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ericlboyd
Forgotten Realms Designer
USA
2066 Posts |
 Posted - 14 Oct 2014 : 20:59:21
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They are probably the two most important deities in Damara, other than the demon lords. Ilmater is the state religion. Religious diversity stems in large part from which saint of Ilmater you call on. Bahumet backs those who fight Tiamat. So, Gareth, as king of Damara, could be a paladin of Ilmater with the blessing of Bahumet.
You can find a good deal of information in the following sources:
Races of Faerun: write-up of Damaran humans
Champions of Ruin: write-up of Soneillion
Lost Empires of Faerun: Chapter 4.
Dragons of Faerun: page 9
As noted in Races of Faerun:
"Of all the deities, Ilmater represents the enduring spirit of all Damarans and occupies a central place in Damaran culture. Ilmater’s church is effectively the state church of both Impiltur and Damara, with paladins of Ilmater proving to be regular occupants of both thrones. Most Damarans along the Easting Reach pay at least token obeisance to the Crying God or one of his many saints on a daily basis. Most churches of Ilmater are dedicated to at least one of his saints, with the followers of Saint Sollars the Twice-Martyred being most prominent in Damara."
As noted in Dragons of Faerun:
In the Year of Serpent (1359 DR), Gareth Dragonsbane, future king of Damara, and his adventuring companions returned from an expedition to the Abyss, having stolen the Wand of Orcus, shattered it in the blood of an avatar of Tiamat (checking her plans once again), and returned to Damara with the blessing of Bahamut. Gareth brought with him the Tree-Gem , which, once planted, represented Bahamut’s covenant to protect Damara against the influence of demons as long as the kingdom of Damara allied itself with the forces of good. In so doing, Gareth brought to Damara a measure of peace and freedom from demonic meddling that the rest of the Demonlands have never experienced.
As Bahamut had hoped, the planting of the Tree-Gem sparked renewed interest in his teachings among the nondragon races. In the years that followed, good-aligned mortals across Faerûn heard the Call of Bahamut, and many pledged themselves to the service of the Platinum Dragon. The elite became platinum knightsDra or vassals of BahamutBED. Some of those who were called by Bahamut chose to undergo the Rite of Rebirth, transforming themselves into a long-forgotten race known as the dragonbornRD. As the ranks of his followers swelled, Bahamut rose in power, assuming the rank of lesser deity once again, while Tiamat did the same.
The planting of Bahamut’s Tree-Gem also drew the attention of the Dragon Queen. In response, Tiamat dispatched an avatar to Castle Perilous in the cold wastelands of Vaasa. Scores of chromatic dragons heeded her call and descended on the ruined fortress. With their participation, the Dragon Queen initiated a massive breeding program, creating all manner of spawn of TiamatMM4, horrifying monstrosities that had not been seen in Toril since the Battle of the Gods that had the blood of chromatic dragons in their veins. The spawn of Tiamat then spread far and wide.
--Eric
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http://www.ericlboyd.com/dnd/ |
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Damara, Ilmater and Bahamut
