Dieties

Lawful Good
Ilmater, god of endurance
Suggested Domain: Life, Twilight
Symbol: Hands bound at the wrist with a red cord
The Crying God, or the One Who Endures, is the god of martyrs and those who have suffered. His teachings encouraged his followers to save others from harm and to take the burden of suffering in the place of others.
Worshipers: Those who were oppressed, sick, lame, or poor were likely to be worshipers of Ilmater, and people who had been injured or were otherwise suffering would often call upon him for aid. His veneration was popular among the poor in big cities, and with serfs and slaves, as well as merchants, thieves, and a few guards. Although people of any alignment could worship Ilmater,[2] he was largely followed by folk of a lawful and good bent, especially among his own clergy.

Ilmater's clergy numbered clerics, paladins, and monks. They were organized into the Church of Ilmater, with many affiliated knightly and monastic orders.

Across Faerûn, the hardy people of the harsh and war-torn land of Damara particularly venerated Ilmater, as well as his champion, St. Sollars. In Calimshan, Ilmater was one of the most frequently worshiped gods, especially among the lower classes and slaves.

Attending clerics of Ilmater could be recognized in battle by the coarse furred shirts they wore. It was considered a great wrong to harm these priests, as they helped ease suffering. Even orcs and goblins held them in esteem for ministering to their fallen as well as to humans.

Torm, god of courage and self-sacrifice
Suggested Domain: War
Symbol: White right-hand gauntlet
The god of duty, loyalty, and righteousness was once a mortal who served Tyr in his Procession of Justice, a war on chaos and evil. His followers all seek to spread ideals of honesty and righteousness, and like their deity, are willing to war against those who would oppose them.
Worshipers: Known as Tormtar, Torm's worshipers consisted mainly of human males and females who favored the causes of both good and law. Righteousness, honesty, loyalty and truth were their primary pursuits. After the Time of Troubles, the number of dwarven and elvish members was increasing. In the post-Spellplague world, which was more dangerous and darker than ever, Torm's followers shone as beacons of hope and courage.

To atone for their failings and sins during the Time of Troubles, the Tormtar had to undertake various obligations and responsibilities called the Penance of Duty. To fulfill the Debt of Persecution, they had to aid the faithful of good gods whom they'd persecuted, such as by guarding their temples or helping them become re-established. In addition, they had to fulfill the Debt of Dereliction by expending every resource possible to eliminate cults of Cyric and Bane, and the Debt of Destruction, by locating and recording areas of dead and wild magic and repairing the Weave.

Tyr, god of justice
Suggested Domain: War, Order
Symbol: Balanced scales resting on a warhammer
Tyr is the greater god of the Triad, a group of lawful good gods including Ilmater and Torm. He is blind and maimed, having lost his right hand in battle, and represents the sacrifice that comes with living a lawfully good life.
Worshipers: Among Tyr's worshipers were judges, lawyers, magistrates, the oppressed, paladins, and police.

Tyr was particularly popular in the lands of Calimshan, Cormyr, the Dalelands, the Moonsea, Sembia, Tethyr, and the Vilhon Reach.

The highly organized church of Tyr was strong in the more civilized lands of the Realms. They were known for never refusing service or aid to the faithful when they were in distress. The blind god ruled over law and justice, encouraging valiant acts from his followers and relentlessly pursuing oathbreakers. Followers of Tyr were expected to show fairness, wisdom, and kindness to the innocent. Tyrrans never enforced an unjust law.

After the Time of Troubles, an entire decade passed where Tyr forbid specialty priests within his church. The clergy believed that he wished to ensure that no members of the faith were treated with greater favor than others. After other churches mocked them for this, Tyr established special orders of priests beginning after the Feast of the Moon in 1369 DR.

Neutral Good
Chauntea, goddess of agriculture
Suggested Domain: Life
Symbol: Sheaf of grain, or blooming rose over grain
Worshipers: Chauntea was seen by Faerûnians as a critical aspect of the assumed cycle of life. Private land owners and destitute farmers (perhaps as a consequence of an unproductive harvest) visited the clerics of Chauntea for any divine suggestions for aiding the harvest. If at any time plague or drought struck the crops, farmers looked to Chauntea, since they hoped she would save the harvest, due to her love of nature. Though she had a diverse collection of followers, Chauntea was fanatically worshiped by peasants, servants, druids, gardeners, and any others who earned pay from working on farmland. Her clergy were known for ministering in rural communities, and for their willingness to work in the community's fields next to the local farmers.

Chauntea was one of the main deities worshiped in Rashemen, where she was known as Bhalla. In the Uthgardt tribes, Chauntea was exclusively worshiped by women, and served by female shamans. They believed the "Grandmother" gave birth to numerous daughters from Uthgar after his ascension, which became the wives of their beast gods.

Chauntea was also worshiped in worlds other than Toril, although under a different name.

Deneir, god of writing
Suggested Domain: Knowledge, Arcana
Symbol: Lit candle above an open eye
Worshipers: Deneir, the Scribe of Oghma, is worshipped by those who value inventing, learning, and history. Churches of Deneir often have extensive libraries dedicated to maps and histories.

Eldath, goddess of peace
Suggested Domain: Life, Nature, Peace
Symbol: Waterfall plunging into still pool
The presence of the Green Goddess can be felt in any oasis of serenity. She is a pacifistic goddess who blesses waters with healing power. Her followers only resort to violence as a last resort, in the protection of peace.
Worshipers: Eldathyns were organized into a simplistic hierarchy, where priests reported to a local high priest responsible for a realm or larger region. Most followers dwelt in quiet forest communities with open-air sacred places of worship or in woodside cottages, far from the baseness of city life; both often containing pools of placid water in unspoiled areas. They rarely ever engaged in open confrontation and always acted subtly and peacefully.

Her clergy often followed migratory patterns traveling from holy site to holy site in a local area. They took care of the holy sites and allied with the local druids who followed the First Circle, of which Eldath was considered a member. Violence of any kind against an Eldathan priest was considered taboo, and murdering one was said to bring extremely bad luck. Even so, most servants of Eldath preferred to avoid conflict rather than trying to pacify it because they understood that peace cannot be forced. They would happily preside over peaceful meetings and witness political treaties.

Many people came to Eldath for help in overcoming memories of a violent past. Sometimes this was a single event, and in other cases it was the accumulation of conflicts they had fought.

Lathander, god of birth and renewal
Suggested Domain: Life, Light
Symbol: Road traveling into a sunrise
The Morninglord is a picture-perfect representation of a neutral good deity. His portfolio includes dawn, creativity, athletics, renewal, and vitality, and he is often called upon to bless new life into this world.
Worshipers: Novices in the Lathanderian faith were called the Awakened, while clerics were known as Dawnbringers. The full priests took a new name in his service when they were ready to signify that Lathander personally recognized and accepted them. This new name could either be used instead of their old name or simply used only when addressing other Dawnbringers and when in solitary prayer. Titles used by Dawnbringers (in ascending order) were: Dawngreeter, Dawnlord, High Dawnlord, Dawnmaster, Morninglord, High Morninglord, Mornmaster, High Mornmaster, and Sunrise Lord. Specialty priests were also known as morninglords. All followers were required to be of neutral to good alignment.

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

Mielikki, goddess of forests
Suggested Domain: Nature
Symbol: Unicorn’s head
This deity is often pictured with a bow in her hand in the Grove of Unicorns, a realm within the House of Nature. Druids who follow her are the closest to rangers druids get, and might even wear metal armor.
Worshipers: Mielikki's worshipers were concentrated in the northern parts of Faerûn, namely in the Delimbiyr Crescent and Loudwater, High Forest, the North, the Silver Marches, and in the city of Silverymoon; in the Dalelands, particularly Archendale, Daggerdale, Harrowdale, and Shadowdale; and in Cormanthor, as in Elventree. In the east, they could be found in Rashemen, Aglarond, and the Great Dale, and in the south as far as the Chondalwood. She was among the major non-elven deities venerated in Myth Drannor in Cormanthyr before its fall.

In these places, she was venerated by woodsmen among the humans, elves (especially wood elves), and half-elves, as well as by dryads, hamadryads, and treants, and by forest creatures with no common gods of their own. Common folk appealed to her when children were lost in the forest, so she might protect and guide them. Woodcutters left simple shrines to her in thanks for their safety and for the wood they'd taken, and such shrines marked the limits of future hunting and logging. Otherwise, the Lady of the Forest was little talked about, except in peaceful woodland settings.

The majority of rangers revered Mielikki, as their leader, their watchful mother, and the supreme ranger. They were among her most fervent followers. Yet many of the rangers of the North prayed to Gwaeron Windstrom instead, worrying that Mielikki was too divine, wild, primal, and mysterious to be beseeched directly, while Gwaeron at least was once a mortal ranger like them. Among adventurers, Mielikki was followed by rangers of all temperaments, by druids, and by clerics and thieves of good or chaotic bent. Many Harpers also followed Mielikki, as did most members of the Emerald Enclave.

Under her Khalreshaar aspect on Evermeet, she was mainly worshiped by a growing cult of half-elves. They believed her to be the daughter of Silvanus and Hanali Celanil, and as such, the first truly half-elven deity.

Milil, god of poetry
Suggested Domain: Light
Symbol: Five-stringed harp made of leaves
Milil is a servant of Oghma who teaches the philosophy of living life as if it were a song. His followers enjoy the ups and downs of life and do not fear the end of the tune. Bards would find great comfort in worshipping Milil.
Worshipers: He was predominantly worshiped by human, elf, and half-elf bards but attracted other musically inclined individuals such as troubadours and poets. The faith of Milil was an organized group that attracted attractive, sensual, and musically inclined followers. In addition to their affinity with song and musical instruments, they tended to appreciate good food and wine, and the beauty found in both nature and civilized society. The church was composed primarily of clerics, but also included bards, mystics, and spellsingers.

Mystra, goddess of magic
Suggested Domain: Knowledge, Arcana
Symbol: Circle of seven stars, or nine stars encircling a flower or red mist, or a single star
Mystra is so innately tied to magic that an incarnation of her was once a mortal wizard by the name of Midnight. She can cast almost any spell ever known at the highest level and is restricted by none of the things which restrain mortal mages. She can even impart spell knowledge to her devout.
Worshipers: The church of Mystra is very powerful across Faerûn and includes many adherents among the populace. Were more wizards and sorcerers devout worshipers of the Lady of Mysteries, the faith would undoubtedly be the most powerful in all Faerûn. Mystra's followers have lost a great deal of influence since the Time of Troubles, when magic ran amok and caused great destruction. The deity's actions over the past decade have only driven more worshipers, particularly evil wizards and sorcerers, into the arms of Shar.

Mystran clergy work hard to preserve all magical lore so that magic can flourish in the future regardless of what befalls the thinking races of Faerûn or the powers of the planes. They maintain secret libraries, private safe holds, well-guarded research laboratories, and small, hidden stashes. Mystrans also search out beings skilled in spell use and keep watch on the power and behavior of individuals likely to become magic-wielders of importance.

The clergy actively seek out sources of old magic, often from tombs, dangerous ruins—even liches. They consider it more crucial to know the precise location of artifacts and items of magical power than to possess them, but wherever possible, they work to wrest control of such things from the aggressively evil, the irresponsible, and the unsound of mind. While some of Mystra's clerics follow the teachings of the older, lawful neutral incarnation of the deity, most have changed alignment in accordance with her current incarnation or have left the faith.

All clergy of Mystra are expected to devise their own new magic (whether it be spells or items) upon gaining sufficient experience. In this way, magical study remains a growing, vibrant thing, and magic is not merely seen as a handy tool for rulers and engineers to tame Faerûn, but remains a thing of wonder. Mystra's clerics usually multiclass as sorcerers or wizards.

All priests of Mystra can cause their own flesh—all of it, or specific areas, such as a hand—to glow at will with a soft, blue-white radiance as a boon from Mystra. This radiance, known as weaveglow, is enough to read by or to allow a priest to clearly see items and surroundings within 5 feet. Most Mystrans keep this sign of the favor of the goddess secret from nonbelievers. As something mysterious, it is more useful, allowing them, for example, to feign affliction or magical attack. Weaveglow is granted to priests after their initiation, which is often a Starflight ceremony.

Chaotic Good
Lliira, goddess of joy
Suggested Domain: Life
Symbol: Triangle of 3 six pointed stars
A truly carefree deity, her followers are known as the joydancers. Her blessings are extended to any celebrations, so long as they are not touched by violence.
Worshipers: Both the specialty priests and clerics of Lliira were known as "Joybringers" until 1365 DR, when members of the clergy became confused by the naming scheme. From that year onward the specialty priests were distinguished by the title of "Joydancer." Her clergy were renowned throughout Faerûn for their easy going and good-hearted nature, making them some of the most popular clerics in the continent.

Selune, goddess of the moon
Suggested Domain: Knowledge, Life
Symbol: Pair of eyes surrounded by seven stars
A combination of the slavic Zorya, and various moon goddesses throughout various faiths, Selune changes with the phases of the moon. Each of her aspects watch over the world below, and her dominion spreads over all that is touched by the light of the moon.
Worshipers: Selûne and her teachings of compassion and guidance were appealing to all folk who lived their lives by the moonlit night sky, and hence her faithful were a very diverse group. She was followed by those who were lost and those who were questing. Sailors and navigators, who traveled by the stars, often prayed to the Night White Lady to protect them from Umberlee, the Queen of the Depths. Others who labored by night at honest work prayed to her for similar reasons. Some sought her for protection in the dark or from the dark forces of Shar. Lycanthropes, whether those of good heart, neutrality, or a few who relished their condition, honored the Moonmaiden as the mistress of their nature. Astrologers, diviners, fortune-tellers, mystics, and those just curious about the future acknowledged her as a ruler of fate. Female spellcasters revered her, particularly those born during a full moon or who had an interest in divination, and a few dedicated themselves to her. She was also worshiped by illusionists, some sages, and good thieves.

In particular, she was commonly worshiped by human women. They looked to Selûne for guidance, courage, and strength, while couples hoped she would bless them with children when the time was right. In the 14th century DR, the church's ideology of female empowerment made her popular with alewives, laundresses, seamstresses, and servants.

Meanwhile, the church's philosophy of self-reliance and finding one's path made her popular with all kinds of mavericks, eccentrics, and outsiders, such as adventurers and outcasts. She was one of those gods worshiped by non-wicked tieflings of the late 15th century DR.

Even those not dedicated to Selûne would pay their respects to her. For example, a band of adventurers on a night-time raid might make an offering to Selûne for guidance. Most goodly folk paid homage to Selûne during the full moon. Even evil thieves would try to placate her.

In the Shining Lands of Durpar, Estagund, and Var the Golden in southeast Faerûn, Selûne was known as Lucha, She Who Guides. Here, she was seen as part of the Adama, a unifying world spirit that included all gods, the world, and everything. Almost everyone in Durpar worshiped Lucha, in the belief that she personally watched over all marriages performed by her priests, as most marriages in Durpar were. It was also believed she guided traders to the best customers.

The itinerant Gurs of the Western Heartlands followed Selûne, for she was a goddess of wanderers and navigation. They thought of themselves as "children of Selûne".

Sune, goddess of love and beauty
Suggested Domain: Life, Light
Symbol: Face of a beautiful, red-headed woman
Sune is closely related to Athena and Aphrodite of the greek pantheon. She is worshipped by all those who appreciate beauty over all else.
Worshipers Sune's clerics sought to bring beauty to the world in many forms, all of which were pleasing to the senses. They created great works of art, became patrons for promising actors, and imported exotic luxuries like satin and fine wines. Her followers also enjoyed looking beautiful, and hearing tales of romance. The stories ranged from star-crossed love, true love overcoming all else, to following one's heart. The negative aspects of love, as would be expected, were downplayed and kept from public view in the interest of making the faith welcoming for all.

Her temples usually held social salons and displayed mirrors for use by lay parishioners. Some of them even had public baths for the local populace. Her shrines often stood on the corner of busy city streets. They would have a small ornate overhanging roof with a mirror underneath. They were used to check one's appearance while honoring Sune with prayer. Some shrines even held perfume and cosmetic items for those who could not afford such luxuries themselves.

Tymora, goddess of good fortune
Suggested Domain: Trickery
Symbol: Face-up coin
Tymora is the sister of Beshaba, and upholds a staunch rivalry with her sibling. She decides the fate of those who would worship evil with a roll of her dice, and in turn gives her blessing to those who are willing to take risks in life.
Worshipers: Commonly consisting of adventurers and others who relied on a mixture of luck and skill to achieve their goals, the Tymoran clergy encouraged folk to pursue their dreams. Members of Tymoran faith believed that one should be bold and trust in one's own luck. Priests of Tymora were taught to think of themselves as their own masters and to be brave enough to accept both good and bad fortune, as a trust in their goddess and in themselves. They were also duty-bound to aid the daring by providing healing and even some minor magic items.

Shrines and temples of Tymora were as widespread as the needs of adventurers to be healed, which made the temples wealthy. These places of worship often differed significantly from each other in powers, manners, and titles though, with little overall authority or hierarchy. They were independent from each other, and each temple reflected the tastes of its high priestess or priest. The temples provided potions, scrolls, or other little things like glowstones, often as rewards to those who served Tymora and her tenets well. However, despite their differences, most of the Tymoran temples shared some traditions. The common item worn by all clergy of Lady Luck was the disk of Tymora, usually carried on a small chain and always prepared for the greeting rituals. Blue and silver colors were commonly seen on clerical dresses. The Church of Tymora didn't discriminate, and saw all races and sexes as equal in the eyes of Tymora. However, in practice, most exalted ranks of the priesthood consisted of human women.

Tymora was the most famous deity around the country of Cormyr, after she protected their capital, Suzail, during the Time of Troubles. Her efforts prompted a resurgence of her faith throughout the nation. The priests of Tymora didn't charge visitors for service, however most people provided offerings, believing that it would increase their luck. Thanks to those donations, the Tymoran temples around Cormyr were extremely wealthy.

Nobles and merchants were constantly seeking the blessing of Tymora, and no significant venture was undertaken without the prayers of the Luckbringers.

Lawful Neutral
Azuth, god of wizards
Suggested Domain: Arcana, Knowledge
Symbol: Left hand pointing upward, outlined in fire
Azuth is a servant of Mystra, and holds his place as the lesser deity of magic. His followers, known as the Magistrati, consisting of monks, clerics, wizards, and other spellcasters, act as a sort of administration for magic users in whatever cities they are found.
Worshipers: The clergy of Azuth were collectively known as the Magistrati and included wizards, monks, and clerics within their ranks. They preferred to maintain their temples within large cities, align themselves with powerful magical guilds, and act as a sort of magical administration to facilitate communication between spellcasters and enforce the Magebond.

Among the highest order of Azuth's followers were a group of arcane paragons known as the Favored. These heralds of magical development furthered the channeling of the Weave by formulating arcane processes, a process viewed as the apex of magical science among the faithful.

The church of Azuth were widely viewed as archaic in their tradition, pedantic in their debates, and oblivious to the real-world problems within the Realms. They often possessed a moral neutrality that garnered an unfavorable opinion by the average layperson.

Mellomir, also known as the "Kind Wizard", was an ardent worshipper of Azuth. Azuth helped him craft Mellomir’s Mantle - a particularly potent abjuration spell. Mellomir travelled the world to see its magics after meeting a manifestation of Azuth who inspired him to do so.

Helm, god of protection
Suggested Domain: Life, Light
Symbol: Staring eye on upright left gauntlet
Helm, often pictured in a suit of armor, is highly worshipped by paladins and guards. He is the archetypal protector enforcer, and is known by many names, including the Watcher, the Vigilant, and He of the Unsleeping Eyes.
Helm
Worshipers: Prior to the Time of Troubles, Helmites were long respected and revered for their dedication and purpose, especially in the frontiers of the North. Throughout the divine crisis, and beyond, they unfailingly pledged to come to the defense of those who called for it.

They wore polished full suits of armor, often enchanted as everbright, and typically wore plumed helmets. Their hierarchy was strict and militaristic, with specific groups such as the order of paladins called the Vigilant Eyes of the God, and originally also a single pontiff as head of the church—the Supreme Watcher. However, there had not been someone in that post since 992 DR.

The faith was especially popular in Cormyr, the Dragon Coast, Tethyr, the Vilhon Reach, and the Western Heartlands.

Kelemvor, god of the dead
Suggested Domain: Death
Symbol: Upright skeletal arm holding balanced scales
Kelemvor is one of the few death gods who believes that death is something that should be honored, not feared. He acts as the judge of the damned, sending those who have passed on to their appropriate final resting place.
Worshipers: The death clergy, as they were known, had many duties; most involved tending to the last wishes of the dying and providing burial services to those who died alone. They also set out to cure diseases and defend people from monsters so that folk did not die before their time. Their final and arguably most important task was the destruction of undeath in all its various forms as it was an affront to Kelemvor. Elite priests of Kelemvor were known as Doomguides. Servants of Kelemvor were usually clad in somber gray vestments and brandished hand-and-a-half swords, or bastard swords.

Savras, god of divination and law
Suggested Domain: Arcana, Knowledge
Symbol: Crystal ball containing many kind of eyes
A secondary servant of Mystra, Savras once vied for a position as god of wizards, eventually losing out to Azuth. His followers are diviners and truth-speakers, using their connection to magic to foresee that which is yet to come.
Worshipers: Savras was worshiped in both the north and south as a god of diviners and truth-speakers. His clergy was still sparse in the late 14th century DR, as Savras had just been released from his centuries-old prison. Savras's only famous servant was Alaundo of Candlekeep, the one true prophet of the Realms.

Savras was particularly beloved in the nations of the Chultan Peninsula (Tashalar, Samarach, Nimbral, and so on, where scrying and spying were practically the national pastimes because the inhabitants' fear of the yuan-ti.

The Gurs were known to worship Savras, which may explain the survival of his faith during his long period of imprisonment.

The most devout worshipers of Savras carried around elaborate staves with them at all times. This was in the hope that their god might make their staff his temporary residence.

True Neutral
Gond, god of craft
Suggested Domain: Forge, Knowledge
Symbol: Toothed cog with four spokes
More than just the god of craft, Gond is known as the Lord of All Smiths. He is known as Nebulin by gnomes, and Zionil in the Shining Lands. He encourages inventiveness and innovation in all of his followers.
Worshipers: Up until the late 14th century DR, the primary center of Gond worship in the realms was the island nation of Lantan. The Lantanese brought their worship of Gond to the Sword Coast of Faerûn via Waterdeep. The inventions of the Gondar clergy greatly contributed to the ascendance of Waterdhavian mercantilism. Similarly, their influence in Baldur's Gate was evident in civic projects led by Gond's church and the wholesale incorporation of of their devices into Baldurian daily life.

The faith of Gond spread far and wide beyond the Sword Coast, to inland cities such as Tilverton in Cormyr, Essembra in the Dalelands, and Ravens Bluff in Vesperin. Gond's religion could even be found in the far off Unapproachable East, in the magocratic realm of Thay, and among a community of gnomes that dwelled within a solitary isle within the Yal Tengri sea.

Gond was accepted among the gnomish pantheon as Nebelun the Meddler, though a few small groups believed that Nebelun was a separate deity. Though the latter was correct, Nebelun was only active in other crystal spheres, leaving the Faerûnian Lord of All Smiths free to take his place in the Realms.

Oghma, god of knowledge
Suggested Domain: Knowledge
Symbol: Blank scroll
Oghma is the chief deity of knowledge in the pantheons he is a part of. He is the lord of bards, invention, knowledge, and inspiration.
Worshipers: The Lord of Knowledge had the distinction of being revered by beings of every race, every stratum of society, and every philosophy and moral alignment. Unlike most neutral gods, his clerics could be of any alignment including neutral. All folk who valued, preserved, shared, sought, created, or uncovered knowledge and learning were perforce followers of Oghma and anyone looking for information, especially if it was lost or concealed, would say a prayer to the Binder and beseech him for a blessing. Those who worshiped Oghma included artists, artisans, bards, cartographers, clerks, inventors, librarians, loremasters, sages, scholars, scribes, smiths, and wizards. Archivists and truenamers might pray to him as well. Oghma was also among the deities of knowledge favored by the Fraternity of Order in the planes.

The worship of Oghma was favored in the Dalelands, the Western Heartlands, the Shaar, and in the North, especially in the Silver Marches and Silverymoon, and it was a major faith in Waterdeep. In the Sea of Fallen Stars, he could be followed by the aquatic races of Serôs, including shalarin, dolphins, and whales (who had some of the greatest bards).

Silvanus, god of wild nature
Suggested Domain: Nature
Symbol: Oak leaf
The partner to Chauntea, Silvanus represents the wilder part of nature. As he embraces more of the savage, chaotic side of the world, he cares far more for nature than balance and order; an idea reflected in the actions of his followers.
Worshipers: Silvanus had both clerics and druids in his faith, though their presence varied by location, with druids being the more prominent due to his narrow focus on wild nature without concern for balance. One could even find halfling druids revering him over their own pantheon's nature deity, though this was a rare occurrence. Some barbarians, hermits, wilderness dwellers and rangers also worshiped him.

His clergy often worked together with the clergy of his allies, Mielikki and Eldath, towards common goals. With the latter two being instructed to support, protect, and (if the need arose) obey the clergy of Silvanus. These included protecting the wilderness from further encroachment by civilization, such as the felling of trees and limiting farms or ranches to already cleared land. Also the fighting of diseases, planting new plants, and fighting those who did the bidding of Malar.

His worship was widespread across the east and south of Tethyr, especially in the Forest of Tethir, in the Dalelands, the Moonshae Isles, the Chondalwood of the Vilhon Reach, and the Yuirwood in Aglarond.

Tempus, god of war
Suggested Domain: War
Symbol: Upright flaming sword
Before Tempus took his place as the god of war, there was a great battle between all those who sought the position. Eventually, having absorbed the power of all those he defeated, Tempus stood alone in his rule. He believes in honorable battle and despises cowardice.
Worshipers: Faerûn was a violent land, and thus from sheer number of worshipers Tempus was one of the mightiest deities in the Realms. Nearly everyone who drew a sword or nocked an arrow had fought alongside a cleric of the Foehammer, and just as many had fought against one.

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

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

Waukeen, goddess of trade
Suggested Domain: Knowledge, Trickery
Symbol: Upright coin with Waukeen’s profile facing left
For a lesser deity, Waukeen’s dominion spreads wide. She has dominion over everything related to commerce, from fair trade to smuggling. Persistence and negotiation are the staples of her teachings.
Worshipers: Widely admired and envied before the Time of Troubles, the Merchant's Friend's church suffered greatly during the Interdeium of Waukeen, a span of several years in which she was missing and presumed dead. Although Waukeen has begun revitalizing the faith of her worshipers, the opinion of the outside world may take far longer to recover. All sorts of rumors about Waukeen's disappearance and return are still being banded about, with allegations that she is really dead or that she consorted with fiends being the most damaging and persisent tales told.

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

Chaotic Neutral
Leira, goddess of illusion
Suggested Domain: Trickery
Symbol: Point-down triangle containing a swirl of mist
Leira is a liar, favoring deception to the truth whenever she can. Leirans, her followers, reflect these mannerisms and will often disguise themselves to achieve their goals.
Worshipers Leira had quite a small following. Her priests, known as Leirans, or Worshipers of the Mistshadow, wore silver masks and often disguised themselves to deceive those around them. Leirans would speak the truth only to other Leirans. High-level clerics of the Leiran faith were called Mistcallers.

Every morning, and on every moonlit night, Leirans lay face down and prayed to the Lady of the Mists. If there was any mist, Leirans would walk through it and pray. The most revered act in the Leiran faith was the "Unmasking", a purification ritual performed when new followers entered the faith or if a follower changed rank. During the ritual, the follower would walk barefaced among its peers while the clergy would hold up candles and reflective surfaces.

The faith of Leira was the state religion on the island of Nimbral and its vassal state Samarach. When the people of Nimbral rebelled against the influence of Leira's clergy following her apparent death in the Time of Troubles,and banned state religions, the Leiran priests fled to Samarach and continued to hold sway there.

Not widely worshiped, the majority of her worshipers were users of illusion magic. While Leira may have had few dedicated followers, a worshiper of the Faerûnian pantheon often would pay homage to her before an important decision or judgment.

Mask, god of thieves
Suggested Domain: Trickery
Symbol: Black mask
Mask is perhaps the most well-known deity of thieves, spies, and assassins. What is often forgotten is that the mantle has been worn by many over the ages, all taking on the personality and responsibility of the Lord of Shadows.
Worshipers The church of Mask stated that wealth rightfully belonged to those who could acquire it. Honesty was for fools but apparent honesty was a very valuable thing, and subtlety was everything.

The Clergy of Mask were called Maskarrans, with elite specialty priests referred to as demarchesses (pronounced: /dɛmɑːrˈkɛsɛs/ deh-mar-KESS-es) if female, and demarchs (pronounced: /dɛˈmɑːrks/ deh-MARKS) if male. Maskarrans addressed each other as "Brother/Sister Shadow", no matter their rank. Clergy that completed an especially dangerous heist or complex act of manipulation were often admitted to the Circle of the Gray Ribbon.

It was rumored that the Cult of Mask maintained a large network of informants throughout the cities of the realm. It was also rumored that this network provided employment for all sorts of thieves, beggars and thugs.[citation needed]

Shrines of gods radiated that part of their philosophical orientation they shared the most. For example, a shrine of a chaotic evil deity, who was more chaotic than evil, radiated chaos. Mask's shrines during the 14th century DR radiated chaos, despite him being a neutral evil deity during that time.

Lawful Evil
Bane, god of tyranny
Suggested Domain: Order, War
Symbol: Upright black right hand, thumb and fingers together
Not a roided out Batman villain, Bane is set on dominion over all of Faerun (or whatever world you happen to be using him in). As a cruel, intelligent tyrant he uses his influence to spread his rule, acting indirectly through his followers.
Worshipers: Among the evil gods, Bane's church was among the most stable and powerful. While there was a time when the god encouraged sectarianism and violent disputes, that time has long since passed and today[as of when?] the god's Faithful were as likely to solve their disputes through reasonable debate as through show of force. That being said, Bane's church was no less ruthless than that of Cyric or Shar and it obeyed a strict hierarchy extending from the god's most powerful worshipers to his weakest ones, with the god himself the lord of everything they did and, though worshipers of Bane came from every station in life, they all knew to whom they owed their blessings, ready to turn it over to the Black Lord at any time.

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

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

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

Loviatar, goddess of pain
Suggested Domain: Death
Symbol: Nine-tailed barbed scourge
Loviatar is the servant and queen of Bane. She shares his passion for tyranny and enjoys abusing others through physical and psychological torture.
Worshipers: Bringing pain and suffering was the aim of all Loviatans, either through physical torture or sometimes more subtly and psychologically. Beauty, intelligence, and acting were useful attributes of a Loviatan, but the ability to fully understand someone was the best skill a Loviatan could acquire, as knowing someone fully could help a Loviatan inflict maximum pain, one way or another. Loviatar's followers were encouraged to wipe Ilmater's followers from the face of the Realms.

Loviatans often engaged in self-flagellation, often in the morning when praying for spells. They celebrated each season with the Rite of Pain and Purity, a ritual that involved followers dancing on glass, thorns, or barbed-wire while being whipped by higher-level Loviatans. A smaller ritual occurring every twelve days involved followers passing their bodies through the flames of candles.

During warfare, priestesses of Loviatar scourged their naked shoulders or tore their cheeks with their nails to evoke magic.

Titles used by novices were Kneeling Ones.

Specialty priests, called pains, operate as a separate arm of the faith. They travel from place to place carrying out the goddess's will as envoys, agents, or inquisitors rather than being permanently stationed at a temple. Ordinary clerics of Loviatar hold the pains in high regard. A temple mainly consists of clerics, but one to three pains can be called upon if needed. Mystics often are assigned to groups of pains and monk, while living only with monks and monasteries. They usually swear fealty to the temple that their abbey is a part of in the hierarchy.

The faith of Loviatar was the state religion in the country of Dambrath. Under Queen Cathtyr the priesthood of Loviatar grew to the thousands. The Crinti priestesses there had their own secret religious language, known as the "Maiden's Tongue". The Crinti considered copying the idea of the trade enclave from the Red Wizards of Thay combining a trade center and a place for the faithful to Loviatar to worship.

Neutral Evil
Bhaal, god of murder
Suggested Domain: Death
Symbol: Skull surrounded by a ring of blood droplets
Bhaal is a truly terrifying deity whose influence spreads over all acts of violence. His worshippers are an unruly cult of people who enjoy murdering others to appease their god. Along with Bane and Myrkul he was given dominion over Jergal’s realm, having once been mortal adventurers seeking power.
Worshipers: The clergy of Bhaal in Faerûn were known as Bhaalists or Bhaalyn, the latter being used more commonly in the lands east of the Dragon Reach. Together they were a disorderly network of local hierarchies, with the urban and rural branches maintaining distant relations from one another. Collectively, they believed that murder was both a duty to their god and a game for their enjoyment. Each cleric of Bhaal was expected to perform at least one murder every tenday, in the darkest moment in the dead of night.

Myrkul, god of death
Suggested Domain: Death
Symbol: White human skull
Worshippers of Myrkul are rare. He inspires fear of death in all, gaining his power not from adoration but from pure terror.
Worshipers: The worship of Myrkul was never popular in Faerûn, his influence inspired through the fear of death. He wasn't widely worshiped so much as dreaded, and even blamed for the natural difficulties that accompanied growing old.

His worshipers, who were often undertakers in one form or another, were a morose, secretive lot, reticent to share their faith with those outside his meager and unorganized church. These Myrkulytes were tasked with ensuring the people of Toril both feared and respected death. To aggrandize Myrkul's power they would propagate rumors that merely touching one of his priests would bring certain death.

Following the Avatar Crisis, Myrkul's worship continued on in part due to the efforts of the horned harbingers, those beings that each came into contact with a remnant of the god's divinity.

Shar, goddess of darkness and loss
Suggested Domain: Death, Trickery
Symbol: Black disk encircled with a border
Shar is the twin sister of Selune, and her dominion spreads widely over all that the darkness of night touches. She is perhaps most well known for creating the Shadow Weave, a web of dark magical energy influencing the multiverse.
Worshipers: People turned to Shar's dark embrace in order to forget, whether it was pain at the loss of a loved one or bitterness at a betrayal. Those who were blind, particularly blinded later in life by the cruelty or carelessness of others, would also pray to her for guidance. The mentally ill and the mad, and the anarchistic and the nihilistic, might also turn to her if they had a natural affinity for her ways. Those sunk deep in depression would also pray to Shar. Though they all knew her to be dark and vindictive, they came to her anyway in the desperate belief that she and her clergy would give solace, not thiking they would use their feelings to corrupt them. Good priests, especially those of Selûne, Mystra, and Lathander, warned them away, but often in vain. In this way, the clergy of Shar grew.Ultimately, they were simply consumed by bitterness, loss, and vengefulness. She was also venerated, or at last paid lip service, by beings who avoided or despised light, those who operated at night like thieves and killers, and those with something to hide or bury.

However, folk who only had to work at night or in the dark, such as miners, would offer prayers to Shar to keep dangers at bay. Even those who'd simply lost something might beg her help finding it. So, she might be worshiped by people of any morality, whether lawful or chaotic or even good, but most often by those of evil nature, such as villainous thieves.

Although she was a human deity, Shar was also commonly worshiped by goblinoids and other creatures who abhorred light, whether it was because they lived underground or they acted at night. Either way, they paid her homage when working in the dark.

Under her stolen alias as Ibrandul, the Lurker in Darkness, Shar was also worshiped by the Ibrandulin. She still granted spells to their priests.

The clergy of Shar were a secretive organization that pursued subversive tactics rather than direct confrontation with its rivals. In many cities where worshiping Shar was barred, these churches and temples were hidden because of their illegal nature. In addition to her clerics, Shar maintained an elite order of sorcerer monks, the Order of the Dark Moon, who could tap Shar's Shadow Weave.

In the time of ancient Netheril, Shar was among the deities venerated by the lower classes. Among her worshipers were the Shadovar of Thultanthar, who fled into the Plane of Shadow before Karsus's Folly and devoted their whole society to her. In their restored Empire of Netheril in the 15th century, the Shadovar made worship of Shar the state religion and the basis for their law, with all other faiths forbidden. Their fanaticism and tyranny, and their crimes for the glory of Shar, caused much loss and grief and led to widespread bans on her faith by the late 1400s.

Shar was also venerated by many of those who used the Shadow Weave.

Chaotic Evil
Beshaba, goddess of misfortune
Suggested Domain: Trickery
Symbol: Black antlers
Beshaba is set upon destroying her sister Tymora. Her portfolio of mischief, misfortune, accidents and bad luck are worshipped by many, although most of this worship is inspired by fear. Many of her adventurous followers took on roles of assassins, bringing misfortune to others.
Worshipers: Beshaba was revered more out of fear than out of religious faith. Her doctrine stated that bad luck befell everybody and the only way to avoid it was by worshiping her. She was renowned for being spiteful and malevolent, and her priests manipulated common folk into revering and providing for them by acting mysteriously and playing on morbid fears. Her clerics offered an entreaty for their spells and made sacrifices of alcoholic beverages such as burning brandy or wine. There were two festivals in the calendar of Beshaba, at Midsummer and Shieldmeet. Both were celebrated by revelry and indulgence in food and drink.

Red Wizards of Thay were known to erect shrines to Beshaba near their ritual chambers to ward off bad luck.

Cyric, god of lies
Suggested Domain: Trickery
Symbol: White jawless skull on black or purple starburst
Cyric, the Prince of Lies, is one of the most influential evil gods. He has toppled many thrones and stolen the worship of other evil gods. He was responsible for the Spellplague, the multiversal chaos that tore the fabric of reality.
Worshipers: Even before godhood Cyric attracted a zealous contingent of Zhent warriors called the Company of the Scorpions that devoted themselves to his cause. They followed Cyric during his quest to retrieve the Tablets of Fate and cast aside their loyalties to their former employers and home realms. But while Cyric did spare them from inadvertent death, he only traveled with them so long as they proved useful, and completely abandoned them afterwards.

Malar, god of the hunt
Suggested Domain: Nature
Symbol: Clawed paw
Malar is a god who is only vaguely humanoid. Known as the Beastlord, he is the god of evil lycanthropes, bestial savagery and bloodlust. He encourages the dismantling of civilization.
Worshipers: Malar was a minor deity not unique to Toril, a divine scavenger who foraged for worshipers among perhaps a hundred predatory races across an equally vast number of worlds.[4] Malarites were generally frowned upon by civilization, as they tended to wreak havoc in their wake. One exception where the worship of Malar was allowed was in Cormyr.

The People of the Black Blood were tribes of Lycanthropes that venerated Malar. In the Year of Wild Magic, 1372 DR, it was estimated that the total population was at least 3,000 individuals scattered across the forests of Faerûn in groups of fifty to one hundred.

Talona, goddess of disease and poison
Suggested Domain: Death
Symbol: Three teardrops on a triangle
Talona’s followers will often scar themselves and test themselves by building up resistances to poisons and diseases. They view those who succumb to such things as weak and disposable.
Worshipers: Her priests, known collectively as Talontar, typically wore ragged gray-green robes. Though they would wash these vestments, they would never repair them. Older and high-ranking members of her priesthood tended to either ritually scar or tattoo their bodies all over. When embarking on a battle or dangerous adventure, a follower of Talona would often don armor of a black and purple hue that was adorned with a variety of spurs, horns, and spikes.

Her followers often sold various poisons, antidotes, and medicines. When not doing so they were known to travel across Faerûn, seeking out new diseases or afflictions while also spreading rumors about Talona in hopes of boosting her reputation.

Talontar devoted much of their lives to building up an immunity to various diseases and poisons, by means of both inoculation and magic. Because of this, they often treated those afflicted with disease or buried their bodies. They also tended to be hired by paranoid members of high society, such as wealthy merchants or rulers, to test their food for any poison.

Talos, god of storms
Suggested Domain: Tempest
Symbol: Three lightning bolts radiating from a central point
Talos is perhaps an aspect of the Orc god Gruumsh. Like a storm, he seeks to spread violence and mayhem through destruction and demands absolute obedience from his worshippers.
Worshipers: The church of Talos was small by the standards of a greater deity, and his followers were fanatical in their love of destruction. The clergy had no formal hierarchy; obedience was enforced through might. Priests of Talos were fond of extorting sailors and farmers, threatening that Talos would bring destructive storms upon them if they did not placate the angry god. They were wont to pursue wealth and luxury with many indulging in acts of random or spiteful violence, pillage, and banditry. Talossan clerics were also committed evangelists who sought to gain converts through fear or the enticement of raw power.

Clerics of Talos wore black robes and cloaks shot through with teardrops and jagged lines of gold and silver while high clergy wore blue-white ceremonial robes streaked with crimson. All of them wore eye patches. His followers were known as Talassans. Talassan clerics generally cross-trained as barbarians, sorcerers, wizards, or as stormlords.

Worship of Talos was outlawed in many countries. Most Talossan holy sites were secret because of the church's reputation. Public churches often took the form of castles or fortified strongholds that lay on earthquake fault lines or in the path of storms or lava; Talos ensured they remain unscathed.