Tamara

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Greyhawk Deity
Tamara
Tamara's holy symbol, as depicted in Draconomicon (2003).
Title(s) Her Beneficence, Her Mercy
Home Plane Elysium
Power Level Lesser deity
Gender Female
Class(es)
Alignment Neutral good
Portfolio Life, light, mercy
Domains Dragon, Good, Healing, Strength, Sun [Family]
Alias(es)
Superior Io

Tamara (Tuh-MAH-ruh) is the draconic goddess of Mercy. Her symbol is a seven-pointed star on a field of black.

Description

Tamara appears as a huge, wingless dragon, slightly smaller than Lendys, the color of burnished platinum. She radiates an aura of warmth, comfort, and love. She is luminous and beautiful, and her eyes shine with the brightness of the sun.

Tamara is the kindest and most benevolent of dragon deities. Some mistake this kindness for weakness, but they do not do so twice.

Relationships

Tamara is part of the draconic pantheon, which includes Io, Aasterinian, Astilabor, Bahamut, Chronepsis, Faluzure, Garyx, Hlal, Lendys, Sardior, Tiamat, and others. Like most of the dragon deities, Tamara is considered to be a child of Io.

Tamara is the consort of Lendys. She eternally strives to temper Lendys's hard-edged sense of justice with a sense of forgiveness. Some myths say their offspring is Bahamut, who combines his father's love of justice with his mother's love of mercy.

Tamara counts Pelor among her staunchest friends and Faluzure, Erythnul, Hextor, and Nerull among her enemies.

Realm

Tamara's realm exists on the plane of Elysium.

Dogma

Tamara believes in mercy in both life and death. She believes that if justice needs to be bent in the service of life and happiness, so be it. Tamara heals the sick and the injured, but if the dragon cannot be healed or if it is nearing the end of its natural lifespan, she believes in euthanasia. She fiercely detests the idea of unnaturally extending a dragon's lifespan, especially against its will, though magical healing and even resurrection is permitted for those who have not reached extreme old age.

Worshippers

Tamara is worshiped by good dragons, healers, and those who desire mercy. Some lawful good dragons (gold, silver, and brass) still worship both Lendys and Tamara, while some brass and copper dragons worship Tamara alone.

Clergy

Tamara's clerics are healers, but they also deliver death to those who seek to unnaturally avoid it. They destroy undead whenever possible, particularly draconic undead.

Temples

Temples to Tamara tend to double as hospitals, infirmaries, and hospices. Terminally ill patients are treated with grace and respect, and their deaths are greeted as good news, as they have found freedom from life's woes.

Rituals

Tamara's worshipers celebrate births, returns to life, raise dead and resurrection spells, as well as final deaths. During these times, they reflect on and praise Tamara's generosity, mercy, and peace.

Most of Tamara's quests involve countering some plot of Faluzure's, and they focus on hunting down and destroying undead, especially draconic undead. Her prayers are joyous, uplifting paeans to light and life.

Bibliography

  • Donovan, Dale. Cult of the Dragon. Renton, WA: TSR, 1998.
  • Kestrel, Gwendolyn F.M., Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, and Kolja Raven Liquette. Races of the Dragon. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2006.