Taara

Greater Deity

Symbol: Interlocking Chains (The Binding) or A Spider's Web

Colors: Black and Gray

Alignment: Neutral Evil

Celestial Symbol: The Constellation 'The Cursed Lover'

Home Plane: The Abyss

Portfolio: Seduction, Darkness, Conquering, Black Magic

Domains: Evil, Darkness, Magic, Destruction

Cleric Alignment: NE, CE, LE

Favored Weapon: Taara’s Kiss (Flail) or Night Bringer (Quarterstaff)

Other Names: Lady Chaos (Dran), The Great Spider (Dwarves), Lasabeth (Veyshan), and Mulria The Temptress (Myrddion), The Shadow Sorceress, Gloomweaver, The Enchantress

A shadowy temptress of stunning beauty and cruelty, Taara represents all manner of perversion though to many she is the representative of the vice of lust. She claims that she wishes to liberate minds and free them but her true goal is the undermining of law, good and the corruption of innocence. She is greed, nihilism and she advocates cruelty, torture and bloodshed as much as she does manipulation, seduction and deception. Indulgence of the flesh, disordered pleasures and submission to her will are ways to gain her favor and she whispers secrets of dark and forbidden magic to those who are tired of the constraints laid upon them by other orders and who seek quick paths to power. In recent days Taara's power has waxed strong, some might say to strong. Centuries of machinations culminated in her effort to circumvent the ban placed upon the gods by oaths sworn on their own names and beings - the Non Manifestation Pact. This agreement, made at the dawn of mortal history, was such that the gods would never wage war in forms of flesh again, upon Gaea, and thus in doing so risk destroying the world. Taara, for her part, saw a way of escaping the seal that had been placed over the gods of darkness and she nearly succeeded save for the intervention of those chosen to stand in her way. Today she waxes strong. Perhaps even stronger, some whisper, then her husband the Tyrant of Gods. While he languishes in a hell of his own making, Taara stretches her hands across all Creation, instigating an age of intrigue, shadow and great danger. Her peers, the other gods of darkness, make plans to betray her or ally themselves with her and the turmoil she unleashes.

Dogma

Taara whispers promises of freedom and those who come to her do so seeking to be freed from the constraints placed upon them by their mundane lives. Dark wishes and curses whispered in moments of anger find their way to her ears. Trials of both physical endurance and intellect also strengthen ones bond with the Shadow Sorceress and through them, ones communion with darkness comes full circle. To suffer in her name is sacred and to corrupt others and lead them onto her path is the ultimate act of worship. To indulge in the pleasures of the flesh is wise and things are worthy for the taking, one simply has to reach forth and grasp it. Use any shortcut to power that you see fit. Treason, murder, deception, betrayal are all merely tools to be used to further your glory, and through your own glory to further Taara's will.

Clergy and temples

By and large, the faith of Taara is known as The Shadow Faith, but as she encourages such individualism and self-seeking activities amongst her priests, there is no true unified church. Instead, Taara's Faith is composed of a number of independent cells known as Septs that are scattered across the entire continent. She has only a few devoted religious orders and most of her clergy draws their clout from criminal guilds, gangs and black market organizations. A typical cleric of Taara can quickly gather together a powerful band of allies for the purposes of performing a task for Taara. Even a low-level cleric commands considerable respect amongst these organizations and it affords them flexibility that other religious orders mostly lack. Within an individual cult, few adherents even know the true names of others in the cult and almost no one knows the name of the leader of larger regional organizations. In more civilized lands that lack heavy criminal activity, the clergy revels in secrets and they frequently establish social clubs and false cults to further corrupt the foundations of such mannered societies. They frequently promote vengeance, organize cabals and forment unrest through calamity and acts of sedition.