Bane

God of Tyranny, Hatred, and Fear

Bane's ultimate goal is complete control over the world. Everyone should be forced to serve someone who in turn serves someone all the way up to those who serve Bane directly. His is the tyranny of fascism rather than that of absolute mind control. This is reflected in how he affects the world as he rarely gets involved himself but rather uses agents and followers to do his bidding.

Worshipers

The Church of Bane is relatively stable. There was a time when sects and violent disputes were encouraged, but these days arguments are usually settled by reasonable debate, even if force is a common factor. Leaders are often ruthless and those below them tend to take their anger out on even lesser underlings. And every worshiper, no matter their walk of life, knows that they owe their ultimate allegiance to Bane, and he might demand anything of them at any given time.
Banite customs are often quite spartan in nature and the god's followers celebrate no holidays in honour of their god, instead showing their gratitude to him through service and the ritual torture and sacrifice of sentient beings offensive to the god.
His clerics can be recognized by the black-enamelled gauntlet worn on one fist.

Places of Worship

Although Bane is worshipped all over Faerûn, his presence is strongest in the Moonsea region, where, as of 1479 DR, the Church of Bane has its headquarters: the House of the Black Lord in Mulmaster. The Church is also the only one allowed in Thay.

Divine Domains

Strife, Tyranny, Ambition, Control

Divine Symbols & Sigils

Upright black right hand, thumb and fingers together.

Tenets of Faith

Serve no one but Bane. Fear him always and make others fear him even more than you do. The Black Hand always strikes down those who stand against it in the end. Defy Bane and die - or in death find loyalty to him, for he shall compel it. Submit to the word of Bane as uttered by his ranking clergy, since true power can only be gained through service to him. Spread the dark fear of Bane. It is the doom of those who do not follow him to let power slip through their hands. Those who cross the Black Hand meet their dooms earlier and more harshly than those who worship other deities.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Bane started off as a mortal adventurer, most likely a human. Little is known about this, but eventually, he teamed up with two other mortals, Bhaal and Myrcul, to try to defeat the god of death - Jergal, who was one of the most powerful deities at the time. The group who would later become known as the Dead Three during the Time of Troubles, would eventually succeed. Sort of. Jergal had grown tired of his position and freely offered to divide most of his portfolio between the three.
They played a game of Knucklebones to determine in which order the three would choose. Bane one and claimed the domain of strife as he believed this would allow him to rule all. Unfortunately. that didn't happen. And he did not only have to deal with his two companions now being gods but he also became at odds with almost all other gods.
In an attempt to gain more power, Bane and Myrcul tried to steal the Tablets of Fate from the overgod Ao. This resulted in them and all gods except Helm being forced to walk the material plane as mortals, what is now known as the Time of Troubles. During this time, Bane was slain by the young god Torm in 1358 DR, near Tantras. Most of his power at the time flowed to the newly risen god Cyric.
But in the first stages of the Time of Troubles, Bane had sired a son, Iyachtu Xvim who acted as little more than a cocoon for the essence of his father. Bane waited untul he felt ready and then burst through Xvim, killing the latter instantly, at midwinter of 1372 DR. Since then, the has very effectively regained his power and taken back almost all of his followers from Cyric.

Divine Classification

Greater Deity

Alignment

Lawful Evil

Species

Human

Honorary & Occupational Titles

Lord Bane,
The Black Lord,
Lord of Darkness,
The Black Hand,
The Dark One

Current Residence

Bane's divine realm, the Black Bastion, can be found in Avalas, the first layer of Acheron.