Ubtao (pronounced oob-TAY-oh [3]) is the patron deity of Chult. He is also known as The Father of the Dinosaurs, Creator of Chult, Founder of Mezro, and The Deceiver. He stays distant from both mortals and other deities, and he seems to be above the daily doings of the world and his followers. This may be partly due to his origin as a primordial [4], and in fact it's not fully known if he is a deity in the traditional sense. Only since the Time of Troubles has he begun to show interest in his followers again. The many jungle spirits worshiped in Chult are all aspects of Ubtao. But due to this he only has power in and around the jungles of Chult.[citation needed]
Worshipers
The Church of Ubtao is split among three wholly independent sects, all based in the jungles of Chult among the various clans of the humans. Many of the church multiclass as rangers.
- Mazewalkers
Mazewalkers are found only in the city of Mezro. They take care of the general spiritual welfare of the clan, and try to prepare the faithful for their trek through the maze of life. They teach history and lore of Chult to both children and adults. Mazewalkers also provide council about important life decisions, such as marriages. They are the mediators when inter- and intraclan disputes break out, and they are the caretakers of Mezro's laws. Mazewalkers are usually clerics.
- Spiritlords
Spiritlords live outside the city and seek to ensure a safe passage for their clan through the spirit-infested world. Their main goal is to ensure the clan does not offend ancestor spirits or elemental deities by missing sacrifices and rituals. They also aim for favors from the spirits. Spiritlords are usually adepts.
- Jungle druids
Jungle druids teach the clans to to fit as best as possible into the web of life in the jungle. Most of the time they function as clan healer. Outside this they also collect and teach knowledge about plants, animals (including dinosaurs) and their behavior. Jungle druids also train the very few domesticated animals kept in Chult. Jungle druids are druids.
Rituals
Both clerics and druids pray for their spells at noon, when Ubtao's majesty hangs over all of Chult. There are scores of ceremonies and holy days, most particular to dead ancestors, the season or locations that are to be visited. Many of these rituals are necessary before performing certain activities, such as hunting special animals or burials. The small, moveable stone altars which are used for these ceremonies are treated just like any other rock in the jungle, at the times they are not in use.
Relationships
Because of Ubtao's distance to the other deities he has only one ally: Thard Harr. His biggest foe is Eshowdow. He has only one other enemy: Sseth, a deity of yuan-ti and an aspect of Set.
History
During the Blue Age, when Toril was still a new world, the gods and the primordials fought for dominance. This Age came to a sudden stop when the primordial known as the Dendar the Night Serpent took the sun out of the sky. Eventually, the Elder Gods won the fight when the primordials were betrayed by one of their own: Ubtao the Deceiver.[4]
Ubtao made an agreement with the rest of the Faerûnian pantheon to guard the Peaks of Flame for the day when Dendar the Night Serpent enters Toril and ends the world. As reward for this service, the other deities granted him sole control over Chult and agreed to leave his lands alone and never to spread their own religions there. Over time Ubtao's essence began to split into many nature spirits which now are spread across the jungle, one of these was the shadow entity Eshowdow. Shar recently absorbed Eshowdow, and it is believed this activity might be the beginning of the end for the agreement between Ubtao and the rest of the deities[5].
References
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jeff Quick (October 2003). Underdark. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 53. ISBN 0-7869-3053-5.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. Edited by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 108. ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 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. 42. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. Edited by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 109. ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.
Akadi • Bazim-Gorag • Grumbar • Istishia • Kossuth
Miscellaneous Primordials
Achazar • Arambar • Asgorath • Borem • Bwimb • Cirotralech • Dendar • Draunn • Dur-baagal • Entropy • Erek-Hus • Karshimis • Kezef • Maegera • Maram • Nehushta • Petron • Queen of Chaos • Rorn • Telos • Ubtao
Template:EoU deity list