Tamara the Merciful

Tamara was one of the members of the draconic pantheon presented in FOR1 Draconomicon. In her role as a goddess of life and forgiveness, she is favored by many good dragons, while most dragons call on her blessing at some point in their lives when looking for mates, and later for her protection of their eggs and hatchlings. She is the consort of Lendys, and tries to moderate his harsh form of justice.

Tamara (PDF Version)
(Her Beneficence, Her Mercy, the Merciful, the Clutch Warder)
Intermediate Power of Elysium, NG

Portfolio:                 Life, light, mercy, forgiveness, healing, protection of hatchlings and eggs, family, the finding of mates
Aliases:                     None
Domain Name:           Eronia/the Mountain of Mercy
Superior:                   Io
Allies:                       Aasterinian, Arcanic, Astilabor, Bahamut, Chronepsis, Hlal, Lendys, Nathair Sgiathach, Rais, Zorquan
Foes:                           Faluzure, Garyx, Kalzareinad (Dead), Task, Tiamat
Symbol:                     Seven pointed star on a field of black
Wor. Align.:              Any

Tamara (tuh-MAH-ruh) is the draconic goddess of light, life, mercy, and forgiveness. She is consort to Lendys, and ever seeks to moderate his hard lines on justice with a focus on preserving life and acknowledging repentance. As a goddess of life, she enables dragons to live out their natural lifespans through healing, although she takes a dim view of those who try to extend it beyond their natural allotment. She is also said to guide dragons to suitable mates, bless such unions, and watch over eggs and hatchlings to ensure the health of future generations.

Whereas local draconic pantheons often have a varying group from all of Io’s Children, none ever include just one of the mated pair of Tamara and Lendys. As the only concretely mated pair, many other deities, as well as mortal dragon breeds have been said to be their offspring, although none with a consistency that would lead to the conclusion that they truly were hatched from one of Tamara’s eggs. Despite her consistent portrayal as a mated dragon, she was not always seen as a goddess of family, mates, and hatchlings. In the oldest known mythologies represent the mating of the ideals of mercy and justice that are so important to many of the metallic dragons. It is believed that at some point, she absorbed the portfolios of two other deities, whose responsibilities were the finding of mates and the protection of hatchlings. Who these two powers were is long forgotten, save oblique references in the most ancient of draconic mythological tales.

Outside of Lendys, Tamara maintains close ties to the other members of the pantheon, save those of an evil bent. She works closely with Bahamut to oppose those deities, and the actions of their followers, but she maintains hope of bringing them to the light of goodness, and that is always her ultimate goal. Tamara also has a strong connection with Chronepsis; as the deity of life, she is the other side of the coin to the Death Dragon’s role as deity of death. Tamara works to ensure dragons pass peacefully from her domain to his with a minimal of pain. Both strongly oppose the extending of a dragon’s life beyond their normal bounds through undeath, and as such they work in concert against the machinations of Faluzure.

Tamara is an active deity, although she typically works through agents and manifestations rather than sending an avatar to the Prime Material Plane. Her most powerful proxy is the adamantite dragon Mercialla, who acts as the guardian of Bytopia. It is a mystery pas to exactly what Tamara’s interest in that neighboring plane is, but sagely speculation runs the gamut from a hidden artifact of great danger to dragonkind, to portals to a hidden demiplane or crystal sphere where chromatic dragons are raised by nurturing metallic dragons, to create an evangelizing force to convert the rest of the evil dragons to good, to the widely scoffed-at idea that there is a whole race of adamantite dragons living on the plane in polymorphed humanoid and animal form.

Tamara’s Avatar (24-HD Great Wyrm Dragon, Cleric 32, Abjurer 31)
Tamara appears as a lithe, wingless dragon of exquisite beauty with brightly burnished platinum scales. She has a long, majestic face with brilliant yellow eyes and gently curling horns. She exudes motherly care and love. She draws her spells from all schools and spheres save the spheres of law and chaos.

AC −11; MV 15, Fl 42 (C), Jp 6; HP 262; THAC0 −9; #AT 3+special
Dmg 2d6+12/2d6+12/6d8+12 (claw/claw/bite)
MR 80%; SZ G (370 feet—body 200 feet, tail 170 feet)
Str 20, Dex 19, Con 23, Int 21, Wis 24, Cha 23
Spells P: 14/13/13/12/12/11/8, W: 8/8/8/8/8/8/8/8/8*
Saves PPDM 2; RSW 3; PP 4; BW 4; Sp 4
* Numbers assume one extra fire elemental spell per spell level.

Special Att/Def: Normally serene, Tamara is a fierce opponent if angered. She favors pacifying her opponents with her primary breath weapon, a cloud of shimmering golden mist that fills an area 75 feet long, 60 feet wide, and 30 feet high. Any creatures caught in this gas must make a saving throw versus breath weapon or fall into a deep, restful slumber for 1d6+4 turns. This gas affects all living creatures, including planar creatures and other avatars regardless of immunity to sleep or gas; only undead and non-living constructs such as golems are unaffected. Upon awakening, creatures affected have lost any desire to fight (although they may still remain hostile or angry towards former foes or hated creatures) for one full day; this is broken immediately if attacked. Tamara’s second breath weapon is a cone of blinding platinum-gold light, 135 feet long, 5 feet wide at his mouth, and 45 feet wide at the base. Creatures caught within the light suffer 24d6+12 points of damage unless a saving throw versus breath weapon is successful. A second saving throw versus breath weapon is required as well; those who fail are blinded for 2d4 turns. Any undead caught in the light, as well as creatures harmed by natural light suffer double damage. Tamara’s third breath weapon is useable once per day; this breath weapon is a ray of platinum light up to 300 feet long. Any single creature struck by this light immediately regresses to infancy (1 year old for humans, or equivalent for other creatures) unless they successfully make a saving throw versus breath weapon. Any creature regressed in such a way loses all memories, abilities, and skills they had as an adult. Only a wish or restoration spell administered within one turn of the effect can reverse the regression; it is permanent after that point. Only creatures with normal life cycles can be affected by this light; undead, constructs, and most planar creatures (all fiends, aasimon, modrons, elementals, etc.) are unaffected. Tamara favors using this ability to give dangerous or particularly evil foes a “second chance” at life, and will deliver the infant to appropriate parents to raise. Finally, Tamara can destroy undead by touch. Unintelligent undead are instantly destroyed, while all others are allowed a saving throw versus death magic with a −4 penalty.

With a simple touch of claw, wing, or tail, Tamara can heal twice per day, cure critical wounds six times per day, and can cure disease at will. She is able to grant negative plane protection with a 10-foot radius to any creature within 50 yards three times per day, and can instantly teleport without error draconic eggs and hatchlings up to 10 miles away with a glance.

Unlike other dragons, Tamara does not radiate an aura of dragon fear. Instead, she radiates a warm, calming aura of love, out to a radius of 140 yards. Creatures of Animal or Semi Intelligence who catch sight of her are automatically affected and their reactions are immediately changed to Friendly. They display signs of happiness (canines wag their tails and loll their tongues, felines purr, etc.) and treat her as they would any other member of their family group. Creatures of Low Intelligence or higher are entitled to a saving throw vs. petrification at a −5 penalty. If they fail, they cease all hostile actions and roll a new reaction check with all other creatures, shifted one column to the left and with a bonus of +3. Regardless of the results, they will only engage in combat under extreme provocation. This aura has no effect on undead or non-sentient constructs.

Tamara is immune to spells below 6th level. She is immune to all forms of poison, paralysis, petrification, death magic, energy draining, mind-affecting and controlling spells and psionics, and limited wishes that attempt to alter her directly (i.e. a limited wish couldn’t wish her back to her home plane or wish her limbs crushed, but it could create an ice storm that would affect her). Tamara takes no damage from light, cold, or heat, and takes only half damage from fire and acid. She is immune to weapons of less than +3 enchantment.

Other Manifestations
Tamara manifests primarily through a burst of white-yellow light that wraps around a creature as a brilliant radiance for 2d6 rounds, which is known as Her Beneficent Touch to her faithful. During this period, any poisons or normal diseases are purged from the creature and any creature they touch, and any touch acts as a cure light wounds, even upon the enveloped creature. Evil creatures within 120 feet who look at the radiance must make a saving throw versus spell or be blinded for 6 turns. Mindless undead will refuse to strike the protected creature, while intelligent undead must make a saving throw versus spell in order to make a successful strike; once the save is made, they need not make it again. Any undead struck by the creature protected by this light suffer an extra 3d6 points of damage. Tamara has additional minor manifestations that appear as brief flashes of light that affect a creature as cure light wounds, cure serious wounds, cure critical wounds, heal, neutralize poison, or cure disease. Finally, she may manifest as an orb of platinum light that guides a member of the faith out of danger, or towards hatchling dragons in need of protection. Faithful who ignore the latter manifestation are likely to incur Tamara’s wrath.

Tamara is served by aasimon, baku, foo creatures, guardinals, hollyphants, moon dogs, phoenixes, and sunflies. She exhibits her favor through the actions of mothers, young, and pregnant creatures, the discovery of heliodor, mother-of-pearl, scapra, and sunstone, as well as shafts of warm sunlight that bathe creatures or locations in a visible sunbeam, regardless of cloud cover or lack thereof. She exhibits her disfavor through the discovery of crushed reptilian and avian eggshells (other than dragon eggshells), the disembodied cries of hatchling dragons where there are none to be found, and a sudden, chilling blocking of sunlight even if the sky is clear.

The Church
Clergy:                      Dragon-priests, specialty priests
Clergy’s Align.:      LG, NG, CG, N
Turn Undead:           DP: Yes, SP: Yes, at priest level +2
Cmnd. Undead:         DP: No, SP: No

All dragon-priests and specialty priests of Tamara receive religion (draconic) as a bonus nonweapon proficiency. All cure wounds spells cast upon true dragons by dragon-priests, specialty priests, and half-dragon clerics of Tamara heal twice as many hit points.

Tamara’s faith is one of the strongest amongst the good dragons, who see her mercy and even temper as an important moderating force for the lawful and chaotic deities often worshiped by the good dragons. Many older, traditionalist gold, silver, and bronze dragons see Tamara and Lendys as an inseparable pair, representing the importance of justice tempered by mercy and forgiveness. Outside of these groups, outright worship is rarer, but propitiation is common by any dragon searching for a suitable mate, or one who wishes to have healthy and safe eggs and hatchlings. In addition, many dragons who strive to destroy undead call upon her favor. Even evil and cruel dragons call upon her in these situations, for Tamara’s mercy and protection extends even to them. This is not to say her priests are welcomed by such dragons; however, those of an age and desire to breed typically just try to drive them off; only those who are substantially older and have lost interest in breeding typically attempt to kill her priests. Conversely, Tamara’s priests are tolerated by neutral dragons and welcomed by good dragons, with the latter seeing them as particularly valuable members of the community.

The rare temple dedicated to Tamara is a place of peace and healing for all dragonkind, where combat and violence are disallowed. They tend to be large multi-chambered delves located in high mountains. Each chamber is large enough to comfortably house a great wyrm of the largest sort, should one need rest and recuperation. They are usually brightly lit, and enchanted to over warmth and comfort to visitors. Many also house hatcheries or nurseries, if the local dragon population is large enough or organized enough to have some degree of communal living. Such temples are not undefended, however, for most have a group of zealous guardian dragons of young adult or older age, and magical wards and protections are common, especially of a type to destroy or drive off undead.

On most worlds, dragons do not form organized priesthoods, as there are too few of them, and they are far too individualistic. Only worlds with very dense dragon populations or very structured dragon cultures will develop hierarchical priesthoods, and the form they take are likely to be unique to those worlds. Specialty priests of Tamara are known as mercywyrms. All dragons are welcome in Tamara’s priesthood, with silver, bronze, and tungsten dragons make up the bulk of her clergy. The bulk of her clergy are specialty priests (65%), with the remainder being dragon-priests (35%). Tamara is especially favored by non-adventurous half-dragon females, as well as abjurers and priests who focus on healing wounds and curing ills, and half-dragon worshipers of Her Mercy are accepted as lesser brethren by draconic priests.

Dogma: Tend the injured and sick and alleviate their pain and restore their bodies. Comfort those near death and ensure a painless, dignified passing. Treat those you meet with dignity and mercy, and respect life. Death is inevitable, but need not be brought about by injury or disease; healing allows a dragon to live out their natural life. Undeath is a perversion of life, and violates the natural order; those who seek to artificially prolong their existence through necromancy are perverting Io’s gift for their own selfish reasons. Destroy undead dragons wherever encountered, and punish those who seek to violate the lives and remains of dragons with unliving servitude.

It is considered a serious sin to kill a pregnant creature, a mother defending her young, or newborn creatures, except in cases of defense where there was no aggressive intent.

Day-to-Day Activities: Tamara’s faithful have the same concerns and desires as other dragons, including hoarding treasure, but they do not commit acts of violence on non-evil communities to achieve them. Some offer their protection to local humans, and demihumans in exchange for tribute, while others hunt down evil beasts and powerful humanoid tribes that have treasure. When traveling among lesser races in a polymorphed form, they often go out of their way to heal ills and aid the injured; more than one humanoid legend of a great mysterious healer finds its origin in followers of Tamara.

Important Ceremonies/Holy Days: The Tamaran church observes no fixed holy days. They observe as holy any day in which a courtship is successful and two dragons agree to be mates, as well as the day eggs successfully hatch. Followers of Tamara hold brief ceremonies blessing such occasions for friends and acquaintances, as well as any dragon who asks.

Major Centers of Worship: West of High Haspur, along the coast of the Sea of Fallen Stars on Toril, lies an ancient temple of Tamara known as the Halls of Healing. It is currently overseen by an adult male dragon by the name of Urmborogauth, newly alone after both of his parents were slain facing an unknown dracolich of the Cult of the Dragon. Urmborogauth has rededicated himself to Tamara’s service in the wake of his loss, and has sworn to hunt down all dracoliches he can find once he gains more power. The temple is mostly forgotten by the draconic community at large, although most metallics in the wider region at least know of its existence, if not necessarily the exact location. The halls bear an ancient enchantment of peace, preventing any draconic creature from committing harm to another within its confines. Not even undead dragons can overcome this powerful enchantment, said to have been laid down by Tamara herself millennia ago.

On Io’s Blood Isles, a temple of Tamara is located on All Clans Isle, known as the Caves of Convalescing. It is a place where injured or sick dragons can receive treatment and rest. All dragons are welcome in the temple and violence is forbidden, although the three priests who tend the temple are careful to keep rivals separated. This temple is under the auspices of the Custodians of Concordance, and attacks perpetrated against the priests carry the same penalty as violence against the Custodians themselves.

Affiliated Orders: The Talons of Justice, an order of primarily silver dragons found on many worlds, venerate Tamara and Lendys as secondary members in a triumvirate behind Bahamut. Details on this order can be found in the entry for Bahamut.

Priestly Vestments: The holy symbol used by the clergy typically consists of a seven pointed star of polished moonstone magically embedded in the blackest jet. Some dragons, and especially half-dragons, use a symbol carved from onyx, with the wife layer forming the star.

Adventuring Garb: None.

Specialty Priests (Mercywyrms)
Requirements:          Intelligence 12, Wisdom 14, Charisma 11
Prime Req.:                Wisdom, Charisma
Alignment:                NG
Weapons:                   Any, but normally a dragon’s natural weaponry
Armor:                       Any, but normally a dragon’s natural armor
Major Spheres:         All, astral, creation, divination, elemental air, elemental water, guardian, healing, necromantic, sun, wards
Minor Spheres:         Charm, protection, travelers, weather
Magical Items:         Same as dragons, clerics
Req. Profs:                Healing
Bonus Profs:             Ancient history or local history

  • Mercywyrms may be any dragon capable of becoming a priest, with bronze, silver, and brass dragons the most common. Chromatic dragons almost never become mercywyrms.
  • Mercywyrms are not allowed to multiclass.
  • Mercywyrms gain a +4 bonus to all saves versus death magic and negative energy attacks.
  • Mercywyrms can cast light or faerie fire (as the 1st-level priest spells) once per day.
  • At the 2nd age category, mercywyrms can cast blessed watchfulness or sacred guardian (as the 1st-level priest spells) once per day.
  • At the 4th age category, mercywyrms can cast continual light or merciful touch (as the 3rd-level priest spells) once per day.
  • At the 5th age category, mercywyrms can cast blessed warmth or cure serious wounds (as the 4th-level priest spells) once per day.
  • At the 7th age category, mercywyrms can cast unceasing vigilance of the holy sentinel or cure critical wounds (as the 5th-level priest spells) once per day.
  • At the 9th age category, mercywyrms can cast undead ward (as the 5th-level priest spell) once per day.
  • At the 9th age category, mercywyrms gain immunity to death magic and negative energy attacks.
  • At the 10th age category, mercywyrms can cast heal (as the 6th-level priest spell) once per day.
  • At the 12th age category, mercywyrms can cast sunray (as the 7th-level priest spell) once per day.

Tamaran Spells
In addition to the spells listed below, priests of Her Mercy can cast the 3rd-level priest spell merciful touch, detailed in Demihuman Deities in the entry for Sharindlar.

1st Level
Aura of Tamara (Pr 1; Necromancy)
Sphere:                    Healing, Protection
Range:                     0
Components:           V, M
Duration:                 1 rd./level
Casting Time:          4
Area of Effect:         Special
Saving Throw:        Special

When this spell is cast, the priest is surrounded in an aura of warm, soothing energy that extends away from the priest to a distance equal to its fear aura. Creatures that enter the area of effect must save vs. spells with a –4 penalty or lose all desire to engage in combat. In addition, the aura of Tamara soothes pain and symptoms from illness and injury. Regardless of the outcome of the saving throw, any creature within the aura is immune to the effects of spells or abilities such as aura of Faluzure or the pain touch of priests of Loviatar. Those who willingly submit to the full effects of the aura, but not those who fail their save, regenerate one hit point per round while within the aura of Tamara. This regeneration does not affect the casting priest. All effects last for 2d4 rounds after leaving the aura; none of the effects are cumulative upon creatures who leave and re-enter the aura. Should the casting priest attack a creature under any of these effects, they are immediately nullified for that creature. A creature who re-enters the aura after successfully saving and leaving is required to make a new save to avoid the effects again.

Any undead creatures who enter the aura of Tamara are immediately affected by the dragon’s fear aura, despite any normal immunity to fear. Undead who fail their saving throw suffer a –4 penalty to their armor class, saving throws, and attack rolls due to the life energy infusing the aura; the effects persist for 2d4 rounds after leaving the aura. Undead who successfully save reduce the penalties to –2 and lessen the post-exposure effects to 1d4 additional rounds.

Aura of Tamara persists for the full duration unless removed by a limited wish or greater effect; dispel magic does not suffice.

The material component for this spell is the dragon’s holy symbol.

3rd Level
Clutch Ward (Pr 3; Alteration)
Sphere:                    Guardian
Range:                     Touch
Components:           V, S
Duration:                 Special
Casting Time:          Special
Area of Effect:         Special
Saving Throw:        None

This simple yet highly useful spell utilizes teleportation magic to protect the unhatched eggs of a dragon. During casting, the priest handles each egg in the clutch, the entire process requiring 1 round of casting time per egg. Thereafter, the spell lies dormant until activated.

Upon completion of the spell, no creature other than the parents or the casting priest may so much as touch a single egg within the clutch without triggering its magic. When the spell is activated, all of the eggs immediately teleport without error (as the spell) to another location known to the priest that is determined during the spell’s casting. If each egg is subjected to a separate casting of the spell, however, an individual egg can have its own destination point (though this is rarely done).

In addition, the casting priest is immediately aware that the spell has been triggered, regardless of the distance between the priest and the eggs (including planar boundaries). If the priest was asleep at the time the eggs teleport, it is instantly awakened and alert.

The duration of the spell is indefinite, and it lies dormant until activated. Once activated, the spell must be cast anew if the eggs are to remain protected. Otherwise, nothing short of a limited wish can negate the spell. If an egg hatches prior to the spell’s activation, the newborn dragon does not trigger the magic, though the hatchling itself is no longer protected by the clutch ward and is left behind if the spell is later activated.

4th Level
Tamara’s Touch (Pr 4; Necromancy)
Sphere:                    Necromantic
Range:                     Touch
Components:           V, S, M
Duration:                 1 rd./level or until discharged
Casting Time:          7
Area of Effect:         Creature touched
Saving Throw:        Neg.

With this spell, the caster is able to utterly destroy a single undead dragon. To destroy the target, a successful unarmed attack roll must succeed, and the targeted undead must fail a saving throw versus spell. The spell lasts one round per level of the caster, or until expended. Corporeal undead destroyed by this spell can be animated again using standard means unless the remains are blessed by a priest of Chronepsis.

The saving throw is modified as follows: Unintelligent undead dragons such as skeleton and zombie dragons automatically fail; ghoul and ghast dragons save with a −8 penalty; wight dragons save with a −6 penalty; wraith dragons save with a −4 penalty; mummy dragons save with a −2 penalty; spectre and ghost dragons have an unmodified save; vampire dragons save with a +2 bonus; and dracoliches save with a +4 bonus. Details on all the undead types other than dracoliches can be found in Dragon Magazine #234.

The material components for this spell are the priest’s holy symbol and a fragment of a dragon bone.

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