Bahamut

**Titles: The Platinum Dragon, The Father of Dragons, The Maker of Justice**

**Home: Celestia**

**Alignment: Lawful good**

**Portfolio: Justice, righteous law, nobility, good dragons**

**Domains: Life, war**

**Symbol: A platinum dragon’s head in profile, facing right**

**Favored Weapon: Pike**

### **Followers and Clergy**

**Bahamut is popular among lawful, civilized lands. Righteous monarchs, judges, and even lowly guards often offer prayers, tithes, and sacrifices to Bahamut for his blessings of strength, guidance, and wise justice. All dragons respect Bahamut, most metallics honor him, and quite a few metallic dragons worship the Platinum Dragon. Even these devout dragons struggle to submit to a god’s will, however, as it clashes with their draconic sense of pride. Good dragonborn clans revere Bahamut above all other gods.**

**Bahamut’s actual clergy, known as the Platinum Order, are organized, but generally operate with autonomy. The Bastion of Bahamut, for example, manages Bahamut’s worship within Ortea, where they are able to respond to the unique threats and challenges posed by the Chromatic Conquest.**

**While there is a great degree of regional autonomy, worshippers of Bahamut generally fall into two holy orders. The Talons of Justice are the adventuring, militaristic arm of Bahamut’s church. Mostly paladins and war clerics, the Talons seek out evil and oppression and dispense Bahamut’s justice. They are especially vigilant in seeking out and eliminating followers of Tiamat. The Wings of Mercy, on the other hand, take a more supportive role. They seek to heal the sick and feed the poor. Generally, the Wings believe that it is better to teach and empower the people to fight evil themselves then it is to fight evil directly. While both groups have different roles, they often overlap. A traveling paladin from the Talons will often provide medicinal care to a remote village they pass through, while a cleric of the Wings will draw their blade to defend the helpless from immediate threat.**

**Hierarchy:**

* **Platinum Wings - Highest priests. Oversee large regions. Selected by the Golden Templars.**​​​​​
* **Golden Templars - Oversee cities and small regions. Appointed by Platinum Wings.**​
* **Silver Claws - Appointed by Golden Templars. The Silver Wings travel constantly, leading dangerous missions and providing aid to remote locations.**
* **Bronze Sentinels - Appointed by Golden Templars. The Bronze Sentinels tend to temples and fortresses of Bahamut, caring for its upkeep, defending from attackers, and resolving issues among locals.**
* **Copper Fangs - Appointed by Golden Templars. The Copper Fangs serve as Bahamut's intelligence force. They travel in disguise, seeking to sniff out subtle evils and the plots of Tiamat.**
* **Brass Wardens - Recruited by Silver Claws and Adamantine Sentinels. The Brass Wardens are the foot-soldiers of the faith. They seek to prove their worth in battle or service to advance in the ranks.**

### **Traditions and Practices**

**Followers of Bahamut generally pray upon waking up and before falling asleep, asking for the Platinum Dragon’s guidance and protection, respectively. Many often exercise, drill, and spar in the morning, to better prepare to combat evil and protect righteousness. Devout believers often forsake a favored vice or luxury on the first day of each week. While these rites and rituals are respected amongst the faithful, the true worship of Bahamut occurs through deeds and action.**

### **Clothing and Symbols**

**Followers of Bahamut often wear robes or cloaks of navy-blue fringed with silver and platinum. Holy symbols are often emblazoned on banners, shields, or breastplates.**

### **Places of Worship**

**Bahamut’s temples often double as fortresses, hospitals, and other utilitarian buildings. As houses of healing and bases of operation, the temples are designed to provide refuge and turn away attackers. Most feature thick outer walls, high towers, barrack-like housing for clergy, stables, training yards, and smithies.**

**The temple’s inner keep and cathedral is usually a large pyramidal structure with a rectangular, domed tower emerging from the top. The top of the tower, known as the High Eerie is a massive cathedral structure, and it doubles as a roost for draconic followers of Bahamut. Wyvern and griffon riders usually roost in lower openings in the tower.**

### **Sacred Texts**

* **The Sacred Shield - Bahamut’s most famous text, the sacred shield is a massive tome generally held within temples of the Platinum Dragon. With an elaborate cover, gilded pages, and beautiful illustrations, the Shield is a striking sight. Within are hundreds of tales of chivalry and righteousness, offering examples and guidance for the faithful. Many followers carry a condensed, unadorned version of the book called the Pilgrim’s Shield.**

### **Holy Days**

* **The Day of Remembrance - Followers of the Platinum Dragon gather on the Fall Equinox to contemplate the sacrifices of fallen allies and heroes. Solemn ceremonies of silence are followed by cheerful feasts, where followers toast their lost comrades, celebrate their good deeds, and share humorous and inspiring tales about their lives.**