GeoWulf
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Join date : 2009-02-13
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 | Subject: The Crying God and the Maiden of Pain  Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:30 pm | |
| [These books are found in Genosis' church] IlmaterEndurance, suffering, martyrdom, perseverance.....Ilmater is known also as the Crying God, the Lord on the Rack, the One Who Endures and the Broken God. He seeks to offer words of comfort and calming to those in pain, oppressed, or in great need. He will seek to endure any pain if it will lessen the pain of another. As a result, the Crying God and his followers are a bane to Loviatar[see below] and her worshippers. At any opportunity, the followers of Loviatar will seek to torment Ilmater's people, finding the greatest pleasure in forcing a restrained Ilmatian to watch someone else be tortured to a slow and painful death.
Often Ilmater is found traveling with Tyr, to whom he is allied. Ilmater seeks to teach Tyr to live without his sight and to rely upon his feelings instead.
Followers of the Crying God are often perceived as martyrs and intentional sufferers, to the point of ridicule by some, largely those associated with less goodly gods such as the aforementioned Loviatar. However, they are known as some of the best healers in the realms, and are often found in some of the worst possible conditions, helping the oppressed, the diseased and the poor. In adventuring groups, they are often the ones who will take all risks to save a person in danger, putting the needs of others above their own, to the exclusion of their personal risk.
In the early days, Ilmater's symbol was that of a blood-stained rack, but with the change to his current symbol of two hands bound with a red cord, his popularity has increased, especially among the poor in the cities.
The church of Ilmater sponsors an order of paladins called the Holy Warriors of Suffering.
Ilmaters allies include Tyr, Torm and Lathander. His foes are Loviatar, Malar and Talos.[**An artist's impression of Ilmater is drawn on the next page**]  LoviatarPain, hurt, agony, torment, suffering, torture.....Loviatar is an evil goddess of agony and pain. She is a cold-hearted bully, calculating and despotic; she is the master of inflicting physical and psychological pain and torture. Bringing pain and suffering is the aim of all Loviatans, either through physical torture or sometimes more subtly and psychologically. Beauty, intelligence and acting are useful attributes of a Loviatan, but the ability to fully understand someone is the best skill a Loviatan can acquire, as knowing someone fully can help a Loviatan inflict maximum pain, one way or another.
Loviatar is commonly known by the name Maiden of Pain, and her portfolio includes pain, hurt and torture. Her symbol is a nine-stranded whip, with barbed strands. She is described as a pale maiden in white armour who wields a wand-shaped dagger of ice.
The world is filled with pain and torment, and the best that one can do is to suffer those blows that cannot be avoided and deal as much pain back to those who offend. Kindnesses are the best companions to hurts, and increase the intensity of suffering. Let mercy of sudden abstinence from causing pain and of providing unlooked-for healing come over you seldom, but at whim, so as to make folk hope and increase the Mystery of Loviatar's Mercy. Unswerving cruelty will turn all folk against you. Act alluring, and give pain and torment to those who enjoy it as well as to those who deserve it most or would be most hurt by it. The lash, fire, and cold are the three pains that never fail the devout. Spread Loviatar's teachings whenever punishment is meted out. Pain tests all, but gives strength of spirit and true pleasure to the hardy and the true. There is no true punishment if the punisher knows no discipline. Wherever a whip is, there is Loviatar. Fear her—and yet long for her.
Loviatans often engage in self-flagellation, often in the morning when praying for spells. They celebrate each season with the Rite of Pain and Purity, a ritual that involves followers dancing on glass, thorns or barbed-wire while being whipped by higher-level Loviatans. A smaller ritual occurring every twelve days involves followers passing their bodies through the flames of candles.
Despite being considered an evil deity, Loviatar has many open churches, and groups of good followers and clergy who set out to merit pain and suffering to those whom they deem deserve it, mainly followers and worshippers of other evil deities opposed to Loviatar.[**An artist's impression of Loviatar is drawn on the next page**] | |
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