Bane

Overview

Bane has a simple ethos: the strong have not just the right but the duty to rule over the weak. A tyrant who is able to seize power must do so, for not only does the tyrant benefit, but so do those under the tyrant's rule. When a ruler succumbs to decadence, corruption, or decrepitude, a stronger and more suitable ruler will rise. Bane seeks nothing less than the total domination of Faerûn, and continues to hatch demented plots and vile intrigues to erase all hope and altruism from the world. Bane's tyranny is known throughout the world, and his is the image that most see as the face of all evil.

Description

Bane appears as a shadowy humanoid figure - usually bare chested, but occasionally wearing dark armour and a stylish black cloak streaked with red. His right hand is invariably protected by a slim, jewelled, black metal gauntlet. When enraged or in battle, Bane's body often warps into a bestial form; his hands become talons capable of rending flesh and bone or shattering steel; his eyes become living flame and his skin blackens and chars as it pulls tight against his skull, tears and rents revealing runes carved into the bone.

Holy symbol

Bane's symbol is an upright black right hand, with thumb and fingers together; or a black clenched fist squeezing out radiating green rays; or an upright black hand, palm out, thumb and fingers together, usually on a red background.

Favored weapon

Bane prefers to wield a black jewelled gauntlet on his right hand, known as the Black Hand of Bane. The church of Bane have chosen the morning star as their preferred weapon.

Realm

World Tree cosmology

In the World Tree cosmology of Realmspace, Bane resides within his planar realm, known as the Black Bastion, which is located on the outer plane known as the Barrens of Doom and Despair, which he shares with his subordinate deities Beshaba, the Maid of Misfortune; Loviatar, the Maiden of Pain; and Talona, Lady of Poison; as well as the deity Hoar, the Doombringer.

Great Wheel cosmology

In the Great Wheel cosmology, Bane resides within his planar realm, known as the Black Bastion, which is located on Avalas, the Battleplains, the first layer of the Infinite Battlefield of Acheron. The Black Bastion is a towering edifice of adamantine, ebony, obsidian and jet which appears to suck what little light remains out of the sky, casting a pall over the land all around the fortress. Bane rules over his realm as an iron-fisted tyrant.

Worship

Most people don't worship Bane out of malice, despite the fact that throughout history, those who favored him have committed dark deeds in his name. Bane represents ambition and control, and those who have the former but lack the latter pray to him to give them strength. Bane favors those who exhibit drive and courage, and aids those who seek to become conquerors, carving kingdoms from the wilderness, and bringing order to the lawless. At many times and in many places in Faerûn, the faithful of Bane have been seen as saviors for their efforts in slaughtering raiders, throwing down corrupt rulers, or saving armies on the brink of defeat. But in just as many other places, the worship of Bane has created or supported cruel dictatorships, aided mercantile monopolies, or brought about the practice of slavery where it didn't exist before.

In Spelljammer

Bane is a member of the Faerûnian pantheon and as such is considered native to Realmspace. Bane has a strong presence in Realmspace, particularly in the region of the Color Spray Nebula. Worshippers of Bane believe the nebula is their gods' wrath given form, sent to the sphere to cause havoc and strife. A dedicated groups of priests can be found protecting the boundaries of the nebula against intrusion by spelljamming vessels, resulting in several of their number being afflicted with wild, malignant, cancerous growths caused by the nebula.

Priests of Bane cast spells within wildspace as per normal. When entering the phlogiston, they cannot cast any spells or receive new spalls. When entering a new crystal sphere, they can cast spells related to Banes' portfolio as per normal, but cannot recover any mid-to-high level spells until they return to Realmspace.

The Holy Keep of Bane was established on the Rock of Bral about eight years ago by the Zhentarim priest Halwarin, who is dedicated to spreading the worship of Bane throughout wildspace. The Holy Keep is housed in a run down and decrepit building, and has attracted a small following of a few dozen mages and warriors. Halwarin has even attempted to ally the small church with the Tenth Pit; however he refuses to subjugate the cause of Bane to the purposes of the Tenth Pit.

Appendix

External Links

• Bane article at the Forgotten Realms Wiki, a wiki for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.
• Bane article at the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition Wiki, a wiki for official Dungeons & Dragons content from 2nd edition AD&D.

References

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