Corellon Larethian, King of the Gods

[LudicSavant]

Part of my ongoing series on the mythology of my world, where my goal was to take "classic" D&D gods and remake them into more complete religious ideologies people might actually want to worship. (See Wee Jas, Nerull, Olidammara, Erythnul, Hextor, Lolth, The Deep Ones)

Also, intended to be readable in any order, and for it to be easy to transplant individual parts into other settings.

Corellon Larethian, The Protector and Preserver of Life

"It is no waste for a whole garden to be planted, grown, and trimmed just to capture the bloom of a single, perfect rose."
- Corellon Larethian, from the epic poem "Estherian Odyssey"

Expanded Domains: Animal, Celerity, Chaos, Charm, Community, Craft, Creation, Elf, Fey, Feast, Good, Herald, Knowledge, Liberation, Life, Magic, Nobility, Plant, Pride, Protection, Revered Ancestor, Renewal, Spell, Time, War
Portfolio: Archery, Arts, Bards, Blood / Breeding, Civilization, Crafts, Elves, Finesse, Forests, Gardens, Grace, Glory, Greatness, Heraldry, Heredity, Land, Life, High Culture, High Magic, Highborn, Music, Nobility, Patriarchs, Pedigree, Poetry, Preservation, Protection, Royalty, Seed, Warfare, Warrior Poets
Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLUX...layer_embedded, http://listenonrepeat.com/watch/?v=H..._the_Moonlight

Knowledge (Religion) DC 10:
Corellon Larethian is one of the two highest rank deities, known as the "Twin Kings." While he is deeply revered by many elves, to simply label him as the god of the elves would be... insufficient. Known as the Architect of Blood and Seed, the Author of Culture, and the Protector and Preserver of Life, Corellon Larethian is responsible for seeding the earth with life and cultivating sentience. His portfolio includes all of the functions of "high civilization," including art, poetry, craft, nobility, music, magic, and warfare.

The great destroyer, Gruumsh, led a treacherous revolt that aimed to cast Corellon Larethian from his rightful throne. Corellon personally met him in battle, cut out his eye, and left his essence bleeding into the aether. He then nearly drove Gruumsh's favored subjects, the orcs, to extinction. When he learned that his wife Lolth had aided Gruumsh in this sacrilege, he cursed her and her followers. Forever destined to be blinded by the sun, Lolth's followers (now "Drow") were driven deep into the underdark, where they remain to this day.

There have been numerous other conflicts with Corellon Larethian. It never goes well for the other side. In fact, there is a whole lot of art of Corellon Larethian stabbing epic foes. Or shooting them. Or hopelessly crippling them with magic for eternity. You know, that sort of thing.


Corellon Larethian looks a lot less foppish when he takes the gloves off.

Knowledge (Religion) DC 15:
In the dawn times, Corellon, Moradin, and Gruumsh had a close relationship, much like brothers. Together, these Three Kings forged the world as we know it today. Moradin forged the minerals of the earth, Corellon sowed it with blood and seed, and Gruumsh wrapped it in sky. Moradin forged souls as the core of experience, Corellon gave them art and imagination, and Gruumsh gave them tempestuous wills and fiery hearts. Each are accomplished gods of war. Each is a major aspect of nature... mineral, organic, and the ethereal. Each is a major aspect of civilization. Moradin represents labor, tradition, and the skilled middle class. Corellon represents nobility, "high culture," and an empowered upper class. Gruumsh represents the underclass as well as non-stratified societies. Their natural aspects tie in with their cultural ones as well. The earth only gives up its bounties with hard physical labor. Life gives up its services with the application of breeding, social acumen, and leverage. The sky provides a roof of stars over every head, the wind blows where it will, and the rain blesses the land of its own accord. Strong as these gods are, though... they are not without their flaws. Corellon represents many of the flaws of foppish nobility and chivalry, and has a tendency towards apathy or pride. Moradin is nothing if not set in his ways, and he never forgets a grudge. He also has a passionate fervor that can twist into a foul temper. As for Gruumsh, he became convinced that the other two had to be destroyed, and waged an ill-fated war upon them.

Corellon is often a distant god, aloof and quiet like the elves themselves. He has few wants, cares, or needs other than his own gratification; pretty much everything already runs the way he wants it to. In stories, it is often difficult to tell whether Corellon is plotting something or simply doesn't care. Corellon does seem to have an ironclad sense of honor when it comes to certain things, however, such as oaths and certain types of appeals. This seems to be a similar sense of honor to that which is often seen in the laws of the fey (and, of course, the elves). There are many stories of Corellon Larethian's adventures, as he often takes the guise of mortals to travel the planes. (Think Zeus. Yes, in those respects too. The ones you're thinking of right now.) Corellon Larethian and Lolth were the parents of the first Obad-Hai, who was slain long ago by Nerull. Some believe that this contributed to the rift that grew between Corellon and Lolth.

The teachings of Corellon emphasize bringing out the greatest potential of talented individuals, much as a good gardener nurtures his plants until they can grow as healthily as possible. According to Larethian scripture, inequalities between different people and classes are an acceptable consequence of channeling resources to the brilliant individuals who can accomplish great projects. To have inventors, leaders, and other great men, you must give them the leisure time to develop their talents. It is only right that society channel its resources to those exceptional individuals so that they can achieve as much as they can; the great fruits of civilization—libraries and palaces, cities and aqueducts—would not exist without them.

The elves themselves exemplify this ideology. Corellon's favored children may appear carefree and aloof, until it's time to work on something... then they produce some of the finest craftsmanship anywhere. To the faithful of Corellon Larethian, great sacrifice is well worth it for great glory. All lives end, but the achievements of culture are enduring. Indeed, Larethian chroniclers characterize history as being but the biography of great men. (Basically, the Great Man theory)

Knowledge (Religion) DC 20:
It is said that Corellon defines Chaotic Good, and Moradin defines Lawful Good; indeed, many theologians speculate that they may have written these philosophies into the cosmos (and defined anything that didn't fit their "Good" side as "Evil"). This is sometimes disputed by pointing to Hextor, who acts as the general of the gods, and is Evil. Others will claim that this merely indicates that Corellon and Moradin, in their wisdom, can find uses for even those that displease them in some way.

The followers of Corellon Larethian exalt high culture, refined tastes, and nobility. Everything they do should be raised to a level of exquisite refinement... lest it become droll or uncouth. Archery, swordsmanship, and spellcraft are treated as fine arts, and fencing, spellcraft, and archery competitions (including hunting) are part of some sacred traditions. The formal duel is also based in the traditions of Corellon's church, and some of the finest duelists in the world are clerics of Corellon Larethian. The churches of Corellon Larethian often seek to protect or promote fine arts, supporting exclusive museums or acting as patrons for bards. Adventurers may even be commissioned to procure art objects.

For the followers of Corellon Larethian, high civilization and wild nature should ideally be intertwined, and one reflects and complements the other. Noble houses or churches may incorporate beautiful natural shrines, and entire forests may be kept as sacred hunting grounds for nobility. Parables of how the ideal gentleman should conduct themselves often use plants and animals as illustrative examples (some theologians may note that Lolth's priests are similar in this regard, pointing to nature to illustrate ideal conduct), and things like fine stallions or elaborate gardens are treated with great respect.

While Moradin and Corellon are theoretically equals, Moradin tends to focus on running day to day affairs of creation while Corellon tends to make and announce the big political calls which could change the future of the pantheon. According to followers of Corellon, this shows how Corellon is willing to take on the burden of upholding the face of a monarch, with the strength to make hard choices and to take the blame for controversial decisions upon himself even if they may not in fact be solely his decisions. Proponents of Moradin counter that Moradin is really the one who's making the world turn, and leaves the petty politics to Corellon. Over time, Moradin and Corellon seem to have grown apart, and sometimes quarrel. They remain friends, but any tension between such power players can have great consequences.

Larethian clergy scoff at Gruumshar blasphemies about their god being a parasitic cosmic tyrant. The fairness of Corellon's teaching is self-evident, they say, for kings and peasants alike benefit from the infrastructure and developments of a civilized society. Every person has a role to play in the grand design, and some roles enjoy different privileges as a just and indeed necessary reward for their greater responsibility. No true noble disregards the peasantry. After all, nobility obliges, and what is a garden without grass? The Protector and Preserver of Life has no interest in oppressing his lowborn children and loves them dearly. They need only remember not to track mud on the nice carpets.

According to them, Gruumsh and Lolth have absconded with the crucial domain of Fate, upsetting the divine plan and preventing the world from achieving the full splendor of the paradise envisioned by Corellon Larethian. For them, it is these rebels who are truly to blame for the suffering of the people. This sentiment inspires a deep-seated hatred, and races seen as the servants of Gruumsh and Lolth are sometimes targeted by campaigns of extermination. However, some Larethians still hope to civilize their lost kin, convincing them to abandon their misguided ways and unite in common purpose.

Knowledge (Religion) DC 25:
During the Age of Winter, the gods faced the potential extinction of all of their followers. All their culture, works, and songs of worship would be gone forever. Facing such a dire fate, Lolth convinced many of the gods that they should preserve their faithful by means of undeath, the unfamiliar art Jehenna had used to sew Hextor's armies back together after each encounter with Nerull. So it was that the gods sought to emulate Jehenna's techniques, each creating a new form of undead.

Corellon was among them. His chosen faithful were to be blessed not only with eternal life, but with a broad assortment of other powers. Their blood was something new and truly noble, cleansed by divine empowerment. They were a template for a new and glorious form of life which would replace life if Nerull could not be stopped. Corellon's second try at designing life, as it were.

After Pelor exposed the truth of undeath's consequences to the other gods and they withdrew their blessings, it was Corellon's lost children who became the first vampires. Deprived of their divine blood, their bodies began to decay, so they were forced to feed on the blood of others in order to sustain their spirits; the more similar to their own species' blood, the better (the blood of non-sentient life was almost entirely worthless for sustaining vampires). Some of the church of Corellon's most hateful and enduring enemies have been powerful vampires, seeking revenge for what they perceive as Corellon's abandonment.

A vampire's fangs are said to be the very mechanism by which life was to be converted to a new model which could survive the Age of Winter (indeed, the intended conversion is said to be the reason why so many undead have the ability to create spawn). It is also said that the reason vampires will not enter a home without invitation—not to mention their antipathy for running water—is because of their inherent nobility, however eroded it may be from the gods abandoning undeath as their backup plan.

Knowledge (Religion) DC 30:
The Serricet Scroll tells the heretical legend of Leraje, Corellon's first herald, who taught the elves how to make and use bows. One day, Leraje helped Corellon and Lolth defeat an ambush set by the last of the Deep Ones, pinning the thousand limbs of Panzuriel with a single arrow, if only for a vital moment. Lolth praised Leraje for her skills, claiming that not even Corellon could fire an arrow so well as his herald. Leraje beamed under the compliment, and a bemused Corellon challenged her to an archery duel to settle the matter. When Leraje agreed, Corellon declared the target: her heart.

Corellon expected his servant to realize the error of her hubris and yield the contest, but Leraje instead brought up her bow, took aim, and drew back the string. Surprised, he raised his own bow and fired at her. Leraje released her bowstring at the same moment, aiming not at the god but at the arrow that sped toward her heart. Leraje's arrow met that of her deity in midair and ricocheted back, piercing her heart. As punishment for wasting her life for the sake of her stubborn pride, Corellon Larethian condemned Leraje to a fate worse than death, banishing her soul from the cycle of reincarnation.

Lolth denied Corellon's advances for a century afterward.

(This is a slightly altered version of the legend of Leraje from Tome of Magic)

Organization: The Heralds of Glory

"The time has come! Great Corellon calls for all of noble heart to rise against the forces of Evil!"
- Admiranda Silverfrond, a Herald of Glory

The Heralds of Glory are not so much a single cohesive organization so much as they are a time-honored bardic tradition. It is they who ride into the countryside, rallying the populace to the call of nobility and glory. They trumpet warnings of incursions, shout royal decrees, or stir up the people to join a crusade. But they are far more than simply messengers carrying news.

Heroes live or die by their reputations. In a world of swords and sorcery, people want to know who can actually take a fire giant, and where to find them. Not to mention that if somebody finds an ancient dragon slain, its hoard of dangerous treasures looted, and nobody's taken credit, people are going to freak out and the powers that be are going to have to invest in finding out who's responsible and what the heck went down. That's time, resources, and manpower that could have been spent on, well, anything else. That's just bad news for all involved... and can sometimes put would-be-heroes on the wrong end of an ugly misunderstanding. Thus, part of the idea of chivalrous honor is taking credit for your deeds and amassing glory. (Chivalry and bushido both include ideas about formalized bragging, advertising your actions, etc. "Live by honor and for glory." See also stuff like the Beot)

This is where the heralds come in. In addition to spreading the word, the heralds also gather it. They journey the land in search of glorious deeds, and chronicle them. Sometimes, this means they serve as the heralds and historians of noble houses. Often, it means that they accompany adventuring parties, serving them by chronicling their adventures and maintaining their reputations and connections with society. This also serves the people, the church, and the nobility by keeping them abreast of the movements of such power players.

In many cultures, etiquette demands that a heroic feat be followed by a gloryfeast, a somewhat ritualized occasion at which a herald should be present, if possible (or, failing that, notified next time you see one). Kinda like how a marriage is required by etiquette before consummating a relationship, and you need a priest. The gloryfeast is traditionally staged by those indebted to the heroes. Adventurers who save the king's son might be the toast of a city-wide gloryfeast, whereas adventurers who defend starving refugees from goblin raiders might see a gloryfeast consisting of a loaf of fresh bread and half a wineskin, consumed while huddled under a roadside tree for shelter from the rain.

In noble houses, heralds often serve the role of recording family trees, a crucial service that makes it difficult for pretenders to a title to claim legitimacy. Heralds can be requested to testify on matters of disputed succession, making them key factors in cloak and dagger affairs. This reflects a larger role of Larethian bards and chroniclers as official witnesses.

Those registered as Heralds may check in at least once a month at local Larethian temples or outposts for a stipend, food, amnesty, and any new messages that Heralds are to spread. They aren't super organized; that's kind of the point. They are supposed to obey church elders but some are pretty carefree about following orders to the letter. Others are fanatically devoted and spend all day ranting on street corners. Many heralds know other heralds they can't stand, though they'd never show disunity to an outsider.

Some heralds show initiative, acting as agitators in the name of Corellon. For instance, a herald might take it upon herself to call for everybody to go do something about all the goblin refugees in the slums, or to go show the clerics of another deity whose local influence is getting too high who the people really hold highest. The church or nobility may not actually directly sponsor such heralds, but they are quick to punish a herald who rallies the masses against, say, the social order or church hierarchy. Of course, this also means that if the church was to give instructions to such a herald, they can maintain plausible deniability.

Organization: The Court of Honor

"A trial by combat reflects the will of heaven, for no force can turn the arc of a divinely inspired strike."
- Kukulkan, Cleric of the Court of Honor, from his treatise "The Petal's Edge"

In a duel, a person need not defend their honor personally. True nobility draws champions to its cause. As such, a duelist may accept a champion to defend their honor in their stead.

The Court of Honor is an international Larethian order specialized in providing these champions. In their employ are powerful clerics who specialize in buffing themselves all the way up before a fight... and ending them in a single elegant blow, demonstrating the overwhelming superiority of their charge (Surge of Fortune, from Complete Champion, is an especially popular and feared buff for master Larethian duelists). They have also been known to contract celestials... even going so far once in the past as to field a Solar in a duel.

The Court of Honor lends a great deal of political power to the church of Corellon Larethian, for it is they who decide who to represent. Ostensibly, the Court of Honor abides by a divine mandate, relying upon heavenly wisdom in order to choose those worthy of their service. They often take on charitable causes, electing to lend their services according to their own judgment, and there are many heroic tales of a societal underdog whose hopeless cause was saved by the intervention of a Larethian knight. In higher profile cases, the organization's elders and oracles often take a direct hand in advising champions on which cases to take.

Though nominally a charitable organization which is not beholden to its financiers, the organization as a whole is quite rich, funded by generous donations from wealthy benefactors. After all, nobody wants to challenge a generous benefactor of the Court to a duel... or be challenged by them. Gaining the attention of the elders of the Court of Honor all but guarantees you a capable champion... so long as you toe the party line, of course.

Code of Conduct: Paladins of Corellon Larethian

This code of conduct applies to those who would call themselves paladins of the faith, not just any follower of Corellon Larethian.

- Noblesse Oblige. Act with the etiquette and grace befitting a noble even if you aren't highborn, for a paladin of Corellon is always a noble in spirit. Be the very picture of a gentleman. Capture elegance in every movement of your body and soul. Be first in valor. Be unimpeachable in dignity. Let your deeds transcend your words.

- Respect nature and the sanctity of beauty.

- Respect the function of higher station, and act to facilitate its sacred purpose.

- Detest those who have done detestable things. Do not fraternize with enemies of the pantheon. Gruumsh-worshiping orcs, Lolth-worshiping drow, and so forth should not sully your dignity, and deserve no sympathy from you. Wipe out Evil.

- Your sworn oaths are as unbreakable as a fey pact... but, like fey pacts, just because they don't break doesn't mean that they aren't flexible or open to interpretation. Also, you can lie in any circumstance where you aren't making a formal pact.

- Take credit for your accomplishments. Live by honor and for glory. Be worthy of song.

[Mith]

Excellent quality! Corellon Larethian is quite impressive indeed.

[Dagda Mor]

I've said it to you elsewhere, but I still love Court of Honor being so perfectly Corellon. Delicious blend of noble as in "genuinely virtuous" and noble as in "bull**** self-righteous money-based privilege enforced through violence."

[avr]

How annoying. To the extent I like D&D alignments at all I tend to like CG. Now I want to drop the example CG deity into a cage with Gruumsh and see him lose the resulting fight.

Very good work though. Corellon hardly gets a mention other than 'the elves god' elsewhere; now he has an actual character.

I think I've seen the para under bards starting 'Heroes live or die by their reputations.' somewhere else, am I imagining it?

[LudicSavant]

I've said it to you elsewhere, but I still love Court of Honor being so perfectly Corellon. Delicious blend of noble as in "genuinely virtuous" and noble as in "bull**** self-righteous money-based privilege enforced through violence."

Yeah that's totally what I was going for!

I think I've seen the para under bards starting 'Heroes live or die by their reputations.' somewhere else, am I imagining it?

I posted it in a response on the Wee Jas thread. https://www.google.com/search?site=&....0.xmY-VhuxTeA

How annoying. To the extent I like D&D alignments at all I tend to like CG. Now I want to drop the example CG deity into a cage with Gruumsh and see him lose the resulting fight.

Very good work though. Corellon hardly gets a mention other than 'the elves god' elsewhere; now he has an actual character.

Thanks! Corellon was kind of a jerk in the canon, too. The Legend of Leraje is a good example (and in older editions we have stuff like the Complete Book of Elves). Note how according to Corellon, she's the one with the pride problem in that situation. Nevermind the ridiculousness of his whole "wasted her life" excuse for doling out a punishment worse than death, given that she could have come back to life next round with no penalties at all, and probably expected to. Oi.

There was also stuff like him plotting with the other demihuman deities to keep the human and other monstrous races weak, or that annual holiday that seems to be mostly about racial violence.

Corellon's truest friends are the rulers of the other demihuman pantheons: Moradin, Yondalla, and Garl Glittergold. Together, they work to ensure that the gods of the human and monstrous pantheons don't grow strong too quickly.

Agelong, observed on the 4th of Richfest (the Summer Solstice), is the celebration of the legendary creation of the elves. According to myth, after Corellon Larethian spilled his blood during the battle with Gruumsh, the rest of the Seldarine gathered this sacred blood and mingled it with the tears shed during the same battle by Sehanine Moonbow. The Seldarine then infused these divine fluids into vessels they had created to be the bodies of the elven race.

This day is, among the elves, mostly an excuse to go orc-hunting. Elven warriors cut themselves with daggers carved from volcanic glass to remind themselves of Corellon's own wound from Gruumsh's spear, then strive to slaughter as many orcs as possible during the night.

As for CG, Gygax seems to have had a rather different idea about what CG meant than how many people seem to view the alignment now. For example, he talks about CG characters enslaving women and children of a conquered people in order to correct their way of thinking here: http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/vi...197656#p197656. So, I guess that sort of sets the context for Corellon being a jerk in the canon.

Gruumsh's canon motivation was that he felt that his people's land was stolen from them (and also the whole "kill everything, blood sacrifices, strong rule the weak" thing because Eeeevil). According to the entry on canonfire:

In the beginning all the gods met and drew lots for the parts of the world in which their representative races would dwell. The human gods drew the lot that allowed humans to dwell where they pleased, in any environment. The elven gods drew the green forests, the dwarven deities drew the high mountains, the gnomish gods the rocky, sunlit hills, and the halfling gods picked the lot that gave them the fields and meadows. Then the assembled gods turned to the orcish gods and laughed loud and long. "All the lots are taken!" they said tauntingly. "Where will your people dwell, One-Eye? There is no place left!"

There was silence upon the world then, as Gruumsh One-Eye lifted his great iron spear and stretched it over the world. The shaft blotted the sun over a great part of the lands as he spoke: "No! You Lie! You have rigged the drawing of the lots, hoping to cheat me and my followers. But One-Eye never sleeps. One-Eye sees all. There is a place for orcs to dwell…here!," he bellowed, and his spear pierced the mountains, opening a mighty rift and chasms. "And here!," and the spearhead split the hills and made them shake and covered them in dust. "And here!," and the black spear gouged the meadows and made them bare.

"There!" roared He-Who-Watches triumphantly, and his voice carried to the ends of the world. "There is where the orcs shall dwell! There they will survive, and multiply, and grow stronger, and a day will come when they cover the world, and they will slay all of your collective peoples! Orcs shall inherit the world you sought to cheat me of!"

The thing is, there's a case to be made that canon Gruumsh is right (at least about the lots). If there are X+1 gods, and there are X lots, if you say that Gruumsh has to pick lots last that of course means that the game is rigged for him to not get any land at all.

Also, all of the other gods are laughing at the idea that an entire race of people is going to be stuck landless. Who does that? "Ha ha, you don't get to have homes!" Really, other gods?

[The Hellbug]

A good read--I'm getting a very Zeus-y vibe off of this guy (except defined more by his nobility than his strength and...fertility-god-ness). That does bring up a question I had though: hospitality/guest-host relationships is often a pretty big deal in mythology (ie the Odyssey)--who is going to claim it as their domain in your pantheon if not Corellon?

[Dagda Mor]

Hellbug: Perhaps Olidammara?

[Mith]

I could see the hospitality law falling under Moridain's domain, since he is the one of Tradition and Law. Or perhaps it is split between the Twin Kings.

[The Hellbug]

Hellbug: Perhaps Olidammara?

I could see the hospitality law falling under Moridain's domain, since he is the one of Tradition and Law. Or perhaps it is split between the Twin Kings.

I could see those both potentially being right. Olidammara would be a little less traditional but his domains do include travel and protection so it could definitely fit in there. I'd like to see what Ludic, himself, has to say on it.

[LudicSavant]

A good read--I'm getting a very Zeus-y vibe off of this guy (except defined more by his nobility than his strength and...fertility-god-ness). That does bring up a question I had though: hospitality/guest-host relationships is often a pretty big deal in mythology (ie the Odyssey)--who is going to claim it as their domain in your pantheon if not Corellon?

Long ago, there was the world serpent, Io, the goddess of travel whose body spanned the Astral Plane and connected all of the worlds of the multiverse. When Io saw the other deities creating races, she decided that she wanted to create the best race of all, greater even than the creations of Corellon Larethian... a great hubris, as any priest of Corellon will tell you. So Io twisted her body, visiting every corner of the multiverse, gathering the finest and most exotic of things from everyplace she went.

Io put as much of her divine power as she could muster into creating her race, the dragons, and so she was exhausted. She had travelled the cosmos seeking wonders and terrors, secret wisdom and true strength. She gave each of these things to her children, and indeed they were great and terrible and strong and wise. Their skin was forged of invincible jewels, and their lungs pumped sheer elemental power.

And just as Io wanted everything for the dragons, the dragons wanted everything, imbued with a desire for all the precious things of the universe like a traveler's wanderlust. Not just physical objects, either. Sure, they wanted money and power and magic and knowledge, but they also wanted to be feared, to be loved, to be respected, to eat, to breed, to dig, to fly, to be invincible, to be defeated. What does a dragon want? Everything.

The dragons were so strong, and Io so weakened, that 6 great wyrm lords tore Io apart. 5 of them devoured her flesh, splitting the worlds. These five became Tiamat. The sixth declined, saying "I will consume her soul instead." This sixth was Bahamut.

[The Hellbug]

Ah, thank you, Ludic. So then Tiamat and Bahamut split the older god's portfolio, then? You just keep adding more that I'm looking forward to.

[Jendekit]

What does a dragon want? Everything.

"What do you want?"

"Oh so you haven't figured it out little fleshbag? Using all the muscles except the one that matters most. I want everything."

Another dragon quote I'm getting from this post: "MINE!MINE!MINE!MINE!MINE!MINE!MINE!MINE!MINE!MINE !MINE!MINE!"

[LudicSavant]

Ah, thank you, Ludic. So then Tiamat and Bahamut split the older god's portfolio, then? You just keep adding more that I'm looking forward to.

Yes. Bahamut is a god of commerce and connections, debts and repayments, diplomacy and xenia-like hospitality. When a metallic dragon invites you into his lair it is a grave insult to refuse or show doubt as to whether you'll be safe doing so.

Tiamat, on the other hand, is the goddess of dominion and conquest, of discovery and frontiers. She is both the terra incognita and the very essence of adventuring and exploration itself. She is the beast in the darkness just outside the campfire, and the victorious conqueror erecting an empire that tames and charts the dark places. She is the goddess of fear, and the domination of fear. She is the Dragon Queen. Heck, she straight up is the adventuring party that leveled up and killed God at the end of the JRPG.

Both are attempting to reunite the planes under their influence.

[Grey Watcher]

I am very excited to see Lolth based on all the teases we've gotten so far.

[LudicSavant]

The Larethian faith is highly influential, and with good reason. The Heralds of Glory provide a robust information and propaganda network. The Court of Honor provides political power and the ability to enforce it. Both are entrenched cultural institutions independent of any specific authority, and thus survive regime changes. A king may be ousted, but Larethian traditions and social structures are difficult to separate from the very core of many cultures.

To get an idea of why the Court of Honor is scary enough to perform its role, here's an example build:

Stylish Larethian Duelist
Concept: A cleric of the Court of Honor who ends fights with a single dramatic blow, and just for style the enemy explodes after being cut (or after sheathing your sword). Also just for style, the decisive strike splits the air with the sound of a great crack of thunder, which deafens the target.

The goal isn't just to be able to take down 1v1 threats above your CR in a single blow, but to do it in such a way that anyone who sees it happen will know the grace and power of Corellon Larethian.

Relevant Stats:
Elf Cleric 11
Str 16, Dex 12, Con 8, Int 8, Wis 22, Cha 12 (28 point buy)
Domains: Time, War
Feats: Exotic Weapon Proficiency, Improved Initiative (from Time domain), Divine Metamagic (Quicken Spell), Quicken Spell, Power Attack
Notable Gear: Reliquary Holy Symbol, +1 Thundering Ghost Touch Kaorti Resin Greatsword, Karma Bead, Full Plate, Ring of Anticipation, +1 Warning Gauntlets, Heavy Steel Shield

If you don't want to use Kaorti Resin, you can save a feat and take a simple Spear instead (x3 instead of x4 crit multiplier). He'll still do a ton of damage.

Tactics (Dueling):
Before the arranged time for a duel, the cleric will buff. He will use a Prayer Bead to boost his CL to 15. He will use Conviction, Contingency (Flame Strike), Protection from Evil, Blade of Blood, Superior Resistance, Sense Weakness, Divine Favor, Surge of Fortune, True Seeing, Footsteps of the Divine, Haste, Freedom of Movement, Resist Energy (5 times for 5 energy types: Fire, Acid, Sonic, Lightning, Ice), Greater Magic Weapon, Magic Vestment (on armor and shield), Shield of Faith, Sanctuary, Sign, Divine Power, and Righteous Might. Yes, a Cleric has enough spell slots to do this.

When the duel starts, he'll roll initiative, which will have a +16 bonus. He also rolls it twice and takes the higher result, thanks to his Ring of Anticipation. This means his average initiative result is 30, with a 91% chance of rolling at least 23. In the case that he loses initiative, his defenses are strong. Buffed, his flat-footed AC is 33, full AC is 35. He has 26 extra hit points from his buffs. He has DR 9/Evil. He has Energy Resistance 30 to all energy types. His buffed saves are +19 Fort/+17 Ref/+25 Will. Also, anyone trying to hit him before he acts has to get past Sanctuary, which means they need to make a DC 17 will save to attack him. He also is immune to charms or compulsions.

On his turn, he will drop his shield as a free action and start wielding his weapon in both hands. He will expend Footsteps of the Divine for a burst of extreme speed to close the distance with the enemy (if necessary), which also combines with Haste to give him an extreme move speed. He ignores any terrain hazards and the like (due to Freedom of Movement). When he gets in melee range, he will expend Surge of Fortune as a swift action to automatically hit and automatically crit (automatically confirmed with Sense Weakness). The Contingency will be set to cast Flame Strike after the duelist hits, just to be flashy. With a full Power Attack (which is what he uses, because he automatically hits), this will deal an average of 279 damage (3d8 of it is Sonic damage, 15d6 is Flame Strike which offers a Reflex save for half; you lose an average of 26 damage if they make the save). Also they must make a DC14 Fortitude Save or be deafened permanently. The duelist deals 5 points of damage to themselves (from Blade of Blood). Since it's a ghost touch weapon it'll also hit ethereal foes. He also takes damage from the Flame Strike, but this is significantly mitigated by his Fire Resistance and a high Reflex save. (often he won't even be injured because the temporary hit points eat it)

Due to the Thundering enchantment, the strike splits the air with a crack so loud it deafens the victim. For extra style (especially if the duelist thinks it will be an easy opponent), the Contingency may be set to cast Flame Strike when the duelist sheathes their sword, so that the enemy explodes as they're walking away, and they walk through the explosion slightly singed. That's how melee Clerics roll.

If he full attacks (such as if he lost initiative and went second), he gets 3 attacks (1 extra from Haste), but only one automatically crits.

If the enemy survives his initial assault, he'll use Hesitate as an immediate action to try and interrupt the enemy's turn.

Tactics (Unprepared)
If caught totally unprepared, the duelist is less fearsome but still formidable. He'll at the very least have Sense Weakness, Superior Resistance, Contingency, Greater Magic Weapon, and Magic Vestment up because those things last all day. Contingency has a 1 day/level duration, and he keeps the thing in his domain slot where he can't prepare anything else good, so he has a different Contingency for when he's unprepared as opposed to when he's dueling (e.g. using Contingency+Flame Strike is part of his pre-duel buff routine). After all, Flame Striking himself without his defensive buffs up would hurt! Normally he has contingent Divine Power for drawing his sword, or a contingent escape spell (so that he can buff up and return to fight on his own terms).

He can draw his sword as part of his normal Move Action (since his BAB is higher than +1), which activates Divine Power (if that's his Contingency). He'll have +10 to initiative (rolled twice and taking highest) and be able to cast a Divine Metamagic Quickened Surge of Fortune with his swift action and expend it with his immediate action (which takes up his next turn's swift action). This means he can open the first round with an 8d6 (Greatsword) + 36 (Strength) + 12 (Greater Magic Weapon) + 88 (Power Attack) + 3d8 (Thundering) = 178 average damage critical hit, and the enemy makes a DC 14 Fortitude Save against permanent deafness because of the Thundering effect on his sword.

Alternatively, he might have a buff or escape spell in his Contingency for non-duel situations, since Flame Striking himself without his defensive buffs would hurt. In the case of an escape spell, he can use the bought time to buff up, then return. Without Flame Strike, it's 134 average damage (plus whatever buffs might add).

_____

Obviously this can be optimized much further (starting with taking PrCs and flaws and not being an elf). But that's probably already more than scary enough for an NPC, and I wanted to focus on the relatively simple core idea (Surge of Fortune autocrit fun) which can be fit into many other builds.

Try adding Ruby Knight Vindicator or Ordained Champion! (Ordained Champion will let you channel Flame Strike at people without hurting yourself or having the Time domain, too)

PS: Curious if there would be interest in me posting mechanics stuff like this to go with my entries, or if others have any ideas for mechanics stuff to go with various organizations, etc that I've posted.

[Blake Hannon]

So glad this is continuing!

I'm fine with mechanics stuff, just so long as it doesn't slow your rate of posting other stuff. Which god are you going to do next?

Also, reading all that makes me want to play a paladin of Lolth.

[LudicSavant]

So glad this is continuing!

I'm fine with mechanics stuff, just so long as it doesn't slow your rate of posting other stuff. Which god are you going to do next?

Also, reading all that makes me want to play a paladin of Lolth.

I expect I will be doing one of these two soon (possibly next):

Lolth is the mother of the first Obad-Hai, and was in a relationship with Corellon Larethian and then Gruumsh. She is The Hunted, for she has taken off with the domain of Fate which is so crucial to the pantheon's plans, and it cannot pass to another until she dies. A lot of effort for the pantheon goes into trying to keep Corellon's intended course of destiny on the rails (Sehanine's inceptions, Hextor's forced order, etc) despite her influence, and she is blamed for much of the troubles of the modern world as a result. Though constantly on the run from those who hunt her, she weaves fate and subtly nudges the world along to her conclusion.

Sehanine Moonbow is the mother of Maglubiyet (god of hope), the widow of the Forgotten One (the first god of fire), and the current wife of Corellon Larethian. She is the messenger of the gods, for she is the mistress of memory and dreams. Through dreams, it is said, the gods can communicate with mortals, albeit indirectly (I'll explain in her entry). While Hextor seeks to force fate to stay on the rails for Corellon's plan, Sehanine seeks to subtly influence the minds of mortals, guiding them towards her conclusion. It is she who erased the name of the Forgotten One from mortal memory.

Lolth and Sehanine are sometimes touted as the "powers behind the thrones," content to let the men bluster and fight while they move the chess pieces.

[LordotTrinkets]

I like your work with the generic blandness that once was the standard D&D deities. By any chance, will you be working on Vecna any time soon? I have some ideas for him myself:

1. Somehow, Moonbow couldn't erase the memory of the Forgotten One's name from Vecna's mind, a secret that taught him just how useful secrets are.

2. Definitely made when the gods tried to make undead, perhaps the very reason WHY the entire lot were branded as evil.

[Deepbluediver]

Reading the description of your "big three" has me thinking back to Greek mythology, and how Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades divvy'd-up the world.

[SirDalyus]

Don't know If you've noticed, but Lolth links to a youtube video for Sunless Sea, rather than her excellent write up on the forum.

[LudicSavant]

Don't know If you've noticed, but Lolth links to a youtube video for Sunless Sea, rather than her excellent write up on the forum.

Fixed the link, thanks for pointing that out. No idea how that happened.

[madfishmonger]

Thank you! This is fantastic work. I'm creating our own pantheon as well, adapting gods from other sources to our world. This gave me some great ideas and I used some of your ideas in our god's information as well (if that's okay, if not let me know and I'll change it).

[LudicSavant]

Thank you! This is fantastic work. I'm creating our own pantheon as well, adapting gods from other sources to our world. This gave me some great ideas and I used some of your ideas in our god's information as well (if that's okay, if not let me know and I'll change it).

Perfectly okay!

It's there so people can use it (non-commercially of course). That said if you post my work online somewhere online please link back here (and share a link to your work with us, too!).