Besmara
Carve your name on the everchanging sea with a blade of terror and triumph. Fight for plunder, fame, and glory, and earn your place among the legends of the sea. —Besmara’s Code
The Pirate Queen
Besmara, the Pirate Queen, is the proud patron goddess of corsairs and sea monsters. While brash, lusty, confrontational, and greedy, she follows a code of honor and is loyal to her crew and allies—so long as doing so serves her interests. She cares little for senseless murder or other unprofitable acts, but is willing to risk much to attain great prizes. She has little influence or interest in the mortal world beyond the sea and its immediate reach. Besmara doesn’t care about clashes between good and evil, only pursuit, battle, and reward. Thus, even the most irreverent pirate captain throws a share of treasure overboard now and then as tribute to the Pirate Queen.
Originally, Besmara was a powerful water spirit with an affinity for manipulating sea monsters. She gained fame among primitive tribes who bribed her to drive these creatures toward rival coastal villages; later, when tribes began boat raids on other settlements, she could be bribed to send her monsters to fend off these attacks or arrange for predation-free sailing for the aggressors. Sometime before the Age of Enthronement, after long playing both sides, she consumed rival spirits of wood, gold, and battle to become a minor goddess. Her influence has since waxed and waned alongside the naval powers of coastal empires. Besmara is content with her current level of strength and notoriety and knows she cannot unseat a more popular deity (though if she had such an opportunity, she just might take it), so she entertains herself by raiding the outposts of celestials, fiends, and minor divinities.
With a buccaneer’s heart and mind, Besmara follows a simple personal code. She gives chase if she wants something, but if she decides she can’t win, she retreats. She allows her prey a head start if she wants a challenge, but hardly believes fights have to be fair. She thinks nothing of betraying someone who is no longer useful to her or teaming up with an old enemy for a common purpose. However, she despises anyone who tries to restrain her, her activities, or piracy in general.
The Pirate Queen appears as a brash, raven-haired pirate captain of any race she pleases, flamboyantly dressed—typically in colored pantaloons, black boots, a blousy shirt, and a hat (a bicorne, tricorne, or bandana). Despite her inhuman origins, she does not take any monstrous forms, even when angered, though swarms of sea creatures have been known to crawl out of her clothing to do her bidding.
Besmara’s favor takes the form of gold coins spinning, mists concealing one’s approach from enemies, enemies dropping weapons or having their weapons misfire, and opposing ships’ sails tearing or burning. She shows her anger through stored food spoiling in a matter of moments, potable water turning to sludge, peg-legs and hooks irritating their wearers, foul-smelling winds, and an increased presence of sea monsters.
Erastil dislikes Besmara because she eschews tradition, and because she values brashness over benevolence. Iomedae finds the Pirate Queen’s corrupt sense of honor distasteful. Abadar abhors her because she disrupts naval trade, and Asmodeus despises her because she has no sense of order, dares to interfere with his plans, and disrespects him. Because her home is in the Maelstrom, she frequently interacts with protean cabals, but has bargained and bribed them into accepting her presence.
In her relationship with sea monsters, Besmara plays the clever bully who keeps other bullies in line through physical threats and force of personality. Her monsters are like vicious dogs who reluctantly obey her command to heel only because she can hurt or kill them. Aquatic races usually venerate their own gods and avoid attracting her attention, for her monsters prey under the sea as well as upon it. Besmara’s worshipers are accordingly encouraged to use her reputation to help them intimidate aquatic foes, but must take care not to overreach themselves. While she may bless a boasting follower if she likes his attitude, that follower must to some extent be able to stand against such creatures on his own for her blessing to do him any good.
Blackwarn: This tentacled, stealthy creature resembles a bear-sized aquatic decapus encrusted with barnacles. Its preferred payments are gold, squid brains, or gnome flesh.
Kelpie’s Wrath: This storm-battered pirate vessel has the skull and spine of a great sea creature mounted on the prow, and eerie lights flicker on its deck and stream from its masts. The ship is the source of many horror tales of abandoned ships found in the ocean or spectral ships crewed by ghosts, but it is actually a living creature. On the rare occasions when it comes to the mortal seas at Besmara’s bidding, it appears to punish some buccaneer for a horrid blasphemy against the Pirate Queen. Left to its own devices, it sails mortal waters, the Ethereal or Astral Planes, or strange dream-realms in search of plunder, danger, and glory. When called by mortals, it demands treasure as payment for its services, preferring chests full of gems and gold. It has a lecherous, voyeuristic streak and might lower a price for anyone willing to give it a carnal show. If properly bribed, it serves with grudging loyalty until the task is done, then leaves.
Old Vengeance: This ancient charybdis has been under Besmara’s thumb since before she was a goddess. Old and weary, it persists out of spite and the hopes that someday it will see the Pirate Queen destroyed. It loves the taste of creatures drowned in holy or unholy water.
Rusizi: Alternately described as a turtle, a crocodile, or a dragon turtle with a crocodilian head, this huge creature is sometimes worshiped as a god by lizardfolk, goblins, and other primitives. Long used to eating humanoid flesh, it prefers living offerings, though its service can be bought with gold and adamantine (which it eats to harden its shell).
Originally, Besmara was a powerful water spirit with an affinity for manipulating sea monsters. She gained fame among primitive tribes who bribed her to drive these creatures toward rival coastal villages; later, when tribes began boat raids on other settlements, she could be bribed to send her monsters to fend off these attacks or arrange for predation-free sailing for the aggressors. Sometime before the Age of Enthronement, after long playing both sides, she consumed rival spirits of wood, gold, and battle to become a minor goddess. Her influence has since waxed and waned alongside the naval powers of coastal empires. Besmara is content with her current level of strength and notoriety and knows she cannot unseat a more popular deity (though if she had such an opportunity, she just might take it), so she entertains herself by raiding the outposts of celestials, fiends, and minor divinities.
With a buccaneer’s heart and mind, Besmara follows a simple personal code. She gives chase if she wants something, but if she decides she can’t win, she retreats. She allows her prey a head start if she wants a challenge, but hardly believes fights have to be fair. She thinks nothing of betraying someone who is no longer useful to her or teaming up with an old enemy for a common purpose. However, she despises anyone who tries to restrain her, her activities, or piracy in general.
The Pirate Queen appears as a brash, raven-haired pirate captain of any race she pleases, flamboyantly dressed—typically in colored pantaloons, black boots, a blousy shirt, and a hat (a bicorne, tricorne, or bandana). Despite her inhuman origins, she does not take any monstrous forms, even when angered, though swarms of sea creatures have been known to crawl out of her clothing to do her bidding.
Besmara’s favor takes the form of gold coins spinning, mists concealing one’s approach from enemies, enemies dropping weapons or having their weapons misfire, and opposing ships’ sails tearing or burning. She shows her anger through stored food spoiling in a matter of moments, potable water turning to sludge, peg-legs and hooks irritating their wearers, foul-smelling winds, and an increased presence of sea monsters.
Relations with Other Religions
Besmara is a thorn in the side of many lawful powers and a casual ally or enemy of just about everyone else. Like her followers, she interacts peacefully when it suits her, but may betray an ally when it is convenient or profitable. She has been known to associate with Cayden Cailean, who considers her dangerously attractive; Gorum, who respects her strength and devotion to battle’s excitement over its causes; Gozreh, who calls her sister, partner, and monster-tamer; and Hanspur, with whom she sometimes sails on raids.Erastil dislikes Besmara because she eschews tradition, and because she values brashness over benevolence. Iomedae finds the Pirate Queen’s corrupt sense of honor distasteful. Abadar abhors her because she disrupts naval trade, and Asmodeus despises her because she has no sense of order, dares to interfere with his plans, and disrespects him. Because her home is in the Maelstrom, she frequently interacts with protean cabals, but has bargained and bribed them into accepting her presence.
In her relationship with sea monsters, Besmara plays the clever bully who keeps other bullies in line through physical threats and force of personality. Her monsters are like vicious dogs who reluctantly obey her command to heel only because she can hurt or kill them. Aquatic races usually venerate their own gods and avoid attracting her attention, for her monsters prey under the sea as well as upon it. Besmara’s worshipers are accordingly encouraged to use her reputation to help them intimidate aquatic foes, but must take care not to overreach themselves. While she may bless a boasting follower if she likes his attitude, that follower must to some extent be able to stand against such creatures on his own for her blessing to do him any good.
Planar Allies
Most of Besmara’s best-known minions are great beasts from beneath the waves. Besmaran priests all know of legendary, dead pirate captains and may call them with the right bribe, but most prefer to conjure nightmare creatures to drag enemy sailors to their deaths. The following are well-known supernatural servitors of Besmara and can be summoned using spells such as planar ally.Blackwarn: This tentacled, stealthy creature resembles a bear-sized aquatic decapus encrusted with barnacles. Its preferred payments are gold, squid brains, or gnome flesh.
Kelpie’s Wrath: This storm-battered pirate vessel has the skull and spine of a great sea creature mounted on the prow, and eerie lights flicker on its deck and stream from its masts. The ship is the source of many horror tales of abandoned ships found in the ocean or spectral ships crewed by ghosts, but it is actually a living creature. On the rare occasions when it comes to the mortal seas at Besmara’s bidding, it appears to punish some buccaneer for a horrid blasphemy against the Pirate Queen. Left to its own devices, it sails mortal waters, the Ethereal or Astral Planes, or strange dream-realms in search of plunder, danger, and glory. When called by mortals, it demands treasure as payment for its services, preferring chests full of gems and gold. It has a lecherous, voyeuristic streak and might lower a price for anyone willing to give it a carnal show. If properly bribed, it serves with grudging loyalty until the task is done, then leaves.
Old Vengeance: This ancient charybdis has been under Besmara’s thumb since before she was a goddess. Old and weary, it persists out of spite and the hopes that someday it will see the Pirate Queen destroyed. It loves the taste of creatures drowned in holy or unholy water.
Rusizi: Alternately described as a turtle, a crocodile, or a dragon turtle with a crocodilian head, this huge creature is sometimes worshiped as a god by lizardfolk, goblins, and other primitives. Long used to eating humanoid flesh, it prefers living offerings, though its service can be bought with gold and adamantine (which it eats to harden its shell).
Holy Books & Codes
On water, text is difficult to keep safe, so Besmara’s clergy do not keep much in the way of holy texts.
Besmara’s Code: The Pirate Queen’s holy text is just a few pages detailing treatment of crew, treasure, and captives. Most priests who can read make copies in their own hand; those who cannot read memorize the text’s key points and ignore what doesn’t concern them.
Besmara’s Code: The Pirate Queen’s holy text is just a few pages detailing treatment of crew, treasure, and captives. Most priests who can read make copies in their own hand; those who cannot read memorize the text’s key points and ignore what doesn’t concern them.
Holidays
The church of the Pirate Queen possesses no official holidays, though the ones listed below are commonly celebrated among Besmara’s followers.
Harmattan Revel: This simple celebration marks the ebbing of sahuagin attacks at the start of winter.
Reefclaw Moon: The second full moon of summer in northern Garund marks the annual return of dangerous migrating reefclaws, preventing raids by all but the luckiest or most powerful buccaneers.
Harmattan Revel: This simple celebration marks the ebbing of sahuagin attacks at the start of winter.
Reefclaw Moon: The second full moon of summer in northern Garund marks the annual return of dangerous migrating reefclaws, preventing raids by all but the luckiest or most powerful buccaneers.
Symbol
Edicts
sail the seas, stay loyal to captain and crew, take what you want
Anathema
betray shipmates, forsake piracy, settle on land
Areas of Concern
piracy, sea monsters, and strife
Centers of Worship
Garund, Ilizmagorti, The Shackles
Favored Weapon
rapier
Domains
destruction, trickery, water, wealth
Divine Ability
Dexterity or Constitution
Divine Font
harm or heal
Divine Skill
Athletics
Divine Classification
Minor God
Church/Cult
Children
Aphorisms
These three phrases are the core of the goddess’s code.End your quarrels on shore: Whatever disagreements one sailor has with another, onboard a ship is not the place to settle them, for everyone’s survival depends on the crew working together.
Thirty stripes lacking one: The traditional punishment for a serious infraction on the ship is thirty lashes on the bare back. The captain or boatswain, however, may choose to reserve the last (30th) lash as an act of mercy if the target is repentant or unconscious. If so, the captain retains the option to make that last strike at any time before the ship reaches port—a threat to ensure better behavior from the target.
Truce ends at the horizon: Breaking a truce is seen as not only unsportsmanlike, but a threat to all pirates—but any truce is valid only until the opposing ship is past the horizon. This gives the weaker captain a head start should he fear the other captain’s intentions.
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