DIVINE BLESSINGS ־ TYR
Divine Blessings - Magic Items of the Gods Chapter 15: Tyr Tyr, the God of Justice, is not native to Faerûn. He was originally from a pantheon known as the Norse, from another crystal sphere. It is not known why Tyr decided to leave. Perhaps the pantheon was in decline, or perhaps he found himself overshadowed by his brother Thor. His beliefs were likely incompatible with the rest of the pantheon, who did not share his strict interpretation of the law. Regardless of his reasons, he arrived in Faerûn as an interloper deity. Often willing to intercede directly in situations of injustice, he found a small following in the ancient human empire of Jhaamdath. The empire was in decline, corrupted by a deity of chaos known as Valigan Thirdborn, who instigated a war with the elves of Nikerymath. The ensuing destruction was so complete that Tyr felt compelled to remove Valigan before his influence could spread to other lands. In an event known as the Procession of Justice, Tyr brought forth a host of archons to engage the forces of evil. The holy war lasted several years, but in the end, Valigan was slain and the lands cleansed. Moved by Tyr's determination, Ilmater and Torm joined him, creating an alliance known as the Triad. Tyr had become famous, and his worship spread to other kingdoms in Faerûn. He felt a great affinity for the people and did his utmost to protect them. His next challenge was dealing with a beast known as Kezef the Chaos Hound, one of the ancient primordials. Kezef's malevolence knew no limits, and it thrived by devouring the souls of the dead, preventing them from reaching the afterlife. Aside from the great injustice of denying the faithful their rightful place with their gods, Kezef's monstrous hunger also undermined the gods themselves, who depended on worship for their existence. Gond, Mystra, and Tyr tracked down Kezef, and dared it to escape from a sturdy chain that Gond had created. Kezef agreed to be bound, as long as Tyr placed his right hand inside the beast's maw. After Gond wrapped the chain around Kezef, Mystra enchanted it to be unbreakable and self-repairing. Try as it might, Kezef could not escape. In fury, it bit through Tyr's hand at the wrist, planning to feast on his divine energy for eternity. Tyr's sacrifice allowed the beast to be captured and the souls of the faithful to be spared. His missing hand is a symbol of duty and the importance of the greater good. These values run deep in Tyr's soul, and from them manifests a vision for the perfect society. A utopia where there are no lies, crime, or injustice. Due to the competing influences of other gods and the weaknesses of the flesh, he laments it can't be achieved in the material plane. The hopefulness and idealism that inspire this dream play a part in Tyr's tragedy. More than once he was tricked by deceitful gods with devastating consequences. The first of these precipitated the Time of Troubles when Tyr failed to prevent Bane from stealing the Tablets of Fate. For this oversight, he was blinded by Lord Ao. Tyr's faithful see his wounds as symbolic of his justice. Blind, and therefore fair. Harsh, but the punishment is not greater than the crime. The second deception was much worse. At the time, Tyr was pursuing a romance with Tymora, the goddess of Luck. Cyric, the Prince of Lies, manipulated events to make it seem like Helm was having an affair with Tymora. Tyr's ethos required him to challenge his best friend to a duel. Helm's honor required that he accept. They fought fiercely, and Helm was slain. Delighted, Cyric proceeded with the next phase of his mad plan. With Shar's assistance, he murdered Mystra, causing the Spellplague. For this crime and many others, Tyr passed judgment on Cyric, sentencing him to a thousand years of imprisonment. With the assistance of other gods, Cyric's divine realm was sealed away. However, during these interactions, he learned of Cyric's machinations that led to Helm's death. Tyr was broken by the unjust death of his loyal friend and his misguided role in it. He no longer felt capable of passing judgment over others, having squandered his moral authority. Tyr surrendered his powers to Torm, who became the leader of the Triad. He then appeared before his followers, instructing them to worship Torm instead. No longer a deity, and with his powers fading, Tyr fought and died during a demonic invasion of the Seven Heavens. That is where his story would have ended, but Lord Ao deemed that Tyr had fully atoned for his sins, and restored him to divine glory. Tyr's Holy Symbol 2 This is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
Magic Items While pursuing my goal of discerning the purpose regarding magic items related to the gods, I've found many to be of great intrigue. Some are unique, reserved for specific individuals of note or rank. Others are more common, made to be used by a more novice or introductory follower. Balder's Parting Gift Wondrous item, uncommon This bag has 5 separate compartments, each of which can hold one potion. While wearing this bag, you can use a bonus action to drink one of the potions stored inside of it. "The creation of this bag was inspired by a present from Balder, Tyr's brother and the Norse god of healing. When Tyr announced to the other Asgardians that he was leaving, Balder gave him a healing satchel that would keep him safe in his journeys. This bag is customarily given as a present, by someone who desires that a traveler return safely." Belt of the Houndmaster Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement) While wearing this belt, you have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks. Also, you can see invisible creatures and objects within 120 feet of you as if they were visible. You can use an action to summon a war hound within 60 feet of you (use the dire wolf stat block). The creature is friendly to you and your companions. It understands your languages and obeys your spoken commands. If you issue no commands, the creature defends itself but takes no other actions. The belt cannot be used in this way again until you finish a long rest. "Hounds are the most loyal of animals, and are favored by Tyr, who often sends them on errands on his behalf. Beware that Tyr can see through the eyes of his hounds, lest they be asked to commit injustices." Tyr's Verdict Martial weapon (longsword), rare (requires attunement) This weapon's attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20. On a critical hit, this weapon deals an extra 1d8 slashing damage. When you hit with this weapon, you may have it deal an extra 3d8 radiant damage. If you do, your target must pass a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the end of your next turn. The sword can't be used this way again until you finish a long rest. "This blade is inspired by Tyr's sword, Justicar. It has a long and storied history, always finding itself in the hands of a hero who is fighting a great evil. Countless fiends and undead have been struck down by its edge." Hammer of Justice Martial weapon (warhammer), very rare (requires attunement) While you hold this weapon, it sheds bright light in a 20- foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet. When this weapon hits a fiend or undead, that creature takes an additional 1d8 radiant damage. You may use a bonus action to command the Hammer of Justice to attack your enemies. It flies out of your hand, moving up to 30 feet away. It can then attack a target within 5 feet of it, using your attack roll and ability score modifier to damage rolls. It hovers for up to one minute, and you can use a bonus action on subsequent turns to command it to move and attack again. If it is not being held, it falls when the duration expires. The warhammer can't be used this way again until you finish a long rest. "This hammer once belonged to Bannoc, a cleric of Tyr from Myth Drannor. It was buried with him under Castle Cormanthor, and was lost when the ruins were taken over by the Cult of the Dragon." Raiments of the Celestial Judge Medium armor (studded leather), legendary (requires attunement) You gain a +3 bonus to AC while wearing this armor. Also, you are immune to the charmed and frightened conditions. While wearing this armor, you can use an action to cast one of the following spells: detect evil and good, zone of truth (save DC 16), and dispel magic (ability modifier of +5). Once the armor has been used to cast a spell, it cannot be used to cast the same spell again until you finish a long rest. "This ancient armor was a gift from Tyr to king Alarion from Arthyn, in the border kingdoms. King Alarion used it to rule wisely, never falling prey to enchantments, deceptions or illusions. He expanded the kingdom, bringing order and the rule of law to the surrounding lands. Sadly, in his old age Alarion was betrayed by his own son, ultimately bringing the kingdom to ruin." Raiments of the Celestial Judge Belt of the Houndmaster Balder's Parting Gift The item art for this chapter was graciously provided by Black Raven Armoury. If you are interested in leatherworking for cosplay or LARP, I suggest you check them out! 3 This is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
Damra the Wise Damra rose from humble beginnings to become an archmage and Arcane Scholar of Candlekeep. He was a prodigy in his youth, earning the moniker "the Wise" due to his education on countless topics. Rumor has it that Damra owns a magical grimoire filled with lost knowledge, but no one knows what it looks like. He currently serves as the Arcane Forgemaster and is a professor of Magical Binding and Magical Research. He has not left Candlekeep in almost a decade, but during his youth he traveled to Cormyr, Amn, Waterdeep, and many other places, including several planes. Damra is a patient teacher and is willing to share his knowledge with those he deems worthy, provided that it won't be used for evil. He is often sought out by adventurers when they find something magical of unusual origin, such as an item that resists magical identification. In return for his assistance, Damra is interested in new or forgotten knowledge and magic items. Damra loves humor of all kinds, from bawdy to obscure. Some of his jokes contain references that only the educated would understand, and he uses them to measure someone's knowledge. Damra can be quite stubborn, never being swayed by an argument unless he personally sees wisdom in it. He also never gives up hope even in the most dire of circumstances. He would rather die with integrity than survive in infamy. He has connections with both the Harpers and the Lords' Alliance, assisting them when something magical threatens the realms. Damra has particular contempt for the followers of Shar, who actively oppose Mystra and threaten the Weave. He can also be swayed to assist those that work against Lolth, but always covertly in order to protect his loved ones from the Spider Queen's wrath. Credits Written by - Apacolyps and Zrave (Shadow Lab Games) Cover Page Art - Cropped, edited hand, stretched eclipse. Man Gioele Fazzeri, Eclipse Jongsun Lee. Unsplash License Page stains - Jared Ondricek CC BY 4.0 Symbol - Cropped and merged: Scale Elena Mozhvilo, Base Verkennen, Hammer Tingey Injury Law Firm. Unsplash License Pixabay License Balder's Parting Gift - Black Raven Armoury - Partnership Belt of the Houndmaster - Black Raven Armoury - Partnership Raiments of the Celestial Judge - Black Raven Armoury - Partnership Parchment - Andrey_Kuzmin Royalty Free (added text) Ink Splotch - Prawny Pixabay License Damra - Wisconsinart Royalty Free (cropped) This is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.