Spruce Street Gamers A sinister evil broods...

Mistress of the Night

Evil Greater Goddess

Shar: SymbolAs old as the cosmos, Shar is one of the twin deities who created the world, bringing order out of Ao's primordial chaos. The balance to her sister’s loving grace, Shar resides in the deepest shadows, nurturing the secret hatreds, the unnatural desires, and the lust for revenge that reside in the black corners of the mortal heart.

Her worshipers wield great power over other mortals and have worked their way into the highest governing ranks of countless realms. In the Empire of Netheril, allegiance to Shar, and Shar alone, carries the weight of law.

Her nightcloaks form their own cells from what scraps of secret lore they can find. Temples of Shar practice devotion to her in wildly varying ways. Often the presence of a temple is revealed only to a small inner circle of lay initiates who are tasked with spreading Shar’s whispered dogma in their own way.

Counterpart to her twin , she presides over caverns, darkness, dungeons, forgetfulness, loss, night, secrets, and the Underdark. Among her array of twisted powers is the ability to see everything that lies or happens in the dark.

Dogma

Reveal secrets only to fellow members of the faithful. Never follow hope or turn to promises of success. Quench the light of the moon (agents and items of ) whenever you find it, and hide from it when you cannot prevail. The dark is a time to act, not wait. It is forbidden to strive to better your lot in life or to plan ahead save when directly overseen by the faithful of the Dark Deity. Consorting with the faithful of good deities is a sin except in business dealings or to corrupt them from their beliefs. Obey and never speak out against ranking clergy unless it would result in your own death.

Servants

• Vecna – goddess of the undead, necromancy and secrets

Shar

Queen of the Demonweb Pits

Chaotic Evil Greater Goddess

Lolth: SymbolLolth: Era of UpheavalThe Spider Queen sits alone in the Demonweb Pits, presiding over the drow and their manifold schemes and betrayals. She revels in blood, hungers for sacrifice, and toys with worshipers and victims alike. Hers is a cold cruelty born of the blackest pits in the endless Abyss.

Lolth exists on her home plane in the form of seven monstrous spiders and one beautiful drow maiden. She took these forms when, through the force of her own horrific will, she transformed into the greater goddess she is today.

Lolth appears to her worshipers from time to time, but never because she is summoned. Lolth serves no one, and she demands absolute fealty from all drow, though only females can serve her as arachne. Males are considered unclean, if occasionally necessary. Still, if one turns his back on her, she takes vengeful notice.

Lolth is the chaotic evil god of shadow, lies, and spiders. As the patron of the drow, scheming and treachery are her commands, and her priests are a constant force of disruption in the otherwise stable society of the evil drow. Though she is properly a god and not a demon, she is called Demon Queen of Spiders. She demands that her followers:

• Do whatever it takes to gain and hold power.
• Rely on stealth and slander in preference to outright confrontation.
• Seek the death of elves and eladrin at every opportunity.

Servants

• Torog – god of the Underdark

Lolth: Drow form

The One-Eyed God

Chaotic Evil Greater God

Gruumsh: Era of UpheavalGruumsh: SymbolGod of destruction, Gruumsh’s influence has flourished in recent decades with the growth of the orc population, and as other humanoids have come under his sway. His recent triumphs include putting the orc pantheon and other minor deities of the savage races under his thumb.

Though Gruumans maintain that their god was born with one eye, the eladrin assert that he lost an eye in combat with Corellon. The two divine powers have fought countless times, and they remain the bitterest of enemies.

Gruumsh is a god of conquest, driving his savage multitudes to expand their power by whatever brutal means they wish. His shamans advise chiefs and warmongers to raid, kill, and conquer.

The last day of Marpenoth, which Gruumans call Gharfek'taaz ("Feast of the Bloodied Stones"), commemorates Gruumsh’s ascendancy as the master of Nishrek. On this day, new shamans are ordained in a bloody orgy of torture and sacrifice.

Where Bane commands conquest, Gruumsh exhorts his followers to slaughter and pillage. Orcs are his fervent followers, and they bear a particular hatred for elves and eladrin because Corellon put out one of Gruumsh’s eyes. The One-Eyed God gives simple orders to his followers:

• Conquer and destroy.
• Let your strength crush the weak.
• Do as you will, and let no one stop you.