Baklunish Pantheon

Though not a massive pantheon, the gods of the Bakluni are well represented in the daily lives of their people. They pay respect to their deities with a wide variety of offerings and obeisances. With Piety being a trait to which all honorable Bakluni aspire, or at least want to appear to aspire, it is not surprising that the temples and their mullahs discuss passionately the nature of orthodoxy and the truest path by which divine enlightenment can be reached. This religious passion, while a noble thing, can lead some to rationalize deeds from which even the most devout Mullah would recoil.
It is upon these throes of religious passion that fiends of hell and the abyss gain footholds upon Oerth and cults arise as dark reflections of the Bakluni gods. Graz’zt makes a dark mockery of Istus, uttering his own blasphemous commands to the eager ears of cultists who foolishly believe they are doing the Lady of Fate’s bidding. It is for this reason that the Baklunish region suffers a larger quantity of cults than do most other regions and it is why the Mullahs are swift to punish these tools of heresy. It is perhaps this very adversarial environment that caused the first Hakima to be blessed with “The Sight.”
A word originally in ancient Baklunish meaning wise, or insightful, Hakimas were often women skilled in midwifery. Most temples had Hakimas on staff and even the poorest of villages boasted at least one such woman. Searches in the ancient records of the Empire revealed no precedent, so it is believed that the Sight is a recent development. Hakimas are gifted with the ability to see and hear the truth of matters and even the most skilled liar cringes at the presence of these wise women. In the years since their first appearance, Hakimas have become the “one honest soul” who can speak out with impunity against the edicts of the Mullahs, the deeds of the military, even the laws of the Caliph. For their part, the Hakimas have taken this change in stride and treat the gift of the Sight as an honor and duty and while there are always rumors, no case of a Hakima being stripped of the Sight has ever been confirmed.

Baklunish Gods considered part of Core Pantheon

• Al'Asran (Pelor (NG; God of Sun, Light, Strength, and Healing)

• Al-Zarad (Boccob (N; God of Magic)

• Istus; (N; God of Fate and Destiny)

Other Baklunish Gods

• Al’Akbar; (LG; Demipower of guardianship, faithfulness, dignity, duty)

• Azor'alq, NG Demipower of Light, Purity, Courage. and Strength

• Daoud, N Demipower of Humility, Clarity, and Immediacy

• Geshtai; (N; God of lakes, rivers, and wells)

• Joramy; (N (NE) The Shrew, God of Fire, Volcanoes, Wrath, Anger, and Quarrels)

• Mouqol; (N; God of trade, negotiation, ventures, appraisal, reciprocity)

• Xan Yae; (N; God of twilight, shadows, stealth, mind over matter, etc.)

• Zuoken; (N; Demipower of monks, mental powers, physical and mental mastery)

Al ‘AKBAR

High Cleric, Restorer of Righteousness, LG Demipower of Guardianship, Faithfulness, Dignity and Duty

Baklunish Demipower
A1’Akbar (ahl AHK-bar) first came to prominence in the days following the Invoked Devastation, when he was called by the gods of the Paynims to restore the Baklunish people to the path of righteousness and dignity. In earnest of this mission, he was given the fabled Cup and star-shaped Talisman that now bear his name. He taught that true religion must include proper devotion to the gods, protection of the community, and guidance of the faithful. Eventually, he caused his own mosque to be constructed and allowed his followers to call upon his name in their prayers, soon thereafter ascending to take his place among the gods, although he remains a demigod out of respect for the rest of the pantheon. His symbol is an image of the Cup and Talisman artifacts.

Dogma

Be as a vessel of kindness and emblem of devotion, for the righteous man is both steadfast and merciful. Be not as the untutored infidel, but rather heed your superiors, and submit to their wisdom and guidance. Let the faithful strive always to nurture the seed of Good in the soil of Law, that by doing so they are received into the Garden of A1’Akbar. The faith of Al’Akbar dominates the Baklunish culture with its sense of community and propriety. They teach Ancient Baklunish as the language of poetry and learning; they are generally well disposed toward other faiths that use the classical language in their liturgy. Two historical branches of this faith exist. The followers of the Exalted Faith recognize the supremacy of the holy caliph (the ruler of Ekbir they are masters of rhetoric and diplomacy, with high regard for academic achievement. Followers of the True Faith defer to the authority of the grand mufti of the Yatils, taking a more fundamental approach to religion that emphasizes hard work, plain speech, and obedience. More obscure divisions exist among Paynim dervishes.

Clergy

Clerics of the Exalted Faith usually bear the title of qadi, and tend toward lawful good or neutral good. Clerics of the True Faith are called mullahs, and strongly favor lawful neutral. Both types hold office as ministers, judges, scholars and teachers in civil government, while also serving as healers, advisers and guardians for the military. Adventuring clerics are tolerant of infidels, though they are still expected to uphold the ideals of the faith. The wandering clergy may travel to any land in search of the Cup and Talisman of Al’Akbar. Ritual prayers may be made at dawn and dusk.
Suggested Domains: Life, Order
Weapon: Falchion

Azor'alq

Son of Light, Banisher of Darkness. NG Demipower of Light, Purity, Courage. and Strength

Baklunish Ascendant Demipower
Valiant Azor'alq (Ah-zor-ALK), triumphant champion of the First Dynasty emperors, has been venerated as a hero by the Baklunish people for more than 3,000 years. He is first mentioned in the mythic tale of the Hegira, in which he defended the royal family from the minions of Darkness that assailed them in the flight from their defiled homeland across the desolate western mountains. Poets still sing of his courage and strength in battle. naming him the Banisher Of Darkness.
Philosophers and mystics esteem his purity and call him the Son of Light. The entrance to his great sanctum is said to be found at the highest peak among the Dramidi Occan island-pinnacles that bear his name. He dwells within that sanction with his ancient paladins, the Thousand Immortals.
Azor'alq appears as a tall. handsome warrior, dark of skin, clad in a coat of fine mail and a helm topped with peacock feathers. He wields a long curved sword known as Faruk. His symbol is an armed man standing atop a stone summit.

Dogma

Strength grows in the light of courage. The bright sword of Azor'alq, once drawn, may be sheathed again only in victory. A true leader is the first to join in battle, and the last to seek rest. The flame of truth must be tended with good thoughts. good words. and good deeds. so that the purity of its light may dispel the tyranny of darkness.

Clergy

Azor'alq finds his strongest following among young warriors, but anyone in need of steady courage might call upon him. His adherence to good is unwavering, therefore he does not seek to restore the fallen or convert the evil. for he has no mercy to offer them.
Among the Paynim. the clergy of Azor'alq is hereditary; they claim that the legacy of their cult goes back to the earliest days of the Baklunish empire. They often serve as war-leaders, and are always in the forefront of battle. In the settled lands clerics of Azor'alq are most often found in closed communities. where they are sometimes mistaken for fire-worshippers.
His few remaining paladins seek to emulate the legendary Thousand Immortals by destroying creatures of Darkness (typically fiends and undead). Some even make a quest to the Pinnacles of Azor'alq, when they feel they have grown sufficiently in knowledge and strength to overcome the challenges that their master has set for them there.
Domains: Light, War
Weapon: Scimitar

Daoud

the Mendicant, Unraveller of Deceptions, N Demipower of Humility, Clarity, and Immediacy

Baklunish Ascendant Demipower
Daoud (dah-OOD) began life as the son of a noble Baklunish family of great wealth and reputation who were exemplars of those virtues known as the Four Feet of the Dragon (honor, family, generosity, and piety). In his early life he found prosperity and acclaim, until he became the philosopher-pasha of Tusmit. Yet, in his middle years, he was reduced to beggary, stripped of all titles and treasures by the callous hand of fate. Where once he had been celebrated, now he was despised. Exiled from his homeland, he lived as a mendicant priest of Istus and contemplated the harshness of his mistress.
As he regarded his drastic change in fortune, Daoud realized that the Four Feet of the Dragon represented a vulgar philosophy. He saw piety as mere affectation and obsession with honor as arrogance, while generosity and devotion to family were little more than matters of social hygiene. In place of these superficial values he put honesty, humility, poverty and endurance, and called this philosophy the Path of the Seeker.
Daoud appears as an old man with leathery skin and dark, heavy brows, beneath which shine piercing black eyes. He most often wears the simple clothing of a mountain shepherd, with a well-worn turban on his head and a heavy staff in his hand. His symbol is a multi-colored patch of cloth or tangle of yarn, with seven threads depending from the bottom—one for each distinct color of the spectrum.

Dogma

Seek the boundaries of fortune, good and bad, for there the threads of destiny are exposed. Never desire more than fate provides and never accept less than fate demands. A fabric of lies must be cut with sharp words.

Clergy

Clerics of Daoud abandon all claims to wealth and social status. Often brutally honest, they have no respect for position. So long as they accept their own fate and follow the path their founder walked before them, they are able to affect the situation of those they encounter. The mighty have been made weak, the downtrodden have been exalted, destinies have been altered, and whole tribes have been scattered by a humble Daoudah's tug at the strands Of fate.
Domains: Arcana, Peace
Weapon: Quarterstaff

GESHTAI

Daughter of the Oasis, God of Lakes, Rivers, Wells, and Streams

N Balkunish Lesser Goddess
Geshtai (GESH-tie) is depicted as a young Baklunish woman standing in a pool of water, often holding a clay water jug. Her pet fish, Gumus, summons water creatures to fill her. Revered today by nomads, travelers, and farmers in Baklunish lands, her temperament is moderate and she treats all others with care and patience. She dislikes fiery gods and proponents of disease and poison, especially Pyremius. Her symbol is a waterspout.

Dogma

Tranquility is a benign state, and it should take an extreme act to disrupt it for more than a moment. When such a disruption comes, turn its force back upon itself to negate it, like the stone that breaks the surface of a lake only to be covered and lost. Water, like tranquility, is hard to find but necessary for vitality. Water is more precious than gold, for a thirsty man gets no sustenance from his wealth.

Clergy

Clerics of Geshtai act as guardians of valuable waters, whether lakes, streams, oases, or hidden wells, making sure that they are available to all and not claimed or destroyed by any one group of people. They patrol parched areas of land where travelers often become lost and guide them to safety and water. Some explore the length of a river or stream, learning the unique traits of the entire flow. They seek out those who use destructive magic upon natural reserves of water, as well as those who would harm people by contaminating water with disease or poison.
Domains: Nature
Weapons: shortspear

JORAMY

The Shrew, God of Fire, Volcanoes, Wrath, Anger, and Quarrels

N (NE) Cross-Pantheon Lesser Goddess
Joramy (JOR-um-ee) is a hot-tempered but generally good-natured goddess. Shown as a nondescript woman with fiery hair and one fist raised, Joramy argues for the sake of arguing, and uses emotional arguments when rational ones fail. She is on good terms with nonevil gods who enjoy their aggressive side, but disdains emotionally distant beings such as Delleb, Rao, and her estranged lover Zodal. Her holy symbol is a volcano.

Dogma

The dance of a flame and the twisting patterns of molten rock are the most beautiful sights in the world, representing fires argument with earth. Let your passions burn as hot as these things, and never back down when you have the opportunity to convert someone to your perspective. Ideals and opinions are what forms and shapes a person, and not defending with all your effort what you hold in your heart to be the truth is a betrayal to yourself and your ideals. Any rival opinion is a challenge— answer that challenge with the same fervor that you would a physical threat.

Clergy

Clerics of Joramy make good political leaders and revolutionaries. They are willing to defend their ideals to the death and have a gift for inspiring others to do the same. Many work as diplomats for small but aggressive nations, where their tendency to escalate talks into heated arguments makes their parent nation appear stronger than it is. They go adventuring to find new people to argue with and new causes to champion.
Domains: War
Weapons: Quarterstaff

MOUQOL

The Merchant, God of Trade, Negotiation, Ventures, Appraisal, and Reciprocity

N Baklunish lesser god
Trade in the Baklunish lands is the province of Mouqol (moh-KOHL) the Merchant. Like Istus, he was neutral in the war between Light and Darkness that precipitated the mythic Hegira; like Geshtai he provided necessities to both sides of the struggle. Other tales describe Mouqol’s travels among genie-kind, and his skill at bargaining with even these most difficult of clients. Mouqol’s particular gifts are the ability to discern the true desire of his customers, and the talent of finding and delivering the rarest of treasures to their predestined owners.

Dogma

Reward is not gained without risk. The perfect bargain satisfies both necessity and desire. The wise know the worth of a thing as well as its cost. Greed makes the wealthiest into debtors. All life is a matter of exchange. The Bazaar, or marketplace, is holy ground. Some markets In the larger cities are set up around actual temple-buildings, but most simply contain a tent-covered altar or shrine to the merchants’ god. There is no standard tithe, but a variable set of fees is levied on the traders who utilize the marketplace. These monies are used to cover expenses, but any excess is dedicated to charitable works, for the accumulation of large amounts of wealth is foreign to Mouqol’s values. Much more important is the art of the negotiation process, for hard bargaining is near to a sacrament for these Western merchants.

Clergy

Clerics of Mouqol are common among the Baklunish, as well as among the jann and the merfolk of the Dramidj. Clerics use their powers to deter theft, fraud and magical deception. They work as appraisers of common goods, with certain members specializing in more exotic items. Most travel during at least part of their career, particularly as part of merchant caravans. Ritual prayers are said each morning, prior to opening for business or beginning the day’s travel.
Domains: Knowledge, Trickery
Weapons: crossbow

XAN YAE

Lady of Perfection, God of Twilight, Shadows, Stealth, and Mental Power

N Baklunish lesser goddess
Xan Yae (zan YAY) is a Baklunish goddess with some measure of popularity in the Flanaess. She has temples scattered in hidden places across the land. Having little patience for petty divine rivalries, she has only a few like-minded allies but places herself in opposition to Pyremius and Pholtus, whose lights destroy her beloved shadows. She appears to be Baklunish, of any age or sex but always slender and graceful, wielding a pair of magic falchions that can shrink to the size of table knives.

Dogma

Reality depends upon three metaphysical idea Is: the Universal Mind (the universe and all things in it exist because the mind created them and maintain them), the Perpetual Harmony (life is balanced, symmetry is in all things, achieving a similar state puts one in harmony with nature), and Internal Peace (martial and mental activities must be mastered to attain a higher level of existence). Flamboyance and wasted energy have no place in the Lady’s realm. The extremes of evil and good must be sought out and tempered with harmony to maintain balance.

Clergy

Xan Yae’s clerics are agents of harmony and discipline. They seek out radical factions, alignments, and politics and bend them toward balance. They train others in the simple arts of war, hone the minds of those open to mental challenges, scour the world to find evidence of the Universal Mind, and seek gurus of advanced physical and mental abilities for knowledge of self-elevation. They are not passive beings, but actively seek change to ensure the stability of the universe. Their prayer time is at dusk.
Domains: Knowledge, Trickery, Twilight
Weapons: monk weapons

ZUOKEN

Master of Da’Shon and Edel, Servant of the Lady, Demipower of Physical and Mental Mastery

N Baklunish demipower
Zuoken (zoo-OH-ken) is an ascended martial artist in the service of Xan Yae. He was a Baklunish man of unremarkable appearance, but had achieved the highest level of skill in edel ("gift of fate," psionics), and da’shon (falling hail, a complicated form of unarmed combat practiced by one of Xan Yae’s sects). His symbol is a striking fist. In 505 CY, he stopped manifesting to his faithful; investigation has revealed that his essence is held somewhere in the central Flanaess; his followers continue to seek the exact place so that he may be freed.

Dogma

To learn da’shon is to be on the path to perfection, for the use of weapons is a hindrance to the ability of mankind to attain the goal; once the goal is reached, one can use such things without fear of losing sight of perfection. One must strive to achieve the pinnacle of physical and mental ability. One must pursue harmony to achieve perfection, so every issue must he considered from both sides so that a balance may be struck between the two, allowing a harmonious resolution.

Clergy

Zuoken’s clerics teach da’shon and the way of Zuoken and Xan Yae. They wander the land to accelerate their physical and mental advancement, undergo many tests of hardship within and outside their temples in the pursuit of perfection, search for their god’s prison, and attack monks of the Scarlet Brotherhood when encountered. As aging and infirmity are concerns for those who perfect their bodies, they care for the elderly to acclimatize themselves with its changes. Although Zuoken is confined in some way, his clerics receive their spells normally.
Domains: Knowledge, War
Weapons: fist of Zodal (unarmed strike), monk weapons

Type

Religious, Pantheon