The Year is 1380 DR, 22PR. Dark times
have fallen upon the land. The Time of Troubles, the time when Gods
walked upon the land, has forever changed the world of Toril. The
world thought the god's affects upon the lands lasted but a year, but what
is a year to a god? Ao decreed that the power and strength of a god
was directly tied to the number of the god's follows. This decree
forced all of the godly powers to reexamine their worshippers, whom they
previously viewed with little more then a distant interest. Soon
began the manipulations and maneuverings of the gods. On Toril, mortal
minds quickly forgot the presence of the gods as only a temporary annoyance
and it was soon back to the business at hand. But the machinations
of the gods continues, for what is 16 years in the mind of a god?
Still they posture and try to gain more power or perhaps just to solidify
their place in the heavans.
Unbeknownst to the mortals of the world, the playing
out of the gods has caused calamities. The mortals never made the
connection. In the Year of Wild Magic, the weave tore itself apart
and magic was unpredictable, uncontrollable. In the Year of Lightning
Storms, hordes of goblinoids poured from the north and flights of dragons
ripped the land apart during the Year of Rogue Dragons. Harvests
suffered during these years and crops dwindled to nothing. In the
Year of the BLANKITY, a virulent plague crept forth from the Vilhon Reach
that struck down those with human blood. This plague spread as far
north as Silverymoon and as far south as the Lake of Steam and as far east
as Rasheman. Human-kind was decimated and destroyed by this plague
and elves, gnomes, and even dwarves took advantage of their immunity.
Overland trade has begun to grind to a halt as monsters own the lands between
all civilized cities and the civilized territories have begun to shrink.
Many cities, like Eagles Peak have been destroyed and evacuated, their
ruins taken over by humanoids, the land, and even monsters. Many
of the larger and wealthier cities have managed to maintain a halo of safety
around their fortified walls, but even these are smaller in scale then
they once were.
In the heavens, divine chess games were played out.
Azuth was struck down by Shar and Set, Mask regained the power of intrigue,
the Mulhorandi gods began a slow westward encroachment into fresh lands,
spreading all the pay to Innarlith and beyond. Isis stepped in to
the fill the void left by Azuth's passing and to balance Set's encroachment
into the lands west of Mulhorand. Tiamat began building her base
in Unther and creating another theocracy there. Her agents began
to infiltrate the Cult of the Dragon and to move into Thay. Nobanion
has spread along the Dragon Coast. Many other gods left the Realmssphere,
others were killed or replaced as the gods continued to jockey for position.
Mortals continue to be the pawns of the gods.
In the Dalelands, little has changed. These hearty farmers are still solidly standing their ground. Bandit raids and humanoid attacks are on the rise and less commerce and traffic between the Dales, Sembia, and Cormyr has decreased, though the Dales residents don't seem overly concerned. Little has changed in Sembia, for they are bordered by the Dales and by Cormyr and their is little wild land left in Sembia. In Cormyr, their nothern and western borders have been reenforced for the numerous raids coming from those directions. In Waterdeep little has changed except the price of goods has gone up a little as the various Costers and Priakos come less frequently, but the waterborne trade has gone up. The Waterhavians are wealthy enough and the land around the City of Splendors still patrolled by the Lords and by the City Guard. In the Western Heartlands, Iriebor and Baldur's Gate are island of sanity and safety. Berdusk was all but destroyed in a coordinated attack by the Zhentarim and summoned minions from the abyss. Regular caravans leave these cities, but they are large and well defended. The demand for sell swords is great and bandits are on the rise. The expansion of the Vilhon has been slowed as the city-states there once again turn inward on themselves and work for their own self-preservation.
In the lands between Iriaebor and Berdusk, (where we begin play) life is dark and forboding. Most farms dried up during the Year of Lightning Storms and many farmers moved closer to Iriaebor, Baldur's Gate, or south into prospering Amn and Tethyr. Within the Iriaebor, the division between the classes is grossly obvious. Low town is dark, dangerous, and not for those who are able to protect themselves. High Town is lavish, alive, and wealthy.
Isis in the Faerunian Pantheon
(Mistress of Enchantment, The Lady of Spells, Kind One, Glorious
Lady/One, Mistress of Weather, The Lady of Dreams)
Intermediate Power of Elysium and Arcadia, NG
Portfolio: Spell casting and spell shaping. The “living”
nature of magic and weather. Dreams and Dream Interpretation.
The magic of dreams. The elements. Spellcasters in general.
Mediation.
Aliases: Isharia (Thay), Ishtar (Unther)
Domain Name: Amoria/Quietude and Buxenus/Heliopolis (Gizekhtet)
Superior: None
Allies: Mystra, Sharess, Hathor, Horus-Re, Nephthys, Osiris,
Thoth, Savras the All Seeing, Oghma, Denier
Foes: Set, Shar, Velsharoon, Iyactu Xvim, Cyric
Symbol: A painted eye with a single tear drop falling
from the corner (The tear drop symbolizes the Lady of Spells loss at her
friend Azuth and the folly that occurred that allowed her to take his place
in the Faerunian pantheon.)
Wor. Align.: LG, NG, CG, LN, N,
History
During the years after the Time of Troubles, all the gods were planning and scheming. Ao made it clear that a god’s power was a direct reflection of the strength and number of their followers and faithful. So many, if not all of the divine powers began to plot on how they were going to attract followers.
The powers of the goodly faiths of course thought of noble ways to increase their numbers. They increased the perks too. The number of specialty priests began to rise. Those that ‘talked directly to the gods’ began to outnumber their more common brethren. Chosen were picked and those particularly faithful were given additional powers and perks to show the strength and pleasure of their god.
The powers of the darker portfolios began to plot and plan too. Two such gods had simple plans. Predictable plans. Like most, they wanted to expand their areas of influence. They wanted to grow so they could grow in power. Two very different powers. Two very different personalities. Both started on separate ground, but both ended up working together.
Set, the Mulhorandi god of evil and ambition had plans to move beyond
the confining borders of Mulhorand. He wanted to spread his influence
into Unther, the Vilhon, and many of the lands in between. He wanted
to spread south into and past the desert of Raurin, and into Zakhara.
Like the greedy and capricious god he is, he thought the easiest way
to increase his influence would be to decrease the competition. He
formulated a plan. A plan that would put him into direct competition
with some of these ‘newer’ gods that claimed rights to his, HIS portfolios.
This plan would draw the greedy, the power hungry and the deceptive from
all over.
Shar, the Faerunian goddess of darkness, loss, and the night had similar plans. Her plans all focused, they usually did, on the elimination of her hated arch rival, Selune. She too thought that if she showed the strength of the night, the power of darkness, and the power that can be gained by bending to her, she could take from the competition.
Thus they both began their manipulations, soon after Ao made his sacred and unbending decree.
Within a few years, Set and Shar stumbled upon each other and soon began their manipulations together. Shar was going to kill Selune, and Set would help her. They began to marshal their forces, gather their strength, and move their faithful like pawn pieces.
As it would happen, Azuth, a god of spell casters was conferring with the Magister on the astral plane, showing her a new spell at the time that Set and Shar struck. Evil is usually particularly short-sighted and was equally so in this case. Recognizing the divine power riding that particular moon-beam, but being too eager in their greedy and malicious nature, Set and Shar struck and killed Azuth and the Magister together in a mighty black bolt of unholy fury. The power of the two gods was such that Azuth’s power was destroyed irrevocably and instantly.
Only after the fact, did the two evil powers realize their mistake while sensing the remnants of the energy left with Azuth’s passing. Instantly, the Weave around Toril went crazy. Within the rise of a new moon, many of the gods reacted to Azuth’s demise. Mystra immediately began to investigate what happened to her mentor, her guide, and her friend.
Shar and Set went into hiding, letting the chaos play itself out, hoping to both salvage the pieces. Mystra’s detective work led her to the Mulhorandi pantheon. Set was wicked and devious enough to leave the impression that Thoth, the Mulhorandi god of magic had been duped by Cyric or Iyactu Xvim, fully knowing that Mystra might easily dispose of one of Set’s rivals as well in her rage and desire for revenge.
Mystra did indeed began to battle Thoth, and as well can be imagined, with the two Lords of Magic began to dual, the Weave was almost torn in tatters.
Isis, the Mulhorandi goddess of spell casting, and a friend of both Azuth’s and Mystra, intervened in time to prevent the two powers from ripping themselves and the weave apart. Her mediation made both realize they had been duped. They tracked down the actual perpetrators and fought against Shar and Set.
All almost destroyed themselves and petitioned the great Ao to mediate. Ao merely stated that Set and Shar acted completely within their spheres and therefore, could not be punished. None of the gods possessed the strength to continue and all went back to their respective planes.
Isis, always at odds against Set met with Thoth and suggested he help Mystra take over Azuth’s portfolio. Thoth, being a wise god, but also baring a rivalry, albeit friendly, with Mystra viewed the new Midnight/Mystra as a child who has been given a kingdom, and was bound to be overthrown soon, did not want to attach himself to her. He was, it should be noted, jealously guarded against the north’s incursion and spoiling of the Mulhorandi culture and magical might. He had after all created Southern Magic to keep Mulhorandi might xenophobically to themselves. Also, he reasoned that Azuth was kind of a rival, and while he did not wish him ill will, his fall from the heavens perhaps opened new opportunities for himself.
Isis, feeling saddened with her friend Mystra’s loss, came up with a solution. Isis and Mystra had always been friends, and she completely accepted Midnight in the role. Furthermore, she wanted to provide a balance to Set’s evil act, and to protect her friend, should Set choose to strike Mystra while she was weakened and momentarily out of sorts with the loss of her mentor..
Isis stepped up to the role of Mystra’s advisor and mentor in all dealings with the Art., the Weave, and spell casting. She went forward and explored the Realms, often in the guise of an injured woman or old scholar. She ‘met’ with the faithful of Mystra and Azuth and got to know what they stood for, and how they served Azuth’s portfolios. She visited those that had gone over to Mystra, having lost their god-given powers since Azuth’s death. She visited the clergy, priests, and monks of the two Faerunian gods. Pleased, she offered to absorb Azuth’s faithful into her own and pledged their allegiance to the Lady of Mysteries promising the two would always guard each other and that each faith would help each other.
Mystra/Midnight agreed. Her list of enemies had grown with the rise of Iyactu Xvim, the insanity still evident, if not growing worse, in Cyric, and now additionally with Set. Furthermore, she needed a counter balance to the newly divinated Velsharoon..
Thus it was, on the last day of the Year of Wild Magic, the final day of Nightal, Isis sent a manifestation to all of Azuth’s servants who had not gone over to Mystra or Velsharoon. She showed herself as a painted eye with a single teardrop falling from it. The faithful felt their link to the holy might of the goddess and were once again able to cast spells as extensions of the powers. She showed herself in a dream to all, and told them they were worthy of her and she would be able to fill that gap, that void that was left with Azuth’s passing. She gave them images of Set and Shar and warned them to guard against them always for Set was evil incarnate, and Shar’s darkness could swallow off and block all from accessing the weave. Isis, for many reasons, wants to keep separate, as much as possible, as much as necessary, her new followers in the west and north, and her established followers in the south. For now, at least, there would be many differences between the two faiths. Few would know this.
Regardless, the former Church of Azuth was turned on end. Many discounted everything as a hoax. But the fact they could access spells again did allow some credence to the dreams. Many went to Mystra, knowing nothing of Isis. Many quit the clergy all together. Many more, however, went over willingly to the goddess of good magic and the new goddess of spell casting. In this, she was different, if not subtly so, from Azuth. Thus were the plans of Set and Shar set back, if not redirected. Thus, the Mulhorandi pantheon gained access to the Faerunian god’s lands. Particularly in the Arkanal, the Vilhon, and the lands to the west of Unther all the way to Tethyr.
Isis’ Avatar (Mage 32, Enchanter 32, Cleric 25)
Isis appears as a tall, beautiful, regal, dark-haired and dark-skinned
woman of Mulhorand. She has green eyes that dance with mystical highlights
and a soothing voice. In Unther she has a golden hair and blue eyes,
but otherwise appears the same. In either form, she wears an incredibly
ornate magical headdress and rich clothing fitting the station of a noble.
She typically appears in a diaphanous white pleated linen dress and fine
sandals while wearing numerous rings, bracelets, anklets, armlets, and
earrings. Her beauty is awe-inspiring. Isis can call upon any
school or sphere of magic for her spells.
AC -3; MV 15, FL 24; HP 163; THAC0 4; # AT 1
Dmg 1d10
MR 100%; SZ L (7 feet)
Str 15, Dex 23, Con 19, Int 25, Wis 25, Cha 25
Spells P: 13/12/12/11/10/8/3, W: Unlimited (see below)
Saves PPDM 2, RSW 3, PP 5, BW 7, Sp 4
Special Att/Def.: Isis can fly at will. She can enchant
any item permanently or non-permanently with her touch. Her magical
headdress puts her in instantaneous mental contact with an native Mulhorandi
deity, allowing her to serve as a mediator between the gods. Isis
can always cast two offensive and one defensive or miscellaneous spell
per round. She can discern the abilities of any magical item she
is confronted with on sight and can arrange her tactics to best counter
them.
Isis can cast any wizard spell as a 32nd-level mage an unlimited
number of times per day; she casts enchantments/charm spells as a
32nd-level enchanter. Her voice is gentle, and her words can charm
any creature (no saving throw) that is not divine and of at least equal
deific status to herself, though she prefers not to use her charm ability
in combat. Rather, she employs her magical touch to inflict 1d10
points of damage. She may stun up to 6HD or levels of creatures with
a 100-foot radius for 1d10 rounds with her awe-inspiring nature at will.
Beings who have ever romantically loved another find themselves
utterly unable to harm Isis. Isis is immune to all spells and magical
effects unless she wishes them to affect her. Those casting spells
at her with hostile intent are instantly stripped of their magical powers
for 1d20 days unless they mage a successful saving throw vs. Spell.
Other Manifestations
Isis often appears as a glowing, intangible floating painted eye.
Often this eye grants a boon to her faithful by dropping a single tear,
which turns into a king’s tear bearing the image of what the faithful desires
most (often a loved one or place). She has the power, in this manifestation,
to unleash spells, identify from a distance without triggering the item
or spell, and to know the end result of any spell she sees being cast before
it takes effect.
Isis often manifests to her followers as a ghostly woman rising out
of the frothy turbulence of a river or stream. Such manifestations
are known to telepathically communicate cryptic words of wisdom before
evaporating into a faint mist. Alternately, Isis often manifests
directly through dreams. However, the dreams are more often filled
with images, metaphors, and allusions. Interpreting these dreams
is often a challenge.
When the Mistress of Weather is happy, she often manifests as
a benign rain storm that brings a cooling renewal to the land she touches.
When she is troubled, a fairly rare condition, her distress is often felt
as a freak weather condition, such as a shower of hailstones in the middle
of summer or a sudden storm that dissipates without ever dropping a bit
of rain.
When a hero (not always of her faithful) bravely faces certain
doom while on a quest favored by the goddess, Isis may manifest as a white
glow around the beings weapon, allowing it to unerringly strike any target
for the next 20 rounds. Or, very rarely, she may manifest as a the
upper torse of a beautiful female who gives the hero a kiss on the cheek.
This kiss often comes in the midst of a fierce battle. The receipient
of the kiss is immune to all damage for 20 rounds caused by whichever type
of weapon poses the most severe threat to him or her at that time.
Such a kiss leaves a permanent mark in the form of the goddess’s symbol.
Gemstones of pink, white, or blue hue and lotus flowers are sacred
to Isis, and she sometimes sends t’uen-rin, lammasu, shedus, gynosphinxes,
unicorns, white rabbits, white doves, white hawks or kites, or white donkey
to show her presence, approval, or disapproval.
The Church
Clergy: Clerics, specialty priests, mystics, wizards, and
monks.
Clergy’s Align.: LG, NG, CG, LN, N, CN
Turn Undead: C: Yes, SP: No, Mys: No, Mon: No
Cmnd. Undead: C: No, SP: No, Mys: No, Mon: No
All clerics, specialty priests, mystics, and monks of Isis receive religion
(Faerunian and Mulhorandi) as bonus nonweapon proficiencies. All
priests of Isis can cast spells faster then other priests. Their
casting time on all spells of one round or less is reduced by 1 (for example,
a casting time of 6 is reduced to 5) Priest spells cast by priests
of Isis always have a casting time of 1.
All of Isis’s clergy must be multi-classed wizard/priests;
Isis’ s human clergy are a special exception to the restriction on mutliclassed
humans. The human wizard class can be a mage or any type of specialty
wizard from the Player’s Handbook, although the enchanter specialty is
favored. The human priest can be a cleric, mystic, specialty priest
(called a Spellweaver), or monk. Half elves and female gnomes, the
only nonhumans found in Isis’s clergy, make up less then 5 percent of her
clergy and must be multiclassed, pairing the cleric or specialty priest
class with the mage, conjurer, diviner, enchanter, transmuter, or illusion
class. Such half elves are always of gold or moon elf descent.
Dogma:
Spellweavers feel reason is the best way to approach magic, and that it may be examined and reduced to its component parts through study and meditation. Calm and caution are the watchwords of the followers of Isis as they strive to avoid mistakes that even magic can not undo. They are taught to use the Art (magic) wisely and to be always mindful of when it is best not to use magic. They are to use their magic to benefit the common people, particularly by shaping the weather to serve the general populace by creating magical items and charms for the benefit of all. Dreams are powerful and often prophesy the future.
Day-to-Day Activities:
Clergy of Isis often serve as messengers between mages. They strive
to remain above reproach and to be regarded as trusted neutral parties
by all. They act as mediators for such mages and are often used by
court mages and sages for advice and counsel.
As the clergy of Isis’ western visage is still young, they are
still trying to flesh out their duties and responsibilities to the faithful,
to the people and to the Lady of Spells. They are called upon frequently
to interpret dreams and the messages they portend.
Holy Days/Important Ceremonies
The first day of every year is important to the followers of Isis in
the Faerunian pantheon, for it is the day that Isis first made herself
known to her new followers. To her faithful, it is a day to seek
guidance from the Kind One
The faithful of Isis, have so far, only one major ceremony.
It is called The Ascension. On this day, novices are made clergy
through a day of meditation, debate, feasting, and meditative study.
At the crack of dawn, the novice is woken and she is then guided to a site
pre-chosen by her. She then stays there for several hours meditating
and studying all around her. Favored locations for these dawn mediations
are a quiet garden, a rocky bluff overlooking the ocean, a cozy library,
or on a grassy knoll overlooking woodlands. Afterwards, the Ascending
bathes and put on ceremonial robes and then takes part in an intense debate.
They try to act as mediators for the debate, but in truth end up learning
as much as they can about all sides of an issue, thereby increasing their
understanding of it. If they can successfully explain and defend
all sides, they are considered successful. After the debate, the
church takes part in the bounty of Isis (a carry over from her Mulhorandi
following). After the feast, the Ascended then takes part in a meditative
study session. This session is self-paced and many of the clergy
are available to field questions and to help the study session. Afterwards,
at the stroke of New Day, the Ascended begins conjuring magic and practicing
shaping it (often merely cantrips) into as many different ways possible.
The clergy overlooking this are merciless in their demands for new twists
to shaping the weave. This goes on as long as the Ascended can hold
the weave. It is very tiring for the Ascended and many pass out from
the exertion. Whether they collapse, or are allowed to stop with
the dawn and then voluntarily go to sleep, the Ascended dream of Isis.
If she is pleased with the Ascended one’s progress, the dreams will be
fantastic and wonderful full of exotic, magical places and exciting displays
of magic and magical beasts. If Isis is not pleased, nightmares will
ensue showing the horrors magical study can breed. The nightmare
will show twisted shapes, violent storms, evil liches, and maniacal madman.
The Ascended then begins life anew as a novice, or (most) leave the church.
Major Centers of Worship:
The House of the High One in Saerloon and the House of the High One
Ascendant were the two major centers of worship for Azuth. With the
ascension of Isis, these two powerful churches are in a state of flux.
The House of the High One has completely gone over to Isis and has made
little changes yet. They are trying to decide and learn the fate
of their temple and its flock.
The Halruaans, on the other hand, are completely confused.
Half of the faithful there cling to Azuth, the other half is debating the
virtues of Isis and Mystra.
Affiliated Orders:
A small congregation of monks dedicated to the Enchanted Lady has surfaced
in the Stormhorn mountains, though they have done nothing to advertise
their presence. These monks believe there is a connection between
life, the Weave, and dreams. They believe that proper training of
their mind and conditioning of their body, they can reach out shape this
natural force. They believe it is this connection that makes things
like magic, dream premonitions, and the supernatural possible.
Currently, the major centers of worship of Azuth have sent key people
from their temples to meet to discuss Isis' assencion and Azuth's disappearance.
They are going to determine the impact to the church and discuss future
options for the faithful.
Priestly Vestments:
The vestments of the church of Isis are of shimmering gray and usually
made of silk, though in the North, cotton and heavier materials are worn.
Dress usually consists of a kalasirises (a tight-fitted skirt stretching
from under the arm to the knees or, more often, from the waist to the knees)
during the warmer months, to cloaks and robes during in cooler climes.
The symbol of Isis is usually worn as a brooch or an emblem over the heart.
The teardrop is often colored denoting an individuals rank within the church.
Most acolytes, monks, mage apprentices, mystics, and adventurers have a
silvery blue teardrop. Church members and higher level adventurers
have a silver tear. The highest level church officials have a white
tear.
During temple services, the wardrobe is accentuated with stunning jewelry,
gem-encrusted pectorals, and ornate golden armlets and bracelets.
Adventuring Garb:
When adventuring, the clergy of Isis dress practically, but eschew the use of armor. They almost always wear shades of gray (on the lighter side), white, or sometimes silver. They usually have the emblem of Isis stitched over their hearts.
Specialty Priests ( Spellweaver )
Requirements: Intelligence 13, Wisdom 14
Prime Req.: Intelligence, Wisdom
Alignment: LN, N, CG, LG, NG
Weapons: Any bludgeoning (wholly Type B) weapons plus dagger,
net
Armor: None
Major Spheres: All, astral, animal, charm, combat, creation, divination,
elemental, guardian, healing, plant, protection, summoning, sun, weather,
wards.
Minor Spheres: Law, necromatic, numbers, thought, time, travelers
Magical Items: Same as clerics, plus all items normally used
by wizards, including magical scrolls.
Req. Profs.: Herbalism, spellcraft, weather sense
Bonus Profs.: Modern language
3rd level