Beshaba

listen), or Lady Doom as she was also known, was the chaotic evil intermediate deity of accidents, bad luck, misfortune, and random mischief, and a member of Tempus' pantheon.^[5] She demanded worship to keep her bad luck at bay. Her aim in life was to destroy her sister Tymora, or Lady Luck. She also delighted in cursing others, often causing seafarers to lose their navigational instincts.^{[citation needed]}

History

Beshaba came into being when the deity Tyche split during the Dawn Cataclysm, a separate disaster relating to the machinations of Lathander. Tyche was infected with a taint of the dark god Moander and was forced to split into two parts by her friend Selûne. Those two parts, Tymora and Beshaba, sprang out fully formed and immediately fought.^{[citation needed]}

Relationships

Beshaba, who is said to have gotten Tyche's looks where Tymora got her love, is considered to be attractive to many male deities and some have been devoured by her lustful passions. She rejected advances from Talos, among other hopefuls. Mortals who perceived the Maid of Misfortune were often destroyed by their lust or driven to maddened loyalty.^{[citation needed]}

Beshaba was the twin sister and sworn enemy of Tymora, whom she sought to destroy.

She was Tempus' lover.^[5]

Worshipers

Beshaba symbol — The holy symbol of Beshaba.

Beshaba Symbol-5e — Another depiction of a holy symbol of Beshaba

Beshaba was revered more out of fear than out of religious faith. Her doctrine stated that bad luck befell everybody and the only way to avoid it was by worshiping her. She was renowned for being spiteful and malevolent, and her priests manipulated common folk into revering and providing for them by acting mysteriously and playing on morbid fears. Her clerics offered an entreaty for their spells and made sacrifices of alcoholic beverages such as burning brandy or wine. There were two festivals in the calendar of Beshaba followers at Midsummer and Shieldmeet. Both were celebrated by revelry and indulgence in food and drink.^{[citation needed]}

Red Wizards of Thay were known to erect shrines to Beshaba near their ritual chambers to ward off bad luck.^[1]

Orders

Doommasters: The best known order of specialty priests were the Doommasters, universally feared for the way they reveled in the infliction of misfortune on others.^[12]
Black Fingers: Only by Beshaba's favor, some evil male clerics, thieves, and fighters of Beshaba could join the secret order of the Black Fingers. They acted as assassins dedicated to their goddess's name.^[12]
Wormlucks: In order to spread Beshaba's influence and counter the church of Tymora, the Wormlucks (or Priests of Bad Fortune) were created, serving as a focus for calamities which occurred wherever they went, often affecting them as well. Their style of dress was distinctive, forced upon them by the orthodox clergy to avoid confusion with them and for high visibility. They wore bright red robes worn over armor and white hair wigs, which had to be obvious and usually ill-fitting, to honor Beshaba's own locks.^[13]

Appendix

Appearances

Novels

Tymora's Luck

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 Steve Kenson, et al. (November 2015). Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 21, 26–27. ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 10. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 42. ISBN 978-0786903849.
↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). Player's Handbook 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 62–63, 294. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.
↑ ^5.0 ^5.1 ^5.2 Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 80. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
↑ Logan Bonner (August, 2009). “Domains in Eberron and the Forgotten Realms”. In Chris Youngs ed. Dragon #378 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 32.
↑ Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 235. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
↑ ^8.0 ^8.1 Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. Edited by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 91–92. ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.
↑ Hal Maclean (September 2004). “Seven Deadly Domains”. In Matthew Sernett ed. Dragon #323 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), p. 65.
↑ Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 16. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
↑ Sean K. Reynolds (2002-05-04). Deity Do's and Don'ts (Zipped PDF). Web Enhancement for Faiths and Pantheons. Wizards of the Coast. p. 10. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2018-09-08.
↑ ^12.0 ^12.1 Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 43–44. ISBN 978-0786903849.
↑ John Terra (February 1996). Warriors and Priests of the Realms. Edited by Steven E. Schend. (TSR, Inc), p. 70. ISBN 0-7869-0368-6.

Sources

Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. Edited by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, et al. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.
Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 978-0786903849.

Connections

The Faerûnian Pantheon

Major Deities
Azuth • Bane • Bhaal • Chauntea • Cyric • Gond • Helm • Ilmater • Kelemvor • Kossuth • Lathander • Loviatar • Mask • Mielikki • Myrkul • Mystra (Midnight) • Oghma • Selûne • Shar • Shaundakul • Silvanus • Sune • Talos • Tempus • Torm • Tymora • Tyr • Umberlee • Waukeen
Other Members
Akadi • Auril • Beshaba • Deneir • Eldath • Finder Wyvernspur • Garagos • Gargauth • Gerron • Grumbar • Gwaeron Windstrom • Hoar • Istishia • Iyachtu Xvim • Jergal • Lliira • Lurue • Malar • Milil • Nobanion • The Red Knight • Savras • Sharess • Shiallia • Siamorphe • Talona • Tiamat • Ubtao • Ulutiu • Valkur • Velsharoon

Deities

Deities of the Post–Second Sundering Era

Deities of the Post-Spellplague Era

Deities of the Era of Upheaval

Deities of the Age of Humanity

[SCAG5e-p21,26-27-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 Steve Kenson, et al. (November 2015). Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 21, 26–27. ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9.

[FRCS.CotR-p10-2] 2.0 ^2.1 Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 10. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.

[FA-42-3] 3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 42. ISBN 978-0786903849.

[PHB5e-p294-4] Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). Player's Handbook 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 62–63, 294. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.

[FRCG-p80-5] 5.0 ^5.1 ^5.2 Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 80. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.

[Dragon378-32"-6] Logan Bonner (August, 2009). “Domains in Eberron and the Forgotten Realms”. In Chris Youngs ed. Dragon #378 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 32.

[FRCS-235-7] Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 235. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.

[F&P-91-8] 8.0 ^8.1 Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. Edited by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 91–92. ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.

[D323-65-9] Hal Maclean (September 2004). “Seven Deadly Domains”. In Matthew Sernett ed. Dragon #323 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), p. 65.

[FRA-p16-10] Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 16. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.

[DD&D-p10-11] Sean K. Reynolds (2002-05-04). Deity Do's and Don'ts (Zipped PDF). Web Enhancement for Faiths and Pantheons. Wizards of the Coast. p. 10. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2018-09-08.

[FA-43-44-12] 12.0 ^12.1 Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 43–44. ISBN 978-0786903849.

[WPotR-p70-13] John Terra (February 1996). Warriors and Priests of the Realms. Edited by Steven E. Schend. (TSR, Inc), p. 70. ISBN 0-7869-0368-6.

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