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Astilabor (pronounced As-TIL-uh-bore)[2] was the neutral dragon goddess of acquisitiveness and wealth.[3] She represented the draconic desire to acquire and treasure wealth and by doing so gain status, and so she was, in a way, the archetype of dragonkind.[1]

Description

Astilabor usually manifested as a huge dragon that shimmered with all the chromatic and metallic colors of dragonkind.[2]

Realm

Astilabor's home plane was unknown,[3] but she was reputed to have a lair hidden somewhere in the plane of Limbo that contained more wealth than that found on all the planets of Realmspace.[2]

Worshipers

Astilabor was revered by dragons of all kinds but actively worshiped by few.[4] She was also worshiped by draconic humanoids and by those who sought to increase their wealth.[3] However, even those dragons that only paid lip service to her engraved her holy symbol on their hoards as a protective ward.[4]

Dragons who worshiped Astilabor sometimes promised a share of their gains to the deity if she helped them in their ventures, but never sacrificed what they had promised to her, as they believed Astilabor would lose her respect for them if they gave up their wealth so easily.[2]

Astilabor's worshipers were friendly toward those of Moradin and Garl Glittergold, as those gods respected the value of material wealth such as coins and gems. However, they distrusted the followers of gods of mischief and thieves, as they believed they were thieves at heart.[4]

Clergy

Astilabor accepted only clerics with an element of neutrality in their alignment, as they had to remain pure in their goal of acquiring and increasing hoards, and then protecting their treasures. Her clerics also abstained from getting involved in the conflicts of other dragons, and had a habit of rewarding those who had accumulated a large and valuable hoard.[3]

Temples

Temples to Astilabor were generally grand structures that were secure and well protected. The lavish furnishings and accoutrements were typically objects loaned to the temple by the congregation, as her worshipers struggled between the need to add to their own hoards and their desire to honor their deity.[4]

A temple might have elaborate platinum candlesticks and wall sconces provided by one dragon and cloth-of-gold wall hangings provided by another. The ownership of each item was always made clear, using a particular means characteristic of the owner.[4]

Dogma

Astilabor valued wealth and power, but she disliked greed and disapproved of Tiamat's naked display of it. Astilabor instilled in dragonkind the innate need for collecting and protecting a hoard,[3] and on few and very rare occasions, Astilabor herself granted boons from her personal hoard to those who had pleased her.[2]

While she claimed that she disapproved of theft of any kind from her worshipers, she often turned a blind eye if such acts were performed in the name of increasing personal hoards.[3]

Rites

Most of Astilabor's rites involved a group of supplicants (some of those supplicants being typical adventuring parties) seeking to gain more wealth. If a worshiper did something that had offended her, the treasures gained by their quest were usually turned over to one of her temples.[4]

Prayers to Astilabor were often performed while her supplicants counted their hoards. A typical prayer was "All this gold belongs to me. May I add to my riches tenfold, tenfold times."[4]

Relationships

Astilabor's allies included dragons, half-dragons, and other draconic creatures. Although some of those allies had celestial or fiendish lineage, all of Astilabor's allies always had a neutral component to their alignment.[4]

Appendix

Notes

  1. While Cult of the Dragon (1998) lists her as an intermediate deity, Draconomicon (1990) states that she is a greater deity.

References

Connections

The Draconic Pantheon
Greater Deities
AsgorathNullTask
Intermediate Deities
KereskaNathair SgiathachZorquan
Lesser Deities
AstilaborBahamutGaryxHlalLendysSardiorTamaraTiamat
Demigods
Kuyutha
Dead powers
AzharulKalzareinad
Unknown
Zotha

Deities of the Post–Second Sundering Era
Ao the Overgod
Faerûnian Pantheon
Akadi | Amaunator | Asmodeus | Auril | Azuth | Bane | Beshaba | Bhaal | Chauntea | Cyric | Deneir | Eldath | Gond | Grumbar | Gwaeron | Helm | Hoar | Ilmater | Istishia | Jergal | Kelemvor | Kossuth | Lathander | Leira | Lliira | Loviatar | Malar | Mask | Mielikki | Milil | Myrkul | Mystra | Oghma | Red Knight | Savras | Selûne | Shar | Silvanus | Sune | Talona | Talos | Tempus | Torm | Tymora | Tyr | Umberlee | Valkur | Waukeen
The Morndinsamman
Abbathor | Berronar Truesilver | Clangeddin Silverbeard | Deep Duerra | Dugmaren Brightmantle | Dumathoin | Gorm Gulthyn | Haela Brightaxe | Laduguer | Marthammor Duin | Moradin | Sharindlar | Vergadain
The Seldarine
Aerdrie Faenya | Angharradh | Corellon | Deep Sashelas | Erevan | Fenmarel Mestarine | Hanali Celanil | Labelas Enoreth | Rillifane Rallathil | Sehanine Moonbow | Shevarash | Solonor Thelandira
The Dark Seldarine
Eilistraee | Kiaransalee | Lolth | Selvetarm | Vhaeraun
Yondalla's Children
Arvoreen | Brandobaris | Cyrrollalee | Sheela Peryroyl | Urogalan | Yondalla
Lords of the Golden Hills
Baervan Wildwanderer | Baravar Cloakshadow | Callarduran Smoothhands | Flandal Steelskin | Gaerdal Ironhand | Garl Glittergold | Nebelun | Segojan Earthcaller | Urdlen
Orc Pantheon
Bahgtru | Gruumsh | Ilneval | Luthic | Shargaas | Yurtrus
Mulhorandi pantheon
Anhur | Bast | Geb | Hathor | Horus | Isis | Nephthys | Osiris | Re | Sebek | Set | Thoth
Other gods of Faerûn
Bahamut | Enlil | Finder Wyvernspur | Ghaunadaur | Gilgeam | Lurue | Moander | Nobanion | Raven Queen | Tiamat



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