Sebek

Sebek

Sebek (pronounced: /ˈsɛbɛk/ SEH-beck) is a jealous, vain, and evil member of the Mulhorandi pantheon. Known as Sebethant in Thay and as Sebakar (pronounced: /sɛbɑːˈkɑːr/ seh-ba-KAR) in Unther and Chessenta, he delights in devouring humans.

History

Sebek is the son of an ancient manifestation of the Mulhorandi god Set and a bestial archfey of the Feywild known as Mornach. Prior to the Time of Troubles, the largest sect of Sebek's worshipers were expelled from Mulhorand by the Brotherhood of Those Who Smile in the Face of Death. They resettled in Chessenta. In the late years of the 15th century DR, some rumors say that Sebek is living in the Adder Swamp.

Relationships

Deities 

Sebek is an outcast in the eyes of the rest of the Mulhorandi pantheon, though he is known for occasionally being an ally of his father, Set. Sebek often has conflicts with Malar, who dislikes the Mulhorandi deity for possessing a portion of his portfolio of lycanthropes.

Church of Sebek

All clergy of the church of Sebek are werecrocodiles, usually of Mulan descent. Priests of Sebek spend much of their time planning methods of seizing power in their surrounding regions. The priests of Sebek wear linen skirts and collars and shave their heads. They favor no ornamentation in crocodile form. When preparing for combat, the clergy of Sebek favor light armor and simple weapons. Clerics of Sebek prayed for spells at dusk.
The city of Sekras housed a temple that served as the center of the church of Sebek, known as the River's Maw. Upon the city's destruction, the clergy relocated to the Adder Swamp of Chessenta. No temples dedicated to the "Smiling Death" are known to exist as of 1358 DR.

Worshipers

Worship of Sebek is rare, and even considered anathema in some places, such as Chessenta, though he is often well respected in communities near large populations of crocodiles.

Affiliated Orders

All werecrocodiles follow Sebek, though no organizations are known to be sponsored by the church.
Description

Powers and Abilities

Sebek is able to summon and control crocodiles at will, and has been known to swallow boats and living creatures whole.

Avatar

Sebek usually appears in one of two forms. The first, known as the "Lord of Crocodiles", is that of a Mulan man possessing the head of a crocodile. This form typically wears a horned and plumed headdress. The second form, known as the "Smiling Death", is that of a giant crocodile.

Other manifestations

Before the Spellplague, Sebek rarely manifested in the material world, usually sending his avatar to hunt.

Smile of the crocodile

The appearance of a giant crocodile's smile can be either a sign favor and disfavor.

Celebrations and Festivals

Monthly offerings of meat are dedicated to Sebek in order to ward off crocodile attacks. Priests of Sebek have to kill a sentient creature monthly, as well as create at least one new werecrocodile from among the humans living in Mulhorand each year.