement, and many seek the honor of replacing him when he does decide to step down. In the true tradition of Waukeen’s faith, such competition involves forging alliances, cementing trade deals, and other forms of mercantile activity in preparation for the day when the counting of the coins is begun. Chief among the contestants are five ambitious, beautiful women of various ages and backgrounds, the “Five Furies”: Barasta Cleeith, Daerea Ethgil, Faerthae Garblueth, Halanna Jashire, and Sariila Tebrentan. These women are all clerical sisters holding the rank of Overgold who pursue a vicious game of quiet in-fighting to become Thardunar’s successor as the supreme head of the church of Waukeen in Faerun.

Faiths and Pantheons, pgs. 87-88. Eric L. Boyd and Erik Mona

Manifestations

Animals/Plants: palomino horses, golden cats, golden lions, eagles, daffodils
Monsters: N/A
Gems/Precious Metals: citrine, gold nugget
Colors: white, gold
Miscellaneous: shower of gold coins, gleaming gold eyes (in dreams), coins found unexpectedly

Deities Do’s and Don’t’s, pg. 15. By Sean K Reynolds