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Beshaba (pronounced: /bɛˈʃɑːbɑːbe-SHAH-ba[9] about this audio file listen) was the chaotic evil intermediate deity of accidents, bad luck, misfortune, and random mischief,[9] and a member of Tempus' pantheon during the Spellplague.[6] Lady Doom was the equally acknowledged counterpart of Tymora, Lady Luck, and demanded worship to keep her misfortunes at bay. Most feared her presence, but few would risk not invoking her name and inviting her to any event, lest she take offense and wreak havoc upon all involved.[1]

Beshaba, like Tymora, arose from the corrupted form of Tyche. Once Tymora came forth, all that was tainted by Moander coalesced and stepped out as the goddess of ill fortune, Beshaba. Beshaba was lovely to behold, but her heart was malicious and spiteful. Beshaba and Tymora hated one another instantly and tried to destroy each other. Fortunately other powerful gods were present at the time and helped separate the battling sisters. Beshaba fled to live on the dark planes, which were more suited to her spirit.

Description[]

Beshaba appeared as a young, tall, slim, and beautiful maiden with a wild mane of pure white hair. The woman was pale, had a small waist and voluptuous shape. Her corpse-like pale skin was countered by flushed hues of blue and violet on the cheeks and throat. Beshaba's most prominent feature were her yellow-rimmed eyes that were ablaze with insanity. She was adorned in a tight gown that snugly wrapped her body in pitch-black fabric. She wore a tiara of black pearls.[14]

Personality[]

Beshaba was a spiteful, petty and purportedly insane goddess whose actions often seemed random to onlookers. Her primary motivation however was jealousy, specifically towards her sister for her more favorable public reception, and so she demanded equal lip service (if not actual veneration) lest she curse the offenders.[3] Unlike her sister Tymora, who happily shared her gifts with her own worshipers as well as her godly allies, Beshaba hoarded her divine powers, creating a reserve.[15]

Relationships[]

Beshaba, who was said to have gotten Tyche's looks where Tymora got her love, was considered to be attractive to many male deities and some have been devoured by her lustful passions. Mortals who perceived the Maid of Misfortune were often destroyed by their lust or driven to maddened loyalty.[3][9]

She rejected advances from Talos, among other hopefuls.[3][9]

Beshaba was the twin sister and sworn enemy of Tymora.[3][9]

She was Tempus' lover.[6]

Beshaba was served by alu-fiends who were outfitted with silver breastplates decorated with the goddess' symbol - stag horns. Two of her loyal demonic servants were Okim and Airdna.[16]

Worshipers[]

Beshaba symbol

The holy symbol of Beshaba.

Beshaba Symbol-5e

Another depiction of a holy symbol of Beshaba

Beshaba was revered more out of fear than out of religious faith. Her doctrine stated that bad luck befell everybody and the only way to avoid it was by worshiping her. She was renowned for being spiteful and malevolent, and her priests manipulated common folk into revering and providing for them by acting mysteriously and playing on morbid fears. Her clerics offered an entreaty for their spells and made sacrifices of alcoholic beverages such as burning brandy or wine. There were two festivals in the calendar of Beshaba, at Midsummer and Shieldmeet. Both were celebrated by revelry and indulgence in food and drink.[3][9]

Red Wizards of Thay were known to erect shrines to Beshaba near their ritual chambers to ward off bad luck.[1]

Giant black stags with red eyes who could gore an elephant with ease served the goddess of misfortune and inhabited Beshaba's Blood Tor.[17]

Orders[]

  • Doommasters: The best known order of specialty priests, universally feared for the way they reveled in the infliction of misfortune on others.[4]
  • Black Fingers: Only by Beshaba's favor could some evil male clerics, thieves, and fighters join this secret order. They acted as assassins dedicated to their goddess's name.[4]
  • Wormlucks: In order to spread Beshaba's influence and counter the church of Tymora, the Wormlucks (or Priests of Bad Fortune) were created, serving as a focus for calamities that occurred wherever they went, often affecting them as well. Their style of dress was distinctive, forced upon them by the orthodox clergy to avoid confusion with them and for high visibility. They wore bright red robes worn over armor and white hair wigs, which had to be obvious and usually ill-fitting, to honor Beshaba's own locks.[18]

History[]

Priest of Beshaba

A cleric of Beshaba.

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.[3][9][19]

In 1368 DR, Doljust, an aging nobleman, displeased the goddess of ill-luck. Beshaba used her divine magics to twist the man's luck. She watched Doljust as he faced off against a werebat. The creature's cave had two dead toddlers in front of it, which was a grim omen of things to come. The goddess swayed the noble's hound, forcing the beast to pounce at the lycanthrope as Doljust swung his sword. As the man mourned his beloved dying dog, Beshaba's vengeance became apparent. Doljust swung his blade one again, at a sound that came from behind. A moment later, another, smaller werebat, cleaved by Doljust's sword, shifted back to its humanoid form. The adolescent werebeast was a young child who whispered "grandfather" as he died in his older relative's arms.[20]

Trivia[]

  • "Beshaba's bad breath!" was a common exclamation, when facing bad luck.[21]

Appendix[]

Appearances[]

Novels & Short Stories

Card Games

Further Reading[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Steve Kenson, et al. (November 2015). Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 21, 26–27. ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 10. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 42. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 43–44. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  5. Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). Player's Handbook 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 62–63, 294. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 80. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  7. Logan Bonner (August, 2009). “Domains in Eberron and the Forgotten Realms”. In Chris Youngs ed. Dragon #378 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 32.
  8. Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 235. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. Edited by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 91–92. ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.
  10. Hal Maclean (September 2004). “Seven Deadly Domains”. In Matthew Sernett ed. Dragon #323 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), p. 65.
  11. Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 16. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
  12. Sean K. Reynolds (2002-05-04). Deity Do's and Don'ts (Zipped PDF). Web Enhancement for Faiths and Pantheons. Wizards of the Coast. p. 10. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2018-09-08.
  13. Kate Novak, Jeff Grubb (December 1997). Tymora's Luck. (TSR, Inc.), p. 84. ISBN 0-7869-0726-6.
  14. Kate Novak, Jeff Grubb (December 1997). Tymora's Luck. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 1, p. 8. ISBN 0-7869-0726-6.
  15. Kate Novak, Jeff Grubb (December 1997). Tymora's Luck. (TSR, Inc.), p. 148. ISBN 0-7869-0726-6.
  16. Kate Novak, Jeff Grubb (December 1997). Tymora's Luck. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 1, p. 7. ISBN 0-7869-0726-6.
  17. Kate Novak, Jeff Grubb (December 1997). Tymora's Luck. (TSR, Inc.), p. 106. ISBN 0-7869-0726-6.
  18. John Terra (February 1996). Warriors and Priests of the Realms. Edited by Steven E. Schend. (TSR, Inc), p. 70. ISBN 0-7869-0368-6.
  19. Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. Edited by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 77–78. ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.
  20. Kate Novak, Jeff Grubb (December 1997). Tymora's Luck. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 1, pp. 9–10. ISBN 0-7869-0726-6.
  21. Carrie Bebris (2001). Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 10, p. 181. ISBN 0-7869-1387-8.

Sources[]

Connections[]

The Faerûnian Pantheon
Major Deities
AzuthBaneBhaalChaunteaCyricGondHelmIlmaterKelemvorKossuthLathanderLoviatarMaskMielikkiMyrkulMystra (Midnight) • OghmaSelûneSharShaundakulSilvanusSuneTalosTempusTormTymoraTyrUmberleeWaukeen
Other Members
AkadiAurilBeshabaDeneirEldathFinder WyvernspurGaragosGargauthGerronGrumbarGwaeron WindstromHoarIstishiaIyachtu XvimJergalLliiraLurueMalarMililNobanionThe Red KnightSavrasSharessShialliaSiamorpheTalonaTiamatUbtaoUlutiuValkurVelsharoon

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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