Torm

Those who favor Torm believe salvation is found through service. He is a god of courage and self-sacrifice, an unyielding deity who dutifully puts himself on the front line of the fight against evil and injustice. He is a patron god of many Paladins, embodying the tenets of the Oath of Devotion.

Torm's name carries gravitas and strikes fear into treacherous hearts, but his heart is filled with goodness. In legends, he is kind and gentle when dealing with faithful friends, the weak, and the defenseless. But he is stern and righteous against the forces of evil and injustice. When Torm appears in dreams, he takes the form of an enormous, flying metal gauntlet surrounded by arcs of lightning. He might send a golden Lion or, in extreme cases, a Deva clad in gleaming armor to make his will known.

Torm's faithful believe that brave acts of service please their god. They strive to maintain peace and order while opposing unjust laws and standing alert against corruption. Though many of Torm's followers are warriors, skill in combat isn't required to uphold Torm's ideals. For instance, a council member who worships Torm advocates for what is just, even if this puts their position at risk. Torm's followers believe every failure of duty diminishes Torm and every success adds to his luster. The faithful know everyone stumbles from time to time, but they never cease aspiring to Torm's standards.

Followers construct fortress-temples dedicated to Torm on defensible heights. These structures offer drilling grounds, stables, and austere quarters for residents and visiting knights. Lion statues and armored figures feature in these temples' decor, with the coats of arms of fallen heroes decorating the white-granite walls. The priesthood of Torm is friendly with the priesthoods of Tyr and Ilmater: together with Torm, these gods make up a trio of deities called the Triad. Torm's priests are also allied with the Red Knight and Lathander.

Chosen of Torm dedicate themselves to the fight against evil, especially against the forces of Bane. Torm and Bane battled each other to their mutual destruction during the Time of Troubles—both gods have since returned, and the animosity between them still seethes.

East of the Dalelands, the city of Tantras is home to the greatest concentration of Torm worshipers in Faerûn. There, Torm manifested and slew Bane during the Time of Troubles. While this era was a time of great pride for Torm's followers, it also became one of great shame. After returning to his godly state, Torm was disgusted to find that Tantras's priests had been persecuting believers of other gods, and that this practice had spread throughout the Dalelands and along the Sea of Fallen Stars. As punishment, Torm dictated a series of responsibilities and obligations—the Penance of Duty—for his followers to perform as atonement. Over a century has passed since this decree, and Torm's followers have regained trust in the regions around Tantras. Still, a select group of Torm's faithful vowed to continue the atonement of the Penance of Duty, and those people are known as the Order of the Golden Lion.

The Order of the Golden Lion involves righting three Debts: Persecution, Dereliction, and Destruction. Typically knights of the Golden Lion devote themselves to righting a single debt. Those who choose the Debt of Persecution aid good religions wherever possible. Followers of the Debt of Dereliction atone for abdications of duty by seeking out and eliminating cults of Bane, as well as routing the Zhentarim. Adherents to the Debt of Destruction are obliged to report and repair areas of dead magic and wild magic throughout Faerûn as penance for the destruction to The Weave caused by Torm's battle against Bane.

The Order of the Golden Lion is most active in the Dalelands and the region around Tantras, but faithful as far as the Sword Coast have picked up the mantle. The order is largely composed of warriors, and members wear the order's signature article of clothing: a pair of golden pauldrons, each carved in the shape of a lion's head. To become a member of the Order of the Golden Lion, an individual must prove their dedication by completing a holy quest for a temple of Torm. (If your campaign uses renown, a character must also have a Renown Score of 5+ with the Order of the Golden Lion to join the organization.)