Tarmuid
| Tarmuid | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
||
| Aliases | The First | |
| Alignment | Lawful Neutral | |
| Divine Rank | Demigod | |
| Pantheon | Illumian | |
| Portfolio | Illumians, Magic, Languages | |
| Domains | Magic, Protection, Law | |
| Home Plane | Castle of the Infinite Sigil (Plane of Shadow) | |
| Worshippers | Illumians, Wizards, Sages | |
| Favoured Weapon | Quarterstaff | |
Tarmuid is the patron god of the illumian race in Dungeons & Dragons. As his moniker indicates, he is the literal first both among his people and of his people; born a human wizard/monk, his studies into the root language of the arcane languages produced the magical Ritual of Words Made Flesh, by which he was transformed into the first illumian, and through which he transformed his followers in turn. He then ascended to godhood after decades of searching for the deepest secrets of the illumian sigil-magic he had created, becoming the divine protector of his people.
When Tarmuid appears to the faithful, it is as a pale but handsome illumian in glowing white robes, with every letter in the Illumian alphabet whirling about his head.
Tarmuid’s clerics are well versed in illumian history, and they learn as many languages as they can. Acolytes of Tarmuid’s faith learn scripture by translating the holy text into other tongues, then translating it back into Illumian. Tarmuid’s worshipers also pride themselves on their ability to memorize long liturgical passages and recite them word for word. Tarmuid’s clerics turn undead rather than rebuke them and cast cure spells spontaneously.
Tarmuid sends his representatives into the world to discover new kinds of magic or to protect a significant number of illumians from a threat. He also has high-level cleric inquisitors who secretly work among the cabals, ensuring that they adhere to the principles Tarmuid set down when he created the first cabals. Whenever a plot arises that involves the Ritual of Words Made Flesh, Tarmuid’s agents are there to make sure that the ritual stays safely split up, but in illumian hands.
Tarmuid’s prayers, spoken exclusively in Illumian, tend to be long-winded and feature flowery language. Rather than ask for aid from Tarmuid directly, prayers of intercession ask Tarmuid to help the worshiper unlock the secrets of his or her own inner power.
Tarmuid’s shrines are prominent in the enclave of every cabal where illumians worship him, and even cabals that don’t actively worship Tarmuid keep a small shrine as a historical monument and for illumian visitors. Such shrines usually feature a bust of Tarmuid (with a permanent image for the halo of sigils) atop a black altar. The walls are covered with scriptures and sayings in elaborately painted or gilded letters, exhorting illumians to tap into their inner power.
Whenever an illumian is born, the entire cabal gathers to recite the “The Ritual Renewed,” a re-enactment of Tarmuid’s first performance of the Ritual of Words Made Flesh. The ritual itself is not performed—it’s complicated and potentially deadly, and the instructions are split into hundreds of parts and spread among the cabals. Illumians also call on clerics of Tarmuid to bless new enclave buildings and the formation of new cabals.
Tarmuid uses a 20th-level illumian monk as his herald; Vuliak is the current herald’s name. He sends hound archons, zelekhuts, and maruts in response to the planar ally spells.