Rudd

Rudd, The Lady of Luck and Skill

"Fate favors the bold, but fortune smiles on those with skill."

Pantheon: Oeridian Alignment: Chaotic Good Domains: Luck, Trickery, Travel Symbol: A red die showing seven Favored Weapon: Rapier

Rudd, the Lady of Luck and Skill, is a lesser Oeridian goddess who embodies fortune earned through daring and talent. Unlike many gods of luck, Rudd does not grant success freely—her blessings favor those who take risks and have the skill to back them up. Gamblers, duelists, thieves, and adventurers call upon her name before testing fate.

Luck’s Gaze – The Hidden Temple

In Bard’s Gate, Rudd’s faith has taken root in a most fitting place: Luck’s Gaze, a high-end casino and tavern where games of chance and wagers of all kinds unfold beneath her unseen eyes. The establishment is known for its elegant but unpretentious atmosphere, drawing in both high-rolling nobles and seasoned scoundrels alike. The barman, Stelevan Reno, serves as both proprietor and high priest, his easy demeanor disguising a sharp mind and a deep connection to the goddess.

Luck’s Gaze serves a dual purpose—it is not only Rudd’s temple but also the underworld’s most secure bank and neutral ground. Even the most ruthless cutthroat knows better than to steal from Lady Luck herself. Any attempt to break her unspoken law is met with swift and inexplicable misfortune, a warning that fortune’s favor can just as easily turn to wrath.

Worship and Rituals

Those who honor Rudd do so with skill and audacity, proving their worth in games of chance, daring escapades, and feats of quick thinking. Prayers to her are often whispered before a crucial roll of the dice, a duel, or an impossible escape.

Common Offerings:

• Placing a wager in her name, with the winnings dedicated to the poor (or returned to the house if lost).
• Performing a feat of skill in her honor—whether gambling, combat, or acrobatics.
• Leaving a single red die showing seven at a crossroads or game table.

While Rudd does not favor the reckless, she delights in those who push their limits. A clever rogue who bets his last coin on a bluff, a swordsman who wins through daring rather than brute force—these are the ones who earn her favor.

The Unspoken Law

Luck’s Gaze is sacred ground, a place where rival factions meet in uneasy truce. Gold and secrets flow through its back rooms, and the vaults beneath its floors hold the fortunes of Bard’s Gate’s most powerful criminals. Yet not even the most depraved murderer or unscrupulous thief would dare cross the goddess here.

To betray a deal made under Rudd’s gaze, to steal from the house, or to bring violence into the heart of her temple is to invite disaster. Those who break her unspoken law find their luck twisted against them—blades slip, purses vanish, and plans unravel in ways that defy logic. In time, the curse will claim them, and their fate will be whispered as yet another cautionary tale of what happens to those who steal from Lady Luck.

Rudd’s Followers

Stelevan Reno is more than just the high priest of Rudd—he is the guardian of Luck’s Gaze and the keeper of its law. A former gambler and swindler turned bartender, he maintains an air of easy confidence, his sharp eye missing nothing. It is said that Rudd herself blessed him with an uncanny instinct for deception, and not even the slickest card shark can lie to his face.

Beyond Stelevan, Rudd’s faithful are a loose and varied bunch—gamblers, bards, thieves with a conscience, and swordsmen who rely on finesse rather than brute strength. While some openly worship her, others merely pay their respects with a knowing smirk before rolling the dice. To them, luck is not a gift—it is a challenge, and Rudd’s favor is earned with every daring risk they take.

"Lady Luck is watching. Play fair, play bold, and never cheat her—unless you’re clever enough to get away with it."