Faerunian Pantheon

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Gwaeron Windstrom
Master of Tracking, the Tracker Who Never Goes Astray

Faerunian Demigod
Symbol: White star and brown paw print
Home Plane: House of Nature
Alignment: Neutral Good
Portfolio: Tracking, rangers of the North
Worshipers: Druids, rangers, troll hunters

Domains: Animal, Good, Knowledge, Plant, Travel

Nature Deity: Yes
Cleric Alignments: LG, NG, CG, TN

Favored Weapon: "Flameheart" (greatsword)

Gwaeron Windstrom (gwair-on wind-strahm) is the quiet, reclusive patron of rangers of the North who always appears as a tall and physically impressive human male stripped to the waist with flowing white hair and a long white beard. Taciturn and slow to anger, the Master of Tracking prefers to instruct through example, not words, and his rage, once ignited, is a terrible thing. He loathes trolls, and is known to stalk them across the Evermoors. Although Gwaeron is highly respected by rangers active in the North, his faith is more one of emulation than veneration.

There is not an organized Gwaeronan church distinct from the church of Mielikki, and the existence of his faith is little known outside the ranks of northern rangers. Rather, most shrines of the Lady of the Forest in the North include a small shrine or side altar to the Master of Tracking within their confines. Gwaeron's followers, known as Stalkers of the Silent Path, work to keep the numbers of trolls, orcs, and other humanoids in check across the North and oppose the followers of Malar at every turn.

Clerics and druids of Gwaeron Windstrom pray for their spells at dusk, when many wild beasts emerge from their dens to forage and hunt. Gwaeron's followers observe no holy days other than those celebrated by Mielikki. After a successful "stalk," those who invoke Gwaeron's name are expected to leave a circle of six footprints in the ground with their right foot, the heel of each print neatly touching and the toes facing outward. Almost all clerics and druids of Gwaeron Windstrom multiclass as rangers.

History/Relationships:

Gwaeron roamed the North as a mortal ranger many centuries ago and is said to sleep in a stand of trees just to the west of the town of Triboar, known as Gwaeron's Slumber. Along with Lurue and Shiallia, the Master of Tracking serves Mielikki by teaching her rangers the way to read forest signs. He reports indirectly to Silvanus. He has forged alliances with the deities of the elven, gnome, and halfling pantheons whose portfolios most closely match those of Mielikki, Silvanus, and his own. He opposes Malar the Beastlord. Given that his following is so small and so similar to that of Mielikki, he may be accidentally subsumed as an aspect of the Forest Queen or fall prey to Malar if he is not careful.

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 needlessly burned. 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.

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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

Domains: Law, Protection, Strength, [Planning]

Nature Deity: No
Cleric Alignments: LG, LN, TN, LE

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.

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Hoar
The Doombringer, Lord of Three Thunders

Faerunian Demigod
Symbol: Black-gloved hand holding a coin with a two-faced head
Home Plane: The Barrens of Doom and Despair
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Portfolio: Revenge, retribution, poetic justice
Worshipers: Assassins, fighters, rogues, seekers of retribution

Domains: Law, Travel, [Fate], [Retribution]

Nature Deity: No
Cleric Alignments: LG, LN, TN, LE

Favored Weapon: "Retribution's Sting" (spear)

Hoar (hore) is the vengeful deity of retribution invoked by those who seek to repay an eye for an eye. He is a moody deity, prone to violence and with a penchant toward bitter humor. Since the Time of Troubles, the Doombringer has been consumed with bringing about the downfall of Anhur, the Mulhorandi's deity of war, and to a lesser extent the pantheon that spawned him.

Aside from a handful of temples, the church of Hoar is composed primarily of itinerant wanderers who travel from town to town agreeing to pray for Hoar's intercession on behalf of one who seeks or fears vengeance for some attack in exchange for a small fee. Charlatans receive a fitting punishment by Hoar's hand. Hoar's clergy also seek out victims of injustice, hear their stories, evaluate the veracity of their accounts, and track down the perpetrators in order to inflict a fitting form of punishment. No injustice is too large or too small for revenge to be sought and a fitting punishment meted out, earning the church of Hoar the ire of town watches and Tyrists alike as well as the adulation of the downtrodden.

Clerics of Hoar pray for their spells at midnight, when the bells toll for those deserving of fitting justice. Clerics of Hoar are encouraged to celebrate the anniversary of the most fitting and sweetest act of revenge. Silent or thunderous praises (as appropriate) must be given to Hoar each and every time some form of vengeance is exacted. In addition, the church of Hoar observes two official holy days. On the 11th of Eleint, the Penultimate Thunder is celebrated with feasts of game, bread, fruits, and mead, marking the defeat of the Untheric war god Ramman. On the 11th of Marpenoth, the Impending Doom is observed with daylong ceremonies of rumbling drums, vigorous oaths, and exhausting acts of purification. It celebrates justices yet to be meted out, revenges yet to be carried through with, and good deeds that call to the celebrants to be remembered. Many clerics of Hoar multiclass as assassins, fighters, or rogues.

History/Relationships:

Hoar is actually the ancient Untheric deity worshipped in the eastern Inner Sea lands as Assuran. Centuries ago, he was driven from Unther by Ramman, although his cult remained strong in Chessenta. He eventually slew his rival during the Time of Troubles, but Anhur stole Ramman's unclaimed portfolio before Hoar could act, earning Hoar's ire. Both Tyr and Shar contest for Hoar's tormented soul, as the Dark Goddess seeks to turn him into a servant of blind vengeance and bitterness while the Maimed God seeks to unlock Hoar's bittersweet humor and shift his portfolio to favor irony and poetic justice. Meanwhile, Hoar conspires with Beshaba in unleashing bad luck on the deserving.

Dogma:

Uphold true and fitting justice and maintain the spirit of law, not the letter of law. Fitting recompense will always accrue for one's actions. Violence will meet violence and evil pay back evil, but good will also come to those who do good. Walk the line of the Doombringer's teachings, seeking retribution, but do not fall into the trap of pursuing evil acts for evil's sake, for that way is seductive and leads only to one's downfall. Vengeance must be sought for all injustices, and all punishments must fit the crime. Revenge is sweetest when it is sharpened with irony. All attacks must be avenged. Those who do not respond to attacks against their person or that which they hold dear only invite future attacks.

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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

Domains: Good, Healing, Law, Strength, Suffering

Nature Deity: No
Cleric Alignments: LG, NG, LN

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.

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Istishia
The Water Lord, King of the Water Elementals

Greater Faerunian Deity
Symbol: Cresting wave
Home Plane: Elemental Plane of Water
Alignment: Neutral
Portfolio: Elemental water, purification
Worshipers: Bards, elemental archons (water), sailors, travelers

Domains: Destruction, Travel, Water, [Ocean], [Storm]

Nature Deity: Yes
Cleric Alignments: NG, LN, TN, CN, NE

Favored Weapon: A wave (warhammer)

Istishia (is-tish-ee-ah) is the elemental embodiment of water. He is one of the four elemental deities worshiped in Faerun but, like all but Kossuth, has a very small following. He cares only slightly for his followers and is almost predictable in his incomprehensible and alien unpredictability. He represents the essence of water itself, the nature of slow change over time, and the ability of water to enact change. Most mortals consider his actions incomprehensible and like the other elemental lords he is almost indifferent to his own worshipers.

Istishia's church is organized into several sects that work together in order to accomplish goals for the different aspects of Istishia's worship. New sects are constantly being created and later reabsorbed into other sects. The church uses a unified ranking system so even members of different sects know their relative positions. Most clerics remain attached to a particular temple or region, but since they believe that doing so for too long results in stagnation they change temples about every five years. The clergy work to keep sources of water from becoming polluted and intercede between land and sea races. Their temples are well-known for crafting excellent pottery.

Clerics of Istishia pray for their spells at dawn while giving thanks for a drink of water. Spring tide and neap tide are celebrated with festivals that involve the boisterous tossing of new converts into water and a great deal of diving. Visitations between surface-dwelling churches and aquatic branches of the faith are common at such festivals. Istishia's clerics often multiclass as bards or elemental archons.

History/Relationships:

Istishia is one of the four elemental lords who seem to stand apart from history, unchanged by the passage of time. He has ties to other gods concerned with the element of water, including Deep Sashelas, Eldath, Valkur, and Umberlee, but no strong relationships. He opposes destructive Kossuth at every opportunity.

Dogma:

Everything is interconnected and cyclical. Water alyways triumphs, for earth dissolves through water, fire is extinguished even by steam, and air becomes clouds and then rain, completing the eternal cycle. The Water Lord is the great equalizer and leveler of the elements, acknowledging change but holding to his essential nature. Do not try to be what you are not; rather, excel at what you are and carry this message of personal excellence to the world. Be flexible but not unreasonable. As the rains flow down to the ocean in the folds of earth and not up mountains, so do the truths of Istishia spread throughout the land through their natural routes, not through rank force. The mysteries of life are to be enjoyed and puzzled over, but realize that some answers do not come in this world, but rather in the next. Realize that they cycles of life are mirrored by the cycle of fate; be prepared to pay the price of reap the reward for the actions of your past or your future.

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Jergal
Lord of the End of Everything, Scribe of the Doomed, the Pitiless One

Faerunian Demigod
Symbol: Jawless skull and writing quill on scroll
Home Plane: The Fugue Plane
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Portfolio: Fatalism, proper burial, guardian of tombs
Worshipers: Monks, necromancers, paladins

Domains: Law, Repose, Suffering, [Fate], [Rune]

Nature Deity: No
Cleric Alignments: LG, LN, TN, LE

Favored Weapon: A white glove (scythe)

Jergal (jer-gull) is the fatalistic seneschal of the Lord of the Dead who keeps records on the final disposition of all the spirits of the dead. Both bland and excessively formal, he never angers and always speaks with a disembodied, chilling voice that echoes with the dry whisper of a long forsaken crypt. The Lord of the End of Everything strives only for an orderly accounting of the fate of the world as it slowly sinks into death.

The church of Jergal is small and secretive, a rigidly organized, almost monastic order of scribes known as the Scriveners of Doom. Based largely in lifeless stone mausoleums and dry, dusty crypts, its members spend their days maintaining and extending vast archives of scrolls listing how sentients under their purview passed away and their destination in the afterlife. Only in Thay, where death is a daily fact of life, has Jergal's church undergone a small renaissance. A handful of Jergal's followers still follow the old ways of the Companions of the Pallid Mask, on order whose members specialized in combating or commanding the undead whose existence was not sanctioned by the church or who had proven to be troublesome.

Clerics of Jergal pray for their spells at dusk, a time of day representative of the end of life. On the last night of the year, Jergal's clergy cease their endless toil for a full night. On this holy night, known as the Night of Another Year, the clerics read every name whose death they have recorded from the scrolls they have carefully inscribed over the past year. With a cry of "One Year Closer!", all the scrolls are then filed, and work begins the next day. The only ritual Jergal's clerics are required to perform is called the Scaling. After recording each and every creature's demise, form of death, and destination in the afterlife, Scriveners of Doom are required to sprinkle a light dusting of ash and powdered bone over their inscribed words to blot the ink and mark another small step toward the world's end. Some seek church-sponsored undeath to allow them to continue their archiving careers. Some clerics multiclass as monks or necromancers.

History/Relationships:

Bane, Bhaal, and Myrkul inherited most of the portfolios of Jergal when he wearily stepped down from his position and then faded into near-obscurity. The death of those deities left Jergal in service to Cyric and then Kelemvor. Although his nature is that he must be loyal to the office of death, he can subtly undermine the holder of that office if he or she is not true to the office's responsibilities. Jergal works well with Kelemvor, but retrains his scorn for Cyric and spends much of his efforts combating Velsharoon's efforts to prolong life into undeath.

Dogma:

Each being has an eternal resting place that is chosen for him or her at the moment of creation. Life is a process of seeking that place and eternal rest. Existence is but a brief aberration in an eternity of death. Power, success, and joy are as transitory as weakness, failure, and misery. Only death is absolute, and then only at its appointed hour. Seek to bring order to the chaos of life, for in death there is finality and a fixedness of state. Be ready for death for it is at hand and uncompromising. Life should be prolonged only when it serves the greater cause of the death of the world.

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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

Domains: Law, Protection, Repose, Travel, [Fate]

Nature Deity: No
Cleric Alignments: LG, LN, TN, LE

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.

[Fox²]

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

Domains: Destruction, Fire, Suffering, [Renewal]

Nature Deity: Yes
Cleric Alignments: LG, NG, LN, TN, CN, LE, NE

Favored Weapon: Tendril of flame (whip)

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.

[Fox²]

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

Domains: Good, Healing, Protection, Strength, Sun, [Nobility], [Renewal]

Nature Deity: No
Cleric Alignments: LG, NG, CG, TN

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.

[Fox²]

Lliira
Our Lady of Joy, Joybringer, Mistress of the Revels

Lesser Faerunian Deity
Symbol: A triangle of three six-pointed stars (orange, yellow, red)
Home Plane: Brightwater
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Portfolio: Joy, happiness, dance, festivals, freedom, liberty
Worshipers: Bards, dancers, entertainers, poets, revelers, singers

Domains: Chaos, Charm, Good, Travel, [Family]

Nature Deity: No
Cleric Alignments: NG, CG, CN

Favored Weapon: "Sparkle" (morningstar or shuriken)

Lliira (leer-ah) is the perpetually moving maiden of countless ballads, the archetypal dancing ingenue that has inspired poets, songwriters, and any who revel in the experience and wonderment of a life lived gaily and free. Somewhat detached from the everyday events of the mundane world, Lliira speaks to her most devoted adherents in dreams, showing by example that most slights are not worth worrying about, and that few troubles are important enough to draw one away from the Elysian Rigadoon, a philosophy that places joyful movement above all other concerns.

Lliira's clerics (known as joybringers) range from inattentive flirts to deviant hedonists. All are good-hearted, and value revelry above all else. Theirs is an aerobic devotion, and Lliirans are appreciated throughout Faerun as some of the most physically toned individuals around. Their temples raise monies by hosting grand galas and then spend these monies in seemingly chaotic fashion, perhaps to beautify this or that public place, or to throw a surprise party for a dour lord. Among the easy going of civilized lands, joybringers of Lliira find patronage and encouragement, and are among the most popular clerics in Faerun. In darker lands, or in harsh, uncivilized regions in which frivolity can lead to death from the elements or government, their religion is zealously suppressed. Curious to a fault, this only encourages the Lliirans to seek out such locales, hoping to provide happiness and joy with the step of a jolly jog or the lilting trill of a beautiful song.

Joybringers rejoice at the coming of dawn (among just about everything else) and pray to the Mistress of the Revels upon the birth of each morning. Nearly every single holiday not tied to the worship or some malign being is a cause for celebration. The most holy celebrations begin with Swords Cast Down, a ritual in which two or more weapons are cast to the ground and buried under a mound of fresh flowers. Lliirans frequently multiclass as bards.

History/Relationships:

Lliira's greatest friend in the Faerunian pantheon is the bard deity Milil, who shares her flare of performance. Once a great friend of the commerce goddess Waukeen, Lliira even went as far as to absorb many of the disaffected clerics of the Merchants' Friend when that goddess vanished during the Time of Troubles. Upon her return, however, Wauken jealously coveted those clerics who had converted to Lliiranism, and the resulting ill will has formed a sight rift between the former companions. The murder of Selgaunt's High Revelmistress Chlanna Asjros (whom Lliira had taken as a lover while in mortal form during the Time of Troubles) by forces of a local cult of Loviatar has deeply affected the Joybringer. A militant order known as the scarlet mummers now tours Faerun with her support, dispatching agents of the Maiden of Pain by means of an elaborate and deadly dance utilizing the mummers' blade boots.

Dogma:

Each day is another movement in the Elysian Rigadoon, the joyful dance of a life lived in rapture and without care or frustration. Seek joy always by working to bestow it upon others. Festivals are for all--gather into celebrations the lost, the lonely, the exiled and outlaw, the shunned, and even your foes. Let folk follow their own desires, and never fail to follow your own.

[Fox²]

Loviatar
Maiden of Pain, the Willing Whip

Lesser Faerunian Deity
Symbol: Nine-tailed barbed scourge
Home Plane: The Barrens of Doom and Despair
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Portfolio: Pain, hurt, agony, torment, suffering, torture
Worshipers: Beguilers, torturers, evil warriors, the depraved

Domains: Evil, Law, Strength, Suffering, [Retribution]

Nature Deity: No
Cleric Alignments: LN, LE, NE

Favored Weapon: "Painbringer" (whip)

Loviatar (loh-vee-a-tar) is the aggressive, domineering and fearless patron of torturers, sadist, and bullies. She has a cold and calculatingly cruel nature and an icebound heart. The Maiden of Pain has an instinct for inflicting both physical and psychological pain, always striking at the biggest chink in her victim's emotional armor. Unlike most bullies, she does not feel pain herself, but her plans often inherently rely on the innate selfishness of human nature.

The church of Loviatar, dominated by female humans and half-elves, is the strongest in large, decadent cities, where newcomers are often recruited from the ranks of the bored and wealthy and the authorities are often tolerant of degenerate activity.

Clerics of the Maiden of Pain work tirelessly to cause suffering, both widespread and personal. This work may be as brutal as flogging an encountered band of orcs until they flee or as subtle as breaking heats among young nobles by pretending to falling in love with the gallants (while disguising one's Loviatan faith), working to break up existing amours and friendships, and engaging in scandalous dalliances before coldly spurning the victims and departing. Being a good actor and of striking beauty (or experienced in using spells to appear so) are very useful traits for a Loviatan, but the most successful Loviatans are those who understand the ways and natures of folk and so know just how to cause them the most pain and to manipulate them toward that end.

Clerics of Loviatar pray for their spells in the morning while kneeling after striking themselves with a whip. (The same ritual is performed in the evening, although without praying for new spells.) Loviatans celebrate all four seasonal festivals with the Rite of Pain and Purity: a circle dance that chanting, singing clergy members perform upon barbed wire, thorns, or broken glass or crystal, where the whips of high-level clerics and the drumming of lay worshipers urge the participants to greater effort. Every twelfth night (unless such a night coincides with a Rite of Pain and Purity, which preempts it) the clergy members celebrate smaller Candle Rites wherein they sing, chant, and pray as they dance around lit candles, passing some parts of their bodies through or over their flames repeatedly until the rite ends with the highest-ranking cleric extinguishing her candle with consecrated wine. Many clerics multiclass as fighters, specializing in the use of the whip, as sorcerers, or as wizards, often specializing in enchantment or illusion.

History/Relationships:

Loviatar is one of the Dark Deities, having served Bhaal alongside Talona, whom she loves to torment and tease. Since the death of Bhaal during the Time of Troubles, both Loviatar and Talona have slowly fallen under the sway of Shar. However, the return of Bane, who was Bhaal's superior, presages a conflict of her loyalty. Loviatar gets along well with Malar, regarding his stalking of pray as a particularly delightful form of torture. The Maiden of Pain is consumed with hatred for Ilmater, who shields her victims from the torments they deserve, and hates both Eldath and Lliira for the peace and joy they promise without the necessary suffering to achieve it.

Dogma:

The world is filled with pain and torment, and the best that one can do is to suffer those blows that cannot be avoided and deal as much pain back to those who offend. Kindnesses are the best companions to hurts, and increase the intensity of suffering. Let mercy of sudden abstinence from causing pain and of providing unlooked-for healing come over you seldom, but as a whim, so as to make folk hope and increase the Mystery of Loviatar's Mercy. Unswerving cruelty will turn all folk against you. Act alluring, and give pain and torment to those who enjoy it as well as to those who deserve it most or would be most hurt by it. The lash, fire, and cold are the three pains that never fail the devout. Spread Loviatar's teachings whenever punishment is meted out. Pain tests all, but gives strength of spirit and true pleasure to the hardy and the true. There is no true punishment if the punisher knows no discipline. Wherever a whip is, there is Loviatar. Fear her--and yet long for her.

[Fox²]

Lurue
The Unicorn, the Unicorn Queen, the Queen of Talking Beasts

Faerunian Demigod
Symbol: Silver-horned unicorn head before a crescent moon
Home Plane: House of Nature
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Portfolio: Talking beasts, intelligent no humanoid creatures
Worshipers: Druids, entertainers, outcasts, rangers, travelers, unicorn riders

Domains: Animal, Chaos, Good, Healing

Nature Deity: Yes
Cleric Alignments: NG, CG, CN

Favored Weapon: A unicorn horn (shortspear)

Given to wanderlust, Lurue (luh-rue) can be whimsical, but she is infinitely loyal once she takes someone into her trust and never abandons her worshipers in times of need. When faced with no other option but combat, Lurue is a dedicated and intractable foe, but she prefers light banter, clever riddles, new discoveries, and the joyous exploration of life.

The church of Lurue has no formal hierarchy, nor temples dedicated in her name. While some entire species, such as unicorns, pegasi, and talking owls, venerate her as Queen, most of her worshipers (such as those that were the targets of an awaken spell) are outcasts from their own kind due to their unique abilities. Clerics of Lurue spend their days providing aid and comfort to the needy, lending support to dreamers so that they can achieve their aspirations, and rescuing all who need aid from whatever assails them. Few stick to a single duty for any length of time (though they are very good about seeing a single particular task through to the end), and most are periodically struck with wanderlust. Many of Lurue's clergy are adventurers who travel about Faerun seeking wrongs to right and finding a good balance of merriment, new experiences, and self-improvement in such a profession.

Clerics and druids of Lurue pray for their spells at midnight, in a sylvan glen or moonlit glade if available. Lurue's twin holy days are Midsummer's Eve and the Feast of the Moon. The former holiday is celebrated in a night-long festival of revelry, wild antics, and muck hullabaloo. Such events are marked by wild rides through the countryside and sky, numerous theatrical skits, humorous oratories, mock duels, grand songs in which everyone joins in, and romantic declarations. Many unicorns take a mate for life on this night. The Feast of the Moon is a quiet ceremony marking the onset of winter and serving as a time for remembering those who have passed away. Many great works of art and epic song are unveiled during the Feast of the Moon to quiet applause, particularly in the city of Silverymoon, which celebrates its founding on this day. Many clerics and druids multiclass as rangers.

History/Relationships:

Said to be the daughter of Selune, Lurue serves Mielikki as ally, friend, and steed, and through her Silvanus. She works closely with Shiallia and Gwaeron Windstrom, has a long-standing alliance with Nobanion, and considers Chauntea a friend. The Unicorn Queen is an ardent foe of Malar the Beastlord, whom she blames for helping the Red Wizards of Thay create black unicorns. Malar, in turn, would be more than happy to tear out her throat, considering her a prize creature to be hunted.

Dogma:

The Unicorn is a symbol of hope, joy, salvation, and protection for the needy, forlorn, and forsaken. Life is to be relished and lived with laughter. Quests are to be taken on a dare and gifts are to be made on a whim. Impossible dreams are to be pursued for the sheer wonder of the possibility of their completion. Everyone, no matter how unique, is to be praised for their strengths and comforted in their weaknesses. Evil melts quickest in the face of a rapier wit and unshackled joy. Search for the unicorn and in the pursuit find happiness.

[Fox²]

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

Domains: Animal, Chaos, Evil, Moon, Strength

Nature Deity: Yes
Cleric Alignments: CN, NE, CE

Favored weapon: A beast's claw (unarmed strike or kama)

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.

[Fox²]

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

Domains: Darkness, Evil, Luck, Trickery

Nature Deity: No
Cleric Alignments: TN, LE, NE, CE

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.

[Fox²]

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

Domains: Animal, Good, Plant, Travel

Nature Deity: Yes
Cleric Alignments: LG, NG, CG, TN

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.