The Morninglord
| The Morninglord | ||
|---|---|---|
| A rose-tinted disc of gold | ||
| Alignment | Chaotic Good | |
| Divine Rank | God | |
| Pantheon | Ravenloft | |
| Portfolio | Hope, Perseverance, The Dawn, Light, Compassion, Protection, Salvation | |
| Domains | Good, Luck, Protection, Salvation, Sun | |
| Worshippers | Good Folk, Optimists, Oppressed Peasants, Freedom Fighters, Rebels, Healers | |
| Favoured Weapon | A Ray of Golden Sunlight (Shortspear) | |
Native to the Ravenloft domain of Barovia, though it has spread with some limited effect to other domains along trade-routes, the cult of the Morninglord is one of the most overtly benevolent in the Demiplane of Dread. It was created by Sword & Sorcery out of fears that legal issues would not allow them to directly refer to deities from other Dungeons & Dragons settings by name. The Morninglord was created to fill the place that Advanced Dungeons & Dragons had given to Lathander worshippers, just as how The Lawgiver replaced Bane.
Dogma
Even the darkest night cannot last forever, Dawn approaches, and you re its herald. You are the emissary of hope, salvation, and surcease. Liberate others from their fear and teach those you cannot release to endure just a little longer. Justice comes to all evildoers eventually, not by man's laws, but by your hand and the torturous path of fate. Lift the spirits of the downtrodden with the good news of the Morninglord's coming. Pledge your protection to the unfortunate whenever the opportunity presents itself, and see your pledge through the end. Destroy the foul undead wherever you find them, for they are the enemies of the dawn.
Depiction
An elf-like male being either bathed in light or made of light, with golden skin and fiery hair. He is shown as handsome and kind-hearted, and sometimes a little sad. Blood is often smeared around his mouth, which his faithful explain as representing that darkness is present in even the lightest hearts, and/or that even the darkest heart holds some potential for light.
The Faithful
History of the Church
3e Crunch
The Morninglord's faith had a unique Cleric Domain, Salvation, and a Prestige Class called the Hand of Dawn, both present in "The Ravenloft Gazetteer: Volume 1".
Secrets
A secret society called the Dawnslayers exists within the heart of the Morninglord's church. Following a hidden mandate called the Midnight Clarion, these are the most dedicated vampire hunters in all of the Demiplane of Dread.
What no living member of the church knows is that the sect was inadvertently founded by vampires: the "saint" Martyn Pelkar who founded the Morninglord's church did so after being driven mad by an incident when Strahd von Zarovich killed his family, but was forced to spare him by Jander Sunstar, a Gold Elf Vampire who had witnessed the hunt. An outlander who had originated in the Forgotten Realms, Martyn blended his half-remembered aspects of Lathander's doctrine with his distorted memories of this salvation, creating a cult that crudely aped his original faith. The depiction of the Morninglord is, in fact, a depiction of Jander Sunstar himself, as he was etched into Martyn's memories when they met.