Umberlee (uhm-ber-LEE)
Umberlee was the evil sea goddess in the Faerûnian pantheon, most often worshiped by sailors or people traveling by sea, out of fear of her destructive powers. She was known as a particularly malicious, petty, greedy, and vain deity who controlled the harshness of the sea while reveling in her own power and was not hesitant to drown people if she so pleased.
She rarely favoured individual mortals unless it benefited her in some way. Umberlee did not tolerate any one member of her clergy becoming famous and overshadowing the church and the goddess herself.
Druids who worshiped the First Circle also venerated Umberlee, as she was a representation of nature in its cruel form.
In the lavish magical hedge maze of Moonstone Palace, Evermeet, multiple globes of illusion depicting moments from the history of the elven race were placed. One of them depicted the birth of sea elves, with the avatar of Umberlee rising from the depths of storming sea.
Most weresharks, created by the Queen of the Depths herself as a way to undermine her bitter opponent Selûne, venerated Umberlee out of admiration rather than fear.
Personality
Umberlee was temperamental, evil, and malicious. She did not feel the moral obligation to honour any of her agreements or promises if the end result was not beneficial to her. That, and her desire for the valuables and excessive tributes, characterized her insatiable greed and cruelty. She was power-hungry and loved exercising it, toying with her worshipers. She fed her sadistic nature by destroying naval vessels and feeding shipwreck victims to her sharks while watching the others drown.She rarely favoured individual mortals unless it benefited her in some way. Umberlee did not tolerate any one member of her clergy becoming famous and overshadowing the church and the goddess herself.
Worshipers
The Great Queen of the Sea was worshiped out of fear by most. Umberlee acted on her turbulent whims when making deals with mortals. Temples of Umberlee were few and far between, and the church was disorganized, universally hated throughout Faerûn, and perpetuated out of fear of the goddess. Umberlee's church rested on her chaotic nature where disputes were ruled in favor of the strongest individual.Druids who worshiped the First Circle also venerated Umberlee, as she was a representation of nature in its cruel form.
In the lavish magical hedge maze of Moonstone Palace, Evermeet, multiple globes of illusion depicting moments from the history of the elven race were placed. One of them depicted the birth of sea elves, with the avatar of Umberlee rising from the depths of storming sea.
Non-human worshipers
Umberlee had worshipers among krakens, sahuagin, anguiliians, water genasi, and other evil sea creatures. A number of these were actually worshipers of Panzuriel, a deity with no power on Toril; Umberlee merely granted spells on his behalf. In addition, some tanar'ri priests were known to pledge themselves to Umberlee's service.Most weresharks, created by the Queen of the Depths herself as a way to undermine her bitter opponent Selûne, venerated Umberlee out of admiration rather than fear.
Divine Domains
Tempest
Divine Symbols & Sigils
Tenets of Faith
The Undrowned and Umberlants held no ethical standards nor persuasions; the only thing that was set in stone was their belief in the cruelty and viciousness of the sea, the most dangerous place. The folk who were brave enough to travel the savage seas should have been ready to pay the price for their challenge to the Bitch Queen's domain. The Church of Umberlee's doctrine was fear; all were to tremble before the Queen's power, as her waves and winds were all-reaching. The mercy of the Great Queen of the Sea was to be bought with generous offerings, as they brought fair winds. All who dared to travel through her domain were to know that Umberlee controlled the monsters of the deep, the drowned dead. The priests and priestesses were to spread the holy word of the Bitch Queen and spread the fear of her rage, and perform no service in her name without collecting high tithe. They were to promote the fear of Umberlee's waves and winds unless her clergy accompanied the travellers. The final divine directive was for the followers of Umberlee's faith to slay anyone claiming the storms over the seas were Talos' doing.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
At some point before the 14th century DR, Umberlee flooded the city of Memnon and a part of Calimshan to inspire worship by fear. Since then, her temple in Memnon, adjacent to the city's cemetery, was kept in impeccable cleanliness with all its tiles polished to brilliance by the devotees of the goddess of the sea.
In 1358 DR during the Time of Troubles, Umberlee manifested herself in the Sea of Fallen Stars, where she entertained herself by destroying pirate islands with her storms and minions. Umberlee took an opportunity to visit the island of Kelthann during the Time of Troubles and exact revenge on the denizens of the island for their belief that winter storms in the sea came from Grumbar's rivalry with the Bitch Queen. She made several attempts to wash the Kelthanni off the island with her powerful storms but failed to achieve her goal, strengthening the islanders' belief in Grumbar, to Umberlee's disdain.
After the end of that calamitous period of time, Kelthann remained ravaged by storms for some time, although not as powerful as when the Queen's avatar was personally stirring the sea. With the efforts of the alliance of merchants, inhabitants of the coastal cities, and the Iron Throne, of all people, Umberlee was appeased and calmed the Sea of Fallen Stars by 1360 DR–1361 DR. During the same period of time, the Queen of the Depths was responsible for the creation of weresharks within the Realms to spite Selûne.
In 1360 DR, during the Crusade against the Tuigan invasion, Umberlee was responsible for almost destroying the ship that carried king Azoun Obarskyr IV across the Lake of Dragons. The vessel Welleran failed to pay the tithe to the Queen of the Sea and only stopped the deadly storm after King Azoun's scribe sacrificed his most prized possession to the sea, the historical records of the ongoing Crusades.
In 1363 DR, during the Day of Wonders festival in Waterdeep, a wondrous mechanical dragon turtle sank after completing one lap around the harbor, becoming a part of the treasures of Umberlee's Cache.
Circa 1372 DR, Umberlee led her local priestess Tasina Alcrest to acquire a mysterious artefact of power and deliver it to the Temple-Under-The-Sea in the Fiddler's Green underwater region of the Sea of Swords. There, a horrific sea-beast called the Dweller lived. That creature was one of the first aspects, the first avatars of the goddess since the Time of Troubles. The kraken-like Dweller grew and expanded its corrupting influence, nourished by the priestesses and sahuagin worshipers alongside Umberlee's humanoid avatar manifestation.
By 1479 DR, recently abandoned Port Llast was claimed by Umberlee and her sea monsters.
Around the same year, a northlander who called herself the Storm Maiden led her followers on a crazed mission to take over the Sea of Swords, consumed by the power of the Bitch Queen. The Storm Maiden was defeated and disappeared along with her ship.
In 1484 DR, Umberlee pummelled Neverwinter with a devastating storm after Dagult Neverember offended the goddess by restricting regular sacrifices to her.
In 1490s DR, Umberlee contributed to the destruction unleashed upon the Sword Coast by the four elemental prophets. She empowered Gar Shatterkeel as her chosen, and Olhydra gave him powers of one of the prophets. After the prophets' defeat, Gar found a way back to Toril and was re-empowered by his otherworldly patrons. Umberlee gifted him a powerful artefact trident called the Wave. With the Bitch Queen's guidance, he was able to find an elemental node off the coast of Turmish at Umberlee’s Maw, opening the rift to the Elemental Plane of Water.
In the 15th century DR, a book called Shanties for the Bitch Queen was published and beloved by fishermen of the Western Heartlands.
In 1358 DR during the Time of Troubles, Umberlee manifested herself in the Sea of Fallen Stars, where she entertained herself by destroying pirate islands with her storms and minions. Umberlee took an opportunity to visit the island of Kelthann during the Time of Troubles and exact revenge on the denizens of the island for their belief that winter storms in the sea came from Grumbar's rivalry with the Bitch Queen. She made several attempts to wash the Kelthanni off the island with her powerful storms but failed to achieve her goal, strengthening the islanders' belief in Grumbar, to Umberlee's disdain.
After the end of that calamitous period of time, Kelthann remained ravaged by storms for some time, although not as powerful as when the Queen's avatar was personally stirring the sea. With the efforts of the alliance of merchants, inhabitants of the coastal cities, and the Iron Throne, of all people, Umberlee was appeased and calmed the Sea of Fallen Stars by 1360 DR–1361 DR. During the same period of time, the Queen of the Depths was responsible for the creation of weresharks within the Realms to spite Selûne.
In 1360 DR, during the Crusade against the Tuigan invasion, Umberlee was responsible for almost destroying the ship that carried king Azoun Obarskyr IV across the Lake of Dragons. The vessel Welleran failed to pay the tithe to the Queen of the Sea and only stopped the deadly storm after King Azoun's scribe sacrificed his most prized possession to the sea, the historical records of the ongoing Crusades.
In 1363 DR, during the Day of Wonders festival in Waterdeep, a wondrous mechanical dragon turtle sank after completing one lap around the harbor, becoming a part of the treasures of Umberlee's Cache.
Circa 1372 DR, Umberlee led her local priestess Tasina Alcrest to acquire a mysterious artefact of power and deliver it to the Temple-Under-The-Sea in the Fiddler's Green underwater region of the Sea of Swords. There, a horrific sea-beast called the Dweller lived. That creature was one of the first aspects, the first avatars of the goddess since the Time of Troubles. The kraken-like Dweller grew and expanded its corrupting influence, nourished by the priestesses and sahuagin worshipers alongside Umberlee's humanoid avatar manifestation.
By 1479 DR, recently abandoned Port Llast was claimed by Umberlee and her sea monsters.
Around the same year, a northlander who called herself the Storm Maiden led her followers on a crazed mission to take over the Sea of Swords, consumed by the power of the Bitch Queen. The Storm Maiden was defeated and disappeared along with her ship.
In 1484 DR, Umberlee pummelled Neverwinter with a devastating storm after Dagult Neverember offended the goddess by restricting regular sacrifices to her.
In 1490s DR, Umberlee contributed to the destruction unleashed upon the Sword Coast by the four elemental prophets. She empowered Gar Shatterkeel as her chosen, and Olhydra gave him powers of one of the prophets. After the prophets' defeat, Gar found a way back to Toril and was re-empowered by his otherworldly patrons. Umberlee gifted him a powerful artefact trident called the Wave. With the Bitch Queen's guidance, he was able to find an elemental node off the coast of Turmish at Umberlee’s Maw, opening the rift to the Elemental Plane of Water.
In the 15th century DR, a book called Shanties for the Bitch Queen was published and beloved by fishermen of the Western Heartlands.
Social
Contacts & Relations
Umberlee was strongly opposed to Selûne, whose stars guided navigators at sea; Valkur, who guided travellers safely home; Sune, whose beauty made her green with envy; and Chauntea for her dominion over land.
Silvanus was technically Umberlee's superior, as the ruler of the dominion the Deep Wilds within which she resides. However, Umberlee rarely, if ever, saw herself as Silvanus' servant.
Umberlee openly fought with Selûne, the goddess of the moon; Chauntea, the goddess of the earth and land; Sune, whose beauty spurred jealously within the Bitch Queen; and Valkur, the deity to whom sailors prayed for safe return from the sea.
Even though Talos was her superior and patron, he often attempted to usurp Umberlee's power over sea storms and hurricanes, folding them under his own portfolio. Despite that, the Queen of the Depths positioned herself as a flirt, keeping herself in Talos' good graces. Although her ambitions were limited by not being able to affect land directly, given the opportunity, she would have gladly destroyed her patron, taking his portfolio of destruction for herself.
The closest deity Umberlee could consider an ally was Auril, the fellow member of the Deities of Fury. When Umberlee required aid, she was likely to call on the Frostmaiden.
Silvanus was technically Umberlee's superior, as the ruler of the dominion the Deep Wilds within which she resides. However, Umberlee rarely, if ever, saw herself as Silvanus' servant.
Umberlee openly fought with Selûne, the goddess of the moon; Chauntea, the goddess of the earth and land; Sune, whose beauty spurred jealously within the Bitch Queen; and Valkur, the deity to whom sailors prayed for safe return from the sea.
Deities of Fury
Umberlee was a member of the Deities of Fury, a group that included Auril and Malar, led by the Storm Lord Talos. As Talos encroached upon Umberlee's portfolio since both deities ruled over storms, she attempted to distract him with a romantic relationship.Even though Talos was her superior and patron, he often attempted to usurp Umberlee's power over sea storms and hurricanes, folding them under his own portfolio. Despite that, the Queen of the Depths positioned herself as a flirt, keeping herself in Talos' good graces. Although her ambitions were limited by not being able to affect land directly, given the opportunity, she would have gladly destroyed her patron, taking his portfolio of destruction for herself.
The closest deity Umberlee could consider an ally was Auril, the fellow member of the Deities of Fury. When Umberlee required aid, she was likely to call on the Frostmaiden.
Deities of the First Circle
In the late 15th century DR, Umberlee was a part of the loosely related group of deities known as the First Circle to their worshipers. The First Circle consisted of the gods who lorded over nature: Chauntea, Eldath, Mielikki, Silvanus, Auril, Malar, Talos, and Umberlee herself.
Divine Classification
Intermediate deity
Religions
Alignment
Chaotic evil
Honorary & Occupational Titles
The Bitch Queen
Great Queen of the Sea
Queen of the Depths
Goddess of Oceans
The Wavemother
Goddess of the Deep Wilds
Stormgoddess of the Seas
Sea Queen
Ri'dea'brela
Sea Bitch
Great Queen of the Sea
Queen of the Depths
Goddess of Oceans
The Wavemother
Goddess of the Deep Wilds
Stormgoddess of the Seas
Sea Queen
Ri'dea'brela
Sea Bitch
Children
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