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Talona (pronounced: /tɑːˈlnɑːtah-LO-nah[2]) was the goddess of poison and disease in the Faerûnian pantheon.[2] Where the Lady of Poison walked, death and disaster followed, and she was blamed for all manner of ailments, ranging from common sicknesses and devastating diseases to brackish wells and failing crops,[1] Worship of the Mother of All Plagues waxed and waned in an unending cycle; the Mistress of Disease would unleash waves of death-bringing blights, after which came mass entreaties for respite before that cycle's great plagues went into remission, her power slowly declined, and spurred by feelings of vulnerability, she began the cycle anew.[2]

Description[]

Talona appeared as a gaunt, 10‑foot (3‑meter) human female with long, unkempt hair and reaching, elongated fingers. Her depictions in religious texts portrayed her as a withered crone with a scarred, tattooed face. The bodies of her avatars seemed like they had been beautiful and voluptuous at one point, but their frames and charms had been ravaged by the march of time, horrific diseases, and starvation. Even so, Talona's dancing movements were said to be alluring, and her lips were nonetheless inviting and gentle.[4]

Talona was also sometimes depicted as a beautiful and innocent woman.[18]

Personality[]

Talona was a strange goddess in terms of personality. She had been compared by sages to a greedy and petulant child, switching between the juvenile desire for attention at any cost to the aloofness of a discarded paramour. Curiously for a deity so closely tied to death, she had no personal taste for violence.[4]

Divine Realm[]

Talona's realm was known as the Palace of Poison Tears. Under the Great Wheel cosmology, it was located in the jungle-covered orbs of Cathrys, Carceri's second layer, known for its poisonous vegetation.[4][19]

Under the World Tree cosmology, this realm was located in the Barrens of Doom and Despair.[20]

Relationships[]

Prior to the Time of Troubles, Talona was a servant of Bhaal and had a heated rivalry with her fellow servant Loviatar.[21] During that time she was often teased and tormented by her. Mocked for her appearance, the size of her portfolio, and her small number of followers.[22] She would occasionally provide aid to adventurers of good alignments if she viewed their goals as something that would damage Loviatar's reputation.[4]

Circa 1369 DR, she developed an alliance with the deity Shar.[4]

She despised Chauntea, Mielikki, Kelemvor, and Tyr.[4][2]

Worshipers[]

Her priests, known collectively as Talontar, typically wore ragged gray-green robes. Though they would wash these vestments, they would never repair them. Older and high-ranking members of her priesthood tended to either ritually scar or tattoo their bodies all over. When embarking on a battle or dangerous adventure, a follower of Talona would often don armor of a black and purple hue that was adorned with a variety of spurs, horns, and spikes.[23]

Her followers often sold various poisons, antidotes, and medicines. When not doing so they were known to travel across Faerûn, seeking out new diseases or afflictions while also spreading rumors about Talona in hopes of boosting her reputation.[17]

Talontar devoted much of their lives to building up an immunity to various diseases and poisons, by means of both inoculation and magic. Because of this, they often treated those afflicted with disease or buried their bodies. They also tended to be hired by paranoid members of high society, such as wealthy merchants or rulers, to test their food for any poison.[17]

Orders[]

Temples[]

The House of Night's Embrace was Talona's largest church in Faerun and was located in Tashluta.[24]

History[]

In −33 DR,[25] a demipower named Kiputytto, sister of Loviatar,[26] tried to challenge Talona for her portfolio. The conflict that ensued devastated the nation of Asram with terrible plagues, forcing its citizens to provide Talona devotional power in hopes that she would lessen the plague's effects.[4][27] Talona ultimately won the conflict and shortly afterwards murdered Kiputytto. In the years that followed, texts would be written that referred to the latter deity as an alias of hers, further cementing Kiputytto's defeat.[4]

During the Time of Troubles, a formula to the concoction known as the Chaos Curse was indirectly given to the evil wizard Aballister Bonaduce by an avatar of Talona.[28][17]

Appendix[]

Gallery[]

Appearances[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Steve Kenson, et al. (November 2015). Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 21, 38. ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. Edited by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 107–108. ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.
  3. Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 154. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 152. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  5. Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd, Darrin Drader (July 2004). Serpent Kingdoms. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 188. ISBN 0-7869-3277-5.
  6. Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins, James Wyatt (2014). Dungeon Master's Guide 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 96–97. ISBN 978-0786965622.
  7. Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). Player's Handbook 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 294. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.
  8. Logan Bonner (August, 2009). “Domains in Eberron and the Forgotten Realms”. In Chris Youngs ed. Dragon #378 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 32.
  9. 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.
  10. 10.0 10.1 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.
  11. Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel (July 2006). Monster Manual IV. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 42–43. ISBN 0-7869-3920-6.
  12. Hal Maclean (September 2004). “Seven Deadly Domains”. In Matthew Sernett ed. Dragon #323 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), p. 65.
  13. Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 34. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
  14. Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 152–153. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  15. Ed Greenwood (October 1981). “Down-to-earth divinity”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #54 (TSR, Inc.), p. 9.
  16. 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. 14. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2018-09-08.
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 153. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  18. R.A. Salvatore (May 2000). The Fallen Fortress. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 0-7869-1606-0.
  19. Colin McComb, Dale Donovan (December 1995). “A Player's Guide to Conflict”. In Michele Carter ed. Planes of Conflict (TSR, Inc.), p. 16. ISBN 0-7869-0309-0.
  20. Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 146. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
  21. Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 45. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  22. Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 101, 152. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  23. Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 154. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  24. Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd, Darrin Drader (July 2004). Serpent Kingdoms. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 126. ISBN 0-7869-3277-5.
  25. slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 117. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
  26. Ed Greenwood (2022-11-07). Loviatar & Talona (Tweet). theedverse. Twitter. Archived from the original on 2022-11-13. Retrieved on 2022-11-07.
  27. slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 12. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
  28. R.A. Salvatore (October 1991). Canticle. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 1-5607-6119-9/0-7869-1604-4.

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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