Church of Tymora

The Church of Tymora was an organization dedicated to the worship of the goddess of good luck, Tymora.

Organization
Tymoran temples were spread throughout the heartlands of Faerûn. Places of worship differed significantly from each other in powers, manners, and titles, though, with little overall authority or hierarchy. They were independent from each other, and each temple reflected the tastes of its high priestess or priest. The Church of Tymora didn't discriminate, and saw all races and sexes as equal in the eyes of Tymora. However, in practice, most exalted ranks of the priesthood consisted of human women.

Dogma
Members of Tymoran faith believed that one should be bold and trust in one's own luck. Priests of Tymora were taught to think of themselves as their own masters and be brave enough to accept both good and bad fortune, as a trust in their goddess and in themselves.

Worshipers were urged to take risks and place themselves in the hands of fate and Lady Luck.

In the mid-to-late 14 century DR, Tymoran faith attempted to unify the church under a grand patriarch. That suggestion was given by high priest of the Lady's House in Arabel, Darmos Lauthyr.

Activities
Tymoran clergy would often go throughout the lands of Faerûn and urge people to take chances and pursue their dreams, yet wouldn't encourage them to indulge in reckless whims and frivolity, while they discouraged wasting time making plans without ever doing anything. They aided those who had dared to reinforce the message of the good fortune that one can get by having enough trust in Tyche's Fair-Haired Daughter. Members of Tymoran clergy were also duty-bound to aid the daring by providing healing and even some minor magic items.

Rituals
The clergy of Tymora was always united by their rituals of greeting. They would touch each other's holy symbols of Tymora, after watchwords of recognition had been exchanged. To strangers and other beings whom they knew to be worshipers of Tymora, they said "Life is short. Live it as Tymora means it to be lived!" This was answered by: "Dare all, and trust in the Lady." The watchwords between friends, or members of clergy of Tymora, were simpler: "Defy," answered by "Dare much."

Midsummer was the most important festival of Tymora. During celebration, people would engage in a night of daring adventure, wild revels, mischievous pranks, and romantic trysts.

The most holy festival of Tymora was Starfall, which occurred on the 22 day of Marpenoth. On this date, clergy who had earned advancement were formally acclaimed and presented with tokens and vestments appropriate to their new station. On that day, Tymorans would observe Starfall, which was believed to be the anniversary of the destruction of Tyche and the birth of Tymora.

During their stays in the Cormyrian city of Suzail, Tymoran priestesses would often travel barefoot to the Lady's House, a temple in the capital of the country, to commemorate Tymora's journey to Arabel in 1358 DR during the Time of Troubles, when she protected that city during the crisis.

Orders

 * Fellows of Free Fate:
 * This was a special fellowship of clergy within the church of Tymora who dedicated themselves to countering the efforts of Beshaba, and especially of the Black Fingers, her assassins. Any clergy member who showed experience, dedication to the cause, and was vouched for by a senior Fellow could join.


 * Testers:
 * The Testers were fanatical followers of Tymora who took extreme risks in order to further the worship of the goddess. When the choice was between a safe approach and one with little margin for error, they would rely on the flashier but more difficult approach. This was to prove to others the glory of Tymora.


 * Fatemakers:
 * A heretical band who believed that all luck deities were one and the same and that mortals could influence luck, if they had enough power. The Fatemakers were followers of many different gods and goddesses, including Tymora and Beshaba, and would often work together for a common goal. Many Tymorans despised the Fatemakers, rightly suspecting that many of them were corrupt and secret followers of Beshaba.

Magic Items

 * The torque of faith was a magical item holy to the Church of Tymora. It was a golden torque, fashioned entirely from gold coins of different sizes. They interlocked so closely that the torque appeared almost seamless. When worn, the torque enabled a priest of Tymora to use their luck powers as often as desired, and boosted such luck. It also radiated a faint, golden glow, but only if it was worn by a priest of Tymora.
 * Symbols of scorned fate were Tymoran holy symbols that looked like double-headed coins and were first used by the Church of Tymora post-Spellplague. They were imbued with the Lady Luck's divine magics and would protect their owner from bad fate for a short period of time. Additionally, these magic coins would increase their wielder's combat effectiveness.
 * Oil of second chances was a unique type of oil, produced only by the Church of Tymora. It could remove curses and grant good luck to the person who used the substance.
 * The Flame of the Spirit was an object sacred to the Tymoran faith. It appeared as a lump of sculpted amber in the shape of an undulating flame. If touched by a devotee of Tymora, the Flame transformed into the form of a tablet, capable of levitating in place when not resting on a surface suitable for reading. It displayed the text of a spell, selected at random from those stored within the object. When touched again, the object would display another randomly selected spell. However, if it was touched by a creature that did not worship Tymora, that being would be struck by a powerful eruption of searing, corrosive fire.
 * Orprase gemstones were eagerly sought by followers of Tymora, since orprase stone, powdered and mixed into at least 3 ounces (90 milliliters) of wine that had been consecrated to Tymora by a full-fledged priest of that faith, granted extraordinary good luck at resisting one attack or at performing one skill.
 * Blood of Tyche was a swirling potion of liquid luck and deadly poison, that would suppress user's ability to heal naturally in exchange for a dose of luck. It was bottled in golden vials.

Shrines

 * Fairfortune Hall
 * Shrine of Luck

Temples

 * Clearlight
 * Fortune Hall
 * Fortuneboon Hall
 * Hall of Luck (Glister)
 * Hall of Luck (Ravens Bluff)
 * Hall of Luck (Urmlaspyr)
 * Happy Hall of Fortuitous Happenstance''
 * House of Hope
 * The House of the Lady
 * The Lady's Favor
 * Lady's Hall
 * The Lady's Hall (Ordulin)
 * Lady's Happy Hall
 * Lady's House
 * Ladysluck Tower
 * Lap of Luck
 * The Sheltering Hand
 * Tower of Luck
 * Towers of Good Fortune

Appearances

 * Novels
 * Azure Bonds
 * ''Stone of Tymora trilogy