The Realms of Enlightenment: The Grey Companions

[Jon Potter]

Hairy Minotaur... This One's for You!

Below is a list of all of the deity-level powers in The Realms of Enlightenment, grouped alphabetically. I hope that this answers some of the pantheon questions that Hairy Minotaur had about my campaign world. I'll be happy to field any that this doesn't answer or that it ends up generating.

My big regret with this is that I lifted many of the names directly from the Forgotten Realms. But, oh well. Too late to cry about it now.


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Akadi - goddess of the air, birds & freedom.

Ali-Akabda - god of sacrifice & duty

Aphyx, the Rot Queen - goddess of decay & pestilence

Azril, the Trickster - goddess of pleasure & indulgence

Bane - god of oppression, intolerance & order

Bhaal - god of pain, destruction, & murder

Brogine, the Beastlord - god of fauna, winter, & cold

Chag - god of fear, insanity, & arachnids

Cyr, Mountain-lifter - god of strength & glory

Da’har Su’revar - god of night & sleep

Dridanna, the Fruitfull - goddess of flora & growth

Flor, the White Lady - goddess of marriage, healing & mercy

Frenzick, the Wild - god of savagery & plunder

Garjarvan, Watcher of the Way - god of destinations & roads

Garn-Zanuth, the Bitch Queen - goddess of storms, thunder, anger & revenge

Graath - goddess of nightmares & monstrosities

Grumbar, Boss of Earth - goddess of the earth & mining

Hubris - god of war, battle & lightning

Ibrahil, the True - god of honor, virtue, equestrianism & martial skill

Ilmatar, the Broken - goddess of suffering & victims

Istishia - goddess of oceans & sea creatures

Kaeal, of the Weave - goddess of magic & mysteries

Kossuth, Queen of Fire - goddess of craft, invention, labor & fire

Lisori, the Peaceful - goddess of love, beauty & courting

Lukane - goddess of luck & superstition

Merrika, the Sky Lord - god of the sun & agriculture

Myrkul - goddess of death & the afterlife

Neodig, the All-Knowing - god of secrets & obscurity

Neralas, the Thief - god of rogues & concealment

Nethlar, the Lorekeeper - god of reason & knowledge

Orin, Lord of Light - god of day, cycles & integrity

Othmus, Star-eyes - god of fate & divination

Rushlyn - goddess of artistry, drama & music

Sato - god of rule, citizenry & community

Shaharizod, the Silver Queen - goddess of the moon, mirrors & guidance

Umba - god/goddess of time & judgment

Waukeen - goddess of trade & wealth

Xo, the Thoughtful - goddess of inquiry & discovery

 

[Jon Potter]

[Realms #382] It Takes a Thief

"Hesjing-korth!" Ixin hissed as the poison wracked her body. The slit in her shoulder was minor, but it leaked blood none the less.

Gingerly touching the puffy sliced wound splitting his left cheek, Karak grunted his agreement. "Well of all the bad ideas we've 'ad this one's certainly drained me the most," he sighed, sagging a bit under the weight of his armor. "It's probably like Huzair feels every day," he chuckled and the mage looked up from his haversack and sneered.

"It's good that at least you find yourself amusing, dwarf," Huair snapped and pressed a vial into Karak's hand. "Here, drink this."

The dwarf took the potion and downed it in a single gulp, feeling the draught Neutralize the lingering Poison in his veins. When Morier looked at the wizard, Huzair shrugged. "The guild rat comment hurt... outcast."

"I can heal your cuts, but we'll need to rest a day before I can pray for the miracles necessary to Restore your strength," Shamalin told them as she critically examined the rent in Morier's forearm.

"I would be willing to charge through," Ayremac offered as he studied the length of the hall. "I have a natural resistance to most poison, and I could pray for Umba's blessing... she may allow me to pass through this test unharmed... even if I did trigger the traps." Morier snorted, drawing a disapproving look from the holy warrior.

"Unless I miss my guess, the actual point here might be to identify the traps before springing them," the eldritch warrior said snidely. "Although your method certainly would be an effective, if not lifespan-enhancing, means of seeing where surprises lie." Ayremac's mouth set in a thin, angry line, but his tone was conversational when he spoke.

"There may be a lever or switch at the end," he hypothesized. "Something I could activate to allow you all to pass through. It could be a test of sacrifice, or agility... or both." Karak nodded at this.

"As the wizard was tossin' the coin, I was thinkin' 'you know, they been testin' our strength, our wisdom, our thinkin', our courage... I was just a wonderin' if this'n wasn't supposed to be testin' our dexterirty in avoidin' these lights'." the dwarf shrugged. "But I di' nae say anythin' at the time an'l we know one thing now for sure: the blades be comin' from the ceilin'."

"That doesn't really help us, though," Shamalin added, looking up from her ministrations. "Does it?"

"Why do we nae take the most dexterous of us and put the Slippers o' Climbin' on 'em and have 'em crawl across the ceiling to get to the other side," Karak offered. "Of course, mindin' those beams o' light and trip the trap lever on the side. Hopefully we all do nae have to go across."

"It isn't really safe for us to stand here if the trap goes off again," Morier countered. "The blades reached all the way to the far wall." Karak nodded in concession.

"If'n there can be some kind of protective shield on this end so in case the trap do be sprung we all do nae get scraped again that would be good," Karak admitted.

All eyes looked questioningly at Huzair, but the mage didn't notice. His own eyes were fixed on the ceiling where the scything blades had descended. After a moment, Morier gave the mage a shove.

"Were there actual theives in this 'Thieves Guild' of yours, Huzair?" the eldritch warrior asked. "Kind of leaves one to wonder about the police protection in Farmin... if all of the thieves there are as slick as you are they must be up to their ears in unsolved crime, eh?" Huzair was clearly only half-listening.

"Well, there were and Farmin is known for its unsavory nature," he admitted, his eyes still fixed on the ceiling. "The Watch is mostly just paid off, to be honest with you. They don't really take murder kindly, but usually they would look the other way if it was some outcast or the bribe was big enough."

"I wasn't really looking for a civics lesson, Huzair," Morier snapped. "I was hoping that you'd have some ideas here, rather than leaving the trap-disabling to Karak and Ayremac." The mage turned to look at Morier as his brain processed all that the albino had just said to him.

"You are blaming me for this?" he snorted. "I expected stuff to come from the walls, not the ceilings. And it really was not my idea to throw the coin."

"He's right. The fault is mine which is why I volunteered to go forward on my own in search of a means to defeat the trap," Ayremac admitted quickly. "But this could also be a test of steadfastness."

"Huh? Huzair asked.

"If you were testing someone to see if they were the right person to save the world, would their dedication not be important? Even when faced with certain harm?" Ayremac explained. "It is just a thought. and In any case, I leave it to the group to decide. I would be willing to try going forward if no one has any other ideas."

"Lucky for you, I do," Huzair quipped.



After Shamalin tried unsuccessfully to Dispel the Magic triggering the trap, Huzair turned Invisible and crept along the ceiling using the Slippers of Spider Climbing. He approached the first wall of light with apprehension, but moved through it and the subsequent three panes of light without triggering the blades. Unfortunately, once on the far side, no matter how thoroughly he searched, he couldn't find any lever or button to disable the traps. He did see that the corridor continued on - although it bent back around on itself like a horseshoe.

Unlike the trapped hall, this one was well-lit by everburning torches all along its forty foot length. The mist was thinner here, so he could see that the corridor turned right at the far end, and that three wooden chests with brass bindings were arranged in the last twenty feet of the hall. It looked like an easy stroll through there.

 

[Blarkon Dragonslayer]

Unlike the trapped hall, this one was well-lit by everburning torches all along its forty foot length. The mist was thinner here, so he could see that the corridor turned right at the far end, and that three wooden chests with brass bindings were arranged in the last twenty feet of the hall. It looked like an easy stroll through there.

That would be the signal for the trap of inescapable doom to explode all around them.

Excellent update, Jon. Well worth the wait (I say this now, having survived the ENTIRE WEEK since the last)

 

[Kristeneve]

Quite an eventful week at that...I can't imagine there are many DM's out there who welcome home a new little addition to the family one day and post the very next!

Congratulations to the Potters!
(Forgive me for hoping that the "joys of fatherhood revisited" play out nicely for our characters)

 

[Blarkon Dragonslayer]

Congratulations indeed to the Potters!

You know Jon, if you'd wanted, we could have probably taken a birth in the family as an excuse to delay posting for maybe one day...no more then that, of course, but one would have been acceptable Barely

 

[Pyske]

Well now, congratulations, Jon!

 

[Rel]

Indeed congratulations, sir!

 

[Jon Potter]

Thanks for all the well-wishes, everyone!

I can't think of a better way to celebrate the new arrival than with a bonus update!

(Well, okay, a nap sounds like a good idea too. But not as much fun for you guys.)

 

[Jon Potter]

[Realms #383] The Gordian Knot Solution

Huzair reported his findings and Karak examined the plaster wall critically.

"So this wall be all that separates us from the far side of the corridor?" the dwarf called down to the mage. Huzair glanced back down the other leg of the horseshoe and nodded confirmation.

"I was thinking since it bent around on itself, there may be a secret door connecting the two corridors," Huzair confirmed. "If not , plaster is not too hard to whack through with an axe. Right, dwarf?"

"Aye, wizard," Karak said, hefting his waraxe. "That be me thoughts exactly! Stand back!" He urged the other members of the Order to crowd against the far wall, while he went to work on the opposite side. It took little time for his weapon to carve out great chunks of plaster from the wall, revealing solid, hewn stone walls beneath the sheath. "Shards!" Karak cursed, spitting on the ground.

"We'll not be cutting through that any time soon," Shamalin frowned. "Perhaps there's some way to jam-"

"Stoneblade could do it," Morier interrupted. "Cut through the wall, I mean."

"NO OBSTACLE OF STONE CAN LONG STAND IN THE PATH OF THE SCION OF EARTH!" the greatsword thundered in the small space.

"Well what are you saving it for? Swagfest?" Huzair called from down the hall. "You have the power... use it! At least that is what I say!"

Morier unsheathed the gray stone sword and looked at it hesitantly. "But you can only do this trick once per day, right?" he asked the weapon.

"IT IS NOT A 'TRICK', BUT YES, THE POWER IS USEABLE BUT ONCE PER DAY!" Stoneblade admitted.

"We may need it later on, lad," Karak cautioned and the albino nodded once and stepped back from the wall.

"I know that you're right, Karak," Morier told him and raised the sword. "But the fact of the matter is: we need to make it through here to be able to move forward... and if we die trying to save our resources for later... well, then that's kinda dumb."

Karak pondered this for a heartbeat and then cleared the way for Morier. The eldritch warrior leveled the greatsword at the wall at waist height and drove it into the stone nearly to the quillions. It sank in easily, as if the wall were made of flesh rather than rock and when the albino drew the sword up and out of the wall, the rent there dilated back magically until an opening fully five feet wide and eight feet tall had been created. It opened into the far corridor and he could see both a brassbound chest on the right and a narrow corridor leading straight away from the opening.

Morier stepped through and, looking right spied Huzair creeping down the corridor along the ceiling toward him. The three chests looked inviting, which of course meant that they were trapped; he ignored them and motioned for the others to step through the opening he'd made and follow.



The narrower corridor led off at a right angle to the wider hall with the three large chests for about twenty feet before it twisted back on itself. At that point it widened into another well-lit chamber. The entryway was situated in the corner of the room, and at the far end, they could see a circular door set within a large carving of an eye. Other than that valve and the doorway in which they were crowded, there was no other obvious method of entrance or egress. The walls, floor, and ceiling of the fifteen-by-fifteen foot room were all composed of tiles, and on each tile was the carving of an eye. The eyes themselves were all different sizes, styles, and colors.

 

[Jon Potter]

[Realms #383a] Splitting the Party... Always a Good Idea

"Sauriv-throden," Ixin sighed, sight of the room stirring a memory within her.

"Axun," Huzair agreed skeptically. "Sauriv-throden. Huzair, ocoshuir marirthos."

"Fortorum garris," the drakeling said, her tone uncertain as she sought the elusive scrap of the past. "Ledare renthisj-ghoros arivorelmiirik..."

"What's she saying?" Morier asked and Huzair shrugged.

"Something about Ledare and a poem she used to speak of to Ixin," the mage told him. "It had eyes in it apparently."

"The prophecies of Brader," Shamalin nodded, looking at the walls with renewed interest. "I recognize the reference." Huzair looked at her strangely.

"You recognize the reference? You never even met Ledare," he said, snidely. "I traveled half-way across Orune with her and I don't remember any poem about eyes!"

"You don't pay attention, Huzair" the priestess said without acrimony. "Both Morier and Karak have mentioned the Tome of Brader on several occasions and there's a transcription of the prophecy written in Ledare's hand packed amongst our gear."

"Brader," Ixin nodded, pointing at the Mercybringer and then gesturing at the tiled room. "Detoimithos Brader. Sauriv-throden persvekdos."

"Aurthon," Huzair said, making a "settle down" gesture.

"I can see why this place reminds Ixin of the poem," the cleric said and Morier shook his head.

"The reference to the eyes in the prophecy is talking about the prison where Zagaroth is being held," the albino pointed out. "I don't believe we're there yet... I think it's a coincidence that there are eyes here."

"Aye, lad. I think ye've got the right of it," Karak snorted. "A lot of things 'ere seem to fit the poem, but there's a lot that do nae fit it as well."

"I'm thinking that maybe we shouldn't ignore those chests after all," Morier suggested, cocking his thumb over his shoulder. The dwarf nodded.

"Aye, lad. I'm with ye," he agreed and shouldered his way passed the others. "Let's examine 'em, before we press on."

"They're probably trapped," Morier pointed out and Karak laughed.

"I'd say 'probably' be under statin' things a might." He grinned and Huzair fell in behind them.

"My guess is whatever we do we should use the utmost care," the wizard added. "I bet this whole place is loaded with traps."



Ayremac, Shamalin and Ixin stood at the entryway to the tiled room, looking at one another as their companions tramped back down the twisting corridor.

"I'm sure this place is what's referenced in the prophecies of Brader," Shamalin said. Ledare would have been proud to see how well her obsession with the poem had taken hold of some members of the group even without her presence. Ayremac did not count himself as one of those believers, however.

"I respectfully disagree. We are being tested to prove our worth. To suddenly think otherwise... It doesn't make sense to me," he said flatly, gesturing toward the room. "I say we search for traps, secret doors or secret switches."

"Agreed," Shamalin said and together the three of them stepped into the room and spread out to search.



"I think we should examine these chests closely," Huzair stated, stroking his chin in a scholarly fashion as they stood before the first of the three bound chests. "Look for runes, detect for magic and traps, etc. Perhaps open them from above while levitating?" He grinned at the cleverness of his suggestion.

"I'm so glad we brought our rogue along," Morier rolled his eyes and muttered to Karak. The dwarf laughed and opened his mouth to say something when a tremendous CLUNK! sounded from down the hallway where they'd just left Ayremac, Shamalin and Ixin.



They hadn't been searching long when they felt the vibration of some colossal mechanism lurching into life beneath their feet. Ayremac had time to hiss a warning: "Get out!" before the entire rear wall of the chamber slammed outward with the force of a ballista, sweeping them all up and crushing them against the round stone door.