An Introduction to the Forgotten Realms: Gods

ofNeutrality
AsImentionedinmylastarticle,therearealotofgodsinthe
ForgottenRealms.ThelistinthePlayersHandbookhasonlya
fewofthem!Thisarticlepresentsfiveoftheimportantgodsof
Neutrality.

Kelemvor, Lord of the Dead

Kelemvorisanothermortalwhobecameagod.Theloverof
Midnight(whobecameMystra),henowfunctionsasjudgeofthe
dead.Basically,whenyoudie,Kelemvorworksoutwhereyouend
up.

Hehatesundead.Really,reallyhatesthem.Thismakeshimagreatdeitytofollowifyoure
goingtobeplayinginacampaignwithalotofundeadyoullalwayshaveanincharacter
reasontogoafterthem.HispriestsareknownasDoomguides,andtheycounselthe
bereavedandtrytoaidthemintheirtimeofgrief.Alongtheway,theylikelygettodestroya
fewundeadaswell!

ThisputshisfaithinstarkcontrasttothatofMyrkul,thegodofthedeadkilledintheTime
ofTroubles.Myrkulwasanevildeitywhoseprieststhoughtundeathwasthebestthing
ever.RumoursthatheisbackarelikelydeniedbytheDoomguides.

AsforKelemvor,hessomethingofarockyrunasadeity.HismortalselfwasslainbyCyric
(onhiswaytobecomingagodhimself),hissoulwastrappedintheswordGodsbane,which
wasactuallythedeityMask,godofthieves.MasksmachinationseventuallycausedCyric
tolosecontrolofthelandofthedeadandforKelemvortoascend(1368DR).Kelemvorthen
showedalotoffavouritisminhisjudgements,whichledtohisbeingaccusedof
incompetencebytheothergods.Eventuallyhesettleduponbeingstrictlyfairinhis
judgements,andsohehascontinuedtothisday.

KelemvorisLawfulNeutral.HischieftemplesareinOrmath(intheShiningPlains)and
Ormpetarr(inSepech).HewastheonlydeitywithatempleinPhlan,whichiswherethe
TyrannyofDragonsadventuresweresetfortheD&DExpeditionsprogram.

KelemvorsfollowersmainlywouldserveintheOrderoftheGauntlet,althoughIwouldntbe
surprisedtoseethemintheLordsAllianceaswell.TheZhentarim?Very,veryunlikely.
Tempus, the Foehammer
Doyoulikefighting?ThenTempusislikelythedeityforyou!

WhenyougetaChaoticNeutraldeityofWar,yourenottalkingaboutagreatlordof
strategyhere.Tempusjustenjoysbattle,anddispenseshisfavourrandomlytothose
participatingoratleast,thatshowusmortalsseeit.Hesverypopularasadeityofthe
northernbarbarians(whocallhimTempos),andofwarriorsallthroughtheRealms.Ifyoure
playingaBarbarian,theresafairchanceyouworshipTempus.

ThedogmaofTempusstatesthathegiveshisfavourstothedeservingwarriorwhatever
thatmeans!Hesnotopposedforhisfollowersfromretreatingfrombattlestheydotherwise
lose,butneitherdoesheappreciatemortalsconstantlyavoidingbattle.Itsthetruetestof
valour.

Despitehischaoticalignment,Tempusdoesrespectsomethings.Displaysofvalour.
Honourinbattle.Hesnotagodofrandomdestruction:hedratheryouattackan
opponentsarmyratherthandestroytheirhomes.Killingwomenandchildren?Thatsnot
thewayofthetruewarrior.

Befearless.Neverturnawayfromafight.Obeytherulesofwar.

TherearethreenotabletemplestoTempusIcanfind:theAbbeyoftheSwordinBattledale,
TheHouseofGloryinTantras,andtheTowersoftheVengefulHandinEshpurta,butyoure
likelytofindshrinesandprieststoTempuseverywhere!MulmasteralsohastheHighHouse
ofSwords,forpeopleplayingD&DExpeditionsintheElementalEvilseason.

TherearelikelytobefollowersofTempusinmostofthefactions,althoughtheLords
AllianceandZhentarimwouldseembetterfits.

Silvanus, the Forest Father

TheoriginalversionofdruidsinDungeons&DragonsonlyallowedthemtobeTrueNeutral,
withoneinterpretationbeingthattheywereremovedfromcivilisationandattemptedto
protecttheforestsfrombeingcutdownformorehumanstolivethere.Silvanusdatesfrom
thatinterpretation,whichalsoencompassestheideaoflifehavingtobeinbalance:with
GoodbalancedbyEvilandLawbalancedbyChaos.

SilvanusisliftedfromtheCelticpantheontheoriginalentryonhiminthefirstboxedset
saidtolookinLegendsandLoreforadescription,whichdoesntgivethatmuchmore
detail.Basically,hesworshippedbydruidsandtheirfollowers,andhasachancetoappear
whenadruidorhisgroveisdamaged.Moredetailhasbeenaddedsince.Hesservedby
Mielikki,andstronglybelievesintheBalance.Hedoesntbelievethatviolenceshouldbethe
firstresortofdisputation,buthesnotagainstitwhentimeisnotonhissideorheorhis
followersarethreatened.

Hisfollowerscanoccasionallyignorethatlast,andratheraggressivelygoagainstpeople
whomightthreatenthewild,butitsnotpartofhiscorebelief.Really!

Yes,SilvanusisTrueNeutral.

OakengroveAbbeyisamajortempleofSilvanusintheGreatForestofCormanthor,south
oftheMoonsea.YourelikelytofindshrinestoSilvanusinthewilderpartsoftheRealms
especiallytheNorthandtheDalelands.Bigformaltemples?Quiteunusual.Druidicgroves?
Muchmorelikely!

TheworshippersofSilvanusmakeupalargeportionoftheEmeraldEnclave.Isupposea
fewmightbeintheOrderoftheGauntletortheHarpers,butitsEmeraldEnclavethatfits
best.

Gond, the Wonderbringer

OneofthemoreunusualdeitiesintheForgottenRealms,Gondisthegodofinvention.Did
youknowtheresaformofgunpowderintheRealms,smokepowder?ThatsGondsfault.

TheislandofLantanwasthecentreofhisworship,althoughtheresalsoamajortemple
complextohiminBaldursGate.WhenAbeirandTorilfusedagainintheaftermathofthe
Spellplague,Lantanwasfloodedbytheresultingtsunamis,andmostoftheirtechnology
waslost.TherewaswildrejoicingalloverFaern!Well,probablynot,becauseeveryone
wasrecoveringfromthedevastation,butitsfairtosaythattheworshippersofGondwere
viewedwithafairdealofscepticismandintolerancebythosewhohadwitnesstheresults
oftheirlabour.

ThefaithofGondisentirelyaboutbringingnewstuffintoexistence.Consequences?What
arethose?Itsthepursuitofthenew,thebringingintothelightofsomethingnoonehad
previouslythoughtofthatisimportant.Itllmakelifebetterinthelongrun.Honest!

GondsalignmentisNeutral,andyoullfindthattherearelotofgnomesthatworshiphim,
alongwithsmithsandothercraftsmen.

Theresalongstandingtensionbetweenmagicandtechnology(insomefantasyworlds,the
riseoftechnologymeansthelossofmagic).ImnotsureifthatstrueintheRealms,butits
certainthattheworshippersofMystraandGonddonttendtogetalongthatwell.

FollowersofGondwouldmostlybeintheLordsAlliance,althoughIwouldntbesurprisedif
afewwereintheZhentarimorHarpers.

Helm, the Watcher

Ifyouneedaguardianwhotakeshisjobseriouslyandneverwavers,chooseHeimdall.
UnlessyoureintheRealms,inwhichcaseHelmisyourgod.Patronofcityguardsand
soldierseverywhere,theworshipofHelmisomnipresentincivilisationsthattakeseriously
theruleoflaw.Whichmeans,ofcourse,therearealotofplacesintheRealmsthatdont
careabouthimatall!

HelmmanagedtogetaprettybadreputationduringtheAvatarCrisisashewasthedeity
settopreventalltheexiledgodsfromreturninghome.Mystradidntbelievehedstopher,
sohekilledhertoshowhewasserious.Yes,Helmhasnosenseofhumour.(Ifthecurrent
MystraisactuallyMystryl,thisisnttheversionofMystrathatHelmkilled.Theymight
actuallyrespecteachother!)AndthentherewasthebusinesswiththeinvasionofMaztica,
wherehisfollowerstookontherolesoftheconquistadorsOfcourse,thenAbeirandToril
fusedandMazticawasntthereanymore.ItsprobablybackpostSundering

Helmwasslainin1384DRbyTyr,possiblyattheinstigationofCyric.Duringtheevents
ofTheSentinel,hechoosesanewChosen:Kleef,onceaguardfromMarsember.So,hes
back

IfyoureaLawfulfighter,Helmisaprettygoodchoiceasyourdeity.Twosignificant
templesofHelmcouldbefoundinProcampurandTsurlagol,bothintheVast.

FollowersofHelmcanbefoundmainlyintheLordsAlliance,althoughsomemightbeinthe
OrderoftheGauntlet.