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Helm

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Symbol of Helm

Helm

Title(s) The Great Guard
The Watcher
The Vigilant One
Power Level Dead power
Formerly: Intermediate deity
Subservient Deities {{{minions}}}
Dominion House of the Triad
Alignment Lawful neutral
Sphere {{{sphere}}}
Portfolio Guardians
Protection
Protectors
Worshipers Explorers, fighters, guards, mercenaries, paladins
Cleric Alignments
Domains Law, Planning, Protection, Strength
Holy Day(s) {{{holy days}}}
Favored Weapon Ever Watchful
(bastard sword)
Channel Divinity Prayer {{{channel divinity}}}

Helm (pronounced HELM [1]), also known as the Vigilant One and The Watcher, is the god of guardians, protection and protectors. He is worshiped by guards and paladins both, long being seen as a cold and focused deity who impartially took the role of defender and sometimes also enforcer. His activities in the Time of Troubles caused the folk of Faerûn to look differently on the Watcher.

Contents

[edit] Festivals

Helmites celebrate the festival known as the Ceremony of Honor to Helm on Shieldmeet; the faith being, or was, especially popular in Cormyr, the Dragon Coast, Tethyr, the Vilhon Reach, and the Western Heartlands.

[edit] Worshipers

Helmites have long been respected and revered for their dedication and purpose, and their pledge to come to the defense of those who call for it. They wear polished full suits of armor often with plumed helmets. Their hierarchy is strict and militaristic, with specific groups such as the order of paladins called the Vigilant Eyes of the Deity, and originally also a single pontiff, head of the church—the Supreme Watcher. However, there has not been someone in this post since 992 DR.

When preparing for battle, a Patriarch of Helm might use a ceremonial mace to cover troops in holy water, known as "Tears of Helm".[2]

[edit] Orders

Watchers over the Fallen 
The Watchers over the Fallen form a small fellowship of battlefield healers who worship Helm. Only clerics in high favor may join.
Everwatch Knights 
The Everwatch Knights are a group of dedicated bodyguards whom Helmite temples hire out to others to generate revenue.
Vigilant Eyes of the Deity 
This is the order of the paladins who worship Helm. All paladins may join this guild after squirehood.
He Who Watches Over Travelers 
This is a relatively obscure order of clerics who see to the blessings of those about to partake on long journeys, such as traders and merchants.

[edit] Relationships

A very old deity, Helm is the eternal sentry and is always represented and seen wearing a full suit of armor that represents the weight of his heavy responsibility. Yet Helm gets, and has always gotten, the job at hand done without complaint. The people of the Realms widely admired these qualities in what they saw as a humble and reassuring god.

[edit] History

Far back in time, the deity Lathander caused a divine purge known as the Dawn Cataclysm in which Helm's lover, a lesser deity of pragmatism called Murdane, was victim. Helm has begrudged the Morninglord this ever since. However Helm reserves his real opposition for deities whose plots threaten the people and stability of Faerûn, especially Bane and Cyric, as well as Mask and Shar. He is also especially at odds with the uncontrolled violence and careless destruction of the deities Garagos, Malar, and Talos.

[edit] Time of Troubles

Main article: Time of Troubles
During the Time of Troubles, when the gods walked Toril, it was in reliable Helm that Lord Ao trusted the task of keeping the other deities from returning to their divine realms in the planes without returning the stolen Tablets of Fate. For this task Ao left Helm with all his divine abilities, guarding the Celestial Stairway to the planes. When the goddess Mystra—who had spirited away a portion of her divine power in the realms, which she then recovered once the gods were cast from the heavens—attempted to pass him without the Tablets she was turned back by the Watcher, and when she forcibly tried to pass the Watcher, he destroyed her, on Midsummer, in the skies north of Arabel. This action had enormous repercussions for Helm, causing the other deities and mortals alike to hold Helm in great contempt.

[edit] Maztica

Main article: Maztica

After the Time of Troubles ended and other gods were restored to their former existences, Helm himself was no longer bound to stand guard against them and much of his worship had faltered. Things amongst his clergy were made worse when the natives of recently-discovered Maztica, whom the priests of Helm were subjugating in their conquest of the region, highlighted their cause. It is only in recent times that Helm has regained some of his popularity and respect, as people acknowledge that in the Time of Troubles he was doing what he had to. The only god who could be considered a full ally of the Watcher is Torm, the god of paladins. Strongly-held ideological differences have caused a great rivalry verging on hatred between the clergy of the two gods, but the deities themselves remain close.

[edit] Death

In 1384 DR, while conveying messages for Tyr to Tymora during the pair's courtship, a strange and fateful misunderstanding resulted in the accusation that Helm had stolen Tymora's heart. Helm is subsequently slain in a duel by Tyr. Cyric is suspected to have had a hand in these events.[3].

[edit] Notes

  1. Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition, p. 242. Wizards of the CoastISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
  2. Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (July 1996). Cormyr: A Novel, p. 302. Wizards of the CoastISBN 0-7869-0710-X.
  3. Brian R. James and Ed Greenwood (September, 2007). The Grand History of the Realms, p. 159. Wizards of the CoastISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.

[edit] References

Dead Deities of Toril
The Faerûnian Pantheon
Major Deities
AzuthBaneBhaalChaunteaCyricGondHelmIlmaterKelemvorKossuthLathanderLoviatarMaskMielikkiMyrkulMystra (Midnight) • OghmaSelûneSharShaundakulSilvanusSuneTalosTempusTormTymoraTyrUmberleeWaukeen
Other Members
AkadiAurilBeshabaDeneirEldathFinder WyvernspurGaragosGargauthGrumbarGwaeron WindstromHoarIstishiaIyachtu XvimJergalLliiraLurueMalarMililNobanionThe Red KnightSavrasSharessShialliaSiamorpheTalonaTiamatUbtaoUlutiuValkurVelsharoon


Deities of the Era of Upheaval
Ao the Overgod
Greater Deities of Faerûn
Angharradh | Bane | Chauntea | Corellon Larethian | Cyric | Garl Glittergold | Gruumsh | Horus-Re | Kelemvor | Lathander | Moradin | Mystra | Oghma | Shar | Silvanus | Sune | Talos | Tempus | Tyr | Yondalla
Other Deities of Faerûn
Abbathor | Arvoreen | Baervan Wildwanderer | Berronar Truesilver | Beshaba | Callarduran Smoothhands | Clangeddin Silverbeard | Cyrrollalee | Deep Duerra | Deep Sashelas | Dumathoin | Erevan Ilesere | Flandal Steelskin | Gond | Hanali Celanil | Helm | Ilmater | Isis | Labelas Enoreth | Laduguer | Lolth | Mask | Mielikki | Nephthys | Osiris | Rillifane Rallathil | Sehanine Moonbow | Segojan Earthcaller | Selûne | Set | Sharindlar | Sheela Peryroyl | Solonor Thelandira | Thoth | |Tymora | Umberlee | Urdlen | Vergadain
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