Beshaba
Basic Information
Title(s)	Black Bess, Lady Doom, The Maid of Misfortune[1]
Symbol	Black antlers on a red field[1][2]
Power level	Intermediate deity Formerly: Lesser deity (1e)[1]
Alignment	Neutral Evil[3] Formerly: Chaotic evil (1e)[1]
Favored weapon	Ill Fortune (barbed scourge)
Influence
Dominion	Warrior's Rest[3] The Barrens of Doom and Despair (formerly) Formerly: Abyss (1e)[1]
Sphere(s) of influence	Bad Luck[3]
Portfolio	Accidents Bad Luck Misfortune Random mischief
Domains	Fate, Trickery[4] Formerly: Chaos, Evil, Luck
Worshipers
Worshipers	Assassins, auspicians, capricious individuals, gamblers, rogues, sadists
Worshiper alignment(s)	LG NG CG LN N CN LE NE CE

Beshaba (pronounced be-SHAH-ba ^[5]), or Lady Doom as she is also known, is the neutral evil intermediate deity of accidents, bad luck, misfortune, and random mischief and a member of Tempus' pantheon.^[3] She demands worship to keep her bad luck at bay. Her aim in life, is to desiccate and disintegrate her sister Tymora, or Lady Luck. She also delights in cursing others, often causing seafarers to lose their navigational instincts.

WorshipersEdit

Beshaba is revered more out of fear, than out of religious faith. Her doctrine states that bad luck befalls everybody and the only way to avoid it is by worshiping her. She is renowned for being spiteful and malevolent, and her priests manipulate common folk into revering and providing for them by acting mysteriously and playing on morbid fears. Her clerics must offer an entreaty for their spells and make sacrifices of alcoholic beverages such as burning brandy or wine. There are two festivals in the calendar of Beshaba followers at Midsummer and Shieldmeet. Both are celebrated by revelry and indulgence in food and drink.

OrdersEdit

Black Fingers 

Only by Beshaba's likings, some male clerics, evil thieves, and fighters of Beshaba can join this secret order. They act as assassins dedicated to their goddess's name.

Relationships Edit

Beshaba is the twin sister and sworn enemy of Tymora, whom she seeks to destroy.

She is Tempus' lover.^[3]

HistoryEdit

Beshaba came into being when the deity Tyche split during the Dawn Cataclysm, a separate disaster relating to the machinations of Lathander. Tyche was infected with a taint of the dark god Moander and was forced to split into two parts by her friend Selûne. Those two parts, Tymora and Beshaba, sprang out fully formed and immediately fought. Beshaba, who is said to have gotten Tyche's looks where Tymora got her love, is considered to be attractive to many male deities and some have been devoured with her lustful passions. She has rejected advances from Talos, among other hopefuls. Mortals who perceive the Maid of Misfortune are often destroyed by their lust or driven to maddened loyalty.

AppearancesEdit

• Tymora's Luck by Kate Novak and Jeff Grubb (1997)

ReferencesEdit

SourcesEdit

• Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.

• Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. TSR, Inc. ISBN 978-0786903849.