Tyr
God of Justice (a.k.a. The Maimed God / Blind Judge /)
Before every criminal trial in the civilized lands, kind-hearted magistrates whisper prayers to Tyr, the One-Handed, asking him to guide their judgement with moderation and determination.
Tyr sees himself as a father figure, building a perfect society among the people of Gaia, whom he stubbornly regards as his children. The anguish of knowing that his mortal charges cannot hope to lead and protect a flawless, completely righteously ordered existence colors Tyr's philosophy with an underlying, resigned sadness. The common folk view Tyr and his clerics as stern arbiters of justice and often fail to recognize the paternal, philosophical nuance of Tyr's doctrines, only his overtly black-and-white teachings on the nature of morality. They tend to see Tyr as a divine constant. They know that Tyr expects fairness, good judgment, and kindness to the innocent from his followers, and thus place much faith in Tyr's clerics. Faith in Tyr appeals to those who seek to bring order to the disorderly, punish the wicked, and ensure that civilization flourishes through a careful, proper system of justice. They follow a doctrine of justice through benevolent force and armed vigilance, a philosophy that makes the faith very attractive to paladins and righteous warriors. Most followers, however, do not fight on the field, but see the battles that matter to them in the courts as bureaucrats, judges, bailiffs and merchants.
Tyrrans tend to see all matters within clear moral frameworks, preferring to see the world ordered by reasonable laws that bring the greatest benefit to all. They tend to be intolerant, sometimes violently so, and rarely tolerate ridicule, mockery or questioning of their beliefs. Clerics of Tyr bring laws to the lawless lands, often serving as judge, jury and executioner. Without the cultured, legal codes to guide their judgments, they often resort to "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth". In doing so, however, Tyrrans prefer to err in favor of mercy, often weakening an otherwise harsh sentence for cases in which the offender was not aware of any guilt. Such criminals usually find their name recorded in such a cleric's "Book of Legislation", which is then shared with the nearest temple to prevent the offender from repeating the same misdeed and getting off lightly.
In civilized lands, Tyrrans tend to become legal experts, advising rulers, judges or powerful merchants on the finer points of the law and trying cases before magistrates. In the case of the latter, they see the money as a donation and give their "speech money" to the church. Regardless of their ancestry, Tyrrans never endorse a law that can be proven inappropriate as defined by the Church's adherence to the principles and definitions of other laws at the core of legal doctrine. This sometimes forces Tyrrans to support very unreasonable laws that are nonetheless just. In many such cases, Tyrrans attempt to change the laws from within. Those who break even these unreasonable laws as a form of resistance or political protest are nevertheless guilty in their eyes and deserve to be punished to the full extent that the law allows. In some cases, the followers of Tyr act as agents of retribution for those who have been betrayed and cannot afford to do it themselves or are no longer alive to defend themselves. In such cases, when the law has been so broken that it becomes meaningless, the clerics of Tyr openly challenge the evil or corrupt powers and sacrifice themselves if necessary.
Tyr sees himself as a father figure, building a perfect society among the people of Gaia, whom he stubbornly regards as his children. The anguish of knowing that his mortal charges cannot hope to lead and protect a flawless, completely righteously ordered existence colors Tyr's philosophy with an underlying, resigned sadness. The common folk view Tyr and his clerics as stern arbiters of justice and often fail to recognize the paternal, philosophical nuance of Tyr's doctrines, only his overtly black-and-white teachings on the nature of morality. They tend to see Tyr as a divine constant. They know that Tyr expects fairness, good judgment, and kindness to the innocent from his followers, and thus place much faith in Tyr's clerics. Faith in Tyr appeals to those who seek to bring order to the disorderly, punish the wicked, and ensure that civilization flourishes through a careful, proper system of justice. They follow a doctrine of justice through benevolent force and armed vigilance, a philosophy that makes the faith very attractive to paladins and righteous warriors. Most followers, however, do not fight on the field, but see the battles that matter to them in the courts as bureaucrats, judges, bailiffs and merchants.
Tyrrans tend to see all matters within clear moral frameworks, preferring to see the world ordered by reasonable laws that bring the greatest benefit to all. They tend to be intolerant, sometimes violently so, and rarely tolerate ridicule, mockery or questioning of their beliefs. Clerics of Tyr bring laws to the lawless lands, often serving as judge, jury and executioner. Without the cultured, legal codes to guide their judgments, they often resort to "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth". In doing so, however, Tyrrans prefer to err in favor of mercy, often weakening an otherwise harsh sentence for cases in which the offender was not aware of any guilt. Such criminals usually find their name recorded in such a cleric's "Book of Legislation", which is then shared with the nearest temple to prevent the offender from repeating the same misdeed and getting off lightly.
In civilized lands, Tyrrans tend to become legal experts, advising rulers, judges or powerful merchants on the finer points of the law and trying cases before magistrates. In the case of the latter, they see the money as a donation and give their "speech money" to the church. Regardless of their ancestry, Tyrrans never endorse a law that can be proven inappropriate as defined by the Church's adherence to the principles and definitions of other laws at the core of legal doctrine. This sometimes forces Tyrrans to support very unreasonable laws that are nonetheless just. In many such cases, Tyrrans attempt to change the laws from within. Those who break even these unreasonable laws as a form of resistance or political protest are nevertheless guilty in their eyes and deserve to be punished to the full extent that the law allows. In some cases, the followers of Tyr act as agents of retribution for those who have been betrayed and cannot afford to do it themselves or are no longer alive to defend themselves. In such cases, when the law has been so broken that it becomes meaningless, the clerics of Tyr openly challenge the evil or corrupt powers and sacrifice themselves if necessary.
Divine Domains
Order and War
Tenets of Faith
Reveal the truth, punish the guilty, judge injustice and always be truthful and just in your actions.
Uphold the law wherever you go and punish those who commit injustice in the face of the law.
Keep an eye on your own decisions, actions and reasoning, for by doing so your own mistakes can be corrected, your understanding of the laws of all lands will blossom and your ability to recognize lawbreaking will sharpen.
Be vigilant in your observations and look ahead so that you may detect those who plot injustice before they can carry out their actions that threaten the law and order.
Distribute retribution to the guilty for those who cannot do it themselves.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Religious iconography describes Tyr as an aged, one-handed warrior, often with a bloody bandage covering his wounded eyes. The so-called Maimed God lost his right hand in battle with an unknown being beyond the world. Tyr's blindness was self-inflicted as punishment for not preventing Bain's murder or bringing Moradin to justice.
His followers have come to understand Tyr's wounds as a symbol of the blindness of justice and the price that the truly righteous must pay on the path to righteousness and the stern defense of the law. Particularly radical Tyrran sects advocate self-mutilation among their followers, a practice condemned by the vast majority of believers who nonetheless drape ritualistic bandages over their eyes and place colorless gloves over their right hands to honor the Blind Overlord.
His followers have come to understand Tyr's wounds as a symbol of the blindness of justice and the price that the truly righteous must pay on the path to righteousness and the stern defense of the law. Particularly radical Tyrran sects advocate self-mutilation among their followers, a practice condemned by the vast majority of believers who nonetheless drape ritualistic bandages over their eyes and place colorless gloves over their right hands to honor the Blind Overlord.
Divine Classification
God
Alignment
Lawful Neutral
Children
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