Pelor
| Pelor | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Portfolio: | Sun, Light, Strength, Healing |
| Home: | Blessed Fields of Elysium |
| Alignment: | Neutral Good |
| Superior: | none |
| Rules items | |
| Domains: | Good, Healing, Strength, Sun |
Pelor is the god of the Sun, Light, Strength, and Healing. He is known as the Shining One, and the Sun Father. He is known as the creator of much that is good. His holy symbol is a face in a sun.
The Fortress of the Sun, once known as Light's Blessing, is Pelor's realm in Elysium. Pelor's domain, once a vast manor surrounded by orchards, vineyards, and farmland for miles, is now (since he assumed a more martial aspect during the Greyhawk Wars) a gold-plated citadel that forms a beacon atop the largest island of Elysium's layer of Thalasia.
A Flan deity, Pelor is worshipped throughout the Flanaess, and on other worlds as well. He rides a mighty ki-rin named Star Thought, summoning eagles and destroying evil with bolts of light.
A number of Pelor's followers have achieved deity or near-deity status, the most popular being Mayaheine, demigoddess of protection, justice, and valor, and Saint Bane the Scourger, patron saint of those who hunt the undead.
Description
Other aspects
In Oeridian lands, Pelor is sometimes called Sol.
Among the Bakluni, Pelor is known as Al'Asran. Al'Asran is said to have granted the legendary Cup and Talisman to Al'Akbar.
Among the Flan nomads of the Bright Desert, Pelor is known as Aurifar.
Worshippers
Pelor is a popular deity, much-beloved by the commonfolk. He is particularly revered in the Bright Lands, among the Rovers of the Barrens, in Dyvers, Geoff, the Free City of Greyhawk, Nyrond and old Almor, Perrenland, Sterich, Sunndi, Tenh, and Urnst (both the Duchy and the County). In his Baklunish aspect, Pelor is one of the major deities of the nation of Ekbir. He is worshiped on at least one other world, the homeworld of Mayaheine.
Although Pelor's church has a few heresies and schisms, the head priests of his powerful temples are in contact with one another and with the religion’s overall leadership. If the secular leaders of one nation place an onerous tax on Pelor’s temples, word will spread through Pelor’s hierarchy. Other nations might be persuaded by their Pelorites to apply diplomatic pressure to get the tax repealed.
Clergy
Pelor's clergy heal the sick, bless crops, help the needy, and destroy evil and the undead. His elite priests are called Radiant Servants. Pelor's favored weapon is the mace (heavy or light). Vestments are typically yellow or gold.
Rituals
Pelor's services involve communal prayer, the singing of hymns, and the distribution of alms.
Temples
Pelor's temples are tall, with large windows; many are stained-glass cathedrals. Temple trappings are typically yellow or gold.
Holy days
Pelor's major holy days take place on the solstices of the Greyhawk Calendar. Midsummer's Day, also known as the Holy Day of Pelor, takes place on Richfest 4, the day of the Summer Solstice. In the Free City of Greyhawk, the Winter Solstice (Needfest 4) is celebrated as Breadgiving Day.
Relics
Famed relics of Pelor include the maces called Dawnstars and the holy symbols known as the Shards of the Sun. Both are described in Complete Divine.
An artifact of Pelor's is hidden in the Caves of Deadly Shadows.
Bibliography
- Bennie, Scott. "Setting Saintly Standards." Dragon #79. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1983.
- Broadhurst, Creighton, and Stephen Radney-MacFarland. Blight on Bright Sands Sourcebook. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2005. Available online: [1]
- Conforti, Steven, ed. Living Greyhawk Official Listing of Deities for Use in the Campaign, version 2.0. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2005. Available online:[2]
- Cook, David. Book of Artifacts. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1993.
- Grubb, Jeff, David Noonan, and Bruce Cordell. Manual of the Planes (Wizards of the Coast, 2001).
- Gygax, Gary. World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1983.
- Holian, Gary. "Paladins of Greyhawk." Dragon #306. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2003.
- -----. "Paladins of Greyhawk." Dungeon #104. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2003.
- Holian, Gary, Erik Mona, Sean K Reynolds, and Frederick Weining. Living Greyhawk Gazetteer. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2000.
- Moore, Roger E. Greyhawk: The Adventure Begins. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1998.
- Noonan, David. Complete Divine. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2004.
- Redman, Rich, Skip Williams, and James Wyatt. Deities and Demigods. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002.
- Reynolds, Sean K. "Core Beliefs: Pelor." Dragon #346. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2006.
- Sargent, Carl. From the Ashes. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1992.