Cult of Kelemvor - The Death Clergy
Overview
The Death Clergy, also known as the Cult of Kelemvor, is a devoted and organized group of followers who serve the Lord of the Dead, Kelemvor. Guided by their faith, they undertake various responsibilities that revolve around death, dying, and maintaining the natural cycle of life. The Death Clergy seeks to bring order and balance to the transition from life to death and ensure that the departed souls find their rightful place in the afterlife.
Duties and Roles
The members of the Death Clergy, known as Clerics of Kelemvor, carry out a range of duties that are fundamental to their beliefs:
**1. Tending to the Dying:** Clerics of Kelemvor attend to those who are on the brink of death, providing spiritual comfort and assisting them in their final moments. They fulfill the last wishes of the dying and help ease their passage into the afterlife.
**2. Burial Services:** A significant responsibility of the Death Clergy is to provide dignified burial services to individuals who die alone or without proper means. They ensure that the departed receive the necessary rites and rituals to facilitate their journey to the realm of death.
**3. Disease Curing and Monster Defending:** The cult places great emphasis on preserving life and preventing untimely death. Clerics of Kelemvor dedicate themselves to curing diseases that threaten lives and defending communities from monsters that may cut short the lives of the innocent.
**4. Undeath Eradication:** Undeath, in all its forms, is considered an affront to Kelemvor's principles. The Death Clergy is dedicated to eradicating undeath and preventing the unnatural prolongation of life after death. This includes combating necromancy and destroying undead creatures that roam the realms.
Doomguides - Elite Priests
Doomguides are the elite priests of Kelemvor, marked by their exceptional dedication and profound connection to the Lord of the Dead. These individuals serve as spiritual leaders and exemplars of Kelemvor's teachings. Doomguides possess advanced knowledge of the rituals, doctrines, and history of the Death Clergy. They often play a pivotal role in important ceremonies and acts of justice within the cult.
Appearance and Symbols
The servants of Kelemvor are easily recognizable by their somber and respectful attire. They typically don gray vestments adorned with symbols representing Kelemvor's domains of death and fate. Hand-and-a-half swords, also known as bastard swords, are common weapons carried by the Death Clergy, signifying their readiness to defend the living and uphold Kelemvor's principles.
Legacy and Influence
The Death Clergy's influence extends beyond their religious duties, as they actively contribute to maintaining harmony in the world by respecting the boundaries between life and death. Their commitment to honoring Kelemvor's ideals ensures that the souls of the departed find their rightful place and are not disturbed by unnatural forces.
Conclusion
The Cult of Kelemvor, through the Death Clergy, serves as a vital force in upholding the balance of life and death. Their multifaceted roles reflect their dedication to Kelemvor's principles and their unwavering commitment to guiding both the living and the dead toward their destinies.
