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

Lesser Power of Olympus, CG
PORTFOLIO: Joy, happiness, dance, festivals, carefree celebration, contentment, release, hospitality, freedom/liberty; from Waukeen: trade, money, wealth
ALIASES: None
DOMAIN NAME: Olympus/Brightwater
SUPERIOR: Sune
ALLIES: Sune, Milil, Waukeen (missing), Selûne, Sharess, Deneir, Oghma, Lathander
FOES: Bane (now dead), Bhaal (now dead), Loviatar, Talona
SYMBOL: Three six-pointed stars arranged in a triangle with their points touching with the orange star uppermost, yellow on the left, and red on the right
WOR. ALIGN: Any, though evil worshipers are rare
Lliira (LEER-ah, with a trill on the long "e" sound) is ever-changing, ever-moving, ever alive. She embodies happiness, freedom, and joyful movement. She is not an ambitious deity, nor does she like pretense, so she is rather uncomfortable with her new role in the events surrounding the disappearance of Waukeenn.
For over 10 years now, Waukeen has been unheard from in the Realms, and she has been publicly announced by her priesthood to be dstroyed or dead. Lliira promised Waukeen during the Time of Troubles to guard her portfolio and goldly power until she returned for it (see the entry on Waukeen), but Lliira has not been able to find any trace of Waukeen since she last saw her during the Godswar. In 1365 DR, she felt forced to take over Waukeen's disintegrating church to preserve what she could for the return of her friend. She sent a prophet to the gates of every temple of Waukeen to speak to the Waukeenar. He was to emphasize Waukeen's uncertain status (that she could not be found in the Realms or her home plane and showed no sign of appearing in the near future) and Llira's regency (not appropriation of the position), but the Waukeenar, already in a panic stricken state after receiving no new spells for years, immediately heard what they thought they were going to hear and recorded that Waukeen was dead.
Lliira is rather uncomfortable with her new role as the shepherd of the bulk of the former flock of Waukeen. Though she is only holding Waukeen's portfolio as its regent, the increased power the Waukeenar are delivering to her is a constant temptation, and the prospect of completely folding the power of Waukeen into herself grows sweeter to Lliira each day. Still, she holds off doing so out of loyalty to her friend and to respect the promise that she made.
Lliira's allegiance is to Sune (who until recently was also served by Selune), though her closest everyday ties are to Milil, and the two powers often work together. Because of this close relationship, scholars have often become confused about her ultimate loyalty; although she is allied to Deneir, Milil, and Oghma, Oghma is not her superior. A nasty legend surfaced after the Time of Troubles that Lliira hunted down and killed Leira, the Lady of the Mists, since their names were similar. This is patently untrue.
Other Manifestations
Lliira appears as a will-o'-wisp that leaves a sparkling trail and can emit dancing lights at will that it can direct to illuminate certain areas, signal, form symbols or words in the air, and so on. The wisp speaks with Lliira's voice, has all the properties of a true will-o'-wisp, and can unleash spells just as the avatar of the goddess does. This wisp is almost always flickering and dancing and is often accompanied by a wordless, ululating song. (This sound is the goddess singing; it sounds like a human female crooning from afar.)
If Lliira intends to take no active part in events, she may manifest as a sudden dancing radiance about an item or favored person. This light is short-lived and is accompanied by joyous laughter or exultant, wordless singing. The light can convey silent mental messages (as words spoken in the mind) and one priest spell per round to those entering its confines. Spells thus bestowed are either cast upon the being or placed in their minds for their own later use (one time only) and require no material components. Beings who receive such spells to cast need not even be spellcasters to wield them; when they loose the spells, they cast them as a spellcaster of the appropriate type at their own level of experience. The goddess chooses which creatures receive her spells or words—they are not given to just any being who enters her manifested radiance.
Lliira also acts through the appearance or presence of aasimar, coures, einheriar (all onetime mortal jokesters, dancers, revelers, and party folk), firres, lillend, movanic devas, and shieres. More commonly she turns beverages into fine wines and liquors unexpectedly and sends multicolored butterflies, robins, sparrows, bluebirds, rainbows, kittens, puppies, pinto or piebald horses, gold or white goats, daisies, violets, snapdragons, pansies, other wildflowers, opals, atates of all sorts, lynx eyes, microclines, silkstones, rhodochrosites, rosalines, phenalopes, star rose quartzes, tabasheers, tremairs, jasmals, fire opals, and diamonds to show her favor and as a sign to inspire her faithful.
The Church
CLERGY: Clerics, specialty priests, mystics, spellsingers
CLERGY'S ALIGN.: NG, CG, CN
TURN UNDEAD: C: Yes, SP: Yes, Mys: No, Spell: No
CMND. UNDEAD: C: No, SP: No, Mys: No, Spell: No
All clerics, specialty priests, and mystics of Lliira receive religion (Faerûnian) as a bonus nonweapon proficiency.
Lliira attracts to her worship dancers of all sorts and fun-loving hedonists. She also receives offerings from lay worshippers and casual worshippers seeking her blessing for a particular party, revel, festival, or other gathering. Lliirans (priests and lay worshipers of Lliira) have a well-deserved reputation as festival animals, and more than one adventuring company has found an empty till when it left the Lliira priest in charge.
Both specialty priests and clerics of Llira were called Joybringers until 1365 DR, when the members of the clergy themselves began to be confused by this practice. Now specialty priests of Lliira are known as Joydancers to distinguish their functions from the clerics, mystics, and spellsingers of the church, and all members of the clergy may be addressed as joybringers. Joybringers tend to be folk of whimsy, light spirits, and constant joking (but not pranks). They imitate and lampoon others all the time, try to make folk around them laugh, and spend money like water to bring happiness to others by bestowing gifts and throwing feasts. A typical Lliiran act is to offer a tavernkeeper 2,000 pieces of gold or more in return for throwing open the tavern for an evening to allow free food and drink for all. Escorts are then hired by the joybringers to act as peacekeepers ("friendly bouncers"), and the Lliiran clergy members position overhead nets with strategically hidden pull ropes and unseen servant spells (and the like) to neutralize troublemakers and persistent combatants.
Joybringers have no organized hierarchy or chain of command. Relations between clerics, specialty priests, spellsingers, and mystics are excellent. Adventuring clerics, mystics, spellsingers, and specialty priests are universally respected as envoys from temple to temple, but no religious community of Lliira reports to, or is subservient to, another. The visit of an adventuring priest to an established temple is cause for celebration (of course, a sunny day is also cause for celebration, as is a cloudy one, or a cloudy one with a nice sunset, etc.). The accepted guidance and leadership of the Grand Rapturemother over the entire church is a matter of obeying generalized policy decrees and accepting temple funds from her seemingly limitless coffers.
Since the Time of Troubles, the church enfolded many of the former followers and clergy members of Waukeen, especially those merchants who enjoy revelry (in other words, those possessed of a sense of humor and who are not miserly to the point of grasping after every coin and begrudging the time away from trade—or the loss of dignity—involved in a little celebration). Many of Waukeen's former temples have now been reconsecrated to Lliira. With the infusion of new blood, the Lliiran church has become mildly more responsible and mildly more mercantile, but it has also developed a very strong regard for the preservation of personal freedoms. A few former Waukeenar insist on retaining their previous formal titles and vestments, but even such "old guard coinspinners" are gradually being absorbed into the malleable and free-wheeling Lliiran church. Most of the former priests of Waukeen are now out-right joybringers who are either fully taken with the power of the faith or worshipping Lliira as Waukeen's godly regent. Most former Waukeenar seek to work within the wide boundaries of behavior and responsibilities set forth by the Lliiran faith and consider themselves to be the wiser heads that will aid Lliira to best bring happiness to the most people. Most joybringers regard ex-Waukeenar as bean-counters and stick-in-the-muds, but think they are learning to "let go" with time.
Joybringers use few titles, addressing each other as "Brother" and "Sister," and referring to themselves as "the True," novices and laity as "the Tested," and nonbelievers as "the Unseeing." Temples are led by a Master of the Revels (even if female), and she or he is assisted by a High Prior, a Lorespeaker, a Seneschal, and a Quartermaster. The goddess herself is the only Mistress of the Revels, and by her decree such formerly popular titles as Revelmistress have been outlawed.
Temples of Lliira can be of any style, but are usually built around a huge meeting facility/party room/ball room, from which open out smaller conference rooms, bars, chat rooms, and nap rooms (for those who have overindulged in drink). Upper floors usually house the clergy members, who live in comfortable apartments. Lliiran temples are opulent, by any standard, featuring crystal chandeliers, parquet or mosaic stone floors, velvet draperies, artful gilt mirrors, and well-stocked, solid oak bars. Temples and shrines to Lliira are usually fronted by her symbol. This symbol is the one described above, an older form used in ancient texts (the three stars appearing in a diagonal row descending from upper left to lower right with the orange star uppermost, then yellow, and red lowest), or a special symbol used most frequently on altars or as an illusion on her temple doors (a fat log on a fire, accompanied by the scent of cinnamon or roasting meat).
Dogma: Lliira's followers are believers in the ability, potential, and talent of the individual, and the celebration of life and its diversity. Often this leads to hedonism that would make a Sunite blush (briefly). They believe that they should spread joy wherever and whenever possible, and allow no one to be sad when mirth or comfort could be given to them. They strive to brighten the hearts and minds of all the folk they meet, not merefly friends and others who embrace Lliira.
Joybringer novices are charged as follows by a manifestation of the goddess: "Exult in life, and find joy in all things. Out of grief and despair, wrest joy, and join in the dance. Celebrate and honor deaths and the dead—the best mourning is laughing remembrance. My true servants seek joy always through working to bestow it on others. Hide no true feelings, but dance them out if it is not prudent to speak them aloud. Gather into celebrations the lost, the lonely, the exiled and outlaw, the shunned, and even your foes: Festivals are for all. Let folk follow their own desires, and respect their choices. Learn what folk find funny, and what lightens their hearts, and in this doing come to know yourself and how best to serve Lliira and all intelligent beings."
Day-to-Day Activities: Clergy of Lliira are the most fun holy folk in all of Faerûn to be around. Making everyone have a good time is their profession, and they throw the best parties and are the best priesthood at perceiving the needs of others and governing themselves accordingly. (Some people need intelligent conversation to be happy, others need companionship or something to smash—Lliirans try to see what is needed without being told and to fulfill it.) As a result, joybringers are among the best-loved priests in all Faerûn, even among folk who think their goddess represents empty-headed, frivolous nonsense. Joybringers do their best to see that they do little heart-lifting deeds every day that surprise or aid people. They also ensure that people get a steady stream of jokes from them so that most Faerûnians are eager to talk to them and not guarded in speech, and they explain to any who ask about the methods by which they distribute offerings among the needy so that if people fall onto hard times they know who to see or where to go.
The smoothest diplomats among Lliirans (as opposed to the most brilliant clowns) speak to rulers and wealthy merchants of how useful the church of Lliira is at keeping the common people happy (or at least content)—something that perceptive merchants and rulers can see for themselves—and remind such powerful folk that the church needs constant financial support. Wise heads among the rich and powerful give these joybringers regular donations, and the church also receives a constant stream of small handfuls of coins from the wills of poor peasants who want to give something to the only people who made them happy.
The most powerful clergy of Lliira are those who have demonstrated shrewd business judgement in handling church investments; they know how to parlay what is donated into many times that amount (a skill that former Waukeenar excel, and which makes those who remain in the faith likely to gain status quickly after the faith's initial prejudice against them). This process not only yields the church the funds it needs to do good works (and pay for all that food and wine), but this cleverly earned wealth has made it one of the larger landholders in Faerûn—albeit as the sum of the holdings of a large number of quasi-independent, locally run temples, not a firmly ruled, organized empire. Far-sighted Lliiran clergy members are broadening the reach of the church to make it increasingly "the faith that brightens everyday life and therefore should be embraced in everyday life," and the worship of Lliira is growing steadily.
Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: All of the major holidays of the calendar and all local festivals (and in truth, just about anything else) are occasions for a "holy festival" or "lesser revel" of the Lliiran faith. These ceremonies always involve an opening fanfare and songs to the goddess given while tumbling or dancing and then progress to a feast. What happens thereafter is determined by the occasion; there may be speeches or a solemn holy ritual, ribald comedy entertainment, amorous pursuits, or a friendly contest such as a tug-of-war, knock-the-knight-down, or a pun duel.
On all joyous occasions, offerings of food or wealth are "held up to the goddess" and her name invoked. These offerings are then buried, burned, or (whenever possible) given away to beggars and others not invited to, or unable to be present at, the revelry.
The most holy ceremonies to Lliira always begin with the ritual of Swords Cast Down, wherein two or more weapons are cast onto the ground amid chanting and covered with fresh flowers (either picked or—in winter—conjured up by hired druids, hired mages, or special spells cast by senior clergy members). The most holy personal prayers to the goddess always involve the faithful supplicant dancing alone in a meadow, garden, or beautiful setting while whispering or singing prayers to the goddess. The appearance of a rainbow during such prayers is seen as a blessing and a powerful good omen.
Major Centers of Worship: The philosophical center of the Lliiran faith is the Palace of Holy Festivals in Selgaunt. Here Grand Rapturemother Chlanna Asjros issues the Words of the Goddess as written policy decrees to all Lliirans. She also oversees church investments of titanic size and scope, sending out supportive funds to recognized religious communities of Lliira everywhere. New communities are identified and "certified" to her by the roving specialty priests of the faith, who take care to force false worshipers of the goddess to stop invoking her name without also serving her. Because of the vigilant joydancers, few ne'er-do-wells who desire only to revel on church funds receive more than one "gift of the goddess" payment.
Chlanna was formerly known as "High Revelmistress" until she was personally "touched by Lliira." After this experience, she readily adopted a new title in accordance with the goddess's wishes. She also found that she had gained a divinely granted special ability to levitate and dance on air and will or walk around three feet off the ground, not merely ascend or descend as most levitating folk do. Church philosophers (such as they are) take it as given that all future Grand Rapturemothers or Rapturefathers will be granted this special ability.
Affiliated Orders: The Lliiran church has no affiliated knightly orders for obvious reasons. It does have several honorary orders celebrating excellence in the art of dance, including the Order of the White Violet (for performance of great poignancy) and the Order of the Leaping Stag (for performance skillfully evoking the nature of an animal) among others. Lliira's church also has a fundamental tie to the Harpers, a secret organization working for freedom and good throughout Faerûn.
Priestly Vestments: Ceremonial vestments of Lliira for joybringers of both genders consist of a skin-tight outfit divided into unequal orange, yellow, and red sections. One leg may be yellow, the other red, one sleeve orange, the other yellow, the front orange, and the back yellow. A sleeveless robe is worn over the entire affair in patches of yellow, red, and orange. Plunging necklines are common among both priests and priestesses, and the hair is worn long for both genders of joybringers, although it may flow free or be bound up in any manner of hairdo. Elaborate earrings are also worn by joybringers of either gender, and cosmetics, anklets, bracelets, and delicate chain belts may also be seen; personal variations in dress are permitted and even encouraged.
Adventuring Garb: The red, yellow, and orange coloration of the Lliiran faith is continued in the field in armor, overrobes, cloaks, and outdoor clothing as much as possible. When this is not possible, a cloak featuring some red, yellow, and orange fabric is preferred, even if it but sports piping in those colors.

Morninglord

Greater Power of Elysium, NG
PORTFOLIO: Spring, dawn, birth, renewal, creativity, youth, vitality, self-perfection, athletics
ALIASES: None
DOMAIN NAME: Eronia/Morninglory
SUPERIOR: None
ALLIES: Chauntea, Gond, Silvanus, Tymora, Lurue the Unicorn, Tyr, Torm, Ilmater, Sune, Lliira, Selûne, Oghma, Milil, Deneir, Mielikki, Eldath
FOES: Cyric, Talos, Shar, Moander (now dead), Bane (now dead), Bhaal (now dead), Myrkul (now dead), Ibrandul (now dead)
SYMBOL: A disk of rosy pink hue
WOR. ALIGN.: LG, NG, CG, LN, N, CN
A powerful, exuberant god, Lathander (Lah-THAN-der) is known as the Commander of Creativity and the Morninglord. When Lathander is depicted, he is most often shown in a form similar to his avatar (see below) or as a mist of glowing, rose-colored swirls with two golden eyes at the center. As the god of beginnings, Lathander traditionally receives prayer from many inhabitants of Faerûn at the start of a journey or endeavor. Lathander's name is invoked to seal alliances and start new ventures or companies. As a result, the god is very popular among the merchant classes. Though depicted as young, Lathander's noble bearing and demeanor serve him well among the nobility, who also favor his worship in many places. Because he encourages his clergy to strike out and start new shrines and temples all over Faerûn, Lathander's broad-based popularity is rounded out by the many peasant folk aided by his clergy.
Lathander has a reputation for being sometimes overly enthusiastic, slightly vain, and given to excesses, all flaws very common among the young. He is also eternally optimistic and doggedly perseverant. His alliance with Chauntea serves them both well, since his interests in birth, nurture, and vibrant life dovetail well with her portfolio. The churches of Chauntea and Lathander have only grown closer since the Time of Troubles, and rumors hold that Lathander has been courting the favor of the Earthmother romantically as well as politically.
Other Manifestations
Lathander manifests his power as an intense rosy radiance surrounding the bodies of those he favors. Lathander's radiance also appears around objects to indicate special qualities about them and at confusing or dangerous junctures to indicate a safe or preferred path. This radiance causes those people it surrounds to be healed of all wounds, purged of any diseases, poisons, foreign objects, afflictions (including lycanthropy, feeblemindedness, insanity, and blindness), magical or psionic compulsions, fear, and curses. The radiance also telekinesis people for short distances to get them out of harm's way. (They may be lifted out of a trap or out of the reach of enemies.)
The faithful of Lathander who are surrounded by the radiance also receive a brief message of some type from Lathander to guide them. Others may receive similar impressions if Lathander desires. If the radiance appears around a corpse of one of the faith, resurrection survival is automatically successful while the radiance is present.
The Church
CLERGY: Clerics, specialty priests, crusaders
CLERGY'S ALIGN.: LG, NG, CG, LN
TURN UNDEAD: C: Yes, SP: Yes, Cru: No
CMND. UNDEAD: C: No, SP: No, Cru: No
All clerics, specialty priests, and crusaders of Lathander receive religion (Faerûnian) as a bonus nonweapon proficiency.
Wealthy and popular, the church of Lathander has opulent temples throughout the North, some of which push back the borders of good taste, as well as less audacious and more serviceable structures in most towns and cities and dotting all of Faerûn. The main room of a temple faces east and is open to the horizon, at least in part, so that the faithful can see the dawn. The high priest or priestess of a shrine or temple is often called a prior or an abbess, although titles vary throughout the church.
Specialty priests of Lathander call themselves morninglords. Clerics of Lathander call both themselves and their specialty priest and crusader brethren dawn priests, ignoring any difference. About 35% of the organized priesthood are specialty priests; the remainder are clerics or crusaders. A larger number of the adventuring priests who serve the Morninglord are specialty priests.
The Lathanderian religion has no overarching hierarchy from church to church and no central authority. When issues of doctrine or policy come up that must be decided upon, a conference is called at the church who initially presented the problem for consideration, and the issue is resolved. Regardless of rank or experience level, each Lathanderite priest is considered the master of the temple, shrine, or parish she or he is responsible for no matter the number of priests staffing the facility under him or her.
Novices in the Lathanderian faith are called the Awakened, and they gain the title of Dawnbringer upon becoming full priests. In ascending order of rank, the titles in general use by the Dawnbringers are: Dawngreeter, Dawnlord (the church does not use feminine form of titles often), High Dawnlord, Dawnmaster, Morninglord, High Morninglord, Mornmaster, High Mornmaster, and Sunrise Lord.
Dogma: The charge given to most novice postulants to the faith of Lathander is: "Strive always to aid, to foster new hope, new ideas, and new prosperity for all humankind and its allies. Perfect thyself, and guard ever against pride, for it is a sacred duty to foster new growth, nurture growing things, and work for rebirth and renewal. Be fertile in mind and body. Consider always the consequences of thine actions so that the least effort may bring the greatest and best reward. Wherever you go, sow seeds of plants, tend the growing things you find, and plant seeds of hope, new ideas, and plans for a rosy future in the minds of all. Whenever possible, see each dawn."
Lathander's dogma is filled with stories of optimism and perseverance. It is important to feel good about an upcoming event or else it will naturally go awry through negative thinking. Favorite sayings of Lathander include: "From death, life," "There is always another morning," and "In the dawn, beauty reigns, and the way is clearer." Far more importance is placed on acting in the service of Lathander by helping, encouraging, and aiding than in strict adherence to rituals, rules, and the dictates of superior clergy. This practical philosophy is shared both by Lathander and his senior clergy.
Death is considered a reward for the clergy, since they are "going to Lathander" in the afterlife. Most clergy are not raised unless they are needed to complete a task.
Day-to-Day Activities: Lathanderites seek to build anew, encourage the rebirth of barren areas and more productive growth in cultivated lands, drive out evil, and either restore civilization to heights it once had or lead it to new dizzying heights of interracial harmony, cooperation, and pursuit of the arts and progress. To do this, they battle monsters to nurture civilization; they plant seeds and new seedlings, they encourage and aid adventurers, travelers, traders, and pilgrims as the harbingers of culture; and they recover lost magical items, pieces of literature, and works of art. Lathanderites study, restore, and attempt to duplicate, emulate, or expand upon these recovered items and works when possible.
Temples and shrines also sponsor athletic events and competitions where people of all classes and races can strive together in nonhostile competition in wrestling, distance throwing, target archery, running, jumping, horseback riding, or any of a number of other noninjurious sports. Other competitions sponsored by Lathanderian churches are for honors in the literary and fine arts. Such competitions are usually for a prize, which may be money, a special item or piece of art, or even a work written about the victor by a famous poet or artist. Winning a competition sponsored by the Lathanderites brings great status in certain circles.
Temples and shrines to Lathander provide aid to adventurers and communities in their area as long as such aid is returned in good faith. Priests of Lathander try tirelessly to encourage those of good alignments to the more dedicated worship of the Morninglord if they are not already Lathanderites, but they do not insist on conversions or withhold aid if they are refused.
Lathanderites are expected to make regular offerings of ideas, inventions, coins, discovered artifacts, or food to Lathanderian temples and shrines. Much more valuable offerings such as magical items or quantities of gold are demanded of nonbelievers in return for special services like rescue missions or raising from the dead.
Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: As may be surmised, most ceremonies of Lathander are held at dawn. Actions taken and contracts agreed to at dawn are considered blessed by the god. Marriages held at Lathanderian temples or shrines at dawn are considered especially blessed and so dawn is when the church most often holds such services, even if they are inconvenient for visiting guests. Funerals consist of a solemn, candlelit ceremony called the Going Down. This ceremony is followed by a wake that lasts until dawn prayers. Funerals are not held for those who are to be raised.
The most important ceremonies of worship are the daily prayers to Lathander at dawn, often held outdoors or where the dawn can be seen. This ritual is followed in importance by the twilight devotions. Some temples and shrines also add to these two daily ceremonies an optional prayer and song to Lathander at highsun. To these daily devotions are added special prayers said when offerings are presented at the altar and when priests call on Lathander for guidance or aid. These ceremonies are all joyful, but dignified, and usually involve prayer, song, and ritual drinking of well water touched by the dawn. On special occasions, on Midsummer morning, and on the mornings of the vernal and autumnal equinoxes, priests of Lathander perform the Song of Dawn, praising Lathander with a blend of vocal harmonies and counterharmonies of beautiful complexity.
Major Centers of Worship: The Spires of the Morning in Waterdeep, headed by High Radiance Ghentilara, is the largest and probably most opulent of Lathander's temples. The Tower of the Morning in Telpir, run by High Radiance Durneth Seafarer, is the second most prominent of his temples, though much simpler in design than the Spires of the Morning.
Affiliated Orders: The church of Lathander has a knightly orders of paladins, crusaders, and fighters known as the Order of the Aster. Members of this order protect temples and shrines, serve to lead large military groups levied as needed to serve the church, and roam the land seeking to do good in Lathander's name and promote his worship. Individual temples and shrines of Lathander do not usually maintain standing military forces of substantial size due to their cost, although they often retain warriors and members of the Order of the Aster to guard their establishments in numbers that each temple decides are appropriate and affordable.
Priestly Vestments: Priests of Lathander dress in bright long-sleeved robes of yellow, red, and pink. These are often called "sun robes." Those priests with their own temples have their robes trimmed with ornately crafted gold ribbons. A sunburst headpiece, worn toward the back of the head to emulate a rising sun or radiant sunpeacock, completes the ceremonial garb. The ritual robes used at many rural shrines are simple cassocks with a color scheme by rank. Novices and postulants wear brown; adepts and underpriests wear russet and crimson. Senior priests wear scarlet, and subpriors and those of higher rank wear rose-red. The leader of the temple or shrine wears white. Holy symbols of Lathander are often made of painted wood, cut from rose quartz or similar minerals, or enchanted to radiate a dim, pink glow.
Adventuring Garb: Adventuring clerics usually wear more utilitarian garb, but prefer reds and yellows, to the point of tinting their armor those shades. Most priests of Lathander favor chain mail, and often the only obvious mark of Lathander they bear is a rose-red circle on their shields and helm brows.

The Lord of Flames, the Firelord, the Tyrant Among Fire, Tyrant Among Fire Elementals

Greater Power of the Elemental Plane of Fire, N
PORTFOLIO: Elemental fire, fire elementalists, purification through fire
ALIASES: None
DOMAIN NAME: Elemental Plane of Fire/The Crimson Pillar
SUPERIOR: None
ALLIES: Amaunator (now dead), Flandal Steelskin, Iyachtu Xvim, Moradin, Surtr
FOES: Istishia
SYMBOL: A springing flame or a flaming orb
WOR. ALIGN.: Any
Kossuth (Koh-SOOTH), spoken like a whispering flame, is the patron of all fire elementals as well as any who view fire as a purifying and revitalizing force. He is normally depicted as a huge pillar of flame boiling skyward. He represents the burning away of the old to make way for the new with the cognizance that the way to change is harsh and measured. He is the fire in the hearth which appears comforting but which may turn on its owner at any time and burn the house down. He is the mystery of fire, the unknowable secret that speaks inspiration to smiths and death to crazed people who burn things and people for pleasure.
Like all the elemental lords, Kossuth seems to hold little affection toward his followers on Abeir-Toril. His reactions seem calculated in end result, if alien in logic; he moves toward a certain end, but has not shared that end with anyone on Faerûn. He seems driven, however, to collect more followers to do his bidding in the Realms than any of the other elemental lords—perhaps because he burns them out so quickly. The alien and uncaring stance of Kossuth and the other elemental lords has led to the mistaken impression in the Realms that they are only lesser powers and their followers merely bizarre cultists. During the Time of Troubles, Kossuth was not spotted in the Realms.
Kossuth readily accepts what offerings are burnt in his name, but is said to prefer garnets, topazes, citrine, fine smithwork in iron or precious metals, nuts, fine oils, aromatic resins, and meat. His gifts to his followers are the ability to use fire to their greatest benefit and protection from heat and flames. Kossuth is the only elemental lord who seems to return kind for kind; he rewards those who have been most faithful to him or made larger sacrifices more than he does newcomers to his faith or those who give only a token offering.
Other Manifestations
Kossuth has manifested sporadically in the Realms, but much more frequently than the other elemental lords. Any significant blaze is viewed as a manifestation of the Firelord by his faithful. The followers of the Tyrant Among Fire report seeing their lord amongst the flames of every burning building. Needless to say, this has done little to endear them to the residents of such buildings. (More times than not, the presence of any follower of Kossuth near such a burning building reveals the source of the blaze.) Kossuth sometimes sends servant creatures from the Elemental Plane of Fire such as fire elementals, salamanders, fire snakes, efreet, fire bats, smoke and magma para-elementals, and azers to do his bidding or aid followers. Starting a fire successfully is always seen as a sign of Kossuth's favor, as is successfully forging a piece of smithwork.
The Church
CLERGY: Specialty priests, crusaders, monks, shamans
CLERGY'S ALIGN.: LG, NG, LN, N, LE, NE
TURN UNDEAD: SP: No, Cru: No, Mon: No, Sha: Yes, if good
CMND. UNDEAD: SP: No, Cru: No, Mon: No, Sha: Yes, if neutral or evil
All specialty priests, crusaders, monks, and shamans of Kossuth receive religion (Faerûnian) as a bonus nonweapon proficiency. Kossuthan priests are strongly encouraged to learn blacksmith, blind-fighting, and brewing in addition to their required proficiencies. All shamans of Kossuth receive elemental fire as one of their major spheres in addition to their normal spheres of magic.
Before the Time of Troubles, all of the elemental cults had clerics in their ranks. Now, only specialty priests remain. Why Kossuth abruptly decided to convert his clerics to specialty priests is unknown, but the Kossuthan church considers it one of the elements of purity within the faith that those closest to Kossuth are allowed to concentrate on the spells and activities that are of most interest to their lord. Since the Godswar, the Kossuthan church has added several monastic orders and an order of crusaders to the church to fulfill duties in the ranks of the priesthood previously tended to by Kossuthan clerics.
Followers of Kossuth on Abeir-Toril seem to be plotters and schemers intend on cleanly reorganizing the world as it is into their own vision of perfection—through abrupt and violent means if necessary. Of all the elemental cults, Kossuth's is probably the most dangerous and unpredictable in that individual churches of Kossuth are led by powerful leaders with a rigid priest hierarchy beneath them but no ultimate authority other than Kossuth to report to—and Kossuth does not seem much to care what they do, as long as they honor him. Its priests and members are quick to resort to violence and quick to take offense at the actions of others; the "justice" of a Kossuthan is harsh, quick, and brutally suited to the offense or the crime.
Temples of Kossuth are led by a great many proud, deadly, and determined individuals, all convinced that their way is the way. Strict obedience is required—or rather, demanded—within the church. Those who go against the wishes of the ruling priests frequently find themselves tossed into a nearby river or lake and effectively excommunicated from the church. (Splashing a follower of Kossuth with water is considered an insult.)
The priests of Kossuth are organized into two factions: the Tendrils of Flame and the Burning Braziers. The Tendrils are those who operate the various temples across Faerûn, catering to the faithful and preaching the word of Kossuth to the masses. The Tendrils perform most religious ceremonies and see to the observance of rituals and holidays. They hold most of the power in the faith and hurl themselves into regional intertemple and local political frays, generally making themselves famous or infamous near their temples.
The Burning Braziers, also known as the Brazier Brigade by critics of the church, are the adventuring arm of the faith. These frequently embittered priests are often former members of the Tendrils who fell out bandly in a political squabble in their former temples. They venture forth out into lands that have not seen the "wisdom of Kossuth," often leaving burning buildings in their wake. Preaching the word of the Tyrant, they discover new areas that are ready to accept a church of Kossuth. (Pragmatically, most folk would say that they look for areas ripe for picking—those with weak leadership or little protection.)
Novice Kossuthans are referred to as the Lightless. Upon taking the Oath of Firewalking, they become full priests and are known as the Promised. In ascending order of rank, the titles in general use by the Promised are: Torch of the Faith, Righteous Flame, Devoted Blaze, Zealous Pyre, Pillar of Flame, Fury of the Faith, Flamebrother/Flamesister, Inspired Forge, Numinous Blaze, Most Fervid Fire, and Eternal Flame of Kossuth. Specialty priests of Kossuth are known as firewalkers. Monks of Kossuth are known as Faithful Flames.
Kossuth's priests are organized into temples. Each temple is led by an Eternal Flame who is a specialty priest. Under the Eternal Flame are three Most Fervid Fires, and under each of them are two Numinous Blazes. Under each Numinous Blaze is one of every other rank of clergy member down to Devoted Blazes. A temple has as many priests of Devoted Blaze rank and below, novices, and members of the laity as it can support, with the breakdown of numbers of each rank of priest being as equally divided among the Zealous Pyres as possible. Progress through the ranks is through experience until the rank of Devoted Blaze, and then only through the recommendation of two higher-ranking priests when an opening occurs. Promotions are always confirmed by the temple's Eternal Flame, who may negate any promotion or promote anyone to any position as she or he wishes without following normal procedure (within the limits of the numbers of each rank of priest allowed in a temple). In primitive or nomadic societies, Kossuth is served by shamans who are allied to no particular temple but held in great respect by their communities, which usually fear them.
Shrines and temples of Kossuth are always made of hard stone, ceramic, and metal so as to withstand the hottest natural blaze and most magical ones. Most are rather solid and blocky in general feel with soaring central elements or columns to give the impression of huge bonfires blazing up from the floor. All are well lighted at all times. Gems and precious metal usually encrust most surfaces of the sanctuary but are sparsely distributed elsewhere so as to enhance the sumptuous effect of the holy sanctum.
Dogma: The teachings of the Kossuthan religion on Toril are built around an assumption that those fit to succeed will do so and that the faith of Kossuth is innately superior to other faiths, especially those of the other elemental lords and particularly to that of Istishia. (The Istishian and Kossuthian churches hate one another.) Fire and purity are one and the same; the smoke produced by fire is created by the element of air in its jealousy and through the impurities of the material being cleansed by the flames. The driving force in the Kossuthan church is ambition, and the reward of successful ambition is power. Kossuthan doctrine also speaks of the inevitability of change to a higher state being accompanied by difficulty and personal pain of one type or another. "No pain, no gain" is most definitely a Kossuthan sentiment.
Novices in the Kossuthan faith are charged as follows: "The eternal Kossuth sends his pure fire to cleanse us all and temper our souls to a more pure state. Expect to be tested and strive to rise to the challenge, no matter what difficulty or pain it brings you. Follow the Promised above you, for they have proven their worth and achieved a higher state which you too can find in Kossuth's service. Find the true vision, the final goal of your life, and pursue it utterly. Give yourself totally to the cause, and it will return eternal rewards to you. Guide the teeming masses to the pure light that is Kossuth so that he may reforge all life into its essential form, and complete order and harmony will follow."
Day-to-Day Activities: Tending to the fires of the church and making sure that they never go out is a job for the Lightless. Other members of the church of Kossuth plan ceremonies (weddings, funerals, fire-walking), instruct novices, tend to the day-to-day growth health and wealth of a temple and its clergy members, and pursue promotion, promotion, promotion. Being the leader of a temple means that a priest can finally do what she or he wants to, rather than what his or her superiors say. Most priests become addicted to the desire for power this atmosphere breeds and grow into small, power-hungry tyrants prone to unscrupulous behavior and to overreaching their limits. Thought this may not be the path Kossuth intended for his faithful, he speaks not a word against it. Most temples, led by power-hungry Eternal Flames, pursue goals of conquest, land acquisition, wealth, and rulership, making alliances with whoever is most expedient to their goals but conforming to a strict and peculiar code within their own ranks.
Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: The Oath of Firewalking is an introductory initiation that all priests of the faith must undergo in order to be granted first-level spells. As a priest rises in level, his faith continues to be tested by these fire-walks.
The faithful must pray to Kossuth each day at sunrise and at highsun before taking their meals, thanking him for the hidden fire of life energy that burns in all things. Other than this daily ceremony, the church observes two personal ceremonies and each temple holds a yearly festival.
The Oath of Firewalking is a solemn oath taken when a novice becomes a priest. The strength of this promise is tested when it is first taken and again when a Kossuthan priest rises in rank by a walk over burning coals. The coals become hotter and the walk longer with each Firewalk: How Kossuth or his senior clergy members know what is in the hearts and minds of those taking the test is unknown, but Kossuthans with doubts or who are secretly plotting against their temples (for instance) are often horribly burned by a Firewalk or die on the coals, while priests who are single-minded in their purity of purpose and loyalty walk unscathed.
The Unity of Fire is the ceremony that Kossuthan specialty priests undergo that allows them, upon reaching a certain level of skill, to call forth fire elementals from the Elemental Plane of Fire. The ceremony is preceded by a day of constant chanting and prayer, after which the elemental is summoned. When the elemental answers, it is given a gift of food prepared by the hand of the ritual celebrant and a coffer of worked copper or other precious metal full of coins, gems, and jewelry to carry back to Kossuth with the good wishes of his faithful.
On the birthdate of the Eternal Flame of each temple, that temple holds a festival. The Eternal Flame invites Kossuthan high and senior priests from other temples, local and foreign dignitaries, and others whom she or he believes the temple will benefit from by currying favor with. These people are pampered, given special gifts, and courted to become future allies of the Eternal Flame and the temple.
Major Centers of Worship: The Kossuthan church frequently builds its holy shrines near large sources of fire, such as volcanoes, or in hot, arid areas, such as deserts, but most often builds its large temples in cities and countries of substantial size (the better for them to be used and later controlled). The village of Lundeth in the Anauroch desert is a popular destination for the faithful of Kossuth. Of course, the largest temple to Kossuth in Faerûn is the Flaming Brazier in Bezantur in Thay, home to the Red Wizards, who have much respect for the Tyrant Among Fire.
Affiliated Orders: The Kossuthan monastic orders are known as the Disciples of the Phoenix (good-aligned), the Brothers and Sisters of the Pure Flame (neutral-aligned), and the Disciples of the Salamander (evil-aligned). They are very insular orders who maintain abbeys composed of monks of only one order and who have very rigid traditions of scholarship and martial prowess. Each order has particular tabboos applying to the behavior of its members that date to the founding of the order.
The crusading military order of Kossuth is the Knights of the Fire Drake. This order's members guard the holy sites of the faith, lead the faith's numerous holy campaigns, and provide personal protection to Eternal Flames.
The church of Kossuth also has many affiliations with the Red Wizards of Thay, since many Red Wizards are Kossuthans. A number of zulkirs work with the church and the church with the zulkirs in endless power plays within Thay and in preparation for conquest beyond Thay's borders.
Priestly Vestments: Those who follow the Tyrant Among Fire dress in light robes of red, crimson, and orange. The use of armor while participating in a ceremony in a shrine or temple is forbidden to all priests except those of the Order of the Fire Drake. The flame of Kossuth is worn as a holy symbol and is usually formed of a ruddy gem (often flamedance) enchanted to glow with an inner fire that is set into jewelry. Embroidery depicting flames of various hues is a popular decoration to ceremonial robes, and the decorations grow more elaborate and expensive with increases in a Kossuthan priest's rank.
Adventuring Garb: Reds and crimsons are the favored colors of the Braziers, though they wear whatever clothing is appropirate in style to their current location. Priests are allowed to wear up to chain mail and shield in the field, althoug hamgical protections are preferred. Most Kossuthans are extremely fond of magical items that do loud, flashy, sudden, and brutal damage, and display them prominently in an offensive posture at the drop of a hat.

Lord of the Dead, Judge of the Damned, Master of the Crystal Spire

Greater Power of Hades , LN
PORTFOLIO: Death, the dead
ALIASES: None
DOMAIN NAME: Oinos/Crystal Spire
SUPERIOR: None
ALLIES: Mystra, Jergal
FOES: Cyric, Talona, Velsharoon
SYMBOL: An upright, bone-colored skeletal arm holding the golden scales of justice balanced evenly in its fist against a steel-gray field
WOR. ALIGN.: Any
Kelemvor (KELL-ehm-vor), a former associate of Midnight, Cyric, and Adon during the events of the Godswar, inherited the portfolio of the god of the dead when Cyric lost those responsibilities following the Cyrinishad debacle. The first official act of the newly created god of the dead was to turn Cyric's Bone Castle into a gleaming tower of crystal, a symbol that this particular god of the dead would hide nothing from his subjects. He intends to impart justice among the dead in an even-handed and fair manner.
Kelemvor is kind, just, forthright, and earnest, though stern at times. He is not terribly clever for a power and tends to try to solve what he perceives as his immediate problems with direct action. Though he means well, he does not always see the difficulties down the road caused by short-term solutions.
Kelemvor has an unexpected ally, at least in terms of traditional godly alliances. He and Mystra, formerly the human Midnight, remain close. They were in love during their mortal lives, but whether this romance has kindled during their godly tenure is a matter they have thus far kept private.
Cyric, who lost his death portfolio to Kelemvor, is Kelemvor's bitter enemy. Cyric views Kelemvor as someone who pointedly and maliciously set out to steal a part of Cyric's rightful power. One traditional foe of the Faerûnian god of the dead, Lathander, has not declared against Kelemvor, but is waiting to see if his actions live up to his promises.
Other Manifestations
Kelemvor prefers to send a translucent image of a floating skull enfolded by a hood and surrounded by the flapping tarters of the rest of a diaphanous gray robe. This image is accompanied by the mournful whistle of winds. If necessary, a real wind can accompany this image, and a tangible skeletal arm possesses a Strength of 24 and can chill touch as the 1st-level wizard spell, as if cast by an 18th-level mage. The image can speak with the voice of the god, though Kelemvor prefers not to speak aloud, or it can speak directly into the minds of beings who are present. This shrouded skull can drift about at MV Fl 21 (A), dispel (permanently disrupt with no saving throw) all undead within 90 feet, or animate dead all corpses within the same range to command them or turn their control over to a mortal, usually one of his priests. Commands given by Kelemvor to the animated dead cannot be broken by any mortal.
Kelemvor also indicates his favor or disfavor or sends aid through the presence or actions of the demipower Jergal, pers, a few einheriar (whom he transforms into minor deaths when his senior specialty priests summon them) and watchghosts, but never any evil or corporeal undead.
The Church
CLERGY: Clerics, specialty priests
CLERGY'S ALIGN.: LG, NG, LN, N, LE, NE (LE and NE only allowed provisionally in the case of converted Myrkulytes, who must change to a neutral alignment within three years in the church or leave for another faith)
TURN UNDEAD: C: Yes, SP: Yes
CMND. UNDEAD: C: Yes, SP: Yes
All clerics and specialty priests of Kelemvor receive religion (Faerûnian) as a bonus nonweapon proficiency.
Those who see death as a necessary part of the cycle of life, not something grisly and abhorrent in itself, are the favored followers of Kelemvor. They tend to be humans who derive personal comfort in seeing that disorder does not attend death and to be both sensitive and practical. Gravediggers, mourners, embalmers, monument carvers and stonecarvers who work in graveyards all give their respects to Kelemvor, along with the relatives of the recently deceased and Kelemvor's clergy. In addition, the majority of the temples of Cyric that used to be temples of Myrkul have now switched their ways and allegiance to Kelemvor and are learning to follow him with as much fervor as they did Myrkul and Cyruk (their name for Cyric) in turn. These old-line converts tend to be more evil in nature, but are drifting close to neutrality as the years pass or leaving Kelemvor and finding other deities more suited to their natures.
The bulk of the death clergy are clerics who comfort the dying, administer last rites, assist in funerals, burials, and the just and orderly setting right of affairs that follow, place warning marks of plague and other diseases, and ensure that the will or expressed desires of a deceased are followed. The remainder of the death clergy are the specialty priests, who Kelemvor has blessed with unique foresight and applied wisdom that enables them to anticipate where death will occur and so direct the other clergy. Most specialty priests are also charged with maintaining discipline within the clergy (quelling clerical attempts to prolong life due to sentimentality) and with fundraising to support the clergy. Most donations to the church are bequests in the form of possessions or lands that must be sold, rented out, or—in the case of profitable farms—worked by the clergy.
Specialty priests of Kelemvor are known as doomguides. The church has not been in existence long enough to develop even an informal consensus about the usage of titles.
Dogma: Kelemvor is interested in having followers who recognize that death is but a part of life. It is not an end but a beginning, not a punishment but a necessity. There is no deceit in death, nothing concealed, nothing chaotic. Death is an orderly process.
The followers of Kelemvor are not out to spread death and destruction in the Realms. Rather, they seek to help others to die with dignity at their appointed time and no sooner. Just as they do not seek to rush death, they also speak out against those who seek to artificially prolong their lives beyond their natural limits, including such magical creations as liches.
The charge of Kelemvor to his novitiates is this: "Death is but part of life: fear it not, evade it not, and view it not as evil. To fear death delivers you into the hands of those who can bring death down upon you. Die with dignity, neither raging nor seeking to embrace undeath. Do honor to the dead, for their strivings in life brought Faerûn to where it is now, and to forget them is to forget also where we are now—and why."
The church of Kelemvor believes that seeking out those who are near death is their great duty, for it is the will of Kelemvor that no human (and if possible, no sentient being) die a natural death in all Faerûn without one of his priests at their side. Kelemvor assigns the essences of the dead their proper place in the ongoing cycle of existence, and it must be emphasized to all that he is the Great Guide, leading all folk into their next life. Death is not a final ending, but the next step in a wondrous, ongoing journey. Let no one die not knowing that Kelemvor awaits them and that he is not to be feared, for he believes in justice and wields mercy.
Day-to-Day Activities: Priests of Kelemvor comfort the dying and provide burials for those who die alone. They administer last rites to the dying and help the living left behind to better understand the natural and inevitable process of death and dying. When people die alone without a will, known heirs, or business partners, their goods are taken by the church to fund its ongoing ministry to the dying. This does not, by any means, mean that death clergy would ever take goods from a grave for their own benefit.
When plagues, hordes, or great monsters run amok, they must be fought by the death clergy, for it is not right that many die before their due time. When marauding dragons or other monstrous predators become problems, the death clergy should try to interest adventuring bands in slaying the problems—failing that, they must deal with the problems themselves. In cases of great pain, ravaging disease, or mutilation where death would be a mercy, it is the office of the priests of Kelemvor—and only the priests of Kelemvor—to bring death, as swiftly and painlessly as possible.
Undeath is an affront to Kelemvor. Undead creatures are to be dstroyed or given true death whenever they are met with, and even sought out and hunted down for that holy purpose. Priests of Kelemvor are free to hire or take as companions folk of other faiths to assist them in this purpose, for the great sin of undeath must be stamped out by whatever means possible. Though members of the clergy can command the undead, these commands usually can be boiled down to "Go back to your graves and sleep there forever" except in times of dire need. Kelemvor has made no official statement to single out good-aligned undead creatures as an exception to his policy, though specific temples and individuals often take only lenient action against or ignore such creatures in the field, preferring to concentrate their efforts on those creatures of obvious malevolent intent or who are likely to quickly multiply.
All priests of Kelemvor may be called to a holy mission by their god or their senior clergy and pursue a more active and adventurous life. Such priests defend death clergy members and holdings when need be and bring death to others when it is necessary. For example, a Kelemvorite specialty priest assigned to a holy mission may be sent to lead an adventuring party to stop the spread of disease or kill beings seeking to disrupt natural cycles—such as mages who seek to create huge armies of undead or develop necromantic spells that can slay others and transform them inescapably into undead creatures under their control. Death clergy sent to slay predators or to go into dangerous country to comfort the dying are often issued scrolls of offensive spells or magical items of battle power gleaned from the goods of those who died alone.
Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: Most folk experience the rituals of the death clergy in a personal way: As someone dies, a priest or priests of Kelemvor performs the Passing, a simple ceremony of last rites that is a chant of comfort calling on Kelemvor to be alert for the coming essence of this person, who has enriched life in Faerûn in his or her own way and earned this salute. The Lament for the Fallen is a larger ceremony of this sort sung over a battlefield, ruined village or fortress, or other site where many folk have recently died.
Clergy of the god also lead a daily morning ceremony over graves, the Remembrance, and a ritual that begins after nightfall, the Daeum. The Remembrance is a dignified rite of songs and prayer usually attended by relatives of the dead. The Daeum, or Thanks to the Guide (Kelemvor), is a celebration of the strength and purpose of the Great Guide and his church and is attended only by faithful followers of the god. It is at the close of this ceremony that the goods of the dead are distributed to the assembled faithful and any favors of the god or holy missions are dispensed through manifestations or the orders of senior clergy.
The two great calendar-related holy days of the Church of Kelemvor are Shieldmeet and the Feast of the Moon. During both of these days, priests of the Lord of the Dead tell tales of the Deeds of the Dead so that the greatness and importance of the ancestors of those alive today will never be forgotten. They also call back from the dead heroes who are needed in the land again (in the opinion of mortal supplicants whom Kelemvor agrees with). During both of these solemn high holy days, any priest of Kelemvor who casts speak with dead can talk freely with the departed for as long as desired and hold conversations, not merely put questions to them for which the answer will be a bare "yes" or "no."
Major Centers of Worship: The only major center of Kelemvorite worship thus far is the Tower of Skulls in Ormath, an abbey built as a ziggurat whose walls are carved with a stone facing in the shape of staring human skulls. Its spiral ways are roamed by mysterious guardian creatures that resemble will o' wisps. The resident clergy, commanded by the High Lord Doom Bezurgathan Indraeyan, can muster a capable army of battle-hardened clerics wielding magical items to defend the abbey. Vast cellars reaching down to an underground river for water and into caverns in which edible fungi are grown underlie the Tower. The priests make potent amber wine and various perfumes, unguents, and potions for sale from the fungi they raise.
Affiliated Orders: Thus far the church of Kelemvor has no affiliated military or knightly orders. All gravediggers, embalmers, and other cemetery workers and crafters who work for the church of Kelemvor and are not themselves clergy belong to the Most Solemn Order of the Silent Shroud, a society whose rolls are kept by the church and whose members know each other as true members of the order by certain secret signs. They report any signs of undead activity or desecration in graveyards tended by Kelemvorites immediately to the church. The Kelemvorite church is seriously considering sponsoring a holy order of crusaders and paladins to target undead creatures of fearsome prowess who tax the resources of the clergy of the nascent church. The tentative name of this group would be the Knights of Eternal Order, but church scholars are discussing other names that would be more indicative of the order's duties.
Priestly Vestments: Clerics of Kelemvor usually wear smoky gray robes and cowled cloaks. Specialty priests can readily be identified by their silver headbands, which are normally never removed, and by the symbol of Kelemvor displayed prominently in a badge on the chests of their somber, elegant robes. Their robes are always of a single hue without trim or ostentation and of dark, muted hues of green, blue, or gray, in ascending order of rank; they can be worn over armor if need be. The scales in the badge of Kelemvor worn by a priest also denote rank: They are iron-colored for lower clergy, silver for full priests, and gold for higher-ranking priests.
Adventuring Garb: Adventuring clergy members are often given enchanted gray domino masks entrusted to their use by the church that enable them to detect undead (as the 1st-level wizard spell) and see with infravision up to 60 feet in darkness. Adventuring priests dress functionally, wearing whatever armor and clothing is practical. They are required to display the symbol of their deity prominently. Often it is worn on the left breast over the heart or is woven into a cloak.

Lord of the End of Everything, Scribe of the Doomed, Seneschal of the Crystal Spire, the Forgotten One, the Pitiless One

Demipower (formerly Greater) of Hades, LN
PORTFOLIO: Fatalism, order in death, proper burial, guardian of tombs, protector of the names of the dead
ALIASES: Nakasr
DOMAIN NAME: Oinos/Crystal Spire
SUPERIOR: Kelemvor (formerly Cyric, and previous to that Myrkul)
ALLIES: Amaunator (now dead)
FOES: Cyric, Velsharoon
SYMBOL: A jawless skull and a writing quill resting on a scroll
WOR. ALIGN.: LG, NG, LN, N, LE, NE
Jergal (JER-gull), Lord of the End of Everything, is responsible for keeping records on the final disposition of all the spirits of the dead. He is the fatalistic undertaker who strives for order in death, anticipating the ever-encroaching termination of all things living. Jergal strives for an orderly accounting of the fate of the world as it slowly sinks into death. Few mortals are even aware of Jergal's existence except for a few sages studying ancient history.
Jergal was Myrkul's predecessor as Lord of the Dead, although he apparently voluntarily relinquished that position to the Lord of Bones many centuries ago. Some sages believe Jergal held the portfolios of Bhaal and Bane at that time, as well, and was venerated as Nakasr by the Netherese survivor states. After stepping down from his position, Jergal becamse the Seneschal of Bone Castle, assisting Myrkul in the execution of his duties. In the intervening centuries, Jergal has become the Forgottem One and faded into Myrkul's shadow.
Jergal played no part in the Time of Troubles, but when Cyric succeeded Myrkul as Lord of the Dead, the Scribe of the Doomed continued to serve as the Seneschal of Bone Castle. A core component of his very being makes Jergal absolutely loyal to the current Lord of the Dead, regardless of who holds that office. From Jergal's actions during Cyric's tenure, however, it is apparent that while Jergal is utterly loyal to the office of Lord of the Dead, he does have the freedom to subtly undermine the current officeholder if she or he is not true to the position's responsibilities.
Jergal seems to find working with Kelemvor, the new Lord of the Dead, much more to his personal satisfaction. The Forgotten One serves the Judge of the Damned as seneschal by maintaining careful records of all who enter the Crystal Spire, Kelemvor's new abode built on the rubble of the Bone Castle. It is possible that Jergal will regain some of his former prominence serving Kelemvor, but it is equally likely that the Seneschal of the Crystal Spire will pass on into death himself, having found a suitable successor to his old position. Regardless, the Scribe of the Doomed has little apparent interest in the living save for recording their final fates.
Jergal retains a fondness from Netheril's heyday for the long-vanished Amaunator, valuing that ancient god's adherence to law and order, but he otherwise has few allies aside from Kelemvor, and even fewer friends. Following the events of the Cyrinishad debacle, Jergal has nothing but scorn for Cyric, the former Lord of the Dead, considering him anathema to the orderly dissolution of the universe. In the aftermath of Velsharoon's divine ascendance, Jergal spends much of his efforts in the Realms combating the Necromancer's efforts to prolong life into undeath and to thwart the orderly procession of death in the Realms.
Jergal never angers, and always speaks with a disembodied, chilling voice that echoes with the dry whisper of a long forgotten crypt. His tone is always bland, his words fatalistic, and his demeanor excessively formal. Most mortals find the Forgotten One a shadowy, sinister figure who leaves a vague feeling of unease and enervation in his wake. Jergal is totally focused on death and perceives life as momentary existence before death's eternity. A few bards have noted that Jergal's philosophy and actions resemble a mortal attempting to tidy up his affairs and accounts before his imminent death.
This monstrous scribe is depicted in his religion's art as a smooth gray face holding no features other than a pair of bulging yellow eyes. His body is nothing but a shadow-filled gray cloak which rises and falls as if buffeted by an unseen wind, and he wears white gloves that are supported by invisible hands and arms.
Other Manifestations
Jergal can take the form of any undead creature, gaining all its innate abilities in doing so. He also retains his enervation and energy drain attacks, provided that they are not equaled or surpassed by the form he has taken. He can also take the form of a mortal man with a great white beard, bent with extreme age yet holding intelligence and a driving energy within his sunken eyes. Jergal's preferred manifestations is the sound of a heavy tome being closed with chilling finality. This manifestation often occurs upon the death of an exceptionally long-lived mortal, particularly one who has extended his or her life with potions of longevity and like manipulations—such as the magic of an archwizard.
Jergal is served by a wide variety of creatures seen as harbingers of death in various cultures. For example, in Anauroch, the great white-bearded vultures known as N'asr's children (commonly thought to serve N'asr, an alias of Cyric) ferry spirits into the afterlife to their preordained realms at Jergal's behest. The Lord at the End of Everything also exerts his influence through a variety of undead tied to the Negative Energy Plane, such as slow shadows, spectres, and wraiths as well as trillochs, wastrels, and xeg-yi. Jergal has somewhat de-emphasized his affiliation with undead that sap energy since Kelemvor's assumption of the position of Lord of the Dead, but he still is not reluctant to call upon them when their use most efficiently accomplishes a task his superior has set before him—he merely does not dwell upon their use when reporting to Kelemvor.
The Church
CLERGY: Clerics, monks, specialty priests
CLERGY'S ALIGN.: LN, LE
TURN UNDEAD: C: Yes, if neutral, SP: Yes, at priest level +2, Mon: No
CMND. UNDEAD: C: Yes, if evil, SP: Yes, at priest level +2, Mon: No
All clerics, specialty priests, and monks of Jergal receive religion (Faerûnian) as a bonus nonweapon proficiency.
Jergal has only a handful of living worshipers, but it is believed several score of his priests still survive as mummies and greater mummies in long-sealed tombs. These mummies still possess their living intelligence and can cast priest spells. While most are lawful evil in alignment, some favored few tend toward a stricter lawful neutral ethos.
Priests of Jergal existed historically only in very lawful and militaristic societies which did not venerate Deneir or any of the goodly gods. In addition to serving as scribes, funerary workers, and morticians, Jergal's priests kept careful records of births, deaths, and taxes for the kings and rulers they served. Jergal was perceived in such societies as a compassionless steward of death who would visit each mortal at their appointed time and transport them to the appropriate realm in the afterlife.
Jergal's few temples are typically lifeless stone mausoleums or dry, dusty crypts. Animals and plants never live long in these dreary, bleak houses of endless drudgery. Sentients who toil daily in Jergal's dusty temples quickly age and grow weak, yet never die before their appointed time, dooming them to a life of venerability. Rare visitors to such shrines find long rows of scribes dutifully recording the affairs and fates of the short-lived mortals in the surrounding lands.
The clergy of Jergal are known as the Scriveners of Doom. Within their ranks, the high priest of each temple is known as First Scrivener of Doom, but otherwise the faith eschews titles or ranks. The faith has always been evenly split between clerics, monks, and specialty priests, known as doomscribes.
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. Undeath is not an escape or a reward; it is simply a duty of a chosen few who serve the Lord of the End of Everything.
Day-to-Day Activities: Mummified Scriveners of Doom are chosen priests who continue to serve their lord by delaying their eternal rest to bring order and regulation to the disposition of the dead. Buried in long-forgotten crupts, they do nothing but scribe the fate of all living things on cracked parchments. Some are served by zombies and skeletons, but never by sentient undead. For eons Jergal has whispered to his mummified clergy an unending litany of names and fates that they then dutifully record on scrolls until Jergal grants them eternal rest. It is said that when the world finally grinds to a halt and passes away, the last mummified Scrivener of Doom will lay down its pen and crumble to dust. Such undead priests sometimes attack and sometimes ignore interlopers who invade their dusty tombs, depending upon whether or not such beings have reached their appointed hour of death. They always attempt to drive off and if necessary destroy any being who disturbs their sacred tasks, since order in death is as important as death itself in the teachings of the faith.
The small cult of living Scriveners of Doom spend their days maintaining and extending vast archives of scrolls listing how sentients under their purview passed away and their destination in the afterlife. Despite their near hopeless task, they toil on undaunted, knowing they have eons to complete their appointed task. In Thay, where the tiny cult of Jergal is relatively prominent compared to elsewhere in the Realms, most members of Jergal's clergy are employed by individual Zulkirs or Red Wizards to oversee their slave records. In addition to fulfilling a necessary task for society, this gives the scribes crucial access to records detailing large numbers of sentient beings.
Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: Jergal's faithful have little patience or need for holy days or religious ceremonies, viewing them as unnecessary distractions. The one small ritual Jergal's priests are required to perform is called the Sealing. 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 step toward the world's end.
On the last night of the year, the 30th of Nightal, Jergal's clergy cease their endless toil for a full night. On this holy night, known as the Night of Another Year, the priests read every name whose death they ahve recorded from the scrolls they have carefully inscribed over the past year. With a cry of "One Year Closer!", all the scrolls are then burned, and work begins anew.
Major Centers of Worship: Jergal's cult has undergone a small renaissance in Thay where death is a daily fact of life. The Crypt of Imminent Death in Bezantur, Thay, is a small onion-domed structure of gold-veined black marble. Dyhna Zhyborrin, the temple's mistress, oversees the temple's small staff, leads worship services in the city, and maintains close ties with the clergy and worshipers of Kelemvor. Cultists of the Forgotten One journey throughout Thay recording deaths for the annuals of the Crypt library.
Godswalk Keep in the Barony of Great Oak in the Border Kingdoms region has become a sacred site for the church of Kelemvor as well as the scattered cultists of Jergal. The Meeting of the Three (also known as the Howling) happens at certain times during the year when Garagos the War God, the Dancing Lady (Sharess), and the Forgotten One (Jergal) all wander through the ancient castle. Jergal seems to wander the ruins aimlessly, ignoring Garagos's attacks and the Dancing Lady's alluring smile.
Affiliated Orders: The Jergali church has grown exceedingly small, and it no longer sees a need for a fighting branch of the faith or other affiliated orders. All creatures shall die at their appointed time whether or not the clergy of Jergal assists in that process or not, so the Scriveners of Doom spend their days toiling at the more important task of recording the fates of the dead rather then actively delivering death themselves.
Records of the Jergali church speak of two now-extinct affiliated groups: the Companions of the Pallid Mask and the Hand of Jergal. The Companions of the Pallid Mask were a group of Jergali priests who specialized in combating or commanding the undead. They eliminated undead creatures whose existence was not sanctioned by the church or who had proved to be troublesome. They also supervised nonsentient undead work crews that the church sometimes ran for profit long ago. The Hand of Jergal was an elite group of fanatic priests who led others under their command to avenge slights upon the church of Jergal at the direction of a high priest. They acted against those of other faiths who raised or resurrected someone without paying due tribute to Jergal or who violated or looted a tomb under the protection of the church.
Priestly Vestments: Jergal's clergy shave their heads smooth and garb themselves in unadorned gray robes and long, white gloves. At all times they carry a satchel of scrolls, inks, and quills. They also carry a desiccated human skull with the openings plugged that they use to contain the simple mixture of ash and powdered bones employed in Sealing rituals. This skull also serves as their holy symbol.
Adventuring Garb: Jergal's priests only very rarely adventure, and then only at Jergal's bequest. Adventuring Scriveners of Doom seek out those who attempt to prolong their lives beyond their appointed time through magic and then terminate their existence. Jergal's priests may wear any armor that they wish to protect themselves—it is irrelevant to the Lord of the End of Everything since every living eing will die at its appointed time, regardless of what protections it takes to the contrary. Jergal's priests are trained in bludgeoning weapons so that they can powder the bones of their opponents for use in future Sealing rituals.

The Water Lord, God-King of the Water Elementals

Greater Power of the Elemental Plane of Water, N
PORTFOLIO: Elemental water, water elementalists, purification through cleansing, wetness
ALIASES: None
DOMAIN NAME: Elemental Plane of Water/Sea of Timelessness
SUPERIOR: None
ALLIES: Deep Sashelas, Trishina, Eadro, Persana, Shekinester, Surminare, Valkur the Mighty, Water Lion
FOES: Kossuth
SYMBOL: A cresting wave or a drop of water
WOR. ALIGNMENT: Any
Faerûn has many powers whose portfolios deal with water. Umberlee governs the oceans and ocean storms. Valkur strives to protect those who travel the waves, and Eldath has dominion over pools, springs, and waterfalls. Istishia (Is-TISH-ee-ah) is more abstract than all these deities. He represents water, but not any specific formation or body of water. He is a mutable yet dynamic deity who is dispassionate and difficult to pin down. He provides the atmosphere in which life is born, but not life itself. He furnishes a crucial resource, but apparently cares not how it is used. He is depicted as anything from an immense water elemental to a drop of rain to a water weird to a wave on the ocean. Istishia represents eternal transmutation that holds a fixed, essential nature at its core. He holds in his nature change accomplished over time, as water wears away stone, or sudden leaps from one state to another, as water changes to steam when heated. He is the guardian of all hidden treasures under water.
Like all the elemental lords, Istishia is relatively unfeeling toward his followers on Abeir-Toril. His reactions are utterly unpredictable and thus, in an odd way, predictable in their unpredictability. The reasoning behind Istishia's actions is incomprehensible to most of Faerûn's inhabitants, including his worshipers. The alien and uncaring stance of Istishia and the other elemental lords has led to the mistaken impression in the Realms that they are only lesser powers and their followers merely oddball cultists. During the Time of Troubles, Istishia was not spotted in the Realms.
Istishia always sends a representative to accept offerings (given to his devoute worshipers) of water-hued fine fabrics that ripple like waves, gemstones in shades from clear to deepest emerald or sapphire, fine inks or dyes, or books or papers on which are written unsolved or unsolvable riddles or mathematical problems. These representatives can be anything from his priests to fish to water elementals. His gifts to his followers are most often the ability to travel easily through water, the knowledge to find something hidden in water, or a change in themselves (often a polymorph spell that changes a being's corporeal form, but sometimes a sudden insight into a problem) that allows them to accomplish a previously unattainable goal. The worshipers he favors and those he ignores seem chosen on a whim.
Other Manifestations
Istishia has manifested many more times than he has sent an avatar to the Realms. Any significant source of water is viewed as a manifestation of the Water Lord by his faithful. Rivers, lakes, and streams are all viewed as sacred, as are the oceans and seas, fountains, rain, and even puddles. Istishia sometimes sends servant creatures from the Elemental Plane of Water such as water elementals, nereids, marids, and tritons to do his bidding or aid followers. He also sends water creatures such as fish, dolphins, whales, octopuses, or even the leviathan. The discovery of water when drilling for a well or when in a barren land is viewed as a sign of Istishia's favor.
The Church
CLERGY: Specialty priests, crusaders, mystics, shamans
CLERGY'S ALIGN.: NG, CG, N, CN, NE, CE
TURN UNDEAD: SP: No, Cru: No, Mys: No, Sha: Yes, if good
CMND. UNDEAD: SP: No, Cru: No, Mys: No, Sha: Yes, if neutral or evil
All specialty priests, crusaders, mystics, and shamans of Istishia receive religion (Faerûnian) as a bonus nonweapon proficiency. Istishian priests are strongly encouraged to learn seamanship or acquire weather sense in addition to their required proficiencies. All shamans of Istishia receive elemental water as one of their major spheres in addition to their normal spheres of magic. Special candles made by Istishian mystics burn even under water and are not extinguished by being exposed to liquids, though they may still be snuffed out with fingers or a snuffer.
Before the Time of Troubles, all of the elemental cults had clerics in their ranks. Now, only specialty priests remain. Why Istishia decided to convert his clerics to specialty priests over the years is unknown, though the church of Istishia teaches that the change was made to allow specialty priests to focus on their lord's element to the exclusion of other tasks. Since the Godswar, the Istishian church has added a small order of mystics and an order of crusaders to the church to fill niches in the priesthood that more generalized clerics used to fill. In primitive or nomadic societies, Istishia is often served by shamans.
The Water Lord's faith has four major sects: the Church of the Magnificent Storm, the Church of the Sacred Sea, the Church of Watery Paths, and the Church of the Eternal Transformation. These sects work together with each other, though disagreements have been known to occur. In general, the Istishian faith is constantly evolving and new sects are diverted from or absorbed by old ones as the decades pass. The church holds a unified ranking system throughout the faith, and the many sects dictate how the priests of a particular house of worship view and practice their religion.
The Church of the Magnificent Storm believes in the cleansing power of Istishia. In its eyes, Istishia washes away the impurities of both the land and sea and purifies the air. "Stormers," as they are known, always try to be present during thunderstorms and other severe weather.
The Church of the Sacred Sea believes that large expanses of water represent the body of Istishia. Its members pray for calm seas and to protect both ships and port from the Water Lord's power, but they also call upon the oceans to deliver Istishia's wrath against those who oppose the church. Many sages think that the difficulties that Thay, whose zulkirs have often courted the church of Kossuth, has had with its navy at various times are not the result of interference by Umberlee or even powerful wizardly rivals, but rather the work of this sect of the Istishian church.
The Church of Watery Paths believes that the rivers and streams of Toril represent the far reach of Istishia's power. Its members view rivers and streams as the veins and capillaries of Istishia and point out that no place on Toril is not shaped in some way by water, even if it is shaped by the absense of water.
Finally, the Church of the Eternal Transformation believes that just as water moves from one state to another yet remains eternally present, so life moves from one state to another yet continues. Life exists on terrestial bodies like Abeir-Toril on the Prime Material Plane and across the many planes of existence, and when life ends on one plane it is merely transformed to a form more suitable for its existence on another. All of the universe is therefore symbolized in the water cycle.
Priests of Istishia tend to establish shrines on the shores of bodies of water. Large temples exist primarily in port towns and cities. Other Istishian houses of worship are entirely under water and so inaccessible to most surface dwellers and uncommented on in their history or lore, though such Istishian holy sites have figured prominently in the oral and written histories of the aquatic races. The typical Istishian temple is of quarried sandstone or marble in clean, elegant lines and usually sits out on a pier or next to the water or incorporates a great many streams, ornamental pools, and fountains so as to make water a vital part of its landscaping.
Most Istishian priests minister to the needs of the faithful in one region or are attached to a particular shrine, temple, or holy site. However, the church believes that those who remain in one location and are immersed in the same company for too long become stagnant, so all Istishian priests move on to new postings on a rotating basis (so that all priests are not traveling to or learning new positions at the same time). In general, a priest serves in one locale for five years and rotates to a new posting at the anniversary of the closest major holiday (Midwinter, Greengrass, Midsummer, Higharvestide, or the Feast of the Moon) to the date at which she or he became a full priest. Postings may be extended by petition from a priest or his or her congregation for year-long periods until 10 yeras of service at one locale is reached. At that point, a priest must move on to a new post. Postings are overseen by the prestigious Elder Oversight Committee, and most of the church politics in the Istishian faith surround the actions of the Oversight Committee or attempts to influence its future actions. Needless to say, the life-long appointments to the committee are fiercely fought over—when such positions open up due to death or retirements.
The head of the Istishian faith—the Delphine Regent—is a hereditary position passed down to the firstborn (of either gender) of the line of Great Oracle Seldeetha Darinaalis, the first high priestess of the faith (and a half-elf of aquatic descent). Currently, the Delphine Regent is Aquaril Sethanilar, a 12-year-old male aquatic elf who lives in a hidden court city somewhere in the Trackless Sea. However, the position is more a titular than a functional one. The actual control of the church is in the hands of a council of the seven regional heads of the faith known as the Primatus.
Novice Istishian priests are called Searchers. After completing a series of at least three one-on-one courses of learning (a sort of apprenticeship in the faith) with Istishian senior priests, novice Istishians become full priests. In ascending order of rank, the titles in general use by the priesthood are Essential Servant (full priest), Spring of the God, Tidal Messenger, Cephalian, Full Flood (senior priest), Monsoon, Oracle (head of a temple or large shrine), Grand Oracle (senior or elder head of a temple), Stratus Primae (leader of a region's temples and shrines) and Delphine Regent (hereditary leader of the faith). A priest who has slain or soundly defeated an enemy of the church (usually a high-ranking priest of Kossuth or a fire-based creature of power) may add the honorific "True" to the beginning of his or her title. Specialty priests of Istishia are known as waterwalkers.
The Last March of the Giants
East of the Great Rift in the Eastern Shaar once stood a land of titans. This empire rose at the dawn of time in Faerûn, and its lords thought to challenge the gods in their arrogance. In punishment, the powers cursed the reigning monarch of the land with fascination and his brethren with devotion. The powers then dropped a star onto the land. The impact of the fallen star created a huge valley later known as the Sea of Fallen Stars. Slowly picking up speed, the ball rolled through the titan nation and onward to the south.
Unable to contain his curiosity, the titan king ran off after the bouncing sphere and his devoted followers dutifully followed his tracks. The meteorite rolled on and on until it reached the Great Sea and vanished into the depths. The monarch dove into the sea, and, lemminglike, the entire titan race dove in after him, never to be seen again.
Ashamed at the destruction they had wrought, the powers vowed to keep both curiosity and loyalty firmly in check to avoid such disasters in the future. They have done so to this day, preventing both new ideas from being pursued with any speed and the intelligent races of Toril from ever fully cooperating.
Dogma: At its heart, the Istishian faith believes that everything is interconnected and cyclical. Every one of the elements has its place, but water triumphs over all of them in the end, because though it may be transformed by its environment, it retains its essential nature and in the end in turn transforms the environment it is in. The Istishian faith teaches that: "Earth dissolves through water, fire is extinguished even by steam, and air becomes clouds and then rain, completing the eternal cycle." Istishia believes himself to be the great equalizer and leveler of the elements.
All sects of the Istishian faith tend to avoid personal combat and direct confrontation in their dealings with unbelievers. They believe that if allowed to go where they will, the essential truths embodied by the Water Lord eventually convince all as to his power. That is not to say that the faith ignores events going on around them, but rather that they work quietly along less-obvious paths to accomplish their goals. Members of the faith are to follow the path of least resistance to accomplish their goals, just like water takes the easiest course to the sea.
Novices in the Istishian faith are charged as follows: "The eternal Istishia acknowledges change but holds 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 form or this world, but rather in the next. Realize that the cycles of life are mirrored by the cycles of fate; be prepared to pay the price or reap the reward for the actions of your past or your future."
Day-to-Day Activities: Many visitors to a temple wonder why priests of Istishia would teach novices to throw pottery. Such as kill is useful both practically as a source of income for the church and as a teaching tool in the faith. Using water, Istishians priests mold clay to a desired form, dry the new pots in the air, finish them with fire, and (often) use they to carry water or other liquids. The interactions of the elements are demonstrated in making pottery, as is the mutability of water and its final triumph.
Keeping waterways pure and clean is one major goal of the church, nad this responsible long-term goal has made the Istishians one of the more easily accepted elemental "cults" to visit a town. (Wantonly polluting rivers, streams, seas, and oceans is considered an insult to Istishia, as well as likely offending a number of other nature and water deities.) Other ongoing goals of the church are better communication among the aquatic races and between the aquatic races and surface dwellers. Many Istishian priests dream of a day when all water dwellers can be united in their goals and efforts underneath the benevolent guidance of the church. That this goal is utterly unachievable and presupposes the extinction of numerous major faiths seems not to sway them from clinging to it nonetheless—nor does it mean that they hold any malice toward other primarily aquatic faiths.
Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: Each morning for a follower of the Water Lord begins with a quiet prayer said in Istishia's name over a drink of water, and each night ends the same way. Spring tide and neap tide are celebrated with festivals by the church. During these festivals new members of the faith are dedicated to Istishia by being boisterously tossed into the sea or a lake or by diving into fountains or pools. Surface-dwelling communities of the faithful are often visited by water-dwelling emissaries from Istishia's aquatic churches during these fetes, and underwater churches in turn host surface-dwellers through magical accomodations.
Waveriding is the ritual that Istishian specialty priests celebrate upon reaching a level of skill great enough to summon a water elemental from the Elemental Plane of Water. This ceremony is preceded by an hour-long responsive reading and chant, after which the elemental is summoned. The elemental then carries the celebrant on a long ride on the waves of a large body of water. When it returns with the priest celebrating the ritual, the elemental is tossed garlands of flowers, gifted with drafts of fine wine, and given beautifully crafted pieces of jewelry, pottery, or sculpture to carry back to Istishia's realm as it leaves.
Major Centers of Worship: Any large coastal city is certain to have a temple to the Water Lord among its many buildings. Such temples are frequently as close to the docks as possible. Luskan, Waterdeep, Caer Callidyrr, Teshburl, and Calimport all have large temples dedicated to Istishia. Within the Inner Sea, the cities of Suzail, Starmantle, Alaghôn, Neldorild, Spandeliyon, Lyrabar, Procampur, and Selgaunt also boast temples to the Water Lord. The most holy site of the faith is the underwater fortress-temple in which the Delphine Regent lives in secrecy. It is sometimes referred to as the Castle of the Dancing Dolphin in reference to the dolphins featured in the coat-of-arms of the Delphine Regent, but its true name is unknown to those who walk above the waves. It is reputed to have fierce aquatic guardians both of the monstrous and the organized, intelligent variety.
Affiliated Orders: The ordesr of Istishian crusaders are known as the Cavaliers of the Seven Seas, whose members are natural water-breathers, and the Cavaliers of the Ever-Changing truth, whose members are natural air-breathers. Istishian crusaders guard holy sites, escort emissaries of the faith, and pursue the ongoing feud against the church of Kossuth on a personal level. Mystics of the faith belong to the Order of Cryptic Transformational Purity. The symbol of this order is a human shapechanging into a fish. Because this symbol looks somewhat like a merman and the name of the order itself is so lofty, mystics of this order are often referred to colloquially as "fishtishians" or "the Water Lord's fishmen"—much to their chagrin.
Priestly Vestments: Priests of Istishia dress in blue-and-green robes with coral decorations for ceremonial occasions. Exact decorations and garment construction are not mandated by the faith, but shaded or rippled dying, graceful embroidery or beadwork, or layered or dagged construction are often employed to convey a water theme. The wave of Istishia is usually carved into a gemstone incorporated into a medallion, a brooch, or a ring. Often the gemstone is jade, emerald, malachite, aquamarine, or water opal.
Adventuring Garb: Adventuring priests are free to wear whatever clothes they deem appropirate, though they are fond of wearing items in white, blue, green, and blue-purple hues. The use of armor heavier than chain mail is frowned upon by the church and forbidden to waterwalkers.

The Crying God, the Lord on the Rack, the One Who Endures, the Broken God

Intermediate Power of the Twin Paradises, LG
PORTFOLIO: Endurance, suffering, martyrdom, perseverence
ALIASES: Ayuruk (among the peoples of the Great Glacier)
DOMAIN NAME: Shurrock/Martyrdomain
SUPERIOR: Tyr
ALLIES: Tyr, Torm, Ibrandul (now dead), Lathander
FOES: Loviatar, Malar, Talos, Bane (now dead), Bhaal (now dead), Myrkul (now dead)
SYMBOL: A pair of white human hands bound at the wrists with blood-red cord or (older) a blood-stained rack
WOR. ALIGN.: Any
Ilmater (Ihl-MAY-ter) offers succor and calming words to those who are in pain, oppressed, or in great need. He is the willing sufferer, the one who takes the place of another to heft the other's burden, to take the other's pain. He is the god of the oppressed and unjustly treated.
Ilmater is quiet, kind, good-spirited, and slow to anger. He appreciates a humorous story and has a rather rustic humor himself. When his avatar appears, he takes assaults upon his person passively and rarely lifts a hand against another. He is not totally nonviolent, though, as many often assume by his doctrine of endurance. When facing cruelties and atrocities his rage can boil up, and then he is a figure of frighteningly righteous wrath. His appearance can frighten the young, but he takes great care to reassure them as he treasures children and all young creatures, taking exceptional offense at those who would abuse or harm them.
Ilmater is allied to and serves Tyr, aiding the blinded god in his travels and teaching him to live without his sight but to rely more upon his feelings. He is also on very good terms with Torm, who also serves Tyr, and the three deities are known collectively as the Triad.
Ilmater's symbol in the early days was the blood-stained rack, but since the Godswar the use of a pair of white hands bound with blood-red cord has come into almost exclusive use. This newer symbol has increased Ilmater's popularity in the world at large.
Other Manifestations
Ilmater appears as an unseen, watchful presence accompanied by a whimpering or howling sound. In this form he speaks, telekineses items about, and hurls spells.
Alternatively, the Crying God can choose to possess any good-aligned creature who is being tortured without having done anything to earn such treatment under the laws of the realm in which the torture is taking place. When such a manifestation occurs, the tortured being's body glows with a bright white aura, the being is healed and regenerated, all pain is banished, any restraints are broken asunder and torture devices smashed, and the being is set free, vigorous and alert. If Ilmater is angered enough by what has been done (sadistically cruel torturers and accompanying murders are definite triggers for this), he empowers the freed being to cast destructive spells for a turn or so, typically channeling the ability to cast such spells as chain lightning, flame strike, lightning bolt, meteor swarm, imprisonment, and sink.
Ilmater also acts through the appearance or presence of devas, einheriar (formed from martyrs), hollyphants, incarnates of courage, planetars, solars, and other not yet identified beings. More commonly he sends white doves, donkeys, daisies, white roses, field mice, and sparrows to show his favor and as a sign to encourage his faithful to persevere.
The Church
CLERGY: Clerics, specialty priests, monks
CLERGY'S ALIGN.: LG, NG, CG, LN
TURN UNDEAD: C: Yes, SP: No, Mon: No
CMND. UNDEAD: C: No, SP: No, Mon: No
All clerics, specialty priests, and monks of Ilmater receive religion (Faerûnian) as a bonus nonweapon proficiency.
The followers of Ilmater are often perceived as being intentional sufferers, but in reality they concentrate a lot of effort on providing proper treatment and healing to those who have been hurt. They put others ahead of themselves, are sharing, and emphasize the spiritual nature of life over the gross material body.
Ilmater's priests tend to be the most sensitive and caring of humans. When new to the faith, since they see much suffering, they often weep. Over time, this constant tugging at their heartstrings wears at them, and they then tend toward a cynical view of life in Faerûn. They are distinguished from other cynics, however, by their inability to ignore or pass by others in need. Even when a cause is hopeless, they must help. Ilmatari are taught to be firm in their principles and fearless, with the result that they earn enormous respect with the general populace, but are often slain by brigands or those who hold different principles than they do. The church of Ilmater is different from many Faerûnian faiths in that it has many saints, among them St. Dionysius and St. Sollars the Twice-Martyred (whose symbol is a yellow rose).
Few priests of Ilmater are soldiers, and fewer still are merchants, but they do outstrip all other priesthoods in the size, number, and level of treatment in the many infirmaries and leper sanctuaries they maintain. From their inception into the priesthood, Ilmatari are trained in the recognition and treatment of all known disease, injuries, and conditions; senior priests have had prepared detailed programmed illusions to show beings in various stages of harm. An Ilmatari priest who has been shown these could, for instance, recognize a human infested with rot grubs at a glance.
The process of joining the clergy of Ilmater is simple: A novice enjoys a gentle walk and talk with a senior priest, during which they talk and explore the novice's views of life. They then dine and the novice is (knowingly) given a wine taht puts him or her into a gentle trance where various clergy and wizards friendly to the faith can easily employ mind-scrying spells to thoroughly explore the novice's true feelings, loyalties, and aims. If no dedication to evil or precluding religious or secular loyalties are found, the novice is accepted and adorned with the simple robes of Ilmater. (This cautious practice was instituted because so many folk in the past have posed as willing entrants into the Ilmatari just to learn the medicines and physiclore and then stholen away with as many medical supplies as they could.)
All the Adorned are priests, but no titles are commonly used in the clergy except Brother and Sister. For senior clergy, Revered is added to this, and for the heads of temples, abbeys, and monasteries dedicated to the Crying God, Father and Mother are used. So, for example, the head of the Towers of Willful Suffering, the abbey to Ilmater in Eshpurta, is known as Revered Mother of the House Heldatha Dhussta.
The Adorned include clerics, specialty priests, and monks. Though the monastic orders usually dwell separate from the rest of the church in monasteries and abbeys, some monks also abide in Ilmatari temples to teach other Ilmatari about fields of knowledge they have specialized in or to provide their special form of hand-to-hand protection to the institution to which they are assigned.
The hierarchy of the Adorned usually centers around the leader of the large temple, abbey, or monastery to who the Ilmatari in the region report. Ilmatari are loosely ranked under this Revered Mother or Father, and abbeys and monasteries are usually tied to specific temples, often adding a second informal tier to the hierarchy.
Ilmater's priests are found where they are needed, which is usually in the worst possible conditions, ministering to the needs of the oppressed, the deceased, and the poor. Those outside the faith often view this as a strategic positioning of churches in areas which guarantee the persecution of Ilmatari (such as Mulmaster and Zhentil Keep). Priests of Ilmater may also be found among adventuring companies, and—in addition to paladins—are often the ones to go off rescuing this clan of kidnapped halflings or recovering that purloined family heirloom. It is not that they are foolish, but rather that they care for all things to the exclusion of their personal risk.
Shortly after the Time of Troubles, the reputation of the organized church was plagued by the actions of a neutral cult of Ilmater that believed in passing suffering around to others, especially nonbelievers. They were noted for self-flagellation, kidnappings, and inciting riots. Ilmater was not granting these cultists their powers or spells, and the Ilmatari church suspects that Cyric, Loviatar, or Beshaba was behind these deluded people. Fortunately, the cult has largely been eliminated due to a hostile response to its actions on the part of nobles and those in authority.
Dogma: The Ilmatari are taught to help all who hurt, no matter who they are, and that the truly holy take on the suffering of others. Ilmater tells them that if they suffer in his name, he will be there to support them. They should stick to their cause if it is right, whatever the pain and peril. They are to stand up to all tyrants, resisting in ways both great nad small, and to allow no injustice to go by unchallenged. They believe that there is no shame in a meaningful death. Some followers of Ilmater take a negative or darkly humorous view of the world, and the church accepts them as well. "Today is the first day in what's left of your life" fits very snugly into Ilmater's dogma, but most Ilmatari would add, "So live it well."
Novices in the faith are charged to: "Persevere in the face of pain. Heal the sick, the wounded, and the diseased. Comfort the dying, the griefstricken, and the heartsick. Take on the burdens and the pain of others. Champion the causes of the oppressed and unjustly treated, and give shelter and kind counsel to the lonely, the lost, and the ruined. Pursue the service of Ilmater, and he will provide—leave gross riches and the acquisition of all but medicines to others. Take up the tasks no others dare.
Day-to-Day Activities: Ilmatari share what they have with those in need and always take time to counsel those who are upset and give healing and tender care to the injured. They 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. When war is expected and time permits, priests 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.
Priests of Ilmater 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. For instance, Ilmatari would not stop a sorely injured warrior from rising up half-healed to plunge into battle again, openly seeking death while fighting the foe. Instead, they would freely assist the warrior by healing him enough to be mobile so that he could follow his own doom wish in the most honorable manner available to him.
Ilmatari bury the dead, treat the diseased, and give food, drink, and firewood to the poor. They also tour the wealthier cities and settlements of Faerûn soliciting moneys to support the church. Increasingly, since so many folk personally received the benefit of their kindnesses during the Time of Troubles, people of all faiths give generously to the church of the Crying God. As the merchant Ashaerond of Westgate put it: "If I pay for one extra potion today, it may be the last one tomorrow—but the one needed then to heal me."
Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: There are no calendar-related special holy days or any other festivals observed by the Ilmatari. Instead, the daily rituals of prayer to Ilmater at least six times per day govern each and every day of service.
A special Plea must be made to Ilmater to receive divine dispensation for a Rest, which is a tenday vacation from serving Ilmater's dictates. Usually Ilmatari request this when they are emotionally exhausted, but some adventurer-priests use Rests to perform things Ilmater would otherwise 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 of the Church of Ilmater is the Turning: It is the duty of every priest of Ilmater to try to get dying persons to turn to Ilmater for comfort, receiving the blessing of the Broken God before they expire. As the veneration of Ilmater grows, even in death, his healing power becomes greater.
Major Centers of Worship: The largest center of Ilmatari worship in the House of the Broken God in Keltar in Calimshan. The House of the Broken God is a huge monastery in the center of the town that is connected, via a series of walled gardens, to a temple farm on a hill northwest of Keltar, a walled leper house beyond that, and a sanitarium beyond that. Here Revered Father of the House Melder Rythtin of the Healing Hand, who is famous for his diagnoses and miraculous treatments of the afflicted, presides over the largest hospital and facility for brewing, concocting, and compounding medicines in Faerûn. Those unfriendly to Calimshan have commented that such a facility is located where it is because the cruelty of the Calishites makes it most needed in their realm—but they are too greedy and disgusted by the sick, the malformed, and the injured to allow such a place in their proud capital city.
Affiliated Orders: 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 Disciples 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, and the Sisters of St. Jasper of the Rocks. Most Ilmatari monasteries traditionally are named after flowers which symbolize something of significance to the order, though this is not mandated.
Priestly Vestments: For ceremonial functions, Ilmatari wear a solid gray tunic, tabard, and trousers, or gray robes. They wear skullcaps in gray (most clergy members) or red (senior priests). 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.
Adventuring Garb: In the field or on quests, Ilmatari priests dress appropriately for the mission and the weather, but usually wear gray tabards decorated with Ilmater's symbol stitched on the chest near the left shoulder over any other clothing or armor they wear. They are never without their holy symbols and a satchel of medicines, bandages, salves, splints, and slings.

The Doombringer, Lord of Three Thunders, the Poet of Justice, Hurler of Thunders

Demipower (formerly Lesser Power) of Nirvana, LN
PORTFOLIO: Revenge, retribution, poetic justice
ALIASES: Assuran (Unther, Chessenta)
DOMAIN NAME: Nirvana/Doomcourt
SUPERIOR: None
ALLIES: Beshaba
FOES: Anhur, Ramman (dead)
SYMBOL: A black-gloved right hand holding a coin with a two-faced head or three lightning bolts or three deep rolls of thunder
WOR. ALIGN.: LG, NG, LN, N, LE, NE
Hoar (HORE) the Doombringer is not often actively worshiped in set services, but his name is invoked by those seeking vengeance. When a guilty party falls prey to fate (such as when a murderer is killed accidentally just after the murder is committed, particularly if the accident—for example, slipping to his death—was initiated by the murderer himself), the hand of Hoar is given credit. Hoar has a more benign aspect in the North, where he is seen less as a god of vengeance and more as a god of poetic justice. Many bounty hunters and some assassins propitiate the Doombringer before commencing a hunt, the truly faithful among them seeking to capture their quarry in a suitably ironic style.
Hoar is actually an ancient Untheric deity worshiped in the Inner Sea Lands as Assuran, Lord of Three Thunders. He and his worship were driven from that land in centuries past by priests of Ramman around the same time that Hoar battled and lost to that Untheric god of war, thunder, rains, and storms in a tumultuous conflict.
Although worship of the Lord of Three Thunders dropped off rapidly in Unther (to the point where Assuran) was no longer considered part of the Untheric pantheon), the cult of the Doombringer remained strong in Chessenta for many years, particularly in the cities of Akanax and Mourktar. In the past century, Assuran's worship again declined precipitously in size when Chessentan mercenaries returning from Mulhorand brought with them the faith of Anhur. Although the officers remained faithful to Assuran, many soldiers converted to the faith of the Mulhorandi god of war.
During the Time of Troubles, Hoar/Assuran took as his mortal avatar the body of King Hippartes of Akanax. After traveling to THay to obtain a cache of weapons he had hidden in the Thaymounts (and narrowly evading the plots of a Red Wizard known as the Masked One), Hoar commanded the army of Akanax and several hired mercenary companies into wars against the neighboring cities of Cimbar, Soorenar, and Luthcheq in revenge for ancient insults. The Doombringer incited several long-simmering conflicts between those cities as well, plunging most of Chessenta into war. After a string of victories against ancient foes of Akanax and himself, he forged an alliance between Chessenta's fractious cities. He then turned Akanax's armies against Unther and against the church of Ramman in particular. Ramman's avatar met him face-to-face and toe-to-toe, and in an act of poetic justice, the Doombringer wove a powerful spell that slew Ramman by causing a bolt of lightning to rebound after the Untheric storm god's third thunderous lightning attack. However, once again Assuran lost out when, before he could seize Ramman's portfolio, the Untheric lord of war passed it on to Anhur, war god of Mulhorand, and left the Realms permanently. The revitalized Mulhorandi god of war led his troops to Unther's defense and routed the Chessentan mercenaries, many of whom defected to his side. The Doombringer was once again driven from Unther in defeat. (After the Godswar, the alliance of city-states quickly disintegrated, as most such alliances in Chessenta seem to do.)
Although his worship had been spreading slowly through the Heartlands prior to the Time of Troubles, Hoar's direct action in the Realms has not been felt since the Time of Troubles, and his sign (three deep rolls of thunder) has not been heard in the Inner Sea lands for a decade. Although some speculate that he died during the Time of Troubles, the truth is that he has retreated into himself and cut off many of his routine activities to plot his revenge against Anhur. Combined with the massive defection of worshipers from his faith in battered Chessenta, the Lord of Three Thunders has found himself reduced to demipower status throughout the Realms in the aftermath of the Godswar.
Hoar is a moody power, prone to violence and with a penchant toward bitter humor. He alternately curses Tymora for his fate and attempts to unctuously wheedle her for better luck, treating her at times as an enemy and at others as a friend. He seeks to aid the Maiden of Misfortune in unleashing bad luck on the deserving. He has a dry, hollow chuckle, a haunted appearance, and a morbid fascination in the plight of doomed mortals. It is said that both Tyr and Shar contest for Hoar's tormented soul. Shar seeks to twist the Doombringer into a servant of blind vengeance and bitterness, while Tyr seeks to unlock his bittersweet humor and shift his portfolio towards irony and poetic justice, but to this date he serves no one's interests but his own.
Other Manifestations
Hoar commonly manifests as three deep rolls of thunder when a guilty party falls prety to a suitable, often ironic, fate. Occasionally the Doombringer manifests as a ghostly hand seen only by the one being punished (and possibly that one's victim's loved ones). Such manifestations are only seen in the process of delivering an appropriate punishment. For example, the spouse of a murdered man might see the hand of Hoar push her husband's murderer—who is afraid of heights—of a cliff.
Hoar's favor is seen occasionally through the discovery of red tear-shaped gems; his displeasure is indicated by the discovery of a powdered Laeral's tear gem. The Doombringer works through aerial servants, cursts, feyrs, harrlas, haunts, invisible stalkers, justice incarnates, keres, living steels, revenants, lhiannan shee, and maruts.
The Church
CLERGY: Clerics, specialty priests, crusaders
CLERGY'S ALIGN.: LG, LN, LE
TURN UNDEAD: C: Yes, SP: No, Cru: No
CMND. UNDEAD: C: No, SP: Yes, as described below, Cru: No
All clerics, specialty priests, and crusaders of Hoar receive religion (Faerûnian) and religion (Untheric) as bonus nonweapon proficiencies.
Hoar is propitiated more than he is worshiped. Inhabitants of the Realms commonly attribute fitting acts of justice to the Lord of Three Thunders, and some beings (particularly the helpless and the weak) go so far as to entreat the Doombringer to deliver their vengeance, but few actually worship him on a regular basis in set services held in shrines or temples.
The few temples of Hoar found scattered throughout the Realms are plain, even severe, stone edifices. Most are built in high, hidden places where their inhabitants can secretly brood and plot vengeance against all who have slighted them.
Approximately 40% of the clergy of Hoar are clerics, 30% are crusaders, and 40% are specialty priests (doombringers). As could be expected, the clergy is splintered into a multitude of backstabbing factions with centuries-old hatreds and constantly shifting alliances. Commonly used titles vary from faction to faction, but in the Heartlands, priests of Hoar are known as (in ascending order): Eye of Irony, Hand of Doom, Fist of Vengeance, Claw of Revenge, Fateful Eye of Irony, Fateful Hand of Doom, Fateful Fist of Vengeance, and Fateful Claw of Revenge. Senior priests are known as Lords of Thunderous Vengeance.
Dogma: Hoar charges his clergy to uphold true and fitting justice and to maintain the spirit of the law, not the letter of the 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. One must be careful to walk the line of Hoar's teachings, to seek retribution, but to fall not into 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 dead only invite future attacks.
Day-to-Day Activities: There are few actual temples of Hoar in the western Realms. Instead the Doombringer's priesthood 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 masquerading as members of Hoar's clergy or priests who neglect the prayers they have promised to make receive a fitting punishment by Hoar's hand.
In addition, Hoar's clergy 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 punishment meted out. Actions of this type have caused most town watches and Tyrists to brand priests of the Doombringer as vigilantes and raised the stature of the priesthood to that of champion of the downtroddon and underdogs in the eyes of the common folk.
Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: The clergy of the Doombringer celebrate few major holy days. Instead, each priest is encouraged to celebrate the anniversaries of his most fitting and sweetest acts of revenge. Each priest is also expected to mark the anniversary of each injury, insult, or slight as yet not avenged with quiet contemplation (many persons not of the faith would call it brooding) upon strategies for appropriately enacting that revenge. However, true members of Hoar's clergy are also to remember those who have helped them unselfishly, protected them from harm, or otherwise provided them aid and contemplate ways to reward them personally and lastingly, rather than with meaningless titles, shallow items of wealth, or faint and passing praise. Silent or thunderous praises (as appropriate) must be given to Hoar each and every time some vengeance is exacted by a priest of the Doombringer.
The Penultimate Thunder is celebrated on the 11th of Eleint with great feasts of game, bread, fruits, and mead. It marks the long-anticipated victory over Ramman by the Lord of Three Thunders. The Impending Doom is observed on the 11th of Marpenoth 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.
Major Centers of Worship: In the South, two temples of the Lord of Three Thunders contest for leadership of the faith. The Thunderous Hand of Vengeance in Akanax is strictly loyal to the king of that city, and its priests run the city watch and the city courts with an iron fist. Priests of the Thunder Hand, as they are commonly known, make up a large percentage of the high-ranking officers in Akanax's armies.
The Amphitheater of the First Thunder in the independent city of Mourktar is a large, open arena where numerous gladiatorial combats takes place between accusers and the accused instead of the more common court trials found elsewhere in the Realms. It is believed that Hoar intervenes directly in each bout, ensuring that fitting justice is always enacted. The actual temple is located in the bowels of the arena. Since the Time of Troubles and the death of King Theris, the most prominent member of the faith, the influence of this temple has rapidly shrunk throughout the nearby regions of Threskel and Chessenta. Priests of the Doombringer have been shunted from most positions of powre by the Banite clergy of the Black Lord's Cloak (discussed in the Bane entry in Faiths & Avatars).
With Assuran's declining influence in Chessenta, the Hidden Hand of Fate temple in the depths of the Arch Wood has risen to some prominence in the North. The inhabitants of Archendale have always been known for their short temples, grudges, arrogance, and love of intrigue. In this environment, Hoar's worship has begun to take hold, and quite a few of Archendale's inhabitants clandestinely worship the Doombringer. The priests of the Hidden Hand of Fate sponsor a number of bards, bounty hunters, and assassins active throughout the Heartlands and coordinate a loose network of vigilantes dealing rough justice throughout the wilder stretches of the Dales.
Affiliated Orders: The Hunters of Vengeance are an informal order of bounty hunters and vigilantes active throughout the Heartlands and the North. Few in number, their actions are spoken of with admiration and dread long after they have moved on.
The Fellowship of Poetic Justices is an order of bards and crusaders founded in the aftermath of the Time of Troubles. Dedicated to both Hoar and Tyr and supported by clergy from both faiths, members of the fellowship seek to spread tales of ironic justice throughout the Realms and achieve through words and deeds what violence often fails to accomplish.
Priestly Vestments: The clergy of Hoar wear their ceremonial garb whenever possible except when they wish to conceal their identity while stalking a perpetrator of some injustice. Their ceremonial raiment always includes a black tunic over a long gray robe, soft, black leather gloves, and a surreal mask that covers their faces when they are officially on a "hunt" for vengeance. Priests typically keep small tokens of their successes on silver-bordered, dark red sashes slung from their waists. They carry curved daggers, and sport the symbol of Hoar worked into a piece of jewelry as a holy symbol.
Adventuring Garb: When adventuring, priests of the Doombringer wear whatever garb is best suited for the mission. Typically they garb themselves in leather armor when stealth is required, and the heaviest armor available when a frontal attack is anticipated. While they can wield any weapon, Hoarite priests must carry at least one blunt, one piercing, and one slashing weapon at all times. When injured (or anticipating injury) by an opponent, Hoarite priests are expected to use a weapon of the same type or at least the same damage type in response, as such attacks are more fitting in their impact. Those who deserve death should be finished off with their own weapons.

He of the Unsleeping Eyes, the Watcher, the Vigilant, the Vigilant One, the Great Guard, the God of Guardians

Intermediate Power of Nirvana
LN
PORTFOLIO: Guardians, protectors, protection
ALIASES: None
DOMAIN NAME: Nirvana/Everwatch
SUPERIOR: None
ALLIES: Arvoreen, Clangeddin Silverbeard, Cyrrollalee, Gaerdal Ironhand, Gorm Gulthyn, Moradin, Torm, Yondalla
FOES: Bane (now dead), Bhaal (now dead), Garagos, Mask, Shar, Talos
SYMBOL: An open, staring eye with a blue pupil and outline painted on the back of a right-hand war gauntlet or the palm of a left-hand war gauntlet
WORSHIPPERS ALIGNMENT: LG, NG, CG, LN, N, CN
Helm (HELM) is the epitome of the guardian, the watcher, the guard, and has in years past been greatly venerated by those who need to remain watchful for evil at their doorsteps,. He was one of a much more powerful god, but has fallen upon hard times through two actions. During the Time of Troubles, Helm was left with his powers and ordered to hold the gates to the Outer Planes against the other powers of the Realms when the other deities were stripped of their power and confined to the surface of Abeir-Toril. Helm did so all too successfully, and much of the resulting destruction and deific turmoil caused by the many divine deaths of the Godswar is laid at his feet.
Helm remained strong in the South, but experienced a further setback when his priests became deeply involved in an invasion of the True World of Maztica. Their unflinching and often brutal actions counted further against the god's reputation. Because of the inflexible and cold reputation those actions gained him, Helm's star is fading at a time when Term and Gond are attracting new followers.
Helm is difficult to understand and is often viewed as emotionless, heartless, and devoted only to his duty or goal at the cost of all mortal consideration. While he is devoted to the point of obsession, he is not heartless, but merely a stern disciplinarian. He is fond of children and has been known to be most uncharacteristically lenient (for Helm) when dealing with small infractions by them or on their behalf.
In attempting to comprehend Helm's driven nature, many mortal sages have attempted to account for him throwing himself into his work by blaming his behavior on a broken heart caused by long-unrequited or spurned love. Others say he lost a great love to tragedy or eternally grieves for a lost relative, such. as a brother, sister, ot child. Still others account for his behavior more coldly as a burning ambition to become the greatest of deities. Helm has never given credence to any of these theories, as he considers such speculations frivolous use of time that could be spent more honestly at productive work.
Other Manifestations
Helm often manifests as an upright, palm-out metal gauntlet making a "stop" or warding gesture or a closed, watchful war helm. From such images emanate heal or imbue with spell ability spells to aid or empower guardians, defensive magical barriers, wardmist magics, fields that reveal illusions and hidden or disguised attackers for what they truly are, and beams that force out-of-phase, ethereal, astral, or otherwise inaccessible beings fully into phase on the Prime Material Plane on Faerun so they can be attacked by guardians. It is rare for offensive spells to lash out from a manifestation of Helm, hut it has occurred. Most often such spells come from the war helm apparition and tend to be thin beams of lightning.
When Helm manifests, all guardians and defenders within 10 miles wake up and become alert. He banishes all sleepiness, weakness, nausea, or magics that place guardians and defenders under the influence of others (such as charm spells). These conditions are ended, not merely suspended while the power of Helm is present.
Helm also sometimes works through the presence or action of einheriar, helmed horrors, spectators, maruts, watchghosts, and living steels. In addition, Helm can choose to send vivid warnings in dreams, and if a believer sleeps touching an unsheathed weapon, the visions imparted to the believer by Helm can sometimes also be seen by the next being to touch the weapon, regardless of how much time has passed. Weapons consecrated to Helm can also thrum, sing, glow, dance, or vibrate in warning when the god desires them to.
The Church
CLERGY: Clerics, Specialty Priests, Crusaders, Monks, Paladins
CLERGY'S ALIGNMENT: LG, LN, N
TURN UNDEAD: Cleric: Yes, Specialty Priest: Yes, Crusader: No, Monk: No, Paladin: Yes
COMMAND UNDEAD: Cleric: No, Specialty Priest: No, Crusader: No, Monk: No, Paladin: No
All clerics, specialty priests, crusaders, and monks of Helm receive religion (Faerûnian) as a bonus nonweapon proficiency.
Prior to the Time of Troubles, Helm was a well-respected faith in most areas of the North. Its large temple complexes were usually situated near dangerous and evil areas (such as Darkhold) and were regarded as a first line of defense against evil people and creatures. Wracked by defections in the wake of the Time of Troubles, active persecution in the North by those angry that Helm forced the destructive divine avatars to remain in Faerun, and military and popularity losses related to the invasion of the True World (Maztica), the Vigilant or Watchful Ones (priests of Helm) have been in decline. They have only recently begun to recover popular favor and influence, strength, and organization under the unflinching, no-excuses leadership of the veteran priests of Helm from before the Time of Troubles known as the Tested and True. Most of these folk are people of inflexible beliefs and loyalty. They believe that Helm is the most favored of all the powers, for he was chosen to retain his powers to discipline the others.
Fighting their way back from a reputation that brands many dead magic areas "the Legacy of Helm," the Tested and the True are having a tough time, but one which their strong discipline and the almost military hierarchy of the church of Helm are well suited to handle. All know their position by their rank within the church of Helm, and Helm himself sets the goals for his high priests and priestesses, determining what temples, abbeys, and shrines are to cooperate with each other in which ongoing efforts.
Titles used by the clergy of Helm are (in ascending order of ranks: Novice, Adept, Trusty, Alert, Watchknight, Guardian, Overblade, High have been adopted only since the Time of Troubles, and members of the Tested and True and Watchers (specialty priests, derisively known as "Godseyes") have been allowed to retain any older, personal, or variant titles. Clergy who lead or occupy an important office in a temple, abbey, or monastery may also bear additional titles pertaining to their duties.
Dogma: "He also serves who stands and waits and watches carefully" and "Careful planning always defeats rushed actions in the end" are popular sayings of Helm's faithful. Novices of Helm are charged to be vigilant and to he fair and diligent in the conduct of their orders. They must protect the weak, the unpopular, the injured, and the young and not sacrifice them for others. They must anticipate attacks and he ready, know their foes, and care carefully for their weapons so that their weapons" can perform their duties properly when called upon.
"Never betray your trust" is the guiding phrase for faithful of Helm. This philosophy extends to thinking about how best to guard and protect, both in terms of weapons and the deployment of guardians, and to anticipating what attacks may come and having a practiced plan ready to deal with such threats. The faithful and the priests of Helm train and exercise so as to always be able to carry out their duties as best they can.
Helmites always obey orders, provided those orders follow the dictates of Helm. Helm's wishes are often revealed to his faithful in response to on-the-spot prayer (often via an omen spell). He is very responsive in sending guiding vision, especially when his faithful face conflicting orders or directives, even from his senior clergy. The thought of commanding undead rather than turning them or destroying them is abhorrent to Helm, and so his clergy are not allowed to do so and would never dream of trying. This difference in philosophy is a major factor in the rivalry between his church and that of Torm.
Day-to-Day Activities: Helmite clergy believe they can win back the rightful power of Helm only through demonstrated excellence of vigilance and purity of loyalty in their roles as guardians and protectors. They have set about trying to train bodyguards everywhere and spreading the word that only Helm-tested worshipers of the God of Guardians are truly worthy and reliable to their masters.
Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: The Helmite faith always holds a Ceremony of Honor to Helm on each Shieldmeet, but its members observe no other calendar-related rituals to the God of Guardians.
On a daily basis, worshipers of Helm should always pray to the Vigilant One upon awakening and before composing themselves for slumber. A faithful worshiper who poses a question to the god typically receives some sort of (often cryptic) guidance in dream visions. Helm may also grace a nonbeliever who is growing interested in his faith with such visions.
Major Centers of Worship: The most prominent center of Helm's faith is the Noble Hand in Tsurlagol. The Noble Hand is both a temple and a training school for professional guards. It flourishes under High Watchful Weaponmaster Ellym "Catsjaw" Thourin, a retired adventurer of some reputation. Helm's worship is also still very strong in the Vilhon Reach and also in the South. The Temple of the Vigilant Guard in Iljak, led by Battle Marshal Senior Steeleye Tonorak Winthrax, is a bastion of the Helmite faith in the Vilhon Reach.
Affiliated Orders: The members of the Companions of the One True Vision, an order of Helmite clerics, fighters, and crusaders, were known for being unswervingly loyal shock troops able to follow orders asking them to engage the most difficult objectives without breaking and hold 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 affiliated Helmite orders include a small fellowship of battlefield healers known as the Watchers Over the Fallen, a group of dedicated bodyguards whom Helmite temples hire out to others to generate revenue called the Everwatch Knights, and an order of paladins called the Vigilant Eyes of the God.
Priestly Vestments: Priests of Helm wear spotless, shining, (often everbright-enchanted), unblemished full plate armor with open-faced helms (a visor reduces vision). Often the helms are topped with plumes. Such armor may be accessorized with red cloaks and tabards of steel 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 members often wear the finest full plate armor set with gems and worked with gold filigree in designs that accentuate great golden eyes set in the centers of their chests (on the breastplates) and hacks. In areas where heavily armored clerics are frowned on, the armor is reduced to a set of heavy shoulder plates, but the helm remains in any case.
Adventuring Garb: Because of the useful nature of the ceremonial gear of the priests of Helm, it is worn in the field as well as for ceremonial purposes, unless it is decorated with such costly materials that the priest fears it will attract thieves, in which case a more utilitarian version of the same full plate armor is worn. In either case, the armor is dominated by i he symbol of Helm's eye on the chest, often shown in a sunburst or as the topmost level of a stepped pyramid.

Master of Tracking, Master Interpreter of Woodland Signs, the Tracker, the Tracker Who Never Goes Astray, Mouth of Mielikki

Demipower of the Prime Material Plane, NG
PORTFOLIO: Tracking, interpreting woodland signs, rangers of the North
ALIASES: None
DOMAIN NAME: Toril/Faerûn
SUPERIOR: Mielikki
ALLIES: Arvoreen, Baervan Wildwanderer, Lurue, Fenmarel Mestarine, Mielikki, Shaundakul, Shiallia, Nobanion, Solonor Thelandira
FOES: Malar, Vaprak
SYMBOL: A dark red "S" overlaid with a small, five-pointed white star on its top half and a large, four-clawed animal print in brown on its bottom half
WOR. ALIGN.: LG, NG, CG
Gwaeron Windstrom (GWAIR-on WIND-strahm) embodies the skills of tracking and understanding woodland signs. Gwaeron roamed the North as a mortal ranger many centuries ago, and he was elevated to the ranks of demipowers by the sponsorship of the Lady of Forests after successfully stalking and slaying at least one avatar and several manifestations of Malar in quick succession. This accomplishment has earned him the undying enmity of the Beastlord and resulted in any unending battle between them that was continued during the Time of Troubles when Malar appeared in the North after his defeat by Nobanion. Malar, the Lord of Beasts, was relentlessly pursued throughout the North by Gwaeron and could not shake the Master of Tracking from his trail.
Gwaeron serves Mielikki along with Lurue and Shiallia. He aids Mielikki on some missions and teaches her rangers the way to read forest signs. Gwaeron is rare among the Faerûnian powers in that 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. His quiet, reclusive demeanor allows he and Fenmarel Mestarine to get along better than Fenmarel does with most members of the Seldarine. When Mielikki has to ask a favor of a deity from one of these pantheons, Gwaeron is naturally the messenger she sends. Gwaeron also acts as Mielikki's intercessor with mortals in the North in his role as the Mouth of Mielikki. He speaks to most mortals on her behalf if direct speech is necessary.
Gwaeron is normally taciturn, and when he does speak, he speaks in terse sentences and with little visible emotion. The Master of Tracking is slow to anger, but, once ignited, his rage is a fearsome thing. He utterly loathes trolls and considers them the kin of Malar and a blight on the land that will inevitably upset the Balance in the long run. In addition to being regularly spotted near Triboar, in the High Forest, and in Cormanthor, Gwaeron is known to stalk the Evermoors and the rest of the North hunting the Undying Ones.
Other Manifestations
Gwaeron occasionally manifests as a nimbus of faerie fire around a woodland sign that could serve as an obscure clue when trying to track some being or creature. Gwaeron also sometimes appears as a deer, a boar, or some other woodland creature. The Master Interpreter of Woodland Signs often does this as a means of instruction. Soon after a novice ranger discovers a spoor that he is unfamiliar with, Gwaeron appears as the corresponding creature, enabling the ranger to make the appropriate induction.
Another of Gwaeron's manifestations is as the print of a bare human foot with a faint impression of his symbol recognizable in the heel print. He may manifest in this fashion when a devout worshiper loses his trail. By looking in the direction indicated by the anomalous print, a ranger can often pick up the lost trail again. Occasionally Gwaeron manifests as a footprint a split second before a being steps in the depression. Beings so favored automatically receive the effects of a natural attunement spell.
Gwaeron is served by a wide variety of naturally appearing forest creatures. Herds of herbivores move to obscure a trail at his command, and various birds, particularly crows, magpies, and blue jays, may move to obscure or reveal clues indicating a trail to disguise them from a foe of one of his followers or make them readily apparent to a favored tracker. Faerie dragons and pseudo-dragons are also favorites of his.
The Church
CLERGY: Rangers
CLERGY'S ALIGN.: LG, NG, CG
TURN UNDEAD: R: No
CMND. UNDEAD: R: No
All rangers of Mielikki (including those sworn to Gwaeron's service) receive religion (Faerûnian) as a bonus nonweapon proficiency.
There is not an organized Gwaeronan faith distinct from the church of Mielikki. Instead, Gwaeron is venerated by rangers and trackers of the North who seek to interpret woodland signs and to track outlaws or game. The Master of Tracking is served in particular by an order of rangers known as the Fellowship of Stalkers of the Silent Path who are drawn from the ranks of Mielikki's clergy.
In the North, temples and shrines of the Lady of Forests, such as the shrine found in the hamlet of Mornbryn's Shield, often include a small shrine or side altar to the Master of Tracking within their confines. Shrines consecrated in Gwaeron's name are typically simple altars made of a single boulder inscribed with Gwaeron's symbol and are mainly found within the High Forest and Cormanthor.
Dogma: Gwaeron's teaching mirror those of Mielikki, whom he serves. Intelligent beings can live in harmony with the wild without requiring the destruction of one in the name of the other. Gwaeronians are taught to embrace the wild and not fear it, because the wild ways are the good ways. They are to keep the balance and learn the hidden ways of all life. They should not allow trees to be needlessly felled or the forest to be burned. They are to live in the forest and be a part of the forest, not dwell in endless battle against the forest.
Stalkers of the Silent Path must protect forest life and strive to keep the balance that indiscriminate fire-users, woodcutters, and hunters break. They are to live in harmony with the woods, to teach others to do so, and to punish and frustrate those who hunt for sport (not food) and who practice cruelties upon wild creatures. Gwaeronans are to talk their roles as protectors very seriously and to keep in check the numbers of sentient, generally malicious wild creatures and humanoids who would distort the Balance just as much as incursions from civilized, careless and thoughtless humans.
Day-to-Day Activities: Stalkers of the Silent Path walk the trails and wilderness of the North practicing their craft, becoming attuned to their environment, and observing the activities of the "monster" races. When called upon by the church of Mielikki or hired by local rulers, they track down fugitives from justice, elusive predators (both human and beast), or lost travelers. Some join militias, mercenary companies, or adventuring companies where they typically serve as scouts. In times of famine, Stalkers travel to regions where game is scarce and the inhabitants are in danger of starving and use their skills to provide food.
Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: Gwaeron has no special holy days outside of those commonly celebrated by the faith of Mielikki. After a successful "stalk," Stalkers of the Silent Path and any would-be tracker who invokes Gwaeron's name are expected to leave a circle of six footprints in the ground with their right foot, the heel of each print nearly touching and the toes facing outward.
Major Centers of Worship: Gwaeron is said to sleep in a stand of trees just to the west of the town of Triboar, known as Gwaeron's Slumber. On rare occasions he can be seen walking into or out of the trees. Rangers who venerate Mielikki often visit Gwaeron's Slumber to pray, but there is no shrine there and Gwaeron never appears to those who come seeking him. It is said that worshipers of Mielikki who sleep in this wood receive in their dreams some hint of what the goddess wants them to do. If such a worshiper is not a ranger, the person gains a once-in-a-lifetime, day-long ability to track as a ranger does. To avoid angering Gwaeron, there are laws in Triboar against cutting any wood from these trees or hunting any creature in the woods. The local militia patrols the forest to prevent orcs, trolls, and other such creaturs from camping there—but less intelligent monsters have never been seen in Gwaeron's Slumber.
Affiliated Orders: As discussed above, those rangers of Mielikki's clergy who are specifically sworn into Gwaeron's service are members of the Fellowship of Stalkers of the Silent Path. This informal order (composed exclusively of single-classed human and half-elven rangers) focuses on the interpretation of woodland signs and tracking all manners of beings and beasts. Members retain close ties to the regular hierarchy of Mielikki's faith and are considered regular members of that church as well as of the fellowship. They serve as the tracking, scouting, and hunting arm of Mielikki's faith, much as Gwaeron serves Mielikki.
Priestly Vestments: Stalkers of the Silent Path dress practically for their environment, preferring clothing made of supple, sturdy leathers and comfortable boots. They let their hair and beards grow freely, but keep them neatly combed and arranged in practical styles. Female Stalkers of the Silent Path wear their hair in a long, loose braid down their back. All Stalkers wear a patch or sport embriodery on their formal vestments displaying Gwaeron's symbol and respect the seasonal colors of Mielikki's clergy's ceremonial railment in the dyes used to color their formal clothes. Many Stalkers choose to tattoo a blue or brown five-pointed star on themselves in honor of their dedication to the order of the Silent Path.
Adventuring Garb: Gwaeron's followers dress practically when adventuring, in clothing very similar to their formal garb, but not as colorful. Stalkers pay respect to the seasonal colors of Mielikki's clergy's garb in their trim or accessories while in the field, but not so as to make targets of themselves in incompatible-colored terrain. When the weather permits, male Stalkers like to work bare-chested, and both male and female Stalkers prefer working barefoot or in soft moccasins when practical.