Ibrandul

Ibrandul was a chaotic neutral lesser deity of the Underdark, caverns, and dungeons. After the Time of Troubles, he was dead, his name and following having been usurped by Shar. In Calimshan he was also believed to have power over darkness and stealth. "Ibrandul guides you in the dark ways, drives away some dwellers in the darkness who would do you harm, and from time to time reveals great treasures to those who venture into the depths."

- A second-hand telling of a sermon from Thalandar, high priest of Ibrandul.

Description
Ibrandul radiated an aura of gloom, darkness, and ages long past, displaying intense emotion by flicking his tongue or blinking at an increased pace. He was most commonly portrayed (in Calimshan and the Sword Coast North at least) as a giant lizard of the depths, a monstrous ibrandlin up to in length. This form, known as the Stalker, was one of his two favored appearances (at least as played by Shar) the other being the Skulker.

The Skulker frequently shapechanged, but generally appeared as a tall humanoid made of black and gray stone, worn smooth as if it had been long exposed to howling, eroding winds. His only specific facial features in this state were eye patches that glowed like cool magma against pure darkness, and in this form he could be mistaken for a stone golem or earth elemental. Other Skulker forms were that of a massive, bare-chested human with chiseled features (as known to the natives of Calimshan) or a stony, roper-like creature (as known to the drow). Regardless, the Skulker preferred to appear lurking in pitch blackness, visible only by the light of his eyes, aiding or obstructing through voices in the dark.

Manifestations
Ibrandul's other manifestations usually took the form of sounds, such as footsteps around a bend, breathing (often mistaken for wind howling through the caves), dripping water (particularly in arid underground regions), cave-ins (from which comprehensible words and phrases could be made out in the rumbling), and interesting erosion patterns and rock formations. Many adventurers have been completely oblivious to the aid which he provided, having been guided to their destination, avoiding natural hazards, by following natural (if strange) signs, usually a trail of warm spots on tunnel walls, each briefly visible via infravision.

The Skulking god was also known to work through free-willed earth elementals, stone-eaters, lizards of all sizes including his own ibrandlin, skulks, gray and crystal oozes, and will o'deeps.

Personality
Ibrandul, though he demonstrated wit whether helping or hindering, was a taciturn and moody god, and was portrayed as such by Shar whenever his guise was in use. He was not an uncaring deity however and in fact was always restless, ever-seeking to stalk and explore the Underdark and hunt down those who would harm his followers. However, while Ibrandul would aid and guide those who served them when they were in need, he had a tendency to ignore them once they were relatively safe. It was thought that this inattentiveness resulted in diminished strength and thus played a part in his eventual death.

Powers
As the Stalker, Ibrandul could quickly strike out with using all his claws and fangs, whereas the Skulker bludgeoned his opponents with two powerful appendages (which could take the form of arms or more unusual limbs like tentacles). In either form he could cast spells from any school or sphere of magic, favoring those of elemental earth,travel, and darkness. He could only cast light-creating spells if their effects occurred instantaneously (such as a fireball as opposed to glitterdust).

Though able to see in perfect darkness as if it were broad daylight, a continual light spell was sufficient to blind Ibrandul, though he had several means of counteracting this. The simplest was to cast create darkness around himself (which he could do at will along with his usual attacks or spells). He could also sink directly into rock walls, moving, striking, and observing completely uninhibited regardless of the light beyond it.

Other stone-related powers of Ibrandul included his ability to become undetectable by non-magical means if he stood motionless against stone. As a creature of Pandemonium, Ibrandul had also learned to stone shape with his breath, expertly carving any kind of rock down to the most intricate feature. The process took a minute for every square foot, and could be used to create anything from stone darts, to natural altars, to navigable Underdark passages.

Possessions
Gifts of Ibrandul were healing potions that had the additional effect of turning the imbiber's skin scaly and gray, the condition lasting for a few days depending on the subject's fortitude.

Realm
Ibrandul's realm of Ibrandyllaran was located in Phlegethon, the 3 layer of Pandemonium, but could be found drifting in the Astral Plane after his death.

Activities
As the Stalker, Ibrandul was said to roam the caverns of Pandemonium hunting other predators there.

Relationships
In life, Ibrandul was allied with Mask and Ilmater. His enemies included Lathander, as their portfolios were directly opposed, Lolth, whose drow he was said to have thwarted in the origin story of his faith, and Shar, who killed and replaced him. The Nightsinger had always jealously defended her dominion over darkness, and so she slayed the Skulking God for daring to subvert her worship (although the killing was purely opportunistic).

Worshipers
Ibrandul had been one of the more notable, if not strongest, deities of Calimshan, and a diverse variety of his worshipers dwelt there. He was popular amongst adventurers, and also worshipped by the underworld-affiliated, escaped slaves, and shulks. He would watch over all his followers, protecting them from the dangers of dark places (particularly the Underdark) and was rumored to aid those venturing underground when they were in need. Originally his worship was unheard of north of the River Chionthar, his influence limited to the countries of the Shining South, but it had spread since his death at the hands of Shar and her subsequent adoption of his persona.

Ibrandul's largest single group of followers were the skulks living in the ruins of Deep Shanatar beneath Amn, Tethyr, and Calimshan. Drakkalor (former patron city of the dwarven god of greed, Abbathor) in particular was the site of a skulk nation whose tribal culture centered around their emancipation from the drow of Guallidurth by Ibrandul and the raiding of that city's traveling merchants. Some Underdark druids of various races, even drow, had Ibrandul as their patron but stopped receiving spells from him upon his death; some turned to dwarf, gnome, or other Underdark deities, while the drow possibly (and unknowingly) received their power from Lolth. The slave population in the beholder city of Zokir, after centuries of secret worship, were also allowed to worship Ibrandul by the ruling hive mothers.

Specialty priests of Ibrandul, known as Darkwalkers, were required to be chaotic neutral and reasonably healthy and wise. They eventually underwent a special initiation ceremony that involved ingesting ibrandlin blood, resulting in patches of scales appearing on their wrists, forearms, chest, back, and legs, which granted them great natural armor, but reduced their natural charisma. Such priests had various powers and training relating to nagivating the dark, creating darkness, and altering stone.

Rituals
Ibrandul's specialty priests were also granted the spell create ibrandlin. Their uniform was dark purple robes covered with a pattern of large, overlapping silver rings, and belted with a black sash.

Dogma
""There is perfect freedom in perfect darkness: independence, individuality, liberty from the judgment of others. Ibrandul protects you and guides you in the dark ways. He drives away those who would do his children harm and from time to time reveals great treasures to those who venture into the depths. Remain steadfast to him, and he will stand by you.""

- Dogma taught to the Initiates of Enveloping Darkeness

Ibrandul's dogma held that the Underdark was every bit as vital as the surface world, and that darkness was its redeeming quality. His priests primarily proselytized to adventurers and to poor folk in cities; they were also expected to build secure temple-fortresses deep underground, to serve as sanctuaries in the night below.

History
Worship of Ibrandul began in the prehistory of what was later called Calimsham, some time after the defeat of the Djen. A tribe of nomadic humans was abducted from the Calim Desert by drow raiders from Guallidurth. The humans were kept as slaves for centuries, too afraid of the surrounding darkness to flee. Until, that is, a monstrous lizard came out of the dark, drove off the drow, and led the humans into the wild tunnels. Some of the humans returned to the surface, while other remained as tribes in the Underdark (eventually becoming skulks), but both carried with them the worship of the Lord of the Dark Depths.

During the Time of Troubles, Ibrandul was seen wandering in the Underdark below Undermountain; however, during that period of weakness he was, unknown to his followers, slain by Shar, who took his guise and deceived his followers. She found masquerading as him quite useful, for it allowed her to subvert the worship of Selûne without drawing attention to her own nightbringers, particularly in Waterdeep. The petrified corpse of his avatar was believed to lie on a lost level of Undermountain.

During the events of the Second Sundering in 1486 DR, a Chosen of Ibrandul appeared, in the shape of a female drow named Ashdra. She was captured by the Red Wizards of Thay and taken to their so-called Temple of Shadows.