Ilmater

Ilmater is the Astoran intermediate deity of endurance, martyrdom, perseverance, and suffering. The Crying God is the patron of the suffering, oppressed, and persecuted, and the One Who Endures encourages them to endure and encourages others to help them by taking their burdens or places. The Rack-Broken Lord is a willing sufferer, bearing the pain of others to spare them from it, and it is said that if he had his way he would do so for all the suffering in the world.

Description

In avatar form, Ilmater appeared as a short man with a burly build and wearing only a breechcloth, with a plain but kind and comforting face, balding head, and a hairy body. But this body bore the marks of mutilation and torture on the rack, covered with open cuts, closed scars, burns, and a range of other wounds. Ilmater's joints were broken, his limbs were ravaged, and his hands were smashed yet still functional. Moving caused him a great deal of pain as he dragged himself around. No matter how much his avatar healed, it still showed these terrible wounds.

Personality

Ilmater is the incarnation of compassion, and the eternal foe of suffering, a generous, good-spirited, and even-tempered deity, with a kind and gentle nature. He seeks to offer aid and relief and words of comfort to those in pain, who are oppressed, or otherwise in great need. He encourages them to endure their pain, suffering, and abuse, for good things come to those who wait. He encourages his faithful to halt and relieve the suffering of others, and to take it on themselves if they must. Ilmater is himself a willing sufferer, taking one's place to bear their burden, seeking to endure any pain if it will lessen the pain of another.

Ilmater does not anger quickly, but when he does, he is fearsome in his wrath. He is greatly angered by extreme cruelty and atrocities, and at those who inflict such suffering. He is particularly enraged by those who harm or abuse children and other young creatures. At such times, he sets aside his doctrine of endurance and non-violence, and unleashes his full force to put an end to cruelty. Although his ravaged appearance or his righteous rage may scare children, Ilmater takes great care to reassure them and protect them. He treasures all children and young creatures in general.

Ilmater is the most forgiving of beings; it is thought he can even forgive Loviatar, Maiden of Pain, if she repents of her cruel deeds. Though he knows full well the atrocious and horrific acts that wicked creatures can do, he remains forever hopeful that evil beings can one day be turned to good, or destroyed, and so he stays firm in his goals.

He has a good if rather rustic sense of humor, and likes to hear funny stories.

Divine Realm

Ilmater makes his home in the divine realm of Martyrdom, a mountain of reward and peace for suffering in life, where none can feel pain or weariness. Under the Great Wheel cosmology, this is located on the layer of Shurrock in the Twin Paradises of Bytopia. Under the World Tree cosmology, however, Martyrdom is found in the House of the Triad, on a lesser mountain of Celestia, alongside the mountain realms of Ilmater's fellow gods of the Triad, Tyr and Torm.

Worshippers

Those who were oppressed, sick, lame, or poor were likely to be worshipers of Ilmater, and people who had been injured or were otherwise suffering would often call upon him for aid. His faith was popular among the poor in big cities, and with serfs and slaves, as well as merchants, thieves, and a few guards. Although people of any alignment could worship Ilmater, he was largely followed by folk of a lawful and good bent, especially among his own clergy.

Ilmater's clergy numbered clerics, paladins, and monks. They were organized into the Church of Ilmater, with many affiliated knightly and monastic orders.

Across Faerûn, the hardy people of the harsh and war-torn land of Damara particularly venerated Ilmater, as well as his champion, St. Sollars. In Calimshan, Ilmater was one of the most frequently worshiped gods, especially among the lower classes and slaves.

Attending clerics during a battle were recognized by the coarse furred shirts they wore. It was considered a great wrong to harm these priests as they helped ease suffering. Even orcs and goblins held them in esteem for ministering to their fallen people and not just humans.

Dogma

Beliefs

Followers of Ilmater were taught to help all who suffered, without regard for who they were or how they suffered. They were to heal and treat the wounded and the sick and give comfort to the dying. They also had to give kind counseling to those grieving or depressed, lonely or lost, and give shelter and alms to those who'd lost everything. They did what had to be done when no one else would. Thus a typical follower of Ilmater was generous and sharing, giving all they could to the poor, and they placed others before themselves.

To the Ilmatari, life was sacred and suffering was holy. They were to carry the burdens and pains of others, and were taught that the truly holy took on another's suffering. They were instructed to endure and persevere against hardship and pain, and believed that if they suffered in the name of Ilmater, then he would be there to support them. Although many outsiders saw them as willing sufferers or they appeared reckless in their quests to do good, they simply cared about everyone, often without regard for their own safety. However, they did concentrate more on healing and aid efforts.

Worshipers of Ilmater also believed that all injustices should be challenged and that they should defend and aid the causes of the oppressed and unjustly treated. They were to act for and defend those who could not do so themselves. They were to stand up to every bully and tyrant, and resist them in any way, both small and great. Ilmatari were encouraged to hold to their principles and keep to their causes if they were right and just, no matter the risk and to be fearless about it. Consequently, they believed that a death with meaning was not shameful.

They advocated the spiritualism of life over materialism and the physical body. If they dedicated themselves to the service of Ilmater, they believed, then he would provide for them. They left the pursuit of wealth and luxuries to others, and sought only medicines and alms. Envy of the possessions of others was considered a sin.

There were regional variations to Ilmatari doctrine. In Tethyr, they held the standard view that Ilmater promised freedom from bondage and slavery. In Calimshan, however, it was claimed that Ilmater would remove a person's pain if their labors led them toward the Calishite ideal of a life of idleness.

Attitudes

The Ilmatari were often the most caring and sensitive of people. They were also the most forgiving, known for accepting past enemies and endeavoring to repair past grievances.

New initiates were often overcome by the suffering they witnessed as part of their work, and were driven to tears. Worn down, they could develop a cynical attitude towards life, but most persevered nonetheless, even when faced with hopeless causes. They simply had to help. Thus cynicism and dark humor were not uncommon among the Ilmatari, but this was accepted by the faith. For such believers, "Today is the first day in what's left of your life," fitted well into Ilmater's dogma, with the addition of "So live it well."

They did not believe in impeding the desires of others, nor did they judge them, even when those desires conflicted with their own duty to alleviate suffering and provide healing. For example, an Ilmatari would not stop an injured warrior from charging back into battle, seeking death in combat. Instead, they healed them enough to move and fight, and let them choose their own fate.

The priests of Ilmater believed that it was their duty to be punctual. As a rule, they disapproved of astrology.

Clergy

https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Church_of_Ilmater

Relationships

The ranks of Ilmater's closest allies included Tyr the Maimed God, god of justice, (who was his superior prior to the Spellplague) and Torm the True, god of loyalty and duty. Collectively, these deities formed the Triad, an alliance of lawful good deities that were stronger as a united force than individually. In fact, Ilmater could often be found traveling with Tyr, assisting him and teaching him to live without his sight and to rely upon his feelings instead. Ilmater showed Tyr that true justice required a judge to know how much punishment was sufficient, whether it was too harsh or whether mercy was better. Ilmater also had an excellent relationship with Torm.

Another of Ilmater's allies was Lathander the Morninglord, god of renewal and vitality. He was also allied with Ibrandul, the Lord of the Dry Depths, the freedom-loving god of caves and darkness.

Ilmater stood against those gods and goddesses who enjoyed causing destruction and spreading pain and suffering for others. In particular, considering their contrasting portfolios, the Crying God and his followers were a bane to Loviatar, the Maiden of Pain, and her worshipers. Loviatar in turn hated Ilmater with a passion, as he protected her victims from her torments. Ilmater also opposed Talona, Mistress of Disease. Among his other foes were Bane, Bhaal, Garagos, Malar, Myrkul, Shar, and Talos.

History

Ilmater was an older god and an obscure deity in the 3rd century before Dalereckoning, but he came to prominence during Tyr's Procession of Justice in the Vilhon Reach. In −247 DR, Tyr had led a force of archons out of a gate to pacify the remnants of the fallen empire of Jhaamdath, which had fallen into anarchy, lawlessness, and banditry. Tyr's deeds and sacrifices caught the attention of Ilmater, who allied himself with the Just God in the Year of the Rack, –243 DR. The Procession came to an end in −238 DR but Tyr remained on Abeir-Toril and the two deities continued to work together.

Many years after the Procession, Torm joined them as Tyr's war leader. Together, Ilmater, Torm, and Tyr formed the Triad, a long-lasting alliance of good and lawful deities.

An ancient and unsupported legend told that the human Khala of Imaskar had devoted themselves to the god Bane the Black Lord and perpetrated numerous atrocities. For their deeds, the gods of law inflicted curses upon them. Among them, Ilmater accused the Khala of tormenting their victims and tearing heart and soul from them. Thus he cursed them with an unnatural hunger, to devour the hearts of their prey so they might live. Out of all the gods' curses was born the peryton, a vicious, stag-headed, eagle-bodied beast. The female peryton needed to devour the heart of a humanoid to become fertile—some considered it ironic that Ilmater's curse drove the peryton to further murder and savagery.

According to legend, an avatar of Ilmater once died somewhere south of the Inner Sea some time in the 4th century DR.[note 1] In fact, an ancient religious text from the island of Ixinos written in the 300s DR titled Divine Rapture of Ilmater told of the appearance of the Crying God and how he wrestled with "the cur of Gehenna", a corrupted minion of Bhaal, Lord of Murder. Enduring all its clawing and biting, Ilmater carried the beast into the sea and there died with it. Only his iron helm was found on the beach later. The Iron Helm of Heroes became a minor relic of Ilmatari faith.

The Triad was broken in the Year of Three Streams Blooded, 1384 DR, when Tyr was manipulated into slaying Helm, god of guardians. Ilmater chose to leave the House of the Triad and, at the invitation of Sune, goddess of beauty, he relocated his divine realm to the plane of Brightwater. By 1479 DR, however, Ilmater had returned to Torm's side and reestablished his realm in Celestia.

During the Second Sundering of the late 15th century DR, a Chosen of Ilmater began a passive slave revolt in Calimshan against their genie masters. During this time, he disappeared mysteriously. Though the overlords were cast down, it was only by bloody means. Many humans still longed for the return of Ilmater's Chosen so he could complete the country's transition to a better non-violent society.

Ilmater

Intermediate deity

Basic Information

Titles

The Crying God
The Broken God
The Lord on the Rack
The One Who Endures
The Rack-Broken Lord
Our Martyred Father

Adjectives

Ilmatari

Pantheons

Astoran

Serves

Tyr

Attributes

Alignment

Lawful Good

Symbol

Hands bound at the wrist with red cord

Realm

Twin Paradises of Bytopia/Shurrock/Martyrdom

Portfolio

Endurance, Martyrdom, Perserverence, Suffering

Favored Weapon

An open hand

Following

Worshippers

The lame
Oppressed
Impoverished
Peasants
Slaves
Monks
Paladins

Alignments

LG, NG, LN

Domains

Good (Redemption)
Healing (Restoration)
Nobility (Martyr)
Strength (Resolve, Self-Realization)