Post by Admin on Dec 1, 2010 19:15:37 GMT -5
Pirate Faiths
The pirates of the Sea of Fallen Stars worship
a variety of deities, depending upon
their national origin and personal inclinations.
Assuran of the Three Thunders, who is
worshipped as Hoar the Doombringer elsewhere
in Toril, is the demigod of revenge
and retribution. His worship is not extremely
common among the pirates, but
as many pirates came to this life after suffering
injustice of their own, his shrine on
the Dragonisle is well-attended.
Auril is not commonly worshipped on the
Inner Sea, as only a small portion of the
water along the northern shores ever
freezes. Only those pirates originally from
the Moonsea region (particularly Mulmaster)
worship the Frostmaiden.
Cyric is worshipped actively by many pirates,
particularly those with reputations
for cruelty. Most Cyric worshippers once
served Bane or Bhaal; Myrkul’s power
among the pirates has never been great.
Cyric’s temple is one of the largest on the
Dragonisle, and there are several smaller
shrines on other islands in the archipelago.
Cyric is the patron deity of the Brotherhood
of the Red Tide (q.v.).
Gond has a small following among the pirates,
particularly among the armsmasters
of the various vessels. A small
contingent of Krii (clerics of Gond) has
made its way to the Dragonisle, which has
the only Thayvian bombards outside of
Thay. Their presence there is a great secret,
however, as they are trying to determine
whether the bombards can be used
with Lantanna smoke powder, breaking
Thay’s monopoly on the precious powder
used to fire these weapons.
Helm is worshipped by some privateers,
particularly those of Impiltur who defend
the coastal cities from attack by sea. His
worship has fallen off since the Time of
Troubles.
Istishia, the Water Lord, is not specifically
worshipped, but petitions to this Elemental
Lord to placate Umberlee feature
prominently in the traditional shiplaunching
rituals of the Inner Sea.
Leira, Lady of the Mists, is popular among
those pirates with a flair for stealth. Leira’s
worshippers are not easily trusted even by
the pirates, but their abilities at doubledealing
make them excellent spies-if
their reports can be trusted. Due to their
inherent duplicity, however, Leira worshippers
are barred from the higher circles
of Immurk’s Band.
Loviatar has long been worshipped by pirates.
Urdogen the Red himself was reputed
to serve the Lady of Pain. There is a
small temple to Loviatar on Earthspur, but
the services are led by worshippers, as
none of her priestesses have wanted to suffer
the exile of piracy.
Malar’s following among the pirates is also
strong. The Beastlord’s tenets of the
hunt are the basic credo of many pirates;
in some sense all piracy is a form of hunt.
Perhaps most serious, there are rumors of
a secret cult of lycanthropes (wererats or
seawolves) who use pirate raids to mask
their feedings.
Mask worshippers are not common among
the pirates themselves, but they appear
among the pirate’s allies. Many Mask worshippers
act as in-port spies or agents,
while others are smugglers or fences for the
pirate goods. Many members of Immurk’s
Band are Mask worshippers.
Selune is worshipped by all sailors for her
boons to navigation. However, Selune’s
ethos is not compatible with the innate
cruelty of piracy. There are some Selune
worshippers among the good-aligned privateers,
particularly among the Cormyrean
Freesails.
Shar, Mistress of Night, is not commonly
worshipped even by the pirates of the Inner
Sea. There are a scattering of worshippers
throughout the pirate crews, but her
worship is not a significant force among
the pirates.
Talona is also not worshipped, but her servants
are often welcomed by the pirate
lords, as poison is one of their most potent
weapons against one another, and the
lords prefer to have Talona’s priests both
to protect themselves and to use against
their enemies.
Talos the Destroyer is also propitiated by
the pirates. Since the Time of Troubles,
some worshippers of Bane who have rejected
Cyric have turned to Talos, but his
worship is still rare.
Tempus is worshipped by many raiders
and pirates. His priests do not wear plate
mail, as the danger of drowning is too
great, but otherwise they may be found at
least as often among the pirates as they
may anywhere else in the North.
Tymora is worshipped by many pirates
and privateers, and is the patron deity of
the Cormyrean Freesails. Her worship is
quite common, and pirates with at least
some friendly ports can often be found in
her temples.
Umberlee has a mixed position among the
pirates since the Time of Troubles. At that
time, she came to the Pirate Islands, raining
savage storms and destruction on all
the pirates she could find. With such an immediate
demonstration of her power, most
pirates are eager to soothe her with sacrifices.
In the wake of this new piety, the
Temple of Umberlee on the Dragonisle has
grown to be the largest in the Pirate Isles.
However, many pirates feel that they had
been sacrificing enough before the Time of
Troubles, and that Umberlee had not kept
her part of the bargain. These pirates,
though few in number, actively reject any
further sacrifice to the Bitch Queen. It is yet
to be seen whether these apostates will survive
their own willfulness.
Waukeen, Goddess of Trade, is worshipped
by some pirates. They petition to
be her agents of ruin, should she choose to
remove her boons from a merchant. In
this way, these pirates see themselves not
as rapacious plunderers, but as agents of a
goddess’ will. Most other pirates (and merchants
for that matter) consider such explanations
hypocrisy.
The pirates of the Sea of Fallen Stars worship
a variety of deities, depending upon
their national origin and personal inclinations.
Assuran of the Three Thunders, who is
worshipped as Hoar the Doombringer elsewhere
in Toril, is the demigod of revenge
and retribution. His worship is not extremely
common among the pirates, but
as many pirates came to this life after suffering
injustice of their own, his shrine on
the Dragonisle is well-attended.
Auril is not commonly worshipped on the
Inner Sea, as only a small portion of the
water along the northern shores ever
freezes. Only those pirates originally from
the Moonsea region (particularly Mulmaster)
worship the Frostmaiden.
Cyric is worshipped actively by many pirates,
particularly those with reputations
for cruelty. Most Cyric worshippers once
served Bane or Bhaal; Myrkul’s power
among the pirates has never been great.
Cyric’s temple is one of the largest on the
Dragonisle, and there are several smaller
shrines on other islands in the archipelago.
Cyric is the patron deity of the Brotherhood
of the Red Tide (q.v.).
Gond has a small following among the pirates,
particularly among the armsmasters
of the various vessels. A small
contingent of Krii (clerics of Gond) has
made its way to the Dragonisle, which has
the only Thayvian bombards outside of
Thay. Their presence there is a great secret,
however, as they are trying to determine
whether the bombards can be used
with Lantanna smoke powder, breaking
Thay’s monopoly on the precious powder
used to fire these weapons.
Helm is worshipped by some privateers,
particularly those of Impiltur who defend
the coastal cities from attack by sea. His
worship has fallen off since the Time of
Troubles.
Istishia, the Water Lord, is not specifically
worshipped, but petitions to this Elemental
Lord to placate Umberlee feature
prominently in the traditional shiplaunching
rituals of the Inner Sea.
Leira, Lady of the Mists, is popular among
those pirates with a flair for stealth. Leira’s
worshippers are not easily trusted even by
the pirates, but their abilities at doubledealing
make them excellent spies-if
their reports can be trusted. Due to their
inherent duplicity, however, Leira worshippers
are barred from the higher circles
of Immurk’s Band.
Loviatar has long been worshipped by pirates.
Urdogen the Red himself was reputed
to serve the Lady of Pain. There is a
small temple to Loviatar on Earthspur, but
the services are led by worshippers, as
none of her priestesses have wanted to suffer
the exile of piracy.
Malar’s following among the pirates is also
strong. The Beastlord’s tenets of the
hunt are the basic credo of many pirates;
in some sense all piracy is a form of hunt.
Perhaps most serious, there are rumors of
a secret cult of lycanthropes (wererats or
seawolves) who use pirate raids to mask
their feedings.
Mask worshippers are not common among
the pirates themselves, but they appear
among the pirate’s allies. Many Mask worshippers
act as in-port spies or agents,
while others are smugglers or fences for the
pirate goods. Many members of Immurk’s
Band are Mask worshippers.
Selune is worshipped by all sailors for her
boons to navigation. However, Selune’s
ethos is not compatible with the innate
cruelty of piracy. There are some Selune
worshippers among the good-aligned privateers,
particularly among the Cormyrean
Freesails.
Shar, Mistress of Night, is not commonly
worshipped even by the pirates of the Inner
Sea. There are a scattering of worshippers
throughout the pirate crews, but her
worship is not a significant force among
the pirates.
Talona is also not worshipped, but her servants
are often welcomed by the pirate
lords, as poison is one of their most potent
weapons against one another, and the
lords prefer to have Talona’s priests both
to protect themselves and to use against
their enemies.
Talos the Destroyer is also propitiated by
the pirates. Since the Time of Troubles,
some worshippers of Bane who have rejected
Cyric have turned to Talos, but his
worship is still rare.
Tempus is worshipped by many raiders
and pirates. His priests do not wear plate
mail, as the danger of drowning is too
great, but otherwise they may be found at
least as often among the pirates as they
may anywhere else in the North.
Tymora is worshipped by many pirates
and privateers, and is the patron deity of
the Cormyrean Freesails. Her worship is
quite common, and pirates with at least
some friendly ports can often be found in
her temples.
Umberlee has a mixed position among the
pirates since the Time of Troubles. At that
time, she came to the Pirate Islands, raining
savage storms and destruction on all
the pirates she could find. With such an immediate
demonstration of her power, most
pirates are eager to soothe her with sacrifices.
In the wake of this new piety, the
Temple of Umberlee on the Dragonisle has
grown to be the largest in the Pirate Isles.
However, many pirates feel that they had
been sacrificing enough before the Time of
Troubles, and that Umberlee had not kept
her part of the bargain. These pirates,
though few in number, actively reject any
further sacrifice to the Bitch Queen. It is yet
to be seen whether these apostates will survive
their own willfulness.
Waukeen, Goddess of Trade, is worshipped
by some pirates. They petition to
be her agents of ruin, should she choose to
remove her boons from a merchant. In
this way, these pirates see themselves not
as rapacious plunderers, but as agents of a
goddess’ will. Most other pirates (and merchants
for that matter) consider such explanations
hypocrisy.