Ilmater

Ilmater (pronounced "Ihl-MAY-ter" or "ill-may-ter") was an intermediate deity of the Faerûnian pantheon whose portfolio included endurance, martyrdom, perseverance, and suffering. He was the god of those who suffered, the oppressed, and the persecuted, who offered them relief and support, encouraged them to endure, and who encouraged others to help them, to take their burdens or take their places. He was called the Crying God, the Broken God, the Lord on the Rack, and the One Who Endures. To the peoples of the Great Glacier, he was known as Ayuruk.

Description
In avatar form, Ilmater appeared as a short man with a burly build and wearing only a breechcloth, with a plain but kind and comforting face, balding head, and a hairy body. But this body bore the marks of mutilation and torture on the rack, covered with open cuts, closed scars, burns, and a range of other wounds. Ilmater's joints were broken, his limbs were ravaged, and his hands were smashed yet still functional. Moving caused him a great deal of pain as he dragged himself around. No matter how much his avatar healed, it still showed these terrible wounds.

Personality
Ilmater was the incarnation of compassion, and the eternal foe of suffering. He sought to offer aid and relief and words of comfort to those in pain, who were oppressed, or otherwise in great need. He encouraged them to endure their pain, suffering, and abuse, for good things came to those who waited. He encouraged his faithful to halt and relieve the suffering of others, and to take it on themselves if they must. Ilmater was himself a willing sufferer, taking one's place to bear their burden, seeking to endure any pain if it would lessen the pain of another.

He was quiet with a kind and gentle nature, generous, and good-spirited and even-tempered. Ilmater did not anger quickly, but when he did, he was fearsome in his wrath. He was greatly angered by extreme cruelty and atrocities, and at those who inflicted such suffering. He was particularly enraged by those who harmed or abused children and other young creatures. At such times, he set aside his doctrine of endurance and non-violence, and unleashed his full force to put an end to cruelty. Although his ravaged appearance or his righteous rage could scare children, Ilmater took great cares to reassure them and protect them. He treasured all children and young creatures in general.

Ilmater was the most forgiving of beings; it was thought he even forgive Loviatar, Maiden of Pain, if she repented of her cruel deeds. Though he knew full well the atrocious and horrific acts that wicked creatures could do, he remained forever hopeful that evil beings could one day be turned to good, or destroyed, and so he stayed firm in his goals.

He had a good if rather rustic sense of humor, and liked to hear funny stories.

Abilities
When manifested as an avatar, Ilmater could cast a wide variety of magic spells, and was strongest with healing magic and beneficial necromancy. Only rarely did he cast a spell that injured another, unless he did so in anger and retribution for a cruel or sadistic deed performed by the target, or to protect another from harm.

He fought unarmed, opened handed or with his fists, and was a supreme martial artist. However, he usually chose not to defend himself, instead simply taking and absorbing the damage, and his avatar was extremely hard to destroy. As with his spells, Ilmater only attacked in retribution or protection, or to deflect missiles or destroy items. He also used nonlethal methods to disable his powerful foes. His unarmed strike counted as a +5 keen lawful vorpal weapon.

Alternatively, he could possess any good and innocent creature that was being tortured, provided that the torture contravened local laws. This creature glowed white, all pain was relieved, and any wounds were regenerated immediately. Torture or restraining devices were immediately destroyed, releasing the sufferer, alert and healthy. In the case of extreme torture or associated murder, Ilmater granted the possessed being the ability to cast destructive spells, such as flame strike, lightning bolt or chain lightning, meteor swarm, sink, or imprisonment for a short time in retribution.

When not appearing via his avatar or through possession, Ilmater manifested as an unseen presence that made a howling or whimpering sound yet felt watchful. In this form, he could speak, move objects around by telekinesis, or cast spells.

To act in his place, Ilmater could send devas, einheriar spirits of slain martyrs, hollyphants, incarnates of courage, planetars, solars, and some beings that remained unidentified. To indicate or suggest his presence or awareness, to show his favor, and to give his faithful encouragement, Ilmater could create daisies and white roses, or send white donkeys, white doves, field mice, or sparrows. A minor manifestation to show favor was in the colors gray and red.

Finally, Ilmater could sense any kind of suffering the moment it took place, anywhere in the world. He also knew whenever a person sacrificed themselves for another being. He could also instantly create any magical item that could healed or reduce suffering, or was good or lawful in nature.

History
Ilmater was an older god and an obscure deity in the 3rd century before Dalereckoning, but he came to prominence during Tyr's Procession of Justice in the Vilhon Reach. In –247 DR, Tyr had led a force of archons out of a gate to pacify the remnants of the fallen empire of Jhaamdath, which had fallen into anarchy, lawlessness, and banditry. Tyr's deeds and sacrifices caught the attention of Ilmater, who allied himself with the Just God in the Year of the Rack, –243 DR. The Procession came to an end in –238 DR but Tyr remained on Abeir-Toril and the two deities continued to work together.

Many years after the Procession, Torm joined them as Tyr's war leader. Together, Ilmater, Torm, and Tyr formed the Triad, a long-lasting alliance of good and lawful deities.

The Triad was broken in the Year of Three Streams Blooded, 1384 DR, when Tyr was manipulated into slaying Helm, god of guardians. Ilmater chose to leave the House of the Triad and, at the invitation of Sune, goddess of beauty, he relocated his divine realm to the plane of Brightwater. By 1479 DR, however, Ilmater had returned to Torm's side and reestablished his realm in Celestia.

Relationships
The ranks of Ilmater's closest allies included Tyr the Maimed God, god of justice, (who was his superior prior to the Spellplague) and Torm the True, god of loyalty and duty. Collectively, these deities formed the Triad, an alliance of lawful good deities that were stronger as a united force than individually. In fact, Ilmater could often be found traveling with Tyr, assisting him and teaching him to live without his sight and to rely upon his feelings instead. Ilmater showed Tyr that true justice required a judge to know how much punishment was sufficient, whether it was too harsh or whether mercy was better. Ilmater also had an excellent relationship with Torm.

Another of Ilmater's allies was Lathander the Morninglord, god of renewal and vitality. He was also allied with Ibrandul, the Lord of the Dry Depths, the freedom-loving god of caves and darkness.

Ilmater stood against those gods and goddesses who enjoyed causing destruction and spreading pain and suffering for others. In particular, considering their contrasting portfolios, the Crying God and his followers were a bane to Loviatar, the Maiden of Pain, and her worshippers. He also opposed Talona, Mistress of Disease. Among his other foes were Bane, Bhaal, Garagos, Malar, Myrkul, Shar, and Talos.

Realm
Ilmater made his home in the divine realm of Martyrdom, a mountain of reward and peace for suffering in life, where none could feel pain or weariness. Under the Great Wheel cosmology, this was located on the layer of Shurrock in the Twin Paradises of Bytopia. Under the World Tree cosmology, however, Martydom was found in the House of the Triad, on a lesser mountain of Celestia, alongside the mountain realms of Ilmater's fellow gods of the Triad, Tyr and Torm.

However, following the breaking of the Triad in 1384 DR, Ilmater moved his domain out of the House of the Triad. At Sune's invitation, he relocated it to Brightwater on the World Tree. By 1479 DR, Ilmater had reestablished Martyrdom in Celestia, now under the World Axis cosmology.

Symbol
Ilmater's holy symbol was originally a blood-stained rack, such as used to torture a victim by stretching. This remained in use until the mid–14th century DR. However, by 1356 DR, a new symbol entered common usage: a pair of white hands crossed and bound at the wrist with a blood-red cord. After the Godswar of 1358 DR, this was used nearly exclusively. This newer and less gruesome symbol increased his popularity across Faerûn.

Worshipers
Those who were oppressed, sick or poor were likely to be worshipers of Ilmater and those who had a dislike of weakness (tyrants, for example) did not understand why anybody would turn to him. A typical follower of Ilmater was generous and sharing, advocating spiritualism over materialism. Worshipers believed that all injustices should be rectified and that a death with meaning was not shameful. Cynicism and dark humour were common. They did not believe in impeding desires of others, even when those desires conflicted with their own duty to provide alleviation of suffering and healing.

The clergy of Ilmater were known collectively as the Ilmatari. During a war, the Ilmatari would gather supplies in order to treat the dying and wounded. Ilmatari also sheltered the homeless and offered moral support to those who needed it. They would tour the wealthy areas of towns and cities seeking donations to help cover the costs of the church. The Ilmatari wore grey tunics, trousers, a tabard, or robes, and, unless a novice, wore a skullcap, which was red for senior clergy and otherwise grey. The symbol of Ilmater was worn around the neck or as a pin badge. Some older clergy had a teardrop tattooed beside one eye.

Monks and clerics in the Ilmatari faith were known as the Adorned. Clerics of Ilmater prayed for their divine magic once per day, in the morning, but ritualistically prayed a further six times per day or more. The cleric received no holidays and celebrated no regular festivities, but could request a Plea of Rest – a tenday during which time he or she was freed from the rules laid out by Ilmater's faith. Clerics of Ilmater were duty-bound to convince the dying to pray to Ilmater, and it was likely that they are able to brew their own potions. New initiates were often overcome by the suffering they witnessed as part of their work, and could develop a cynical attitude towards life, but most persevered nonetheless, even when faced with hopeless causes. Specialty priests of Ilmater were known as Painbearers.

Followers of Ilmater were often perceived as martyrs and intentional sufferers, to the point of ridicule by some. However, they were known as some of the best healers in the realms, often being found in some of the worst possible conditions, helping the oppressed, the diseased and the poor. In adventuring groups, they were often the ones who took all risks to save a person in danger, putting the needs of others above their own, to the exclusion of their personal safety.

The reputation of Ilmater was damaged shortly after the Time of Troubles when a cult professing to be Ilmatari began inflicting suffering (on others and themselves), engaging in kidnapping and rioting. The Ilmatari suspected that these cultists were under the influence of Beshaba, Cyric or Loviatar. The cult was mostly eliminated.

Initiation
An individual expressing an interest in joining the clergy of Ilmater was taken on a walk with a priest who explored that individual's views on life. Then they dined, and the individual was given wine that induced a slight trance so that he or she could be explored with magic in order to determine if any deception has occurred, or whether this person was genuinely suitable for the faith.

Saints
The faith of Ilmater had more saints than most other faiths. Notable saints included St. Sollars the Twice-Martyred, represented by a yellow rose, and worshiped from the Monastery of the Yellow Rose high in the Earthspur Mountains, and St. Dionysius.

Knightly
The Companions of the Noble Heart.

The Holy Warriors of Suffering

The Order of the Golden Cup.

The Order of the Lambent Rose.

Monastic
Most Ilmatari monastic orders had a symbolic flower that had a particular importance to them.

The Broken Ones was a monastic order whose monks were responsible for the defense of Ilmater's temples and shrines and sought to punish those who inflicted cruelty.

The Disciples of St. Morgan the Taciturn.

The Disciples of St. Sollars the Twice-Martyred was a monastic order noted for the Monastery of the Yellow Rose, located in the Earthspur Mountains near to the Glacier of the White Worm.

The Followers of the Unhindered Path.

The Order of St. Uzurr was a monastic order that was devoted to Ilmater and followed St. Uzurr. They were based at the Cloister of St. Uzurr in the city of Uzurr in Lapaliiya.

The Sisters of St. Jasper of the Rocks.

The Weeping Friars were the most fanatical believers in the idea of "bleeding" for others.

Other
The House of the Broken God was the largest hospital in Faerûn, located in Keltar, Calimshan.

Temples
Temples and shrines to Ilmater were often manor houses on traveled routes, named after Ilmatari saints. It was common for these houses to contain an area for treating the sick and injured. There was no single leader of a particular temple; instead, a collection of senior clergy met on occasion to make decisions. A temple to Ilmater often had an abbey or monastery affiliated with it or contained within it.

Appearances
In Baldur's Gate II, a cleric of Ilmater appears in two different temples of Ilmater in Athkatla, which is located in Waukeen's Promenade, and in the Slums. Actually, he is at least two different individuals of the same appearence and as far as the game is concerned have the same kind of personality. He is humble, compassionate and working constantly to help the poor and insane in Athkatla. He declares the statement that there is a great need for the Crying God's compassion in Athkatla.

Connections
Ilmater