When the folk of Faerûn gaze at the pastel hues of the morning sky, they thank Lathander. He is a god of dawn and the potential that comes with new beginnings. Spring, birth, youth, creativity, and renewal fall under his domain.
Although occasionally given to excess, abundant enthusiasm, and vanity, Lathander is above all an optimistic deity. An early morning visit from an exuberant songbird might be a good omen from the god. He also sends pixies with iridescent wings the colors of sunrise.
Since Lathander is a god of beginnings, people pray to him before undertaking journeys or endeavors. His priests officiate weddings and births, and his name is invoked to seal alliances and launch new ventures or companies. As a result, Lathander is popular among merchants, and his faith has benefited accordingly. Temples to Lathander are wealthy and unafraid to show itâsometimes to the point of gaudiness. Some feature elaborate stained-glass windows on every wall, while others have parapets designed to look like the spread wings of a rising phoenix. Lathander's temples pay FaerĂ»n's best artists handsome amounts to create colorful statues and murals within their walls. Temples of Lathander hold a special ceremony called the Song of Dawn on Midsummer morning and at the equinoxes. During this event, priests and the faithful sing praises to the Morninglord.
Lathander's followers include athletes, nobles, artists, and the young, all of whom often dress in flamboyant fashions. The Morninglord's priests wear shades of rose pink, orange, and goldâthe colors of the dawn. They teach others not to wallow in negativity, that life comes from death and every morning offers a chance to turn a setback into a success. Priests and followers of Lathander despise undead, seeing them as both a corruption of the natural order and a disavowal of new beginnings because undead cling to their old existence rather than move on.
Chosen of Lathander wield powerful magic of light and life and spend their time lending these services to other good deities on Lathander's behalf. Some theorize that these acts of benevolence are Lathander's way of apologizing to the gods for the Dawn Cataclysmâan eons-old incident in which
Lathander foolishly attempted to remake all deities in his image, leading to the deaths of several gods whose names have been nearly forgotten.
Dawnbringers
When the destructive forces of Faerûn bring a town or village to its knees, Dawnbringers help the survivors rise from the ashes. This order of Lathander dedicates itself to helping people start anew. That often means finding refugees new homes and teaching them the skills they'll need to thrive.
Dawnbringers find folk who need their help through word of mouth, divination magic, or omens from Lathander. When necessary, Dawnbringers recruit adventurers or mercenaries to help them reach people in need.
Dawnbringers wear distinctive tabards. The back of each tabard is dark gray, and the front is dyed any combination of sunrise-hued colors, as a symbolic reassurance that people's worst days are behind them. To become a Dawnbringer, one must be trusted by Lathander's followers. (If your campaign uses renown, a character must have a Renown Score of 5+ with the Dawnbringers to join the organization.) The typical Dawnbringer is gentle yet courageous, grounded yet optimistic. People who demonstrate these qualities are welcomed into the order. Many initiates undergo a renewal of their own by shedding their old name and picking a new one.
When they aren't helping displaced people, Dawnbringers connect with town leaders. By strengthening these connections, finding out which leaders are receptive to outsiders, and gently encouraging those that aren't amenable to change, they lay the groundwork for future refugees to find homes. High-ranking Dawnbringers attend dinners and meetings with town mayors and city councils, although this glamorous perk can distract members from their order's goals. In realms such as Thay where Dawnbringers don't have a foothold, they usher folk across long distances to safer lands.
Dawnbringers count Selûne's followers among their staunchest allies, which pits them against the forces of Shar. Dawnbringers despise Bane and Talos for the destruction those gods' faithful wreak on innocent folk.