Bes was the Pharaonic and Mulhorandi deity of luck and chance, as well as protector of women in childbirth.[10] Over time, his presence on Toril dwindled, and his aspect ended up subsumed by the dwarven deity Vergadain.[2]
Description[]
In his natural form, Bes appeared as a 4 feet (1.2 meters) tall figure, likened to either a shield dwarf or a stunted human, with a powerful physique and bowlegs. His face, which was described as so ugly that it could scare evil spirits away, featured a bushy beard. He typically wore a panther skin with the tail still attached, although some accounts said that he had a tail himself.[1][2][9][10]
Personality[]
Bes was a whimsical deity who liked gambling and small children. He didn't take the moral and ethical stances of those he blessed with good fortune into account, and the Short Father was childlike in his enjoyment of his worshipers' tributed offers.[10]
Abilities[]
Bes was able to shapeshift and turn invisible.[9] He could also create magic items that enhanced luck in some way at will.[11]
The deity also had supernatural senses. He could see, hear, touch, and smell within a 7 miles (11 kilometers) radius, and could decide to do the same within a 6 miles (9.7 kilometers) radius around any of his worshipers, holy sites, artifacts, or locales where he was mentioned within the previous hour. He had a particular sensitivity to women in labor, games of chance, and musical performances attended by large crowds, and could sense them even if they fell outside of his normal range of perception.[11]
Possessions[]
Bes wielded a dancing luck blade that never missed.[9][11]
Activities[]
As he had no realm of his own, Bes wandered the Outlands, exerting influence over the laws of fate. He made frequent use of his shapeshifting abilities in order to covertly check in on all manner of creatures, especially those taking part in some sort of gamble. The Short Father was known to grant stones of good luck to and tip the scales in favor of those gambling with particularly high stakes, though those that get too careless typically received no assistance from him.[1][9]
Relationships[]
Bes shared his interests in music and luck with his wife, Hathor.[10]
Ptah sometimes appeared and acted similarly to Bes, namely as a misshapen dwarf who protected against evil, but there seemed to be no direct relation between the two deities.[12]
The human thief Amenemhab acted as a proxy to Bes.[1]
Outside of the Mulhorandi pantheon, some sages thought that Bes had a close relationship with the Outlands-based members of the Morndinsamman, particularly Vergadain. His standing with the other deities that governed luck was unclear, though it was widely reckoned that he was mistrustful towards them.[1]
Worshipers[]
The holy symbol of Bes.
Bes was mainly worshiped by those who wished for luck, particularly gamblers, who curse his name just as often as they bless it.[9][10] Adventuring rogues, bards, and illusionists also often looked to him as their patron. Despite his dwarven appearance, he was more popular with halflings and gnomes than with the Stout Folk.[5]
Clerics devoted to Bes were often considered disreputable tricksters that avoided responsibility. They were not considered to be part of the priestly caste, and thus were not obligated to the dress code common to Pharaonic clerics, and thus generally dressed like the common people. Most of Bes's clergy was male.[10] Their weapon of choice was the khopesh.[3]
Bes had no temples dedicated to him and did not have formally outlined rituals of worship. Rather, he was revered at household and roadway shrines, as well as gambling halls and taverns. It was common practice among followers of the Pharaonic pantheon to keep statues in Bes's image to keep bad luck at bay.[5]
By the Year of the Unstrung Harp, 1371 DR, Bes's worship in Faerûn had largely become obscure, though he was still invoked by human merchants from Skuld.[2]
As a deity of luck, Bes was worshiped by many members of the Xaositects.[13]
History[]
Prior to joining the Pharaonic pantheon by marrying Hathor, Bes was part of a different pantheon, with which he subsequently lost all contact.[14]
In −2489 DR,[15] Bes was part of the group of deities under Ra who sent manifestations to Realmspace in order to combat the oppression of the Mulan in Imaskar, which led to the creation of the Mulhorandi pantheon.[16] Long before the 14th century DR, however, Bes's diminished Realmsian aspect was subsumed by his close friend, Vergadain.[2]
Rumors & Legends[]
It was believed that, when an infant smiled for no apparent reason, it was actually doing so because only it could see the otherwise invisible Bes pulling faces.[5]
Trivia[]
Bes was a common female name among the Shaarans.[17][18] In Elvish names, the prefix "bes-" meant "oath".[19]
Appendix[]
External Links[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 87. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Eric L. Boyd (November 1998). Demihuman Deities. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 88. ISBN 0-7869-1239-1.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 James A. Yates (November 1986). “Hammer of Thor, Spear of Zeus”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #115 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 38–40.
- ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). Player's Handbook 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 299. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Skip Williams, Rich Redman, James Wyatt (April 2002). Deities and Demigods. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 136. ISBN 0-7869-2654-6.
- ↑ Skip Williams, Rich Redman, James Wyatt (April 2002). Deities and Demigods. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 144–145. ISBN 0-7869-2654-6.
- ↑ Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 86–87. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- ↑ Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 173. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 James Ward and Robert Kuntz (November 1984). Legends & Lore. (TSR, Inc), p. 46. ISBN 978-0880380508.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Skip Williams, Rich Redman, James Wyatt (April 2002). Deities and Demigods. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 144. ISBN 0-7869-2654-6.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Skip Williams, Rich Redman, James Wyatt (April 2002). Deities and Demigods. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 145. ISBN 0-7869-2654-6.
- ↑ Graeme Davis (July 1984). “The Mythology of Ancient Egypt”. In Keith Thomson ed. Imagine #16 (TSR UK Ltd.) (16)., p. 21.
- ↑ Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 48. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- ↑ Skip Williams, Rich Redman, James Wyatt (April 2002). Deities and Demigods. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 135. ISBN 0-7869-2654-6.
- ↑ Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 31. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (September 1997). Powers & Pantheons. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 94. ISBN 978-0786906574.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 12. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ Steve Kenson, et al. (November 2015). Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 111. ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9.
- ↑ Skip Williams (February 2005). Races of the Wild. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 30. ISBN 0-7869-3438-7.