Talos

Talos (pronounced TAAHL-ose ), also known as The Storm Lord, is the Faerûnian greater deity of storms and destruction. His dogma is self-serving, demanding utter obedience from his priests and instructing them to spread destruction where they may. His followers of are known as Talassans.

Appearance
Talos appears as a broad shouldered, bearded man with one good eye. He wears half-plate armor over black leather, and black leather gloves. His empty eye socket is filled with whirling stars and covered with a dark eye patch. When he appears in Calimshan, he often takes the form of a dusky skinned, turbaned genie rising out of a sandstorm.

Worshipers
The church of Talos is small by the standards of a greater deity, and his followers of Talos are fanatical in their love of destruction. The clergy has no formal hierarchy; obedience is enforced through might. Priests of Talos are fond of extorting sailors and farmers, threatening that Talos will bring destructive storms upon them if they do not placate the angry god. They are wont to pursue wealth and luxury, many indulging in acts of random or spiteful violence, pillage and banditry. Talossan clerics are also committed evangelists who seek to gain converts through fear or the enticement of raw power.

Clerics of Talos wear black robes and cloaks shot through with teardrops and jagged lines of gold and silver while high clergy wear blue-white ceremonial robes streaked with crimson; all of whom wear an eye patch. Talassan clerics generally multiclass as barbarians, sorcerers, wizards, or as the Stormlord prestige class.

Worship of Talos is outlawed in many countries. Most Talassan holy sites are secret because of the church's reputation. Public churches often take the form of castles or fortified strongholds that lie on earthquake fault lines or in the path of storms or lava; Talos ensures they remain unscathed.

Rituals
Clerics of Talos celebrate Talassan festivals with ceremonies that summon lightning and storms.


 * Calling Down the Thunder – This ritual involves the sacrifice of an intelligent being by lightning.
 * The Fury – This is the ceremony in which the cleric prays, makes berserk attacks to wreak as much destruction as possible in a small amount of time, then prays again.

Orders
The existence of orders allied to Talos is shrouded in mystery and rumor.


 * The Lords of the Tempest : The Lords are a group of wizards who owe allegiance to Talos and specialize in exotic combinations of elemental magic.


 * Liches : As some say Talos has sponsored certain necromancers into lichdom.


 * The Circle of Rust and the Worm : This cabal of crazed sages and mystics of assorted disciplines, both religious and secular, intent on bringing about the end of the world. They have obtained Talos' patronage.

Relationships
Talos is close with Auril, a flirtatious rivalry with Umberlee and a grudging alliance with Malar, who would kill him if he could. He also hates deities that promote building, learning, nature, and the altering of weather. Chief among his enemies are Chauntea, Eldath, Lathander, Mystra, Sune, Deneir, Gond, Helm, Mielikki, Oghma, Shiallia, Silvanus, and Tyr.

Deities of Fury
Talos leads the other Deities of Fury: Auril, Malar, and Umberlee.

History
The Stormlord was formed from the first battle between Selûne and Shar.

Dogma
"Life is a combination of random effects and chaos, so grab what you can when you can, because Talos may take you to the afterlife at any moment. Preach the might of Talos, and always warn others of the forces only he can command—the fury of all Faerûn. Walk unafraid in storms, forest fires, earthquakes, and other disasters, for the power of Talos protects you. Do so publicly whenever possible, so that others see that only Talos can protect them. Make others fear Talos by showing the destruction he and his servants can cause. To avoid tasting his fury, pray to him energetically and tell all folk that such observances—and only such observances—can protect them from the furies of gales, hailstorms, winds, floods, droughts, blizzards, hurricanes, and other natural dooms. Hurl such forces at one's foes if Talos deems a place or a person worth defending. One cannot afford to ignore Talos, but must bow down and worship him. Proclaim this message to all and show everyone the destruction even the slightest of the servants of Talos can cause."