Siamorphe

Siamorphe:

Symbol: A silver chalice marked with a golden sun
Home Plane: House of the Triad
Alignment: LN
Portfolio: Nobles, rightful rule of nobility, human royalty
Domains: Knowledge, Law
Worshipers: Leaders, loremasters, nobles, those with inherited wealth or status
Aliases: N/A
Cleric Alignments: LN, LG, LE
Favored Weapon: Noble’s Might (scepter)

History/Relationships: The current Siamorphe (pronounced SIGH-a-morf or SEE-a-morf) usually appears as an older lady of the nobility, her hair touched with grey but well kept, and her iron-gray eyes missing nothing. Her clothing shows the jeweled purple of the true nobility, with a silver chalice and adamantine scepter in her hands, and a tiara carved from a single diamond on her brow. Siamorphe is the vessel of a semi-divine power, which is passed down to a successor when the successor is dying. The current Siamorphe is the latest in that lineage. By preference, the successor is a direct descendant of the previous power’s mortal form, but anyone of noble blood will suffice. The former Siamorphe was a nobleman of Baldur's Gate, who passed the power to Lady Siamorphe of Waterdeep, chosen when she was killed in a riot in the Year of the Dusty Throne (1256 DR).

Her portfolio is providing the Divine Right of nobility to rule, and encouraging the responsibility to rule well and wisely for the more common classes beneath them. Her worship is most common among the nobility and their councilors, especially among those who seek reasons to explain why they are in charge.

She opposes those who foster tyranny and corruption, most especially Bane, Cyric, and Gargauth. Perhaps Siamorphe's greatest divine foe is Gargauth, for the Hidden Lord opposes all that she stands for. Where she supports correct rule, he calls for corruption and self serving. Where her priests advise on the path of wisdom and virtue, his serve themselves first and teach others to do the same.

Dogma: Nobles are the rightful rulers of the bulk of humankind provided that they keep fit for the tasks and responsibilities of rule. Nobles have the moral obligation to rule in the best manner possible for the people who serve under them even if their obligations conflict with their personal desires. The descendants of noble bloodlines inherit their charisma and potential for wisdom from their noble ancestors. Their family fortunes provide them enough leisure time to be properly educated as rulers. The regular inheritance of noble titles by strict inheritance rules reduces the potential for power struggles between rival claimants to leadership. A strong noble class that cares for the commoners of Faerun and looks out for their best interest is the most stable, fair form of government.

Avatar/Manifestations: Siamorphe (sigh-a-morf) is kind and quiet with individuals, but firm and charismatic when dealing with large groups. Her soft voice is tinged with great wisdom, but she brooks no arguement when she gives an order. She likes to think of her duty as one of building a sturdy skeleton infrastructure so that the body politic can grow and develop properly under the leadership of the royal ruler.

Agents/Petitioners: N/A

The Church of Siamorphe: The church of Siamorphe is strictly ordered but small, confined primarily to the nobility of Waterdeep and Tethyr. Siamorphe's clerics are expected to serve as advisors and councilors to nobles rulers if not of noble birth and as rulers if of noble birth. When confronted with a ruler of noble birth who does not keep himself or herself fit for the tasks and responsibilities of rule, a cleric of Siamorphe must either seek to rectify that ruler's shortcomings through counseling and education or engineer the ruler's succession by a fit ruler of noble lineage.

Day-to-Day Activities: In practice, many Scions of Siamorphe spend their days presiding over various advisory councils, researching genealogies and histories of noble families, coordinating ceremonies of investiture, and determining who is next in line for various titles. Those Scions of Siamorphe who have truly taken Siamorphe's message of responsibility to the common folk to heart spend their days serving the people, providing advice, arbitrating disputes, giving leaderless folk direction, and preaching the rights and responsibilities of the nobility and the duties and rights of commoners.

Clerics of Siamorphe pray for their spells at noon, when the Chalice of Siamorphe (i.e. the sun) is directly overhead. The church of Siamorphe has lost many of its ancient ceremonies and traditions over time, and clerics of the faith are only slowly rediscovering them, often by exploring ancient castles in which mortal descendants or ancient clergy of Siamorphe or her predecessors served various forgotten rulers. Religious services tend to be simple convocations of nobles discussing the social order and current difficulties in governing the masses. Siamorphe's name is invoked at the beginning and end of such services with a short prayer.

Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: Siamorphe's clergy have crafted many unique ceremonies for the various noble families of Waterdeep. All the rage among the nobility, the ceremonial baptism of a newborn heir presided over by a Scion of Siamorphe can costs as much a 10,000 gp. In Waterdeep, Siamorphe has a holy day in Sea Ward and North Ward where the nobles take over Heroes' Walk and Heroes' Garden and the road from Skull Street and all along the Street of Glances to the Street of the Singing Dolphin and hold a huge festival. Known as the Divine Pageantry, this fashionable revel is always held during the summer, but the date varies according to the will of Siamorphe (and, some critics claim, the year's current social calendar). Waterdeep's nobility dress in archaic costumes and wander the area throwing coins (usually copper or silver) to commoners, addressing each other with their full titles and speaking in a highly stylized, stilted speech that has been abandoned for several centuries. Some clerics multiclass as loremasters.

Major Centers of Worship: Most of Siamorphe's temples are small family shrines in the houses of the nobility of Waterdeep, and recently in Tethyr.[1] Her only true remaining temple is the Chapel and Chalice of the Divine Right in Waterdeep. The relatively small house of worship is within the walls of the Assumbar family’s villa, and is the central building of the three that border the Street of the Singing Dolphin.[2]

Affiliated Orders: The order of the Silver Chalice was established by Marquise Scion Aalangama Gulderhorn, the second child of Lady Belkerri Gulderhorn, several years after the Time of Troubles.

The Knights look for survivors of the civil war in Tethyr who will govern justly with the interests of the general population closest to their heart and attempt to restore them to positions of power. The Order has recouped a modest position for Tethyr’s fallen nobility in recent years but is currently divided as to whether or not it should support Zaranda Star as ruler of Tethyr

Priestly Vestments: Priest of Siamorphe are allowed to wear any metal armor and shields, and use only bludgeoning weapons, and must be from the upper social class. They usually have a symbol of their faith displayed proudly from their neck.

Adventuring Garb: N/A