Anhur

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General of the Gods, Champion of Physical Prowess, the Falcon of War, Supreme Marshall of All Armies, God of War, Thunder, Rain, and Storms
Mulhorandi Powers: Horus-Re | Isis | Nephthys | Osiris | Set | Thoth | Anhur | Geb | Hathor | Sebek | Bes | Sharess

Aliases: Ramathant (in Thay), Ramman, Ramatep, & Rumatep (in Unther)
Gender: Male
Demonym: Anhurite
Power Level: Lesser deity
Symbol: Hawk-Headed falchion bound with a cord
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Portfolio: War, conflict, physical prowess, thunder, rain
Worshipers: Druids, fighters, monks, rangers, soldiers, warriors.
Domains: Chaos, Good, Strength, Storm, War
Arelith worshippers' alignments[1]: CG, CN, NG
Aspects: War and Destruction, Nature

Anhur

Anhur (an-her) embodies both the raw fury and the strategic generalship of war. He is a fierce deity, but one not quick to pass judgment on others. Unlike other war deities, Anhur is a force for good and fights only against evil. He is slow to anger, for his wisdom is legendary, but his wrath is unescapable once earned. Anhur never lets his guard down and is constantly on the alert. He never stops moving, and his eyes never stop scanning the horizon. Unlike much of the rest of the Mulhorandi pantheon, Anhur appreciates the humor of mortals and does not necessarily find their presence tiresome. He has a heartly laugh and an ever-present smile when not engaged in combat. A shadow of guilt haunts the eyes of the General of the Gods, as he never forgives himself for earlier failures to defend Mulhorand, particularly against the Red Wizards.

Relationships

Although nominally allied with Pharaoh of the Gods, Anhur's aggressive advocacy of change often clashes with Horus-Re's desire for eternity and perpetual order. After absorbing the portfolios or Ramman, the former Untheric deity of weather, Anhur has come into increasing conflict with Isis; but in other respects the two are close allies. He cooperates closely with Nephthys, particularly in opposing the machinations of Thay, and has an on-again-off-again relationship with Bast (Sharess), although their alliance is fundamentally sound. Anhur's long-standing enemy is Set, but his activities have also earned him the enmity of Sekolah (the sahuagin shark deity) and Hoar. Given Mulhorand's war with Unther and its interest in expansion, Anhur is likely to come into conflict with Tempus eventually.

The Church

The church of Anhur is organized into a strict hierarchy and run with martial efficiency. Clerics of Anhur spend their morning hours practicing their martial skills. Afternoons are spent drilling Mulhorand's legions. Evenings are spent repairing weapons and armor or studying war strategies. Anhur expects his clergy to develop and execute unorthodox and daring plans to regain Mulhorand's former glory. Therefore, much of his clergy's time is spent pursuing fantastic plans and countering the machinations of the clerics of Horus-Re.

Dogma

Protect Mulhorand, for she is your mother. Fall upon her enemies as you would any who had done ill to your own mother. Show bravery and valor in combat, and protect your brothers and sisters in arms. Follow the wise advice of your commander as you would that of your parents, but take no actions that serve an ill cause. If your commander asks that you do ill, refuse; your actions will be vindicated by a council of at least three of your peers.

Protect the people of Mulhorand and the property of the church of Anhur, for it is your home you defend with the fury of a lioness defending her cubs. Beware the wiles of Set, for his spies are everywhere and his actions turn brother upon sister and parent upon child; his taint poisons the waters of the land of your heart. Defend against the fierce storms that sweep down from the north, for they are the work of crimson magic. Carry the peace and prosperity of Mulhorand westward and shepherd the people of Unther during their time of need.

Holy Days/Important Ceremonies

Clerics and druids of Anhur pray for their spells at dawn, in anticipation of the day's battles. The month of Tarsakh is referred to in Mulhorand as the Time of Storms, and Anhur is said to walk the borders of Mulhorand during this time seeking out interlopers to drive off. The clergy of Anhur celebrates this time by engaging in a month-long tournament of nonlethal combats. The winning of the combat is known as the Champion of Anhur for the following years.

This month-long tournament concludes on Greengrass with a festival known as the Sharpening of the Swords. On the rare occasions when Mulhorand has gone to war, major campaigns typically begin on or soon after this date. The Remembrance Ritual is celebrated on Highharvestide. This somber festival is a day of self-reflection and a time to remember fallen comrades. It concludes on a joyous note with a litany of martial hymns thanking Anhur for military successes in the past year. Finally, the clergy of Anhur have numerous holy days commemorating one major battle or another. Though these celebrations are largely ignored outside the clergy, the citadels of Anhur are sites of good-spirited revelry during these festivals, and thy sponsor many competitive sporting events on such days. Most clerics multiclass as divine champions or fighters.

References

  1. On Arelith, the restriction for D&D clerics also applies to paladins and druids