Forgotten Realms

Kelemvor
Lord of the Dead

Johnny Tek
 Written by Johnny Tek

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1
 Oh lion, lion, reacher of the sky.
Your fearsome roar does cause the ground to shake.
Oh lion, lion, how can one deny
The fear and awe you leave behind your wake.
Oh lion proud and mighty have you been
But soon your tower built shall tumble down.
For all things end just as they do begin;
The Judgment comes to all when time comes ‘round.

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Kelemvor _ creatures were among the aptly named Lord of Bones’ favorite
toys for deadly games of amusement.
In 1358 DR, Bane and Myrkul stole the Tablets of Fate from
an even higher power rumored to be known as Ao. As
LAWFUL NEUTRAL punishment for the theft, nearly all the gods of the realms were
cast down for a time onto the living world as immortal Avatars
Other Names or Titles: Judge of the Damned, Lord of the that could be killed. In this period, known as the Time of
Dead, Master of the Crystal Spire, The Great Guide Troubles, the vulnerable Myrkul was slain by the adventuring
Divine Residence: The Crystal Spire, Fugue Plane mage that would later become the current god of magic,
Mystra (though a small portion of his essence survived in an
Symbol: A skeletal humanoid arm holding up scales in equal artifact, making it possible for Myrkul to be resurrected during
balance the events of the Second Sundering).

Divine Portfolio: Death, The Dead, Funerals and Tombs After the death of Myrkul, the adventuring murderer Cyric
ascended to godhood and took the authority of the judge over
Divine Allies: Chauntea, Lathander, Sehanine Moonbow, the dead for about ten years. Cyric’s time as the judge was an
Selune, Silvanus, Urogalan era of even greater terror than the deceased Myrkul because
of his heinous cruelty and boundless greed. Out of folly in his
Divine Enemies: Bhaal, Cyric, Kiaransalee, Myrkul, Shar,
mad ambitions, Cyric lost that authority in 1368 DR to his
Talona, Velsharoon
former companion Kelemvor, who currently presides as the
Exarchs: Jergal Lord of the Dead.

Kelemvor Lyonsbane, a human champion ascended to

godhood, began his duties biased by the kindness and
Kelemvor is god of the dead, as well as funerals and tombs. compassion he adopted in his mortal existence. He veered
Once a gallant human warrior and champion of good, the away from the evil of the two that preceded him and brought
Lord of the Dead purged himself of his humanity so that his about new teachings of death as something not to be feared
role as the supreme judge of the dead could be justly but to be accepted as part of a great journey that continues
performed. Kelemvor’s great sacrifice protected the stability of into the afterlife. Kelemvor would also direct his servants to
the gods’ power structure, which he himself endangered battle against undead creatures in protection of the people, as
through personal bias. he would have in his days as a warrior.
Kelemvor is a somber, thoughtful deity with a supreme sense The biased reforms of Kelemvor resulted in the imbalanced
of responsibility. He is burdened with knowledge of secrets judgement of souls, granting significantly favorable treatment
that have filled him with great urgency in his duties as a judge. to good souls while punishing evil souls to suffer terribly as
Although he maintains neutrality for the sake of balance, they awaited final judgement. This uneven treatment triggered
Kelemvor may occasionally assist great heroes in a small, migrations of faith that would chaotically disrupt the balance
limited manner if it serves the justice of the afterlife. among the gods if left unchecked. Moreover, many living
people became flippant with death in expectation or desire of
Kelemvor is absolutely opposed to the existence of the undead, Kelemvor’s rewards, disregarding the sanctity of life as a result.
as they represent a perversion of life and death that bring a
false terror of death to the living. Gods that are strongly The Judge of the Damned was then himself judged by a court
zealous in the destruction of undead are counted as of his divine peers.
Kelemvor’s allies, though destroying undead might be the only
endeavor that he might support together with them. The Lord of the Dead was tried and made to realize that his
humanity and desire for good had clouded his judgement and
The mantle and responsibility of being judge over the dead resulted in a greater evil than he had ever conceived. It was
originally belonged to the ancient deity Jergal, who had grown then that Kelemvor made the decision to largely divest himself
tired of the role after eons of service. When the Dead Three of the mortal attachments and emotions that were getting in
(Bane, Bhaal, and Myrkul), approached Jergal to steal the god’s the way of his responsibilities, and became the impartial judge
power, the Pitiless One gladly distributed his powers freely to that he is to this day.
the daring mortals that had so brazenly appeared in his
presence. Kelemvor would continue to teach others to accept death as an
inevitable event at the end of life, but his teachings would be
Myrkul reigned for more than a thousand years afterwards as tempered by encouragement to recognize death as neither a
the god of the dead, judging souls and inspiring fear of death desirable transition nor a disturbing one. The servants of
in the realms. His doombringers were charged to encourage Kelemvor would continue to fight the undead however, since
the mortals to be both terrified and awed by the Lord of the such creatures are a twisted mockery of death itself.
Dead; they were otherwise expected to earn the trust of the
people as patient teachers of lore. Myrkul ultimately desired to
be venerated as the supreme deity of all existence even if it
were not the truth, but for the time being he contented himself
with spreading terror of dying to those who still lived. Undead

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Chauntea, goddess of agriculture, plants cultivated by humans, gods of death, but Kelemvor offers no favorable treatment to
farmers, gardeners, and summer, is dedicated to preserving Urogalan in the dealings of the Court.
places and creatures of natural beauty, and is sympathetic to
the needs and vulnerability of living mortals. As such, the Bhaal, god of murder, ritual killings, and assassins, is another
Great Mother is a valuable ally against undead and evil user of undead that Kelemvor must contend with. Ever
necromancers, threats against the very natural beauty and since the Lord of Murder returned to life during the era of the
people that Chauntea wishes to protect. Her servants are Second Sundering (he died during the Time of Troubles), he
especially helpful to those of the church of Kelemvor in has been up to his usual troublemaking ways. Kelemvor’s
civilized areas such as towns, villages, and cities, since they are greatest concern about Bhaal is whether the returned member
particularly adept at divining unnatural disturbances in lands of the Dead Three will clash with Cyric or join together with
cultivated by gardeners and farmers. the imprisoned god in their murderous ambitions; given the
overlapping portfolios of the two gods of murder, there
Lathander, god of athletics, birth, creativity, dawn, renewal. remains the possibility that they will either try to subsume each
self-perfection, Spring, vitality, and youth, teaches the faithful other’s church or ally with each other for some nefarious
to make the most of their lives and to treasure the experiences scheme. For now the Judge of the Damned chooses to
in life that help them grow stronger and wiser; for this, the cautiously observe from the sidelines for suspicious actions
teachings of Kelemvor are a highly compatible complement, taken by Bhaal and Cyric.
because appreciating life motivates the living to not rush
enthusiastically towards death, while bravely accepting the When Cyric, god of murder, lies, intrigue, deception, and
inevitability of death motivates the living to make the most of illusion, was imprisoned as punishment for murdering Mystra.
the time they do have left before facing judgement in the Though the sentence officially ends in less than a thousand
afterlife. Aside from agreeable philosophies, the Morninglord is years, Kelemvor was greatly relieved, since the Prince of Lies
an enthusiastic ally in Kelemvor’s eradication of the undead ever covets regaining the portfolio of the dead. The feud
wherever they can find such abominations. between them is highly personal, but Kelemvor having cast
aside his humanity does not hold a grudge so much as a
Although Sehanine Moonbow, elven goddess of mysticism, wariness of Cyric’s dark ambitions. From within his prison, the
dreams, death, journeys, transcendence, the moon, the stars, Black Sun plots vengeance against Kelemvor and orders his
the heavens, and moon elves, is largely unconcerned with the faithful towards that end, so the Lord of the Dead must be
happenings of the mortal world, she will on occasion use her ever vigilant.
magic for the sake of elves and her faithful, or to support the
destruction of undead infestations. Aside from allying with Kiaransalee, drow goddess of the undead and vengeance,
Kelemvor on battling the undead, the Lady of Dreams is also managed to survive what was thought to be her destruction
one of the first to join the recently established Court of Souls, during a game of intrigue between her, Lolth, and Eilistraee. It
in support of organizing the gods of death and their duties. is speculated that the goddess, having formerly been a lich
The Master of the Crystal Spire will however not show any before ascending to divinity, may have staved off her demise by
bias in favor of Sehanine for his part as the presider and chair using the magic of a phylactery. Even so, the Lady of the Dead
of the Court of Souls. returned much diminished in the wake of the Second
Sundering, and is barely more than a demigod in her current
Selune, goddess of good/neutral lycanthropes, the Moon, state of existence. As Kiaransalee moves towards avenging
navigation, questers, stars, and wanderers, is among the oldest herself against the ones responsible for her losses, she is sure to
gods of the realms, having been born at the same time as her wreak havoc with her necromancy and raise hordes of undead
sister Shar during the forming of Realmspace. The minions, so Kelemvor will gladly aid any effort to stop or
Moonmaiden is therefore an invaluable source of sage advice contain the Revenancer.
and insight against the machinations of the evil goddess Shar,
who is far older and more experienced than Kelemvor, who is Myrkul, god of death, decay, old age, exhaustion, dusk, and
not even two centuries old. Autumn, is a member of Kelemvor’s Court of Souls, but also
an active creator of undead. The Lord of Bones is fond of
The teachings of Silvanus, god of wild nature and druids, playing with undead monsters like toys, and cares not for the
emphasize the pursuit of balance in all things, which is a horror that such “toys” bring to the realms. After joining the
philosophy that Kelemvor currently tries hard to emulate in Court of Souls, Myrkul has been careful not to overly
the treatment of souls entering the afterlife; for this reason, the antagonize Kelemvor, but the Lord of the Dead knows that
Master of the Crystal Spire holds great respect for the Forest given the opportunity, Myrkul would gladly retake the mantle
Father, and vice versa. The two deities are also currently allied of judge over the dead.
in the destruction of undead creatures, since Silvanus can not
stand the imbalance of forces and unnatural ugliness that Shar, goddess of caverns, dark, dungeons, forgetfulness, loss,
comes with raising the undead. night, secrets, and the Underdark, was the source of
conspiracy that led Cyric to murder Mystra and unleash the
Urogalan, the halfling god of earth, the dead, and protection Spellplague in 1385 DR. Although Cyric was imprisoned by
of the dead, is an ally for the purpose of protecting the bodies Lathander, Sune, and Tyr as punishment, none could move
of the dead from desecration, especially by robbers or directly against Shar since she had no direct involvement in the
necromancers. The Black Hound is also a member of the wide-affecting debacle. The vast experience and cold, nihilistic
Court of Souls recently formed by Kelemvor to organize the intelligence of the Mistress of the Night leads to grand plays
over the course of a long game, and Kelemvor is not immune

4
to being targeted by Shar’s designs. Shar seeks the end of
everything, and her actions have caused or risked great cosmic
Afterlife
imbalances towards that end. She cares nothing for the
sanctity of life and death, and will use any means, even undead
creatures and necromantic magic, to get what she wants. The Fugue Plane
Kelemvor worries that his lack of experience will lead him into
one of Shar’s traps, and expects her to try to entrap him The first way stop of all mortal souls in the living realms
somehow; the Lord of the Dead therefore maintains contact before heading to their afterlife destinations. The Fugue Plane
with deities such as Selune who might help him against Shar’s is a dimly lit, grayish expanse that appears as an ocean of fog
potential threat to the very balance of death and the afterlife. and dark clouds to those who travel through it. Travel through
the Fugue Plane is much like swimming through the Astral
Talona, goddess of disease and poison, is a cruel purveyor of Plane; movement through one’s force of will. After souls reach
suffering and unnatural ends to mortal lives. The Lady of this place, they are then guided to dimensional gates within the
Poison and her faithful have been responsible for the untimely Fugue Plane that lead to the afterlife realms ruled by the gods
deaths of many, and left unchecked would imbalance the they worship. The servants of the gods guard the souls from
influx of souls into death. The protect the balance of life and harm as they travel through the plane.
death in the realms, Kelemvor can not allow Talona to have
her way so his servants are authorized to take action in Due to the interconnected nature of the Fugue Plane, almost
containing or staunching the illnesses being spread by Talona’s any creature from any plane is able to enter the realm if they
church. find the right portals leading to it. Beings of great power such
as deities, primordials, demon lords, or archdevils however are
Velsharoon, god of necromancy, necromancers, evil liches, and barred from entry without invitation. Powerful angels and
undeath, represents the epitome of cheating and perverting other servants of the Lord of the Dead patrol the plane as
the concept of death. Despite the Archmage of Necromancy well, but do not harass any creatures that refrain from causing
being a diametrically opposing foe for the Lord of the Dead, trouble in the Fugue Plane, even if their kind is known for
the conflict between them has never resulted in heated causing trouble.
violence. Velsharoon cares only for his personal explorations of
necromantic research, so he tends to act only to acquire
information and materials to that end. It is Velsharoon’s
worshippers that Kelemvor is most concerned with, for among
the faithful are included the insane and ambitious.
The City of Judgement
Within the Fugue Plane exists an ever-growing island of titanic
size, floating in the gray. Upon this island sits the City of
Judgement, the destination for souls that have no divine patron
leading them to the afterlife.
Exarchs
Exarchs are deities and demigods that serve other (usually Unlike the rest of the Fugue Plane, there is normal gravity in
more powerful) deities that protect, rule over and/or provide the City of Judgement, with its inhabitants having to use magic
them with support against their enemies. or magical abilities to fly if they are not traveling on foot.

Souls that do not petition for a particular faith’s afterlife

remain in the City of Judgement to await judgement. They
take form in the same likeness as their original body in the
Jergal (Lawful Neutral) living world, but without disabilities that prevent them from
Jergal was once one of the most powerful gods, and ruled over moving around physically. Such souls are first led to a
many godly domains, including death. Bored of his registration area where their identities and situations are
responsibilities, Jergal willingly relinquished most of his divine organized and filed for records.
power to others, and went about serving his successors one
after the other as an adviser. The souls of children are taken to a special district where they
receive special protections from potential harm; adult
Jergal is the god of fatalism, proper burial, and the protection petitioners are allowed to accompany or visit the children that
of tombs. He is bland and formal in his disposition, and shows they are related to (not necessarily by blood) as long as it has
his disdain through sarcasm. This god shows little concern for been determined that the children will not be harmed by such
anything, and can not be provoked to convey strong emotions allowance (assessments are made on an individual case-by-case
except under extreme circumstances. His lackadaisical basis).
attitudes are often shared by his followers, many of whom live
quiet, laid-back lives as grave keepers, morticians, and tomb
custodians.

Jergal’s ancient wealth of knowledge spans the history of the

world, so his advice is one of the most valuable resources at
Kelemvor’s command.

5
The Crystal Spire The Faithless and The False
Kelemvor rules over the City of Judgement from his palace in The Faithless are those who lived their lives in denial of all
the city, known as the Crystal Spire. The palace also hosts the deities, The False have betrayed their gods in some way while
Court of Souls, where gods of death from the various pretending to be faithful.
pantheons meet in council. This building provides a vantage
point from which Kelemvor can observe the rest of the city in Every soul among the Faithless and False will roam the City of
his personal chamber, which is located at the top of the Crystal Judgement, prevented from leaving, for up to ten days before a
Spire. It is made of stone, obsidian, and a dark steel alloy, with final judgement is applied by Kelemvor’s judgement. During
an architectural aesthetic that resembles a grand crown with those ten days, servants of the gods may try to convince the
many sharp skyward protrusions. souls to give themselves over to the gods; devils will attempt to
make contracts with the souls that will bring them to the Nine
The structure is the tallest in the City of Judgement, and its Hells as newborn devils. Not all souls are approached however.
pointed cap emits a blindingly bright sphere of radiance at the
tip. This light will heal and temporarily empower any servant Without salvation from a deity or damnation through devil
of Kelemvor that enters it, and severely damage or even conversion, the remaining souls are usually imprisoned for all
destroy any undead creature that touches it. Outside of the eternity as part of a massive wall that surrounds the City of
sphere, illumination extends from it all the way to the edges of Judgement. The Wall of the Faithless is composed completely
the large courtyard that the Crystal Spire rests upon. The of souls and rune-inscribed stone sections. Souls that are
illumination will weaken and slow any undead interlopers that bound to the walls will slowly lose their memories and fade
it touches, and serves a way to detect intruders that do not into oblivion. The Wall is often raided by demons that tear
belong in the city. souls off and bring them to the Abyss for conversion into
newborn fiends. The city patrols do not officially interfere with
these raids unless they threaten the integrity of the Wall itself,
though it has become a game for some of the guards to engage
with and destroy raiding demons.

6
 Naturally calm and collected as a result of the confidence
The Court of Souls gained from many millennia of experience, the divine couple is
Following the events of the Second Sundering, the gods of difficult to provoke, and approach problems from a fair
death from the realms’ different pantheons were gathered into emotional distance as one would approach a casual game of
a council housed in the City of Judgement. Together in the strategy. On the rare occasions when Izanagi and Izanami are
Court of Souls, these gods of death preside over various issues moved to take action, they usually send their most trusted
concerning the dead and mediate disputes over souls. exarch, a demigod of warriors and fealty named Yamamoto
Date (Lawful Good), whom the couple raised to divinity after a
Rare cases of re-evaluation brought before the Court may long term of service as a human paladin.
result in a Faithless or False being given the chance for a
reprieve from an eternity on the Wall. As the impartial judge Yamamoto Date attends the Court of Souls as the proxy for
of the dead, Kelemvor has the final say in the approval of his masters. He is a grimly serious servitor with a stoic nature
actions collectively taken by the Court, and chairs every who speaks only when spoken to unless there is a dire issue to
meeting of the death gods. address. Izanagi and Izanami permit Date to speak from his
heart on their behalf, even if it would risk conflict with other
Since the death gods other than Kelemvor have their own gods; the couple might actually welcome some trouble once in
divine realms to oversee outside of the City of Judgement, they a while to alleviate their boredom.
will send either their avatars or proxies to represent them at
the Court of Souls.

The following are major gods that may be seen in the Court of
Souls.
Micuhtil (Lawful Neutral)
Micuhtil is the Maztican god of death, nocturnal beasts, night,
and darkness. He dutifully manages the Maztican tenemo (plane)
of Matzlan, a divine realm where the passing souls of
Dumathoin (Neutral) Mazticans go before being sent to their most suited afterlife
Dumathoin is the dwarven god of buried wealth, ores, gems, realms.
mining, exploration, and guarding the dead; he is also the Since Matzlan has always been closely connected to the Fugue
patron supporter of the shield dwarves. Dumathoin is Plane, Micuhtil has had a long relationship with all holders of
proactive and moves his worshippers through action and the title of Lord of the Dead. Jergal in particular has been a
dreams. The Keeper of Secrets Under the Mountain long-standing friend of the Night Bringer.
encourages his followers to gather together comrades for grand
exploits, to watch over the fallen, and to appreciate the hard Micuhtil enjoys watching the intrigues of the Court of Soul
work that produces precious stones of the highest cut and play out, but is rarely one to make provocation. Occasionally,
quality. Micuhtil’s wife Siwatal, Maztican goddess of presiding over
the dead and the bones of the dead, will attend the court as
Silent and enigmatic, this deity plays at being an eternal mute Micuhtil’s proxy. Siwatal (Chaotic Neutral) has more of a
and rarely reveals his true thoughts and emotions. Even the mischievous side to her, and will think nothing of laying the
infamously cold Myrkul marvels at the self-control that foundation for conflict with carefully chosen words.
Dumathoin exercises in hiding whatever tells a god may
possess, even in the presence of other gods.

Dumathoin joined the Court out of deep curiosity, and has not
once been disappointed. Such a diverse gathering of death
Myrkul (Neutral Evil)
gods will either result in great triumph or great tragedy, and Myrkul is the god of death, decay, old age, exhaustion, dusk,
the Silent Keeper means to bear witness to the unfolding and Autumn in the Faerunian pantheon, and was once the
events. Despite his refrain from ever speaking aloud, judge of the dead, before Kelemvor took on the mantle.
Dumathoin casts his votes with simple gestures and shares his Kelemvor must ever be wary of the twisted machinations of
thoughts through visual illusions; his methods of Myrkul, for the evil god of death covets the seat of the judge
communication can sometimes be louder than words. currently held by Kelemvor.

Myrkul is a cold, calculating, intelligent planner who is always

mindful of his behavior and ever vigilant of potential threats
Izanagi and Izanami (Lawful Neutral) to his influence. He is often at odds with Kelemvor over his
worshippers’ creation and use of undead, but Kelemvor can
Izanagi and Izanami, a married pair of deities, are collectively not move directly against him without truly just cause.
the gods of life and death in the “Eight Million Gods”
pantheon that is worshipped widely in the Kozakura region of Myrkul will readily take advantage of any system of rules that
Kara-Tur, and sparsely in the Wa region of Kara-Tur. The binds the gods at any opportunity that serves his long-term
husband Izanagi and the wife Izanami are the highest ranked plans. Myrkul will often work in tandem with Bane, the god of
elders of their pantheon, but delegate most matters in the tyranny, and Bhaal, the god of murder, to further his dastardly
mortal realms to their children. schemes (an alliance known as The Dead Three).

7
Osiris (Lawful Good) Shajar (Neutral)
Osiris is the Mulhorandi god of vegetation, death, the dead, Shajar is the Zakharan god of rivers, life, growth, death, and
justice, and harvest; he is a kind, generous provider of decay. He is one of a small number of Zakharan gods that
bountiful harvests and a stalwart protector of tombs, making survived the transition of ancient civilizations to the modern
him one of the more popular deities of his pantheon. day; the River Lord is prayed to for the safe passage of loved
ones into the afterlife, as well as the safe births of new children.
Osiris has a stern demeanor that has been proven a challenge
to crack. The more playful deities in the Court of Soul often Shajar is a temperate deity with a strong sense of responsibility
try their best to make the Reaper of the Harvest smile or and a wry sense of humor. He is a sociable deity that enjoys
laugh; such attempts usually end with a harsh glare and a silent the banter currently shared in the Court of Souls, and always
turn of the head. In the presence of children however, Osiris welcomes the challenge of intellectual and ethical quandaries.
takes on an uncharacteristically warm demeanor, taking care
to adjust his presence so that he does not frighten the Shajar favors any decision that would preserve balance in the
younglings. cycle of life and death, much as a river provides both life and
death (life in the form of bountiful sustenance and death in the
Osiris will argue passionately to reunite children with their form of drowning by flood). Although Shajar is uncomfortable
loved ones if doing so would not cause the children harm, and being in the presence of the likes of Myrkul and Turtris (for
has a habit of starting arguments with those whom he the imbalance their evil has caused in the past), he looks
considers dishonorable. Osiris must struggle to hold himself forward to seeing how their cooperation affects the status quo
back from attacking those in the Court who are known to raise created by the grand experiment that is the Court of Souls.
undead or spread fear among the mortals.

Turtris (Neutral Evil)

Segojan Earthcaller (Neutral Good) Turtris is the god of death and disease in the orcish pantheon.
Segojan Earthcaller is the gnomish god of earth, nature, and He embodies the fear that often drives orcs to live up to their
the dead; he is also the patron supporter of the rock gnomes. barbaric reputation.

Segojan Earthcaller has a direct and straightforward Turtris prefers to remain silent unless it is absolutely necessary
disposition, with a penchant for pragmatism and reasonable to communicate with others, even with his faithful. He prefers
thinking. He will rarely act in violence, preferring diplomacy, to observe in contemplation unless his attention is demanded
unless in defense of gnomes and his faithful. The worshippers by the situation. Turtris’ silence makes him an enigma to most
of Sergojan Earthcaller follow his pragmatic ways, and are others, and he would prefer to keep it that way; he never
highly organized. forgives a slight, bearing everlasting enmity that is best kept
hidden until the time comes to strike.
Segojan Earthcaller keeps a close eye on every member of the
council in the Court of Souls, and always takes some time to Turtris seeks the downfall of Sehanine Moonbow, Sergojan
reflect on events before taking action or speaking against Earthcaller, and all goblinoid gods of death in the Court of
another god of death. Souls. Sehanine’s subtle insults, Sergojan’s condescension, and
a past theft committed by the goblin pantheon’s leader
Magubliyet have placed them all on Turtris’ secret list of
destructive objectives.
Sehanine Moonbow (Chaotic Good)
Sehanine Moonbow is the elven goddess of death, dreams,
journeys, mysticism, transcendence, the moon, the stars, and
the heavens; she is also the matron supporter of the moon
Urogalan (Lawful Neutral)
elves. Urogalan is the halfling pantheon’s god of earth, the dead, and
protection of the dead. He presides over burials and protection
Sehanine Moonbow is a kind, compassionate deity with an air of souls that have yet to reach the afterlife.
of mystery about her. She is fond of applying subtle meanings
and innuendos in conversation, using her words to veil or Urogalan is a pensive, morose deity who takes little interest in
unveil her intentions in a witty manner. the affairs of the mortal world. Urolagan will avoid being
caught up in squabbles between other gods if possible, but he
Although she must suffer the company of certain evil gods in absolutely despises Myrkul for allowing and encouraging his
the Court of Souls, Sehanine Moonbow maintains her faithful to make mockeries of corpses by turning them into
composure for the sake of gleaning any possible hint of what undead creatures.
her enemies (and potential enemies) plan for the future. Her
diplomacy is often surprisingly aggressive, employing small Urogalan seems to have a personal grudge against Myrkul, but
provocations and jabs to see how the other parties react. he has not spoken of it to anyone, nor has anyone ever dared
to ask. Urolagan’s priests and champions have been instructed
to undermine or even slay Myrkul’s faithful whenever possible.

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Yama (Lawful Neutral) Dogma
Yama is the god of death, justice, crafting, and reincarnation These are the tenets that worshippers of Kelemvor are given
in the Vedic pantheon, which is worshipped in the Jungle to live by.
Lands nations of Kara-Tur. Using his extraordinary ability to
read the intentions and memories of a mortal in a single ● Death may be the end of life, but it is also the beginning of
glance, Yama guides countless souls to their best fitting karmic something more. The great journey continues beyond the veil
destinations. so do not despair.

Yama is a highly intelligent and thoughtful deity who prefers to ● The dead are equal in the eyes of the gods, no matter their
focus his concerns with matters related to the Vedic pantheon, station in life. All shall receive fair judgement at their time.
and finds little interest in anything else save his own duties as a
god or his innovative explorations of the weapon-crafter’s art. ● Respect and honor the fallen, for they have joined the
builders of history in their passing. Without those who came
It was the god Yen-Wang-Yeh, one of Yama’s few friends before, no progress could have been possible for any of the
outside of the Vedic Pantheon, who convinced Yama to peoples of the world.
participate in the Court of Souls. Although the Vedic god of
death was at first reluctant, he now feels that it may be an ● Speak out against the willful prolonging of life beyond a
obligation of responsibility to make sure that the “young” god natural end, especially if it involves the creation of undeath.
Kelemvor is not swayed by some of the more distasteful
elements that have become part of the Court. ● The undead are an abomination that must be destroyed.
Their existence is mockery of both the dead and the living.

Yen-Wang-Yeh (Lawful Neutral)

Yen-Wang-Yeh is the god of death in the Celestial
Bureaucracy, the primary pantheon worshipped in the Shou
Lung and Koryo nations of Kara-Tur. He is in charge of
processing the records of the dead in the Celestial Bureaucracy
to ensure that all souls are sent to the correct afterlife realms.

The Celestial Bureaucracy normally keeps Yen-Wang-Yeh very

busy with his work related to the dead, but he has become
supremely efficient in his duties and always manages to make
time for other interests. With a well-trained exarch (Pao,
Lawful Neutral, demigod of record-keeping and office work)
keeping Yen-Wang-Yeh’s office running smoothly, the death
god is free enough to devote himself to his personal hobbies as
well as train new recruits for his Palace of Judgement.

As a consummate office worker, Yen-Wang-Yeh is obsessed

with keeping good organization, so when he was contacted by
Kelemvor about the Court of Souls, the divine bureaucrat was
highly pleased. Rather than having many death gods running
amok and possibly interfering with each other, it was far more
efficient to gather them together into a cooperative group
where they could coordinate as necessary. As such, Yen-Wang-
Yeh is highly supportive of the Court’s existence, and will
gladly help to keep the organization stable; it is often Yen-
Wang-Yeh that mediates heated arguments among the death
gods when they seem dangerously close to committing violence
against each other.

9
Clergy Customs of the Faith
The clerics of Kelemvor, known as doom guides, are often Practically all traditional rituals in the faith of Kelemvor are
employed to perform funerals, oversee last rites, and execute led by the clergy.
last wills and testaments. They typically build their churches
and monasteries near places that honor the dead, such as There are two daily services performed by the clergy: the
cemeteries and memorial structures. The Church of Kelemvor Remembrance and the Daeum.
maintains a highly organized hierarchy and frequently expands The Remembrance is performed in the morning at locations
its activities whenever possible. with graves, such as cemeteries or mausoleums. The clergy
The paladins of Kelemvor are known as grim knights. They tour by each grave while singing hymns. Mourners that hear
are particularly zealous in their hunting of undead, setting out the hymn are able to call over the singing clergy so that the
in crusades of extermination whenever news of an undead priests can offer prayers of blessing at the graves being visited
sighting reaches the ears of Kelemvor’s Church. Grim knights by the mourners.
are typically equipped with long swords to honor the martial The Daeum is performed in the evening at any place of
lore of their god. worship dedicated to the faith of Kelemvor, even if it is a
Clerics and paladins of Kelemvor usually pray for their spells temporary one. This ceremony involves prayers of thanks to
during the first hour of night, symbolizing the arrival of the the Lord of the Dead and brief readings of holy scriptures,
dead in the afterlife after a transitional journey. spoken aloud if there is a willing audience. At the conclusion
of this ceremony, the last will and testament of a deceased
The standard daily ritual for the cleric or paladin of Kelemvor individual may be shared according to the wishes of the
is to give a prayer for the fallen once after waking, and once departed and their loved ones. If the attendees are all faithful
before sleeping. A few droplets of holy water are sprinkled on of Kelemvor, then the leading clergy may instruct all to hold
the ground and then flung into the air during these prayers, hands in a circle for a concluding prayer; during this prayer,
symbolizing the acknowledgement of the spirit’s release and messages or enlightenment may arrive in the form of visions
journey from the body to the great beyond. from Kelemvor (or his servitors).

Traditional ceremonial dress is a long sleeved gray robe with When a person dies and a priest of Kelemvor is present for the
coarse black lining; the collar is snugly fitted against the neck; event, the priest performs the Passing, in which a chant is
the collar is iron-colored for lower clergy, silver for full priests, performed to call on Kelemvor to watch over the soul of the
and gold for higher-ranking priests. There may be a depiction newly deceased as it passes into the afterlife. This is often
of an armored knight and a panther facing each other on the requested for those who are on their death beds. Loved ones
back; alternately, instead of the back embroidery, a symbol of who are also present for the Passing are asked to join hands
Kelemvor may be be sewn into the chest of the robe. A tiny together with the priest performing the ceremony, so that all
phial of holy water is worn from the neck on a silver chain, can send off the beloved departed together.
and a long sword is hung from the belt in a black sheath
bearing the symbol of Kelemvor. For clergy leading a When a priest of Kelemvor visits a site where many have died,
ceremony, a silver headband is also worn, and never taken off such as a battlefield or the ruins of a community, there is a
until the ceremony ends. tradition of performing The Lament For The Fallen. In this
ritual, the performer sings a short hymn that gives homage to
Clerics and paladins of Kelemvor are mandated to offer the predecessors of those who are currently living, to those
condolences to those who have lost loved ones, and preserve who have lived before and now await in the afterlife; the song
the sanctity of places reserved for the storage of corpses and reminds the faithful of the grand legacy that they are all a part
remembrance of the dead. If there are undead creatures in the of in the cycle of life and death, and offers hope that they
vicinity, the highest priority is the protection of the living, might see their deceased loved ones again when their time
followed by the destruction of the undead. If it is not possible comes.
to destroy the undead with current resources, the standard
procedure is to send a request for reinforcements from the The two most recognized holidays for the church of Kelemvor
nearest conclaves so that the faithful of Kelemvor can descend are Shieldmeet (once every four years after Midsummer) and
upon the threat en masse as a unified front. the Feast of the Moon (every year at the beginning of Winter,
typically in the first tenday of the 12th month, Nightal).
The lifestyle of a cleric or paladin of Kelemvor is typically a
humble one that emphasizes training, prayer, and meditation. During Shieldmeet, priests of Kelemvor hold a service during
It is common for them to take up a quiet hobby such as writing which they give sermons extolling the legacy passed down to
literature, or crafting works of art such as sculptures or all by past ancestors throughout history. These sermons
paintings. include telling stories of great contributors to history; these are
known as the “Deeds of the Dead”.

During the Feast of the Moon, priests of Kelemvor powerful

enough to do so are able to perform resurrections of dead
heroes without the normal cost of material components. Their
castings of speak with dead are also enhanced during this time -
they are able to speak freely with the actual departed souls.

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Feats Exclusive Spells
Clerics and paladins can take special feats as servants of Clerics and paladins of Kelemvor are able to prepare the
Kelemvor. following spells, unique to worshippers of Kelemvor.

Doom Guide of Kelemvor Bond of Fatal Touch

Requirement: Cleric, worships Kelemvor 3rd-level transmutation

As a doom guide of Kelemvor, you provide comfort for the SPECIAL: You must be a divine spellcaster worshipping
bereaved and defend the people and land from undead Kelemvor to cast this spell.
abominations. Casting Time: 1 bonus action
● Undead creatures have disadvantage on saving throws made Range: Touch
against your Channel Divinity: Turn Undead feature. In Components: V
addition you are treated as being 3 cleric levels higher when Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
using the Destroy Undead feature. You invoke the blessing of Kelemvor unto a nonmagical melee
weapon; the weapon is imbued with a power that mimics the
● You can cast gentle repose without material components and
properties of Kelemvor’s personal weapon, Fatal Touch.
you always keep it among your prepared spells without
counting it towards your maximum limit. The imbued weapon becomes a magic weapon with a +1
bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls. In addition, the weapon
● You have resistance to necrotic and poison damage. When deals an extra 2d6 radiant damage against undead creatures.
you use a cleric spell on one or more allies with a casting time
of 1 action or bonus action, those allies gain resistance to At Higher Levels. When you cast this magic spell with a
necrotic and poison damage until the start of your next turn. spell slot of 5th level or higher, the bonus increases to +2. In
addition, when you hit an undead creatures with the weapon
● You have Advantage on saving throws made to resist or on a melee weapon attack, the undead creature must make a
negate being possessed by spirits or ethereal creatures. Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target has
Disadvantage on its attack rolls until the start of your next
turn.

Grim Knight of Kelemvor When you cast this magic spell with a spell slot of 7th level or
higher, the bonus increases to +3. In addition, the
Requirement: Paladin, worships Kelemvor Disadvantage effect becomes Disadvantage on attack rolls and
As a grim knight of kelemvor, your blade is the bane of those saving throws.
who would dare to threaten the souls of the fallen or desecrate
the bodies of the dead.

● Your Divine Strike feature adds double the extra damage Kelemvor’s Pull
against undead creatures. In addition, you can choose to make 4th-level abjuration
the extra damage necrotic instead of radiant.
SPECIAL: You must be a divine spellcaster worshipping
● You have resistance to necrotic and poison damage. Your
Kelemvor to cast this spell.
Aura of Protection feature extends this benefit to all allies
within the aura’s radius. Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (60-foot radius)
● Your weapon attacks ignore the weapon damage resistances/
immunities of undead creatures. Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
● You have Advantage on saving throws made to resist or You invoke the censures of Kelemvor to force ethereal beings
negate being possessed by spirits or ethereal creatures. into the world. All creatures in the Ethereal Plane in spaces
dimensionally parallel to spaces within a 60-foot spherical
radius centered on you must make a Wisdom saving throw. On
a failed save, an affected creature takes 4d8 psychic damage, is
pulled into the plane of existence that you are currently on,
and can’t return to the Ethereal Plane on its own for 10
minutes. The creature takes half damage on a successful save.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this magic spell with a

spell slot of 5th level or higher, the damage increases by 2d4
for each spell slot level above 4th.

11
 Update Log

Changes in v1.1:

Replaced image on poem page with new image, moving old image further into pamphlet into the Afterlife section.

Added Other Names or Titles entry to Kelemvor’s opening section on page 3.

Added Kiaransalee and Velsharoon to Divine Enemies.

Removed paragraph describing Kelemvor’s personal image (redundant with cover image) and brief paragraph
describing his relationships with deities (to be replaced by more in-depth descriptions).

Added paragraphs describing Kelemvor’s rise to godhood and some of the events between then and the current
post-Sundering era.

Added paragraphs describing Kelemvor’s relationships with Chauntea, Lathander, Sehanine Moonbow, Selune,
Silvanus, and Urogalan.

Added paragraphs describing Kelemvor’s relationships with Kiaransalee and Velsharoon.

Added alignment to Jergal in Exarchs section.

Added more paragraphs to the Fugue Plane and City of Judgement entries in the Afterlife section. Moved entry
about Crystal Spire from City of Judgement entry to new Crystal Spire entry.

Added entry about The Crystal Spire in the Afterlife section.

Added sentence about city patrols to the end of the Faithless and the False entry in the Afterlife section.

Added more complete description of divine porfolios for Myrkul’s entry in Court of Souls section.

Moved sentence about opposing undead in Sehanine Moonbow’s entry in Court of Souls section to paragraph
describing her among the entries describing Kelemvor’s relationships with his divine allies.

Partially adjusted the language in Kelemvor’s Pull entry in Exclusive Spells section for more clarity.

Minor spelling and grammar fixes on existing text.

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Changes in v1.2:

Replaced title image with same image re-edited to better fit the aesthetic of the pamphlet series.

Revised the entry for the dwarven god Dumathoin in the Court of Souls, to be a more accurate match with his canon
description.

Added Izanagi and Izanami, the “8 Million Gods” pantheon’s gods of life and death, to the Court of Souls.

Added Micuhtil (non-canon god based on the real life Aztec deity Mictecacihuatl) to the Court of Souls, to represent
death in the Maztican pantheon, which canonically has many (unnamed) gods in addition to its eleven major gods.

Added Osiris, Mulhorandi god of vegetation, death, the dead, justice, and harvest, to the Court of Souls.

Added Shajar, Zakharan god of rivers, life, growth, death, and decay, to the Court of Souls.

Added Yama, Vedic god of death, justice, crafting, and reincarnation, to the Court of Souls.

Added Yen-Wang-Yeh, the Celestial Bureaucracy’s god of death, to the Court of Souls.

Revised paragraph in Clergy section describing traditional ceremonial dress.

Added Customs of the Faith section.

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