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Bhaal (pronounced: /ˈbɔːlBAWL[13] or: /ˈbɑːlBAHL[12] or: /bɛˈhɑːlbeh-HAHL[3] about this audio file listen), known as Niynjushigampo among his Gugari worshipers,[8] was the widely feared Lord of Murder, the Faerûnian god of violence and ritualistic killing.[12]

I choose death...I can destroy your kingdom, Bane, by murdering your subjects, and I can starve your kingdom, Myrkul, by staying my hand.
— Bhaal[14]

Description[]

Bhaal had three avatar forms: the Slayer, the Ravager, and Kazgoroth. The Slayer resembled a male, humanoid corpse with a feral face and ivory skin inset with deep lacerations that flowed with black ichor; he preferred to assume it when in urban areas. The Ravager meanwhile was a 30 feet (9.1 meters) monster with a twisted, grimacing face that featured a flowing beard and mane, 7 feet (2.1 meters) horns and eyes full of the flames of Gehenna; he assumed that form when visiting the rural regions of Toril. Kazgoroth form was simply a shape-shifting monstrosity.[12]

In some extreme cases, Bhaal's mortal Bhaalspawn children could actually turn into creatures said to be one of the listed avatars after Bhaal himself died, but these incarnations were even more monstrous and inhuman in shape, acting as little more than powerful killing machines. While powerful, they were weaker than a true god's avatars.[15]

Personality[]

Bhaal only lived to hunt and kill, the presence of the living instilling in him an overpowering desire for death and destruction. He was at all times a cruel, violent and hateful being, though his behavior could vary from cold and calculating ruthlessness to a savage thirst for blood.[12]

Divine Realm[]

Symbol-of-Bhaal

In the centuries before the Time of Troubles, Bhaal’s divine realm was the Throne of Blood on Khalas, the first layer of the outer plane of Gehenna.[12]

Relationships[]

A wholly evil, debased and sadistic god, Bhaal was reviled by a majority of the pantheon; his divine foes included Chauntea, Helm, Ilmater, Lathander, Lliira and Tyr. Bhaal was served by the goddesses Talona and Loviatar,[12] and he in turn served Bane.[16]

During his godhood he was served by the imp "butler" Cespenar.[17]

Bhaal had several spawn, with the Dark Urge and Sarevok being two such individuals. Sarevok has his own legacy, in Orin the Red and Helena Anchev.[18]

Worshipers[]

Main article: Church of Bhaal
Reaperofbhaal

A worshiper of Bhaal.

The clergy of Bhaal in Faerûn were known as Bhaalists or Bhaalyn, the latter being used more commonly in the lands east of the Dragon Reach. Together they were a disorderly network of local hierarchies,[12] with the urban and rural branches maintaining distant relations from one another. Collectively, they believed that murder was both a duty to their god and a game for their enjoyment. Each cleric of Bhaal was expected to perform at least one murder every tenday, in the darkest moment in the dead of night.[19]

Deathstalkers[]

During the time that he was dead, Bhaal had many scattered cultist groups, the most infamous being the Deathstalkers of Bhaal,[6] who attempted to bring him back to life. For a while after the Bhaalspawn crisis, it was believed his essence had been locked away on the Upper Planes, preventing his resurrection permanently. However, this proved to be incorrect. Bhaal's essence had been preserved in his half-mortal children, the Bhaalspawn, and after the death of the last two Bhaalspawn,[20] Bhaal was revived.[21]

History[]

Mortal[]

Bhaalsymbol

The violent symbol of Bhaal.

Before his ascension to godhood, Bhaal was a power-hungry adventurer on Toril. Along with his companions Bane and Myrkul Bey al-Kursi, he sought to attain the portfolio of the God of the Dead Jergal. After defeating one of the Seven Lost Gods, the three were able to travel to Jergal's domain, the Castle of Bone in the Gray Waste. Upon their arrival, Jergal willingly offered his realm to the Dark Three, though they couldn't decide amongst themselves who would rule.[22][23]

Upon Jergal's suggestion, the three divided his power, deciding how to divide it based on the outcome of a game. The three played a game of knucklebones, and Bane emerged as the victor. He claimed the domains of hatred, strife and tyranny as his own. Myrkul, coming second, chose rule over the dead, the ultimate fate for all of Bane's minions. Finally, Bhaal chose the divine province of death.[22]

Godhood[]

Bhaal's reign of terror in the Moonshae Isles in the Year of the Bloodbird, 1346 DR, was a prime example of his cruelty and malice. Bhaal's shapeshifting avatar Kazgaroth, which emerged from a Darkwell, attempted to combine the firbolgs and Northmen into a conquering army set on destroying all the realms of the Ffolk. It even used its powers to corrupt some of the Northmen, turning them into blood warriors who were bloodthirsty and extremely loyal to Kazgaroth.[24] After Kazgaroth was slain by Tristan Kendrick and his allies, Bhaal sought to personally ravage and corrupt the Moonshae Isles. Through his cleric Hobarth, he corrupted the Moonwell turning it into a Darkwell, formed an alliance with the Thayan wizard Cyndre in the court of High King Reginald Carrathal, and raised an army of sahuagin and the undead through the sahuagin priestess Ysalla.[25] The Darkwell turned into a cancerous wound on the earth that corrupted and killed anyone who came near it. Bhaal used the Darkwell to summon forth 'The Children of Bhaal,' which included Thorax the owlbear, a flock of perytons, and a displacer beast known as Shantu, which would lead them. All this was done to destroy the Earthmother and seize the Moonshae Isles as his personal domain. As the God of Murder sucked out the warm life of the Moonshaes through the Darkwell, the Earthmother's strength continued to fade until her spirit was completely extinguished, ending her reign on the isles.[26] Bhaal's army of undead, sahuagin, firbolgs, ogre mercenaries, and the Children of Bhaal led by proxies such as Hobarth and Ysalla wreaked havoc across the isles by killing numerous people and razing settlements until they were defeated by the Ffolk united by the newly crowned King of the isles, Tristan Kendrick.[27] Finally, the Darkwell was corrupted enough to open a portal to his own realm. Bhaal sent forth his avatar, the Ravager, fueled by much of his divine power, but it was slain by Tristan, High King of the Ffolk, using the Sword of Cymrych Hugh. Defeated and greatly weakened, Bhaal was banished from the Moonshae Isles and even temporarily exiled from Toril.[19]

Time of Troubles[]

Cyric killing Bhaal

Bhaal about to be slain by Cyric.

On Eleint 16, in the Year of Shadows, 1358 DR, having lost his powers and being forced to walk Faerûn like the rest of the gods, Bhaal was slain by the upstart mortal Cyric using the avatar of Mask, a sword named Godsbane. In doing this, Cyric stole Bhaal's divinity and portfolio elements.[28] However, much like Myrkul—who invested his divine essence in the artifact known as the Crown of Horns—Bhaal was not utterly removed from Faerûn. Part of his divinity remained in the Winding Water, around Boareskyr Bridge where he was slain, his blood having flowed into the river.[12] More importantly, Bhaal foresaw his death and impregnated many mortal women, creating his heirs, the Bhaalspawn.[28] The Bhaalspawn were involved in a series of conflicts along the Sword Coast, with one standing above the others and ultimately foiling Bhaal's plan to return through his children.[29]

Bhaal dying

The Lord of Murder, murdered.

After the death of the Lord of Murder, the city-dwelling Bhaalists quickly converted to the worship of Cyric, whom they referred to as Cyric-Bhaal. The rural priests maintained their faith for years to come, claiming they continued to receive their divine powers following their nightly prayers. The schism between Bhaal's remaining followers and the emerging Cyric-Bhaalists reached its apex in the Year of the Shield, 1367 DR, getting to the point where the factions would ambush and assault one another. Soon later, the remaining worshipers of Bhaal stopped receiving their divine powers and began gradually converting to Cyricism or Xvimism.[19]

Reemergence[]

For a time, it was believed that any possibility for Bhaal's resurrection had been stopped. The last known Bhaalspawn, Abdel Adrian, resisted the murderous impulses caused by his lineage and became a famed and beloved figure in the city of Baldur's Gate. In the Year of the Narthex Murders, 1482 DR, near the beginning of the era known as the Second Sundering, Viekang, another Bhaalspawn who was thought to be dead, attacked Adrian as he spoke to a crowd in the portion of town known as The Wide. While the ultimate winner of the duel is unknown, the victor transformed into a massive, blood-soaked creature and began a rampage that was only stopped when a group of adventurers new to Baldur's Gate defeated and killed the monstrosity.[20]

With all of his children dead, all of Bhaal's essence was freed, allowing for his resurrection. Bhaal was revived, and reclaimed the murder domain from Cyric.[21] However, the Lord of Murder was no longer a true deity, and was instead a being of quasi-divine status. As with Bane and Myrkul, he was effectively a mortal.[1] In 1492 DR, the city of Baldur's Gate saw a spate of murders by cultists of the Dead Three.[30]

Appendix[]

Gallery[]

Further Reading[]

Appearances[]

External links[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Adam Lee, et al. (September 2019). Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus. Edited by Michele Carter, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 231. ISBN 978-0-7869-6687-5.
  2. Steve Kenson, et al. (November 2015). Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 21, 23, 27. ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 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.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Steve Kenson, et al. (November 2015). Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 21, 27. ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9.
  5. Ossian Studios (June 2018). Neverwinter Nights: Darkness over Daggerford. Beamdog.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 47. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  7. James Butler, Elizabeth T. Danforth, Jean Rabe (September 1994). “The Cormyrean Marshes”. In Karen S. Boomgarden ed. Elminster's Ecologies (TSR, Inc), p. 23. ISBN 1-5607-6917-3.
  8. 8.0 8.1 David Cook (August 1990). “Volume I”. In Steve Winter ed. The Horde (TSR, Inc.), p. 57. ISBN 0-88038-868-4.
  9. Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins, James Wyatt (2014). Dungeon Master's Guide 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 96–97. ISBN 978-0786965622.
  10. Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 41–42. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
  11. Thomas M. Costa (August 2004). “Faiths of Faerûn: Deathstalkers of Bhaal”. In Matthew Sernett ed. Dragon #322 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), p. 94.
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 12.7 12.8 Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 44–45. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  13. Adam Lee, et al. (September 2019). Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus. Edited by Michele Carter, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 4. ISBN 978-0-7869-6687-5.
  14. Steve Kenson, et al. (November 2015). Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 31. ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9.
  15. BioWare (September 2000). Designed by James Ohlen, Kevin Martens. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn. Black Isle Studios.
  16. Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 36. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  17. BioWare (June 2001). Designed by Kevin Martens. Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal. Black Isle Studios.
  18. Larian Studios (October 2020). Designed by Swen Vincke, et al. Baldur's Gate III. Larian Studios.
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 46. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  20. 20.0 20.1 Ed Greenwood, Matt Sernett, Steve Winter (August 20, 2013). “Campaign Guide”. In Dawn J. Geluso ed. Murder in Baldur's Gate (Wizards of the Coast), p. 3. ISBN 0-7869-6463-4.
  21. 21.0 21.1 Steve Kenson, et al. (November 2015). Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 17. ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9.
  22. 22.0 22.1 Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 37. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  23. Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 41. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
  24. Ed Greenwood, et al (1989). Hall of Heroes. (TSR, Inc), pp. 79–80. ISBN 0-88038-711-4.
  25. Douglas Niles (April 1988). Black Wizards. (TSR, Inc.), p. ?. ISBN 0-88038-563-4.
  26. Douglas Niles (December 2004). Darkwell. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 7, p. 119. ISBN 0-7869-3566-9.
  27. Douglas Niles (December 2004). Darkwell. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 0-7869-3566-9.
  28. 28.0 28.1 Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 42. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
  29. BioWare (June 2001). Designed by Kevin Martens. Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal. Black Isle Studios.
  30. Adam Lee, et al. (September 2019). Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus. Edited by Michele Carter, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 11. ISBN 978-0-7869-6687-5.

Connections[]

The Faerûnian Pantheon
Major Deities
AzuthBaneBhaalChaunteaCyricGondHelmIlmaterKelemvorKossuthLathanderLoviatarMaskMielikkiMyrkulMystra (Midnight) • OghmaSelûneSharShaundakulSilvanusSuneTalosTempusTormTymoraTyrUmberleeWaukeen
Other Members
AkadiAurilBeshabaDeneirEldathFinder WyvernspurGaragosGargauthGerronGrumbarGwaeron WindstromHoarIstishiaIyachtu XvimJergalLliiraLurueMalarMililNobanionThe Red KnightSavrasSharessShialliaSiamorpheTalonaTiamatUbtaoUlutiuValkurVelsharoon

Deities of the Post–Second Sundering Era
Ao the Overgod
Faerûnian Pantheon
Akadi | Amaunator | Asmodeus | Auril | Azuth | Bane | Beshaba | Bhaal | Chauntea | Cyric | Deneir | Eldath | Gond | Grumbar | Gwaeron | Helm | Hoar | Ilmater | Istishia | Jergal | Kelemvor | Kossuth | Lathander | Leira | Lliira | Loviatar | Malar | Mask | Mielikki | Milil | Myrkul | Mystra | Oghma | Red Knight | Savras | Selûne | Shar | Silvanus | Sune | Talona | Talos | Tempus | Torm | Tymora | Tyr | Umberlee | Valkur | Waukeen
The Morndinsamman
Abbathor | Berronar Truesilver | Clangeddin Silverbeard | Deep Duerra | Dugmaren Brightmantle | Dumathoin | Gorm Gulthyn | Haela Brightaxe | Laduguer | Marthammor Duin | Moradin | Sharindlar | Vergadain
The Seldarine
Aerdrie Faenya | Angharradh | Corellon | Deep Sashelas | Erevan | Fenmarel Mestarine | Hanali Celanil | Labelas Enoreth | Rillifane Rallathil | Sehanine Moonbow | Shevarash | Solonor Thelandira
The Dark Seldarine
Eilistraee | Kiaransalee | Lolth | Selvetarm | Vhaeraun
Yondalla's Children
Arvoreen | Brandobaris | Cyrrollalee | Sheela Peryroyl | Urogalan | Yondalla
Lords of the Golden Hills
Baervan Wildwanderer | Baravar Cloakshadow | Callarduran Smoothhands | Flandal Steelskin | Gaerdal Ironhand | Garl Glittergold | Nebelun | Segojan Earthcaller | Urdlen
Orc Pantheon
Bahgtru | Gruumsh | Ilneval | Luthic | Shargaas | Yurtrus
Mulhorandi pantheon
Anhur | Bast | Geb | Hathor | Horus | Isis | Nephthys | Osiris | Re | Sebek | Set | Thoth
Other gods of Faerûn
Bahamut | Enlil | Finder Wyvernspur | Ghaunadaur | Gilgeam | Lurue | Moander | Nobanion | Raven Queen | Tiamat



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