Church of Torm

The church of Torm, also known as the True and Loyal as well as the Watchful Guardians, was the collection of faithful followers of Torm, god of duty and the patron deity of paladins. It was one of the most popular faiths throughout Faerûn, having grown in prevalence and influence as Torm became a greater power during the Era of Upheaval.

The faith itself was referred to as the True Faith or the Unbending Way of Torm. Collectively, Torm's clergy were dubbed the Tormtar or Tormish, while his followers were known as Tormish, or Tormar.

"(The church is) the shield that protects us all, good and bad, so as to be ourselves and not oppressed slaves."

- Saying among the common folks of the Realms.

Organization
Torm's church was organized into three tiers, separated from the others by both the caliber and duration of service to the faith.

Titles
The highest ranking tier of Torm's church comprised the Tormtar, and included the following titles in descending order (along with associated color robes or pigmented armor): Champion (dusky purple), Vanguardier (amethyst), Knight (deep blue), Guardian (sky blue), Enforcer (deep green), Loyan (pale green), Watchful Venturer (yellow), Vigilant (orange), Warden (dark amber), Faithblade (rose red), Anduran (crimson), and Unproven (uncolored), the faith's novices. Other titles were bestowed upon Tormtar that undertook specific duties. These included: Priest Inquisitor, High Priest, Templemaster, Seneschal, Doorwarden, Revered Messenger, and Patrol Captain.

For a time following the death of Tyr, the title of High Justiciar was incorporated into the hierarchy of the church.

The second tier of the churched encompassed the numerous knightly orders that undertook charges and quests in his name. Regardless of the order of which they were a member, these holy champions were collectively known as the Swords of Torm.

The third and lowest-ranking tier of the church included all the laypeople that venerated Torm as their patron deity. This group included folks from all walks of life, including many soldiers and city officials. Despite not having membership within they Tormish clergy, they were expected to uphold the tenets of the faith and offer regular tithing to their local temple or shrine.

Activities
"The Tormites are the wagging finger in all of our lives."

- King Azoun Obarskyr IV, of Cormyr.

Tormtar clergy set out to overthrow corrupt officials that garnered positions of power by unscrupulous means, and offer ethical alternatives in their place. They rooted out unjust and racist laws from the realms in which they were active and stymied efforts by leaders to conquer neighboring lands. When necessary, they were to exact lethal judgement against those that betrayed the trust of others. To accomplish their aims, the clergy integrated themselves into political organizations and governments across the Realms, except for those run by despots and tyrants.

Additionally, regularly provided aid and resources to all manner of valorous knights, dutiful guardians, and honest courtiers in the nations across Faerûn.

Followers of Torm that took up the adventuring lifestyle were granted much freedom while questing, but were required to regularly report back to church officials. They were dispatched as explorers to learn more about the realms outside their spheres of influence. They were directed to offer significant tithings, upwards of half the riches they acquired during their travels.

Penance of Duty
Following the church's actions taken during the Time of Troubles, Torm himself directed his faithful undertake acts of penitence, in response to their collective moral failings. From that time on, all of his followers would undertake the Penance of Duty, three debts that were to regularly be repaid to the folks of the Realms.


 * Debt of Persecution: In recompense for persecuting members of other faiths, Torm's followers would regularly aid the clergies of other morally-upstanding churches.
 * Debt of Dereliction: To answer for failing to route corruptive forces, clergy members must actively take up arms against the churches of Bane, Cyric, Iyachtu Xvim, and the Zhentarim.
 * Debt of Destruction: In response to the damage inflicted upon the Weave during the Time of Troubles, all of Torm's faithful were ordered to report any areas of dead or wild magic were to be reported, and all efforts made to assist in their restoration.

Rituals
Torm's followers offered a specific litany of prayers to their god at dawn, noon, dusk, and finally at midnight. They would make additional prayers as warranted, such as in the case of great personal need or crisis. Clerics specifically prayed for their spells at dawn.

Clergy members carried out several different rituals, one on a recurring basis, and the others on special occasions. The ritual of Torm's Table involved offering a bountiful meal to someone in need once every two months, to be enjoyed while the offering priest fasted. Whenever a layperson became a full-fledged priest they completed the ritual of Investiture, and then fulfilled the Holy Vigil whenever they ascended in rank within the church's hierarchy.

Celebrations
The church of Torm celebrated a few different holidays that were marked on the Calendar of Harptos.


 * Eleasis 13 marked the Divine Death, honoring Torm's epic and ultimately fatal battle between Bane during the Avatar Crisis.
 * Marpenoth 15 was gleefully celebrated as the True Resurrection, when Torm was restored to the Faerûnian pantheon following the death of his avatar.
 * Tormish followers celebrated Shieldmeet every four years by reaffirming their oaths of service and solidifying other commitments for others.

Tactics
Initiates of Torm were able to channel the power of their faith when striking against of the followers of their god's most-hated foes, namely those of Bane, Cyric, or their progenitors, Bhaal, Myrkul, and Iyachtu Xvim.

Regions
Torm's faith was prevalent throughout the Dalelands, the Shining Lands,  Tethyr, Ulgarth, the Vast, especially within the city of Tantras, and even became the state religion of Elturgard upon its founding.

Some scholars speculated that Chalsembyr, the ancient kingdom Torm ruled over as a mortal in the -4 century DR, was located somewhere within the Border Kingdoms south of the Lake of Steam.

There was a small village on the Sword Coast named Torm's Hand.

Temples
Temples of Torm were often constructed out of white granite, set upon the upper slops of mountains or other peaks that offered a commanding view over the surrounding landscape. These impenetrable keeps were designed to embody Torm's stately defiance against the evils of the world. They were often decorated with statues of lions and knights in gleaming armor, adorned with mementos taken from the Tormtar fallen.

Some of the most prominent or famous churches of Torm included:
 * House of the Hand, the temple in Procampur.
 * Temple of the Highest, Torm's temple in Elturel that managed to survive the Descent.
 * Temple of Torm's Coming, the famous temple in Tantras that housed the High Council, and became a site of pilgrimage for Torm's faithful.

Other temples could be found in Eagle Peak, Halfhap, Hawk's Nest, Orvyltar, Shadowdusk Hold in Undermountain, Teziir, Torm's Hand, and Weatherstone Keep.

Shrines of Torm could be found in Baldur's Gate, the High Hall of Elturel, Eshpurta, Hillsfar, Ravens Bluff, Scornubel, Shadowdale, and Urmlaspyr.

Equipment, Spells, and Relics
Torm's holy symbol comprised a gauntleted right hand, palm held upwards, known as the Hand Resolute. To Torm's followers it symbolized restraint and temperance.

Tormish faith tokens allowed the bearers to cast the spells guidance and virtue.

Dress
Priests of Torm wore either clean robes complete with a breastplate and bracers or an immaculate set of plate mail armor with an elaborately decorated helm. Their robes and armor were dyed or tinted with ink to denote different ranks, the latter of which were inscribed with Torm's Penance of Duty.

Weapons and Arms
Tormtar kept and used the best weapons and armor available to them. Their weapons were immaculately maintained and their armor polished at all times, save those occasions when doing so would get in the way of their duties.

Followers of Torm treasured a type of enchanted shield known as the shield of vigilance. The lance of Faerûn was a variety of lance that were crafted specifically for mounted Tormtar champions. The tooth of Torm was a type of magical dagger with a silver blade that allowed the wielder to see through invisibility.

Spells
Tormish clergy were granted a casting of the spell command to use once per day at their discretion. Spells associated with or often used by members of Torm's church included: alert vigil, bless weapon, silver dragonmail, golden dragonmail, Hand of Torm, bolt of glory, swordward, and wrath of Torm.

Relics

 * Chalsembyr's Heart, the enchanted and intelligent longsword of Bertold that guided his quest to find Torm's personal realm.
 * Crown of Narfell, one once-evil symbol of ancient Narfell was once destroyed, re-forged by priests of Torm, Tyr, and Ilmater, and finally incorporated into the regalia of the court of Impiltur.
 * Helm of Torm's Sight, a non-magical helm that grated the wearer the ability to speak directly with Torm the True.
 * Titanslayer, the holy avenger longsword wielded by Torm's mortal champion.
 * Veloghon of Vigilance, a war-shield that held within in the specifications of several spells associated with Torm's faith.

Dogma
"Serve with all your heart as well as all your reason. Every failure of duty diminishes the Loyal Fury; every success empowers him and brightens the world...Torm watches you, and expects you to watch and guide others."

- Excerpt from Torm's creed.

The tenets of Torm's church involved obedience to duty and loyalty to one's allies. Tormish clergy and laypeople were directed to uphold virtuousness, maintain order throughout the Realms, and strike out against corrupt and evil forces. Serving others in these causes was the truest path to deliverance of the spirit and the best means to honor Torm himself. Disobedience was to be punished quickly and severely.

All followers of Torm were expected to demonstrate devotion to their faith, their family, their superiors, and all goodly beings of the Realms.

Attitudes
Followers of Torm conveyed gratitude for the opportunity serve the mortals of the Realms. They did not act for personal acclaim accept any material rewards, but rather the personal fulfillment of making the world a safer and more just place to live. Anyone found guilty of garnering wealth while carrying out the church's tenets were offered penance for minor infractions, but were were immediately excommunicated in other instances.

The church did not consider the hoarding of arms and weaponry as inherently wicked, but abstained from doing so as a matter of practical caution.

While some individuals resented the overbearing influence the Tormish church held over their daily lives, many accepted it as a necessary burden to live a life free from oppression.

Knightly Orders

 * Loyal Order of Innocents, a group of Tethyrian knights that was founded by Queen Zaranda Star.
 * Order of the Golden Lion, a holy order of knights and paladins that focused their collective efforts on fulfilling the church's Penance of Duty.
 * Paladins of the Hand, an order of twelve Tormtar paladins that were active during the 12 century DR.

Classes
About two out of five members of Torm's church were specialty priests, that took on the role of either holy champions or paragons. Clerics, crusaders, and paladins, specifically those of the Oaths of Devotion and the Crown, composed the rest of his clergy. These Tormtar were also accompanied in their services by a number of divine champions and disciples.

Relationships
Several valorous and benevolent knightly orders were considered among the allies of Torm's church, including the Knights of Imphras II, the Knights Kuldar of Barakmordin, and the Triadic knights, the latter two of which deified the Triad, the group of gods of which Torm was a member.

While not allies per se, the Tormish church appreciated the tenets of the Guardians of the Weave, specifically their efforts to negate the ill-effects of wild magic areas and dead-magic zones. They also held the gnome followers of Gaerdal Ironhand in high regard.

Despite the fact Torm and Helm remained close as divine powers, Torm's clergy maintained a less-than-amiable rivalry with the church of Helm. This relationship became much more strained during the mid–14 century.

The church was considered a direct enemy of the Cult of the Dragon.

History
In the, the church of Torm, along with those of Tyr and Ilmater, initiated the Triad Crusade. Holy warriors from all three faiths were dispatched to Impiltur to depose King Argosh the Scaled, who had previously seized the kingdom's throne.

Time of Troubles
When the gods of the Realms were cast down to Toril during the Time of Troubles in the, Torm's avatar manifested within the city of Tantras in the Vast. By all appearances he was forced to remain within the local temple, held as a prisoner in his own holiest place of worship. In truth Torm allowed himself to be controlled in this manner for a short while, to understand the corruption that had spread among his faithful in the city. Using the miracle of Torm's appearance, the corrupt head-priest of Tantras' temple Dunn Tenwealth maneuvered himself into a greater position of power, designated the followers of other faiths as "unbelievers", and engaged in systematic oppression and torment over them.

When the colossal avatar of Bane marched upon the city that same year, intent on leveling it in search of the lost Tablet of Fate, Torm took action to protect his followers in his holy city. By means of the Ceremony of Power, Torm absorbed the life force of all his followers—both corrupt and true-hearted alike—and transformed his avatar into that of a lion-headed, humanoid champion equal in stature to the Bane's monstrosity. Torm and Bane's avatar's mortally wounded each other in the waters beyond the city, and hundreds of devout Tormish followers were dead. Many of them sacrificed their lives willingly, so that the great evil could be struck from the Realms.

For his service Torm was reinstated as a member of the Faerûnian pantheon. Some speculated that he was offered back his divinity in exchange for carrying the tenets of his faith unto death. Yet others believed that as a formal mortal native to the Prime that ascended to the power of a demigod, Torm could not be destroyed outright on Toril.

Renaissance
The church of Torm experienced a rebirth following this miraculous yet tragic series of events. Torm's faith soared in popularity and flourished across the breadth of Faerûn, while Torm himself regarded a divine hero and symbol of selflessness. Many children left orphaned by sacrifices their parents made in Tantras were adopted by the church.

In the years that followed, Torm's clergy worked alongside Mystran priests to cleanse regions of dead and wild magic that were created during the Avatar Crisis. They utilized some of the most potent magic available to spellcasters at the time.

After Bane's return in the, many people turned to Torm's church for guidance and protection from the returned evil god and his cultish followers.

15 Century
In the time following the death of Tyr, some of Torm's clergy carried on traditions once associated with the Tyrran faith, even utilizing the same titles used within the church. Some orders of Tyrran paladins converted to the veneration of Torm, while others aligned their faiths with other gods.

By the late 15 century DR, Torm's faith had grown exponentially more influential, and boasted the highest number of paladins among any group on all of Toril. Torm had ascended to the rank of greater power, and a divine domain bearing his name emerged, granting additional power to his followers and those of his allies.

Members
All manner of folks from across the Realms embraced Torm's faith and joined his church. These people often sought to better their own lives the world around them, and understood that often required resolute self-sacrifice.

The worship of Torm was notable among the Uthgardt barbarians, notably members of the Black Lion tribe.

Notable Members

 * Belthar Garshin, the paladin that slew the half-fiend Argost in the 8 century DR.
 * Gwydion "the Quick", Torm's champion that was tasked with protecting the scribe Rinda from the god Cyric.
 * Haelimbrar, a paladin of Torm and one of the Lords of Imphras II of Impiltur.
 * Jekhal Windsinger, leader of the Trollslayers the Nawal of the city of Orpher.
 * Jhingleshod, the half-golem Iron Axeman of the Dire Wood.
 * Keldorn Firecam, a loyal knight of the Order of the Radiant Heart in Athkatla.
 * Kelemvor Lyonsbane, the adventurer and mercenary that famously ascended to godhood himself.
 * Ontharr Frume, a knight of the Order of the Gauntlet that plated a role in the Tyranny of Dragons events of the late 15 century.
 * Shield of Innocence, an orog paladin granted sainthood after sacrificing his life in defense of Zazesspur.
 * Sirac of Suzail, the indomitable fisher of famous lineage that lived in Bryn Shander in Icewind Dale.
 * Thavius Kreeg, the deceitful High Overseer of Elturel that forewent his devotion to Torm and made a deal with the archdevil Zariel to save his city from the undead.
 * Lady Thyss, one of Torm's warrior-priestesses and wife to the ruler of Thesk.
 * Vhonna Deepdell, a retired warrior of Torm that became an instructor at the Field of Triumph in Waterdeep.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Tantras
 * Novels
 * Tantras
 * Prince of Lies • Cyrinishad
 * Video Games
 * Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn
 * Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
 * Avernus Rising(Hellfire Requiem)
 * Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
 * Avernus Rising(Hellfire Requiem)
 * Avernus Rising(Hellfire Requiem)