Dreams of the Undevoted

An old wives' tale told by the fire genasi of Lasair.

Summary

A thousand years ago, before the Uprising, clerics and priests of Melora and Selûne worked together, and people often worshipped them both, rather than one or the other depending on where they were from. The fire genasi of Lasair had several high priests and priestesses of both Melora and Selûne, and some who were held in the favour of both gods.
One such priest found themself suddenly experiencing vivid dreams of war, departure, struggle, and separation. These dreams were seen as a blessing; premonitions of the future given to them so that the people could prepare for what was to come. However, the dreams quickly devolved into dreams of violence: not of war, but of the priest themself committing despicable acts, and enjoying doing so.
It was decided that the priest had fallen into madness, and could no longer be trusted as a high priest, so their title was taken away from them, and they were sent to live at the bottom of Lasair, where they could be more easily cared for.
After only a few days of living there, the ex-priest used what powers they had left to slaughter two of the women who were caring for them, before taking a shortsword and thrusting it through the final man's chest. The priest's body was found several days later, with their knees drawn up to their chest in the corner of their bedroom. It was unclear what killed them, but it is said that the destruction of and rebellion against their faith was what killed them.

Historical Basis

The details have changed over the years - the priest was a woman, and the people she killed were actually her children and husband. The truth was too horrid a tale to tell, and so some bards changed the story. Others told the truth, and there are a few people out there who know the real version of the story, as closely as they could after a thousand years.
The priestess was a cleric of both Melora and Selûne, but she very much favoured Melora.
When their body was found, it was covered in strange markings like tattoos that they hadn't previously had. They looked as if they had been burned into their skin, as if by pyrography.

Spread

This is a cautionary tale told to children of Lasair, used to warn them not to turn against their faith. Fire genasi bards often tell the story to other races, but only fire genasi hold the story as truth.

Cultural Reception

Most important to the fire genasi, as the original priest from the story was a fire genasi.
Some dragonborn adopted this myth, especially the brass, gold, and red dragonborn, as well as those who moved away from Planhigion.

In Literature

Haunted by the night by Calcine

Long before our time was born
The gods would work together:
Selûne and Melora, the faces in between,
Their clerics harmonised as birds of a feather.
     One priest of the volano
With skin of firey coal
Was blessed with dreams and visions, haunted by the night,
Of war and separation, so worship did unfold.
     The dreams quickly evolved
To fantasies of violence
The priest commiting acts with no regret to feel
Others claimed they lied, these dreams were fraudulent.
     No god of theirs would send such visions
So the coal-skinned priest was false
They must be sent away, they said, and not corrupt our children
To the base of the volano, to think upon their faults.
     Three people took in the priest
To nurse them back to health
But two dains in, the priest had snapped, and slaughtered all their carers
Not rich, now, in religions, but in blood they had a wealth.
     Discovered three days later
Four bodies, in cotton swathed
The priest curled up, under their bed, with hands pulled through their hair
Killed not by hunger, sword, or sickness, but abandonment of faith.

Date of Setting

236