An Inquisition or Crusade in Faerun, but with a twist

[Richard369]

Alright, so, my grand campaign is finished. The Githyanki queen, slain.

I will be playing in a game for some time in the FR setting. Now, as this is happening, I want to use this as an opportunity to learn as much as I can about the setting and begin crafting my own campaign.

The next game I GM, I want to do in the middle of a grand inquisition, like the Spanish Inquisition of old. BUT, I want it to be a good aligned church and deity. Doing things that may not be good, and could very well be quite heinous.

Burning at the stake, hangings, impaling, flaying and flensing, torture interrogation, I want it all. In the name of Lathander or some other god.

What I would like to know is, which good aligned god of this pantheon might sanction this, and I DO NOT WANT IT TO BE SOME INFILTRATION CLICHE. No figureheads possessed by demons or evil outsiders/avatars. This is a straight up inquisition, a violent one, a purge.

Now why? and who? (as in which god?) I like the idea of Lathander or Mielikki doing the damage.

I'm doing my own brainstorming but I'm having a bit of a time navigating these rough waters, mainly because of my own solid bias. I want these deities and these conventions in this setting to be what I've read them to be. And it's hard breaking the brick and mortar of these desires down.

I'd like to imagine a religious order coming against the Lords Alliance, or even the LA itself coming to pieces as some nobles take up the call and others attempt to stand with freedom or neutrality.

Some may even need to seek alliance where before there was only enmity. Zhentil Keep, the Red Wizards of Thay, who knows who else?

The common folk rise up in legions as pilgrims hell bent on their quest, lining up in forces arrayed against the professional soldiers of the current power players.


As always, any and all help and feedback is much appreciated.


EDIT: I already realize we're all going to clamor about how this is unlikely and all that. So, please stick with the content and explore the potential.

[Aett_Thorn]

Well, for one thing, I can't imagine any good-aligned deity actually supporting this at all. With a god that doesn't directly do much interfering in the lives of mortals, sure, you could have a "good" god whose supporters go out and do bad things in their name. However, the FR gods are actually watching and if they saw something like this happening, they'd probably stop it pretty quickly and punish those responsible.

Secondly, Inquisitions tend to happen when there is belief in just one God, and any other belief system is seen as wrong. In a pantheon where you actually KNOW there are multiple gods, I can't see how anyone could pull this off, especially with a good-aligned deity. I could see a deity like Bane, Shar, Asmodeus, etc. (all evil gods) having cities or towns where they are the only allowed deity to be openly worshiped, but many of the good gods in this setting are fairly accepting of the other good deities.


As such, the only way I think this could really work while keeping to lore, would be if there was an alliance between several good deities, where they were purging followers of the evil gods. Even then, I think the methods would be to mainly arrest them, and only resort to killing in extreme examples.

[Tiadoppler]

When Good is a well-defined, objective force and deities are active in a setting, this seems unlikely. Clerics and Paladins who engage in this sort of thing would actually end up on the wrong end of some Divine Smitery. Quickly.

That said, I could see Kossuth (True Neutral), deity of Fire, Destruction and Purification through Fire having some Inquisition-esque activities if there was a continent/large area that primarily worshiped him.

Maybe some fallen sect of Ilmater (Lawful Good), deity of Martydom, Suffering and Perseverance embracing some pretty questionable things if they had somehow lost all connection to Ilmater and started forcibly sharing the martyrdom and suffering as part of a holy test or some such nonsense.

But, in default D&D, the setting tends to have a fairly cosmopolitan "Good" side which embraces many beliefs. I don't think you can really define a setting in which Lathander is personally hosting a bloody, brutal inquisition in downtown Baldur's Gate and call it "canon-friendly".

[8wGremlin]

Hard Alignments, and the adherence to them are one of the fundamental aspects of D&D, and also happen to be one of the things that can kill plots stone dead.

[Richard369]

When Good is a well-defined, objective force and deities are active in a setting, this seems unlikely. Clerics and Paladins who engage in this sort of thing would actually end up on the wrong end of some Divine Smitery. Quickly.

That said, I could see Kossuth (True Neutral), deity of Fire, Destruction and Purification through Fire having some Inquisition-esque activities if there was a continent/large area that primarily worshiped him.

Maybe some fallen sect of Ilmater (Lawful Good), deity of Martydom, Suffering and Perseverance embracing some pretty questionable things if they had somehow lost all connection to Ilmater and started forcibly sharing the martyrdom and suffering as part of a holy test or some such nonsense.

More along the lines of what I'm looking for. Thank you.

[Tiadoppler]

Another interesting thing you might want to explore:

Clerics and Paladins can get their power from a philosophy as well as a deity. You should consider reading (the late, great, Sir) Terry Pratchett's novel Small Gods for inspiration. That book explores (among other things) the possibility that people might stop worshiping a deity directly and start worshiping the religious institution that grew up around the deity. You could have an entire society that thinks it worships DeityName, but is actually worshiping the concept of The Church of DeityName.

Then again, Terry Pratchett isn't considered D&D canon afaik. :(

[MeeposFire]

Not technically good aligned but fits what you want I think is Helm. Heck they already did the Spanish conquering the America's bit so why not the inquisition too?

[OracularPoet]

I was also thinking a misguided sect of Ilmater. A couple other ideas:

1. The Order of the Guilded Eye (see especially p. 85 in Sword Coast Adventure’s Guide). Although they follow Helm who is LN, they are dedicated to fighting evil proactively even through ends justify the means manner, even if a given evil creature isn’t doing any evil now nor obviously about to in the near future.

2. A lycanthropy plague causing Selunites to go on a bonkers inquisition (they hate evil lycanthropes above all else, other than perhaps followers of Shar). Heck, especially if it’s suspected to be spread by a hidden cabal following Shar.

(Slight edit for clarity, also autocorrect really wants “cabal” to be “canal.”)

[Zanthy1]

Another interesting thing you might want to explore:

Clerics and Paladins can get their power from a philosophy as well as a deity. You should consider reading (the late, great, Sir) Terry Pratchett's novel Small Gods for inspiration. That book explores (among other things) the possibility that people might stop worshiping a deity directly and start worshiping the religious institution that grew up around the deity. You could have an entire society that thinks it worships DeityName, but is actually worshiping the concept of The Church of DeityName.

Then again, Terry Pratchett isn't considered D&D canon afaik. :(

You mean like modern Christianity? Oh wait, that was what Sir Terry was implying...

[Unoriginal]

What I would like to know is, which good aligned god of this pantheon might sanction this

Literally none.

Good persons don't sanction that kind of things, and good gods are good persons.


like the Spanish Inquisition of old.

The Spanish Inquisition wasn't like that, though.

[Richard369]

I do think Lathander is a good potential culprit considering his moves of old.

Mainly the Dawn Cataclysm where many good aligned deities and outsiders were eventually killed.

http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Dawn_Cataclysm

[Unoriginal]

I do think Lathander is a good potential culprit considering his moves of old.

Mainly the Dawn Cataclysm where many good aligned deities and outsiders were eventually killed.

http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Dawn_Cataclysm

No divinity defined as good by 5e would support such a character.

It goes against the basic principle of being benevolent.

[Richard369]

No divinity defined as good by 5e would support such a character.

It goes against the basic principle of being benevolent.

It's gonna happen here. Stay tuned.

[Pex]

How about Re-Horakhty? The Mulhorand Pantheon led by Re is determined to cleanse the land of the infidel beliefs. They got rid of the Unther Babylonians long ago. Now is the time for the rest of Faerun.

[Unoriginal]

It's gonna happen here. Stay tuned.

You asked a question, acting as if the answer doesn't matter because you don't like it isn't doing you any favor.

[Richard369]

Alright thus far I've gotten some great ideas from you guys, going with the skewed mortal views on the philosophy of things feels like a great way to start that fire, or even direct action by forces more neutral as opposed to good.

A crusade by the Order of the Gilded Eye, to cleanse the taint of darkness before it has chance to take root. The Watchers ever watching, ever paranoid, always questioning. At times with instruments both hot and sharp.

A New Dawn, a grand purge again by the Morning Glory, to make all one with the light, and both be and be bathed in the holy white.

The Phoenix, a Prophet of Kossuth, leading droves of fanatics to burn all in their path so that a new world may rise from the ashes. Could possibly be the initial stages of the New Dawn above.

Reckoning and Remembrance; a figurehead of Ilmater brings to bear the full force of suffering and martyrdom, leading a legion of flagellants and self torturers to spread the purified blood of the humble upon the decadence of the nobility and negligence of other faiths.

I also like the idea of elves and druids rising up out of nature, touting the words of Mielikki and wielding her magic, supported by fey, and even paladins devoted to the ancients, fanatic in their devotion to take the world back, cover it in green again. Dauntless in their devotion to bring the richness of life back to the broken parts of Faerun.


Thanks for the ideas everyone.

[Pex]

The Phoenix could also take a page from Gabriel in the movie "Constantine". It is through the hardship the people will suffer they will find their inner light. In their despair they will seek guidance and perseverance through Righteousness. Those who don't shall be incinerated as with all Evil.

[KorvinStarmast]

You don't need an inquisition, in FR, because in FR they have magic and the Inquisitors didn't.
Spell: Zone of Truth.

Bob's your uncle.

[Pex]

You don't need an inquisition, in FR, because in FR they have magic and the Inquisitors didn't.
Spell: Zone of Truth.

Bob's your uncle.

But that's the point. No one expects the Faerunian Inquisition.