Talos

Talos: The Destroyer, the Raging One, the Stormstar, the Storm Lord

Symbol: Three lightning bolts, each of a separate color, radiating from a central point
Home Plane: Pandesmos/Towers of Ruin
Alignment: CE
Portfolio: Conflagration, Destruction, Earthquakes, Rebellion, Storms, Vortices
Domains: Destruction, Evil, Fire, Chaos, Storm
Worshipers: Barbarians, druids, fighters, half-orcs, those who fear the destructive power of nature
Aliases: Baelros/Bhaelros (Calimshan), Kozah (Anauroch, among the Bednine), Malyk (the Underdark)
Cleric Alignments: CE, NE, CN
Favored Weapon: "Lightning Bolt" (Spear)

History/Relationships: Talos (pronounced TAAHL-ose), also known as The Storm Lord, is the Faerûnian greater deity of storms and destruction. His dogma is self-serving, demanding utter obedience from his priests and instructing them to spread destruction where they may. His followers of are known as Talassans.

Talos was formed from the first battle between Selune and Shar. He is now the leader of the Deities of Fury: Auril, himself, Malar and Umberlee. Although he has no compunction about usurping her portfolio, Talos has a close and cordial relationship with Auril. His relationship with Umberlee is simultaneously flirtatious and filled with rivalry. However, he only works with the Beastlord grudgingly and Malar would kill him if he could. Talos has a history of elevating powerful mortals to divinity and then forcing them to deplete themselves in his service, the most recent of which was Velsharoon. Velsharoon has been more successful than most such demipowers elevated by Talos, in that he still survives and wisely shifted his nominal alliance to Mystra and Azuth.

Talos tried to assume dominion over wild and destructive magic under the alias of Malyk, but was forestalled by Mystra and has since moved on to other brazen attempts to grab power. He hates deities that promote building, learning and nature and particularly hates those that would dare to alter the weather. His list of enemies includes Chauntea, Eldath, Lathander, Mystra, Sune, Gond, Helm, Mielikki, Oghma, Shiallia, Silvanus and Tyr.

Dogma: Life is a combination of random effects and chaos, so grab what you can when you can, because Talos may take you to the afterlife at any moment. Preach the might of Talos and always warn others of the forces only he can command – the fury of all Faerûn. Walk unafraid in storms, forest fires, earthquakes and other disasters, for the power of Talos protects you. Do so publicly whenever possible, so that others see that only Talos can protect them.

Make others fear Talos by showing the destruction he and his servants can cause. To avoid tasting his fury, pray to him energetically and tell all folk that such observances – and only such observances – can protect them from the furies of gales, hailstorms, winds, floods, droughts, blizzards, hurricanes and other natural dooms. Hurl such forces at one's foes if Talos deems a place or a person worth defending. One cannot afford to ignore Talos, but must bow down and worship him. Proclaim this message to all and show everyone the destruction even the slightest of the servants of Talos can cause.

Avatar/Manifestations: Talos appears as a one-eyed, broad-shouldered and bearded man clad in half plate armor and black leather gloves. His empty eye socket is filled with whirling stars and covered by a dark patch. Talos as a manifestation is usually encountered as titanic, bellowing laughter in the heart of a gale. Sometimes the laughter is accompanied by two eyes like giant blazing coals, which are surrounded by swirling maelstorms of air. In urban areas Talos more often manifests as two fist-sized, swirling storm clouds.

Agents/Petitioners: Talos is served by Auril the Frostmaiden, Malar the Beastlord and Umberlee the Bitch Queen. Together they are known as the Gods of Fury. Talos also sometimes works through the presence or action of vargouiles, yeth hounds, quasits, wind walkers, and the elemental spirits known as tempests.

The Church of Talos: Worship of Talos is outlawed in many countries. Most Talassan holy sites are secret because of the church's reputation. Public churches often take the form of castles or fortified strongholds that lie on earthquake fault lines or in the path of storms or lava; Talos ensures they remain unscathed.

Talassan clergy are to preach to all of the might of Talos, warning them always of the forces only he can command - the fury of all Faerûn. They are never to cease in such speech, so that everyone may know that Talos is to be worshipped by all, and that in time to come he must be, or he will destroy all life with the forces at his command. His clergy should walk unafraid in all storms, forest fires, earthquakes and other disasters, for the power of Talos protects them. They should let others see this whenever possible, so that unbelievers will come to believe in the true power of almighty Talos.

Talassan clergy should make all fear Talos by showing the destruction that he and all of his servants can cause. To avoid tasting his fury, they are to pray to him energetically and tell all folk that such observances - and only such observances - can protect them from the furies of the gales, hailstorms, winds, floods, droughts, blizzards, hurricanes, and other natural dooms. Such forces can also be hurled at one's foes - an advancing orc horde, for instance - if Talos deems a place or a person worth defending. So one cannot afford to ignore Talos, but must bow down and worship him. The clergy of Talos are to proclaim this message to all and show everyone the destruction even the slightest of the servants of Talos can cause.

It should be noted that clergy of Talos enjoy destruction and arm themselves heavily to bring it about where spells may fail at all times.

Day-to-Day Activities: The church of Talos is relatively small for a greater deity and almost universally despised, for his followers bring nothing but destruction and leave only ruin in their wake. They are fanatical in their love of destruction and are unafraid to call storms upon ships, towns, or cities in the name of their crazed deity. However, many fear and propitiate the Storm Lord, ensuring that he remains one of the most powerful deities of the Faerûnian pantheon.

Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: Clerics of Talos celebrate his annual festivals (Greengrass, Midsummer and so on) with great ceremonies that call down lightning and summon storms. Their most sacred ritual is Calling Down the Thunder, in which they slay an intelligent being by lightning. The most frequently seen ritual is the Fury, in which a cleric prays, then makes berserk attacks on people and items in an effort to visit considerable destruction on a place or encampment within a short time by hurling spells and burning torches while howling Talos's name, followed by praying again (if the cleric survives). It is considered most holy when performed by a lone Talassan cleric, but against formidable foes, clergy of Talos usually attack together or draw off defenders to destroy them singly.

Major Centers of Worship: N/A (underground religion)

Affiliated Orders:
The Lords of the Tempest: The Lords are a group of wizards who owe allegiance to Talos and specialize in exotic combinations of elemental magic.
Liches: As some say Talos has sponsored certain necromancers into lichdom.
The Circle of Rust and the Worm: This cabal of crazed sages and mystics of assorted disciplines, both religious and secular, intent on bringing about the end of the world. They have obtained Talos' patronage.

Priestly Vestments: Clerics of Talos wear black robes and cloaks shot through with teardrops and jagged lines of gold and silver while high clergy wear blue-white ceremonial robes streaked with crimson; all of whom wear an eye patch.

Adventuring Garb: Talassans tend to go to one of two extremes: Either they armor themselves to the hilt in the most menacing-looking armor they can obtain, or they wear next to no armor and use protective magicks instead so that to the average observers they look almost suicidal in their fervor to get into the thick of destruction.