Ghaunadaur

Ghaunadaur (gone-ah-dowr) was a greater deity and the god of abominations. Originally, Ghaunadaur was a member of the drow pantheon but following the War of the Spider Queen he left the pantheon to break off on his own. His portfolio included slimy creatures, outcasts, and rebels.

Overview
Ghaunadaur was an unpredictable deity. False worshipers were sometimes rewarded by it, occasionally even with permanent magical boons, but they might just as well have been devoured by the Elder Eye without a second thought. Ghaunadaur enjoyed watching large horrible monsters as they hunted and devoured their prey, causing much suffering. When Ghaunadaur left the Inner Planes he was always silent, but some old records mention a gibbering and bestial language being spoken in the god's court. When communicating Ghaunadaur used telepathy and kept its conversations blunt and simple.

Worshipers
The church of Ghaunadaur consisted of cults scattered throughout the Underdark, each dominated by a single individual. There were only a few drow and aboleth cities that served as exceptions, with a more organized clergy. Ghaunadaur also had an aspect in the tanar'ri lord Juiblex and enjoyed the worship of that guise's demonic cults. Clerics of Ghaunadaur were required to serve the Elder Eye completely and do whatever pleased it most. The main duty of Ghaundaur's clerics was to ensure, in any way necessary, that Ghaunadaur's altars were supplied with a steady supply of sacrifices. Clerics successful in these sacrifices were rewarded with magic power and items. Ghaunadaur enjoyed most of all those creatures that willingly offered themselves to it, whether or not they had been charmed or coerced by its clerics. Those clerics that succeeded in bringing willing sacrifices to Ghaunadaur's altars were its most favored and highest ranked servants. Ghaunadaur encouraged its clerics to familiarize themselves with using and creating acids, poisons and alchemist's fire. All cloth furnishing in the temple and the clothing worn by its worshipers had to be of colors that please Ghaunadaur's eye. These were mostly shades of purple, green, black, and metallic colors. Many clerics also took training as fighters or enchanters.

Rituals
Ghaunadaur's clergy prayed for their spells once per day at any time the local cult deemed important. The Elder Eye expected each prayer to be coupled with a sacrifice. It preferred living offerings, but when that was impossible it also accepted bones and food which were burned in oil while braziers of perfumed incense were burned as well. If the worshiper could not deliver any offerings to the deity, they were required to perform their prayer while holding one unprotected hand in an open flame.

History
Ghaunadaur was a very ancient deity, rumored to have emerged from the primordial ooze itself. In that age it was worshiped by the largest of slimes and other crawling creatures, many of which contained an alien intelligence. In a fit of fury due to Lolth spurning his romantic interests, Ghaunadaur struck most of them mad and took their intellects. As an unforeseen result, many of these worshipers ceased to exist, which caused the Elder Eye's power to collapse.

Ghaunadaur was worshiped by some of the dark elves of Ilythiir beginning in the First Flowering Age and continuing through the Crown Wars.

Only during the Age of Humanity did some evil beings turned back to Ghaunadaur, looking for an alternative to the established deities. Ghaunadaur was only a member of the drow pantheon during this time because of the worship of drow that became disaffected with Lolth. In 1379 DR Ghaunadaur, finally fed up with Lolth, left the Demonweb Pits and created a new realm in the Deep Caverns.

Relationships
As a complete loner, Ghaunadaur did not possess a single ally. He directly opposed just about every other deity with a presence in the Underdark. His other major enemies were Malar and the Seldarine. Although an occasional ally of Lolth (whom she tried to use as a simple tool to be thrown away afterward during the War of the Spider Queen) when her inevitable betrayal came, he demonstrated power unseen since before his fury and left the Demonweb.

Dogma
"All creatures have their place, and all are fit to wield power. Those who hunt weed out the weak and strengthen the stock of all. Those who rebel or who walk apart find new ways and try new things and do most to advance their races. Creatures of power best house the energy of life, which Ghaunadaur reveres and represents. Make sacrifices to the Eye, persuade others to sacrifice themselves to Ghaunadaur or in service of the Eye, further knowledge and fear of Ghaunadaur, and in the end give yourself to Ghaunadaur in unresisting self-sacrifice. Convert all beings to the worship of Ghaunadaur. Slay all clergy of other faiths, plundering their temples and holdings for wealth to better your own lot and to further the worship of Ghaunadaur."

Gallery
Ghaunadaur