Ilmater is a god of suffering, martyrdom, and perseverance, renowned for his compassion and endurance. He offers succor to those who are in pain, victimized, or in great need. He is the willing sufferer who takes the place of another to heft their burden or take their pain. He is a god of the oppressed and the unjustly treated.
If he had his way, Ilmater would take all the suffering in the world onto himself to spare others. Since he can't, he blesses those who endure on others' behalf, and he alleviates suffering when he can. Martyrs are blessed by Ilmater with a final rest and reward in the god's afterlife. Ilmater speaks to mortals in moments of despair and agony, where his voice soothes their hurt and fear. He sometimes sends a Shield Guardian to protect a mortal in need and shows favor by growing daisies and white roses or sending peaceful animals.
Ilmater's priests take in the sick, the starving, and the injured, and his temples give away most of what they receive to offset the suffering of the world. His followers provide succor when they can, using force to end torture and the suffering inflicted on others. Ilmater's priests travel to unfortunate places, ministering to the needs of the oppressed, the forgotten, and the poor. They put others ahead of themselves, share all they have, and emphasize the spiritual nature of life over the welfare of the material body.
Priests of Ilmater wear hair shirts, vests of coarse fur. It is taboo to harm such priests as they go about their duties, including when they administer to the wounded on a battlefield. Even warlike groups avoid attacking a peaceful priest of Ilmater, as long as the priest administers to their fallen warriors.
Chosen of Ilmater become martyrs eventually, as they're driven to step between victims and the source of their suffering. The divine power coursing through them allows the Chosen to intervene in brutally perilous situations, pushing them closer to the embrace of the Crying God.
Broken Ones
The Broken Ones is a monastic order of temple and caravan guards dedicated to Ilmater. Monks are foremost members of the order, but others join to save others from suffering. Fighters, particularly Eldritch Knights, join the Broken Ones, as do Paladins who swear the Oath of Devotion. Other members are ascetics who distance themselves from worldly affairs, but some understand they must be active in the world to protect it.
Those seeking to join the Broken Ones begin as supplicants tasked to defend a temple. Once they understand the basics of Ilmater's faith, they're assigned tasks in the wider world. During this time, they focus on protecting Ilmater's followers; the most trusted track down, punish, or retrieve targets who inflict suffering on others.
To be inducted into the Broken Ones, a supplicant must endure great personal suffering on behalf of others and in the course of their duties. Superiors evaluate the supplicant for endurance and compassion. A supplicant who passes these trials must then endure a period of fasting and carefully inflicted pain before being welcomed as a full member of the Broken Ones. Many inductees have scars, previously broken bones, and other lingering signs of the suffering they endured during their supplication. (If your campaign uses renown, a character must have Renown Score of 3+ with the Broken Ones to join the order.)
Broken Ones train their bodies and minds to withstand pain and deprivation and learn techniques to make them better protectors of those who can't escape their suffering alone. Broken Ones receive a free Comfortable lifestyle at temples or monasteries of Ilmater. They can secure Potions of Healing and other items that soothe and salve.
The Broken Ones opposes anyone who oppresses and harms the weak and innocent, especially followers of Loviatar who delight in inflicting suffering. The order finds lasting allies in the faithful of Lathander.