Thandor

The Deity
The Church
Clerics
Holy Warriors
Prestige Classes

Thandor, god of the air and sky

Thandor is one of the five original gods of Theeurth, and is often given the title "King of the gods".  He is lord of the air and all that flies in it.  He wields thunder and lightning and holds the four winds in the palm of his hand.  Widowed husband of Shorral, father to Ilion and Valkrys and foster-father to Erdhon and Thandor, Thandor is synonymous with freedom, wildness and compassion.

From his high hall, he can see much that goes on in the world, and sends his agents to and fro in the guise of birds to bring him word of the acts of mortals and to keep a vigilant eye against the works of Malbor.

Associations

Thandor's church is well-represented among the elves and humans, and cared for least among the underground races.  Among the wild and barbaric peoples of the world, he is best-loved of all the gods, and is known by many names and titles.

Alignment

Thandor is Neutral Good.

Representations

In Conorrian art, Thandor is represented as having three avatars - the rash young Stormlord, the great King and the wise old Grandfather.  In the Successor States, he is the Great Oak, which holds up the Sky.  South of the Valesian sea, he is a hawk-headed deity.  In most of these guises, he holds four beasts on chains or leashes - the four winds.

His symbol is most often a pair of spread wings, but is also a lightning bolt.

Purpose

Thandor sees most clearly the purposes of the One, and of all the Celestial Host knows most of the course of the future.  His purpose is to shepherd the mortal world toward a destiny even he sees only dimly.  

He cares for the mortal races as his foster children, for they are a great part of what remains of his beloved wife Shorral.  Yet he can be terrible in his punishment of his errant children, for it was he who threw down great pieces of the sky and destroyed Iridian and Numanthaur, mightiest of the mortal empires. 

Servants

The Four Winds - The winds that blow about the earth are but shadows of their true power.  When unchained, the four winds are great powers of destruction, and thus are unleashed by the Sky Father only rarely.

Mendalon and Urios - These two crows sit upon the Sky Father's shoulders and bring him news of events all across the mortal world.  They are clever and loyal, but vain.  They fear Ilion, who once chained them to one of her cats.

Aradion - Father of eagles, this great bird or his progeny have often served the hosts of Thandor as steeds or messengers. 

THE CHURCH - The Eyries of Thandor

Church Description

Once, long ago, the Eyries of Thandor (as his churches are called) were among the most popular places of worship.  But with the rise of civilization, the concerns of mortals turned to the matters of war, medicine, commerce and crafts.  The worship of the Sky Father has been receding for centuries.  

Then, too, the Eyries never involved themselves in the factions and politics of the mortal world, and withdrew to mountaintop temples as the great cities grew.  Now, most of the Thandorite clergy remain in these remote fastnesses and only rarely come into contact with the outside world.

Church Structure

There are three holy orders dedicated to the Sky Father: The Wings (clergy), Talons (holy warriors) and Thunders (monks).  Members of any or all of the the three orders may be found within a single eyrie.  No central authority rules over the various eyries.  The highest authority in any eyrie is the most senior Wing.   

Doctrine

The Eyries teach that it is always possible to look up, to reach for the heavens.  Just as Thandor himself embodies both the dark and the light, savior and avenger, so is each mortal given the choice of darkness and light.  Redemption is possible for even the most debased of creatures.

The Eyries also teach that freedom is the right and heritage of all those who dwell in Theeurth.  Slavery, serfdom and subjugation are all anathema to the ways of Thandor.  This makes them quite unpopular with the rulers of the most authoritarian nations.

Holy Days

No specific days are dedicated to the Sky Father, though one of the days of the week is named for him in the Conorrian calendar.  However, many communities celebrate local festivals dedicated to Thandor.

Preferred Weapon

Thandor wields no weapon but the lightning.  Most of his priests imitate this with spears and heavy javelins.

CLERICS - The Wings of Thandor

The Order

The Wings are, for the most part, a quiet, contemplative order, given to meditation, fasting and mysticism. Though each is subject to the rule of the high wing of the eyrie, each also follows the dictates of his conscience and the results of his contemplation.  Thus some Wings take up a life of adventuring, or do so for a year or a season.

Titles

At 1st level, Wings are addressed as "brother wing" or "sister wing".  At 9th level they become "father wing" or "mother wing".  

Domains

Wings of Thandor may take any two of the the Air, Freedom, Good Renewal or Storm domains.

The Freedom domain is the creation of Scott Nolan and is designated as open content.  The Renewal and Storm domains are from The Forgotten Realms Campaign Sourcebook by Wizards of the Coast. 

Freedom Domain 

Granted Powers: Once per day, you can dispel any one magical, supernatural or psionic effect which inhibits or restrains the mind or body of another, such as hold person, charm person, orforcecage (but not one such as wall of stone, if merely impedes travel in one direction, or flesh to stone).  This is effected by a caster level check, exactly as described in the description of the dispel magic spell. 

Freedom Domain Spells:
1. Change Self                                       6. Word of Recall
2. Remove Paralysis                             7. Sequester
3. Nondetection                                     8. Greater Spell Immunity
4. Freedom of Movement                   9. Freedom
5. Break Enchantment

Renewal Domain 

Granted Powers: If you fall below 0 hit points, you gain a number of hit points equal to 1d8+your Charisma modifier.  This supernatural ability functions once per day.   

Renewal Domain Spells:
1. Charm Person                                   6. Heroes' Feast
2. Lesser Restoration                          7. Greater Restoration
3. Remove Disease                               8. Polymorph Any Object
4. Reincarnate                                        9. Freedom
5. Atonement

Storm Domain 

Granted Powers: You gain electricity resistance (5+Wisdom modifier).   

Storm Domain Spells:
1. Entropic Shield                                  6. Summon Monster VI (Air spell only)
2. Gust of Wind                                      7. Control Weather
3. Call Lightning                                    8. Whirlwind
4. Sleet Storm                                       9. Storm of Vengeance
5. Ice Storm

Spells

The Spells of the Wings may be found here.

Alignments

Wings of Thandor may be lawful good, neutral good or chaotic good.  The neutral good clerics are the most common, and are generally kindly and contemplative.  They believe that the true nature of all things may be discerned in the heavens.  These wings believe that all living things may choose the path towards good or evil.

Lawful good wings concentrate on the order of the universe.  The clocklike workings of the stars and heavens shows forth the orderly planning of the gods.  Just so, they claim, can mortals be sure that they have a place within the order of the cosmos.

Chaotic good wings stress instead the individual perfection towards which each being may strive. 

HOLY WARRIORS* - The Talons of Thandor

The Order

The Talons are an independent force within the Eyries of Thandor and represent a powerful and graceful force for good  wherever they ride.  From time immemorial, the Talons have ridden down out of their remote eyries to oppose the forces of evil and strike fear into the hearts of the servants of Malbor.  Their numbers now have dwindled away, and to see one of these magnificent riders upon their winged steeds is a rare sight indeed.

Every Talon wears the armor of a former Talon, such that their armor is often hundreds of years old.  New armor is rarely forged, for the number of Talons is far less than it once was.  The workmanship of these treasured armor harnesses ("sheathes", as they are jocularly called within the order) is always exquisite and quite valuable.  Talons will risk their lives to recover the armor of a fallen brother in the order.  

Titles

At first level, a Talon is referred to as a "novice", and is under the direct command of the most senior Talon in his eyrie.  Such novices go where the do only at the direction of their master.  At fourth level, the Talon is no longer a novice becomes simply "Talon".  At eighth level, the Talon may call to him one of the descendants of Aradion, the great eagle mount of Thandor.  From this time forward, he is referred to as "Master Talon" (regardless of sex).

Races - Any race may choose to be a Talon of Thandor, though elves and humans are the most common.

Hit Die - d10

Class Skills - The Talon's  class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis) and Spot (Wis).

Weapon and Armor - Talons are proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with light, medium and heavy armor and with shields.

Secret Wisdom of Thandor - The Talon is intimately familiar with the element of Air.  He may speak the secret language of the air elementals and gains some of the characteristic freedom of the air.  He can move as lithely and quick as any bird.  The Talon gains the Mobility and Dodge feats, even if he does not meet the prerequisites.

Smite Evil - Once per day, a Talon may attempt to smite evil with one normal melee attack. She adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to her attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per Talon level. If the Talon accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that day.

At 5th level, and at every five levels thereafter, the Talon may smite evil one additional time per day, as indicated on Table: The Talon, to a maximum of five times per day at 20th level.

Slip Bonds - The Talon cannot be contained by normal means; the power of Ilion makes him free from any but the most extreme restraint.  He gains Escape Artist as a class skill, receiving a number of ranks equal to his Charisma modifier (although it may not exceed the maximum ranks for a character of his level).  Whenever making an Escape Artist skill check, he may add his Charisma modifier to the roll as a sacred bonus.  Also, whenever he is imprisoned or intentionally locked into some sort of confinement, he may use his Escape Artist skill to open the lock as though it were the Open Lock skill.  He retains the Charisma modifier bonus on these rolls.  Allies observing him when opening such locks not that he is in a trance while do; he can't replicate the skill unless he is actually being held against his will.

Bring Down the Lightning - Once per day, the Talon gains the pure power of lightning.  His weapon, hand or other method of attack crackles with electricity a round, causing an additional 1d6 plus his Charisma modifier in damage.  This attack does not affect creatures immune to electricity.  This effect does not stack with the damage bonus of smite evil.

Stormdweller - The Talon gains energy resistance to electricity equal to 5 plus his Charisma modifier. At 10th level, this protection increases to 10 plus his Charisma modifer and at 15th level, it increases to 15 plus his charisma modifier.  This resistance overlaps (does not stack with) similar protections derived from spells such as protection from energy.

Rebuke Air Elementals - The Talon may rebuke air elementals in the same manner a cleric may turn or rebuke undead.  The Talon does this at his full class level.  The number of times a Talon may turn undead and rebuke air elementals are wholly independent from each other.

Gifts of Thandor

Beginning at 6th level, the Talon can cast gust of wind, once a week, as per the spell.  He can use this ability twice per week at 9th level).  Gust of WInd is a spell-like ability for Talons.

Beginning at 12th level, the Talon may use gust of wind, as above, or he may choose to use his Gift of Thandor to cast control winds as per the spell. (as from a caster of his class level).  He can use either ability more often as he advances in levels (four per week at 15th level and five times per week at 18th level).  Control Winds is a spell-like ability for Talons.

Spells

The spells of the Talons may be found here.

Animal Companion, Code of Conduct & Associates

At 8th level, the Talon may summon a celestial giant eagle.  These eagles are quite intelligent and speak both Low Conorrian and the language of air elementals.  The Talon and mount bond exactly as a paladin's mount (see the PHB).  

Alignments

All Talons of Thandor are neutral good.  They will associate with any who are of good heart, though they are most often found alone.  They will not endure the company of those who seek either to enslave others or to destroy a functioning society under the guise of promoting freedom. 

PRESTIGE CLASSES

The Thunders - Not written yet.

* The Holy Warrior Class is derived from The Book of the Righteous by Green Ronin Publishing.  Details can be found here.