Pelor (PAY-lore)
God of the Sun
Pelor is the radiant god of the sun. According to myth, he ensures that the sun rises every day to provide light and warmth to the world. Nearly every inhabitant of Ellowyre acknowledges his dominant presence, and nearly everyone at least pays lip service to the idea of giving him worship and honor.
Pride and self-assurance radiate from Pelor as light floods from the sun. He is cheerful and sociable, enjoying the company of others and forming bonds easily.
His friendship can be as easily lost, though, turning him from ally to enemy as the consequence of a single misstep or perceived betrayal.
Pelor has appeared to mortals in a variety of forms, but he prefers the appearance of a sun-bronzed male human, dressed in radiant golden armor. His profile is noble, highlighted by a strong chin and a short beard, and he boasts the broad chest of a perfectly fit athlete. His hair is golden as the sun, and his head is crowned with a winged golden band. He is also fond of appearing as a brilliant white pegasus or a radiant golden stag. In any guise, he looks lit by the sun, even when he travels across the night sky.
Pelor's Influence
Pelor personifies the light of day, and by extension, he is associated with many metaphorical aspects of the sun's circuit. As the sun rises without fail every morning, so Pelor values faithfulness in oaths and bonds. Courtroom testimony and marriage vows are sworn on his name, for he can't tolerate the breaking of a solemn promise. He is the arbiter of morality, virtue, and honor. The sun's nightly descent into darkness symbolizes bravery and self-sacrifice- the willingness to endure the horrors of the dark for the sake of others. Those who protect innocents in his name receive Pelor's favor. As sunlight casts out darkness, Pelor's light casts out chaos. He is the god of the laws that govern society and the laws that punish the wicked. Unlike his companion Erathis, he is interested not only in punitive justice, but also in the establishment of fair and equitable relationships among people and gods, in service to the common good. He also takes an interest in the bonds of family-the relationships that tie people most closely to each other.Pelor's Goals
Pelor is the ruler of the gods, and he wants merely for his rightful place to be recognized. He considers himself a kind and beneficent ruler- a benign autocrat, not a tyrant- and he doesn't expect abject servility from anyone, god or mortal. He just wants everyone to defer to his will and carry out his orders. He believes that his decisions are always just and right, and that if his sovereignty were properly respected, there would be peace and order in the heavens and the mortal world alike.Divine Relationships
Pelors's repeated attempts to establish himself as the ruler of the pantheon anger Bane and Ioun, who both have a degree of the arrogance he demonstrates. The gods of nature, by contrast, aren't bothered by his efforts because they see themselves as being safely outside his reach. He could declare himself the ruler of the pantheon, they reason, but his dictates can't alter the rhythm of the sea or the cycles of nature. Melora and her kin will continue as they are, as they always have been. Erathis, Chauntea, and Tyr are closely aligned with Pelor in attitude and philosophy. In some ways, these three gods represent the principles and the abstract nature of Pelor made tangible and concrete through the lives of mortals. Pelor represents a divine, natural, moral law; Erathis gives those laws a concrete manifestation in mortal civilization. Pelor controls the radiant sun that makes the natural world flourish; Chauntea brings the interplay of light and nature to life for mortals in the practice of agriculture. And while Pelor stands for justice, Tyr actually fights for it, taking up arms against brutality and injustice in defense of what is good and right. Pelor hates and fears Bane, his dark twin and his shadow. He views the god of tyranny as a dangerous threat to the balance of power in the realms, esecially when he is accompanied by the Iron Queen of Hell, Loviatar. Pelor is also plagued by a nagging suspicion that the true ruler of the pantheon is Ioun, the oldest of the gods, existing long before Pelor and his kin. Ioun is perhaps the only being who can impose limits on the other gods' actions, which makes Pelor resent and fear the goddess of knowledge.Worshipping Pelor
The brilliance of Pelor's sun is impossible to ignore. Thus, virtually everyone on Ellowyre pays at least grudging respect to the sun god in forms of worship that range from simple gestures to days-long celebrations. Some families, particularly in the west coast of Ashica, follow a practice of bowing in the direction of dawn's first light- or winking, in a gesture of respect for the sun god's luminous "eye." More dedicated worshipers offer short litanies at dawn, noon, and dusk, acknowledging the sun's passage across the sky.Pelor's Favor
Pelor seeks out champions in the mortal world because he believes that a great champion reflects well on him. The ruler of the gods, as he imagines himself, should have champions who represent the best of mortals. That said, the reason for his initial interest in a champion isn't always obvious. What made the sun god turn his attention to you? What sets you apart from the masses of people who offer him prayers and sacrifice? What made him think you would be a good champion? The Pelor's Favor table offers a handful of suggestions. Pelor can be a fickle god, but once you have devoted yourself to him as a champion, he will not desert you as long as you remain faithful and your actions continue to reflect well on him.| d6 | Sign of Favor |
| 1 | You were born at noon on the summer solstice- perhaps even in the midst of Pelor's great feast. |
| 2 | One of your parents is also a champion of Pelor. |
| 3 | You once rescued a pegasus that was trapped in a net, demonstrating your courage and your respect for this sacred creature. |
| 4 | You proved your mettle in a dramatic contest of strength, charisma, or a similar quality. |
| 5 | Calling on Pelor to witness you, you swore an oath to end some great evil. |
| 6 | You have no idea why Pelor showed interest in you, and you might sometimes wish he hadn't. |
Devotion to Pelor
Following Pelor means devoting yourself to the cause of law and justice. In fact, champions of Pelor are sometimes more constant in their pursuit of those ideals than the god himself, who can be emotional and short-tempered. As a follower of Pelor, consider the ideals on the Pelor's Ideals table as alternatives to those suggested for your background.| d6 | Ideal |
| 1 | Devotion. My devotion to my god is more important to me than what he stands for. (Any) |
| 2 | Honor. I behave nobly and always keep my promises. (Lawful) |
| 3 | Protection. I face the horrors of the darkness so the common people don't have to. (Good) |
| 4 | Enforcement. Those who violate the laws that hold civilization together must be punished. (Lawful) |
| 5 | Justice. The purpose of law is to establish fair and equitable relationships among people and gods. (Lawful and good) |
| 6 | Kinship. It's essential to preserve the bonds of family-my own family first, and others after. (Lawful) |
Myths of Pelor
Many legends about Pelor highlight his mercurial nature, even while acclaiming him as a god of bravery and justice.Road to the Sun
After a life in Pelor's service, the aged oracle Solsemon departed on a final pilgrimage: setting forth to visit the sun. Day after day he journeyed east, seeking the lands from which the sun rose. He journeyed far and was mocked everywhere people learned of his quest. Worse, his sight grew ever weaker as he spent days staring at the sun. Yet still he traveled on. Even when blindness claimed Solsemon's sight, the oracle continued undaunted. Finally, one day, Solsemon found a warm, calm place. There, a powerful voice he'd heard in his dreams welcomed him to his journey's end. Praising Pelor, the oracle took his rest, and after several long, contented hours, peacefully died. Ever since, the tale of Solsemon has been argued as both a parable of determination and a warning not to pursue that which is divine.Birth of the Golden Dragons
The chief of metallic dragons, the platinum dragon Bahamut was once a companion and mount to the father of Pelor, Teratheion, the god of time. Upon Teratheion's death Pelor expected that he would be able to ride the dragon, as the oldest of Teratheion's children. Bahamut, however did not bow to him. Pelor, desiring a dragon of his own, caused a bright beam of golden sunlight to strike one of Bahamut's platinum dragon children, turning its scales to bright gold and creating the lineage of golden dragons.Pelor's Champions
- Alignment: Usually lawful, often good
- Suggested Classes: Cleric, fighter, monk, paladin
- Suggested Cleric Domains: Light, Life, Order
- Suggested Backgrounds: Acolyte, athlete, folk hero, knight, noble, soldier
Spouses
Melora
(spouse)
Siblings
Children
Earning and Losing Piety
You increase your piety score to Pelor when you expand the god's influence in the world in a concrete way through acts such as these:- Carrying out punishment on a fugitive from justice
- Exacting vengeance for a significant wrong done to you
- Defending a city from attacking monsters
- Building or restoring a temple to Pelor
- Breaking an explicit promise or oath
- Violating any just law
- Putting others at risk through your own cowardice
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