Saint Noxxis

Origins. The tale of St. Noxxis is one steeped in blood and betrayal, and few saints are more reviled in all the lands of Midgard. Little is known of Noxxis’s early life other than he was the son of dirt-poor dwarven peasants, and he craved wealth and fame. He is said to have detested his parents’ philosophical outlook on money and happiness, which grew into actual hatred for them once he entered his adult years, becoming a petty criminal and stealing from others to fund his lifestyle.

Everything changed for Noxxis when he chanced upon a warband of hobgoblins approaching a small settlement he had been loitering near. Rather than warn the dwarves and humans of the town about the danger, he approached the hobgoblins with an offer to help them get past the town’s defenses in exchange for a portion of the loot. Typically, such an offer would have resulted in Noxxis’s death. However, the hobgoblin leader was a cleric of Mammon, and he had received a vision about an unusual servant of the Lord of Greed who would aid them, so he agreed to the dwarf’s offer.

With Noxxis’s help, the raid turned into an outright massacre, but the greedy dwarf didn’t care as long as gold flowed into his hands. In the ensuing months, the hobgoblins raided over a dozen settlements, Noxxis deceiving any human or dwarf he could to ensure their success. In the end, Noxxis turned on the hobgoblins as well, aiding a party of adventurers in dispatching them while keeping his own involvement a secret.

Toward his middle years, Noxxis became an extremely wealthy criminal. Morbidly obese and extravagant in his vices, his avarice knew no bounds. In essence, he had become the mortal personification of Mammon.

The death of Noxxis was as terrible as his life: the dwarf was dropped into a vat of boiling lye by one of his many underlings. Yet Noxxis did not end up as just another forgotten criminal, and shortly after his death, the cult of Mammon made him one of the Master of Wealth’s only saints.

Followers. St. Noxxis is known as the Patron Saint of Betrayers, and thus few creatures openly venerate him. The number of dwarves, dragons, humans, and goblinoids who secretly revere him is much greater, however, and many see him as something of a template to follow when someone must be deceived or betrayed.

Those outside of Mammon’s clergy often find it difficult to separate the arch-devil from Noxxis himself, as if the dwarven saint were one of Mammon’s masks. Strangely, this does not cause consternation within the church itself, for it is known that Mammon likes to spread disinformation about himself whenever possible and that this confusion helps him do just that.

Blessings and Miracles. Most of Noxxis’s followers know it’s best not to request assistance from the saint as the price for such a service might be too high to pay. Nevertheless, when the saint does give his aid, it typically comes in the form of the follower’s enemies unerringly striking their own allies in combat or a bag of coins or gems mysteriously appearing in the follower’s pockets. Occasionally, such as blessing might come without payment. At other times, the follower might find themselves afflicted with a hideous malady, might lose a portion of their wealth under mysterious circumstances, or might even draw the attention of a lesser devil to come to claim their soul.

Noxxis is one of the few saints without a miracle to his credit, though some believe it was a miracle he survived as long as he did, given his deplorable nature.

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.

ICON OF GREED

Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)

Appearing as a tiny fat merchant with devilish horns, this statue is made out of gold and precious gems.

While attuned to the icon, you can call upon a gilded devil (seeTome of Beasts) bound within the object as if using the planar ally spell. Once summoned, the gilded devil serves you for up to 1 hour or until it is destroyed. If the gilded devil is destroyed, the icon cannot be used again for 7 days; otherwise, it can be used once every 24 hours.

Curse. A giant, fey, or humanoid attuned to the icon finds themselves filled with avaricious thoughts and must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw every time they summon the gilded devil or have their alignment changed to lawful evil. If the creature dies while its alignment is lawful evil, the gilded devil snatches up its soul for Mammon and departs. In this circumstance, the creature can only be restored to life by a carefully worded wish.

A creature can only regain its former alignment if a remove curse is cast on them.

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