The Main Surface Pantheon

[BadInfluence]

Shar:
The Mistress of the Night, was the goddess of darkness, and the caverns of Faerûn, as well as a neutral evil greater deity. Counterpart to her twin Selûne, she presided over caverns, darkness, dungeons, forgetfulness, loss, night, secrets, and the Underdark. Among her array of twisted powers was the ability to see everything that lay or happened in the dark. Shar's symbol was a black disk with a deep purple border. Shar was also the creator of the Shadow Weave, which was a counterpart and to foil the Weave, controlled by Mystryl and her successors, before both of the Weaves fell into ruin during the Spellplague.




Worshiper:

Main article: Church of Shar


The clergy of Shar were a secretive organization that pursued subversive tactics rather than direct confrontation with its rivals. In addition to her clerics, Shar maintained an elite order of sorcerer monks who can tap Shar's Shadow Weave. Among her worshipers were the Shadovar of Thultanthar, who fled into the shadow plane before Karsus's Folly. Shar also held power over all who used the Shadow Weave.


Orders-


Dark Justiciars
:

The Dark Justiciars was an honorary order or secret society within the priesthood of Shar. It was rumored that in order to gain admittance to the order of the Dark Justiciars, a priest of Shar had to have killed a priest of Selûne.

Order of the Dark Moon
:

Shar's secretive monastic order was referred to as the Order of the Dark Moon. They tapped into the Shadow Weave through their powers of sorcery.

Nightcloaks
:

Nightcloaks, formerly known as Nightbringers were a group of particularly debased followers of Shar who, until the Time of Troubles were a separate entity, but since then have been absorbed into the Church as specialty priests.

Beguilers of Shar
:

An order tasked with keeping the existence of the Shadow Weave secret. When Shar publicly revealed the Shadow Weaves existence, the order was dissolved and its members were ejected from the church.

Darkcloaks
:

Unusual among other orders in the Church, Darkcloaks were actually a compassionate group of oracles and care-givers who tended to those troubled souls who were emotionally damaged, often bringing the bliss of forgetfulness to soothe their pain. Their work did much to present the church in a positive light to the populace, though too often the reaction was still negative. This order included some of the few non-evil, non-neutral clerics in the Church.

Relationships:

The creation of the Shadow Weave made Shar the eternal enemy of the goddess of magic, Mystra. This resulted in the brewing of a terrible war between these two powerful deities. By her very nature, however, Shar was opposed to powers of light, the unsecretive Shaundakul, and her own sister. Her only frequent ally was Talona.


Those who believed in the Dark Moon heresy believed that Shar and Selûne were two faces of the same goddess.


History:

Shar and her sister Selûne coalesced out of the material of realmspace after it was created by Ao. They were incredibly close at first, so much so that they believed themselves to be the same being. They worked together to create the heavens and the planets and then created Chauntea to embody the planets and infuse them with life. Selûne lit the worlds while Shar coated them in shadows. Chauntea though claimed that Selûne's light was not enough for life to thrive like she wanted it to and begged the sisters for warmth. Shar and Selûne argued for the first time - Selûne wanting their realm to be filled with more life while Shar was happy with the state of things as they were. The two quarreled violently, creating Targus, Moander and Jergal in the aftermath. At an impasse, Selûne reached into the plane of fire and set the largest of the planets alight. Shar attacked again and tried to smother the flames but Selûne had torn off a part of her own body and hurled it against her sister. The raw magical power of Selûne's body punched a hole through Shar's and out of the two chunks of their bodies, Mystryl formed. Mystryl aligned herself with Selûne and, outmatched, Shar fled, vowing revenge against them both.


Shar brooded for aeons, striking against her sister whenever she saw the opportunity but unlike Selûne, Shar did not have allies. At least, not until she was courted by the shadevari - 13 chaotic lords of shadow who had witnessed the births of Shar and Selûne and much preferred Shar's ideal of a realm of darkness. They helped her grow stronger but then Azuth sealed her allies away in another crystal sphere, foiling her plans.


For roughly the next seven centuries, Shar returned to brooding until Ao forced her avatar to Toril during the Time of Troubles. Shar's power increased when she killed Ibrandul, though she lost the opportunity to also kill Sharess whom she had been slowly corrupting. Nevertheless in the wake of the Godswar, Shar was revitalized in a way she hadn't been before and began actively subverting Selûne and the new goddess of magic Mystra. Shar eventually made allies of Bane and a patsy of Cyric in 1374 DR. Together, their followers attempted to conquer Myth Drannor while the Church of Shar attempted to wrest control of magic away from Mystra through various means. Shar's plots were defeated but she did absorb most of the divinity of her son Mask but not before he managed to secrete a portion of this power to his Chosen, Erevis Cale using the Black Chalice. This portion was however, absorbed not only by Erevis but also Rivalen Tanthul and Drasek Riven.


11 years later, Mystra was dead at Cyric's hand and Shar combined the Plane of Shadow with the Negative Energy Plane to create the Shadowfell where she has ruled over darkness ever since.


Divine Realm:

Shar's realm was originally on the Plane of Shadow and was a tower that had no obvious entrances called the Tower of Loss. She would trap those who enjoyed their freedom inside, savouring their despair at its loss though she would allow petitioners and visiting worshipers to freely come and go (perhaps to further torture the trapped ones).


When she created the Shadowfell, Shar abandoned the Tower of Loss and created a new realm in the Astral Sea, larger than any of the others there. Among the dark scenery, with its black sand and shadowy natural features, lie the Towers of Night. Her new abode, a more palatial one than her old home, is built atop the tallest mountain of this realm. Access to the Shadowfell is easy from here and she shares the realm with Talona, Sseth and Zehir.


Dogma:

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



“ Love is a lie. Only hate endures. ”

---

Torm:

The Loyal Fury, was the god of law and a lawful good greater deity whose portfolio consisted of duty, loyalty, and righteousness. His symbol was a gauntlet, much like the symbol of the slain Helm, though specifically Torm's symbol was a right-hand gauntlet held upright with palm forward.


Worshipers: 
Torm's worshipers consisted of those who favored the cause of both Good and Law. Righteousness, honesty, loyalty and truth were their primary pursuits. In the Post-Spellplague world, which was more dangerous and darker than ever, they shone as beacons of hope and courage.


Orders-

Order of the Golden Lion:

High Cleric Barriltar Bhandraddon served as Torm's pontiff and ruled from the magnificent Temple of Torm's Coming in Tantras. From this place, the pontiff extended Torm's reach and worship by sponsoring continent-wide knightly orders, including the prestigious Order of the Golden Lion.


Members of the Order of the Golden Lion, known as Tormtar, guarded temples of deities whose worshipers the Tormish had persecuted during the Time of Troubles. This act of aiding other goodly faiths was called the Penance of Duty.


Along with the Penance of Duty, the Tormtar must also fulfilled the Debt of Dereliction (the act of expending every resource possible to eliminate cults of Cyric and Bane), and the Debt of Destruction (the act of locating and recording areas of dead/wild magic and repairing the Weave). As the Order was created during the renaissance of Torm's church, it enjoyed a notable diversity in regard to the skills and races of its Tormtar.


Eye of Justice:

This order based in Westgate was considered heretical by many Tormites. The Order worshiped a form of Torm they referred to as the "Threefold God" which they believed to be a combination of Torm and the dead gods Tyr and Helm. Members of this sect had no pity or fear and often used tactics some would consider questionable. The Order attracted outcasts from other orders as well as people seeking redemption for evil acts.


Girded Healers:

Members of this order worshiped both Torm and Ilmater. The primary purpose of this order was to heal those touched by war or the spellplague.


Relationship:


Torm had a friendship with Helm prior to the latter's death in 1384 DR, though the two deities' priesthoods were cold to one another. Torm had many enemies amongst the foul deities, but the return of his arch nemesis Bane forced Torm to concentrate his efforts again.


It's well known that he and the Red Knight were fond of one another, but whether the two are friends or lovers was something the duo keep to themselves.




The Triad:

Torm was one of the three deities of similar interests known as the Triad, along with Ilmater and Tyr. It was often said by common-folk that Torm was the weakest of the three in his subservient role, but the role he played was of true importance: he acted as the nexus that holds the three together. Torm tempered Tyr's zeal for justice with his gifts of mercy and humility. The Triad broke up with the death of Tyr, but before Tyr died he gave his godhood and power to Torm during or after the Spellplague, and Torm was elevated to a greater deity soon after.


History:

Prior to the Time of Troubles Torm was a minor demipower. Torm gained considerable attention and praise during the Godswar when his faithful helped keep one of the missing Tablets of Fate safe, and his own avatar battled and completely destroyed the avatar of Bane outside Tantras, (on Eleasias 13), seemingly killing the god who has already been weakened by Mystra and her servant Elminster. Torm died in the conflict too, but because of his loyalty to his portfolio was resurrected by the overdeity Ao at the end of the Time of Troubles, with his power greatly increased. In 1385 DR just after the Spellplague, Tyr abdicated his godhood and granted Torm all his deific power. Tyr counsels all of his followers to offer their allegiance to Torm. Torm then became a greater god and master of Celestia following the death of Tyr in a demonic invasion.


Destruction of Bane:

During the time of troubles, Torm defeated the avatar of Bane. He knew he did not have enough power to do this, so he chose to absorb the souls of his worshipers in Tantras, knowing that they would be instantly killed. The transferring of souls was done voluntarily and took thousands of lives, but Torm chose to spare children aged 14 and below. These individuals became known as the Martyr's Progeny.


Dogma:

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

---

Lathander:

The Morninglord, was the neutral good aspect of Amaunator, worshiped in earlier days as a deity of creativity, dawn, renewal, birth, athletics, spring, self-perfection, vitality and youth. He favored those who dispelled the undead and blessed those who planted new life. Lathander was also the god called upon to bless birth and fertility related ceremonies.



Worshipers:

Novices in the Lathanderian faith were called the Awakened while clerics were known as Dawnbringers. The full priests took a new name in his service when they were ready to signify that Lathander personally recognized and accepted them. This new name could either be used instead of their old name or simply used only when addressing other Dawnbringers and when in solitary prayer. Other titles included (in ascending order): Dawngreeter, Dawnlord, High Dawnlord and Dawnmaster while an elite cleric was referred to as a Morninglord. All followers were required to be of neutral to good alignment.


All of Lathander's clergy respected art, liberty, nature and culture, promoted betterment of oneself and strived to bring hope to their followers and others. Many of these followers worked in various creative arts. They were intolerant of evil, especially undead and inaction that caused evil to prosper. Most ceremonies of Lathander were held at dawn and actions and contracts agreed to at sunrise were said to be blessed by him. Funerals, among his followers, were held at dusk, and followed by a wake that lasted until dawn.


Some followers of Lathander insisted that he was in fact the reincarnation of Amaunator, the Netherese god of the sun. Others took this heresy further, claiming that he will take up the mantle of the lawful neutral Amaunator again, and that the transformation from deity of the morning to sun god is imminent.


Temples:

Eveningstar

In 1372 DR, there was a large temple located in Eveningstar.

Lathander's Light

In Dagger Falls, the temple of Lathander there was rebuilt in 1372 DR. Since the Zhent burnt it down during their occupation of Daggerdale.

Spires of the Morning

A grand temple to Lathander in Waterdeep at the northern spur of Mount Waterdeep.

Morninglow Tower

Largest temple in Daggerford. Shared the hill with the ducal castle and was directly supported by the duke.

Orders-

Order of the Aster:
A small restricted order of paladins and fighters sponsored by the church of Lathander.


Order of the Sun Soul:

A monastic brotherhood with links to Sune and Selûne as well.

Favored Saying:
"From death, life."

"There is always another dawn."

"In the dawn, beauty reigns, and the way is clearer."


Relationships:

Lathander and Chauntea had been romantically connected for centuries, and saw each other as kindred spirits. His allies included Gond, Tymora, Tyr, Torm, Ilmater, Sune, Selûne, Oghma, Kelemvor, and Mielikki. His foes were Cyric, Talos, and Shar. Helm held a great deal of resentment for Lathander, as the latter indirectly caused the death of Helm's lover, Murdane.


History:

Lathander was the central figure in the Dawn Cataclysm, an ill-fated attempt by the Morninglord to reshape the Faerûnian pantheon in his own image. Several deities were killed in the events that followed, including the goddess Murdane, a death for which Helm never forgave Lathander. The Morninglord believed that his efforts went so wrong because of the interference of agents of Shar, and secretly began working on a second attempt at reforming the pantheon.



In 916 DR, Lathander, enraged with the unchanging, tyrannical, undead-centric philosophy of the Cult of the Dragon, sent an avatar to Cormanthyr to personally do battle with Sammaster during a harper raid. He destroyed Sammaster but was wounded in the battle.



In 1345 DR, Lathander's worshipers, along with those of Selûne, Shar and Tempus were involved in religious unrest, culminating in the Night of Temple Fires.


At some point between the Time of Troubles and the end of the Spellplague, Lathander disappeared and was replaced by the resurrected Amaunator, presumably confirming the truth of the theory that the two were one and the same. Moreover, the formerly-lawful neutral Amaunator had apparently inherited the goodness of Lathander, as he was now lawful good.


He however was back with the Sundering (event) thank to the effort of his chosen and prophet Stedd Whitehorn.



Dogma:

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

---

Tyr:

The Maimed God, was a lawful good greater deity of law and justice and part of The Triad. His dogma was primarily concerned with the punishment of wrong-doers, and the general furthering of law and good in the world. Not coincidentally, these values are among those held by most paladins, many of whom were more than likely to follow The Triad, as the patron of paladins Torm is one-third of the coalition.



History:


Tyr was a power before the time of Jhaamdath and over the millennia, was known by a multitude of different names such as Achanatyr, Anachtyr, Arrtyr Judge Of All, Iltyr the Blind but All-Seeing Eye, The Sword of Justice, and several others. He was a member of the Jhaamdathi Pantheon and sponsored cults as well as priests. His followers were known to have slain the great wyrm Rivenaurlgoth the Darkly Pious in the Marching Mountains in -284 DR.



Tyr first made a major historical impact on Toril in a campaign to pacify the remnants of the fallen empire of Jhaamdath in -247 DR, The Year of the Striking Lance. This stroke is known as the Procession of Justice, in which the god himself appeared on Toril, allied himself with Torm and Ilmater, and led a host of archons and angels against the chaotic and evil forces arrayed in the remains of the fallen empire. Ilmater aligned himself with Tyr in -243 DR. Torm joined them to complete the Triad some years later.


Tyr lost his right hand to Kezef the Chaos Hound, and his eyes were put out by Lord Ao when he questioned Ao's decision that all the gods would be punished for failing to prevent Bane's theft of the Tablets of Fate. Ilmater, true to his ethos, works to teach Tyr to live with these disabilities, though in truth they are not a great hindrance in view of his power as a greater god. Torm, being a god aware of his own past humanity, also aided Tyr by tempering the god's zeal for justice with the gift of mercy.


Tyr killed Helm in a duel in 1384 DR, when he mistakenly thought Helm had stolen Tymora's heart. It's suspected that Cyric had a hand in this.



In 1385 DR just after the Spellplague, Tyr abdicated his godhood and granted Torm all his deific power, because he lost faith in himself and his ability to lead and judge. Tyr counsels all of his followers to offer their allegiance to Torm. Tyr's portfolio of justice was subsequently absorbed by Bahamut who later became a subservient deity of Torm.


Tyr was being venerated in secret after his death in his ancient aspect of Iltyr by waterdhavian and cormyrian nobles. Iltyr was depicted as an entirely black, weeping eyeball with a prehensile tail. Iltyr's hidden shrines however depicted one or a pair of large but normal staring eyes, which his followers often dismissed to visitors as the only surviving portrait of an ancestor.



Death:

At some point between 1385 DR and 1479 DR, Tyr died fighting off a demonic invasion of the upper realms.


Resurrection:

At some point between the fourth and fifth editions of Dungeons and Dragons, Tyr was resurrected; he is listed as a deity for players to worship.


Physical:
Tyr was blind and missing his right hand, for which he bears his title.



Worshipers:

The highly organized church of Tyr was strong in the more civilized lands of the Realms. They were known for never refusing service or aid to the faithful when they are in distress. To keep Tyr's favor, one must respect fallen enemies, never make sacrifice of a corpse, and keep one's alignment lawful good. Tyr considered slaying agents of evil to be honorable and worthy of the highest praise.


Orders:

Knights of Holy Judgment:

The Order of the Knights of Holy Judgment tends to attract the paladins who emphasize the "lawful" part of their dedication to Tyr.

Knights of the Merciful Sword:

The Order of the Knights of the Merciful Sword tends to attract the paladins who emphasize the "good" part of their dedication to Tyr.
Hammers of Grimjaws


The very elite of Tyr's paladins, members of the Hammers of Grimjaws are chosen from the best of Tyr's the Knights of Holy Judgment and the Knights of the Merciful Sword.


Relationships:
Along with the Triad, Tyr is close to Lathander. He opposed the deities Bane, Cyric, Mask, Talona and Talos.

---

Bane:

The evil and malicious greater deity of fear, hatred and tyranny and ruler of Banehold. Preferring to plot and scheme, Bane rarely appeared to act in a direct manner; instead acting through his worshipers and other various agents. His ultimate goal was to eventually control all of Faerûn. When summoned he had a dark and rather shadowy appearance with a resemblance of dark armor and his tell-tale jeweled dark gauntlet. He emanated an aura of vast power and cruel intelligence.

Among the evil gods, Bane's church was among the most stable and powerful. While there was a time when the god encouraged sectarianism and violent disputes, that time has long since passed and today the god's Faithful were as likely to solve their disputes through reasonable debate than through show of force. That being said, Bane's church was no less ruthless than that of Cyric or Shar and it obeyed a strict hierarchy extending from the god's most powerful worshipers to his weakest ones, with the god himself the lord of everything they did and, though worshipers of Bane came from every station in life, they all knew to whom they owed their blessings, ready to turn it over to the Black Lord at any time.


Banite customs were often quite spartan in nature and the god's followers celebrated no holidays in honor of their god, instead showing their gratitude to him through service and the ritual torture and sacrifice of sentient beings offensive to the god. Priests of Bane prayed for their spells at midnight, pledging their eternal loyalty and service to the Black Hand, knowing full well that the penalty for failure or disloyalty was death.


The church of Bane increased greatly in recent history due to his return. With this he gained nearly all the worshipers of Iyachtu Xvim, his half-demon son, as well as some of Cyric. Many of those among the god's worshipers were fighters, monks or blackguards, or wizards


His clerics could be recognized by the black-enameled gauntlet worn on one fist.[19] They were able to cast spells against undead, such as a flare of greenish phosphorescence which seared smaller undead or an even fiercer radiance that seared ghouls and phantoms.


Places of worship:

Although Bane was worshiped all over Faerûn, its presence was strongest in the Moonsea region, where, as of 1479 DR, the Church of Bane had its headquarters: the House of the Black Lord in Mulmaster. During the same time, his Church was the only one allowed in Thay.Other known temples include:
 Lyceum of the Black Lord – the main temple.

Like many of the younger gods, Bane was once a mortal human. Little was known about the Black Hand's past, not even precisely when it was he lived, but the adventurer became known when he forged an alliance with two other mortal beings: Bhaal and Myrkul. Together, three forged a pact of mutual aid and ambition: together they would conquer not just the world, but the heavens, becoming gods unto themselves. They targeted specifically the powerful god of death, Jergal, who was among the most powerful of Toril's deities at the time.


Divine ascension:

The group, known as the Dead Three, soon became well-known to Jergal, surmounting every obstacle thrown their way, obtaining magical power and even, at one point, destroying one of the Seven Lost Gods, taking the fallen primordial's essence for themselves and dividing it up equally. Unbeknown to them, this was all Jergal's doing, for the god had grown tired of his crown, even allowing powerful magic weapons such as the Jathiman Dagger, gifted to Bane, to fall into the hands of the party.


When the time came to confront Jergal, the god of death tricked the Dead Three into turning on one another, each desiring the other's power. Jergal then intervened and proposed to divide up his portfolio for them, based upon a game of knucklebones, which Bane promptly won. Bane claimed for his prize governance over the sphere of strife, believing he would be able to rule over all of Toril in this way. As it turned out, however, Bane would not only have to contend with Bhaal and Myrkul, who became powerful gods in of themselves, but with the rest of the divine, who would become his most hated foes.

Although Bane had many foes, he did find allies in a few gods and in particular continued a working relationship with the other members of the Dead Three, with whom he plotted against his enemies, such as the goddess Mystra. It was during this time that Bane sired a son, Iyachtu Xvim, some say by a tanar'ri, others by a fallen paladin of good. Xvim resented his father but nonetheless served compliantly as his servant during this period, along with other servants of the Black Hand such as Bhaal. Iyachtu Xvim's true purpose, however, would not be revealed until many, many years later.


Eventually, Bane's plots backfired against him and in one particularly overambitious gambit, he and Myrkul attempted to steal the Tablets of Fate from the Ao the Overgod himself. For this, the two and every other god was banished from their astral dominions to traverse Toril's surface in an exercise of humility, precipitating the Time of Troubles. It was Ao's hope that through this, the gods would learn not only to be content with what power they had, but to respect the needs and wishes of their worshipers.


However, not all the gods were so willing to learn and all of them tried to regain their divine power as quickly as possible. Bane was among these but unfortunately for him he was slain by the young god Torm on Eleasias 13, 1358 DR near Tantras. Subsequently the majority of Bane's power fell from him to the mortal Cyric, who temporarily claimed the powers of all the Dead Three - all of whom perished in the Time of Troubles. A smaller portion fell to his son, Iyachtu Xvim, an eventuality that Bane had anticipated should he himself perish.


Resurrection and return to power:

For Bane, it soon became apparent, death was but a temporary setback. Anticipating the possibility of his own death Bane, the god of tyranny had, like his companion Bhaal, created a scion for the purpose of his own regeneration. When the time was right Xvim, who was in fact little more than a cocoon to contain the essence of Bane, burst forth into the black and armored figure of Bane, destroying the younger god entirely. This event, which occurred on Midwinter in the Year of Wild Magic, appears to have been in part the work of the lich Szass Tam as well, who performed a summoning the same night. Overnight the Faithful of Xvim, led by the god's Chosen Fzoul Chembryl converted to the worship of their returned master, as did many of Cyric's own worshipers.


Since his miraculous resurrection, Bane has gone to the work of reestablishing his power base, a task which he has been largely successful in. Regaining nearly all of his followers from Xvim and Cyric, Bane then went about reforming his church hierarchy, forcibly eliminating its tendencies towards in-fighting, which he previously had encouraged in order to separate the weak from the strong but which he now realized to be self-defeating and destructive and Bane put at the head of this new church Fzoul Chembryl, who he took as his own Chosen. Bane also reestablished his old alliances with Loviatar, Mask, and Talona, who had previously worked alongside him before the Time of Troubles.



Bane escaped the Spellplague largely unscathed and, in fact, the cataclysm largely benefited him, removing two of his chief rivals, Mystra and Cyric all at once. In the century that followed Bane's power increased only further and the god conquered the goblinoid pantheon, bringing Maglubiyet and Hruggek to heel before him. By the end of Era of Upheaval Bane was as powerful - and as dangerous - as he had ever been.


Relationships:

While Bane believed himself the rightful ruler of all the planes and could not tolerate subservience to anyone, the god was willing, unlike many evil deities, to work with others if it served his interests and the god formed multiple alliances. Most notable perhaps was his alliance with Myrkul, which stretched back to when both were mortals and which continued until both of their deaths during the Time of Troubles. Bane also had working relations with the gods Loviatar, Talona, and Mask; when Bane returned to life in 1372 DR, he quickly went about reforging these alliances, primarily by reasserting their fears of him. Besides allies, Bane also had servants, such as Bhaal and his own son, Iyachtu Xvim during his first life as a god, and Abbathor, Maglubiyet, Hruggek, and Tiamat during his second. Malar was also known to work along with Bane at times.


But as numerable as his allies, Bane had many enemies as well. For a time, Bane's most hated foe was the goddess of magic, Mystra, whose power he coveted. Since his return, however, Bane's greatest foes were Cyric who stole from him many of his worshipers and the Zhentarim, and the Triad, particularly its formerly junior but now senior member Torm, who was the being responsible for Bane's first death. Bane was also enemies with the gods Amaunator and Oghma and called Helm and Midnight enemies as well when both gods lived. Considering that Sune represents a portfolio opposite of his, he does not take kind kindly to her.


Dogma:

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

---

Mystra:
Mother of all Magic, was a greater deity and the second incarnation of the goddess of magic after her predecessor Mystryl sacrificed herself to protect the Weave from Karsus's Folly. Mystra was destroyed by Helm when she defied the will of Ao the overgod and attempted to leave the Prime Material Plane during the Time of Troubles. At the conclusion of the Godswar, Ao offered the position of Goddess of Magic to the wizard Midnight, who reluctantly accepted and took Mystra's name in order to smooth the transition after so much chaos.

The only known description of the mortal that became Mystra was of a "beautiful peasant girl" who was just beginning her studies of the Art.



As a goddess, Mystra could shape change at will and mortals who saw her reported she changed constantly. Others described her appearing in a form resembling a multicolored will-o'-wisp. When Mystra revealed herself to Midnight just before the gods were forced to walk the land of Toril, she was at first just a dark figure surrounded by an aura of blue-white light. As she created the pendant that held some of her power, the glow revealed the face of a "beautiful, willful young woman, with hints of a long-borne pain." Mystra's avatar at the time was a slim, young girl named Caitlan Moonsong who had a graceful bearing, large, dark eyes and short-cropped blond hair. Caitlan went barefoot and wore plain ankle-length robes of a dark hue. When possessed by Mystra, she appeared taller and her hair moved as if it were alive.



Personality:

This incarnation of the Mother of All Magic was quite the opposite of her predecessor, Mystryl. Whereas Mystryl was quixotic and quick to change, Mystra was said to be a manifestation of the Cosmic Balance—maintaining order in the world of magic by correcting great inequalities if things went askew. Indeed, in the wake of the Fall of Netheril, one of her first acts as the Lady of Spells was to ban the use of all magic greater than tenth level. Among sages and historians this was known as Mystra's Ban. She was not as concerned with the ethics of Good versus Evil as long as the laws of magic were upheld.


Early in Mystra's tenure, she chose a champion, called the Magister, to wander the Realms, applying the Art as he or she saw fit, choosing enemies that would bring glory to the title. She fully expected that her representative would be challenged and eventually defeated by other mages, only to be replaced by another spellcaster worthy of the office. It was her belief that in this way the Art would be strengthened and improved through conflict and adversity.


Toward the end of her reign as the keeper of the Weave, she had grown cynical and bitter, fed up with the schemes, maneuverings, and blatant attacks that her preeminent position attracted from every power-hungry being, sycophant, and fawning parasite, for century after century. Her pride in her status, and the kindness and respect she received from those that aided or worshiped her for other than magical gain, kept her hopes alive.


Abilities:

The Lady of Spells could cast any spell ever known at maximum level, one offensive and one defensive spell per minute. The only exceptions to this were if she cast wish, time stop, alter reality, or gate, which required enough concentration that no other spell could be cast in combination. She could shape change at will and could grant other creatures spell knowledge by touching them. She controlled and provided the Weave, allowing safe access to the power of raw magic to mortal spellcasters and magical craftsmen.



Activities:

Mystra kept watch over magical research and regulated the advancement and dissemination of magical knowledge throughout the mortal world.


Relationships:

The first Magister was Azuth, a powerful and brash young wizard who found joy and beauty in works of Art. Eventually, she sponsored him to godhood to serve her and he became a demipower, the Patron of Wizards, passing the mantle of Magister on to his successor. Another strong wizard, this one efficient and methodical, caught Mystra's eye and she also sponsored Savras the All-Seeing to godhood. Azuth and Savras both sought the favor of Mystra and the two fought for many years, both gaining in power, becoming lesser deities in the process. Eventually, Azuth defeated Savras, reducing him back to demigod status and imprisoning him in a jewel-encrusted staff, the Scepter of Savras. Azuth grew to be Mystra's friend and adviser and they had great affection for each other.



The Lady of Mysteries was known to work with Oghma and his cadre although she had some sort of rivalry with Gond. Bane attempted to wrest power from Mystra at some point and he captured and tortured her avatar during the Godswar. Talos was another deity that did not get along with Mystra.


In the 8th century of Dale Reckoning, Mystra possessed a powerful sorceress named Elué, and in seven years she had seven daughters known collectively as the Seven Sisters. As a result of Mystra's presence at conception and birth, all seven daughters were strong immortal spellcasters. They each served Mystra in their own unique way. Outside of Realmspace, Mystra was an ally of Wee Jas from Oerth.


Chosen of Mystra
:

Mystra also had powerful unaging servants among her ranks of followers, including Elminster, Khelben Arunsun, the Seven Sisters, and the necromancer Sammaster.


The Church:

All manner of spellcasters (clerics, crusaders, druids, monks, paladins, rangers, shamans, and wizards) were included in the hierarchy of Mystra's church. Wizards who primarily followed Azuth or other deities would usually show some devotion to Mystra as well.


History:

Moments after the Fall of Netheril, a peasant girl with rudimentary magical training but an aptitude for spells became the new Goddess of Magic and managed to catch three of Netheril's floating cities as they plummeted, bringing them to rest on the ground and saving thousands of her people. Being of a more lawful disposition than her predecessor, she laid down new rules for all spellcasters, banning spells above 10th level, limiting who had access to magic, limiting how many spells of each level could be held in the mind, increasing the time it took to cast spells, and forcing long periods of memorization or prayer each day to replace spells cast previously. Arcanists no longer had to specialize in a form of magic but could generalize. This eventually led to arcanists being called wizards.


Little is known of the acts of the Lady of Mysteries except through the words and works of her church and her Chosen. Her known deeds are:



She established the title of Magister to be granted to one master of the Art at a time, and let them do as they willed for good or ill.

She sponsored Azuth and Savras to godhood, asking them to help her govern her rather deep and vital portfolio.

In 240 DR, she made Elminster Aumar one of her Chosen.

In 292 DR, Aloevan of Ardeep became a Chosen of both Mystra and Sehanine Moonbow

In 464 DR, Mystra rewarded the self-sacrifice of a wandering wizard tutored in Myth Drannor by rescuing him from death and making him the Nameless Chosen, later known as Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun.

In 761 DR,[22] Mystra schemed to create the Seven Sisters by possessing their sorceress mother Elué. All seven grew to be powerful in their own ways and became her Chosen.

In 851 DR, Sammaster the necromancer accepted the offer to become a Chosen of Mystra.

The House of Wonder in Waterdeep was dedicated to Mystra in 1215 DR.

In 1358 DR, in the last hour before the gods were banished to walk the land as mortals, Mystra entrusted Midnight with a portion of her power in the form of a pendant, and asked her to keep it safe for a time. Midnight became the last of Mystra's Chosen.



As the centuries passed, Mystra had grown tired of the ceaseless grasping for power through pleading, flattery, or treachery. She and her portfolio were the target of gods and mortals alike and that took its toll on the Mother of All Magic. Being thrown down to Toril with all the other gods and then being captured and tortured by Bane was apparently the last straw. After securing a portion of her power with Midnight, Mystra disappeared. Days later, Caitlan Moonsong pleaded to a group of adventurers (Adon, the mortal Kelemvor Lyonsbane, and the mortal Cyric) to rescue her mistress from imprisonment in Castle Kilgrave in northern Cormyr. Midnight accompanied the band of heroes on the rescue mission and with her help they succeeded in freeing Mystra from the clutches of Bane.

Immediately upon being freed, Mystra possessed Caitlan as her avatar and retrieved the pendant from Midnight, regaining much of her power. She then opened a gate to the Ethereal Plane and took the group to the Celestial Stairway, which was guarded by Helm. Mystra argued with Helm saying she had nothing to do with the theft of the Tablets of Fate and to let her pass so that she might speak to Lord Ao and regain her rightful place as keeper of the Weave. Helm steadfastly refused to let her pass and gave her fair warning. Furious, she attacked him with bolts and beams of energy, fire and ice, mystic blades and magical hammers, and dread creatures with fangs and claws, coils and maws, wings and tentacles. Helm held firm, absorbing or brushing off each of her assaults. Weeping blue-flame tears of anger and frustration, she grappled with Helm and fire leaped from her mouth. Helm held her off with one hand and raised his visor. As their gaze met, Mystra let out a terrible scream heard across the Realms as she saw her doom written in his face. Helm drew back and punched his gauntleted fist through her chest and Caitlan's body exploded in a blindingly hot flash of devastating power.


When the heroes regained their sight, they were standing on a circular stone foundation; all that was left of Castle Kilgrave. The landscape around them was charred and blasted for a half-mile (800 meters) in every direction. Helm had lowered his visor and stood in the mouth of the gate. He admonished the group to seek out the Tablets of Fate with more wisdom than the former goddess. He then vanished through the gate as it closed behind him. Midnight looked down to find Mystra's pendant lying at her feet.

---

Kelemvor:

Kelemvor Lyonsbane, also known as the Lord of the Dead and Judge of the Damned, was the god of death and the dead, and master of the Crystal Spire in the Fugue Plane. In his mortal days, Kelemvor was a skilled mercenary, with the heart of a noble paladin, concealed under rude manners and thwarted by his mysterious family curse.


Fair yet cold, Kelemvor was the god of death and the dead—the most recent deity to hold this position, following in the footsteps of Jergal, Myrkul, and Cyric. Unlike these other deities, whose rule as gods of the dead made the afterlife an uncertain and fearful thing, Kelemvor urged knowledge that death was a natural part of life and should not be feared as long as it was understood. As a result of his deep respect for life and death, he holds the undead in the uttermost contempt.

Worshipers:

The death clergy as they were known had many duties, most involve tending to the last wishes of the dying and providing burial services to those who die alone. They also set out to cure diseases and defend people from monsters so that folk did not die before their time. Their final and debatably most important task was the destruction of undeath in all its various forms as it was an affront to Kelemvor. Elite priests of Kelemvor were known as Doomguides. Servants of Kelemvor were usually clad in somber gray vestments and brandished hand-and-a-half swords, or bastard swords,



There were two major centres of worship devoted to Kelemvor, the Tower of Skulls in Ormath and the huge monastery in Ormpetarr constructed in 1479 DR.


Orders-

Most Solemn Order of the Silent Shroud:


An organization of gravediggers, embalmers, and other cemetery workers and crafters. Those of this order identified each other with a series of secret signs. Their task was to keep the church informed of undead sightings and gravesite desecrations.

Biography:

Before his ascension to godhood Kelemvor was a human fighter named Kelemvor Lyonsbane who was best known for his association with the adventurers Adon, Cyric, and Midnight, the latter two of which also later became deities. Inwardly sensitive and kind-hearted, Kelemvor nonetheless exhibited a gruff and dark-mooded exterior as a way of coping with the unusual curse which had befallen his family.


Early life:

Kelemvor was born to Kendrel Lyonsbane and Cyndril Lyonsbane, of whom he was the fourth and last son. Cyndril, for whom it had been ten years since her last child, died giving birth to Kelemvor, for which Kendrel would later blame his son. Even without this burden of guilt on his shoulders life would not have been easy for Kelemvor, who was constantly expected to meet the high standards set by both his father, a crippled war veteran and military advisor, and elder brothers, who, by the time Kelemvor was eight, were already forging their own legends.


Contrary to his father's desires, however, Kelemvor demonstrated an affinity for artistic pursuits and beauty, developing a deep fondness for his sensitive teacher, Tannith. When Kelemvor was ten his father decided he had tolerated Kelemvor's inaction long enough, deciding to take full responsibility for Kelemvor's education so as to ensure he followed the martial path chosen for him. Kendrel discharged Tannith and beat her senseless along with a group of friends, leaving her for dead. When Kelemvor learned of this weeks later the hate for his father that would later haunt him began to well up inside of him.


This righteous fury was channeled by the young boy into martial skill, making him a deadly warrior much to the delight of his father, who failed to recognize the source of Kelemvor's power. It would not be long before Kendrel came to realize the truth, however. When Kelemvor was thirteen he met a beautiful girl two years his senior named Lilianna. Filled with joy and a love for Kelemvor she began to melt the younger boy's cool exterior, reminding him of his first crush Tannith. When Kendrel discovered this affair he sought once again to end what he considered a distraction to Kelemvor's education and assaulted Lilianna, beating her. When Kelemvor came upon them he leapt to Lilianna's defense but was knocked aside.


As Kelemvor rose to his feet the hidden curse within him manifested, transforming him into an adult panther. In his new form he tore his father apart as well as the two guards that leapt to the man's defense. Lilianna, once she realized the terrifying beast still had Kelemvor's mind and soul, helped her lover escape from Lyonsbane Keep and into the woodlands surrounding it, where he dwelled for some time, coming to terms with his new form.


The Lyonsbane curse:

After the death of his father, Kelemvor wandered the woods outside Lyonsbane Keep, shifting back and forth between human and panther form. Though at first he had been able to control himself Kelemvor soon found himself, even in his human form, to be little more than a savage beast. After six months time, however, Kelemvor regained control of his mind, returning to human form with full possession of his senses. It was shortly after this that Burne Lyonsbane, Kelemvor's uncle, discovered Kelemvor, for whom he'd been searching. Unlike Kendrel, Burne was understanding of Kelemvor's sensitive side and had pitied his nephew throughout the years. Once he and his adventurer companions discovered Kelemvor he took the young man in and explained to him the nature of his family's curse.


The curse of the Lyonsbanes had been passed down for generations within Kelemvor's family and had its roots in the actions of the greedy mercenary Kyle Lyonsbane, who during a battle abandoned his wounded companion, a sorceress, on the battlefield to die so that he could plunder an enemy's stronghold. As vengeance the sorceress cursed Kyle and his family, transforming them into a strange variety of werepanther that would transform into their beastly form if ever they did something purely for profit. However, the curse ended up backfiring and instead of remaining with Kyle and his ancestors it was visited on the mercenary's children. Furthermore, the cause of the transformation was gradually reversed and by the time, five generations later, Kelemvor was born it now made it impossible for any Lyonsbane to perform an act without asking for a reward, lest they transform into the beast.


The result was a long line of mercenaries in the Lyonsbane family, and as family members grew old it become more dangerous for those who lived around them, since the patriarchs could no longer remember if a reward had been offered or not. Thus it became the responsibility of every Lyonsbane to slay their father when they reached the age of fifty.

Kelemvor, with the help of his uncle, managed to adjust to the curse that he had regrettably inherited, however and joined Burne's company to become yet another sellsword. For three years Kelemvor was able to keep his bestial side under control, and though forced into a path he had not chosen for himself and had never wanted, became fond of Burne and his other companions. Still, Kelemvor longed for and dreamed of the life he could have had were it not for his curse and the cruelty of his father.


Upon his eighteenth birthday, however, all of Kelemvor's new life came crashing down around him. In an ambush, Burne's party was slaughtered to a man by Kelemvor's eldest brother Guntharr. Filled with rage for his uncle's death Kelemvor awoke the beast within him again and tore both Guntharr and his companions to pieces except those who managed to flee. Horrified and disheartened Kelemvor fled once again, though he eventually returned to the mercenary lifestyle.


More bitter than ever, Kelemvor became resentful of the emptiness in his involuntary career as a sellsword and of the incompetent superiors who hired him. Though Kelemvor could have taken a leadership position for himself he never did, haunted by memories of his father's corruption by power.[19] Still, Kelemvor dreamed of a day when he could perform heroic deeds free from the curse, becoming a true hero as in those stories he had read when he was a child in the Lyonsbane castle.


After a time, Kelemvor left his employers behind, pulled by an unexplainable urge to search for something, a prize to give his life meaning but whose form escaped him. It was shortly after this, that he met up with Midnight and Adon of Sune. During the events of the Time of Troubles the curse was removed by the god of strife, Bane. Together with Midnight and Adon he recovered the lost Tablets of Fate, bringing them to Waterdeep, to return them to Ao.


In a final confrontation with Myrkul on top of Blackstaff Tower, Kelemvor was killed by still-mortal Cyric, wielding the sword Godsbane, who would later go on to become god of death in place of Myrkul. However, Kelemvor's existence was not ended then and Godsbane, which was actually the god Mask in disguise, siphoned away Kelemvor's eternal spirit, hiding it from the new Lord of Death. For ten years Kelemvor's spirit lived in this pocket plane, while Cyric searched for him, bent on destroying his former companion for good.

Ten years after the Time of Troubles, after Cyric murdered Bhaal and ascended to godhood, the first thing he wanted to accomplish was to have Kelemvor's soul so that he could gain an advantage over the new Mystra, his most hated rival, and whose portfolio over Magic he coveted. However, for ten years, Cyric and his church were unable to find Kelemvor's soul, every divination and spell they tried yielded nothing. Cyric suspected that there were traitors within his own church who fostered Kelemvor's soul. He later launched the Second Banedeath in 1368 DR, unleashing his Inquisition on Zhentil Keep, Yûlash, Darkhold, Teshwave, and the Citadel of the Raven to cleanse all Zhent holdings of non-Cyricist priests. Cyric also released Kezef the Chaos Hound from Pandemonium, and commanded it to trace Kelemvor's soul. Kezef ended up being trapped again by the God of Thieves.


Kelemvor's soul, was absorped into Cyric's sentient sword, Godsbane, in the moment he was killed on top of Blackstaff Tower. The sword was actually Mask, the God of Thieves in guise, who planned to bring Cyric's downfall and gain Cyric's portfolio over lies. Mask used Kelemvor's soul to gain the cooperation of Mystra, all the while planning a revolt in the City of Death against Cyric. With the help of Mystra, Torm, Oghma, and Cyric's own high priest Fzoul Chembryl (whose loyalty lay with the dead Bane), great chaos was caused in two of Cyric's most important bases of faith: Zhentil Keep, and the City of Death. A great number of Cyric's follower lost their faith, thus greatly weakening Cyric himself. Without the will to control the City of Death, dead spirits were freed and roamed about the City. In addition, Cyric's nightmare was freed from Dendar the Night Serpent, and the dream found Cyric, causing him to think that Kelemvor had somehow returned to life and to seek revenge. At that moment, Cyric, though a Greater Power, lost his mind and crushed his sword, which freed Kelemvor, and made his nightmare come true. The two fought, a dead soul against a god. Cyric's fear, indecision, and madness became his defeat, and Kelemvor finally managed to overthrow Cyric's rule in the City. By the wish of all dead spirits and Denizens in the Gray Wastes, in 1368 DR Kelemvor became the new God of Death.

To be the Lord of the Dead is to be the judgment of the departed souls. In the novel Crucible: The Trial of Cyric the Mad, being the new Lord Death, Kelemvor wished to clear all the corruptions in the Realms of Death brought by former Lords of Death. He reshaped the Bone Castle, a twisted citadel in the Gray Wastes where Jergal, Myrkul and Cyric had all ruled from, into the transparent Crystal Spire, its translucency representing that no more should Death be a frightening mystery. While faithful souls would be claimed by their respective deities, faithless souls and those with a false faith that his/her god did not want, are judged before the God of Death. Former Gods of Death would decide whether they were the Faithless, or the False. Either way, in the hands of Myrkul or Cyric, these souls eventually ended up being eternally tortured.


Kelemvor, however, was more lenient on those Faithless and False who were virtuous and honorable in life, while the ones who were cowardly or capricious were severely punished. Those souls being judged as noble, would be sent to the then merrier and heaven-like parts in the City of Death, such as the Singing City, or Pax Cloister, while for thieves and cowards there were hell-like parts of the City such as Acid Swamps.


As a result, honorable and brave mortals no longer feared death, and recklessly threw their lives away, trusting in Kelemvor's judgment rather the worshiping of other benevolent gods. The cowardly and crafty mortals became too fearful to do much, lest they die and find themselves before Kelemvor. This, in combination with Mystra's unjust granting of magic, favoring only those good, brought unintentional imbalance and robbed the other deities of potential worshipers. Being exposed by Cyric, Kelemvor and Mystra were accused by the Circle of Greater Gods of being guilty of Incompetence by Humanity.


Kelemvor wondered how he could judge the damned, when he himself failed his own personal judgment. He gradually came to realize that there is nothing human in being a god. To correct his mistakes, great changes were undergone in his realm, as well as in himself. The City of the Dead was changed to a gray world, not truly light, not totally dark, simply dull gray. Gone was the good and evil in the City, only indifference and silence remained. The once diamond-like Crystal Spire was also smoked the color of topaz. Kelemvor also rid himself of all signs of humanity in order to properly fulfill his duties, which means replacing the warrior-like human he used to assume with a darkly robed figure, his raven black hair turned to silver, his eyes became pupiless, his appearance aged, his armor tattered and black, and donned a silver death mask.


He then conducted the Re-evaluation, where all souls in the City were to be judged according to new criteria, then be sentenced to new places in the City. Souls being judged will not find torture, but neither will they find joy. They will exist with souls ethically similar to themselves.

During the process, Adon (Kelemvor and Mystra's mutual friend, as well the patriarch of Mystra's new church) was driven mad by Cyric's trickery, losing his faith in Mystra, and had died a faithless soul. Mystra came to Kelemvor and asked for Adon's soul, which Kelemvor steadfastly refused since Adon was now one of the Faithless, or perhaps even the False. This, along with Kelemvor's loss of passion, eventually caused the breaking up of their relationship.


Relationships:

As mortals, Kelemvor and Midnight were lovers, but it is unlikely this was maintained after Midnight's ascension to take Mystra's place as they were afterwards both deities with responsibilities (Crucible: The Trial of Cyric the Mad gives an account of the end of Kelemvor and the new Mystra's love — though via a possibly unreliable author). Kelemvor's greatest enemy was Cyric, but he also fiercely opposed the machinations of Velsharoon, the necromancer god who animated the dead into undead and used them for unjust and evil deeds, and thus stood against everything Kelemvor worked for, and Talona, for the unnatural deaths caused by her diseases. This also made him an ally of Lathander the Morninglord, who also opposed undeath. Kelemvor maintained practical alliances with good and neutral-aligned gods of death in other pantheons — Sehanine Moonbow primarily and formerly Urogalan and Osiris as well. Kelemvor was served by the original deity of death, the mysterious, fatalistic, and pragmatic Jergal, who kept records of the final disposition of spirits of the deceased

---

Tempus:

Lord of Battles, the god of war. His dogma was primarily concerned with honorable battle, forbidding cowardice and encouraging the use of force of arms to settle disputes.

History:

Tempus was originally one of many potential war gods who emerged from the primordial clashes between Selûne and Shar. These gods fought constantly with each other, the victors absorbing the essence and power of the defeated. This continued until Tempus stood as the sole god of war in the Faerûnian pantheon, having defeated and absorbed all of his competitors (with the notable exception of Garagos, whom he defeated but spared). The barbarians of Icewind Dale claim that Tempus original name is "Tempos" 


The Time of Troubles:

In the Year of Shadows, Tempus' avatar appeared in a ruined castle in Battledale, just over five miles southwest of Essembra. Immediately following the Godswar, Eldan Ambrose, an Amnian cleric of Tempus, saw Tempus during a battle in Swords Creek. After the fighting ended, Ambrose followed his god's trail back to Battledale, and found the castle (which originally belonged to Belarus, a long-dead Tempuran). In the ruins of the great hall, Ambrose had a vision confirming the site as sacred to the Foehammer. Ambrose and his allies rebuilt the castle, establishing the Abbey of the Sword.


Relationships:

Tempus was served by the Red Knight, deity of strategy and war planning, Valkur, god of seaboard warfare, and Uthgar, patron of the Uthgardt barbarians of the Sword Coast North. He opposed and is opposed by Garagos, who was formerly known as Targus and worshipped as the god of war in the now-fallen empire of Netheril until Tempus defeated him and claimed his station, reducing the greater god of war to the demigod today known as Garagos. Tempus slew many other deities aspiring to be the god of war in the past, and it was not certain why he tolerated Garagos' continued existence, having already defeated him once. Some scholars in the Realms believed that Tempus' dislike of mindless slaughter and bloodlust prompted him to spare Garagos so that he could represent those more vicious aspects of war. This was supported by the fact that the Tempuran liturgy stressed honorable combat, not wanton destruction.[citation needed]Sune saw Tempus as her enemy because of the destruction that wars wreak upon beautiful things and people, but Tempus did not consider her worth the conflict. Despite the fact that Tempus' dogma was diametrically opposed to that of Eldath and that he considered her naive for her pacifist outlook, he commanded his followers to not harm those of the goddess of peace, seeing that war was meaningless without peace following, and he punished followers who disobeyed that command.


Tempus was known as the Butcher to the followers of Eilistraee.


Worshipers:

Faerûn was a violent land, and thus from sheer number of worshipers Tempus was one of the mightiest deities in the Realms. Nearly everyone who drew a sword or nocked an arrow had fought alongside a cleric of the Foehammer, and just as many fought against one.



Temples to the Lord of Battle look more like military fortresses than the archetypal temple. They featured barracks, mess halls, armories, and training grounds.


Due to its tendency to have followers and priests on both sides of any engagement, the Church of Tempus had no central authority that might support one side or the other exclusively. Within a given temple or order, however, there was a strict hierarchy and chain of command.


Orders:

Order of the Broken Blade:

The Order of the Broken Blade honored those warriors and clergy who were injured in Tempus's service and can no longer fight in the front lines.

Order of the Steel Fang:
The Order of the Steel Fang was an elite fighting order within the church of Tempus, whose members were often assigned to the most dangerous duties and led by battle-hardened clergymen. Many mercenary companies and knightly fighting orders of crusaders also availed themselves of a connection to the church. One badge of the god seen among his affiliated mercenaries was a rusty brown dagger, shown diagonally with its point to the upper right, dripping four drops of blood.



Dogma:

Tempus' orders to all combatants were simple and direct:



1. Be fearless 2. Never turn away from a fight. 3. Obey the rules of war.


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