Post by Wids on Aug 5, 2011 17:17:35 GMT -5
Organization and Behavior:
The Church of Umberlee is disorganized (as one would expect any Chaotic Evil goddess and her church to be), and different locales vary remarkably in their rites, rituals, teachings and other religious practices. The only organized hierarchy is that imposed by a particularly favored and powerful cleric, and such regimes are inevitably washed away in time by the ever-fickle Bitch Queen.
In tune with Umberlee's nature, disputes and challenges among her clerics are usually resolved through dueling; the duels are rarely fatal and are typically attended by other Umberlants. "Might makes right" is the governing rule behind these duels; judgement is ruled in favor of the victorious cleric, while the defeated cleric is put aboard the next ship to leave port, regardless of the destination, never to return.
Despite the promises of protection and succor offered by the relatively weak Church of Valkur, even the most righteous and benevolent of seafarers are known to pay tribute to Umberlee at her shrines and temples, such is the sway she holds over them. And the preachings of her clerics speak loudly of the terrible fates which befall those who refuse Umberlee her due.
Like the Church of Talos, the Church of Umberlee is almost universally despised and propitiated only out of fear. The Church of Umberlee is a rare example of a Chaotic Evil church which has secured a niche in even the most Lawful or Good seaside settlements; all seafarers and coastal dwellers dread the ocean's ire, and Umberlee is that ire made manifest. For that reason, Umberlant clerics can walk openly in most port towns without being accosted or threatened, and they are even welcomed aboard most ships in hopes that their presence will stay Umberlee's ruinous hand. The Church of Umberlee capitalizes on this belief, and every major Umberlant temple leases clerics who, for the right price, will join ships on their voyages so that the vessels will not be imperiled by sea storms or sea monsters.
Umberlee has worshipers among krakens, sahuagin and other evil sea creatures, some of whom worship her through her alias, Panzuriel. The Church of Umberlee is friendly towards such seadwelling sentients, but the law of "might makes right" still applies wherever strong disagreements with these creatures arise.
Umberlee's Chosen:
The very old kraken wizard Slarkrethel is a Chosen of Umberlee. He is also the leader of the Kraken Society.
Places of Worship:
Temples of Umberlee are few and far between, and the Church is poorly organized, true to the nature of chaos and of Umberlee herself. Many such temples lie within sea caves or underwater grottos, while free-standing structures are usually constructed from flotsam, surf-pounded rocks, and the shells of great sea beasts. There are, however, countless shrines dedicated to her, predominantly found in port cities along the Sea of Fallen Stars and on the Nelanther Isles.
Along with the Nelanther Isles and the regions around the Sea of Fallen Stars, the Church of Umberlee has established worship sites at many ports. Among these are a temple in the city of Urmlaspyr (in Sembia) and a small shrine in the city of Marsember (in Cormyr). Other houses of worship include:
• The Water Queen's House – a temple in Baldur's Gate.
• The Halls of the Sea-Born – a temple complex in Cimbar, Chessenta.
• The Queenspire – a temple complex fronting the harbor in Waterdeep.
• The Priory of the Depths - a shrine complex north of Port Llast.
Holy Days and Rituals:
• First Tide: Celebrated when the winter's ice breaks up in a local harbor, First Tide consists of a parade through town with a caged animal. On reaching the shore, an Umberlant cleric ties the cage to a rock and throws it into the sea. If the animal escapes the cage and reaches the shore alive, it is treated as a sacred animal for the rest of its days.
• Stormcall: Stormcall is a mass prayer conducted in hopes of sending a storm to devastate a specific harbor or ship, or to drive away a sea storm that is menacing the worshipers. Candles on driftwood planks are set afloat in whatever pools are at hand, and Stormcall's participants gather around these pools, praying and tossing sacrifices into the water. A doused candle is a sure sign of the Bitch Queen's anger.
• Fair Seas Festival (only in Waterdeep): At the end of Fleetswake, the Fair Seas Festival is held. It is a ceremony dedicated to placating Umberlee, during which offerings are given by dropping coins into the deepest reaches of the harbor. These offerings include the money collected during Fleetswake, for which harbormasters increase the normal docking fee by 1 Dragon (the Gold Piece unit of Waterdeep). Strong currents carry this wealth into Umberlee's Cache, where it is guarded by the undead forms of those who drowned while trying to steal sunken treasure from Umberlee's domain.
• The Drowning: The Drowning is a private ritual in which only Umberlee's clergy may take part or stand witness. In the Drowning, a supplicant lies before an altar and is surrounded by burning candles, each placed with an intoned prayer by a different Umberlant cleric. The attending clergy then withdraw and release the sea's water into the room, flooding the room in a huge, breaking wave before the water flows and ebbs away. Supplicants who survive are confirmed as clerics in service to Umberlee but are warned that, if they should ever betray her, drowning is the fate that awaits them; As Umberlee spared the cleric's life during the Drowning, so can she take the cleric's life whenever she wishes. Clerics who betray the Queen of the Depths or fail her in some grievous manner tend die in their sleep soonafter, and are found with their lungs mysteriously filled with sea water.
Umberlee's clerics pray and prepare spells at high tide (in the morning or evening), making offerings and anointing themselves on the brow, hands and feet with sea water.
Ecclesial Ranks:
Novice priests are called the Untaken. The priesthood is extremely unorganized, with priests adopting titles such as Flood Tide, Dark Breaker, Puissant Undertow, Wave of Fury, Savage Seawind, and Wavemistress/Wavelord regardless of their true level or rank. Generally speaking, Speciality Priests of Umberlee (Waveservants) are considered more prestigious than Clerics and may add the prefix of "Dread" to their title (e.g. Dread Wave of Fury, Dread Wavemistress).
Uniform or Ceremonial Garment:
The ceremonial garb of Umberlee's clerics consists of a skintight blue or green body stocking worn with a voluminous cape of blue or green, trimmed with white fur (to represent foaming breakers). A tall collar, similarly trimmed, rises from the back of the cape's neck. A popular badge of rank is the skeletal hand of a drowning victim.
Dogma:
• The sea is a savage place, and those that travel it had best be willing to pay the price of challenging Umberlee's domain.
• All should know the Bitch Queen and fear her, for the wind and the wave can reach everywhere if sufficiently angered.
• Fair offerings bring fair winds to sea travelers, but those that do not pay their respects will find that the sea is as cold as Umberlee's heart.
• Spread the word of the might of Umberlee and let no service be done in her name without a price.
• Make folk hear the wind and wave unless a cleric of Umberlee is there to protect them.
• Slay those who ascribe sea and shore storms to Talos.
The Church of Umberlee is disorganized (as one would expect any Chaotic Evil goddess and her church to be), and different locales vary remarkably in their rites, rituals, teachings and other religious practices. The only organized hierarchy is that imposed by a particularly favored and powerful cleric, and such regimes are inevitably washed away in time by the ever-fickle Bitch Queen.
In tune with Umberlee's nature, disputes and challenges among her clerics are usually resolved through dueling; the duels are rarely fatal and are typically attended by other Umberlants. "Might makes right" is the governing rule behind these duels; judgement is ruled in favor of the victorious cleric, while the defeated cleric is put aboard the next ship to leave port, regardless of the destination, never to return.
Despite the promises of protection and succor offered by the relatively weak Church of Valkur, even the most righteous and benevolent of seafarers are known to pay tribute to Umberlee at her shrines and temples, such is the sway she holds over them. And the preachings of her clerics speak loudly of the terrible fates which befall those who refuse Umberlee her due.
Like the Church of Talos, the Church of Umberlee is almost universally despised and propitiated only out of fear. The Church of Umberlee is a rare example of a Chaotic Evil church which has secured a niche in even the most Lawful or Good seaside settlements; all seafarers and coastal dwellers dread the ocean's ire, and Umberlee is that ire made manifest. For that reason, Umberlant clerics can walk openly in most port towns without being accosted or threatened, and they are even welcomed aboard most ships in hopes that their presence will stay Umberlee's ruinous hand. The Church of Umberlee capitalizes on this belief, and every major Umberlant temple leases clerics who, for the right price, will join ships on their voyages so that the vessels will not be imperiled by sea storms or sea monsters.
Umberlee has worshipers among krakens, sahuagin and other evil sea creatures, some of whom worship her through her alias, Panzuriel. The Church of Umberlee is friendly towards such seadwelling sentients, but the law of "might makes right" still applies wherever strong disagreements with these creatures arise.
Umberlee's Chosen:
The very old kraken wizard Slarkrethel is a Chosen of Umberlee. He is also the leader of the Kraken Society.
Places of Worship:
Temples of Umberlee are few and far between, and the Church is poorly organized, true to the nature of chaos and of Umberlee herself. Many such temples lie within sea caves or underwater grottos, while free-standing structures are usually constructed from flotsam, surf-pounded rocks, and the shells of great sea beasts. There are, however, countless shrines dedicated to her, predominantly found in port cities along the Sea of Fallen Stars and on the Nelanther Isles.
Along with the Nelanther Isles and the regions around the Sea of Fallen Stars, the Church of Umberlee has established worship sites at many ports. Among these are a temple in the city of Urmlaspyr (in Sembia) and a small shrine in the city of Marsember (in Cormyr). Other houses of worship include:
• The Water Queen's House – a temple in Baldur's Gate.
• The Halls of the Sea-Born – a temple complex in Cimbar, Chessenta.
• The Queenspire – a temple complex fronting the harbor in Waterdeep.
• The Priory of the Depths - a shrine complex north of Port Llast.
Holy Days and Rituals:
• First Tide: Celebrated when the winter's ice breaks up in a local harbor, First Tide consists of a parade through town with a caged animal. On reaching the shore, an Umberlant cleric ties the cage to a rock and throws it into the sea. If the animal escapes the cage and reaches the shore alive, it is treated as a sacred animal for the rest of its days.
• Stormcall: Stormcall is a mass prayer conducted in hopes of sending a storm to devastate a specific harbor or ship, or to drive away a sea storm that is menacing the worshipers. Candles on driftwood planks are set afloat in whatever pools are at hand, and Stormcall's participants gather around these pools, praying and tossing sacrifices into the water. A doused candle is a sure sign of the Bitch Queen's anger.
• Fair Seas Festival (only in Waterdeep): At the end of Fleetswake, the Fair Seas Festival is held. It is a ceremony dedicated to placating Umberlee, during which offerings are given by dropping coins into the deepest reaches of the harbor. These offerings include the money collected during Fleetswake, for which harbormasters increase the normal docking fee by 1 Dragon (the Gold Piece unit of Waterdeep). Strong currents carry this wealth into Umberlee's Cache, where it is guarded by the undead forms of those who drowned while trying to steal sunken treasure from Umberlee's domain.
• The Drowning: The Drowning is a private ritual in which only Umberlee's clergy may take part or stand witness. In the Drowning, a supplicant lies before an altar and is surrounded by burning candles, each placed with an intoned prayer by a different Umberlant cleric. The attending clergy then withdraw and release the sea's water into the room, flooding the room in a huge, breaking wave before the water flows and ebbs away. Supplicants who survive are confirmed as clerics in service to Umberlee but are warned that, if they should ever betray her, drowning is the fate that awaits them; As Umberlee spared the cleric's life during the Drowning, so can she take the cleric's life whenever she wishes. Clerics who betray the Queen of the Depths or fail her in some grievous manner tend die in their sleep soonafter, and are found with their lungs mysteriously filled with sea water.
Umberlee's clerics pray and prepare spells at high tide (in the morning or evening), making offerings and anointing themselves on the brow, hands and feet with sea water.
Ecclesial Ranks:
Novice priests are called the Untaken. The priesthood is extremely unorganized, with priests adopting titles such as Flood Tide, Dark Breaker, Puissant Undertow, Wave of Fury, Savage Seawind, and Wavemistress/Wavelord regardless of their true level or rank. Generally speaking, Speciality Priests of Umberlee (Waveservants) are considered more prestigious than Clerics and may add the prefix of "Dread" to their title (e.g. Dread Wave of Fury, Dread Wavemistress).
Uniform or Ceremonial Garment:
The ceremonial garb of Umberlee's clerics consists of a skintight blue or green body stocking worn with a voluminous cape of blue or green, trimmed with white fur (to represent foaming breakers). A tall collar, similarly trimmed, rises from the back of the cape's neck. A popular badge of rank is the skeletal hand of a drowning victim.
Dogma:
• The sea is a savage place, and those that travel it had best be willing to pay the price of challenging Umberlee's domain.
• All should know the Bitch Queen and fear her, for the wind and the wave can reach everywhere if sufficiently angered.
• Fair offerings bring fair winds to sea travelers, but those that do not pay their respects will find that the sea is as cold as Umberlee's heart.
• Spread the word of the might of Umberlee and let no service be done in her name without a price.
• Make folk hear the wind and wave unless a cleric of Umberlee is there to protect them.
• Slay those who ascribe sea and shore storms to Talos.
