Loviatar

Loviatar (pronounced loh-VEE-a-tar ), also known as The Maiden of Pain and The Willing Whip, is the evil goddess of agony. Loviatar is a cold-hearted bully, calculating and despotic; she is the master of inflicting physical and psychological suffering and her portfolio includes Pain, Hurt and Torture. Her symbol is a nine-stranded whip, with barbed strands.

Worshipers
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's followers are encouraged to wipe out Ilmater's followers from the face of the Realms.

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.

Pain is the simple name given to a high level Loviatan cleric.

Orders
These monks of the faith of Loviatar are named in honor of the token granted to their founder by Loviatar and held in the home abbey near Calimport as a relic.
 * Disciples of the White Rod :

Relationships
Once a follower of Bhaal, Loviatar is affiliated with Malar and Talona and has fallen under the sway of Shar, though the return of Bane may change this. Loviatar's portfolio conflicts most with that of Ilmater, because Loviatar despises those who help others. She also hates Eldath and Lliira for offering rewards without any suffering to achieve them.

Appearances

 * Maiden of Pain by Mark Fishman (2005)