Page 40 - D&D - Player's Handbook

far to walk to, a small shrine to Sune often stands near the first silver smelted, and the first iron forged. He uses
a street corner. These sites consist of a mirror hung these staffs to raise destructive winds, cause terrible
beneath a small roof where one can say a prayer while storms, and split the land in acts of rage. The three light-
checking one's appearance. The spot might feature a ning bolts of his holy symbol represent these staffs, and
shelf or a cupboard holding various perfumes and cos- when he vents his wrath on the world, he is thought to
metics so that those without the funds to purchase such hurl them down from the sky as lightning strikes.
items can still make themselves feel beautiful. Although Talos is a popular deity, his name is invoked
more often out of fear than out of reverence. He does
TALON A have priests, mostly traveling doomsayers, who warn
Lady of Poison, Mistress of Disease, the Plague-crone of disasters to come and accept charity in exchange for
blessings of protection. Many of his faithful wear a black
One of the most often beseeched of FaerO.n's deities,
eyepatch, even if both eyes are intact.
Talona is the goddess of disease and poison, blamed for
everything from common illnesses to crop failure to brack- TEMPUS
ish wells to plague. Depicted in temple iconography as a
The Foehammer, the Lord of Battles
withered crone with a cup or a vase that holds all the vari-
eties of disease and poison, Talona is a fearsome goddess, Tempus is a war god concerned with brave conduct
and many are the prayers that beg her for protection from during war, using force of arms over talk for settling
illness and poison. Various rituals to placate her involve the disputes, and encouraging bloodshed. The god of war is
use of three drops of blood or three tears- to be dropped random in his favors, meaning that his chaotic nature fa-
into a well that has gone bad, dripped into the handkerchief vors all sides equally. Lord Tempus might be an army's
of someone beset by coughing, dropped into a fire made ally one day, and its enemy the next. He might seem to
by burning a withered crop, dripped into the mouth of a manifest before a battle, appearing to one side or the
plague sufferer, and so on. It's common practice to mark a other. If he is seen riding a white mare (Veiros), then the
container of poison with her holy symbol, three droplets in army will succeed. If he rides a black stallion (Deiros),
a triangle, and during epidemics folk paint the same image then defeat is certain. Most often he appears to be rid-
on the homes of the infected. ing with one foot in each mount's stirrup, signifying the
Though she is often the recipient of prayers, Talona unpredictable nature of battle. In such visions, Tempus
has almost no temples and few cults dedicated to her. A is always a powerfully built warrior dressed for battle in
cult or a shrine to her might arise in an area after it suf- the style of those who envision him.
fers from pestilence, when some of those who survived Tempus's favor might be randomly distributed, but
decide to revere her or even become priests. over the centuries his priests have made an effort to
spread and enforce a common code of warfare-to make
TALOS war a thing of rules, respect for reputations, and pro-
fessional behavior. This code, called Tempus's Honor,
S tormlord, the Destroyer
has the purpose of making conflicts brief, decisive, and
Talos is the dark side of nature, the uncaring and de-
as safe as possible for those not directly involved. The
structive force that might strike at any time. He is the
rules in the code include the following: arm anyone who
god of storms, forest fires, earthquakes, tornadoes, and
has need of a weapon; disparage no foe; acquit oneself
general destruction. He counts the ravager, the raider,
with bravery; train all for battle; and don't engage in
the looter, and the brigand among his followers. Those
feuds. Those who poison wells, taint fields, kill noncom-
who favor him see life as a succession of random effects
batants, or engage in torture in the name of war are all
in a sea of chaos, so the devout should grab what they
considered sinners.
can, when they can-for who can say when Talos will
Worshipers of Tempus are legion, and his name is
strike and send them into the afterlife?
often on the lips of soldiers. His priests are tacticians,
Talos is portrayed as a broad-shouldered, bearded
often skilled in the art of war. Many of his ordained
young man with a single good eye, the other covered
don't serve in temples, but as battlefield chaplains with
by a dark patch. He is said to carry a collection of three
armies and mercenary companies, encouraging their
staffs, made from the first tree cut down in the world,
fellow soldiers with both word and blade. Priests of
SYM B OL OF T ALONA

SvMBOL OF TALCS

CHAPTER 1 I WELCOME TO THE REALMS