Morninglord
Holy Symbol: A dawning sun rising over a fertile field.
Strive always to aid, to foster new hope, new ideas, and new prosperity for all humankind and its allies. Perfect thyself, and guard ever against pride, for it is a sacred duty to foster new growth, nurture growing things, and work for rebirth and renewal. Be fertile in mind and body. Consider always the consequences of thine actions so that the least effort may bring the greatest and best reward. Wherever you go, sow seeds of plants, tend the growing things you find, and plant seeds of hope, new ideas, and plans for a rosy future in the minds of all. Whenever possible, see each dawn.
(You need to abide by these as clergy, not as a worshiper)
-
Bard, Cleric, Commoner, Paladin, or Shaman
-
Any race
-
You must not harm the innocent
-
You must not use torture or cause any unnecessary injury
-
You must pray to Lathander whenever you witness the dawn
-
Non-Cleric/Paladin Initiation: You must foster a young plant or animal and preserve it to maturity.
(You need to abide by these as clergy, not as a worshiper)
-
Level 1 spell: Cause Fear
-
Sow hope, never spread fear.
-
-
Level 3 spell: Darkness
-
Sow the light, never spread the dark.
-
-
Level 5 spell: Animate dead
-
Sow true life, never spread false death.
-
-
Level 7 spell: Plague
-
Sow in a community health, never spread to a community sickness.
-
(If you wish to become clergy of this god, take three of these as your vows—if you violate them you lose any moves, spells, and any other benefits granted by this god until you atone.)
-
Act (Forbidden: Allowing evil acts to occur; this is not passive, you must seek out and prevent them as best as you are able)
-
Enlighten (Forbidden: Quenching the spread of new ideas, stories, jokes, or any young creative endeavor; you must pass these on yourself to those who would most benefit from them)
-
Encourage (Forbidden: Allowing anyone to feel distraught or hopeless; you must make every effort to keep the spirits of those around you light)
-
Aid(Forbidden: Allowing someone who is hurt, sick, or in need to go without healing and comfort)
A powerful, exuberant god, Lathander (Lah-THAN-der) is known as the Commander of Creativity and the Morninglord. As the god of beginnings, Lathander traditionally receives prayer from many inhabitants of Orben at the start of a journey or endeavor. Lathander's name is invoked to seal alliances and start new ventures or companies. As a result, the god is very popular among the merchant classes. Though depicted as young, Lathander's noble bearing and demeanor serve him well among the nobility, who also favor his worship in many places. Because he encourages his clergy to strike out and start new shrines and temples all over Orben, Lathander's broad-based popularity is rounded out by the many peasant folk aided by his clergy.
Lathander has a reputation for being sometimes overly enthusiastic, slightly vain, and given to excesses, all flaws very common among the young. He is also eternally optimistic and doggedly perseverant. His alliance with Chauntea serves them both well, since his interests in birth, nurture, and vibrant life dovetail well with her portfolio. The churches of Chauntea and Lathander have only grown closer, and rumors hold that Lathander has been courting the favor of the Earthmother romantically as well as politically.
Home Plane/Realm
House of Nature/Morninglory
Portfolio
Spring, dawn, birth, renewal, creativity, youth, vitality, self-perfection, athletics
Favored Weapon
"Dawnspeaker" (mace)
Myths
-
Rise of Morning
Lathander has not been present to all of Orben until recently. It is believed that, for thousands of years, he dwelt exclusively in East Orben, off the shores of Gwathia, and came and went only into the sky above those lands. Amaunator was the only sun in the west, known in noontime as At'ar. However, when Aer Arnad fell, western Orben underwent a great upheaval, and then a new beginning; Lathander began traveling west to visit hope upon the people of these uncertain times, and encourage hope among them.
-
At'ar/Amaunator heresy
Some contend that Lathander and At'ar/Amaunator are one and the same god, and there is and has ever been only one sun over Orben.
History
Lathander emerged after the fall of Aer Arnad, although by some accounts he preceded its fall. His church began from almost nothing, but after a period of persecution by Elves, spread wildly far and wide. Followers and servants of Lathander can now be found almost everywhere in Linothor, and is even spreading among the Dwarves who spend much of their time underground, but are always keen for aid in their creative endeavors.
In Sulgate, sporadic wars have broken out between followers of Lathander, Amaunator, and At'ar since the fall of the Ssianid Empire.
Relationship with other gods and churches
Lathander and Chauntea have been romantically connected for centuries, and see each other as kindred spirits. His allies included Gond, Tymora, Tyr, Torm, Ilmater, Sune, Selûne, Oghma, Kelemvor, and Eldath. His foes are Cyric, Bane, and Shar.
Associated lesser deities
-
Lathander's worshipers come from all walks of life, as he welcomes all races to his fold, provided they commit no harm against one another.
Clerics of Lathander call both themselves and their specialty priest and crusader brethren Dawn Priests. About 35% of the organized priesthood are specialty priests; the remainder are clerics or crusaders.
Hierarchy
The Lathanderian religion has no overarching hierarchy from church to church and no central authority. When issues of doctrine or policy come up that must be decided upon, a conference is called at the church who initially presented the problem for consideration, and the issue is resolved. Regardless of rank or experience level, each Lathanderite priest is considered the master of the temple, shrine, or parish she or he is responsible for no matter the number of priests staffing the facility under him or her.
Novices in the Lathanderian faith are called the Awakened, and they gain the title of Dawnbringer upon becoming full priests. In ascending order of rank, the titles in general use by the Dawnbringers are: Dawngreeter, Dawnlord (the church does not use feminine form of titles often), High Dawnlord, Dawnmaster, Morninglord, High Morninglord, Mornmaster, High Mornmaster, and Sunrise Lord.
Vestments
Priests of Lathander dress in bright long-sleeved robes of yellow, red, and pink. These are often called "sun robes." Those priests with their own temples have their robes trimmed with ornately crafted gold ribbons. A sunburst headpiece, worn toward the back of the head to emulate a rising sun or radiant sunpeacock, completes the ceremonial garb. The ritual robes used at many rural shrines are simple cassocks with a color scheme by rank. Novices and postulants wear brown; adepts and underpriests wear russet and crimson. Senior priests wear scarlet, and subpriors and those of higher rank wear rose-red. The leader of the temple or shrine wears white. Holy symbols of Lathander are often made of painted wood, cut from rose quartz or similar minerals, or enchanted to radiate a dim, pink glow.
Adventuring clerics usually wear more utilitarian garb, but prefer reds and yellows, to the point of tinting their armor those shades. Most priests of Lathander favor chain mail, and often the only obvious mark of Lathander they bear is a rose-red circle on their shields and helm brows.
Rites and Duties
As may be surmised, most ceremonies of Lathander are held at dawn. Actions taken and contracts agreed to at dawn are considered blessed by the god. Marriages held at Lathanderian temples or shrines at dawn are considered especially blessed and so dawn is when the church most often holds such services, even if they are inconvenient for visiting guests. Funerals consist of a solemn, candlelit ceremony called the Going Down. This ceremony is followed by a wake that lasts until dawn prayers. Funerals are not held for those who are to be raised.
The most important ceremonies of worship are the daily prayers to Lathander at dawn, often held outdoors or where the dawn can be seen. This ritual is followed in importance by the twilight devotions. Some temples and shrines also add to these two daily ceremonies an optional prayer and song to Lathander at highsun. To these daily devotions are added special prayers said when offerings are presented at the altar and when priests call on Lathander for guidance or aid. These ceremonies are all joyful, but dignified, and usually involve prayer, song, and ritual drinking of well water touched by the dawn. On special occasions, on Midsummer morning, and on the mornings of the vernal and autumnal equinoxes, priests of Lathander perform the Song of Dawn, praising Lathander with a blend of vocal harmonies and counterharmonies of beautiful complexity.
Lathanderites seek to build anew, encourage the rebirth of barren areas and more productive growth in cultivated lands, drive out evil, and either restore civilization to heights it once had or lead it to new dizzying heights of interracial harmony, cooperation, and pursuit of the arts and progress. To do this, they battle monsters to nurture civilization; they plant seeds and new seedlings, they encourage and aid adventurers, travelers, traders, and pilgrims as the harbingers of culture; and they recover lost magical items, pieces of literature, and works of art. Lathanderites study, restore, and attempt to duplicate, emulate, or expand upon these recovered items and works when possible.
Temples and shrines also sponsor athletic events and competitions where people of all classes and races can strive together in nonhostile competition in wrestling, distance throwing, target archery, running, jumping, horseback riding, or any of a number of other noninjurious sports. Other competitions sponsored by Lathanderian churches are for honors in the literary and fine arts. Such competitions are usually for a prize, which may be money, a special item or piece of art, or even a work written about the victor by a famous poet or artist. Winning a competition sponsored by the Lathanderites brings great status in certain circles.
Temples and shrines to Lathander provide aid to adventurers and communities in their area as long as such aid is returned in good faith. Priests of Lathander try tirelessly to encourage those of good alignments to the more dedicated worship of the Morninglord if they are not already Lathanderites, but they do not insist on conversions or withhold aid if they are refused.
Lathanderites are expected to make regular offerings of ideas, inventions, coins, discovered artifacts, or food to Lathanderian temples and shrines. Much more valuable offerings such as magical items or quantities of gold are demanded of nonbelievers in return for special services like rescue missions or raising from the dead.
Affiliated Orders
The Order of the Aster is a knightly order of paladins, crusaders, and fighters. Members of this order protect temples and shrines, serve to lead large military groups levied as needed to serve the church, and roam the land seeking to do good in Lathander's name and promote his worship. Individual temples and shrines of Lathander do not usually maintain standing military forces of substantial size due to their cost, although they often retain warriors and members of the Order of the Aster to guard their establishments in numbers that each temple decides are appropriate and affordable.
The Order of the Sun Soul is a monastic brotherhood. The order is widespread but their largest monastery is the Monastery of the Sun in Loamport.
Wealthy and popular, the church of Lathander has opulent temples throughout the North, some of which push back the borders of good taste, as well as less audacious and more serviceable structures in most towns and cities and dotting all of Faerûn. The main room of a temple faces east and is open to the horizon, at least in part, so that the faithful can see the dawn. The high priest or priestess of a shrine or temple is often called a prior or an abbess, although titles vary throughout the church.
Major Centers of Worship
The Spires of the Morning in Loamport, headed by High Radiance Ghentilara, is the largest and probably most opulent of Lathander's temples. The Tower of the Morning in Caeor, run by High Radiance Durneth Seafarer, is the second most prominent of his temples, though much simpler in design than the Spires of the Morning.
For Cleric/Wizards
When you gain a level from 2–5, you may choose a single Domain. A full list of domain spells and moves is under Choosing a God in Advanced Play Guides.
When you gain a level from 6–10, you may choose a second Domain.
If you choose the primary domain for your god, you also get the Primary Domain Move of that domain and take +1 to cast spells from the domain.
Clerics/Wizards
If you are a Cleric or Wizard (and your god permits your class), choose from the following domains. You add all spells of the chosen domain to your spell list, up to level 7 (once you meet the mana requirements) or up to level 9 (if it's the primary domain and once you meet the mana requirements).
Primary Domain
Life (Gain this domain's level 1-7 spells, this Primary Domain Move, and this level 9 spell)
Primary Domain Move
Move: I'm Not Dead Yet
Take +1 to Last Gasp rolls. This stacks with other Last Gasp bonuses.
Level 9 Spell
Meal of Atonement | Level 9
By sacrificing your own life energy, you can create a magical loaf of bread or bottle of wine. Take 2d10 damage once these are created. A person you select may eat or drink one of these items; if they worship a god friendly to your own, they are redeemed for violating their own vows or requirements. If they worship a god unfriendly to your own, they are placed under the effects of a Trap Soul automatically, except they are imprisoned in the bottle of wine. You can have only one loaf of bread or bottle of wine created by this spell out at one time.
Secondary Domains
Agriculture (Gain this domain's level 1-7 spells)
Creation(Gain this domain's level 1-7 spells)
Peace (Gain this domain's level 1-7 spells)
Sun (Gain this domain's level 1-7 spells)
For Non-Cleric/Wizards
When you gain a level from 2–5, you may choose a single Domain. A full list of domain spells and moves is under Choosing a God in Advanced Play Guides.
When you gain a level from 6–10, you may choose a second Domain.
If you choose the primary domain for your god, you also get the Primary Domain Move of that domain and take +1 to cast spells from the domain.
Non-Cleric/Wizards
If you are not a Cleric or Wizard, you gain access to all spells of your chosen domain up to level 3 and can cast them using the Cast a Spell Cleric move (you do not however gain any spells from the Cleric spell list). You can also gain a secondary domain move from that domain, in addition to the domain spells.
Primary Domain
Life (Gain this domain's level 1 and 3 spells, this Primary Domain Move, and a Secondary Domain Move)
Primary Domain Move
Move: I'm Not Dead Yet
Take +1 to Last Gasp rolls. This stacks with other Last Gasp bonuses.
Secondary Domain Moves (choose 1):
Hope
When any fear effect is used on you (Cause Fear, Barbarian's War Cry, etc.), you have hope. Take -1 ongoing instead of being controlled until the source of fear is removed or the fear effect ends.
Champion of the Sun, Master of Karate
You gain the Monk move Fistmaster General. If you already have Fistmaster General you may take another Monk move instead. When you are the storyteller for the Last Gasp taken by a Standard race, you must always render them unconscious (not dead), unless they are undead. If you ever kill someone not listed above or wield a weapon other than your fists in battle you lose this move permanently.
Secondary Domains
Agriculture (Gain this domain's level 1 and 3 spells and this Secondary Domain Move)
Secondary Domain Move:
Green Thumb
So long as you tend to them daily (with RP!), plants under your care cannot be killed except by being burned or uprooted, even if they are trampled, frozen, eaten from, infested, or become riddled with parasites; they can recover within a day.
Creation (Gain this domain's level 1 and 3 spells and this Secondary Domain Move)
Secondary Domain Move:
It’s a Miiiiiracle!
Select one item you’ve made; it can’t be a weapon or armor. It becomes unbreakable by anyone but yourself. This can be applied to only one item at a time.
Peace (Gain this domain's level 1 and 3 spells and this Secondary Domain Move)
Secondary Domain Move:
A Good, Clean Fight
You gain the Monk move Fistmaster General. If you already have Fistmaster General you may take another Monk move instead. When you are the storyteller for the Last Gasp taken by a Standard race, you must always render them unconscious (not dead), unless they are undead. If you ever kill someone not listed above or wield a weapon other than your fists in battle you lose this move permanently.
Sun (Gain this domain's level 1 and 3 spells and this Secondary Domain Move)
Secondary Domain Move:
It’s All Right
When you assist lawfully appointed officers of the law, they take +1 forward. You can’t use this to benefit yourself.