Ushas was an interloper deity of light and dawn in the Vedic pantheon.[1][4][5] There was no evidence that this deity was directly worshiped in the Realms.[2][3][note 1]
Avatar[]
The avatar of Ushas generally took the form of a beautiful woman,[1][4] garbed in red and gold robes.[1]
Personality[]
Ushas had a benevolent and beneficent demeanor to her, desiring to protect humans from evil spirits, especially those associated with the night.[4] She devoted herself to fighting against the forces of darkness.[1][4]
Abilities[]
The avatar of Ushas was said to be so beautiful that it could charm others.[4] She could reincarnate other living creatures, instantly awaken all nearby good creatures, and dispel spells of both charm and enchantment.[1] Her avatar was also capable of casting divine spells from the spheres of All, Charm, Healing, Protection, and Sun.[4]
Possessions[]
Ushas carried an enchanted staff that could fire a ray of golden light out to a distance of 100 feet (30 meters).[4] She rode on a one-wheeled chariot that was made from a piece of a sun and pulled by seven red, incorporeal horses that could not be affected by magic. Whenever it was in a battle with fiends, the chariot would shed an intense damaging light that would only hurt such creatures.[1]
Realm[]
Ushas resided on the Eronia layer of the plane of Elysium, where she shared the divine realm of Morninglory with the Faerûnian god of light, Lathander.[2][3] According to some accounts she lived within reddish dome that was capable of traveling between the layers of Elysium and bathed its surrounding area in a reddish light.[8]
Activities[]
Ushas was said to spend her nights driving away evil spirits in preparation for the dawn. She was also one of many deities that purportedly oversaw the passage of the sun across the sky. In later years, she was said to be working closely alongside Lathander in these duties.[9]
When not doing her godly duties, Ushas often visited the divine realm of Goldfire on Mount Celestia.[10]
Relationships[]
Among her fellow Vedic powers, Ushas was good friends with Ratri,[11] Savitri, and Surya.[9][4]
Worshipers[]
In order to be a priest of Ushas, it was required that one be female. Her priestesses were expected to greet each day with songs and music. They were also expected to never retreat from evil and had the unique power to petrify evil beings within 10 feet (3 meters) of them.[4]
She was notably worshiped by some quesar.[12]
Notable Worshipers[]
- The leading proxy of Ushas and the cleric in charge of her temple in Morninglory was a woman by the name of Allain Crimson.[9]
Rumors & Legends[]
Among those who saw fit to portray the powers as having human-like emotions, it was often insisted that Ushas and Lathander were falling in love with each other.[9] Additionally, some claimed the two powers had discovered a way to open gates to the realms of deities of darkness and were shedding light into them.[2]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ There were no known worshipers of Ushas in the Realms, particularly in Malatra where some other Vedic powers were worshiped. However, Ushas is detailed on this wiki because of her relations with the Faerûnian power Lathander, as detailed in On Hallowed Ground and Planes of Conflict.
External Links[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 James Ward, Robert J. Kuntz (August 1980). Deities & Demigods. Edited by Lawrence Schick. (TSR, Inc.), p. 78. ISBN 0-935696-22-9.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 169. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Dale Donovan (December 1995). “Liber Benevolentiae”. In Michele Carter ed. Planes of Conflict (TSR, Inc.), pp. 50, 60. ISBN 0-7869-0309-0.
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 James M. Ward and Troy Denning (August 1990). Legends & Lore (2nd edition). (TSR, Inc), p. 133. ISBN 978-0880388443.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 154, 182, 184, 186. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- ↑ Skip Williams (March 1994). “Sage Advice”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #203 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 79–80.
- ↑ James Ward, Robert J. Kuntz (August 1980). Deities & Demigods. Edited by Lawrence Schick. (TSR, Inc.), p. 123. ISBN 0-935696-22-9.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 91. ISBN 0880383992.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Dale Donovan (December 1995). “Liber Benevolentiae”. In Michele Carter ed. Planes of Conflict (TSR, Inc.), p. 60. ISBN 0-7869-0309-0.
- ↑ Wolfgang Baur (February 1995). “Mount Celestia”. In Michele Carter ed. Planes of Law (TSR, Inc), pp. 15–16. ISBN 0-7869-0093-8.
- ↑ Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 156. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins (1999-08-27). Quesar (ASP). Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2001-04-05. Retrieved on 2024-06-05.