Kelemvor Lyonsbane
Encyclopedia
Kelemvor Lyonsbane, Lord of the Dead and Judge of the Damned, is a god in the fictional Forgotten Realms
campaign setting
for the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
role-playing game
.
Fair yet cold, Kelemvor is the god of Death
and the Dead—the most recent deity to hold this position, following in the footsteps of Jergal, Myrkul
and, briefly, Cyric
. Unlike these other deities, whose rule as gods of the dead made the afterlife an uncertain and fearful thing, Kelemvor urges knowledge that death is a natural part of life and should not be feared as long as it is understood.
Kelemvor is a Lawful Neutral Greater Power. His symbol is an upright skeletal arm holding the golden scales of justice, his divine realm is the Fugue Plane, and his Third Edition D&D domains are Fate, Law, Protection, Repose, and Travel.
. By the end of the original Avatar Trilogy, Kelemvor had been slain by Cyric
.
The novel Prince of Lies (1993) reveals that Cyric had kept Kelemvor's soul to use in a plot, but the plot backfires and Kelemvor becomes a god as well, taking part of Cyric's portfolio. The story of Kelemvor's godhood is continued in the novel Crucible: The Trial of Cyric the Mad (1998).
His role in the cosmology of the Planescape
campaign setting was described in On Hallowed Ground
(1996). His worship in the Forgotten Realms is described in Faiths & Avatars (1996).
(2002).
Kelemvor Lyonsbane was the seventh descendant of Kyle. Because of the curse, Kelemvor had become a panther and mercilessly killed his own cruel father when trying to protect an innocent house maiden. After this, he left his household to become a mercenary, hoping to find a release from the curse.
During the Avatar Trilogy, Kelemvor encounters Midnight (Mystra
to be) and Adon of Sune
. During the Time of Troubles
the curse is removed by the god of strife, Bane
. Following this, they retrieve the Tablets of Fate that the gods needed to return to the planes
. Cyric the Mad pursued them the whole way, and eventually with the help of the Great Archmage
s Khelben and Elminster, they succeeded in destroying the threats of Myrkul and Bane, and saved Waterdeep
. However, Kelemvor was ambushed on the roof of the Blackstaff tower by Cyric, and was killed with the sword Godsbane, which trapped his soul within it.
and ascended to godhood, the first thing he wanted to accomplish was to have Kelemvor's soul so that he could gain an advantage over the new Mystra, his most hated rival, and whose portfolio over Magic he coveted. However, for ten years, Cyric and his church were unable to find Kelemvor's soul, every divination and spell they tried yields nothing. Cyric suspected that there were traitors within his own church who fostered Kelemvor's soul. He later launched the Second Banedeath in 1368 DR, unleashing his Inquisition on Zhentil Keep, Yûlash, Darkhold
, Teshwave, and the Citadel of the Raven to cleanse all Zhent holdings of non-Cyricist priests. Cyric also released Kezef the Chaos Hound from Pandemonium
, and commanded it to trace Kelemvor's soul. Kezef ended up being trapped again by the God of Thieves.
The truth is, Kelemvor's soul was trapped in Cyric's sentient sword, Godsbane, in the moment he was killed in the Blackstaff Tower. The sword was actually Mask, the God of Thieves in guise, who planned to bring Cyric's downfall and gain Cyric's portfolio over lies. Mask used Kelemvor's soul to gain the cooperation of Mystra, all the while planning a revolt in the City of Death against Cyric. With the help of Mystra
, Torm
, Oghma, and Cyric's own high priest Fzoul Chembryl (whose loyalty lay with the dead Bane), great chaos was caused in two of Cyric's most important bases of faith: Zhentil Keep, and the City of Death. A great number of Cyric's follower lost their faith, thus greatly weakening Cyric himself. Without the will to control the City of Death, dead spirits were freed and roamed about the City. In addition, Cyric's nightmare was freed from Dendar the Night Serpent, and the dream found Cyric, causing him to think that Kelemvor had somehow returned to life and to seek revenge. At that moment, Cyric, though a Greater Power, lost his mind, crushed his sword, which freed Kelemvor, and made his nightmare come true. The two fought, a dead soul against a god. Cyric's fear, indecision, and madness had become his defeat, and Kelemvor finally managed to overthrow Cyric's rule in the City. By the wish of all dead spirits and Denizens in the Gray Wastes (some say by Ao's will also), in 1368 DR Kelemvor became the new God of Death.
where Jergal, Myrkul
, and Cyric
used to dwell, into the glorious Crystal Spire, its translucency representing that no more should Death be a frightening mystery. While faithful souls would be claimed by their respective deities, faithless souls and those with a false faith that his/her god did not want, are judged before the God of Death. Former Gods of Death would decide whether they were the Faithless, or the False. Either way, in the hands of Myrkul or Cyric, these souls eventually ended up being eternally tortured.
Kelemvor, however, was more lenient on those Faithless and False who were virtuous and honorable in life, while the ones who were cowardly or capricious were severely punished. Those souls being judged as noble, would be sent to the then merrier and heaven-like parts in the City of Death, such as the Singing City, or Pax Cloister, while for thieves and cowards there were hell-like parts of the City such as Acid Swamps.
As a result, honorable and brave mortals no longer feared death, and recklessly threw their lives away, trusting in Kelemvor's judgement rather than worshipping other benevolent gods. The cowardly and crafty mortals became too fearful to do much, lest they die and find themselves before Kelemvor. This, in combination with Mystra's unjust granting of magic, favoring only those good, brought unintentional imbalance and robbed the other deities of potential worshipers. Being exposed by Cyric
, Kelemvor and Mystra were accused by the Circle of Greater Gods of being guilty of Incompetence by Humanity.
Kelemvor wondered how he could judge the damned, when he himself failed in his own personal judgement. He gradually came to realize that there is nothing human in being a god. To correct his mistakes, great changes were undergone in his realm, as well as in himself. The City of the Dead was changed to a gray world, not truly light, not totally dark, simply dull gray. Gone was the good and evil in the City, only indifference and silence remained. The once diamond-like Crystal Spire was also smoked the color of topaz. Kelemvor also rid himself of all signs of humanity in order to properly fulfill his duties, which means replacing the warrior-like human he used to assume with a darkly robed figure, his raven black hair turned to silver, his eyes became pupiless, his armor tattered and black, and donned a silver death mask.
He then conducted the Reevaluation, where all souls in the City were to be judged according to new criteria, then be sentenced to new places in the City. Souls being judged will not find torture, but neither will they find joy. They will exist with souls ethically similar to themselves.
During the process, Adon (Kelemvor and Mystra's mutual friend, as well the patriarch of Mystra's church) was driven mad by Cyric's trick, losing his faith in Mystra, and had died a faithless soul. Mystra came to Kelemvor and asked for Adon's soul, which Kelemvor steadfastly refused since Adon was now one of the Faithless, or perhaps even the False. This, along with Kelemvor's loss of passion, eventually caused the breaking up of their relationship.
, the necromancer god who animates the dead into undead
and stands against everything Kelemvor works for, and Talona, for the unnatural deaths caused by her disease
s. This also makes him an ally of Lathander the Morninglord, who also opposes undeath. Kelemvor maintains practical alliances with good- and neutral-aligned gods of death in other pantheons—Sehanine Moonbow
, Osiris
and Urogalan
amongst. Kelemvor is served by the original deity of death, the mysterious Jergal, who keeps records of the final disposition of spirits of the deceased.
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...
campaign setting
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
for the Dungeons & Dragons
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...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
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...
.
Fair yet cold, Kelemvor is the god of Death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
and the Dead—the most recent deity to hold this position, following in the footsteps of Jergal, Myrkul
Myrkul
Myrkul was the fictional Lord of the Dead in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting based upon the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Further aliases of Myrkul include the Reaper and Old Lord Skull. His symbol is a skull against a black field, known to occur in nightmares of many of the...
and, briefly, Cyric
Cyric
Cyric is a deity in the fictional Forgotten Realms campaign setting, a branch of Dungeons & Dragons. Cyric has many titles, including the Prince of Lies, the Dark Sun, the Black Sun, the Mad God, and the Lord of Three Crowns...
. Unlike these other deities, whose rule as gods of the dead made the afterlife an uncertain and fearful thing, Kelemvor urges knowledge that death is a natural part of life and should not be feared as long as it is understood.
Kelemvor is a Lawful Neutral Greater Power. His symbol is an upright skeletal arm holding the golden scales of justice, his divine realm is the Fugue Plane, and his Third Edition D&D domains are Fate, Law, Protection, Repose, and Travel.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)
Kelemvor's story as a mortal is described in the Avatar Trilogy, in the novels Shadowdale, Tantras, and Waterdeep. Cyric first appeared in a Dungeons & Dragons game supplement in 1989's Hall of HeroesHall of Heroes (Forgotten Realms)
Hall of Heroes is an accessory for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game...
. By the end of the original Avatar Trilogy, Kelemvor had been slain by Cyric
Cyric
Cyric is a deity in the fictional Forgotten Realms campaign setting, a branch of Dungeons & Dragons. Cyric has many titles, including the Prince of Lies, the Dark Sun, the Black Sun, the Mad God, and the Lord of Three Crowns...
.
The novel Prince of Lies (1993) reveals that Cyric had kept Kelemvor's soul to use in a plot, but the plot backfires and Kelemvor becomes a god as well, taking part of Cyric's portfolio. The story of Kelemvor's godhood is continued in the novel Crucible: The Trial of Cyric the Mad (1998).
His role in the cosmology of the Planescape
Planescape
Planescape is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, originally designed by Zeb Cook. The Planescape setting was published in 1994...
campaign setting was described in On Hallowed Ground
On Hallowed Ground
On Hallowed Ground is an accessory book for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, for the Planescape campaign setting.-Contents:This book contains information about deities' planar domains from 20 separate pantheons...
(1996). His worship in the Forgotten Realms is described in Faiths & Avatars (1996).
Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition (2000-2007)
Kelemvor 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).
Mortal Days
Kelemvor suffered from a form of lycanthropy that had been passed down through his paternal family. Kyle Lyonsbane, Kelemvor's grandfather, was a mercenary ruthless in extracting payment, and who had also left his sorceress companion on the battlefield to die so that he could plunder the enemy's stronghold. In her last breath, the sorceress bestowed a curse upon Kyle. Afterward, Kyle could never attempt to perform an act for any type of reward without turning into panther, and return to his human form only by taking a life. Under the curse, only unselfish and heroic acts were permitted. A mirrored form of the curse was passed on to Kyle's son, making him unable to perform any act without asking for a reward, or suffer the same metamorphosis.Kelemvor Lyonsbane was the seventh descendant of Kyle. Because of the curse, Kelemvor had become a panther and mercilessly killed his own cruel father when trying to protect an innocent house maiden. After this, he left his household to become a mercenary, hoping to find a release from the curse.
During the Avatar Trilogy, Kelemvor encounters Midnight (Mystra
Mystra (goddess)
Mystra is a fictional goddess in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.She is the Mistress of Magic and Mother of Mysteries who guides the Weave of magic that envelops the world. She tends to the weave constantly, making possible all the...
to be) and Adon of Sune
Sune
Sune may refer to:* Lalah Sune, a fictional character in Mobile Suit Gundam* Sune , a Swedish children's book series* Sune , a fictional character in Forgotten Realms* Sune , a given name...
. During the Time of Troubles
Time of Troubles (Forgotten Realms)
The Time of Troubles, also known as the Arrival, Godswar, and Avatar Crisis, is a fictional time period in the chronology of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role playing game...
the curse is removed by the god of strife, Bane
Bane (god)
Bane , is the god of hatred, fear, and tyranny and one of the main evil gods in the fictional Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting, Forgotten Realms....
. Following this, they retrieve the Tablets of Fate that the gods needed to return to the planes
Plane (Dungeons & Dragons)
The planes of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game constitutes the multiverse in which the game takes place.In the earliest versions of Dungeons & Dragons, the concept of the Inner, Ethereal, Prime Material, Astral and Outer Planes was introduced; at the time there were only four Inner Planes...
. Cyric the Mad pursued them the whole way, and eventually with the help of the Great Archmage
Archmage
Archmage, archmagi, or archmagus is a title used to identify an especially powerful wizard, usually within the context of fantasy fiction...
s Khelben and Elminster, they succeeded in destroying the threats of Myrkul and Bane, and saved Waterdeep
Waterdeep (city)
Waterdeep is a fictional city-state that forms part of a popular Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game campaign setting called the Forgotten Realms. It is a port city that is located along the western coast of the Faerûn sub-continent...
. However, Kelemvor was ambushed on the roof of the Blackstaff tower by Cyric, and was killed with the sword Godsbane, which trapped his soul within it.
Revolt Against Cyric
As told in the novel Prince of Lies, sequel to the trilogy, after Cyric murdered BhaalBhaal
Bhaal, Lord of Murder, is a deity of the fictional Forgotten Realms Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting.-Publication history:Ed Greenwood created Bhaal for his home Dungeons & Dragons game, set in the Forgotten Realms....
and ascended to godhood, the first thing he wanted to accomplish was to have Kelemvor's soul so that he could gain an advantage over the new Mystra, his most hated rival, and whose portfolio over Magic he coveted. However, for ten years, Cyric and his church were unable to find Kelemvor's soul, every divination and spell they tried yields nothing. Cyric suspected that there were traitors within his own church who fostered Kelemvor's soul. He later launched the Second Banedeath in 1368 DR, unleashing his Inquisition on Zhentil Keep, Yûlash, Darkhold
Darkhold
The Darkhold, also known as The Book of Sins, is a fictional book in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:The Darkhold was co-created by Gerry Conway and Mike Ploog. The Darkhold was first mentioned in Marvel Spotlight #3 but first shown in Marvel Spotlight #4...
, Teshwave, and the Citadel of the Raven to cleanse all Zhent holdings of non-Cyricist priests. Cyric also released Kezef the Chaos Hound from Pandemonium
Pandemonium (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the standard cosmology of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Pandemonium is the Outer plane where Chaotic Evil and Chaotic Neutral petitioners are sent after death. Pandemonium is a large, complex cavern that never ends. Compounding this problem, howling winds drive most of its...
, and commanded it to trace Kelemvor's soul. Kezef ended up being trapped again by the God of Thieves.
The truth is, Kelemvor's soul was trapped in Cyric's sentient sword, Godsbane, in the moment he was killed in the Blackstaff Tower. The sword was actually Mask, the God of Thieves in guise, who planned to bring Cyric's downfall and gain Cyric's portfolio over lies. Mask used Kelemvor's soul to gain the cooperation of Mystra, all the while planning a revolt in the City of Death against Cyric. With the help of Mystra
Mystra (goddess)
Mystra is a fictional goddess in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.She is the Mistress of Magic and Mother of Mysteries who guides the Weave of magic that envelops the world. She tends to the weave constantly, making possible all the...
, Torm
Torm
Torm may refer to:* Dampskibsselskabet Torm, a shipping company* Torm , a fictional deity...
, Oghma, and Cyric's own high priest Fzoul Chembryl (whose loyalty lay with the dead Bane), great chaos was caused in two of Cyric's most important bases of faith: Zhentil Keep, and the City of Death. A great number of Cyric's follower lost their faith, thus greatly weakening Cyric himself. Without the will to control the City of Death, dead spirits were freed and roamed about the City. In addition, Cyric's nightmare was freed from Dendar the Night Serpent, and the dream found Cyric, causing him to think that Kelemvor had somehow returned to life and to seek revenge. At that moment, Cyric, though a Greater Power, lost his mind, crushed his sword, which freed Kelemvor, and made his nightmare come true. The two fought, a dead soul against a god. Cyric's fear, indecision, and madness had become his defeat, and Kelemvor finally managed to overthrow Cyric's rule in the City. By the wish of all dead spirits and Denizens in the Gray Wastes (some say by Ao's will also), in 1368 DR Kelemvor became the new God of Death.
Godhood
To be the Lord of the Dead is to be the judgment of the departed souls. In the novel Crucible: The Trial of Cyric the Mad , being the new Lord Death, Kelemvor wished to clear all the corruptions in the Realms of Death brought by former Lords of Death. He reshaped the Bone Castle, infernal citadel in the Gray Wastes of HadesGray Waste
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the Gray Waste is a strongly evil aligned plane of existence...
where Jergal, Myrkul
Myrkul
Myrkul was the fictional Lord of the Dead in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting based upon the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Further aliases of Myrkul include the Reaper and Old Lord Skull. His symbol is a skull against a black field, known to occur in nightmares of many of the...
, and Cyric
Cyric
Cyric is a deity in the fictional Forgotten Realms campaign setting, a branch of Dungeons & Dragons. Cyric has many titles, including the Prince of Lies, the Dark Sun, the Black Sun, the Mad God, and the Lord of Three Crowns...
used to dwell, into the glorious Crystal Spire, its translucency representing that no more should Death be a frightening mystery. While faithful souls would be claimed by their respective deities, faithless souls and those with a false faith that his/her god did not want, are judged before the God of Death. Former Gods of Death would decide whether they were the Faithless, or the False. Either way, in the hands of Myrkul or Cyric, these souls eventually ended up being eternally tortured.
Kelemvor, however, was more lenient on those Faithless and False who were virtuous and honorable in life, while the ones who were cowardly or capricious were severely punished. Those souls being judged as noble, would be sent to the then merrier and heaven-like parts in the City of Death, such as the Singing City, or Pax Cloister, while for thieves and cowards there were hell-like parts of the City such as Acid Swamps.
As a result, honorable and brave mortals no longer feared death, and recklessly threw their lives away, trusting in Kelemvor's judgement rather than worshipping other benevolent gods. The cowardly and crafty mortals became too fearful to do much, lest they die and find themselves before Kelemvor. This, in combination with Mystra's unjust granting of magic, favoring only those good, brought unintentional imbalance and robbed the other deities of potential worshipers. Being exposed by Cyric
Cyric
Cyric is a deity in the fictional Forgotten Realms campaign setting, a branch of Dungeons & Dragons. Cyric has many titles, including the Prince of Lies, the Dark Sun, the Black Sun, the Mad God, and the Lord of Three Crowns...
, Kelemvor and Mystra were accused by the Circle of Greater Gods of being guilty of Incompetence by Humanity.
Kelemvor wondered how he could judge the damned, when he himself failed in his own personal judgement. He gradually came to realize that there is nothing human in being a god. To correct his mistakes, great changes were undergone in his realm, as well as in himself. The City of the Dead was changed to a gray world, not truly light, not totally dark, simply dull gray. Gone was the good and evil in the City, only indifference and silence remained. The once diamond-like Crystal Spire was also smoked the color of topaz. Kelemvor also rid himself of all signs of humanity in order to properly fulfill his duties, which means replacing the warrior-like human he used to assume with a darkly robed figure, his raven black hair turned to silver, his eyes became pupiless, his armor tattered and black, and donned a silver death mask.
He then conducted the Reevaluation, where all souls in the City were to be judged according to new criteria, then be sentenced to new places in the City. Souls being judged will not find torture, but neither will they find joy. They will exist with souls ethically similar to themselves.
During the process, Adon (Kelemvor and Mystra's mutual friend, as well the patriarch of Mystra's church) was driven mad by Cyric's trick, losing his faith in Mystra, and had died a faithless soul. Mystra came to Kelemvor and asked for Adon's soul, which Kelemvor steadfastly refused since Adon was now one of the Faithless, or perhaps even the False. This, along with Kelemvor's loss of passion, eventually caused the breaking up of their relationship.
Relationships
As mortals, Kelemvor and Mystra were lovers, but it is unlikely this is maintained now that they are both deities with responsibilities. Kelemvor's greatest enemy is Cyric, but he also fiercely opposes the machinations of VelsharoonVelsharoon
Velsharoon the Archmage of Necromancy, also known as the Vaunted, is a fictional deity of the Forgotten Realms Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting. Velsharoon is the undead demigod of necromancy, necromancers, evil liches, lichdom and undeath...
, the necromancer god who animates the dead into undead
Undead (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, undead is a classification of monsters that can be encountered by player characters. Undead creatures are most often once-living creatures, which have been animated by spiritual or supernatural forces....
and stands against everything Kelemvor works for, and Talona, for the unnatural deaths caused by her disease
Disease
A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...
s. This also makes him an ally of Lathander the Morninglord, who also opposes undeath. Kelemvor maintains practical alliances with good- and neutral-aligned gods of death in other pantheons—Sehanine Moonbow
Sehanine Moonbow
In many Dungeons and Dragons campaign settings, Sehanine Moonbow is the elven goddess of the moons. She is one of the more powerful members of the Seldarine. The Lady of Dreams actively opposes the nefarious schemes of the Spider Queen and the other drow powers. She is said to be the wife of...
, Osiris
Osiris
Osiris is an Egyptian god, usually identified as the god of the afterlife, the underworld and the dead. He is classically depicted as a green-skinned man with a pharaoh's beard, partially mummy-wrapped at the legs, wearing a distinctive crown with two large ostrich feathers at either side, and...
and Urogalan
Urogalan
In many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Urogalan is the halfling deity of earth and death. His symbol is the silhouette of a dog's head.-Publication history:...
amongst. Kelemvor is served by the original deity of death, the mysterious Jergal, who keeps records of the final disposition of spirits of the deceased.
