DEITIES AND DEMIGODS OF FAERÛN

Acaria

The Blue

Acaria is that rarest of beings – a sanctified demon lord. Once the cruel queen of a layer of the Abyss, she is now a powerful and penitent denizen of Mount Celestia. Acaria strives to counter the plots of her former fiendish brethren, sending her followers to disrupt demonic cults and sometimes herself appearing to battle fiends manifesting in Faerûn. She is not a patient creature, prefering direction action and righteous violence to elaborate conspiracies and contingencies. Her time amongst the archons and angels of Celestia is very gradually tempering this rashness, but Acaria will probably always take joy in putting a sword into the gizzard of a demon.

For time out of mind, Acaria the Blue ruled Karunchyra, the bleak, ashen wasteland that is the 370th layer of the Abyss. She was a proud, powerful demon lord – too proud and too powerful for the comfort of others of her kind. Over two thousand years ago, a short-lived alliance of demons invaded Karunchyra and drove Acaria into exile. She fled from plane to plane for a century, finally ending up in Faerûn – where, after establishing and eventually abandoning a cult in Vaasa, she was promptly imprisoned by a circle of elven High Mages and buried deep, deep beneath the forest of Cormanthor. During her long captivity, Acaria began to contemplate the reasons behind her defeats and discontent... In time, the wards around her new prison gradually wore down and Acaria escaped shortly after the fall of Myth Drannor. She wandered the Moonsea and Bloodstone Lands for a time, trying rather listlessly to build up a cult and power base, but was challenged and defeated by a band of adventurers operating out of Phlan. The adventurers, all followers of Torm, carried their prisoner to the House of the Triad where the archons of Torm managed to bring Acaria out of the darkness after many years of patient debate and discussion. Since her purification, Acaria has been a stalwart and vigorous champion of good. Few things delight her more than defeating the schemes of a demon prince (actually slaying a demon prince is one of the few).

The followers of Acaria are organized into wandering bands who travel the length and breadth of Faerûn in search of fiendish cults and activity. There is a very loose hierarchy, where the leader of a given band will report to the sect’s Waterdhavian leader, Wellian Ginlae. These Hands of Acaria are zealous and brave, and swiftly gaining a reputation as peerless fiend-slayers; the downside to this is that they are also attracting the attention of many fiends with an eye on Faerûn.

Acaria is depicted as a tall, strong human woman with pale blue skin, silver eyes and blue-green hair worn in various practical styles. She is clad in armor and bears a greatsword or greataxe. In earlier centuries, she had fine blue scales instead of skin and this image is still seen in some shrines across the Realms.

Wellian Ginlae (LG male Illuskan knight) comes from a long line of Waterdhavian nobles. He grew up in pampered circumstances that belied the family traditions of honor and service, and secretly yearned for a chance to prove himself the equal of the great Garen Ginlae, rewarded with a noble rank for his service defending Waterdeep during the Godswar and the turbulent generation thereafter. When Wellian came across a seemingly helpless traveler beset by four ruffians, he leapt into action – as it happened, the ‘hapless young woman’ was a monk well able to handle it, but she appreciated the gesture, and soon enough, Wellian found the cause he’d been searching for. That was twenty years ago, and since then, he has shepherded Acaria’s church into a respectable part of Waterdeep’s tapestry of faiths.

Aline

Maiden of the Waters, the River Queen

Aline, Maiden of the Waters, is guardian of the rivers and lakes (her blood, in a mystical sense) of the Sword Coast and Western Heartlands. Although a generally serene and caring deity, she can unleash anger just as fierce as any raging flood. Aline teaches that rivers are the lifeblood of the world, and they must be honored and tended. Those who poison rivers are foes of the natural order and their efforts must be stopped (a few militant followers of Aline even regard the building of dams, bridges and mills as an offense). After a long decline, Aline has regained some of her ancient power and her sphere of influence is growing. Some scholars believe that Aline is either an aspect or daughter of the ancient fey goddess Verenestra. Others opine that Aline was born out of the primal waters of Faerûn, which is the stance of the River Queen’s church. Aline often appears in Faerûn, rising up out of the rivers as a silver-haired nymph of especially striking beauty and aiding her followers by ending ravaging floods or the like.

Aline is an ancient deity, one known as long ago as the Golden Age of Netheril. Many sages believe she is akin to the Grove Goddess Eldath. Her faith has waxed and waned over the years, but it entered a long, relentless decline shortly after the fall of Myth Drannor. By the year 1300 DR, Aline’s church numbered a dozen or so priests scattered from the Sword Coast to the Inner Sea. The Maidenstones that once marked her dominion over all the rivers of Faerûn were reduced to a handful of old moss-covered stone plinths, their meaning long forgotten, concealed in ancient forests and the crumbling ruins of long-abandoned settlements along the Sword Coast and Western Heartlands. The Time of Troubles revived Aline from this fading death, however. She appeared in the Winding Water just above the Forest of Wyrms, and remained there for the duration of the Godswar. Years later, Aline reappeared and gathered together her clergy and followers to witness the Cleansing. This great miracle removed the taint of Bhaal’s death from the waters below Boareskyr Bridge as a sign of Aline’s strength and love. Since then, her church has undergone a remarkable revival. Thousands of river sailors all across northwestern Faerûn once again honor her, and new Maidenstones have been raised in many river ports between the Sword Coast and Anauroch.

Naturally enough, Aline’s ties with the other Faerûnian water gods are of great importance. While Aline and Umberlee regard each other with contempt, they are not active foes and each grudgingly recognizes the value of the other. Istishia is honored by Aline and her followers as the primal source of the rivers and waters of Faerûn. Auril, on the other hand, is a bitter foe of Aline, who fears the Frostmaiden’s power to reduce her thousand children to frozen slumber for much of the year. Aline’s main allies are Eldath, Silvanus and her fey cousin Trachtenmai, while she has an ancient and mostly-forgotten rivalry with Sune (in ancient ages, long before the fall of Netheril, Aline was worshiped as a goddess of beauty in much of northwestern Faerûn).

There are few artistic depictions of Aline save for crumbling murals in long-abandoned elvish ruins across the North, but those few who have encountered the River Queen describe her as an especially tall nereid of breathtaking beauty with pale green skin, emerald hair and eyes of a verdant hue impossible for words to express.

While Alina has few true worshipers, there are more than a few who venerate her as the eldest of their kind. Levenra Wisewater (CG nereid) is not least among them. She dwells in a secluded glade deep in the Reaching Woods, from where she spreads the word of Aline’s revival to all her kin, and any other friends of nature. Lately, the waters of the River Reaching that flow through her forest have been befouled, befouled by more than the reckless stupidity of mortals – some power has laid a malediction upon them, and Levenra is seeking those who have more freedom of movement than she to discover the cause and then resolve it before the damage to water and wood alike is beyond repair. She would pay handsomely with coin collected from wood-wasting wanderers who no longer need them.

Anar

Goldshield, Lord of Spring Dawning

Anar, most often known as Master Goldsun either as a sign of respect or a sign of affection, is the oldest of Lathander's three children. He is said to be the son of Lathander and Lliira, and his free spirit is definitely akin to Lliira's. Anar has been given lordship over much of his father's portfolio, and is now the patron of both the dawn and spring (the dawn of the year, in the teachings of Anar's fledgling church). Master Highsun strives to fill all Faerûn with the bright, hopeful spirit of dawn that pervades his own realm. This realm, known as Birchhallow, is a pleasant cluster of green hills, each covered with shimmering birch trees and topped with a small watchtower, in the House of Nature. Anar's avatar generally takes the form of a handsome young man with dark eyes and reddish-blonde hair clad in green-tinted plate armor.

The church of Anar is still a small affair and essentially a sect within the larger church of Lathander. The main centers of Anar worship are in Baldur's Gate and Suzail, where an independent temple of Anar is under construction. The faith of Anar is one of hope and optimism, founded in the fact that even the darkest night is followed by a bright dawn. Anar's priests spread words of hope and encouragement, especially among the downtrodden, and a few undertake dangerous missions into lands of tyranny and evil. Alongside the church proper sits the Order of the Emerald Dawn, a small and valiant group of paladins affiliated with Anar's church. The Emerald Dawn is active through the Dalelands and western Moonsea area, seeking out undead and fiend cults.

Anar and his two sisters are heralds of the Deliverance. Lathander, long worried by the growing power of evil in the Realms, has quite literally joined with the goddesses Chauntea, Lliira and Selûne to combat this trend. The result is the birth of three new gods of light and good, all infused with a small amount of divine power from both their parents. Anar, as the son of Lathander and Lliira, is a bright and joyful deity, but one who seeks to burn away any trace of evil. He serves at the side of Lathander, and is present at the Morninglord's realm as often as his own. Anar is also on good terms with his mother and often visits her to refresh his spirit after some setback or dilemma faces him or his church. Most of the good deities of Faerûn have accepted Anar with open arms, although a few are wary another Dawn Cataclysm may be in the making. Torm and Anar are boon companions, and their followers often work together against especially powerful and vile foes. Shar despises Anar, as do Bane, Cyric, Malar and Mask, but it is Loviatar who has a special hatred for the Lord of Spring Dawning. Blood is inevitably shed when her followers encounter his.

Anar is a most often pictured as a tall, sturdy human warrior with golden hair and skin of a faintly reddish hue. His armor is the gold of a bright dawn sun, and he is never shown without his longsword and round shield in hand. Northern temples always depict him with a bright blue cloak, while temples in Amn and points south give him a yellow one; the origin of this distinction is a frequent topic for cordial debate among his clergy.

Jakh Damor (CG female tiefling fighter) started her adventuring career as a mercenary, fighting with several free companies along the Sword Coast against various bandits and raiders. Her abyssal heritage made her an outcast, but that would change when she and her company began to serve Lord Jamith, a corrupt nobleman in the Dalelands. When Jamith abducted the daughter of another local lord, young Lady Tamara, Jakh, along with her two closest friends, rescued Lady Tamara and delivered her to the nearest sanctuary, a small temple dedicated to Anar. Lord Jamith was persistent and slain after a short battle, after which Jakh (eventually) took up the path of a paladin of the Emerald Dawn. Lady Tamara is currently Jakh’s patron, striving to keep her on the straight and narrow – not a very difficult task.

The Ar’Gisiae

A people as ancient and glorious as the Tel’Quessir have no shortage of legendary heroes. Among the elves of Evermeet, a special circle of heroes receives particular veneration - the Ar’Gisiae (High Guardians). The Ar’Gisiae are a group of hero deities drawn from the most distant past of Evermeet down to the present era. All of them died defending Evermeet against its foes, and all were raised again by Corellon Larethian to serve as his champions. Some dwell in Evermeet still, others in Arvandor, and others wander the Realms to offer succor to Evermeet elves abroad. They rarely draw arms together, but when Evermeet is threatened, the Ar’Gisiae are there to fight alongside their descendants against whatever imperils them.

There are twelve acknowledged Ar’Gisiae, although many truly ancient families claim an ancestor as one of the ‘lesser’ Guardians (by this reckoning, there are over twelve hundred Guardians, although perhaps one in one hundred of them can claim reputable sightings). The twelve are:

Auulua Asaliya (see below)

Dalyor Lhoril – a moon elf priest of Sehanine Moonbow and champion of the unity of the elves of Evermeet

Evindal Nelnueve – a sun elf male priest of Corellon Larethian and guardian of elven children

Ghilanna Falanae – a moon elf female warrior and diligent foe of the drow, especially priestesses of Lolth

Haryk Mistfall – a wood elf male ranger who defends the wilds of Evermeet

Jhanandra Starpearl – a sea elf female priestess of Deep Sashelas and patron of the seas around Evermeet

Kethryllia Amarillis – a moon elf who braved the depths of the Abyss to rescue her love, among a dozen other legendary feats

Nanthee Rhuidhen – a moon elf female priestess of Solonor Thelandira and huntress of those who attack Evermeet and escape

Paeris Ellarian – a moon elf male priest of Labelas Enoreth and paragon of elven mysticism

Soora Ashara – a wood elf female druid of Rillifane Rallathil who stalks and protects the forests of Evermeet

Taanyth Yasminlae – a sun elf male High Mage and master of the principles of elven magic

Taelevar Yasminlae – a sun elf female High Mage and a war-wizardess of unmatched power

Zhoron Waelvor – a moon elf male High Mage and guardian against fiendish temptation and infiltration

Auluua Asaliya

The Golden Guardian

One of the eldest of the Ar’Gisiae is Auluua Asaliya, a warrior maiden from the dawn of Evermeet’s history. She fell in battle against a family of red dragons, slaying four and saving the young city of Leuthilspar from complete destruction. Since then, the bladesingers of Evermeet have venerated her as their idol and inspiration. Auluua has returned from Arvandor six times to do battle against the foes of Evermeet, sometimes singlehandedly destroying entire legions of foes. She is the epitome of bladesong, a creature of ultimate grace and unstoppable power.

Centuries after Auluua’s ascension, but still many, many thousands of years ago, a sisterhood was founded to emulate the Golden Guardian. These Sisters of Auluua (or Nysa Auluua) are an order of female bladesingers who dedicate themselves body and soul to the twin duties of bladesong and defense of the realm with a zeal matching any human paladin. When one Sister falls in battle, the rest (there are usually twenty) choose a female elf to replace her. The chosen one is free to turn down the offer, and it has happened several times (usually in cases where an elf maiden wished to keep the freedom to pursue other interests besides a single-minded mastery of bladesong), but usually there is no hesitation.

Auluua’s family claimed descent as far back as Tintageer in the Feywild, and were certainly present in Evermeet since its very beginning. Those early days of Evermeet were a turbulent time, and many draconic and giant forces tried to destroy the young land. It is said that in the third Founding Battle, Auluua earned her rank as a High Guardian. A clan of red dragons sought to destroy the upstart kingdom of Evermeet. When the dragons descended on Evermeet, Auluua raced to the heart of the battle and, armed with nothing but a single courtblade, challenged the youngest dragon to a Feint of Honor. She prevailed, and then challenged the next oldest... and so on, with each duel buying time for the elves to recover and regroup. The fifth dragon, a savage and canny brute whose name is lost to history, finally defeated Auluua after a battle that lasted nearly an hour. Impressed by the courage of the young elf, the dragon did not destroy or mutilate her body. Instead he withdrew to find another battle to fight. The night, as Auluua was borne back to her family fortress on the far side of Leuthilspar, Corellon’s avatar appeared. He restored Auluua’s spirit to her body and then ushered her back to Arvandor in the flesh. Since then, Auluua has dwelt mainly in the celestial places, reaching ever higher summits of skill with bladesong and using her gifts to defend Evermeet when the need arises.

Auluua often graces the halls of sun elf temples and noble manors, where she is invariably depicted as a sun elf with radiant bronze skin, hair of gleaming gold, and shining golden eyes, clad either in the ornate dawn-colored robes of a sun elf noble or else intricately engraved gold-plated mithral armor, her courtblade held in a relaxed position.

In her mortal life, Auluua wielded the legendary Guenhyvarathil, an elven courtblade (a double-bladed scimitar in game terms) of great antiquity even then. When she ascended, Auluua left Guenhyvarathil in the hands of one of her protégés, Tesia Lamathier, and since then, it has passed through many, many hands. When Guenhyvarathil is wielded by a non-evil character, they gain +2 to attack and damage rolls made with the weapon, which deals radiant damage instead of slashing. Elves, eladrin and half-elves who wield the sword gain +3 to attack and damage, and inflict a bonus 2d8 (or 1d8 on a bonus second attack) radiant damage on any hit against an evil target.