Shalimyr

Shalimyr (SHALL-uh-meer) is the chaotic neutral god of the waters of Isenwalt: the ocean, rivers, lakes, streams, and rain. He is the god of sailing, fishing, and all other mortal endeavors that rely on the water. To those living on coastlands, Shalimyr is the lord of sea storms (to landlocked peoples, Urian is usually considered father of storms). Shalimyr is shown as a great blue-skinned figure, with his hair and beard made of white sea foam. He wields a mighty falchion named Seacrest, and wears armor made from seashells. In his eyes dance the wild waves of the sea. Common symbols rely on a single cresting blue wave capped with foam. Those wearing a holy symbol of Shalimyr often display it as a wave made of painted shell, though elaborate versions may be crafted out of lapis lazuli and alabaster. In a hurry, when such symbols cannot be made, or when the area on which the symbol will appear is so small that such detail is not possible, a more basic form is acceptable: a simple triangle inside a circle, meant to show that at the center of all things is “the Wave,” as Shalimyr is called from time to time. In nature, Shalimyr is often associated with the frightening beasts of the sea, but he is more commonly identified with simple fish. His favorite creatures are said to be whales, sharks, and dolphins, and certainly Shalimyr’s several faces can be seen in them, from the indifferent whales, to violent and dangerous sharks, and even friendly, helpful dolphins. Shalimyr is worshiped most ardently by the aquatic mortal races: the sea-elves and merfolk. These two revere Shalimyr over all other gods. On land, he is worshiped by those who live by and with the water—primarily elves and humans.

Mariners of Shalimyr

The mariners are spiritual leaders to the often wayward, chaotic Shalimyn. In a faith where one’s gut instincts can be either benign or malignant, and most of the faithful heed them regardless, guidance is necessary to avoid allout pandemonium. These clergy are the undisputed (and only) authority figures in the basins. They perform religious ceremonies, help the faithful interpret Shalimyr’s will, call on Shalimyr’s blessings for outgoing and incoming vessels, and even occasionally ride important vessels to keep them safe from Shalimyr’s rage. All that said, they are not necessary to the faith, and are not seen as conduits between the faithful and Shalimyr; they are only guides and resources for the faithful (if well-respected ones). The mariners collect the tithes of the faithful, see to the upkeep of the basins, build new basins when called for, and act as the spokespersons of the faith in all secular matters. This leads to an order with a great deal of wealth, making it more powerful secularly than it is spiritually. Sometimes the mariners from a given basin are completely corrupted by their power and wealth, but should they grow too bold and arrogant, Shalimyr will destroy them spectacularly, so corruption rarely goes beyond petty evils such as undermining or killing political rivals, using the church’s money to promote political programs outside the scope of the Shalimyn faith, or minor abuses of personal authority. Shalimyr has no trouble with this sort of behavior—but mariners who take church money to build themselves enormous mansions might be found soon, in chunks floating in a series of small puddles. Nearly all the mariners of Shalimyr are chaotic, but their worldviews (apart from chaos) vary radically. The most common alignment for Shalimyn mariners is chaotic neutral.

Prayers of Shalimyr

The Beatitudes are the Shalimyn prayers, to be repeated three times daily. The Beatitudes’ words are said as Shalimyn perform the actions of prayer, pouring water on their palms and touching their lips and eyelids. They are often followed with less formalized prayers.

Morning: “Blessed art thou, Grandfather Ocean, from whom all blessings flow.”

Mid-Day: “I praise thee, Grandfather Ocean, for all thou givest daily.”

Evening: “I thank thee, Sea Father, for sparing me this day.”

Divine Classification

God

Alignment

Chaotic Neutral