The Shining One
Greater Deity
Symbol: Sun face
Home Plane: Elysium
Alignment: Neutral Good
Portfolio: Sun, light, strength, healing
Worshippers: Bards, rangers, druids, healers, commoners
Cleric Alignments: CG, LG, NG
Domains: Glory, Good, Healing, Strength, Sun
Favoured Weapon: “Sunscepter” (Heavy Mace)
Relics: Dawnstar, shard of the sun
Pelor (pay-lore), deity of the sun, is depicted as an older man in white, with wild hair and a beard of shining gold. Pelor is the creator of many good things, a supporter of those in need and an adversary of all that is evil. He is the most commonly worshipped deity among ordinary humans, and his priests are well received wherever they go.
Though widely revered as a peaceful and gentle deity who alleviates suffering, Pelor also has more martial aspects. He brings his wrath to bear on darkness and evil, and he invigorates and heals those who champion the cause of good.
Pelor teaches that the energy of life originates from the sun. This light brings strength to the weak and health to the injured, while destroying darkness and evil. He urges his followers to challenge the forces of corruption aggressively, but also to remember that just as staring at the sun can cause blindness of the eyes, relentless attention to the destruction of negative forces can blind the heart to the true essentials of life: kindness, mercy and compassion.
Pelor’s clerics favour yellow garb. They are usually kindly people with backbones of steel. They are primarily nurturers and protectors, but when the time comes to bear arms they are not afraid to do so. They use their powers to heal, nourish and otherwise aid the needy, while practicing the skills needed to protect their charges should they be threatened. Many clerics of Pelor leave their pastoral duties and go to explore far lands in an effort to drive off harmful beings and spread their deity’s gifts to all who need them.
Temples to Pelor tend to be tall, airy and blindingly white. They are usually placed so the sun shines into most of their rooms throughout the day. They often feature open, sunny courtyards as well. Pelor’s temples are always kept scrupulously clean, and many of them have wings that house hospitals.
Because Pelor’s clerics spend a lot of time tending to the sick, blessing crops and providing for the basic spiritual needs of their communities, they attract a number of earnest, forthright youths who want to make the world a better place. While not unduly harsh, training among the followers of Pelor is rigorous enough to send many well-meaning youths back to their farms and cobbler-shops.
More so than adherents of any other faith, the followers of Pelor often find themselves striving against the undead. They also undertake healing whenever they can — whether that healing is physical or spiritual. Quests that break up a cabal of necromancers, broker a peace accord between rival warlords or destroy an ancient lich-queen once and for all are good examples of missions for the glory of Pelor.
Pelor’s prayers often take the form of first person affirmations, such as “I am merciful, just as the Sun of Mercy shines on me”.
Temples to Pelor are tall structures that often feature large windows, often with decorative stained glass. They’re a good source of healing magic and often easy to find because Pelor-worship is so prevalent in civilized lands.
As befits a sun god, Pelor’s major festivals take place on solstices and equinoxes, and many weddings and rites of passage take place on the cusp of a new season. The Blessing of the Sun-Kissed Field is a common rite requested by farmers.
Pelor uses a solar as his herald. Allies are hound archons, astral devas and planetars.
Source: Deities and Demigods (Page 90), Complete Divine (Page 117)