Title(s): The Dread Queen [Demigoddess]
Symbol: A skull over a field of roses.
Home Plane: Abyss
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Portfolio: Lost love, faded beauty
Worshipers: Heartbroken lovers, necromancers, the elderly
Cleric Alignments: CE, NE, CN
Domains: Knowledge, Evil, Magic
Favored Weapon: Banda's Touch (quarterstaff)
Allies: Shar
Enemies: Sune, Tyr
HISTORY/RELATIONSHIPS: Much of Clar Banda's known history is in the tome Clar Banda: The Dread Queen. In 1379, it is known that Banda through some unholy ritual gained deityhood through the sponsorship and aid of Shar near the region of the Stonelands at the edge of the Anauroch Desert. The ritual is believed to have consumed the souls of hundreds of people slain in plagues and disasters Banda perpetuated against the region of Arabel and the now cursed village of Hallowfaust; once called East Way and a thriving farming town.
Banda is known to be opposed by Sune, to whom the mere existence of Banda's portfolio of lost love and faded beauty is anathema. Tyr too opposes the lich, his warriors long sought to destroy Banda and now that she has obtained godhood--he has taken a personal interest in ensuring her power does not continue to grow according to his priesthood.
SETTING-SPECIFIC HISTORY: Banda was a long time enemy of Arabel, who after years of steady growth in her power was able to gain the power of a goddess as she gained worship and offerings from those who now make up her faithful, often adventurers who had lost loved ones and would honor Banda as a goddess to have those lost loves returned to them-even if it meant the loved ones returned as the tortured spirits of the undead. Knowledge of Banda's ascension is not well known by the spring of 1379, but rumor of her apotheosis will spread quickly through the summer of this year.
DOGMA: Beauty brings love. Love leads to loss. Loss leads death. Only if you accept this can you live forever. Beauty is fleeting, and illusionary, only power and knowledge console you when beauty fades. Through magic you might restore those you love as the undead to serve and console you. This is the proper cycle of the enlightened mind, death is merely the beginning of enlightenment for those who understand that beauty and life are a impermanent things to be left behind.
Examples of characters who might follow Clar Banda:
- Adventurers or people of Arabel who lost loved ones to Banda's ravages, and now worship her to have those lost souls returned to their power as spirits.
- Aging and elderly people, nearing the end of their lives looking to prolong it or regain even the illusion of their former youth and beauty.
- Star-crossed lovers, hoping Clar Banda will stay her hand and ravages, leaving them their youth and love for now.
- Anyone seeking consolation and knowledge necessary to deal with a lost love, or misspent youth.