Page 27 - D&D - Player's Handbook

their faults. Still, for the next few decades, the cult of AURIL
Asmodeus struggled for acceptance.
In the beliefs of the people of the North- which The Frostmaiden, Lady Frostkiss, Icedawn
coincide with many tales told by dwarves, elves, and Auril, the merciless goddess of cold and winter, is
others- Asmodeus is Lord of the Ninth, the leader of worshiped mostly in regions that are affected by deep
all devils of the Nine Hells. People know devils to be winters. Folk propitiate Auril with offerings and prayers
iron-minded and silver-tongued purveyors of temptation, for mercy. Her priests warn others to prepare for winter,
whose price for their boons can be as dear as one's and to stock extra provisions in order to have some to
soul. It's said that when a soul waits on the Fugue Plane spare as offerings to the goddess.
for a deity to take it to its appropriate afterlife, devils Few favor Auril except for those who make their live-
approach the soul·and offer it a chance at power and im- lihood from winter or those who truly love the season.
mortal pleasures. All a soul needs to do is take one step Her rare priests tend to be folk who would, but for their
out of the dust and the milling crowd and put a foot on status, likely be outcasts from their communities. They
the first rung of the infernal ladder that represents the practice celibacy and remain aloof from others when not
hierarchy of the Nine Hells. serving in their official capacity.
The faithful of Asmodeus acknowledge that devils Luskan has a temple dedicated to Auril, the white-
offer their worshipers a path that's not for everyone- spired Winter Palace. The structure is a roofless array
just as eternally basking in the light of Lathander or of pillars and arches carved of white stone. The rituals
endlessly swinging a hammer in the mines of Moradin of Auril's worship often seem cruel to outsiders. In
might not be for everyone. Those who serve Asmodeus Luskan, visitors gather at the temple to watch the fre-
in life hope to be summoned out of the moaning masses quent "wet parades," a ritual in which supplicants don
of the Fugue Plane after death. They yearn for the garments packed with ice. They then journey between
chance to master their own fates, with all of eternity to six white pillars known as the Kisses of Auril, which
achieve their goals. are dispersed throughout the city. The worshipers move
To those not so dedicated, priests of Asmodeus offer from pillar to pillar, chanting prayers to the goddess.
the prospect of a reprieve in the afterlife. All souls wait Upon reaching a pillar, a supplicant must climb it and
on the Fugue Plane for a deity's pleasure, which deter- then "kiss the lady," touching lips to a rusty iron plate
mines where a soul will spend the rest of eternity. Those at the top. In winter, these events resemble frantic
who lived their lives most in keeping with a deity's out- footraces, with the added risk of frostbite and injuries
look are taken first. Others, who have transgressed in caused by falling from the slippery pillars. The parade
the eyes of their favored god or have not followed any runners are cheered on by patrons who come out of
particular ethos, might wait centuries before Kelemvor nearby taverns to place bets on the stamina of the par-
judges where they go. People who fear such a fate can ticipants. Those who finish the race are thought to have
pray to Asmodeus, his priests say, and in return a devil helped make the winter easier, and they rarely have to
will grant a waiting soul some comfort. pay for food or ale all winter long.
Today, shrines to Asmodeus are still rare and temples
are almost unheard of, but many folk have adopted the AZUTH
habit of asking Asmodeus for reprieve from their sins.
The High One, the Lord of Spellcraft, the First Magister
After transgressing against a god in some way, a person
Few pay homage to Azuth aside from wizards. For them,
prays to Asmodeus for something to provide respite
the High One is the ultimate embodiment of all that they
during the long wait. Asmodeus is known to grant peo-
hold dear.
ple what they wish, and thus people pray for all the de-
Mystra serves as goddess of magic; Oghma is god of
lights and distractions they desire most from life. Those
knowledge; and Deneir is god of writing and language.
who transgress in great ways often ask Asmodeus to
Azuth takes aspects of these general fields and applies
hide their sins from the gods, and priests say that he
them to the specific practices of wizards. For instance,
will do so, but with a price after death.
while Mystra is the deity who represents the soul, art,
and wonder of magic, Azuth is god of a wizard's long
hours of study, exacting standards of movement and

S Y MBO L OF Al:UTH

S Y MBOL O F AURI L