Finder

Finder Wyvernspur is a relatively new deity raised to divinity by acquiring the divine spark of the god Moander. Originally he was a powerful bard named Finder Wyvernspur, though history recalls him as The Nameless Bard. Finder is the demi-power of the cycles of life and the transformation of art. His symbol is a white harp on a gray circle.

Description

When Finder Wyvernspur walked the Realms in his avatar form, he kept the appearance from his final days as a mortal. He looked like an ordinary bard in his early 60s. His garb was simple, sometimes topped with a set of leather armor. Despite his age, he was an attractive, strong, tall, dark-haired man. However, he was known to take on a younger or older appearance as he preferred to remain incognito. Finder's favorite sword could always be found at his side – the Sword of Songs, a powerfully +4 or +7 enchanted bastard sword that also slightly boosted his physical strength. His natural charisma was enhanced by the bard's divinity. Those under his command felt inspired, and even Finder's mere presence affected his allies like a bless spell. The deity's charisma and biting comments and banter were cutting and massively discouraging to his opponents. Manifestations

Apart from his avatar form, Finder was known to take on a form of a bright beacon of light, guiding those who were lost to safety or leading his devotees to things and people lost. Another manifestation was a bright glowing nimbus visible to one individual intended by Finder. The halo outlined the object that could lead the observer to fulfill their deepest wish. At least on three occasions, Finder manifested himself to his dear friend Olive Ruskettle as a daisy going swiftly through its life cycle yet remaining beautiful through it all. Observers claimed that they heard braying of a burro during some of these manifestations for Olive, surely, a jest by Finder's, poking fun of the time Mistress Ruskettle was transformed into a burro.

Finder's will and words were sometimes delivered through faerie dragons, firestars, parrots, various song birds, talking owls, and bhaerghalas that served the deity. In some rare cases, Finder showed his favor by sending mortals Laeral's tears gems, carved with his symbol of a harp.

Personality

After his redemption, Finder is a kind yet a vain man. His mock title, the \"God of Reckless Fools,\" is given to him due to the god's own recklessness. With time, Finder shifts to be more responsible and towards being good. Despite that, in the 14th century DR, Finder's name is still considered synonymous with ego. Mortals say, \"an ego the size of Finder's\" and swear by \"Finder's Pride.\" Among Harpers, the deity still has a spotted reputation, despite being pardoned by the Tribunal. The tale called Finder's Fall is a cautionary tale among Those Who Harp.

Initially prideful and zealously protective of his songs, Finder learns to appreciate and love transformative art through his daughter. As a deity, Finder encourages the spread of his music and sponsors all artists to grow by changing, transforming, and recreating works, perhaps the biggest sign of the vain Harper's change of heart.

When pressed to confrontation, Finder always fights valiantly for a cause. Such causes include protecting his allies or friends, forcing him to use all resources at the god's disposal to win or reach a truce. He is not above using magical means of persuasion or lying. In cases where combat is unnecessary or not worth the time and effort, Finder simply leaves the heated situation via the teleport without error or the plane shift spells. In battle, he uses ranged spells and attacks first before using the shapechange sorcery, transforming himself into some powerful and fearsome monster.

Divine Realm

Around 1370 DR, when the Great Wheel cosmology is favored, Finder Wyvernspur has just established the realm of Fermata for himself on Arborea's first layer, Olympus.

Worshippers

Finder's Church was very small, consisting primarily of younger bards, musicians, and those who sought to change and diversify the arts. His faith was strong only amongst the saurials of the Lost Vale (in the Dalelands), who owed him their freedom. The specialty priests of Finder were called Finders.

Priests of Finder prayed for spells at the dawn of every morning. The prayer was done in the form of a song.

Finder Wyverspur was a fledging god, and his worshipers could not gain spells without the use of power keys when traveling to the Abyss or Sigil.

Temples

In 1372 DR, Finder's Waterdeep worshipers opened a small temple in a three-story building, formerly a shop in the Trades Ward. Before this, they only met in private homes or at the Plinth. As a fledgling religion, Finderite temples did not have a unified form. They did have one thing in common – large performance spaces with good acoustics, big enough to fit the Church's dramatic services that included long-musical performances with interludes. The main place of worship was the Singing Cave in Tarkhaldale, named for their fabulous accosts and revered as the place where Finder spent his last moments as a mortal. The hallways of the temple cavern were lined with works of art brought in by Finderite pilgrims. There existed numerous shrines dedicated to Finder scattered throughout the Western Heartlands, usually near places of beauty or natural geographic anomalies, while others were small open-sided sanctuaries that displayed works of art.

Shrines to Finder Wyvernspur could be found throughout the Western Heartlands, and one notable shrine was located in the Hall of Luck of Ravens Bluff. The statuary shrine stood at the center of the complex in a small garden by a pond and a bench, attended by a local bard Shrine Keeper of Finder.

Rituals

The main festival of Finderite faith took place on the 20th of Marpenoth, the day when Finder slew Moander's avatar deep in the bowels of the Abyss. The festival was filled with music, dance, art unveiling, plays, and performances of arranged songs penned by Finder.

Relationships

Finder was tolerated by most of the good pantheon. His closest ally was Tymora, who sponsored his rise to godhood. It was believed that his old patron deity helped Finder permanently slay Moander. He was jokingly referred to as the god of reckless fools, which Tymora may have appreciated due to the title's aptness, considering the young god's behavior. He was also known to fraternize with greater powers who were allies of Tymora, although as a free spirit, Finder preferred to spend his time away from stronger deities. He also forged a good relationship with the deity Selûne, with whom he shared his home plane. Selûne was a patron of the Harpers and the Wyvernspur clan, and she loved songs penned by mortal Finder in her honor. She also personally petitioned to Ao, the overgod, to allow Finder's divinity.

Despite antagonistic relationships between their churches, deities Oghma, Milil, and Lathander were friendly towards the fledgling god and showed him their support. Lolth, who claimed Moander's name after Finder's apotheosis, considered the new deity her enemy, while reptilian deities Sebek, Set, and Tiamat despised Finder as the patron god of saurials. Lastly, Gargauth, Talona, and Yurtrus were lusting for Finder Wyvernspur's portfolio of rot.

Finder's closest relationships among members of the Church was the one he has with his first human priest, Joel the Rebel Bard and a member of Finder's Band. The bard found love for his artificial daughter Alias and found affection and friendship in a halfling named Olive Ruskettle, both women were instrumental in redeeming Finder.

Despite once being lost to the Wyvernspur family's lore, he continued to watch over the descendants of his brother. On the other hand, those who knew Finder from his mortal life considered his divinity to be amusing as the Harper acted as if he were a god in life. These individuals did not oppose the Church of Finder and considered it to be a useful organization.

History

Early Life

Finder was born into the noble Wyvernspur family of Cormyr circa the Year of the Orator, 980 DR. His parents were Amalee Winter and Lord Gould Wyvernspur, and Finder's only sibling was his older brother, Lord Gerrin Wyvernspur later in life wed Maritha of Mistledale, continuing the Wyvernspur family tree. He was a talented individual and eventually became a highly accomplished bard. In the prophetically named year – the Year of the Wandering Wyvern, 1022 DR, Finder Wyvernspur, along with ranger Ulzund Hawkshield, was in charge of the Wanderers of Espar, an officially chartered adventuring band of northern Cormyr that consisted of youths from merchant and noble families who sought to prove themselves. The young, just-chartered band embarked on exploring Cormyr and the Stonelands and defeating bandits and brigands. The organization's revolving roster of at least ten members at the time was replenished on at least one occasion by young noblewomen who were smitten with Finder's charm and wanted to see the world before they were married off by their families. Wanderers eventually attracted the attention of Elminster and Khelben Arunsun, who were seeking a group to become the first Harpers. With subtle guidance and manipulations, Elminster and Khelben gained the group's trust and swayed their morality towards good, making them the first Harpers within several months.

In the years preceding the Harpstar Wars, Finder adventured with the so-called Finder's Band. One of the notable members of the Band's first iteration was a Harper mage Iriador Wintermist who initially joined the group for an adventure but ended up traveling with Finder for several years until her death in the Harpstar Wars.

Fall from Grace

Inevitably, Finder's works were copied by other performers, who added their own twists to his songs. It was inevitable that their performances would thus veer from the level of perfection that Finder strove for. In anger at the perceived corruption of his works, Finder vowed to create a method by which his songs would be preserved in the ideal state, that is, the way he himself wanted. Disregarding the advice of powerful mages who claimed it was too dangerous, Finder first modified an artifact, the Finder's Stone, to act as a recording and playback device for his music, spells and a personal journal. He accomplished this by inserting a sliver of para-elemental ice into the stone, cooling it while simultaneously expanding its storage capacity. The Stone was a success. However, Finder wasn't satisfied by the flat, unliving playback it delivered.

To make his music both "alive" and immortal, he then devised a magical clone of himself that he could fill with memories, including his music. This construct became known as Flattery Wyvernspur. He was physically almost identical to Finder. However, the egotistical Finder was unsatisfied by the emotionally childlike and inexperienced construct's imperfect reproductions of his music. After only a week of unsuccessful practice, Finder lashed out in frustration and struck the Flattery. He continued a cycle of abuse until finally, the sentient construct snapped and attempted to kill his "father" with a ring of disintegration. One of Finder's apprentices died when he threw himself in front of the beam, while another was later driven to suicide by guilt and Flattery, who became a great villain in his own right. This resulted in a severe backlash to Finder's reputation within the still fledgling Harper organization, despite his attempts at a partial cover-up. He claimed his apprentices were injured in an explosion in which the construct was also killed. Flattery actually escaped and cleaned out Finder's lab. Finder himself was brought to trial before the Harper tribunal, which included Finder's friend, Elminster.

The verdict was harsh: many Harpers had watched Finder's obsession grow, and the fatal result of his attempts to preserve his music were viewed as a terrible crime. The Harpers condemned Finder to timeless existence in the Citadel of White Exile, located on the border between the Positive Energy Plane and the Quasi-Elemental Plane of Minerals. His songs and his name were wiped from the memory of everyone in the Realms. Only a few select individuals, such as Elminster and Morala of Milil, remembered them, in case they should emerge again. Azure Bonds

Centuries later, in the Year of the Prince, 1357 DR, the sorceress Cassana found details of Finder's experiments and tracked him down in the Citadel. She offered him a second chance, though her motives for doing so were dark. He accepted, and the result was the adventuress Alias, another construct, whom he filled with false memories and all of his music. Alias was also "enhanced" by Cassana's allies, granting her eternal youth, and magically binding the newborn woman to serves as a tool by each of the parties, including servants of an ancient god of rot Moander. Despite being a confused and newborn thing, Alias, guided by nothing by instinct, cradled and protected a fellow prisoner of Cassana's. When Finder witnessed the humanity and goodness within the construct, he orchestrated her escape. Subsequently, unaware of their true origins, Alias tracked down her creators, overcoming every one of them, earning freedom, and meeting Finder, known only as "Nameless". He discovered that she, too, had been adapting and changing his music to enhance it. However, Finder found he could accept this fact. During that adventure, Finder met a hin "bard" Olive Ruskettle, one of Alias's new friends. The Nameless Harper quickly formed a bond with the diminutive thief and gifted Olive his harper pin, making her a Harper herself.

Second Harper Tribunal

Within a year, Flattery reemerged and attempted to steal the Wyvern's Spur, the artifact and heirloom of the Wyvernspur family of Immersea. Flattery was killed when Giogi Wyvernspur used the Spur against him. Olive Ruskettle was among those who helped defeat Flattery, but in the process, she learned of Finder's past sins. However, it did not change Olive's feelings for her new Nameless friend.

Now returned to the Realms, Finder was yet again put on trial, this time to determine whether he could be reintroduced into the Realms or returned to the White Citadel. After a long and dangerous journey with his halfling friend, Olive Ruskettle, Finder found the love and courage within himself to sacrifice the Finder's Stone and save the Realms from the evil deity Moander. At that time, Moander had enslaved a number of the otherworldly reptilian humanoids known as saurials, and captured the Turmish mage Akabar Bel Akash in a plot to build a new body. By dismantling the Stone and using the para-elemental ice at its core, Finder was able to slay Moander's real body in the Abyss, and unintentionally claimed the deity's divine essence for himself. Moander's portfolio of rot and corruption, however, remained unclaimed by the bard.

In doing this, Finder freed the saurials, one of whom, Dragonbait, was traveling with Alias at the time, who had been enslaved by Moander. Finder immediately gained the worship of this stranded race (excepting Dragonbait, who followed Tyr), as their own deities remained in the world they left behind. He was also pardoned by the Harpers for his bravery, and his name and songs were restored to the Realms. Divinity

Still a fledgling power, Finder started to develop a base of worshipers at the urging of his first priestess, the saurial Copperbloom. To do so, he manifested himself to a young bard named Joel, posing as the elderly priest Jedidiah, who espoused the wonders of Finder's vision. Joel later became close friends with Finder, as well as his first human cleric, from the time they spent together searching for an artifact, the Hand of Bane. Together, they traveled to the city of Sigil in the planes, searching for the artifact. Finder siphoned his divine spark into the shard of Finder's Stone to be able to enter the city under the control of the Lady of Pain. This reckless act almost cost Finder his divinity as the stone was almost lost to Walinda of Bane and the banelich who sought to become the new Bane.

In the Year of the Banner, 1368 DR, Finder involved himself in the plot by a deity Iyachtu Xvim to steal powers from both Tymora and her sister Beshaba by manipulating Lathander into attempting to merge the two into their “mother”, a long-dead goddess Tyche, a one-time consort of the Morninglord. Finder tasked Joel, winged warrior Jas, and kender Emilo Haversack with untangling the plot. During the adventure, Finder and his ally Selûne attempted to cure Jas of an affliction imposed on her by Xvim during the quest of the Hand of Bane, only to realize that the feral form was self-inflicted, a cruel manifestation of grief and guilt. Eventually, Finder successfully rescued Tymora with some hands-off aid from a deity of Krynn – Fizban, patron of kenders.

Following Finder's apotheosis, the worship of the god grew but was mostly private and modest. Finder's worshipers usually gathered in small congregations within the homes or personal areas that belonged to his devotees. The worship spread throughout the realms by 1480s DR. The faith was considered to be an "upper room" cult, not persecuted, not considered evil, nor was attempted to be stomped out, but the worshipers prepared to keep it low-profile. In Waterdeep, a modest temple to Finder was erected in 1372 DR, making the rituals less private and moving them to the more prominent shrine, away from residences and the Plinth. The new temple was in the Trades Ward, converted from a shop with two floors of living areas above.

Circa the Year of Lightning Storms, 1374 DR, a smattering of the Cult of Moander sought to return their deity to Toril by taking divine essence from Finder via ancient Netherese magics.

Following the Second Sundering, Finder remained a deity, albeit more private than before. His divine home was within Selûne's realms, the Gates of the Moon. On occasion, Finder traveled the planes and visited places on Toril that were dear to his nostalgic heart. Mother place of worship for Finderites was the Fool's Altar in Baldur's Gate, active in the late 15th century DR.

Finder

Demigod

Basic Information

Titles

The Nameless Bard
God of Reckless Fools (derogatory)

Adjectives

Finderite

Pantheons

Astoran

Attributes

Alignment

Chaotic Neutral

Symbol

White harp on gray circle

Realm

Olympian Glades of Arborea/Olympus/Fermata

Portfolio

Cycles Of Life, Saurials, Transformation Of Art

Favored Weapon

Sword of Songs (bastard sword)

Following

Worshippers

Artists
Bards
Saurials

Alignments

CG, CN, CE

Domains

Healing (Resurrection)
Scalykind (Saurian)

Favored Aspects

Animals/Plants

Parrots
Songbirds

Monsters

Giant owls

Minerals

Laeral's tears

Colors

Brown
Green

Manifest- ations

A beacon of light

A radiant nimbus

A daisy passing through an entire life-cycle in minutes