The Triad Greater Gods of the gods.pdf · 2018-01-06 · 19 Demigods Ahpuchac N Maras, the Underworld m Earth, Protection, Repose Anahuara NG Amoya, the Moons f Good, Healing, Magic,

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The TriadName Align. Portfolio Gender DomainsCentivus N Creation, Artistry, Possibility m Creation, Knowledge, Protection, TravelChoranus LN Creation, Destiny, Magic m Creation, Knowledge, Magic, Protection,

Strength, TravelIldavir N Creation, Life, Nature, Animals f Animal, Creation, Earth, Plant, Protection

Greater GodsAhriman CE Death, Disease,Darkness, m Chaos, Death, Destruction, Evil

SufferingAmun Tor N Mysteries, Riddles m Air, Fire, Knowledge, Magic, WeatherAuzarr N The Transitive Planes, f Knowledge, Magic, Travel

Teleportation, PsionicsDaenthar LG Earth, Industry, Vows, Trust m Earth, Good, Law, Protection Ireth CG Astronomy, Forestry, Wizardry f Air, Animal, Earth, Good, Knowledge,

MagicMadrah N Earth, Sky m Air, Earth, Magic, Travel, WeatherOlidyra N(g) Travel, Exploration, Adventure f Luck, Plant, Trickery, TravelOrmazd LG Creation,the Sun, Prophecy m Creation, Good, Law, Sun Poderon NG Earth, Commerce, Festivity m Animal, Earth, Good, TrickeryZhühn CE Deception, Corruption, Falsehood m Destruction, Evil, Magic, Trickery

Lesser GodsDelvyr NG Knowledge, Learning, Light m Glory, Good, Knowledge, SunDenithae N Agriculture, Harvest f Earth, Plant, ProtectionElyr CG Healing, Life, Succor f Good, Healing, Liberation, LuckFenwar N Fire, Lightning, the Hearth m Air, Fire, SunGil’Mâridth CE Nightmares, Fear, Night Terrors f Dream, Evil, TrickeryGorhan LG Valor, War, Chivalry m Good, Healing, Strength, WarHidden Lord CE Secrets, Misdirection, Forbidden m Darkness, Evil, Knowledge, Trickery

Lore, ShadowsJusticia LG Justice, Mercy, Defense f Good, Healing, Law, ProtectionKlazath LE War, Subjugation m Destruction, Evil, Law, StrengthLasheeva NE Undeath, Murder, Affliction f Death, Destruction, EvilMyna CN Chance, Circumstance, Fortune f Chaos, Luck, TrickeryNeshti CG Thievery, Trickery, Vigilantism f Chaos, Good, Luck, TrickeryÔæ NG Dreams, Imagination, Storytelling m Dream, Good, ProtectionPelagia N Oceans, Seas, Music, Travel f Protection, Travel, WaterRathul CN Lies, Dissimilation m Chaos, Knowledge, TrickeryShul LN The Moon, Measurement, m Air, Knowledge, Law

Tradition, LiteracySoleth LN Peaceful Death, Solitude m Healing, Law, Protection, ReposeTororthun N/CE Subterrane, Denizens of the f Drow*, Earth, Poison*, Spider* / Drow*,

Underdeep / Malice, Spiders Evil, Poison*, Spider*Ulesh LG Peace, Pacifism m Good, Knowledge, Law, ProtectionValdreth LN Time, Longevity, Integrity m Law, Magic, ProtectionVariag N Ice, Winter, War m Air, Strength, War, WaterWyshalar CN Survival, Vitality f Protection, Travel, TrickeryXeluth NE Violence, War, Strife m Destruction, Evil, Strength, WarYvyn NE Conspiracy, Holy War, Rebellion f Evil, Trickery, War

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DemigodsAhpuchac N Maras, the Underworld m Earth, Protection, ReposeAnahuara NG Amoya, the Moons f Good, Healing, Magic, ReposeAnkharet NE Khonsuria, Sphinxes f Destruction, Evil, Knowledge, TrickeryAristemis NG Strategy, Diplomacy f Good, Knowledge, WarAxaluatl LE Zimala, Nagas, Reptiles m Evil, Death, LawBargúl LE Death, Undead, Drow f Death, Drow*, Law, Undead*Bobugbubilz CE Evil Amphibians m Chaos, Evil, WaterCadixtat CE Chaos m Chaos, DestructionCalchoti CG Kaatlan, Rain, Charity f Good, Healing, Plant, WaterChondri NG Marine Life, Aggression m Good, Strength, WaterCoatlimict NE Kaatlan, War, Carnage, Undeath m Death, Evil, WarCynhuara LG Zimala, Nagas, Reptiles f Good, Healing, MagicElas NE Marine Life, Ambush f Evil, Trickery, WaterGadraak CE Territorialism, Violence m Chaos, Evil, Strength, WarHuamext NG Xulmec, Protection m Earth, Good, ProtectionIlhuicatl NG Athua, the Sea m Good, Protection, Travel, WaterIlquot CN Cold Waters, Marine Predators, m Protection, War, Water

RetributionKagnar CE Savagery, Animality m Destruction, Evil, StrengthLagos CE Antagonism, Reptiles, Savagery m Chaos, Destruction, Evil, StrengthMalotoch CE Scavengers, Ruin, Cannibalism f Air, Chaos, Death, EvilMolgrem LE Militarism, War m Evil, Destruction, Law, WarNarrimunâth LE Disease, Vermin m Death, Destruction, EvilNimlurun CE Filth, Pollution m Death, Destruction, EvilSeptych LE Avarice, Tyranny m Evil, Law, Trickery (current)Sothulth CN(e) Paranoia, Insanity m Chaos, Destruction, Knowledge, TrickeryTeleus LG Law m Good, Law, WarThalass N Terrestrial Waters, Music m Animal, Protection, WaterTlachinozal LE Chuzec, Fire m Earth, Evil, FireThormyr LN(g) Honor, Duty, Protection m Healing, Law, Protection, Strength Traitor CE Betrayal, Chaos, Madness m Chaos, Healing, Madness, TrickeryUrath CE Terror, Voracity m Chaos, Destruction, Evil

Infernal PowersLords of Hell

Amzolol LE Deception mBei’thor LE Cruelty, Sadism mJezuel LE Pain, Torture, Indignity fNethruel LE Obsession, Addiction mSestyruas LE Envy, Covetousness m

Lords of the AbyssAzi Dahaka CE Storms, Waste mIzmaledt CE Obscenity, Malformation mObitu-que CE Domination, Prepotency mQäyaqiq CE Curiosity, Desperation, Suicide ?Tzitzimitl CE Destruction, Ruin f* Domains introduced in The Complete Guide to Drow from Goodman Games.

The PowersAhpuchac

(the Black Jaguar)Demigod, N — TheUnderworld, Maras

Ahpuchac (oh-pu-chak), the BlackJaguar, is the patron god of theXulmec city-state of Maras and theguardian of Mictlan, theUnderworld. He is the bringer of bal-ance, ushering good and evil intodeath and the afterlife that awaits. Itis believed by the people of Xulmecthat one’s destination is determinedas much by the journey through theUnderworld as by the life one led.Ahpuchac prowls Mictlan to ensureall are given a fair chance on thismomentous quest.Once the tribal chieftain of Marasand the founder of its city-state,Ahpuchac gained the mantle of god-hood when he was lured into thedepths by a spiritual jaguar sent byMadrah, the Lord of the Earth andSky. Fulfilling a spiritual need for theXulmec people, the Black Jaguarnow oversees mortality itself, guard-ing the Underworld from the sabo-tage of other divinities. The domains associated withAhpuchac are Earth, Protection, andRepose. His favored weapon is therazor glove, and his symbol is thedepiction of himself in perfect pro-file.

Ahriman(the Deathbringer)

Greater god, CE —Death,Disease, Darkness, Suffering

Ahriman, the Fiendish Spirit, theDeathbringer, is the ancient god ofdarkness and destruction, suffering,and disease—and some believe, oneof the authors of evil itself. LikeOrmazd, his radiant twin, Ahriman isbelieved to have spawned from anobscure, if powerful, neutral deitynamed Zurvan. Ahriman merelywatched as the Triad and the otherdeific powers coalesced the world,studying its creation so he couldlearn how to destroy it again andremake it in his own nightmarishimage. The Fiendish Spirit has given rise tomany infernal beings and darkenedthe hearts of many mortals. Duringthe Reign of Dragons, he sowed thedesire for destruction among themightiest of dragons to bring abouttheir own civil war. When Ahriman’sworship was at its most profound,the desert-dwelling people of Abylosnamed him Angra Mainyu, theDeathbringer. Although the faith ofthe Fiendish Spirit has waned, hisfew remaining followers waitpatiently for signs of his return. Theycling to the prophesied age whenAngra Mainyu slays his twin, thegod Ormazd, Lord of Wisdom. Ahriman is the only god willing totreat with Zhühn openly, forging theoccasional alliance with the Great

Enemy for their mutual benefit—although both mighty gods know thatshould their schemes of destructionbreak apart the world, they will viefor dominance. While Zhühn seeksthe annihilation of existence itself,Ahriman seeks destruction for itsown sake, intending to rebuild againunder his administration.When Ahriman is depicted in reli-gious art, he takes the form of agiant-sized demon with a pair ofmassive black horns and wielding anoversized kukri. The Fiendish Spiritand his hateful clerics weave hiddenalliances among many evil factions,sewing destruction from the darknessand hiding from the followers ofOrmazd until Ahriman’s return,when he will raze the mortal worldundisguised. The domains associated withAhriman are Chaos, Death,Destruction, and Evil. His favoredweapon is the kukri, and his symbolis a demonic visage with two blackhorns.

Amun Tor (theFather of Riddles)Greater god, N —Mystery,

RiddlesAmun Tor (ah-mun-TOR), the Lordof Mystery, the Father of Riddles, isa mysteriarch among gods, the deityof knowledge, the known andunknown. He is the god oncecharged by the Triad to oversee therealms now known as the Lostlands.It was Amun Tor who first led thesphinxes to the majesty that was theKhonsurian Empire, and it wasAmun Tor who warned his daughter,the immortal Queen Ankharet, fromthe path that led to its ruin. Hewatches still over the wind, hills, anddeserts of the Lostlands, the unseenlord of every city and desolation.The Father of Riddles has many fol-lowers, mostly among the peoples ofthe Lostlands, but few real priests

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devote their lives to his enigmaticdogma. True worship of Amun Tor isa mystery in itself; an acolyte muststudy the hieroglyphs of his mazeliketemples for many years to discoverhis doctrines. One of Amun Tor’sonly known tenets is that true poweris worth searching for and is there-fore hidden in riddles. The greatestof his temples, usually half-buried inthe wilds of the Lostlands, arelabyrinthine pyramids hiding divinereliquaries and arcane libraries.Adventurers faced with the prospectof infiltrating one of Amun Tor’stemples know that exceptional perilsand exceptional rewards lie within. The Lord of Mysteries is depicted dif-ferently in each culture of which he isa part. Some see him as a greatandrosphinx, while others see him asa tall elf gilded like the noble servantsof old Khonsuria. Still others repre-sent him only as an eye-shaped glyph. The domains associated with AmunTor are Air, Fire, Knowledge, Magic,and Weather. His favored weapon isthe quarterstaff. His symbol varieswith each culture but often incorpo-rates an image of an eye.

AmzololArchdevil, LE —Deception

Amzolol (ahm-zoe-lol), the Lord ofDeceit, is a cunning archdevil whoadheres strictly to the lawful natureof his infernal kind but weaves loop-holes into the promises he makes.Mortals who wish to deceive theirenemies beseech Amzolol for the

guile to swindle, outwit, or frametheir enemies, little realizing that thedeepest deception and greatest loss istheir own. The Lord of Deceit sus-pends his trickery for his most prom-ising mortal thralls that they mightgrow in worldly power to carry outAmzolol’s will—though the artfulpromises of the Lord of Deceit aresure to snare them in the end. Mostof his human agents are clerics, rogu-ish bureaucrats, and politicians.

Anahuara (theBlessing of Night)Demigod, NG — Amoya,

the MoonsAnahuara (on-uh-woh-ra), the Bless-ing of Night, the Lady Eidolon, theLucent Guardian, is the patroness ofthe Xulmec city-state of Amoya andthe divine keeper of the Southlandmoons. To the Xulmec people, wherethe sun grants the world life onlyfrom afar, the moons grant greatervitality the closer they are to theearth. While the Spectral Moonmeasures time and bestows magicand spiritual balance upon the land,the White Moon keeps the world inphysical equilibrium. Anahuara isthe guardian of both.Once the chieftain-founder of thecity-state of Amoya, Anahuara nowwatches over it as a sentinel of lifeand death and the magic of theSpectral Moon. She is afforded herlunar power by Shul, the Watcher inthe Sky, but affinity for the violet-hued Southland moon is hers alone.

Anahuara is depicted as she was inlife, a tall woman with very long,unbound hair. The mantle of her god-hood is represented in the suit ofbone armor she wears, and in herhands she carries a mace that glowswith the violet light of the SpectralMoon. She is often shown with animbus of the moon behind her.Silver, called the Tears of Anahuara,is a holy material to her faithful andis never used as simple currencyamong the Amoyas. As the moonswax and wane, priests of Anahuarainterpret her will for the lay follow-ers. As with most Amoyas, the fol-lowers of Anahuara revere death asmuch as life itself, seeing both ascoterminous states of existence. Inthe dogma of the Lucent Guardian,undeath has its appropriate time andplace. More often than not, theundead are considered subversionsof the natural order, but there aretimes when the animated dead aresanctioned by Anahuara.The domains associated withAnahuara are Good, Healing, Magic,and Repose. Her favored weapon isthe light mace, whose head clericstypically coat with alchemical silver.The symbol of Anahuara is formedof both moons in varying positions,usually one half-eclipsed by theother.

Ankharet(the Cursed)

Demigod, NE —Khonsuria,Sphinxes

Ankharet (on-kar-ret), the Cursed,the Sphinx Queen, was the demigod-dess who once ruled the KhonsurianEmpire millennia ago. Once knownas Ankharet the Blessed, she wasfathered by Amun Tor himself andset upon the throne of the glorioussphinx empire. She ruled for count-less years and brought prosperity toher kind, ensuring the Reign of Catsas one of the greatest ages ofÁereth’s long history.

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Yet Ankharet brought her ownempire into ruin when she suc-cumbed to corruption and evil. Thecivil war that came of her crimesresulted in the death of half her kindand drove the survivors into a myste-rious exodus. The Sphinx Queen her-self was defeated and imprisoned ina massive tomb in the Barren Hills,where she slumbers still under thewatch of the androsphinx prophetKhubsheth, and Ankharet’s owndaughter, Meraph the Golden.According to prophecy, Ankharetwill sleep until those destined to slayher arrive—or until the champions ofher faith free her to reign again.Within the tomb, Ankharet’s poweris greatly diminished, but should sheescape its mystic confines, she willreturn to her full glory.Few sphinxes remain in the KnownRealms, and fewer still revere thegoddess who brought destruction totheir ancient empire. Yet even thesinister dreams of the sleepingSphinx Queen have inspiredhumanoid cults devoted to returningher to power. None suspect that thegreat statue near Prophet’s Leap, themysterious stone sphinx, now hidesthe Queen’s physical body. But it isonly a matter of time before her fol-lowers find her.Clerics of Ankharet gather inLostlands ruins, consorting with evilcreatures such as lamia andchimeras. These cultists veneratesphinxes above all, but the magicalbeasts seldom treat with them,devouring them more often than not.On rare occasions, hieracosphinxes

allow themselves to be bribed bythese humanoid minions of theirancient queen, perhaps in the tinyhope of seeing their empire rebornone day. Ankharet herself is depictedas a gynosphinx of transcendentbeauty, mighty in stature and grace-ful of body.The domains associated withAnkharet are Destruction, Evil,Knowledge, and Trickery. Herfavored weapon is the razor gloveand her symbol is a fair feminineface, adorned with a Khonsurianheaddress and a black crown. Oftenthis symbol is paired with an ansatecross.

Aristemis(the Insightful One)

Demigod, NG — Strategy,Diplomacy

Aristemis (uh-riss-teh-miss), theClear Thinker, the Insightful One,the Arrow of Vision, is the demi-power of strategy and intelligentcombat. She is the patroness of war-riors and generals, and sometimespoliticians, traders, and even rogues.Alhough Aristemis bears the courageof her lieges, Gorhan and Justicia,she also knows the wisdom of choos-ing her battles, when to walk awayfrom them, and when to use diploma-cy in the place of violence. Generalswho redirect their armies in boldmaneuvers, engage in daring strate-gies, or even retreat, call uponAristemis for her insight. Clerics ofthe Clear Thinker often serve as war

advisors and some multiclass asrangers to serve as military scouts.Aristemis is portrayed as a woman inrobes with piercing eyes, strong fea-tures, and short-cropped dark hair.She carries a great bow, but she isseldom shown using it. In religiousart, Aristemis is often depicted stand-ing to the right of Gorhan, whisper-ing in his ear.The domains Aristemis is associatedwith are Good, Knowledge, and War.Her favored weapon is the longbow,and her symbol is an arrow wrappedloosely in a scroll.

Auzarr (Keeper ofthe Nexus)Greater god, N — The Transitive

Planes, Teleportation, PsionicsAuzarr (oh-zar), Keeper of theNexus, is the abstruse deity of theTransitive Planes, the conduitsbetween realities, and all supernatu-ral passage. She is the guardian ofthe fabric of reality and the strandsthat bind them, maintaining all extra-and nondimensional spaces. Auzarr’smantle of connectivity does notmake her church a popular one onÁereth, but even for a Greater GodAuzarr is largely apathetic towardmortal worship. Those who do revere the Keeper ofthe Nexus understand the need forher work and strive to encourage orlimit the magic of spatial relocation.Psionic creatures often pay homageto Auzarr as well, as much of their

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power is drawn from astral energies.The Keeper of the Nexus is seldomportrayed in religious art, renderedas a nimbus of radiant energy or atall, stately woman.The domains associated with Auzarrare Knowledge, Magic, and Travel.As she has no favored weapon, thefew clerics of the Keeper use theunarmed strike in its place. Her sym-bol is a prism or a silver loom.

Axaluatl (theShadow Serpent)Demigod, LE — Zimala, Nagas,

ReptilesAxaluatl (ah-shal-wah-tuhl), theShadow Serpent, is the demi-powerfathered by Madrah himself to assisthis sister Cynhuara with the rulershipof the Zimalan Empire. In an effortto usurp control from the NagaCouncil, the scheming of Axaluatlhelped bring about the empire’seventual fall. In the wake of Zimala’swar with the sphinxes of Khonsuria,Axaluatl’s own disciples turnedagainst him, withdrawing their devo-tion and slaying his loyal minionsuntil his divinity became impotent.Alone in the dark for millennia, theShadow Serpent has slowly garneredsupport from small cults of lizard-folk, troglodytes, and even dark andspirit nagas still dwelling in the ruinsof Zimala. Determined to rise again,Axaluatl seeks to expand his worshipto include humans. Rumors havereached followers of the Shadow

Serpent that the worship of Cynhuaramay draw her back from death, aconcern that frightens Axaluatl morethan any other. He is determined tostamp out such misguided devotionto his dead sister and slay all remain-ing guardian nagas. The likeness ofAxaluatl remains carved in theancient temples of Zimala, depictinghim as a dark naga of tremendoussize. Legends suggest that he existsin physical form somewhere beneaththe ruins of Teoyotlan.The domains associated withAxaluatl are Evil, Death, and Law.His favored weapon, employed bythose servants who can grip aweapon, is the garrote. The symbolof the Shadow Serpent is his ownbody twined around a jeweled scep-tre.

Azi DahakaDemon prince, CE —Storms,

WasteAzi Dahaka (oz-ee-da-hah-kah) is abestial demon spawned by Ahrimanhimself, one of many evil divinitiesunleashed upon the world by theDeathbringer to wreak destruction.Considered the spiritual inspirationof the hydra, Azi Dahaka is not asubtle demon prince, caring nothingfor deception or cunning. He lives todestroy and suffers mortal thrallsonly if they promise to carry outschemes that bring ruin and waste tocivilization. Long ago, a physicalmanifestation of Azi Dahaka wasimprisoned within an Áerethiandesert beneath a dome of enchantedglass. Releasing this multi-headedserpent is only the first step in stir-ring the bound demon. Like thehydra’s head, killing one of AziDahaka’s physical forms spawns twoin its place. Each new body is birthedin the bowels of the Abyss and setsupon one goal: Return to theMaterial Plane to destroy.

Bargul (the Swordof Darkness)Demigod, LE — Death,

Undead, DrowBargúl (bar-gool), the Sword ofDarkness, Leader of the Hosts ofThorrin, is the heroine goddess of thedrow. When the rebel elves fled fromthe subjugations of Khonsuria, it wasthe warrior-maid Bargúl who drovethe Kindred Wars to its bloody cli-max and led her people into thedepths of Áereth. Having broughther people so far into the darkness,Bargúl at last found salvation whenshe heard the call of Tororthun, theestranged goddess of the depths. Upon her death, the Leader of theHosts was rewarded with divinity asthe necromantic swordmaiden ofTororthun’s evil aspect, the SpiderQueen—Bargúl brings the only sem-blance of true law to the otherwiseselfish society of her people. Servingnow as the drow patroness of deathand the undead, the Sword ofDarkness is only sparingly wor-shipped but remains a hero to drowthroughout the Underdeep for havingfreed them from the tyranny of theOverworld. The clergy of Bargúl are militantwarrior-priestesses whose strategy inbattle involves animating the dead oftheir fallen that they may fight anew.Despite this practice—or perhaps toexplain it—all drow life is sacred toBargúl. Her faithful are forbidden toslay other drow in cold blood and

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must take care even if forced to fightthem fairly. This respect for her ownkind is often at odds with the SpiderQueen’s erratic ways, but Bargúldoes not relent on her stance. The domains associated with Bargúlare Death, Drow, Law, and Undead.Her favored weapon is the long orshort sword (clerics must chooseone), and her symbol is a skeletalsoldier, usually depicted with flow-ing white hair like her own.

Bei’thor(Centurion of Evil)

Archdevil, LE — Cruelty, SadismBei’thor (bay-ih-tour), an arrogantarchdevil styling himself theCenturion of Evil, leads an eternalcampaign to corrupt mortals withsins of wanton cruelty. When tri-umphant armies conquer neighbor-ing lands, it is his influence whichleads to needless slaughter, wicked-ness, and privation. Blackguards ofBei’thor are called the Knights ofDarkness, a name as vainglorious asthe devil they serve. Bei’thor, once ahalf-fiend mortal, attained the title ofarchdevil after centuries of unspeak-able deeds. Despite his nefariousreputation, Bei’thor is most famousfor his legendary defeat at the handsof Tevron. A powerful hound archonand champion of Justicia, Tevronsaved the Northlands with his bril-liant stratagems, personally sendingBei’thor in retreat to the depths ofHell.

Bobugbubilz(the Toadfiend)

Demigod, CE — Evil AmphibiansBobugbubilz (bo-bug-bub-ilz), theToadfiend God, is the slimy god ofevil amphibians, turbid water andslime, and the mephitis of foulplaces. A chaotic power of mires andmalodorous life, Bobugbubilz is con-tent simply to spread his putrid off-spring across the planes and let themmultiply and sow discord and miserywhere they will. The Material Planeis, of course, his favorite realm uponwhich to inflict his foul progeny. Thedisgust he and his clergy garneramong the fairer races serves only toamuse Bobugbubilz.The Toadfiend bears no relation toPelagia, but many of his servantsdwell within her oceans and seas. Heis served primarily by anomalousmembers of various amphibiousraces, including locathahs, scrags,and sahuagin. Human cults spring upnow and again in his wake, carryingout deviant rites and spawning newcreatures in his name. Appropriately,Bobugbubilz’s physical form isbelieved to be a bloated, toad-likemonstrosity of alarming size, his ran-cid odor preceding his appearance.The domains associated withBobugbubilz are Chaos, Evil, andWater. His favored weapon is thewhip and his symbol is the leering,malformed head of a toad.

Cadixtat (theSevered Chaos)Demigod, CE — Chaos

Cadixtat (kah-dix-tat), the SunderedMaster, the Severed Chaos, was oncea deific titan and champion toZhühn’s goals of entropy on Áereth.When Teleus the Obedient severedhis hand, his Axe of Unmaking andhis great power were lost to him. Thebalance of Law and Chaos wasrestored when Teleus was withdrawnfrom the world, allowing the moralsof Good and Evil to contend in theirplace. Seeing Cadixtat’s purposeneutralized, Zhühn butchered the restof his body and cast it in pieces downupon the world. Thus disarrayed,each part of the once-great titantwisted into a slumbering aberrationof near-sentience deep beneath thesurface. Over the subsequent ages,cults have coalesced to worship thesecreatures, laboring with profanemagic to awaken them. The con-sciousness of Cadixtat himself iseffectively inactive, dispersed andunknowing, but rumors among somecircles of the occult claim that unit-ing his limbs could resurrect theSundered Master. What agendaCadixtat would follow or who hewould serve, were he to reform, are amatter of pure speculation. The domains associated withCadixtat and his aberrant body partsare Chaos and Destruction, thoughZhühn himself likely grants anyspells from his worship. The favoredweapon of Cadixtat is the battle axeand his symbol is simply a mesh ofcrisscrossing lines in random direc-tions. Children who scribble areoften scolded for accidentally evok-ing the sign of Cadixtat.

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Calchoti(the Rain Queen)

Demigod, CG — Kaatlan, Rain,Charity

Calchoti (kal-cho-tee), the RainQueen, the Virgin Water, is the mag-nanimous patroness of the Xulmeccity-state of Kaatlan. She is thebringer of rainfall and verdant life,playing a vital role for the crops theXulmec harvest. The Rain Queen is adeity who teaches that life is sacredand not to be wasted; one must offerfriendship and charity to one’s neigh-bors and even one’s enemies.Any day of rainfall is a hallowed dayto her clerics, and even violentstorms are regarded with wonder andfear of her power. The clergy ofCalchoti shares an oddly symbioticrelationship with that of Coatlimictthe Skull-Father that none outside ofeither faith can understand. Whileeach god will hold greater sway thanthe other during any given season,the two never war with one anotherdespite their strongly opposed tenets.Calchoti is depicted in temple carv-ings as a small woman with rainfalling from her body. The domains associated with theRain Queen are Good, Healing,Plant, and Water. Her favoredweapon is the atlatl and her symbolis a pitcher pouring water.

Centivus(the Shaper)

Greater god, N — Creation,Artistry, Possibility, Conjuration,

TransmutationCentivus (sent-ih-vus) the Shaper,the Great Artist, is the embodimentof imagination and possibility, adeity of Creation as one of the Triad.Lesser known than Choranus andIldavir, Centivus is a humble god,caring little for mortal worship. He isthe incidental patron of all artists andwizards who study the schools ofconjuration and transmutation.Though few worship him directly,many offer prayers to the GreatArtist when in need of inspiration.Centivus is less adamant in his oppo-sition of Zhühn, but the Shaper, asthe ultimate purveyor of creativityand inventiveness, is still anathemato the Great Enemy.The domains associated withCentivus are Creation, Knowledge,Protection, and Travel. His favoredweapon has changed over the years;lately, it is the light crossbow. Thesymbol of Centivus varies with eachculture in which he is revered.

Chondri(the Voracious)

Demigod, NG — Deep-dwellingMarine Life, Aggression

Chondri (chon-dree), the Voracious,Seraph of the Deep, the Sea-Angel ofBlood, is the twin of Elas as a god ofdeep waters. Often considered anaspect of Pelagia, he is in fact mere-ly one of many children of the CoralQueen. He is a patron of the naturalanimals of the deep sea, most oftenassociated with sharks.Chondri is depicted as a giganticshark with a flattened, skate-likehead and fitted with a terrifying, ser-rated snout like that of some mon-strous sawfish. Though his formstrikes horror into the hearts of allwho see him, the respectful havenothing to fear of this goodly deity.The domains associated withChondri are Good, Strength, andWater. The favored symbol of theSea-Angel is the trident and his sym-bol is the open jaws of a shark.

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Choranus(the Seer Father)

Greater god, LN — Creation,Destiny, Magic

Choranus (kor-uh-niss), the SeerFather, is arguably the most powerfulbeing known to Áereth. Most racesand cultures in the Known Realmsspeak of a god that first created theworld, and most point to a power likehim. He watches Áereth remotely,concerned with its future perhapsmore than its past, delegating presentconcerns to his children and the less-er gods. Though his worshippers are few,Chroranus is often invoked byprophets, seers, and wizards for hisdivine omniscience, and by all thosewho seek the knowledge that one’sown destiny imparts. Followers ofChoranus maintain that every spellor psionic power that glimpses thefuture—be it mere seconds or longyears—must meet approval with theSeer Father. He alone, they believe,can perceive the enormity of thefuture and decides what portents todivulge to the mortal world. In athousand cultures Choranus is givena thousand names and a thousandrepresentations. As a member of theTriad, he is the consort of Ildavir andthe elder brother of Centivus.Choranus is the chief enemy ofZhühn, whose empty Void the SeerFather invaded with his very pres-ence. The domains associated with

Choranus are Creation, Knowledge,Magic, Protection, Strength, andTravel. He has no favored weapon.The symbol of Choranus varies witheach culture in which he is revered.

Coatlimict(the Skull-Father)Demigod, NE — Kaatlan, War,

Carnage, UndeathCoatlimict (ko-aht-li-mikt), theSerpent-Haired, Skull-Father, Princeof the Summer Harvest, and theReaper of Men, is the Xulmec god ofcarnage and undeath. Once a mightyking of Kaatlan, Coatlimict was afavored disciple of Calchoti whoturned from the peace and altruismof her faith. The final years of histyranny ran red with the blood of hisenemies. After Coatlimict was slain,his many pacts with the Lords ofHell earned him a tenuous positionas a demigod. The god of bloodshedand undeath, the Skull-Father is thepatron of warriors, necromancers,and blackguards. Despite his fall into evil, the clergyof the Skull-Father bears an enigmat-ic state of peace with the priesthoodof the Rain Queen, allowing bothfaiths to coexist within Kaatlan.Coatlimict is usually depicted as agiant, overly muscled human with afleshless head and living serpents forhair, wearing a cloak of feathers andbearing his favored weapon. Clericsof the Skull-Father are frightening tobehold, as they often wear the flayedskins of their victims and adorn their

temples with the animated, severedheads of their enemies mounted uponpikes.The domains associated withCoatlimict are Death, Evil, and War.His favored weapon is the two-hand-ed macuahuitl and his symbol is astylized skull from which serpentsslither like the rays of the sun.

Cynhuara (theRadiant Serpent)Demigod, LG — Zimala,

Nagas, ReptilesCynhuara (sin-wahr-uh), the RadiantSerpent, was a demi-goddess siredby Madrah to rule the ZimalanEmpire. When she came of age, shecreated the Naga Council, a demo-cratic assembly that gave greatervoice to her subjects. With theRadiant Serpent at its head, theCouncil begat an age of peacefulexpansion and magical progress. Thepeace came to a terrible end whenCyhara’s brother, Axaluatl, betrayedher and the Council, bringing warfrom the Khonsurian Empire thatdecimated the population. In theattack, Cynhuara herself was slain byMeraph, the half-dragon daughter ofQueen Ankharet.Yet divinity is not so easily extin-guished. Cynhuara has lain in theslumber of death for millennia, butthe rumor of prophecy has begun tocirculate among the guardian nagaswho live today and a handful ofdevoted cults of the Radiant Serpent.

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Asserting that the goddess can bereturned from death, the disciples ofCynhuara have come to understandthat only one person, a young humanfemale, can avail this prophecy:Itlanexca, the adolescent queen ofTeotcoatlan. Herself only a youngacolyte of the Radiant Serpent, thequeen is unaware of her destiny andof the enemies who would see herdead to prevent it.Clerics who worship the slumberinggoddess have their spells granted byMadrah himself—until the goddess’srebirth. The domains associated withthe Radiant Serpent are Good,Healing, and Magic. Her favoredweapon, for those of her followerswho can grasp one, is the flail. Hersymbol is a serpent surrounded by ahalo of flame.

Daenthar (theHallowed Forge)Greater god, LG — Earth,

Industry, Vows, TrustDaenthar (dane-thar), the HallowedForge, the Mountainlord, is the earthgod of industry, blacksmithing, andoaths. He is the patron of miners andall who draw from the rock to shapetools of defense and war. Dwarveswere hewn in the image of Daenthar,and it is indeed the Hallowed Forgethat most of the Bearded Folk vener-ate. Yet other races pay their respectsto him as well, particularly moun-taineers, blacksmiths, and those whowork with their hands. TheMountainlord, a stern god of unwa-

vering law, is well known for hispromised word; when an oath ismade by him or his clerics, one canbe assured the oath will be fulfilled.Though seldom are curses made inhis name, vows of love, justice, andrevenge are common.Daenthar is one of the Greater Gods,and the most serious-minded of hissiblings. He is an earth god likePoderon, but he is dour by compari-son, lacking the levity of his youngerbrother. Gaining the friendship ofDaenthar is a promise of security, forthe Mountainlord defends his own.Daenthar is widely acknowledgedbut his clergy is small; clerics of theHallowed Forge are found mostlywithin stony temples deep withinmountain holds. In ceremony, theyare clad in full battle armor thatvaries with each temple, but theeveryday vestments of theMountainlord’s clergy resemblewell-tailored workman’s attire that isuniform across the Known Realms.When the likeness of Daenthar iscarved in religious art, he alwaysappears as a stout human or talldwarf, either standing over a forge orarrayed in heavy battle armor. The domains associated with theMountainlord are Earth, Good, Law,and Protection. His favored weaponis the warhammer, while the symbolof Daenthar is a forging hammer setagainst a cracked mountain.

Delvyr(the Luminous)

Lesser god, NG — Knowledge,Learning, Light

Delvyr (del-veer), the Luminous, theRevealing Light, the HallowedDocent, is the deity of education,knowledge, and radiance. He is thepatron god of scholars, librarians,educators, and warriors who fight forthe preservation of truth. Learnedbards and chroniclers revere Delvyrabove others, for he strives to revealall secrets and unmask the guises of

evil and all those who would buryknowledge. He is also the god ofsunlight and exposure, the purveyorof open truth and unclouded opinion.Clerics and paladins who serveDelvyr are chief opponents of theundead, bringing purifying sunlightto bear against them. Monks, bards,and scholars devoted to theRevealing Light often spend longhours in research, although Delvyrdoes not seek to hold up his follow-ers in dusty libraries forever. Thesearch for knowledge is an activeone; the Church of Delvyr oftenfunds expeditions to recover lostlore, forgotten mythos, records fromfallen civilizations, or even magicsburied by the ages. In religious renderings, Delvyr isalways shown dwelling in places oflore, such as libraries, archaeologicaldigs, and council chambers. Withinthese environments, he is shown infour stages of life: a child, a youth, amiddle-aged man, and an elder todepict one’s need to learn throughoutone’s life. Delvyr is a known enemyto the Hidden Lord, whose shadowshe intends to illuminate, whosesecrets he aims to reveal. Though adeity of undisputable good, Delvyrbelieves in truth for truth’s sake;even harmful or blasphemous lore isbest brought to light and carefullyguarded, rather than left hidden forthe unwary to find. The domains associated with Delvyrare Glory, Good, Knowledge, andSun. His favored weapon is theshortbow and his symbol is an arrowlying upon an open book.

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Elas (the Lurker)Demigod, NE — Deep-dwelling

Marine Life, AmbushElas (ee-loss), the Lurker, She-Devilof the Deep, is a wicked and capri-cious terror of the ocean floor. Everat war with her brother Chondri theVoracious, together they rule overthe deep seas and its most fearsomecreatures.Elas is a deity of extreme cunningand a mistress of ambush. She isdepicted as a colossal manta ray withthe head and notorious jaws of amassive moray eel. When Elas takesphysical form within Áereth’s ocean,she is a true monster of the deep.While her dorsal side is perfectlycamouflaged against the seabed, herventral is an otherworldly wash ofprismatic effulgence. Those wholook upon it are irresistibly drawninto her waiting jaws of death. Hernumerous tails are long, barbed, andpoisonous. She spends most of hertime resting on the ocean floor, lay-ing in wait for prey deserving of herinterest. Clerics of the Lurker are pri-marily sahuagin and locathahs.The domains associated with Elasare Evil, Trickery, and Water. Thefavored weapon of Elas is the tridentand her symbol is a manta ray or asand dollar rimmed with spearpoints.

Elyr(the Healing Touch)Lesser god, CG — Healing, Life,

SuccorElyr (el-eer), the Healing Touch, theMaiden of Life, the Binder ofWounds, the Sustainer, is the god-dess of continued life, the purging ofsickness, and the binding of all hurts.She is the patroness of those whogive aid to others, be they home-dwelling healers or warriors whobrave enemy territory to rescue cap-tives. Born immaculate from theblood of Ildavir, Elyr takes her moth-er’s devotion to life to a zealousextreme, believing that life should besustained at all costs and is worthany risk. Elyr’s well-meaning, uncompromis-ing dogma is often at odds with thetenets of Soleth, which state thatthere is a time for merciful death.Clerics of the Healing Touch are ablessing to the wounded and those inperil, but often a bane to the dyingwho prefer the release of death. Elyrdoes not enjoy suffering, but herdrive to stave off death outweighsthe need to relieve pain. Accordingly,the Maiden of Life abhors theundead, and her clerics often join thefaithful of Delvyr in their crusades todestroy them. Elyr wages greatopposition to the machinations ofZhühn, for she adores creation andthe restoration of life in all its forms.The Maiden of Life is usually depict-ed as a radiant young woman in sim-ple robes, tending the sick and

wounded. No matter what armor orvestments they wear, clerics of Elyrare recognizable by their very long,well-groomed hair, vowing never tocut it once they join the clergy, as asymbol of long and enduring life.The domains associated with Elyrare Good, Healing, Liberation, andLuck. Her favored weapon is thesling. The symbol of the Maiden ofLife is a radiant hand, sometimesshown clasping or touching the palmof a withered hand.

Fenwar(the Firelord)Lesser god, N — Fire,Lightning, the Hearth

Fenwar (fen-wahr), the Firelord, theBlazing King, is the god of forestfires, lightning storms, hot springs,and the kinetic energies of naturewherever they manifest—volcanoes,auroras, fireflies. He is the patron ofcreatures inured to fire or lightning,but also of simple people who relyupon the fires of the hearth to keeptheir homes warm. As a god in serv-ice to Ildavir, Fenwar maintains thebalance of nature with his phenome-na of heat and flame.Known for his temper, Fenwar doesnot tolerate those who abuse hisdominion. Clerics and druids of theFirelord never cause forest fires, butthey do permit them to run theircourse as part of Áereth’s cycle oflife. They do investigate such holo-causts, however, if they have reason

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to suspect mortal instigation.Temples of Fenwar, though uncom-mon, are great lodges of stone withwindows open to the sky. Altars,resembling massive hearths, are usu-ally guarded by fire, magma, orsteam mephits. Holy days areobserved during lightning storms,when Fenwar is the most active.The domains associated with Fenwarare Air, Fire, and Sun. His favoredweapon is the halberd, and his sym-bol is a man-shaped figure wreathedin flame or electricity.

Gil’Maridth(the Torment)

Lesser god, CE — Nightmares,Fear, Night Terrors

Gil’Mâridth (gil-mahr-idth), theTorment, the Great Hag, the Dread ofNight, formerly a being ofunmatched evil and power in theSancturn Pantheon’s homeworld,refused to be lowered beneathÁereth’s greater gods. Instead, sheescaped into the Dream held aloft byÔæ where she reigns rivaled only byÔæ himself and, like him, existsalmost without body or awarenessbeyond that imagined realm. Out ofsight to most dreamers, Gil’Mâridthand her cult of shanghaied dreamerswage a tireless battle with Ôæ andhis faithful in an effort to reclaim theDream and shape it to her liking, justas she has since before the dawn ofÁereth. The Great Hag’s dominionwithin the Dream is a realm ofunimagined horror, and she will not

relent until every dream has beenmade part of her nightmare.With the near-consummate power ofÔæ, however, Gil’Mâridth’s aim isnot an easy one. Yet the march offear and misery in the waking worlddisquiets dreamers’ dreams, invitingthe Torment’s terrifying intrusion.Unbelieved if not unknown by mostmortals, the war she wages threatensvery real repercussions for everydreamer in the waking world shouldshe achieve her frightening designs.For the Cult of Mâridth, the enormi-ty of potential misery brought onfrom such troubles as plagues andwars—and especially theNorthlands’ Scourge—gives themhope. The unquiet clerics of the Tormentare recruited by senior priests of thefaith who enter their nightmares anddrive them to the edge of sanity untilthey come to understand the creedsof Gil’Mâridth. These disturbedbelievers live anonymously andwork diligently to poison the wakinglives of dreamers with terror theyshould carry with them in their sleep.Most of them function independent-ly, haunting individuals according toinstructions received in their owntortured dreams, but elite sects of theCult of Mâridth exist, often in coor-dination with other evil faiths. Thespread of mental anguish—andhence, troubled dreams—fuels theTorment’s power within the Dream.The Dread of Night is the antithesisof hope and safety, fulfilling adreamer’s worst imagined horror. Bydefault, she is depicted as a nighthag, a creature commonly connectedto her faith.The domains associated withGil’Mâridth are Dream, Evil, andTrickery. She is no purveyor ofdeath, preferring the sedation andunconsciousness of her enemies toensure their arrival in her dominion.For this reason, clerics of theTorment employ poisons such as oilof taggit and blue whinnis. When

forced into combat, they wield thesap, Gil’Mâridth’s favored weapon.Her symbol is a dark spiral or vortexreflecting the reoccurring image cen-tral to her priests’ nightmares.

Gorhan (theHelmed Vengeance)Lesser god, LG — Valor,

War, ChivalryGorhan (gor-han), the HelmedVengeance, the Brave One, He WhoFights First, is the deity of assertivecombat and valorous accomplish-ments. He is the patron god of thosewho fight with courage against thelawless and corrupt. Nonhumansoften favor Gorhan in their darkesthour, but usually know him by a dif-ferent name. Most of the BraveOne’s faithful are paladins and cava-liers, and even elves have foundedknightly orders in his name. His fer-vor against evil often outweighs hisreason, and his followers evince thesame trait.Gorhan is always depicted as a slen-der knight in luminous, goldenarmor, a radiant longsword andshield in hand. The visor of his helmalways hides his face, revealing himas neither human nor elven in coun-tenance. Gorhan is the husband ofJusticia and embodies the emphaticforce that carries out her righteousdecrees. When forgiveness orreprieve are no longer options for theguilty, the Helmed Vengeancebecomes the executioner. Clerics ofGorhan respect valor above all, and

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those who’ve proven their courageagainst the face of true evil earn theright to wear armor emblazoned withtheir deity’s sacred symbol. Thoughthey wear standard vestments withintheir temples, clerics and paladins ofthe Brave One favor the anonymityof visored helms on the battlefield.The domains Gorhan is associatedwith are Good, Healing, Strength,and War. His favored weapon is thelongsword, and his symbol is such asword stained with black blood.Those temples that honor bothGorhan and his wife merge theirsymbols together as one.

Hidden LordLesser god, CE — Secrets,

Misdirection, Forbidden Lore,Shadows

The Hidden Lord, the Cloaked One,the Keeper of Forbidden Lore, or Heof Many Names is a deity of theshadows, an unseen master of darkplaces and darker secrets. Thosemortals who seek heretical writingsand buried truths inevitably findthemselves coveting the power of theHidden Lord—whether they know itor not. The Cloaked One is one of thefew gods who do not openly preachtheir tenets, for his ways are by theirvery nature concealed. His clergy,the Hidden Path, is a well-organizedsecret society that carries out its evilagenda through clandestine means,feigning the worship of other godsand communicating to each otherwith complex codes. In every land heis known with a different name—such as Nuurifar, Crypticus, orSalderast—and whenever one ofthese names become fairly estab-lished, his clergy renames him.The Hidden Lord is never portrayedin any form; any depiction of him isintended to mislead. Some affiliatethe Hidden Lord with Zhühn due tohis secret agendas, but this is inaccu-rate; the Hidden Lord seeks power,while Zhühn seeks to remove all

power. There is no common appear-ance among his faithful. If there is ameans to identify a cleric of theHidden Lord, they do not share itoutside their own. Any priest whoturns from the Hidden Path ismarked for death.The domains associated with theCloaked One are Darkness, Evil,Knowledge, and Trickery. His sym-bol, very rarely seen, is a black cowlconcealing a wispy visage and a pairof glowing eyes. A cleric of theHidden Lord can use the holy sym-bol of any neutral or evil deity tochannel their spells. The HiddenLord’s favored weapon is a wavy-bladed dagger.

Huamext(the Restored)

Demigod, NG — Xulmec,Protection

Huamext (woh-mesht), the Guardianand Preserver, is the reincarnation ofthe hero-turned-god Huamec theDeliverer. Once a chieftain of hispeople, Huamec first led the humanslaves to freedom from the nagaempire of Zimala. After establishingthem in the Xulmec peninsula,Huamec ascended into divinity, onlyto sacrifice his immortal life to savehis people in the War of DivineRight. Centuries later, Huamecemerged again, revived by one of hisdescendants, a priestess namedIxtique. Having achieved divinityherself with the sole purpose of res-urrecting her ancestor and god, herspirit fused with his and a new aspectof both exists in the form ofHuamext. Huamext is the god of vig-ilance for all of Xulmec, a deitykeeping surveillance on the landsand its people. Huamext is often considered the eld-est human son of Madrah, for hegives of himself more than any ofMadrah’s progeny. Although he isworshipped primarily in Teotcoatlan,Huamec is a legend and hero to all

tribes of Xulmec, and shrines toHuamext exist in every city so thepeople can pay him their respect. Inhis temples, the Guardian is depictedas he was in life, a bear of a manwielding a massive warclub andsometimes wearing armor madefrom the scales of a dragon; at hisside is always a young girl, repre-senting the spirit of Ixtique who gaveHuamec renewed life. Nevertheless,both are worshipped as Huamext, asingle deity. Priests of the Guardianand Preserver are open-minded, will-ing to form allegiances with foreign-ers but never willing to risk the secu-rity of all Xulmec. Huamext and hisclergy disapprove of the infightingthat often exists between the city-states, a state of attrition they cannotfoil. It was priests of Huamec whowere first taught the rites to createliving idols (see Chapter 3), and forthis reason every temple to Huamextis guarded by one of the idols. The domains associated withHuamext are Earth, Good, andProtection. His favored weapon isthe greatclub and his symbol is aquetzal-feathered phoenix.

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Ildavir (theGiver of Form)Greater god, N — Creation, Life,

Nature, AnimalsIldavir (il-duh-veer), the Giver ofForm, the Mother of Essence, isoften overlooked but is no less pow-erful than the others of the Triad. Itwas Ildavir who first gave corporealform to the creatures of Áereth, set-ting them into the cyclic arrays ofnature and granting them the abilityto procreate. As a goddess ofCreation, Ildavir stands aloof fromthe world, seeing that it moves asintended only on a global scale. Evenso, some choose to worship herdirectly. Clerics and druids of theOld Faith, as it is called, know theMother of Essence to be the foremostgod of nature itself, the origin of allearthly life. They place great value inphysical creatures, objects, andplaces. Simultaneously materialisticand humble, Ildirians preach thevalue of the world and its workingsand strive always to protect natureand its children. Farmers, agricultur-ists, and even hunters regularly offertribute to the Giver of Form.When depicted, Ildavir is envisionedas a winged dryad or sylph and bear-ing the antlers of a caribou orgazelle. She stands always apartfrom the world, and yet in contactwith it, providing nourishment. Sheis the consort of Choranus and themother of Ireth, Daenthar, Poderon,and Olidyra. The goddess Elyr is heryoungest progeny, who sprang fully

formed from a wound dealt her byZhühn, her foremost enemy. Thegods who despoil nature, such asMalotoch, Nimlurun, andNarrimunâth, are often the objects ofher anger.The domains associated with theMother of Essence are Animal,Creation, Earth, Plant, andProtection. Her favored weapon isthe scythe and her symbol is a leaf,frond, or tree.

Ilhuicatl(Lord of the Reef)

Demigod, NG — Athua, the SeaIlhuicatl (il-hwee-kotl), Lord of theReef, is the patron god of the Xulmeccity-state of Athua, given divine sta-tus by Madrah and fostered by theocean goddess Pelagia. To theAthuans, he is the personification ofthe sea itself, though even they rec-ognize the existence of Pelagia as themotherly, oceanic goddess abovehim. Ilhuicatl is the protector of allgoodly, marine-dwelling creatures,including merfolk and tritons.Ilhuicatl is depicted as a noble tritonwith the Southland features of aXulmec human. According to leg-end, as a mortal man he fell in lovewith a mermaid who beckoned himinto the sea, where he joined with thespirit of Pelagia herself. Porpoisesand dolphins are sacred animals inthe faith of the Lord of the Reef, andhuman clerics of Ilhuicatl maintainstrong contact with the clerics of

merfolk and tritons who also reverehim.The domains associated withIlhuicatl are Good, Protection,Travel, and Water. His favoredweapon is the spear, and his symbolis a conch.

Ilquot (TheBell in the Deep)Demigod, CN — Cold Waters of

the North, Marine Predators,Retribution

Ilquot (il-quot), the Bell in the Deep,the Bellowing Bray of Night, is thefierce and jealous protector of thefrigid northern oceans. He is thepatron not only of those living uponthe northern coasts but also the pred-ators that keep their fragile ecosys-tems healthy. Ilquot is, in fact, theirtop predator, a rare and unseenhunter letting no beast take morethan its fair share. Like his brothers and sisters, Ilquotwatches over a realm bequeathed tohim by his mother Pelagia. Amongthem, his reputation is the dourest,yet his spirit is as ferocious withinthe seas’ krakens and orcas as it isgentle with its puffins’ chicks. Thesavage clerics of Ilquot must live alife as wild and brutal as his favoredchildren, the creatures of the icywaters, though their numbers are fewand dwindling. Without the presenceof Ilquot’s clerics as wardens of thecold northern seas, local priests havehad to take special care not to

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infringe upon this gelid divinity’ssimple yet easily disregarded tenets.When a larger number of mortals aredisrespectful of the sea, Ilquot isquick to bring retribution upon them,inciting his faithful to war. The Bellin the Deep is usually depicted as anintimidating humanoid with the headof some great animal of the arcticseas, typically a walrus, polar bear,or octopus.The domains associated with Ilquotare Protection, War, and Water. Thefavored weapon of Ilquot is the har-poon, interchangeable with thejavelin. His symbol is a pair ofcrossed narwhal tusks, often frozenin ice.

Ireth (theStarmistress)Greater god, CG — Astronomy,

Forestry, WizardryIreth (eer-ith), the Starmistress, theStargazer, the Verdant Mantle, is thegoddess of the night sky, woodlands,and magic. She is the patroness ofastronomers, navigators, and woods-men who respect the balance ofnature. Ireth is the primary deityworshipped by the elves of Áereth.The elven race was fashioned in herimage, reflecting her virtues, love ofknowledge and art, and fascinationwith magic. Though possessed of adisciplined mind, Ireth is neverthe-less whimsical, a trait bestowed uponthe elves at their creation. Eschewing formal temples, the

Stargazer’s places of worship takemany forms, from hallowed forestglades open to the sky to stargazingobservatories and sky-lit libraries.Elves, studious wizards, and thosewho look beyond Áereth itself intothe stars themselves all pay theirrespects to the Starmistress. She is amystic deity who embodies bothworldliness and the unearthly mys-teries of existence itself. Ireth is the eldest child of Choranusand Ildavir. When she is rendered inreligious art, Ireth appears as a slen-der wizard in modest, voluminousrobes with long, flowing tresses. Sheis often shown with a spellbook inhand and a sheathed sword at herhip—or else wielding the sword withthe book under one arm. She is typi-cally depicted as elven, half-elven, orhuman. The domains associated with Irethare Air, Animal, Earth, Good,Knowledge, and Magic. Her favoredweapon is the longsword and hersymbol is a pair of eyes with star-flecked pupils.

Izmaledt (the Lordof Many Forms)Demon prince, CE — Obscenities,

MalformationIzmaledt (iz-muh-let), the Lord ofMany Forms, is the demon prince ofphysical blasphemies, the purveyorof putrid flesh, and the hybridizationof unnatural horrors. Those who findthe loathsome worship of Nimluruntoo systematic for their tastes oftenfind themselves thralls to Izmaledt,for the Lord of Many Forms offersobscenity without reason. Usuallystricken with contagions themselves,cultists of Izmaledt are typicallyfound in the company of the foulercreatures of Áereth, such as otyughs,gibbering mouthers, or oozes.Wizards in the service of the Lord ofMany Forms experiment with theflesh of their enemies, stitching andrearranging limbs from one creature

to another, and a liberal use of trans-mutation magic is a common pastimefor such depraved souls.

JezuelArchdevil, LE — Pain, Torture,

IndignityJezuel (jez-ooh-el), a sadistic she-devil who calls herself the Queen ofTribulation, seeks always to bringphysical and mental anguish to mor-tals. She alleviates the suffering ofher worshippers while they live, onlyto bring it a hundredfold upon themwhen their souls are in her grasp. Toearn her protection, the depravedcultists of Jezuel must inflict agoniesupon others, but her demand for tor-ment does not end with physicalpain. Indignity and shame are herfavorite afflictions to work upon themortal mind, and for this reason shespends a great deal of her effortspreading misery like a plague. Thefather who cannot feed his starvingchildren, the soldier whose terrorleads him to abandon his comradeswhen they are in need, the midwifewho fails to save the newbornchild—these Jezuel names her great-est triumphs.

Justicia(the Helmless Vigil)

Lesser god, LG — Justice,Mercy, Defense

Justicia (jus-ti-shuh), the HighestMagistress, the Restoring Flame, theHelmless Vigil, is the goddess ofmercy, justice, and defensive com-bat. As the patroness of judges, law-men, and knights, she oversees jus-tice in all its forms, be it in a court oflaw or the field of battle. As thepatroness of guardians and the benef-icent, Justicia seeks to remedy allhurts and redeem all evil. Those whoadmit their crimes can find forgive-ness with the Restoring Flame, butwhen evil fails to repent, she burnswith a purifying fire. Though she

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favors the moral virtues of good,Justicia usually remains impartial tothe laws of the land in which she isrevered.Justicia is the wife of Gorhan—she isthe voice of reason behind his unwa-vering valor. She is depicted as astatuesque knight in silver armor. Inone hand, she holds the scales of jus-tice, and in the other, a gildedlongsword. Long dark hair spillsfrom her head. She never wears ahelm, preferring to look into the eyesof those she judges. When armored,clerics and paladins of the HighestMagistress shun the use of visors,preferring open-faced helms as theymarch into battle.The domains associated with Justiciaare Good, Healing, Law, andProtection. Her favored weapon is alongsword. Her symbol, a shieldbearing radiant eyes with alongsword held against its face, isoften merged with that of her hus-band’s in joint worship.

Klazath (theCrimson Banner)Lesser god, LE — War,

SubjugationKlazath (klah-zuth), the CrimsonBanner, the Rain of Death, is the godof glory through violence, conflict,and war for its own sake. He is thepatron of conquerors, tyrants, andmartial governments, as well as indi-vidual soldiers who believe that thehonor of battle itself outweighs all

consequences. Followers of Klazathconsider peace an enervating state, astagnation that weakens all parties.The dogma of the Crimson Bannerdemands the necessity of war, citingnature—the design of Ildavir her-self—as a model for unending vio-lence. The weak, Klazath teaches,must be slain so they do not consumethe resources needed for the strong.Barring that, they must be subjugat-ed to serve the interests of the con-querors. Klazath is not a popular godin many lands, but generals andkings often rally in the name of theCrimson Banner to justify theirmeans. Be it true piety or lip service,the clerics of Klazath welcome allbloodshed in his name.A god of needless war, Klazath is thecurrent consort of Yvyn, theRighteous Slaughter. He is also aprime enemy of Justicia and Gorhan,whom he enjoys luring onto the bat-tlefield. Klazath is depicted as a war-rior in black plate armor, half spat-tered with blood, wearing an elabo-rate plumed or horned helm. In hismailed fists, he carries a great waraxe. The war priests of the CrimsonBanner smear their own blood ontheir armor before a battle, signify-ing their willingness to bleed fortheir faith.The domains associated with theRain of Death are Destruction, Evil,Law, and Strength. His symbol is abloodstained, double-headed axe ofblack metal. Accordingly, the bat-tleaxe is his favored weapon.

Lagos(the Scaly God)

Demigod, CE — Antagonism,Reptiles, Savagery

Lagos (loh-gos), the Scaly God, theScaled One, is the demigod of reptil-ian creatures and subterranean caves,violence, and battles for supremacy.The hostility Lagos exhibits is fiercebut brief, and this trait is commoneven among those he lords over. Atthe core, he is indolent and selfish,offering his favor only in passing andvery little else. It is believed that hewill personally devour those whodisplease him, and Lagos is notknown for his patience. He is givento fits of rage and lustful indul-gences.Lagos is portrayed as a tremendouswide-mouthed reptile with a longtongue, razor claws, and a thick,club-like tail. His green-blue, scalyhide is scarred and peeling, and he isalways depicted in acts of aggres-sion. His servants, appropriately, aremostly troglodytes, kobolds, or evil-minded lizardfolk. Cave-dwellinghumans have been known to worshipLagos as well, primitive barbariansas violent as the reptiles the ScalyGod represents. Spiritual leaders ofsuch tribes who serve Lagos are usu-ally shamans and adepts, offeringregular blood sacrifices at crudeshrines.The domains associated with Lagosare Chaos, Destruction, Evil, andStrength. Most of his followers

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would rather use teeth and claws incombat; when forced to wield aweapon, the morningstar is the god’sfavored choice. The symbol of theScaly God is a stony archway linedwith reptilian teeth.

Lasheeva (LadyDissolution)Lesser god, NE — Undeath,

Murder, AfflictionLasheeva (lah-shee-vuh), LadyDissolution, the Cold Seductress, theBlack Desecration, the Daughter ofNightmares, is the goddess ofundeath and the termination of natu-ral life. When mortals first felt thecold grip of death upon them, it wasLasheeva who offered an attractive,if macabre, alternative. Grantingchoice creatures her chilling touch,the goddess personally introducedthe curse of undeath to Áereth.Lasheeva is the unequivocal wardenof the Negative Energy Plane andthereby gives new, “blessed” life tothe dead. With this defiance of thegods’ despotic mandate of mortality,she seduces countless souls into herdark fold.Priests of opposing faiths theorizethat Lasheeva was Áereth’s first andmost powerful lich who ascended todivinity with the support of a cabalof evil gods, but clerics of Lasheevaknow that it was Lady Dissolutionherself—an ancient princess of theSancturn Pantheon—who bestowedthe mantle of lichdom upon willingmortals and personally crafted the

first phylacteries that sustain hergreatest protégés. Even the mostimpious of intelligent undeadacknowledge Lasheeva as the god-dess of their own unliving existence,but many revere her outright. Thelargest temples of the LadyDissolution, subterranean crypts des-ecrated in her name, are guarded bymummies and liches of the foulestsort. High priests and priestesses are,in fact, required to choose the path ofeither undead form at an hourappointed by Lasheeva herself. Hershrines are infamously rife withghouls, zombies, and skeletons.Lasheeva is the daughter ofGil’Mâridth and the immortal enemyof Soleth. Her followers are Áereth’squintessential purveyors of undeath,hoping to spread negative energyacross the world like a plague. Layfollowers of Lasheeva are almostalways dabblers of necromancy andoften find themselves targeted bypaladins. Even the all-hating follow-ers of Zhühn oppose her faithful, forundeath cheats the Great Enemy ofthe obliteration he craves for all life.The domains associated with theBlack Desecration are Death,Destruction, and Evil. Her favoredweapon is the falchion and her sym-bol is a black, jawless skull set withopen, living eyes.

Madrah (Lord ofthe Earth and Sky)Greater god, N — Earth, Sky

Madrah (moh-druh), the Lord of theEarth and Sky, Heart-of-Sky, theMighty Eye, is a greater god of ter-restrial life and aerial forces. Thoughhis dominion technically reachesacross all Áereth, he was charged bythe Triad to oversee the continentand islands that make up theSouthlands. Accordingly, he is seenby most natives of that land as theoverlord of all gods. The Mighty Eyefathered the demigods Cynhuara andAxaluatl, the immortal rulers of the

long-faded Zimalan Empire, andgranted divine ascension to the godsof Xulmec. Madrah is powerful butequivocal, his incarnations as numer-ous as the cultures that worship him.While the humans of Xulmec believehe is the savior of all existence—theonly being capable of keeping theSun from burning the world to ash—the drakon of Ssorlang believe he isa great lord of reptiles preparing theworld for serpent rule. Such varyingaspects, tenets, and origins of theLord of the Earth and Sky can befound carved in temple wallsthroughout the Southlands in theform of simple glyphs and vast, intri-cate mosaics. Though nearly everythinking creature in the Southlandspays some form of homage to him,few worship Madrah directly, insteadworshipping the many spirits,demigods, and divine progenies whoserve him.Those few clerics who venerateMadrah directly, many of whom aredruids, are as inscrutable as theirgod, often found wandering thebreadth of the Southlands on anunceasing pilgrimage, like caretakersof his dominion. The faithful ofMadrah can be found in many forms:in city streets, garbed in rags andmuttering ancient incantations back-wards, braving the isles of Dujamarin the raiment of dragonhide armor,or counseling the drakon Emperor insilken robes. Northland theologiansare never certain what to make ofthis elder god, his esoteric ways, orhis oracular priests.The domains Madrah is associated

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with are Air, Earth, Magic, Travel,and Weather. His favored weapon isthe shortspear. The symbol of theLord of the Earth and Sky varieswith every culture in which he isrevered.

Malotoch(the Crow God)

Demigod, CE — Scavengers,Ruin, Cannibalism

Malotoch (mal-uh-tock), the CarrionCrow God, the Mother of Ruin, theMistress Defiler, the Crow Witch, isthe patron goddess of scavengers,cannibals, and all those who practiceunclean rites. She is the demonicmistress of the living and undeadwho feast upon carrion or otherwisebenefit from the loss of mortal life.Like poisonous mushrooms thatthrive on decay, so Malotoch thriveson the ruin of life. Living monsterssuch as hags, harpies, and rooks (seeDCC #5: Aerie of the Crow God) payhomage to her, as do cannibalisticundead such as ghouls and ghasts.Where great battles end and the glo-rious fallen lie, there Malotoch andher foul children are drawn.The Crow Witch is always depictedwith the curvaceous body of awoman and the head and legs of amonstrous crow. Clerics of Malotochfrequently keep the company ofzombies and ghouls and adorn theirarmor with the bones of carrion birdsor their latest victims. Among theprofane rites performed byMalotoch’s cults are the corruption

of birds of prey into anathemas ofnature, and evils of this sort oftendraws the ire of druids.Unsurprisingly, Malotoch is despisedby most gods, although she garners agrudging respect from Nimlurun andNarrimunâth. The clerics of all threegods work in concert to achieve lofti-er, fouler plots than any of their cler-gies could alone.The domains Malotoch is associatedwith are Air, Chaos, Death, and Evil.Her favorite weapon is the shortsword. Cultists who serve Malotochand nearly all undead raised in hername have a bloodstone imbedded inplace of their left eyes. The blood-stone, often surrounded by crackedbones, is one of her symbols; theother is a crow perched atop a skull.

Myna (theMaid of Fortune)Lesser god, CN — Chance,

Circumstance, FortuneMyna (my-nuh), Fortune Herself, theLady of Weal, is the goddess thatmany turn to when prayers to theother gods have gone unanswered.For some mortals, Myna’s namehangs upon their lips every day, evercoveting a change in fortune. As thedivine embodiment of fortune itself,Myna is an elusive deity whose inter-cession is often unwelcome to lawfuldeities of the Sancturn Pantheon. Shetips the scale on small and largeaffairs, offering good fortune to theunderdog or withdrawing her favorfrom the advantageous or those pre-

disposed to victory. She is whimsyincarnate, and none can discern thepatterns of, or requirements for, herfavor. The immortal power that con-trols the dice, Fortune Herself makesplays at both good and evil, law andchaos, and the only certainty in herdogma is the need for perpetualchange.Once, Myna’s faith was known tofew outside of an exclusive cult ofthe serendipitous and the secretive,but gradually her capricious dogmaresolved into theism. Clerics of theLady of Weal, most multiclassed asrogues or bards, are seen as smallerversions of the goddess herself, frus-trating and fickle yet bearing goodfortune. Their blessings, however,are always welcome, and for this rea-son her church has grown wealthyfrom the tiny donations of countlesspeasants and considerable contribu-tions from nobles rich with coin.When Myna is depicted in religiousart, she is seen as a flighty youngwoman, dancing or casting dice.The domains associated with theLady of Weal are Chaos, Luck, andTrickery. Her favored weapon is thedart, and her symbol is a stylizedbullseye or a pair of dice made ofbone.

Narrimunath (theLord of Disease)Demigod, LE — Disease, Vermin

Narrimunâth (nar-ih-moon-ahth), theRat God, the Lord of Disease, theVenerable, is the twin brother ofNimlurun and a demigod twisted toevil by the hand of Zhühn. He is thegod of plagues and debilitating ill-ness, the patron deity of wererats,those who would spread sickness,and other forms of vermin. Narrimunâth is half of the god bornof Pelagia, intended to be a god ofpurity. Zhühn’s sabotage of the birthresulted in the sundering of the new-born deity, resulting in the twin gods

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of sickness and filth. Narrimunâthgets along well with Nimlurun aswell as can be expected between evilgods, and together they often schemewith Malotoch the Crow God. TheLord of Disease is always depictedas a half-man, half-rat abominationwith a naked rat’s tail, razor claws,and glowing red eyes.The domains Narrimunâth is associ-ated with are Death, Destruction, andEvil. His favorite weapon is the sap,and his symbol is a mangy, dead, orundead rat.

NethruelArchdevil, LE — Obsession,

AddictionNethruel (neth-roo-el), the FerventLord, is a canny archdevil who feedsthe sins of obsession among the mor-tal world. He is the devil ofextremes, of ceaseless, unhealthydevotion. The veteran who looks forabsolution in a bottle, the maidenwho quits the company of her truefriends in pursuit of a disreputableparamour, the wizard who neglectshis family to focus on his magic—allthese may have come under theinfluence of Nethruel. Cultists of theFervent Lord, themselves victims ofthe demon prince, seek to afflict oth-ers with addictions and the debilitat-ing reliance on objects, other people,or even ideas.

Neshti(the Stealthmaiden)

Lesser god, CG — Thievery,Trickery, Vigilantism

Neshti (nesh-tee), the Veiled Thief,the Stealthmaiden, the Lady ofShadows, is the goddess of thievery,malfeasance, and most pursuits onthe wrong side of the law. She is thepatroness of rogues, vigilantes, andpeasant heroes, all those willing tostand against tyranny and cruelty.Many crimes are committed in hername, but the Stealthmaiden is onlywilling to grant her blessings onthose who do so for the right reasons.A thief who steals bread to feed hischildren, a bard who swindles a cruelcity official, and a sorceress whocharms a miserly noble into grantinga bit of his fortune as alms to thepoor may all offer a prayer toNeshti—in the hope that she will veiltheir crimes so they will live to com-mit more. The Lady of Shadowsoffers no apologies, and will use anymeans necessary to see the greatergood done, possessing no misgivingsabout stabbing her enemies in theback. Neshti and most of her faithfuldo not care for fair fights, as evil sel-dom does either. Although averse tomurder, she is willing to deal vio-lence upon her enemies and if deathis the consequence of villainy, so beit.The Stealthmaiden’s underhandeddogma is controversial among othergoodly deities. In religious art, she isdepicted as a hooded adolescent girl

with raven-black hair, and is some-times seen hiding from Justicia andGorhan. Neshti does not care fortemples and open worship, so herfaithful usually gather in guildhallsor in small, nondescript shrines outof plain sight. There is no uniformappearance among her faithful; theblack-clad, rooftop-dwelling burglar,the well-armed adventuring wizard,and the nondescript neighborhoodcobbler could all be followers of theLady of Shadows. Many of Neshti’sclerics multiclass as rogues.The domains associated with Neshtiare Chaos, Good, Luck, andTrickery, and her favored weapon isthe punching dagger. Neshti’s sym-bol, more often seen tattooed in out-of-sight places than rendered on reli-gious architecture, is a depiction of ablindfolded female face.

Nimlurun(the Lord of Filth)Demigod, CE — Filth, Pollution

Nimlurun (nim-luh-roon), the Lordof Filth, the Holy Defiler, theUnclean One, was corrupted alongwith his brother Narrimunâth byZhühn to bring further decay to theworld. He is the god of refuse,putrescence, and all things unclean.Only the sick-minded and destitutepay deliberate homage to Nimlurun,but people who seek purity oftenspeak the Lord of Filth’s name in anattempt to placate him and avoid hisattentions. His clerics seek to foul theskies of the world, pollute its waters,

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and despoil the earth. As such, theyoften inspire the anger of druids andthe gods of the earth.Nimlurun is the twin ofNarrimunâth, born of Pelagia andintended to be a god of purity.Zhühn’s interference in the god’sbirth resulted in the making of twodemigods of disease and despoil-ment. Nimlurun works often with hisbrother, and together they are knownto treat with Malotoch, whom theyreluctantly regard as an equal. Likehis brother, Nimlurun is depicted as ahalf-man, half-rat beast, though hismangy fur is always coated in slime.The domains he is associated withare Death, Evil, and Destruction. Hisfavorite weapon is the light mace,and his symbol is an insect, usually adung fly.

Ôæ (the Dreamer)Lesser god, NG — Dreams,Imagination, Storytelling

Ôæ (aw-uh), the Dreamer, is the godof mortal dreams and imagination,the patron of wistful lovers, thedowntrodden, and all who long for abetter place than the waking worldoffers. Once the caretaker of theSancturns before they arrived inprimeval Áereth, the Dreamer for-went the gifts of the Triad to persistonly within his memory: the Dream,that perpetual afterimage of their losthome.Because of Ôæ’s all-consuming pre-occupation with sustaining the

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The DreamWhen the Sancturn Pantheon fled the ruin of their homeworld (seeChapter 1), a small impression of this transcendental place was pre-served within the mind of their caretaker, Ôæ. Though this quality wasnot physically compatible with Áereth, its boundless wonderment waseagerly welcomed by the Triad as a blessing upon their creation. Eversince, the gift of dreaming has been bestowed upon all thinkingbeings—mortals and gods alike—as a nocturnal, fantastical play-ground. This is Ôæ’s Dream.Spatially limitless, the Dream is a world of pure imagination with itsdesigns owing as much to Ôæ’s memory of their home as it does to thesleeping fantasies of every dreamer since the dawn of Áereth. Witheach dreamer’s dream, a slight aspect of this realm is upturned andreshaped in ways that may defy any waking sense of logic. But asextravagant as a mere dream may be, the changes to the Dream itselfare mostly fleeting and rarely significant by themselves. But the sheernumber of ever-churning dreams upon the dreamscape, each leavingtheir impressions, means Ôæ’s Dream is a plane in constant flux.The regular immersions into the Dream that each dreamer experiencesare often forgotten (at least on a conscious level), and awareness ofone’s dreams as existing within the Dream is rare. Even the knowledgein the waking world that one’s dreams take place within Ôæ’s Dreamis of little consequence once asleep. But for the followers of Ôæ,Gil’Mâridth, and other entities focused on the Dream, it is a world asreal and potentially dangerous as any other. Unbeknownst to most dreamers, the Dream at large is not the paradiseit ought to be. A great war wages between the Knights of Ôæ and thecrazed votaries of Gil’Mâridth who would transform the Dream intoan infinite dreamscape of horrific insanity. Being Ôæ’s Dream, he willalways have the upper hand, for the hearts of good dreamers have longovercome fear and despair. However, Gil’Mâridth’s influence cannotbe overstated. Her domain within the Dream is vast and now situatedat its very heart. By all accounts, it is an enormous black swirl of fran-tic nightmare. No dreamers—not even her most horrific mortal min-ions—have ever safely ventured deep within her realm. It is from thisunspeakable stronghold that the Great Hag commands her agents ofterror: the Cult of Mâridth, diverse denizens of both the Dream and thewaking world, and if the rumors are true, more than one of Áereth’sshadowy gods secretly bows to the Dread of Night as their queen.Despite the horrors associated with Gil’Mâridth, her power does notdominate the Dream. For the most part, the Dream is a realm of benignwonders and mind-boggling scenarios with perils rarely in plain sight.Great dreamers and native entities alike can be found roaming its ever-shifting vistas. Races and civilizations unheard of on Áereth carry onin war and in peace in distant realms even the oldest of its dreamersmay never see. Meanwhile, Ôæns guide lucid dreamers through theirmaster’s imagined terrain where the dreams of dogs, gods, and chil-dren revel and reel, touting and trumpeting their splendors into theDreamer’s living memory of home.

Dream, he is a god without body orawareness outside of the Dreamitself. But within, he is an immense-ly powerful being, watching over hisselect flock of devotees and thedreams of all creatures alike. In thewaking world, Ôæ’s clergy rarelycongregate or hold any formalshrines, and they wear no specialvestments. They are characteristical-ly imaginative daydreamers whohave come into the faith after beingapproached by Ôæ himself in theirsleep. Ôæns typically lead simplelives as artists and storytellers,encouraging children to hone theirimaginations and jaded adults toreclaim their restless dreams ofyouth. In this, they hope to fosteravid dreamers for Ôæ to bring intohis fold. Clerics of Ôæ occasionallymulticlass as bards, and many findthat adventuring fuels their imagina-tions and enriches their dreams.Ôæns dedicate themselves to oppos-ing the misdeeds of Gil’Mâridth andher clergy, a war that is waged onlypartially in the waking world. Withinthe Dream, these Knights of Ôæassemble in imagined temples withinholy cities of utterly fantastic design.There they work to protect and main-tain this slice of their patron’s—infact, all of the SancturnPantheon’s—ancient home. The Dreamer is usually portrayed asa handsome, robed archmage orhierophant with his eyes closed. Asthe caretaker of the memory of theirhome, most gods of the SancturnPantheon look upon Ôæ fondly, butthe Dreamer wages eternal war withGil’Mâridth.The domains Ôæ is associated withare Dream, Good, and Protection.His favored weapon is the sling, andhis symbol is a closed eye set againsta cloud, often with some fantasticdreamscape etched within. Whilepriests of Ôæ must prepare theirspells like any other cleric, theirmeditative state is much more of avivid daydream.

Obitu-que Demon prince, CE —

Domination, PrepotencyObitu-que (oh-bih-too-kay), Lord ofthe Five, is a demon prince whodreams of rulership and dominanceover every living thing in existence.Though this vague desire is notuncommon among demons, the sheerfocus and belief to which Obitu-queadheres is extraordinary. A lord offire, slavery, and destruction, Obitu-que was once a mere balor amongmany, commanding demonic armiesagainst the devils of Hell. After cen-turies spilling the ichor of the lawfulfiends and his own kind, he carvedfor himself the Abyssal principality.Experimenting with loathsome mag-ics, he mutated his own body andlooked with new eyes—all five ofthem—upon the Material Plane withconquest in mind. Obitu-que metwith brief success, personally razingand sacrificing whole villages, buthis body was slain by the last of aline of noble human barbarians. Yet centuries later, the spirit of theLord of the Five lingers still, causingblight where his body remains. Thedemon prince is patient, and finds agreat spiritual hold over like-mindedmortals with dreams of predomi-nance and tyranny. Nothing satisfiesObitu-que more than the feeling ofdomination, the subversion of hisvictims’ wills.

Olidyra (theDauntless)Greater god, N — Travel,Exploration, Adventure

Olidyra (oh-lih-deer-uh), theDauntless, Lady Pathfinder, theWanderess, is the goddess of explo-ration, adventure, and discovery. Sheis the patroness of wayfarers,vagabonds, fortune-hunters, and allthose willing to make risks or ven-ture into the unknown. Olidyra is

worshipped primarily by halflings,the race whose creation she inspired,but all travelers and most adventur-ers know a brief prayer or two thatentreats Lady Pathfinder for safejourneys. The faithful of this wayward, roguishdeity believe that Olidyra often breaksthe mandates of the Triad, choosing towander Áereth in mortal form simplyto subvert its law and explore theever-changing world. Such head-strong desire and naked curiosity areseen most often in halflings, whocarry small shrines to the Wanderessin their wagons. Permanent temples toLady Pathfinder are exceptionallyrare, though the remnants of hastilybuilt tributes of rock and wood areoften found along well-beaten paths.Olidyra gets on well with most othergods, except those who seek to harmor imprison others. She is consideredthe only deity who “understands” thewiles of Myna, and is always quick toshare a joke with her brother Poderon.Accordingly, clerics of Olidyra are onespecially friendly terms with thefaithful of these gods. When theWanderess is depicted in religiousart—typically painted in bright colorson the sides of wagons—she appearsas a female halfling, human, or half-elf, with either a walking stick or abow in hand.The domains associated with LadyPathfinder are Luck, Plant, Trickery,and Travel. Her favored weapon isthe shortbow and her symbol is awinding or forked road.

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Ormazd(the Changeless)

Greater god, LG — Creation, theSun, Prophecy

Ormazd (or-mahzd), the Changeless,the Lord of Wisdom, is the creationgod of sunlight, a mysterious deity ofgreat power seldom heard in the cur-rent age. If Choranus is the god ofdestiny, then Ormazd is the god ofthe prophecies it engenders. LikeAhriman, his dark twin, Ormazd isbelieved to have spawned from aneutral deity named Zurvan, ofwhich very little is known.Commonly associated with angelicbeings, Ormazd is said to have spon-sored a celestial host that once tem-porarily purged the world of evilwhen Ahriman’s faith was as itsgreatest. Ormazd’s skills of creationwere paramount in the formation ofÁereth, but his many battles againsthis brother have reduced his powerover the ages and diminished hisworship in the mortal realms.When Ormazd’s worship was at itspeak, the desert-dwelling people ofAbylos named him Ahura Mazda,the Lord of Wisdom. Such civiliza-tions, believing him to be the solecreator of the world, are buried nowin the desert sands. Yet in recentyears, small clergies of Ormazd havesprung up in the Northlands, some-times affiliated with the church ofDelvyr and theologians of the Triad. When Ormazd is depicted in reli-gious art, he resembles a winged bull

with the face of a bearded man andthe blaze of the sun behind him.Ormazd and his prophetic clericswork always to oppose the designs ofAhriman, vigilant for traces of theevil god’s influence. Priests ofOrmazd inspire renewed interest inÁereth’s distant past and theunknown, eastern lands.The domains associated withOrmazd are Creation, Good, Law,and Sun. His favored weapon is thekukri and his symbol is a blazingsun.

Pelagia(of the Singing Sea)Lesser god, N — Oceans, Seas,

Music, TravelPelagia (pehl-ah-gee-uh) of theSinging Sea, the Coral Queen, theFish of Argent, the Maiden Voyager,is the goddess of the seas and oceansof Áereth, music in all its forms, andtravel. She is the patroness of bards,fishermen, and folk who ply the seafor their livelihood. Though she canbe as capricious as nature itself,Pelagia favors those who respect thewaters of Áereth and the creatureswithin them. Whales are especiallysacred animals in her faith, and theirsong is always considered a goodomen. While many evil creaturesmake a home in the depths, Pelagiarespects their right to dwell there, inkeeping with the balance of natureand the morals of Áereth. The faith-ful of the Coral Queen never seek todestroy such wicked creatures but

are permitted to defend themselveswhen necessary.With the whole of the world’s watersher dominion, Pelagia has delegatedthe aegis of each oceanic region toone of her many children. Most ofthem are demigods; Chandri, Elas,Ilquot, and Thalass number amongthe many. Pelagia names Zhühn hergreatest enemy, for when she gavebirth to a son, the Great Enemy torehim asunder and spawned the twingods Narrimunâth and Nimlurun.Deities of filth and disease, her cor-rupted children often try to spoil thewaters of Pelagia’s dominion.Consequently, clerics of the CoralQueen seek to destroy every cult andshrine to the destitute demigods.Pelagia’s island-temples are scat-tered across the seas of Áereth, andmost of her clerics live upon coast-lines or aboard ships. Nearly everysailor offers a prayer to the CoralQueen when setting out to sea,whether it’s a quick jaunt up thecoastline or a voyage across theEmpyrean. Rare shells and pearls arehighly valued by clerics of Pelagiaand make excellent religious dona-tions. Particularly religious captainsdrop such natural baubles into thesea at the midpoint of their journeys.Music also plays a large role in thePelagian faith. Clerics of the CoralQueen may sing sonorous anthemswith the morning tide, while a devot-ed sailor sings a common sea shantyhymn during his nightwatch. TheMaiden Voyager is usually depictedas a fair-haired mermaid adornedwith coral jewelry, though in somelands she appears as a selkie withraven tresses. The domains associated with Pelagiaare Protection, Travel, and Water.Her favored weapon is the rapier andher symbol is a sea shell of any kind,usually a conch or cockleshell.

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Poderon(the Deep Delver)Greater god, NG — Earth,

Commerce, FestivityPoderon (poe-der-on), the DeepDelver, the Jovial Miner, is the earthgod of commerce and merrymaking.As an earth god, he is the patron ofminers, gemcutters, and merchants,but all those who purvey or seekmerriment look to Poderon. Thoughthe gnome race was first cast in hisimage and revere him more than anygod, others pay homage to the DeepDelver as well, particularly thosewhose livelihood comes from theearth itself. Although his commit-ment to hard work and the preserva-tion of the earth cannot be disputed,Poderon is best known for his opti-mism and appreciation for comfort—a trait seen everyday in the gnomesof Áereth. The Delver is famous forhis sense of humor, but he becomes adangerous foe when the happiness ofhis subjects is threatened. Although he is one of the GreaterGods, the Deep Delver is more will-ing than his siblings to intercede inmortal affairs, a fact that often incursthe scrutiny of his father, Choranus.As a son of Ildavir, Poderon has afondness for earth-dwelling animalsand wooded realms. His places ofworship exist in many places, frommetropolitan sanctuaries to sylvanshrines, though his formal templesare kept well-hidden. Such hallowedchambers are reliquaries for as manyrock samples as Poderon’s clergy can

procure. These stones vary fromeveryday granite and coal to thepurest of sapphires and diamonds. Gnomish clerics of Poderon follow aloose hierarchy of gemstone titles.Acolytes may be malachites, azu-rites, or garnets, while more seniorpriests may be topazes or jasmals.When the Deep Delver is rendered inreligious art, he usually appears as aslender human teenager or a middle-aged gnome with a hammer or pickin hand. Just as often, Poderon isshown as a large badger or in thecompany of one.The domains associated with theDeep Delver are Animal, Earth,Good, and Trickery. His favoredweapon is the heavy pick, and hissymbol is a mining pick and a halvedgeode.

QayaqiqDemon prince, CE — Curiosity,

Desperation, SuicideQäyaqiq (kah-yuh-kik), the FatalDream, the Shaded Door, is ademonic power which prays uponsleeping souls. The Fatal Dream is astraightforward yet little understoodentity, which coexists within theAbyss and the Dream, and is thus anenemy to both Ôæ and Gil’Mâridthalike. One thing is certain, however:Qäyaqiq hunts the souls of dreamersby a means unvaried since timeimmemorial. Appearing in theirdreams as a gate or doorway cloakedin shadow, the Shaded Door beckonsthe curious to enter. What fate liesbeyond that door may only be sus-pected, but once entered, neither mennor gods can account for the lostsoul. Many lullabies and nurseryrhymes warn young sleepers to“shun the Shaded Door.”According to mortal thralls, Qäyaqiqemploys a clergy of one: Each is aderanged, suicidal dreamer believingthat he alone is favored by Qäyaqiqand must find a worthy successorbefore finding absolution. Once this

is done, the madman may enter theShaded Door that night where a glo-rious reward supposedly awaits.

SestyruasArchdevil, LE — Envy,

CovetousnessSestyruas (ses-teer-ooh-us), a men-dacious archdevil who calls himselfthe Lord of Ardor, aims to fan theflames of envy among mortals, driv-ing them to crimes of jealousy andpassion. He whispers to those whocrave what they cannot have, offer-ing only enough power and satisfac-tion to string them along until deathbrings their souls to the foot of hissulphurous throne. His mortal thrallsare depraved clerics and rogues whotreat frequently with erinyes, thechief servants of Sestyruas.Proficient liars, some multiclass asbards to better employ their forkedtongues.

Septych (theBlackhammer)Demigod, LE — Avarice, TyrannyThe Septych (seph-tish), the DarkDwarven Gods, the Seven As One,are in fact seven aspects in a singledeity. Once seven dwarven brothers,their concerted pursuit of immortali-ty spanned centuries and the ruthlessbutchery of innocents. But in theend, each turned against his brotherin the final grab for divinity. As pun-ishment for their brutality and greed,the brothers were granted godhoodonly as a single entity. Since that day,only the personality of one of theseven brothers manifests at anygiven time, one brother for each peri-od of seventy-seven years. While onerules, the other six wait, impotent,for the passage of centuries for theirnext “turn.” Gods of avarice andblood-soaked tyranny, the Septych isworshipped in secret by thieves,assassins, evil warriors, and any

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dwarf given over to the greed towhich his race is often accused.Currently, it is Sodoutym (so-dooh-tim), the Blackhammer, the DarkFoe, Hellbeard, whose mind rules theSeptych. Like his brothers beforehim, Sodoutym spends his timesearching for the means to separatehis soul from the rest, and he willlikely do so for eternity. To this end,the Blackhammer demands bloodsacrifice from his followers as hescours the face of Áereth for theprophesied soul that can release himfrom his deific bondage. Sodoutymis depicted as a well-muscled dwarfwith the outstretched wings of a batand writhing tentacles instead of abeard. His clerics lair in caves, shar-ing the company of dire bats and foulaberrations.The domains associated with theBlackhammer are Evil, Law, andTrickery. The favored weapon ofSodoutym is a seven-tailed scourge,though the other six Dark DwarvenGods possess favored weapons oftheir own. The symbol of the DarkFoe is a swarm of attacking bats. Thesymbol of the Septych is a stylizedversion of the Dwarf rune for 7,which has made it an unlucky num-ber among dwarves.

Shul (the Watcherin the Sky)Lesser god, LN — The Moon,

Measurement, Tradition, LiteracyShul (shool), God of the Four Phasesof the Moon, the Watcher in the Sky,the Glistening Orb, the Lawgiver, isthe god of measurement, tradition,literacy, and the moon itself.Credited as the deity to give Áereththe standard, twelve-month calendarand Ùr, the oldest written languagefrom which most humanoid lan-guages descended, Shul is the patrongod of educators and disciplinarianswho follow strict curricula. Thoughhis name is remembered in the mod-ern age, true worship of theLawgiver has faded.In religious writings, Shul’s nameappears, but often only through hisepithets. The Watcher in the Sky isan ally to Valdreth, the Enduring, andtheir collective clergies once workedwith one another to record the pas-sage of time. He is the sponsor of theXulmec goddess Anahuara, a divini-ty he admires but cannot entirelyfathom for her sepulchral dogma.The Watcher in the Sky is depictedprimarily as the moon itself, or themoon with a human male face. Thefaith of Shul was largely destroyedcenturies ago, but small cults of theLawgiver still dwell in remoteplaces, maintaining the same tradi-tions and rituals during precise phas-es of the moon. Such hermitic cultsobserve the march of time and pre-

serve dead languages in carvenstone. The holiest of days for all ofthe faith are lunar eclipses.The domains associated with Shulare Air, Knowledge, and Law. Hisfavored weapon is the dagger, andthose used by his clergy are usuallymade from sharpened stone. Thesymbol of Shul is the moon.

Soleth(the Silent Death)

Lesser god, LN — Peaceful Death,Solitude

Soleth (so-leth), the Silent Death, theMerciful One, is the god of merciful,dignified death. He is the patron ofmorticians and healers who cannotsave the dying. The somber-shroud-ed clerics of the Merciful One are amisunderstood lot, for they appearwhen there is no hope of continuedlife. Though they heal when theycan, they are practitioners ofeuthanasia, and give last rites tothose on their deathbeds to helpusher them painlessly into thebeyond. Soleth teaches that death should be aquiet, dignified event. This belief isoften at odds with the tenets of Elyr,whose fervor for life outweighs theneed for its release. For this reason,the Silent Death’s faithful seldom getalong with the faithful of the Maidenof Life. However, like Elyr andDelvyr, Soleth abhors war and allforms of undeath. The Merciful Oneopposes the machinations of

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Lasheeva at every opportunity, forshe represents everything he despis-es.Clerics of Soleth brew a specialdraught that they administer to thedead of their faithful which protectsthem from the taint of evil necro-mancy. Clerics and monks who servethe Silent Death wear grey and blackrobes and sashes, but clerics donheavier armor when questing oradventuring. Temples of Soleth areas solemn catacombs, their chambersand galleries furnished with sar-cophagi, funeral biers, and rock-hewn graves. As grim as they appear,few places are as free from the touchof undeath. Respect for the dead andthe living is Soleth’s greatest tenet, avirtue best exemplified by a clericalsect known as the Threnodim.Multiclassed as bards, they composeimpromptu eulogies for the unno-ticed deaths of common men andperform great requiems for fallenheroes. The domains associated with theSilent Death are Healing, Law,Protection, and Repose. His favoredweapon is the bastard sword; hisfaithful loathe violence, but they arequick to dispense it to prevent furtherdeath. The symbol of Soleth is astone coffin etched with a pair ofopen eyes.

Sothulth(the All-Seeing Orb)

Demigod, CN(e) — Paranoia,Insanity

Sothulth (so-thoolth), the Great Eye,the All-Seeing Orb, is a largely for-gotten deity banished from theplanes by the Sancturn Pantheon fora divine crime few can remember.Though exiled to the fringes of themultiverse and the Astral Plane,Sothulth is still able to make briefsojourns to the Outer and MaterialPlanes. It manifests only longenough to carry out one of its erraticplans and move on again. Once a more popular deity whosemantle was better understood,Sothulth offers very little to its wor-shippers, so the few cultists of theGreat Eye are usually as insane as itis. An unpredictable god, the All-Seeing Orb will grant generousboons or afflict great curses upon itsown followers. Some loremastershypothesize that Sothulth was onceimplicated by Zhühn for a greatcrime, and its subsequent banish-ment drove it to the state of madnessit is known for today. Usually depict-ed as a large purple or black eyeemerging from a dark nebula, in anyform Sothulth takes, a single staringeye remains its dominant feature. The domains associated withSothulth are Chaos, Destruction,Knowledge, and Trickery. Thefavored weapon of the Great Eye isthe scythe, and its symbol is an eye.

Teleus(the Obedient)Archangel, LG — Law

Teleus (tel-lee-us), the Obedient, theTrusting Light, is the angelic cham-pion of Law established by Choranushimself when Áereth was young.Charged with countering the chaosof Zhühn with order and unity,Teleus challenged the corruptivepower of the titan Cadixtat. Aftertheir world-spanning battle, Teleus atlast threw his enemy down when hesevered Cadixtat’s hand with hissword. Still, Cadixtat survived, andthus neither Law nor Chaos com-pletely triumphed. Satisfied with thebalance of the two, Choranusordered Teleus to quit Áereth. A lordamong solars, Teleus is sometimesworshipped as a god himself. Toohumble to allow this, Teleus works toshift his clerics’ devotion to another,like-minded god of law, such asGorhan, Justicia, or even Choranus.When mortals devote themselves toTeleus, the domains associated withhis worship are Good, Law, and War.His favored weapon is thegreatsword and his symbol is thesame sword surrounded by parallelrays of the sun or held against a nim-bus of light.

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Thalass(the River Father)

Demigod, N — Terrestrial Waters,Music

Thalass (thal-us), the River Father,the Lakelord, the Purifying Flood, isthe deity of inland waters, lakes, andrivers. He is the patron god of thosewho draw life from the water,rewarding those who respect naturewith abundance. The PurifyingFlood responds with deluges andviolent rainstorms against transgres-sors.Clerics and druids of Thalass oftendwell near forest springs and lakes,sometimes consorting with nymphs,called the Daughters of Thalass.Always vigilant against the pollu-tions of Nimlurun, they have beenknown to hire adventurers when theirwaters are threatened by aberrationsor enemy clerics. The River Father issaid to resemble a noble satyr withgarments of pure water, wielding abow that fires arrows of crystal.Thalass is one of the many childrenof Pelagia, and his faithful often wor-ship at the banks of rivers, for allrivers lead to the dominion of theCoral Queen.The domains associated with Thalassare Animal, Protection, and Water.His favored weapon is the shortbowand his symbol is the syrinx, a set ofhollow reed panpipes.

Thormyr(the Loyal)

Demigod, LN(g) — Honor, Duty,Protection

Thormyr (thor-meer), the Loyal, theDauntless Warrior, is the god of dutyand honor, especially in the face ofevil. He is the patron of soldiers,guardsmen, and all men-at-arms whoprotect the innocent from the law-less. A stern, serious god, Thormyrrewards loyalty above all, grantinghis blessing to the steadfast andvaliant and promising spiritual deliv-erance to the fallen.Centuries ago, as a virtuous paladinin service of Justicia, Thormyr’sunswerving duty to her laws drovehim on a quest into Hell itself. Thecrusade led to an assault againstarchdevils, the saving of countlessinnocents, and the recovery of a holyrelic—and to Thormyr’s torture anddeath. After bargaining for therelease of his soul, Justicia andGorhan elevated the fallen warriorinto divinity. Entrusted with themantle of duty by the Greater Gods,Thormyr was forced to adopt a moreneutrally inclined role as a deity.The Dauntless Warrior is alwaysdepicted as a towering warrior in sil-ver scale mail, holding a ranseur ashe did in life. His lay followers oftenserve as bodyguards or court protec-tors, while his clerics are chargedwith vigilance against evil. DespiteThormyr’s adherence to neutrality asthe god of honor and duty, most of

his followers are of good alignment.Paladins who serve him often refer tohim as Honorus, the Duty and theFlame.The domains associated withThormyr are Healing, Law,Protection, and Strength. His favoredweapon is the ranseur and his holysymbol consists of the polearm laidslantwise across a silver shield.

Tlachinozal (theScorched God)Demigod, LE — Chuzec, Fire

Tlachinozal (tla-chin-o-suhl), theScorched God, the Fire Requiem, isthe patron god of the Xulmec city-state of Chuzec. Having deposed theformer goddess of Chuzec, whom heclaims failed to protect his peoplefrom volcanic eruptions a thousandyears ago, Tlachinozal is a militantdeity of fire and earth. He teachesthat fire can either destroy orstrengthen that which it touches; infi-dels and foreigners will burn, whilethe faithful will endure and bereshaped like Chuzec itself. The FireRequiem demands sacrifice in theform of captured enemies, whosehearts are taken from them and castinto braziers of holy fire. Acolytes of Tlachinozal must learnto speak Ignan, then brand their bod-ies with sigils of their god. Morededicated priests of Tlachinozaloften undergo a ceremony known asthe Cleansing, whereby their skin isritually burned but thereafter pro-

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vides a stronger resistance to fire.Despite the xenophobia his mili-tarism breeds, the Scorched God wasthe first Xulmec deity to approve offoreigners’ art of forged metal, andmany of his followers are metallur-gists and blacksmiths. When hisimage is burned into the walls of histemples, Tlachinozal is depicted as alarge, muscular man with red skinwhose appearance suspiciouslyresembles that of an efreeti.The domains associated withTlachinozal are Earth, Evil, and Fire.His favored weapon is the shortbow,with arrows usually set aflame. Hissymbol is a shard of fire resemblingan arrow, knife, or sword.

Tororthun(the Stone Spider)

Lesser god, N/CE — Subterrane,Denizens of the Underdeep /

Malice, SpidersTororthun (toe-ror-thoon), the StoneSpider, the Eight Legs of the World,the Queen of the Damned, is the god-dess of the cavernous depths ofÁereth, the narrow, stygian passages,and all the crawling denizens of theUnderdeep. When the rebel elvesfled from the sphinxes millennia ago,it was Tororthun who called to them,lured them into the abyssal chasmsof her dominion, and embracedthem. As the fumes from the Devil’sCauldron slowly transformed theminto the drow, the Stone Spider shel-tered them from the scrutiny of theOverworld. Yet some say Tororthun

is a goddess stricken mad, for sheoccasionally flies into a fury ofsenseless evil. Calling herself simplythe Spider Queen during such spells,she retreats to her illimitable web inthe demonic planes of the Abyss.Capricious and cruel, the Queen setsher minions against one another,favoring and disfavoring on a whim.Some sages familiar with the faith ofTororthun speculate that the evil ofthe drow infected their own matrondeity, making a demon out of a god-dess, while others say that Tororthunwas stricken by a binding curse fromZhühn himself in an effort to under-mine yet another of the gods’ cre-ations. When she is lucid, Tororthunis a fierce protector of her chosenfollowers, watching over the darkelves who have made a home in theearthen womb of her Underdeepdominion. An uneasy ambivalence existsbetween Ireth, whom surface elvesworship above all, and Tororthun.The Starmistress does not approve ofthe darkness the drow haveembraced or the violent society theyhave spawned, but she is grateful thatthe Stone Spider has taken themunder her care. Ireth, however,despises Tororthun’s demonic alterego, and ever searches for the meansto “cure” the goddess of this afflic-tion, hoping to steer the wicked drowback from evil. While priestesses ofTororthun are willing to treat withother faiths of neutrality, the clergyof the Spider Queen see all otherdeities as unworthy enemies. TheSpider Queen has made a fierceenemy of the Xulmec god Ahpuchac,whose dominion of the subterraneanworld does not please her. Tororthunis depicted as a massive arachnid, ahybrid of chitin and solid stone,crawling perpetually through theUnderdeep. Her Spider Queen per-sona is seen as a drow female of rav-ishing beauty and cruel countenance,or as a whip-wielding drider. Those clergy who worship the StoneSpider have access to the domains of

Drow, Earth, Poison, and Spider,while those who worship her demon-ic aspect have access to Drow, Evil,Poison, and Spider. The favoredweapon of Tororthun is thelongsword, while the favoredweapon of her Spider Queen personais the whip. Her symbol is an imageof herself, a stony spider usually ren-dered symmetrically.

The Traitor(The Undying Lord)

Demigod, CE — Betrayal,Chaos, Madness

Once a mortal wizard namedThandric, the being known as theTraitor ascended to divinity centuriesago. Thandric and his brother,princes of a forgotten kingdom, weresent on a quest to find a legendaryElyrian potion called the Draught ofAges that could heal their dyingfather, the king, who was strickenwith a magic curse. The people,beset on all sides by their enemies,needed their warrior-king to leadthem from destruction. On theirquest, Thandric heard rumors that theDraught could grant its imbiber eter-nal youth, and this desire germinatedwithin him. When the princesreturned with the potion, their fatherlay on his deathbed and the armies ofthe enemy had reached the gates oftheir capital city. Fearing for his ownlife in that moment, Thandricgrabbed the Draught from hisfather’s hand. Thandric drank theDraught, hoping to achieve eternalyouth and save himself. As the

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enemy breached the gates, Thandricwatched his home overtaken and hispeople slain. When they attackedThandric, his body sustained graveinjuries but he would not die. He hadgained immortality…and the curseof godhood.For his betrayal, Thandric was“awarded” the immortal mantle ofchaos. His identity as a man longsince shattered, the Traitor is now thepatron god of treasonists, betray-ers—and of course, traitors. As apurveyor of chaos, the Traitor is infa-mous for his dark whimsy, and evenhis own followers are not immune.Sometimes he withholds spells,while at other times he aids his fol-lowers’ enemies. His true namelargely forgotten, he now has manynames and titles, including Chaotor,the Undying Lord, and theRegenerating One. He is worshippedby medicine men, witch doctors, andshamans of evil bent. Those who for-sake their former deities often find atwisted home in his service. TheTraitor is usually seen as a kindly oldman with subtle, disturbing bestialtraits. Some believe the Traitor is anoffice more than an entity, that hewhose betrayal outweighs that of thecurrent Traitor will take his place.The Traitor’s domains are Chaos,Healing, Madness, and Trickery. Hisfavored weapon is a staff ofCaduceus (quarterstaff) with a hid-den stiletto blade concealed beneathits cap. The symbol of the Traitor is avial of poison, usually shownunstoppered and half empty.

Tzitzimitl(the Queen of Air)

Demon princess, CE —Destruction, Ruin

Tzitzimitl (tsih-tsi-mitl), the self-titled Queen of Air, is the demonprincess of destruction and ruin, thepatroness of outcasts and criminalswho seek vengeance against therighteous. Selfish, cruel individualsturn to Tzitzimitl for worldly power,finding retribution in the fell rites ofher worship. Among the Lords of theAbyss, Tzitzimitl is the mistress ofvrocks, and it is usually these vul-ture-headed demons that her mortalfollowers endeavor to summon withtheir rituals. Sufficient blood sacri-fice and evil deeds allow the cultiststo summon a vrock to the MaterialPlane for greater lengths of time thanspells would normally permit.In the Southlands, where Tzitzimitl’sthralls are greater than number, she isopposed by the humans of the city-state of Amoya—and their goddess,Anahuara. Of great import to cultists ofTzitzimitl is the March of LightlessDespair, the five moonless days at theend of each year, when it is believedthat Tzitzimitl takes physical form onthe Material Plane and battlesAnahuara. Demonic allies of theQueen of Air also visit the land, as themagic of mortals wanes during theabsence of the Spectral Moon. Thedemon princess and her allies havealways been defeated, however, andpunishment usually falls upon her wor-shippers for their insufficient devotion.

Valdreth(the Enduring)Lesser god, LN — Time,

Longevity, IntegrityValdreth (vahl-dreth), the Enduring,the Unchanging One, is indisputablythe oldest of the Sancturn Pantheon.Before Valdreth’s arrival, time as it isunderstood did not exist in theTriad’s creation. He is the god of theeverlasting and the caretaker of timeitself. A dying father who wishes toimpart knowledge to his children, adesperate general who waits for rein-forcements before the enemy hordeappears, and a wizard in short pos-session of a valuable book may eachbeseech Valdreth to grant them moretime. Yet the Unchanging One rarelystops the great march of time itself,teaching his faithful instead that theymust take care to use what time theydo have wisely. Clerics of Valdreth are patient menand women who know well just howlong an hour can be—and how shorta lifetime. In religious art, theUnchanging One is depicted as aclear-eyed sage, sometimes middle-aged, sometimes venerable. Templesof Valdreth are known for sellingunguents of timelessness, usuallyfinding buyers in wizards, scholars,and those who wish to preserve frailwritings otherwise subject to the rav-ages of time.The domains associated withValdreth are Law, Magic, andProtection. His favored weapon is

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the light mace, and his symbol is anamaranth or a timepiece of any kind.Variag (the Icelord)Lesser god, N — Ice, Winter, WarVariag (var-ee-og), the Icelord, is thegod of brutal winter and cold winds.He is the patron of those who thrivein the frozen tundra and relish thesound of cracking ice. Barbarians ofthe Frost Barrens revere the Icelord,mostly to placate him into relentinghis frozen embrace. It is said thatwhen winter descends upon Áereth,Variag is allowed to venture forthand bring storms of ice to lands nor-mally forbidden to him. Winterslonger and colder than normal aresaid to be the indulgences of the mer-ciless Icelord. He is also a god ofwar, loving the clash of cold steeland the spilling of blood upon thesnow.Variag is not evil or malicious, but hecares little for those frozen by hisadministrations. His reign of ice isalways kept in check by Ildavir, whoensures the balance of nature in allthings. In the mountainous realms ofÁereth, frost giants worship Variag,as do any humanoids willing toendure arctic conditions and glacialenvirons—for in such remote placesfew other clergies venture. Druidsand rangers of the frozen north usu-ally choose wolves as animal com-panions, for they are sacred to theIcelord.The domains associated with Variagare Air, Strength, War, and Water.

His favored weapon is the greataxe,and his symbol is the silhouette of awolf etched into the blade of such anaxe.Xeluth (the Ravager)Lesser god, NE — Violence, War,

StrifeXeluth (zel-ooth), the Ravager, is thegod of violence and the brutality ofwar. He is the patron of all who useforce to achieve their ends, thosewho delight in slaughter, and thosewho grow stronger with conflict.Xeluth cares more for the fight thanthe spoils, more for war itself thantriumph or even its outcome.Although he shares many tenets withKlazath, Xeluth usually contendswith the Crimson Banner for theattentions of Yvyn—a battle theRavager seldom wins. The conquests and schemes ofXeluth, often aided by other evilpowers, have led to the spawning ofseveral bloodthirsty demigods com-monly worshipped by monstroushumanoids. These including Kagnar,the god of animality and rage (servedby gnolls and minotaurs), Gadraak,the god of territorialism (served byorcs and ogres), Molgrem, the god ofmilitarism (served by goblins andhobgoblins), and Urath, the god ofmindless slaughter and fury (servedby trolls). Often these very samehumanoids turn directly to Xeluth,and for this reason his clergies arediverse. Fearless human priests inpolished, spiked platemail and spear-

wielding, hide-clad shamans from anorc tribe might both serve Xeluth.Given the Ravager’s dogma, suchdisparate clerics are as likely to allywith one another as do battle.Advancement through challenge orassassination is common in Xeluth’sbrutal faith. The Ravager himself isdepicted as a helmed warrior, hisface concealed with a death’s headmask. In his burly arms, he wields agreat flail whose spiked ball resem-bles a black sun with a nimbus offire. The domains associated with Xeluthare Destruction, Evil, Strength, andWar. His favored weapon is theheavy flail and his symbol is a skull,usually bloody or pierced with ablade. Yvyn (the RighteousSlaughter)

Lesser god, NE — Conspiracy,Holy War, Rebellion

Yvyn (ee-vin), the Curdled Trust,the Vicious Cycle, the HolyPreemptor, the Righteous Slaughter,the Mastress Cabal, the Whisper inthe Darkness, is the goddess of con-spiracy, insurrection, and the evils ofxenophobia. When each great racefirst emerged and feared the wondersof the world they did not understand,it was Yvyn who whispered into theirears, warning them of the treacheryof their strange new neighbors. TheMastress Cabal nourishes the seedsof doubt and mistrust which bloomand grow until cries for war reach

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fever pitch and great crusades areunleashed in the name of other gods.To her followers, the leaders of theland are corrupt, deserving to bedethroned. Yvyn ever champions theunderdog, yet only until he isredeemed—then she moves onto thenew underdog who wishes to usurpher prior darling. She is the ViciousCycle churning whirlwinds of para-noia into great storms of bloodshed. Very often, the Holy Preemptorseeks out other gods—great andsmall—with whom to conspire, car-ing not whether they be good or evil.Yvyn, whose causes are rarely herown, seeks only bloodshed and thejoy of usurpation. In turn, every godknows that Yvyn is the first one toturn to when a violent alliance isrequired. Yvyn allies herself with theHidden Lord more than any otherdeity, for the two share many of thesame modi operandi. Indeed many ofYvyn’s own secret and ferociouscultists are likely devotees of theCloaked One as well. Her cults countamong their members clerics fromall walks of life and stations withinsociety; yet their only true allegianceis to the Mastress Cabal and to eachother. Their mission is singular: tofoment insurgency in the name of theRighteous Slaughter. Yvyn is seldomrendered in art, but when she is, sheis seen as a middle-aged womanlooking upon a battle from afar,clutching in her hands a militaryfork. The domains associated with Yvynare Evil, Trickery, and War. Herfavored weapon is the trident (apitchfork to the rebellious peasant)and her symbol is a clenched fistdripping blood.

Zhuhn(The Great Enemy)

Greater god, CE — Deception,Blight, Corruption, Poison,

Falsehood Zhühn (zeun), the Great Enemy, theWhite Sepulcher, the Faceless Lord,the Dweller in the Void, is an oppor-tunistic being of surreptitious meansand great, overshadowing power. Heis the power who answers when thereis no other to hear, who plays the roleof any invoked deity, be it false orimagined. Very few of Zhühn’s ser-vants are aware of their service to him,for they know their god by differentnames (e.g., Entropy, DCC #10: TheSunless Garden). Whenever a falseidol is served or an unknown deity iscalled upon, it is Zhühn who fills theempty void, grants the spells to theidolater, and beguiles the unwary.Zhühn desires nothing less than theeradication of all sentient life, thecomplete undoing of Creation. Hedwelt in the Void before the Triadinterrupted the darkness, and Zhühnwill not rest until all is unmade. Hisplots are numerous, many-layered,and may take centuries to reachfruition. He is content to save a vil-lage of innocents if he can poison theentire kingdom; he will spare anation if he can destroy the conti-nent. Often those who fall from graceunwittingly find Zhühn picking upthe slack. Blackguards and corruptedclerics of good frequently result fromZhühn’s subtle administrations. Sofar-reaching are his machinationsthat even the most virtuous clericsoften second guess their own actions,asking whether they are serving theirgod’s will or the Great Enemy’s. Zhühn names no allies among thegods—and surely none can trust him.His greatest adversaries areChoranus and Ildavir, while Elyr, aproduct of his own ignorance, perse-veres as a painful thorn in his side.To carry out his goals of corruption,

he despoiled the newborn god thatbecame Narrimunâth and Nimlurunand has designs on other gods aswell. When Zhühn is depicted, he isseen as a cowled figure with a singleoutstretched hand. In such images,he always lurks in the corner or onlypartially in the frame of the image—never hidden, yet never prevalent.His body is never seen whole, but

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The VoidThe Void is nothingness, utteremptiness, the very absence ofexistence. It is not a plane towhich one can go. When anybeing possessed of less powerthan a god enters the Void, he iseradicated altogether. The Voidshould not be confused with theAstral Plane, which is an end-less space that binds togetherthe Outer, Inner, and MaterialPlanes. The Void is that dimen-sionless nothingness in whichthe Material Plane was created.Spheres of annihilation are, infact, small holes in existence,errant pieces of the Void itself.Fortunately for everyone butZhühn himself, the Void is verysmall now. Creation hasreplaced it with life and exis-tence, and all that does remainof the Void contains the GreatEnemy himself. Expanding itanew remains Zhühn’s single-minded pursuit.

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rather half-formed from its surround-ings, symbolizing Zhühn’s manipu-lation of existing material and hisrefusal to create things anew.The White Sepulcher does have a fewmortal agents who serve him know-ingly. These individuals, such as theRuin Knights, are frightening indeedand usually bereft of their humanity.They are the shadow figures who hidebehind the puppetmasters who hidebehind the proxies. Elder priests of all

faiths often warn their novices againstthe whisperings of Zhühn. Indeed, hisname is often invoked when accusa-tions of corruption are made, whetherthe Great Enemy is truly to blame ornot. Zhühn sponsors no formal tem-ples and his servants are difficult tounmask. The nihilistic clergy of theGreat Enemy, when not carrying outlocal schemes to subvert creation,experiment with arcana to disintegratereality itself. Spheres of annihilation

and rods of cancellation are only twoof the many dangerous instruments tocome of such fell research. The domains associated with theFaceless Lord are Destruction, Evil,Magic, and Trickery. His favoredweapon—if indeed one is evershown—is the dart (usually poi-soned). Zhühn cares for no symbols,but to channel his power, his clericsmust deface the holy symbol ofanother god to use as his own.

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Race/Monster GodsAberrations Outer Gods, Narrimunâth, Nimlurun, ZhühnBugbears Molgrem, Kagnar, Gadraak, XeluthCentaurs Ildavir Doppelgangers The Hidden OneDragons Centivus, Choranus, AhrimanDwarves Daenthar, Fenwar, CentivusDwarves (duergar) Daenthar, the SeptychElves Ireth, Centivus, Ildavir, ValdrethElves (gray, wild, wood) Ireth, Ildavir, Centivus, ChoranusElves (aquatic) Ireth, Pelagia, Ildavir, ChondriElves (drow) Tororthun, BargúlFey (nymphs, dryads, satyrs, etc.) Ildavir, Thalass Gargoyles Ahriman, UrathGiants Daenthar, Fenwar, Poderon, VariagGnolls Kagnar, Xeluth, Lords of the AbyssGnomes Poderon, Fenwar, IrethGnomes (rock, svirfneblin) Poderon, DaentharGoblinoids (goblins, hobgoblins) Molgrem, Xeluth, YvynHags Gil’Mâridth, MalotochHalf-elves Wyshalar, DelvyrHalf-orcs Xeluth, Klazath, ThormyrHalflings Olidyra, Neshti, Rathul, Wyshalar, MynaHarpies MalotochHobgoblins Molgrem, Xeluth, Lords of Hell, YvynKobolds LagosLamias AnkharetLammasus Amun Tor, Madrah, DelvyrLizardfolk Ildavir, Madrah, CynhuaraLocathahs Pelagia, ElasMedusas Lords of HellMerfolk Pelagia, ChondriMinotaurs Kagnar, XeluthNagas Axaluatl, Cynhuara, MadrahOgres Gadraak, XeluthOrcs Gadraak, Xeluth, KlazathSahuagin ElasSphinxes Amun Tor, AnkharetTreants Ildavir, ThalassTritons Pelagia, ChondriTroglodytes LagosTrolls Urath, XeluthUndead Lasheeva, Malotoch (ghouls)

Favored Deities by RaceWith the exception of some demigods, the many races of Áereth revere the gods whose ideologies appeal to themthe most. The list below shows what gods many of the races of Áereth typically worship based on their own dis-positions and cultural beliefs. The gods are listed in the order of most likely worshipped.