Helm

Helm is a god of vigilance and protection—the ultimate guardian, watcher, and sentinel. He is venerated by those who must remain watchful for enemies or danger. Helm is a favorite deity of those who make a living by protecting someone or something, such as bodyguards, members of the city watch, and the guards of a treasury vault.

Helm embodies the spirit of watchfulness without regard for good or evil. In legends, he is honorable and keeps his word to a fault. During the Time of Troubles, he guarded the celestial stairways, preventing the gods from ascending them and ensuring they continued to walk Faerûn. Helm appears as a towering figure in full plate armor with a concealing visor. When he speaks to mortals, he materializes in as a massive armored figure or sends a Planetar to deliver his word.

Helm's faith has known dark days. He was slain in a duel with Tyr—a tragic injustice some say was arranged by Cyric. But worship of Helm never faded. Most of his followers believe the Watcher can't be vanquished, and his return after the Second Sundering verified that belief.

Helm's priests teach followers to be vigilant, aware, and prepared for one's enemies. Patience, clear thought, and careful planning will always defeat rushed actions. Those who favor Helm strive to be alert, clearheaded, and true to their word. These traits don't necessarily make them nice people, however, and many consider the faithful of Helm to be inflexible and merciless.

Chosen of Helm—called Sentinels—arise from any walk of life, as the Watcher chooses those who stand against overwhelming peril for the sake of others. Occasionally, Helm looks into the heart of a mortal in the path of a great calamity and—if he judges them worthy—invests them with his power.

Everwatch Knights

The Everwatch Knights is a mercenary knighthood formed by Helm's faithful. The Everwatch makes Helm's vigilance readily available and generates income for the greater faith. While battle-savvy characters such as Clerics, Fighters, and Paladins fit among the Everwatch, these knights also prize the cunning of Bards, Rangers, and Rogues.

Recruits to the Everwatch Knights are called seekers. They train through partnerships with established knights. Contrary to much of Helm's priesthood, the Everwatch Knights keeps a loose rank structure. While traditional knights begin as squires, learning from a single knight for years, Everwatch Knights have no squires, and seekers learn from many knights in succession. Experienced knights support this system by passing on their skills and wisdom.

For a seeker to be chosen for knighthood, they must establish a reputation for upholding contracts and defend themself in an armed encounter with enemies of Helm. A seeker tapped to ascend to knighthood must hold vigil at a post for a day, taking no food or rest with only water to drink. Once a seeker completes the vigil, they are knighted and join the ranks of the Everwatch. (If your campaign uses renown, a character must also have a Renown Score of 3+ with the Everwatch Knights to be knighted.)

Everwatch Knights train their martial skills and hone their alertness by studying stealth and infiltration techniques. Knights receive a free Comfortable lifestyle when guarding caravans or ships in service of the Everwatch. They can arrange for the services of a Knight or Spy to assist in defending a charge or to gather information.

The Everwatch Knights opposes destabilizing deities such as Mask, Shar, and Bane. Despite ideological differences between the followers of Torm and Helm, the Everwatch maintains a close alliance with several Torm-worshiping organizations.