Gilgeam, the God-king of Unther, was a demigod and the former leader of the Untheric pantheon. He was known for his jealousy, cruelty and pride.[8] A former intermediate deity, he was reduced to the state of demigod after the Time of Troubles due to his centuries-long abuse of his followers. He was killed not long after by his life-long nemesis Tiamat.[9]
A second incarnation of Gilgeam appeared in the world of Abeir in the century that followed the Spellplague. This incarnation of Gilgeam was brought back to the world of Toril during the Second Sundering.[10]
Description[]
Gilgeam's first incarnation avatar was a handsome, tall and muscular human with golden hair and beard.[1] Gilgeam's second incarnation had very much the same appearance, with the difference that he was shaved and had no hair on his head.[7]
Worshipers[]
All the people living in Unther, from noble to peasant, was nominally a follower of Gilgeam, even if that wasn't actually true.[1]
Many of his clergy were disruptive to the mercantile community. They caused the bankruptcy and suicide of many merchants and their families. Due to this, a prominent merchant, Avid, marched from Durpar to Unther, to rebel against Gilgeam.[11]
Following the Second Sundering, some warlocks took up service to Gilgeam and forged Undying Pacts with him.[12]
Relationships[]
Gilgeam was a son of Enlil, and thus a brother of Enki.[13]
Gilgeam has had a long and contentious relationship with Tiamat, their avatars having battled with each other numerous times. They have both sought power and influence in Unther, with Tiamat ultimately proving the victor,[1] at least for a time.[10]
History[]
Gilgeam first appeared in Toril alongside the rest of the Untheric pantheon, when the slaves the Imaskari brought from another world also brought the worship of their deities with them. With help from Ao, these deities were able to follow their worshipers and end their servitude.[14] The original patriarch of the Untheric pantheon, Enlil, abdicated his position in −734 DR, making Gilgeam the new leader of the pantheon.[11]
In −1071 DR, Gilgeam and his pantheon marched to war against the deities of the orc pantheon during the Orcgate Wars.[15] During the final Battle of the Gods, Tiamat launched a surprise attack against Gilgeam; the ever-vigilant Marduk intervened, sacrificing his life to kill Tiamat and save the God-king. Gilgeam grew increasingly tyrannical after this and the people of Unther never forgot the Nemesis of the Gods.[16]
In 1346 DR an aspect of Tiamat known as the Dark Lady was summoned, increasing the ranks of her followers and completing her ascension to demigod.[17] She sought to overthrow Gilgeam and over the next dozen years a rebellion arose throughout Unther. This conflict culminated during the Time of Troubles with Gilgeam destroying Tiamat, seemingly putting an end to her threat towards his eternal rule. In truth, however, Tiamat's essence was splintered among three powerful dragons in the region. The largest of the three, Tchazzar, consumed the other two, thereby transformed into Tiamat anew. Eventually Gilgeam was slain during a battle with the reborn Tiamat that almost destroyed Unthalass,[9] throwing Unther into chaos and dissolving the whole Untheric pantheon.[13]
During the Spellplague, a few lands of Unther were transported to the continent of Shyr in the world of Abeir, and the surviving Untherite became slaves of the Shyran genasi.[10] At some point, a new incarnation of Gilgeam arose among the slaves and led them to rebel against their new masters. Seeking to win his war against the genasi, Gilgeam made an alliance with the demon lord Graz'zt to bolster his human forces with an army of demons.[10][18]
On Nightal 26 1486 DR, as part of the final stages of the Second Sundering, Gilgeam and his people returned from Abeir to Toril. In the following days, the Son of Victory marched immediately against Djerad Thymar to reclaim the lands of Unther from Tymanther,[3] triggering the First Tymanther-Unther War.[19] However he lost this war on Hammer 10 1487 DR, when the malbogean forces lent their aid to the Tymantherans and destroyed his demon army.[20] Although defeated, Gilgeam didn't relent from his plan to retrieve all of the former lands of Unther. As of 1489 DR, Tymanther and Unther were waging a new war, although the Untherite army was unable to defeat the dragon turtle that protected Djerad Kethendi.[10]
According to a conversation between Enlil and his Chosen, Kepeshkmolik Dumuzi, the behaviour of this new incarnation of Gilgeam and the fact that he called himself the Son of Victory and not the Father of Victory, implied that this new incarnation of the god wasn't the original Gilgeam, but either a new god or an imposter.[21]
Appendix[]
External Links[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Eric L. Boyd (September 1997). Powers & Pantheons. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 102–104. ISBN 978-0786906574.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 9. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Erin M. Evans (December 2015). Ashes of the Tyrant. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 420–421. ISBN 978-0786965731.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Erin M. Evans (2016). The Devil You Know. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 179. ISBN 978-0786965946.
- ↑ Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 165. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Erin M. Evans (2016). The Devil You Know. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 52. ISBN 978-0786965946.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (September 1997). Powers & Pantheons. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 102. ISBN 978-0786906574.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 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.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Steve Kenson, et al. (November 2015). Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 13–14. ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Scott Bennie (February 1990). Old Empires. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), p. 5. ISBN 978-0880388214.
- ↑ Steve Kenson, et al. (November 2015). Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 139. ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Eric L. Boyd (September 1997). Powers & Pantheons. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 96. 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. 185. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ Reynolds, Forbeck, Jacobs, Boyd (March 2003). Races of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 65. ISBN 0-7869-2875-1.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 8. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
- ↑ Scott Bennie (February 1990). Old Empires. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), p. 46. ISBN 978-0880388214.
- ↑ Erin M. Evans (2016). The Devil You Know. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 94, 141, 310. ISBN 978-0786965946.
- ↑ Erin M. Evans (2016). The Devil You Know. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 93–98. ISBN 978-0786965946.
- ↑ Erin M. Evans (2016). The Devil You Know. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 483–484. ISBN 978-0786965946.
- ↑ Erin M. Evans (2016). The Devil You Know. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 239. ISBN 978-0786965946.