Sharess
Encyclopedia
Sharess is a fictional Faerûn
Faerûn
Faerûn is a fictional subcontinent, the primary setting of the Dungeons & Dragons world of Forgotten Realms. It is described at a relatively high level in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting from Wizards of the Coast, and various locales and aspects are described in more detail by separate...
ian lesser deity
Deity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
of 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...
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 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...
.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)
Sharess was first described in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Sets "Cyclopedia of the Realms" booklet (1987).Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)
Sharess is further detailed in Powers & Pantheons (1997).Sharess is described as one of the good deities that celestials
Celestial (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, celestials are a class of creatures and monsters known as outsiders who are of wholly good alignment....
can serve in the supplement Warriors of Heaven (1999).
Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition (2000-2007)
Sharess appears in 3rd edition in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting book (2001), and was further described 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).
As a Deity
Sharess is the deity of hedonism, festhalls and sensual fulfillment. Sharess is oft depicted as a beautiful, voluptuous woman with the head of a cat (especially in Mulhorand). She has the individualistic and hedonistic personality of a felineFelidae
Felidae is the biological family of the cats; a member of this family is called a felid. Felids are the strictest carnivores of the thirteen terrestrial families in the order Carnivora, although the three families of marine mammals comprising the superfamily pinnipedia are as carnivorous as the...
and she is constantly grooming herself to ensure her appearance is always up to standards. Sharess is an innate flirt and loves toying around with beautiful mortals; once she has had her fill, she swiftly moves on to other sources of pleasure.
The Church of Sharess
The Church of Sharess is of casual nature, and her clergy are responsible for the running of many festhalls found throughout large cities in FaerûnFaerûn
Faerûn is a fictional subcontinent, the primary setting of the Dungeons & Dragons world of Forgotten Realms. It is described at a relatively high level in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting from Wizards of the Coast, and various locales and aspects are described in more detail by separate...
. These festhalls seek to indulge every pleasure imaginable. Privately owned festhalls usually employ at least one or two Sharessan clerics
Cleric (Dungeons & Dragons)
The cleric is one of the standard playable character class in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. In the game, clerics are versatile figures, both capable in combat and skilled in the use of divine magic. Clerics are powerful healers due to the large number of healing and curative...
.
The Church of Sharess probably celebrate the most festivals out of all the faiths of Faerûn. These revels are known collectively as the Endless Revels of Life. Even daily events present a chance for Sharessan to revel; sometimes even the rising and setting of the sun. Their most beloved festival is the Midsummer's Eve festival, where the pursuit of pleasure has no boundary. Sharessan clerics pray for their spells at dusk.
History
Sharess was once Bast, a Mulhorandi power who was the patroness of cats, and AnhurAnhur
In early Egyptian mythology, Anhur was originally a god of war who was worshipped in the Egyptian area of Abydos, and particularly in Thinis...
's lieutenant. During the Second Empire, she subsumed the portfolio of Felidae
Felidae
Felidae is the biological family of the cats; a member of this family is called a felid. Felids are the strictest carnivores of the thirteen terrestrial families in the order Carnivora, although the three families of marine mammals comprising the superfamily pinnipedia are as carnivorous as the...
, a beast cult deity of felines, nomad
Nomad
Nomadic people , commonly known as itinerants in modern-day contexts, are communities of people who move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location. There are an estimated 30-40 million nomads in the world. Many cultures have traditionally been nomadic, but...
s, and sensual pleasure. Struck by wanderlust, Bast traveled across Faerûn
Faerûn
Faerûn is a fictional subcontinent, the primary setting of the Dungeons & Dragons world of Forgotten Realms. It is described at a relatively high level in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting from Wizards of the Coast, and various locales and aspects are described in more detail by separate...
leaving many cults in her wake. During these travels, she also subsumed the divinity of Zandilar the Dancer, the goddess of the Yuir elves, so that she gained the elvish goddess' portfolio of intense passionate love. She began to experiment with the darker side of pleasure and fell under the sway of Shar. She began to become known as Sharess, but before she was completely subsumed by Shar, she was freed by 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...
.
Relationships
Sharess has restored alliances with SelûneSélune
The Sélune is a 91 km long river in the Manche department, Normandy, France, beginning near Saint-Cyr-du-Bailleul. It empties into the bay of Mont Saint-Michel near Avranches, close to the mouth of the Sée river. Other towns along the Sélune are Barenton, Saint-Hilaire-du-Harcouët and...
, 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...
, Milil
Milil
Milil is the fictional god of song and poetry in the Forgotten Realms setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Publication history:...
, Hanali Celanil
Hanali Celanil
In many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Hanali Celanil is the elf deity of Romantic Love and Beauty. Her symbol is a gold heart.-Publication history:...
, and Lliira. She now opposes both Loviatar and Shar, who has never forgotten that Sharess escaped from her clutches. She also remembers her Mulhorandi roots, and opposes the evil Set
Set (mythology)
Set was in Ancient Egyptian religion, a god of the desert, storms, and foreigners. In later myths he was also the god of darkness, and chaos...
along with the other good-aligned gods of that nation.