Religion

Master of the First Vault

The Master of the First Vault commands widespread allegiance throughout Katapesh city, where pious merchants and even irreverent traders flock to the god’s temple-banks. Abadar’s faith is called upon to assist fledgling business ventures, mediate disputes, and mete out punishments upon criminals and shysters. Even outside the city walls, the clergy seeks to spread the laws and luxuries of civilization to the western frontiers and among the country’s nomadic peoples. Abadar’s symbol is a gold coin-like key bearing the image of a vast city. Non-clerics are typically dutiful fighters and valorous paladins.

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Portfolio: cities, wealth, merchants, law

Domains: Earth, Law, Nobility, Protection, Travel

Favored Weapon: light crossbow

Nationality: Taldan

Song of the Spheres

While the other gods created the world, legend holds that Desna was busy placing stars in the heavens above, content to allow the other deities to create a world full of wonders for her and her faithful to explore. Since that day, all those who look up to the stars find themselves wandering in the endless mysteries of the sky. Trailblazers, scouts, adventurers,

and sailors praise her name, as do caravaneers and those who travel for business, and her luck makes her a favorite of gamblers and thieves. Desna often appears as a comely elven woman, clad in billowing gowns with brightly colored butterfly wings on her back. Delicate clouds of butterflies frequently accompany her image.

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Portfolio: dreams, luck, stars, travelers

Domains: Chaos, Good, Liberation, Luck, Travel

Favored Weapon: starknife

Nationality: Varisian

Old Deadeye

Worship of Erastil dates back to before the Age of Darkness, when early man began to domesticate and dominate his natural surroundings. Pastoral legends claim that Old Deadeye crafted the first bow as a gift to mortals so they might learn to hunt and survive in the dangerous world. Many—if not most—of his worshipers never set foot in a city, choosing instead to live simple lives in rustic villages, lonely shacks, or quiet towns on the border of untamed land. Erastil’s followers often mount above their fireplace a carven wooden placard depicting their god’s image. He appears alternately as an old human trapper with bow in hand or as a tall humanoid with the head of an elk. These images often depict Erastil fighting off wild animals and other beasts.

Alignment: Lawful Good

Portfolio: family, farming, hunting, trade

Domains: Animal, Community, Good, Law, Plant

Favored Weapon: longbow

Nationality: Ulfen

The Wind and the Waves

While feared and respected as a temperamental and often destructive deity, Gozreh garners daily prayers and sacrifices from many who rely on trackless trade routes and smooth seas to survive. Although sailors often pay honor to the Wind and the Waves, it is the nomads, farmers, and frontiersmen of Katapesh’s western reaches who live by the nature god’s whims and honor his more merciful servants. Gozreh’s symbol is a leaf dripping a single dewdrop, though in Katapesh his worshipers sometimes represent their god with a simple thorn. Non-clerics are typically druids and rangers, though barbarians in the arid wildernesses might also worship Gozreh.

Alignment: Neutral

Portfolio: nature, weather, the sea

Domains: Air, Animal, Plant, Water, Weather

Favored Weapon: trident

Nationality: Mwangi

Mother of Monsters

The faithful of the Mother of Monsters are one of Katapesh’s best-known menaces. Her cults tend to be in remote wilderness areas, and her primary worshipers are the nation’s gnoll tribes (with the notable exception of the Pale Mountain bands). She has few worshipers among other humanoids in Katapesh—and those are usually lunatics and brigands who wish they were born as gnolls—but there are a few strange druids and rangers in her faith. Lamashtu’s symbol is the head of a three-eyed jackal.

Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Portfolio: madness, monsters, nightmares

Domains: Chaos, Evil, Madness, Strength, Trickery

Favored Weapon: falchion

Nationality: Demon

The Dawnflower

Perhaps the most pervasive faith in Katapesh is that of Sarenrae the Dawnflower. Although her faith is not traditionally Garundi, the people of Katapesh accept her, and she is commonly held as the savior of the people and the strongest force against the cruelty of slavery and heartless mercantilism. Sarenrae’s faithful are often at odds with the established rulers of Katapesh, which places her followers in the difficult position of choosing between their faith and patriotism. Sarenrae’s symbol is an angel with arms outstretched and wings raised to form the shape of an ankh. Her non-cleric worshipers are generally bards, fighters, rangers, and sorcerers.

Alignment: Neutral Good

Portfolio: the sun, redemption, honesty, healing

Domains: Fire, Glory, Good, Healing, Sun

Favored Weapon: scimitar

Nationality: Keleshite

The Eternal Rose

An ancient story tells of how Shelyn stole the glaive of Zon-Kuthon (her half-brother) in an attempt to redeem him from the alien influence possessing his mind. This attempt failed, but she has not given up hope, and out of love for him she retains the so-called Whisperer of Souls as her favored weapon despite its malign influence. Her story of love and devotion despite sorrow inspires mortal friends and lovers to persevere in adverse circumstances, bards to craft epic songs and tragedies, and artists to create works that touch the soul. All depictions of Shelyn, regardless of race or ethnicity, show her as a young woman barely out of her youth, with eyes of blue or silver (or sometimes heterochromatic, with both colors). Shelyn’s ankle-length chestnut hair bears several strands colored bright red, green, and gold. She always wears tasteful clothing and jewelry that accentuates her beauty without revealing too much of it. Shelyn preaches (and practices) that true beauty comes from within, and she favors relationships not based solely on carnal desires.

Alignment: Neutral Good

Portfolio: art, beauty, love, music

Domains: Air, Charm, Good, Luck, Protection

Favored Weapon: glaive

Nationality: Taldan