Semuanya was the lizardfolk deity of survival and propagation.[1][2][4]
Description
Semuanya appeared as an outsized lizard man, strong and agile in both body and mind. He wore only a loincloth and sometimes armor. He wielded a club studded with razor-sharp fragments of shells. He never spoke except when necessary.[2][4]
Personality & Dogma
Semuanya focused entirely on matters of survival and propagation, and nothing else. He taught his followers that any deed done in pursuit of these ends was good, and that any other action that was not was irrelevant and not even worth the effort. He encouraged them to reproduce, to live long lives, and to guarantee the safety of themselves and of their race. Neither good nor evil, nor lawful not chaotic, Semuanya was utterly amoral, uncaring, and unfeeling.[1][2][4]
He didn't even care much for the struggles of his own lizardfolk worshipers, let alone the issues of other beings, dismissing most of these as irrelevant to his greater concerns.[1][2] He would not even send omens to his shamans. He would only intervene or send an avatar when a major crisis threatened lizardfolk communities on a massive scale, such as in the event of climate change or a major invasion of hostile forces. Very rarely would he make an appearance in anything less.[2]
Abilities
An avatar of Semuanya had a thick scaly hide that shrugged off bludgeoning weapons, and was utterly impervious if the weapon wasn't magical. Bolt-like spells also had a tendency to bounce off his body, and he was highly resistant to illusion magic.[2] He could regenerate wounds taken or body parts lost. He could command all lizards and summon minotaur lizards to his aid.[4]
Activities
The purpose of Semuanya's existence was simply to exist.[4]
History
Semuanya was originally created as a fragment of the World Serpent, as was the original god of the lizardfolk, Essylliss.[1]
However, worship of Semuanya didn't take off until after Essylliss's decline around −31,500 DR, some two millennia after the fall of sarrukh-ruled Mhairshaulk. The divided factions of lizardfolk began to worship Semuanya, who represented the instinct to survive. Thereafter, the lizardfolk embraced Semuanya and Essylliss was almost forgotten.[1]
Relationships
Semuanya's uncaring nature meant that he was left alone by almost all other deities and thus had no allies and only one enemy of note. This enemy was the tanar'ri lord Sess'innek, who sought the dominion and corruption of lizardfolk, but no record existed of the two coming into conflict in any way, despite the archfiend's continual and increasing intrusion into Semuanya's business. However, Semuanya might eventually feel compelled to act against the demon.[1][2]
Worshipers
Semuanya was worshiped by the vast majority of lizardfolk in Faerûn,[1] with particular centers of his faith in the serpentfolk kingdom of Najara (where he was followed by the lizardfolk and muckdwellers)[5] and in the lizardfolk-ruled city of Surkh.[6] He was also commonly followed by free asabi in Anauroch, after they met a lizardfolk cleric of Semuanya and adopted the faith.[7]
Semuanya's priests were all tribal shamans who had little care for any concerns outside of their tribe and had no organized religion. In their tribes, they served as carers, healers, and medicine-men,[2] and even as tribal leaders.[4] Like their god, they were typically untalkative.[4] They called for their kin to avoid contact with all other races, and even to limit contact with other lizardfolk tribes, except for the purposes of breeding outside tribe.[2][4] Shamans were urged to breed every season; if ever they became infertile, they declined over a period of months and most eventually performed ritual suicide.[2]
Semuanya's favored weapon for his followers was the club. A lizardfolk cleric who cast weapon of the deity would receive a +1 screaming club.[1]
The lizardfolk of the Vast Swamp brewed a potent paralytic poison they said was sacred to Semuanya and not to be shared with outsiders.[8]
Semuanya's shamans were opposed by the followers of Sess'innek, who tried to slay them on sight.[2]
Appendix
Notes
For 3.5 edition, in Complete Divine, page 124, Semuanya is listed as having the lizardfolk portfolio, a greatclub favored weapon, and the Water domain. This is contradicted by Serpent Kingdoms pages 188 and 187, where Semuanya is listed as having the survival and propagation portfolios (and the lizardfolk portfolio is held by Essyllis), a club favored weapon, and no Water domain. As Serpent Kingdoms was published later and is a Forgotten Realms source, it takes precedence, while the Complete Divine details are assumed to be core-only and are neglected. Furthermore, the Complete Divine details contradict information from previous editions.
Reference
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd, Darrin Drader (July 2004). Serpent Kingdoms. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 187, 188, 189. ISBN 0-7869-3277-5.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 Carl Sargent (May 1992). Monster Mythology. (TSR, Inc), p. 102. ISBN 1-5607-6362-0.
- ↑ Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 177. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 James Ward and Robert Kuntz (November 1984). Legends & Lore. (TSR, Inc). ISBN 978-0880380508.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd, Darrin Drader (July 2004). Serpent Kingdoms. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 104. ISBN 0-7869-3277-5.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd, Darrin Drader (July 2004). Serpent Kingdoms. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 122. ISBN 0-7869-3277-5.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd, Darrin Drader (July 2004). Serpent Kingdoms. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 34. ISBN 0-7869-3277-5.
- ↑ Richard Baker, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan, Matthew Sernett, James Wyatt (March 2007). Cormyr: The Tearing of the Weave. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 41, 47. ISBN 978-0-7869-4119-3.