This information is intended for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.
Divergence from Canon
The official history of the Mulhorandi pantheon (as I understand it, anyway) goes back to Imaskar and giant portals through which the Imaskari grabbed huge numbers of people from ancient Earth. These newcomers were enslaved by the Imaskari and became known as the Mulan, but most importantly they brought their culture and religion with them. This is apparently the rationale behind bringing Egyptian mythology into the Realms.
I realize it probably makes me a spoilsport, but I don’t like that story. Elminster talking to Ed: cool/fun/interesting. Thousands of Egyptians yanked into the Realms and then rescued by shards of the gods they worshiped on Earth? Then these gods led the Egyptians to establish Mulhorand, where the gods ruled for a long time and then abruptly returned to their essences in the Outer Planes, which was their home the whole time, even though they had been worshiped on Earth? Hokey. Lame.
So, in the Xaeyruudh campaign, things happened differently. The God-Kings venerated today as the Mulhorandi pantheon were once Imaskari adventurers and scholars, who crafted and executed a plan to ascend (partway at least) to godly power. They were born in Imaskar, and they (with the exception of Ptah) have never dwelled in the Outer Planes, and they know nothing about Earth. The Anhur in the Realms has nothing to do with the Anhur in Egypt, and probably has no connection to any Anhur which might be worshiped in other campaign worlds.
I also added a few more powers to the mix, balancing the Mulhorandi and Untheric pantheons at 18 powers apiece.
At a Glance
The Pantheon consists of twelve God-Kings: Anhur, Horus–Re, Isis, Nephthys, Osiris, Thoth, Bast, Geb, Hathor, Nut, Shu, and Tefnut.
The first six have huge churches which think of themselves as The Churches, while the others are referred to somewhat condescendingly as cults. Note that this term does not have all the same connotations in Mulhorand (or in the rest of the Realms) as it does on Earth; in Mulhorand a cult is merely a smaller and/or less influential church.
DM’s Notes
There are six other God-Kings as well, three of which nobody likes to talk about (Apophis, Sebek, and Set) and three that most folks honestly don’t know about (Anubis, Ptah, and Re).
Making things a little more complicated, some of the God-Kings died long ago… or for whatever other reason are not who they appear to be.
Anubis
Anubis is a God-King. He was declared dead, but he still exists, and he has a thriving cult… elsewhere. Anubis may answer prayers directed to him, but only if the supplicant is outside Mulhorand.
Apophis
Apophis is not a God-King. He’s an aspect of Shar; she may answer prayers directed to Apophis.
Ptah
Ptah is a God-King, but he parted ways with the others before they left Imaskar and he was never acknowledged as part of the pantheon. His cult, however, did come to Mulhorand and persists to the present day. All of the God-Kings hear prayers directed to Ptah within Mulhorand, and any may answer… but they usually do not.
Re
Re is a God-King. He was declared to have merged with Horus, but he still exists as a separate entity. He has no cult. Horus-Re answers prayers directed to Re, but Re hears them too and hypothetically could respond as well.
Nut
Nut was a God-King, and is believed to be alive, but is actually replaced by Selûne, who answers prayers directed to Nut.
Sebek
Sebek is not a God-King. He’s an interloper power of indeterminate origin (not an aspect of a Faerunian power). The God-Kings know he’s not one of them, but they don’t know who/what he is. He may answer prayers directed to him.
Set
Set was declared dead, but is believed to still exist (probably as an undead God-King if such a thing is possible), but his cult is exiled from Mulhorand on pain of death. Set may answer prayers directed to him, but only if the supplicant is outside Mulhorand.
Shu
Shu was a God-King, and is believed to be alive, but is actually replaced by Shaundakul, who answers prayers directed to Shu.
Tefnut
Tefnut was a God-King, and is believed to be alive, but is actually replaced by Eldath, who answers prayers directed to Tefnut.
Sources
- Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting [11836] (3e) — page 236 mentions Anhur, Geb, Hathor, Horus-Re, Isis, Nephthys, Osiris, Sebek, Set, and Thoth; page 234 mentions Sharess (linked elsewhere with Bast); the Web Enhancement describes Anhur, Geb, Hathor, Horus-Re, Isis, Nephthys, Osiris, Sebek, Set, Sharess, and Thoth
- Old Empires [FR10/9274] pages 23-29 describe Anhur, Horus-Re, Isis, Nephthys, Osiris, Set, and Thoth; Geb, Hathor, and Sebek are mentioned in passing — Some notes on the Time of Troubles (which will be disregarded in the Xaeyruudh campaign) appear on page 29
- Xaeyruudh — Anubis, Apophis, Nut, Ptah, Re, Shu, and Tefnut were given a presence in the Realms for the Xaeyruudh campaign, and are not official; the connections with Faerûnian deities, other than Bast, are also unofficial
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