Faiths and Churches

There are more than 300 churches, temples, shrines, and holy places within the confines of Calimport, however only the truly remarkable places stand out in this crowd:

• Amaunator alpha god of courage, benevolence, light, nobility, and strength. Holy Shrine (Palace Ward)

• Anachtyr alpha god of law, balance, trade, pride, retribution, and war. The Measure House (Faiths Ward)

• Auril, Malar, Talos, and Umberlee- gods of the winds, beasts, and nature's wrath. Towers of Fury (Faiths Ward)

• Azuth god of spells, runes, arcana, magic, and knowledge. The Sorcerer’s Hand (Hook Ward) and The Spell-Lord’s House (Quill Ward)

• Bane evil god of tyranny, power, darkness, hate, and corruption. The Minarets Muzhadahr (Khanduq Ward)

• Beshaba goddess of chaos, luck, trickery and malevolence. The Tycharradah (Jewel Ward)

• Bhaelros omega god of primordial destruction, renewal, storms, and chaos. Plaza of Divine Truth (Palace Ward)
  

• Denir god of art, knowledge, libraries, protection, wordsmiths, glyphs, and runes. The Gallery Majesta (Quill Ward)

• Gond god of crafters, inventors, elements, metalworking, and knowledge. Holy Shrine (Makers)

• Helm god of guardians, humility, protection, strength, and zeal. Minarets Guardant (Faiths Ward) and The Gauntlet Guardant (Hook Ward)

• Hoar god of poetic justice, strength, the eyeless god of revenge and patron of jailers. Holy Shrine (Shackles Ward) 

• Illmater god of endurance, compassion, freedom, wisdom, perseverance, and mortal suffering. Shrine of St. Asref (Hook Ward), House of the Calloused Hands (Shackles Ward) and many abbeys, convents, cloisters, and schools. 
  

• Jergal scribe of the doomed, demigod of eulogies, tombs, necromancy, and burial rituals. The Registry- Holy Shrine (Crypt Ward)

• Lathander good god of the sun and dawn, healing, chasity, protection and renewal House of the Holy Dawn (Jewel Ward) and The Dawn Belltowers (Crypt Ward)

• Lliira goddess of illusions, secrets, shadows and magic. The Aurensahldah (Faiths Ward)

• Chauntea the Earthmother and goddess of nature, plants and animals. The Aurensahldah (Faiths Ward)

• Loviatar the evil goddess of pain, strength, knowledge, suffering and power. House of Nine Blessings (Shackles Ward)

• Mask god of thieves, darkness, shadows, avarice, envy, and trickery. Telamuzhidah (Crypt Ward)

• Milil, Deneir, and Oghma gods of art, skill and knowledge. The Scholar’s Priory (Hook Ward)

• Myrkulos the Death Diviner, goddess of oacles, fate, and the dead. The Darkness Passing (Crypt Ward) and The Sahalarka (Crypt Ward)

• Oghma omega god of knowledge and learning. Nualorminoalh (Crypt Ward)

• Red Knight gender fluid god of cavilers, strategy, war, strength, tactics on the battlefield, generals and war leaders. Holy Shrine (Trades Ward)

• Savras demigod of divination, fate, knowledge and law. Temple of Seekers (Wizard Ward)

Lighthouse of the Moon

• Selûne omega goddess of the Moon, stars, dreams, lycanthropes, travelers and explorers. Lighthouse of the Moon (Hook Ward)

• Shar omega goddess of darkness, loss, evil, envy, magic, and power. Un-Holy Shrine (Hook Ward, Muzad)

• Sharess daughter of the dance, demigoddess of physical sensations, ludic dreams, chaos, charm, and lust. Palace of Sharess (Hook Ward)

• Shaundkul demigod of caravan traders, travel, rangers, protection, trade and travel. The Wind-Rider's Way (Caravans Ward)

• Siamorphe female demigod of nobles and aristocrats, noble rule, human royalty and rights of inheritance. Holy Shrine (Palace Ward) 

• Sune vain goddess of beauty, strength, obsession, red-flags, fire and passion. Sune's Abandon (Hook Ward) 

• Talos evil god of chaos, fire, storms and lightning. Lightning's Tower (Hook Ward)

• Tempus alpha god of warriors, chaos, protection, strength and war. Arms House (Trades Ward), Strong Arms Temple (Caravans Ward), and The Beacon of Battle (Shackles Ward)

• Tymora goddess of luck, trickery, wealth, and fate. Halls of Fate and Fortune (Emerald Ward)

• Valkur demigod of sailors, admirals, naval warfare and tactics. Holy Shrine (Armada Ward)

• Velsharoon god of avarice, magic, death magic, envy, evil, and undeath - Holy Shrine (Crpyt Ward)

• Waukeen goddess of commerce and trade, avarice, luck and fortune. Coinchapel (Faiths Ward) and Khanduq of the Coinmother (Khanduq Ward)

At least once a week an divine entity will possess an oracle or cleric at the Plaza of Divine Truth. This avatar will hear grievances and prayers, conduct special ceremonies, and grant blessings. 

Elemental Lords: commonly venerated by the genasi and jinnborn. 

• Grumbar- earth, Pillars of Creation (Hood Ward)
• Ishtishia- water, Palace of the Cresting Wave (Dock Ward)
• Kossuth- fire, The Imperious Flame (Faiths Ward)
• Akadi- air, The Minaret of Winds (Caravan Ward) 

Places of worship for Pantheons of demi-human races in Calimshan are rare but when found usually take the form of a ornate statue dedicated to the deity or formal shrine or an altar in the privacy of one's home. 

The IImateri

Dotting the landscape of Calimshan are numerous abbeys, convents, and schools, all dedicated to the god IImater but named after the most devout among his church.

 

There no less than 18 Ilmatari abbey complexes officially within the syl-pasha's lands. They are all spaced such that a traveler could find a safe place to stay each night after a day's travel. Nearly all of the complexes are walled enclosures, easily defended against bandits, hostile ifrits, and wandering monsters. 

 

While most are rural complexes, but there is one notable exception: the great temple complex and hospital within Keltar, Ilmater's greatest temple on Faerun and the center of Ilmatari worship for the southern Realms. While the worshipers and priests of Ilmater have little political or monetary power, they hold considerable social influence among the rural populations and the slave class. 

Since the height of the Shoon Imperium, Ilmatari priests have had one intriguing benefit among Calimshan's peoples. 

 

Ever since a monk of Ilmater saved the life of the sole heir of the Qysar, the priesthood of Ilmater has been free from persecution by order of the Qysar. The emperor made a wish that seemed to encompass each and every noble at court and within the Imperial City of Shoon. The magic forced each and every family and noble in the realm to never to harm or kill an Ilmatari priest lest they suffer a grave curse upon themselves, their houses, and all those associated with their families. 

Since that time, Ilmatari priests have operated within Calimshan without persecution or any problems beyond the major differences between Calishite custom and Ilmatari beliefs. This incongruity has allowed the church to operate within one of the richest lands for more than two millennia, obtain funds or gifts from rich worshipers, and build a great system of monasteries to better tend their faithful- the working class Calishite.

 

ILMATER LG, god of endurance, compassion, freedom, wisdom, perseverance, and mortal suffering. 

Ilmater teaches endurance and mortal suffering is a tool to spiritual enlightenment. That proof of character and meaningful spiritual growth are attainable through adversity, self-discovery, and enduring mortal hardships. Clergy of Ilmater include traditional clerics, pious monks, oracles, and in large cities urban druids can be found.