Istishia
Encyclopedia
In the Dungeons & Dragons
role-playing game
, Istishia, also known as "The Water Lord" and "King of Water Elementals," is the Neutral god of Elemental Water and purification.
created Istishia for his home Forgotten Realms
game, inspired by the deity Straasha, created by Michael Moorcock
for his Elric stories.
initially used Straasha, one of Moorcock
's Elemental gods as found in the original Deities & Demigods
, as the elemental lord of water for his home Dungeons & Dragons campaign set in the Forgotten Realms
. As Greenwood indicated in his article "Down-to-earth Divinity" in Dragon
#54 (October 1981), Moorcock's elemental gods "may later be replaced in [his] universe by "official" AD&D beings as these are published". Istishia first appeared in the original Manual of the Planes
(1987), and was featured as one of the elemental lords for the Forgotten Realms in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Sets "Cyclopedia of the Realms" booklet (1987).
(1990), the revised Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (1993) in the "Running the Realms" booklet, and Faiths & Avatars
(1996).
(2002).
.
His allies are those with a relation to water, like Deep Sashelas
, Eldath, Valkur, and Umberlee, but they are not strong relationships. He opposes Kossuth
in every way.
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
, Istishia, also known as "The Water Lord" and "King of Water Elementals," is the Neutral god of Elemental Water and purification.
Publication history
Ed GreenwoodEd Greenwood
Ed Greenwood is a Canadian writer and editor who created the Forgotten Realms. He invented the Forgotten Realms as a child, as a fantasy world in which to set the stories he imagined, and later used this world as a campaign setting for his own personal Dungeons & Dragons playing group...
created Istishia for his home Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
game, inspired by the deity Straasha, created by Michael Moorcock
Michael Moorcock
Michael John Moorcock is an English writer, primarily of science fiction and fantasy, who has also published a number of literary novels....
for his Elric stories.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)
Ed GreenwoodEd Greenwood
Ed Greenwood is a Canadian writer and editor who created the Forgotten Realms. He invented the Forgotten Realms as a child, as a fantasy world in which to set the stories he imagined, and later used this world as a campaign setting for his own personal Dungeons & Dragons playing group...
initially used Straasha, one of Moorcock
Michael Moorcock
Michael John Moorcock is an English writer, primarily of science fiction and fantasy, who has also published a number of literary novels....
's Elemental gods as found in the original Deities & Demigods
Deities & Demigods
Deities & Demigods , alternatively known as Legends & Lore , is a reference book for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game . The book provides descriptions and game statistics of gods and legendary creatures from various sources in mythology and fiction...
, as the elemental lord of water for his home Dungeons & Dragons campaign set in the Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
. As Greenwood indicated in his article "Down-to-earth Divinity" in Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#54 (October 1981), Moorcock's elemental gods "may later be replaced in [his] universe by "official" AD&D beings as these are published". Istishia first appeared in the original Manual of the Planes
Manual of the Planes
The Manual of the Planes is a manual for the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game. This text addresses the planar cosmology of the game universe....
(1987), and was featured as one of the elemental lords for the Forgotten Realms in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Sets "Cyclopedia of the Realms" booklet (1987).
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)
Istishia was described in the hardback Forgotten Realms AdventuresForgotten Realms Adventures
Forgotten Realms Adventures is an accessory for the fictional Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game...
(1990), the revised Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (1993) in the "Running the Realms" booklet, and Faiths & Avatars
Faiths & Avatars
Faiths & Avatars is an Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms campaign expansion book. The book was designed by Julia Martin with Eric L. Boyd, and additional design by Ed Greenwood, L. Richard Baker III, and David Wise...
(1996).
Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition (2000-2007)
Istishia appears as one of the major deities of the Forgotten Realms setting again, in Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (2001), and is further detailed in Faiths and PantheonsFaiths and Pantheons
Faiths and Pantheons is a campaign accessory for the 3rd edition of the Dungeons & Dragons, for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.-Contents:...
(2002).
Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition (2008-Present)
Istishia appears in the fourth edition as a primordial.Description
Istishia's symbol is a cresting wave and his favourite weapon is a wave (a warhammer for his clerics). His domains are Destruction, Ocean, Storm, Travel and Water. He is worshipped by bards, elemental archons of water, sailors and travelers. His clerics can be of Chaotic Neutral, True Neutral, Neutral Evil, Neutral Good, and Lawful Neutral alignmentsAlignment (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, alignment is a categorization of the ethical and moral perspective of people, creatures and societies....
.
His allies are those with a relation to water, like Deep Sashelas
Deep Sashelas
In many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Deep Sashelas is the elf patron deity of aquatic elves. He is also a god of creation, knowledge, beauty, and magic...
, Eldath, Valkur, and Umberlee, but they are not strong relationships. He opposes Kossuth
Kossuth (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Kossuth, is the god of Fire.Kossuth is symbolized by a twining red flame . His followers and clerics are often of the Neutral or Lawful Neutral alignment. He is the Fire God, the Lord of Flames, the Firelord, the Elemental God of Fire...
in every way.