Malar

Malar inspires the thrill of adrenaline experienced by a predator chasing its next meal. He epitomizes the bloody, sadistic side of nature, the world that is red in tooth and claw. He is the god of those who delight in the hunt, don't shy from bloodshed, and savor the fear of their prey.

Malar is a bestial deity, depicted in paintings and murals as a feline monster. When he needs to make his will known on the Material Plane, he sends a ferocious predator drenched in blood, such as a Displacer Beast, an Owlbear, or a Peryton. Malar's intentions rumble and snarl in the minds of those experiencing the delights of savage violence, urging them on and basking in their bloodlust.

Foolish mortals attempt to propitiate Malar with offerings or prayers, hoping to avoid attacks by wild animals. These efforts are in vain, for Malar shows no mercy. Those who worship him instead attempt to embody his peerless hunting skill. Berserkers scream prayers to Malar as they rage, and hunters whisper a prayer before closing in for the kill. Lycanthropes see themselves in Malar's uncontrollable savagery. Malar's followers wear or carry trinkets from the fearsome creatures they've slain. Teeth, pelts, wings, claws—the more ferocious, the better.

Priests of Malar believe in the survival of the fittest, and none are allowed to enter the priesthood without first demonstrating prowess in hunting and combat. Malar has no temples in Faerûn's major cities, but villages on the edges of the wilderness might house a temple. During the tenday leading up to Highharvestide, priests of Malar hunt tirelessly for as much game as they can find. They then invite members of the community to join them at a great feast on Highharvestide called the Feast of the Stags. They keep quiet the dreaded High Hunt ritual, in which priests of Malar choose someone to become their prey for a day and a night. If the prey survives, they gain a favor from the priests of Malar, but death is a far more likely outcome.

Malar's Chosen are gifted trackers, sometimes blessed with lycanthropy. It is said that the Chosen of Malar can smell their quarry from miles away.