The Midgard Worldbook already details a score of saints dedicated to the war god Mavros, but the other deities have their share of saints as well. Saints of Midgard uncovers some of these holy personages, including information on their origins, followers, blessings and miracles, and the relics attributed to them.
Fire-Saint Tyverus
Origins. Of all the dragon gods of the Mharoti Empire, Baal is perhaps the most powerful and influential. Thus, it comes as no surprise that he also has the greatest number of saints. Most of these fire-saints are dragonborn, but a sprinkling of true dragons and even drakes count among their ranks. Arguably the most famous and popular fire-saint of Baal is St. Tyverus, a proud dragonborn who lived almost 200 years before the present age.
Born at the height of a raging forest fire, Tyverus was always destined for Baal’s priesthood and quickly ascended through the ranks due to a combination of intellect, wisdom, and strength. Eventually, Tyverus joined the Baal-Shek, the priests responsible for memorizing the many sacred stories of Baal. In this role, he truly shone, being one of the driving forces in organizing the sacred stories into the 444 known by Baal’s priests today.
During his middle years, Tyverus traveled extensively across the face of the Mharoti Empire, teaching his fellow dragonkin and even interested jambuka (typically humans, gnolls, and dwarves) the ways of Baal. During this time, Tyverus uncovered a plot to assassinate Ibbalan the Illustrious by jambuka rebels and defeated a mighty sea monster attacking the ships out of Irkaly while the priests of Seggotan could do little more than wail and watch. These acts only increased his influence and popularity, and it was no surprise when Ibbalan took him on as his advisor.
When Ibbalan decided to forgo his mortality and become an undead creature, Tyverus was the cleric chosen to perform the sacred ritual, calling upon Baal’s holy power to do so. Unfortunately, the strain of such a task proved too much for Tyverus’s mortal body, and it left him bedridden for months. When he eventually recovered from the ordeal, he traveled to the Shimmering Temple of Baal in Kalpostan. Once there, he became chief speaker of the Baal-Shek, performing this task admirably until his death almost 20 years later.
Followers. Tyverus is an extremely popular saint and widely revered by thousands of dragonborn, kobolds, and even some dragon worshippers of Baal. Shrines to the fire-saint are commonplace throughout the Mharoti Empire, particularly in Kalpostan and Mezar where they are located within temples of Baal, usually in a niche in one of the walls near the main chapel.
Tyverus holds a special place in the hearts and minds of the Baal-Shek, who consider him one of the most important historical figures of their order. Indeed, anyone attempting to denigrate Tyverus in plain sight of one of the Baal-Shek had best be ready for some form of reprimand.
Blessings and Miracles. The fire-saint’s blessings come in a variety of ways, but the most common blessings are the appearance of a flaming tree or small lizard with red and silver scales, warning a person of danger or guiding them when they must make a difficult decision. The granting of priestly spells to truly worthy recipients is also a sign of Tyverus’s blessing but is bestowed only on those who are also worshippers of Baal or have some draconic blood flowing through their veins.
The church of Baal elevated Tyverus to the status of fire-saint not because of any particular miracle but for the many outstanding achievements he made throughout his life and his long dedication to the Supreme Fire Dragon. As a result, few have ever questioned the decision to make Tyverus one of Baal’s fire-saints, almost as if it were an unwritten law.
Holy Relics
The relics of the saints are items of renown and power, vitally important to those of the same faith and zealously sought after and guarded.
ZOMORREDESH, THE SWORD OF TYVERUS
Weapon (longsword), legendary (requires attunement)
Gifted to Tyverus by Ibbalan the Illustrious shortly before the gold dragon’s transformation into an undead creature, Zomorredesh is a finely crafted orichalcum and steel longsword. Covering the sword’s black leather hilt are three emeralds that flash when a wielder uses the sword’s charges. The last sighting of the blade was during the disastrous Battle of Wheeling Angels when the dragonborn paladin Noraza Radmanesh, who was wielding it, was slain in a personal duel with an efreet lord.
You gain a +1 to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.
Zomorredesh has 3 charges. While holding the blade, you can expend 1 charge from the weapon as a bonus action to cause one of the following effects:
⦁ You can cause the weapon to flash with emerald flames for 1 minute. Creatures struck by the blade during this time take an extra 1d8 fire damage.
⦁ You can teleport up 30 feet to an unoccupied space.
⦁ Finally, you can cause a flash of brilliant green light to envelop a target within 30 feet. The target must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be blinded and frightened until the end of its next turn.
Zomorredesh regains all expended charges daily at dawn.
