Gargauth
Cleric Alignments: LE, LN, NE

Gargauth The Tenth Lord of Nine, the Lost Lord of the Pit, the Hidden Lord
Faerunian Demigod

Symbol: Broken animal horn
Home Plane: Material
Alignment: Lawful Evil Portfolio: Betrayal, cruelty, political corruption, powerbrokers
Worshippers: Corrupt leaders and politicians, sorcerers, traitors
Cleric Alignments: LE, LN, NE
Domains: Charm, Evil, Law, Trickery

Favored Weapon: "Corruptor" (dagger or throwing dagger)

argauth embodies the inevitable decay and corruption that accompanies all self-serving, greedy, and power-hungry leaders and groups. Gargauth's malevolency and cruelty are made all the worse by the veneer of vicility and compassion he wears when first encountered. Gargauth holds to the letter of any agreement, not the spirit, and relishes betraying anyone with whom he forges a pact by twisting the contract to serve his own ends. Gargauth is a master strategist, and his sense of humor moderates his temper. He can be erudite, charming, and genteel, but his true nature always reveals itself eventually. In truth, the Lord Who Watches is utterly depraved, the incarnation of evil most foul.

The church of gargauth is a secretive faith, although there are some significant exceptions. Clerics work to increase their personal power, the power of the church, and by extension, the power of Gargauth. Clerics are expected to be Gargauth's eyes and ears throughout Faerun. They are to entice and corrupt powerful individuals and leaders in communities throughout Faerun and bind them into strict contracts favorable to Gargauth's goals. They seek to seize positions of power whenever possible and integrate their positions into the secretive heirarchy of the faith. Gargauth has directed his followers to undermine other evil faiths and steal their worshipers rather than waste energy in conflicts with good deities.

Clerics of Gargauth pray for their spells at dusk, when night first begins to corrupt the dya. The church of Gargauth celebrates two holy days. The unveiling occurs each Midwinter night. This horrific ceremony, believed to involve many gruesom sacrifices, heralds the imminent time when Gargauth seizes Faerun as his unholy kingdom and transports it to Baator to form the Tenth Pit of Hell. The Binding is celebrated on the even of the Feast of the Moon. It is a personal ritual in which each cleric renews his eternal contract with Gargauth, trading absolute fealty for increased power. This unholy ritual is believed to involve personal sacrifices of money, magic, and hoarded knowledge and the casting of many horrific spells. Gargauth's clergy mark all agreements with signed contracts consecrated in the name of the Lord Who Watches. Many clerics multiclass as divine disciples or sorcerers.

History/Relationships: Gargauth is former arch-devil whose foul nature was too much even for others of his ilk. Exiled from the Nine Hells, Gargauth took to wandering the planes, returning time and again to Toril. His cult blossomed during the war between the Hapers and the malaugryms. In addition to the Dark Deities, Gargauth is also opposed to evil deities such as Cyric and Shar. He poses a particular threat to Siamorphe, given his interest in corrupting those who she holds up as shining paragons of virtue.

Dogma: Life is all about accumulation of power. Civilization is a thin veneer over the base desires that make up the core of every living being. Those who wish to survive and prosper must recognize this truth and concentrate all their resources on the pursuit of power. To achieve power one should use one's charms and honeyed words or a barbed and bloody dagger as appropriate the situation. It is more important to rule than to sit on the throne. Keep to the letter any agreement and the rules established by those more powerful, but be prepared to twist any contract or stricture so as to maximize the benefit you receive.