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The World of Teréth End - Religions - Dekàlan Gods |
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"The messenger before you has the 12,000 Aur I promised for the coffers of your Temple. As always, it was a pleasure visiting Taldàna. I hope to return for a longer period my next visit north. Your hospitality was as always, memorable. I cannot wait for the next opportunity to extend this good will between our temples." - Old Taládan letter to a High Priest of Amra from a High Priest of Kandlan  |
Chapter One - Amra Goddess of Love, Lady of Taldàna
On the seawall of Taldàna stood a giant statue of Amra. Its skyward thrust bronze arms held glowed with the warm light of its burning torch held aloft for distant ships. So high was this torch held that ships thought lost in the stormy Dekàlan Sea could see the distant star from a hundred miles distant. Those who followed the light to the tranquil harbor where struck dumb by the beauty of the colossus, crafted in the likeness of Amra, the goddess. More than one man dove to his death from shipside to swim nearer to the statue, to remember only after sinking beneath the waves that swimming was not a skill they'd ever known. The ruins of the City of Taldàna are wonderful to behold. Unlike the other temples of the Empire, the Temple of Amra was the city itself. Every facet of the streets and building were built to some greater artistic plan. Even in its ruin, the streets of marble and flowering ivy, radiate the wonder of a place and time long past. In many ways, Taldàna has not changed from the days of the Empire. Musicians still play in the amphitheaters, though the stone seats are overturned and the columns lie about like fallen trees. The many fountained squares and circles of the city still issue water, though their basins are cracked and the statues that used to welcome all visitors, stand maimed or are missing. Despite the ruin, all is kept clean, manicured, pristine. Maintaining this city, is a labor of worship. The Amran cult is an ancient faith, devoted in many ways to the Goddess of Love. Her followers can be found in every walk of life, and among all trades. One of her names or titles are mentioned in most marriage services regardless of following. Among the most diverse of the Dekàlan deities, more than seven Orders remain loyal to her callings; serving her and her aspects in a variety of means. There are crusaders, knights, priests, prostitutes, and lords tangled about her fingers. Despite the many incarnations of her following, she is not nor has ever been revered as a fertility goddess (see Kandlan). There is not one accepted image of the goddess Amra. The artists of Taldàna revel in this freedom, and portray her in a thousand different ways. Some claim that the goddess appears in a form that is most pleasing to each person. Outside Taldàna, most depictions of the goddess follow the form of the Colossus of Taldàna, a beautiful and naked young woman with flowing hair and long slender limbs. In these renditions, she is often depicted within a shining radiance representing her overwhelming presence. Many statues of the goddess are erected at springs and waterfalls through the Empire, in homage to the protector of these places. The Divine Aspects Dalàsia (the beautiful) manifests as a beautiful man or woman, depending upon the receiver of the vision. Dalàsia is the mute aspect, the silent messenger which comes to open the eyes of the blind, and direct their hearts. She (as Dalàsia is commonly referred) alcso acts as a muse, filling the mind of artists and composers with wonderful inspirations. Some believe that Dalàsia teaches and inspires musicians, but it is Nathal that gives them voice. Like Takal, Amra and her followers, Dalàsia is never portrayed with weapons. There are several stories that even the most savage and evil of the gods have sought to destroy her, but faced by her, not been able to deliver on their will. Takal (the desirous) is the aspect of lust and craving. She appears as a sensuous dark skinned woman with raven-hair and and violet eyes. She is rarely associated with art and music except in the most sexual of dances. The Seductress is concerned with sex and beauty in their most base and earthly forms. There are no lofty philosophies among her followers other than the pursuit pleasure to the exclusion of all else. Although she is regarded as Evil, her followers span across most alignments and life paths. Takal's evil has never been portrayed as murdering, but rather embracing greed, lust, envy, and an insatiable appetite for carnal pleasures. On Takal's holy days, her worshippers gather for orgies. Like Irul Takal is a nonnative Dekàlan deity. Her dark skin and exotic features are similar to those of a southern people, where her worship may be more widespread. One legend recalls a time when Amra might actively seek to destroy Takal. Amra was counseled against the action by other gods, who having learned from some untold precedence, knew of the dangers of Aspect assassination. Following this period, Takal became more wild and inscrutable, inciting towns and cities into mass orgies and debauchery. During this time of Amra's weakness, Takal made several allies among the gods. It is not clear whether the unions that were created were due to her own powers and influences, or part of some greater scheme as yet unhatched. These liaisons enraged Amra, who withdrew Takal from the world and imprisoned her in a terrible dark place. The other gods asked what had become of Takal, but Amra would not speak of her angel. The scriptures regarding Takal stop at this point, an interesting fact as most legends are placed entirely in the past. It is unclear among the followers of Amra and Takal if the aspect was released or remains in the prison. Takàlan priests claim some contact with the power, but claim that their Mistress called to them much more strongly in the past. In solidarity for their power's bondage, many followers wear ropes or chains. The Priesthood The overarching message of the cult of Amra is to love everyone and everything. There is a duty to find beauty in all things, or to create beauty where none is found. All Amran clergy, priests and faithful are hedonists of the highest order. Their decadent lifestyles and addictions are the source of much disgust in the temples of Iráen (the frugal). Amrans believe that to feel pleasure is to feel the presence of the goddess touching your soul (or whatever else). For this reason, very few Amrans make suitable adventurers. A popular example tells of Terrun Sathereh, an Amran priest that lived in 5th century Taldàna. A blight had settled in a northern valley of the Evalshat, and Sathereh received instruction through his prayers to rid the countryside of the ugliness that had settled there. Sathereh organized a small mercenary army, conscripted a team of forty servants to: carry his litter, play soft music, bear the feathered fans, maintain the kitchen wagons (which were not permitted to cease preparations even while moving), and others to hold large painted panels in an unbroken wall around his entourage. In this manner, Sathereh ventured into the northern mountains. Once the valley was reached, the Ort armies that had settled in the area attacked the mercenary company and slaughtered the servants. Sathereh became enraged and summoned upon the power of the Shining Lady to comfort and empower him. Stepping from the capsized litter and across the bodies of his servants, the Ort horde was struck dumb by the presence that surrounded him. Sathereh walked among the dumbstruck creatures and placed a hand on each foul forehead. One by one the Ort were relieved of their passionate hatreds. With the last creature transformed, Sathereh died. It is told by the priests of Amra, that the Ort, with love in their hearts, left the vale and returned to their homelands where they were slaughtered by their own vile kind. Though very few Amrans have the resources for this kind of excess, the story serves to show what lengths Amrans might go to preserve their requisite pleasure. Day-to-Day Activities: Priests and followers of Amra are pacific but may raise arms to destroy that which offends them. Amra-Dalàsians never raise arms, seeking instead to find other ways to accomplish their goals. Amra-Takàlans have no compunctions with wielding weapons as long as there is some pleasure to be found in the weapon's use. Takàlans are fond of whips, and are the only of Amran priests which may wield a weapon with anything more than familiar proficiency. Crusaders do appear from time to time in the service of Amra, bearing arms and righting griveous wrongs in the world. These are rare and often not recognized by the Temple of Amra until their deeds are done, and the crusader fades from history, so that the priests can rewrite the tale with less violent prose. The responsibilities of the clergy of Amra are varied. A day in the life of a priest of Dalàsia is very different than that of a follower of Takal. Whereas a Dalàsian may spend his life creating some masterpiece of art, or counseling the affairs of local commoners, a Takàlan master or mistress may be a sex priest, concubine, or courtesan. All fall within the scope of Amra though she and her faithful are often loathe to admit that Takal remains her aspect. The activities of the clergy is faction dependent. Clerics may move from city to city preaching Amran words, (which are often mistaken for Takal's) and trying to spread the faith in that manner. Monks prefer to cloister themselves, and study the wonders of love and art through their introspection, meditations, and expressions. Mystics may wander (much like clerics) foretelling miracles of the Lady, and perhaps performing one or more for the laity. Specialty priests, as in many cults, have the most instrumental use of entering areas where the Lady's grasp may be tenuous, discovering the source of this weakness, and seeking to remove it. Unlike representatives of other cults however, the followers of Amra rarely use weapons, or damaging spells. They are pacifists, but are not unable to deal with trying situations. Specialty priests of Amra accept as their duty to the goddess, that their lives are not meant to be lived in uninterruptible pleasure, and that their sacrifices also further the goddess's faith. For this reason, specialty priests of Amra are viewed with respect and pity for their sacrifices. Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: Burial. The body of military commanders are wrapped in preserving linens and borne by carriage to the Taldana. His body entered Taldana at night in a cloak draped coffin, without fanfare or service. It is customary in Taldana that soldiers' deaths are not commemorated, for the Lady cries when her children turn to war. Commanding officers are brought to the Citadel where they are lain in a private chapel for three days. On the first two days the body is washed with oils and brushed with herbs. A heavy magical (and likely hallucinogenic) incense ( nuchru ) that burns in the chapel for this time gives the body the appearance of life; the chest appears to rise and fall, the skin remains supple. The effect of the nuchru makes the dead appear sleeping. On the third of these days, the High Lady will visit him and kiss his forehead, forgiving him for the actions that brought him to death. Following these preparations, the body is returned to the family who provide for his burial. Burial in the region of Taldana is a simple affair, for most. It is customary to bury the dead in holes ten feet deep (or deeper). The body is carried in a coffin or on a litter by relatives and friends to the graveside. At the graveside there is a small religious service, the last part of which involves the removal of the body from the coffin or litter. The body is lowered into the grave by the slow unwrapping of the white cloth of that family (that it was bound in previously) onto a straw mat or bed. When the body has been lain in the ground, each of the visitors drops a flower or piece of artwork into the grave. Finally, a fine beaded cloth blanket is laid atop the interred body, followed by a low table which seals the hole. The grave is then filled with dirt. When the next of the family dies, the grave is opened and the next person's bed is arranged on the table of the person before. Tables have been made to a prescribed size of 4 foot by 7 foot for hundreds of years. Most are no more than one-and-a-half feet to two feet tall with four to six legs. Wealthy families often commission very detailed tables of fine inlayed wood. Bodies and tables are piled in this manner until the top of the uppermost table would be about two feet from the surface. Due to the nature of this traditional Taladan burial, old graves look very distinctive. When the grave dirt settles, it settles under the tables from the sides, leaving oblong craters with raised centers. East-facing gravestones mark the burial of each person in each "vault", so it is not uncommon to see three or more names on a single stone or wooden slab. It is customary to inscribe all names and dates in the Dekàlan fashion, so over the course of one or two generations, most Taladans forget who is buried in each vault. Surnames of course, remain recognizable. Very wealthy persons may afford stone vaults or mausoleums, though these are rare. In Evermith, the wealthy families there construct stone crypts. Inside the crypts are filed columns of stone tables with their feet facing the visitor, the name of each of dead is inscribed (in Dekàlan) on the name of the table above it. When a priest or famous artist or celebrity dies, that person is usually prepared and placed on a special altar on the peninsula at Amra's feet. Here, everyone that was touched by that person in life is expected to make the journey to the ruined colossus, pay homage to the deceased and thank Amra for introducing this talent into their lives and enriching the world through them. When this occurs, long processions of people visit the bier over the course of three days. This is the only time that commoners may experience the sensation of the nuchru. Field burials are different. The bodies of common soldiers are not returned to their homes. After a battle (whether with Ortor or Saranthi) the bodies of the fallen are collected and buried. There is understandably a sub-culture within the military of Taldana that is at odds with the Temple's words. When a soldier dies in battle, they are place into the ground with armor, weapons and one wildflower. A small military ceremony is given for each soldier by his surviving comrades and a priest. When the priest's words are done, the soldiers give a final blessing and farewell of their own: "Because the Lady looks away "We who make the Goddess cry "And should the earth swallow
us soon Though this traditional lament is not approved by the Temple, no priests have sought to ban its use. The Soldiers' Lament however, is never spoken among civilized ears as it is thought to cast aspersions on the Goddess. |
Navigation Dekàlan Gods There are ten major gods traditionally worshipped by Dekàlans. Amra (beauty, love) Other gods have emerged in the same lands since the fall of Dekàlas. While some are new, some ancient deities have experienced a resurgence of faith. Eiron (law, duty) Domains Spellcasting clerics of Amra have access to the following domains Good Worshippers of her aspects have access to different domains. Dalàsia's priesthood have access to Good while Takal's priesthood has access to Chaos The Cult of Amra is one of the few priesthoods where the main temple body does not have full access to the domains of its subordinate parts. |
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| Ref. PHB (Player's Handbook), © Wizards of the Coast  |
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