Followers of Shaundakul

Shaundakul is best known as the patron deity for travelers and rangers who walk the lands. Also called the Helping Hand, his influence with citizens of the North was one of beneficial direction, aiding the defenders of settlements as they sprung up across the Realms. In Myth Drannor, Shaundakul’s assistance and followers were no less apparent. After the fall of the city to the Armies of Darkness, however, the Wind Rider’s influence paled as his devotees were driven off, slain, or lost their faith. Now, as darkness looms again, the few who maintained faith in their Lord of the Winds will have to stand against the forces of the Cult of the Dragon.

In Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor, players encounter many NPCs (and a few PCs) who are followers of the Wind Rider. The guardian nagas of the central platform and the Shrine of Silver Fire are amongst the last of Shaundakul’s worshipers. If players come across them and show them kindness and good will, perhaps their god will bestow his favor upon the party. The ranger Bronwyn, a member of the elite fighting force known as the Sisters of the Silver Fire – a force prepared to oppose the Cult of the Dragon at all costs - also favors Shaundakul. Should the players find favor with her, they might gain her support in their efforts against the growing evil.

Mystra's Faithful

Though Shaundakul is a still a moderate force in the hearts of the good and just of Myth Drannor, there is one goddess perhaps even more revered in the world of this game: Mystra, the Mother of Magic. Known far and wide as a true patron for the arcane arts, Mystra blessed her followers with unique abilities to access strong nodes of magic within the Realms. Indeed, our story begins with the players learning of a secret, hidden shelter inhabited by a blind and elderly elf named Beriand who devoutly worships the Lady of Mysteries. He and his assistant, Faeril, preach the ways of Mystra to all those who will listen, offering their talents as healers and information sources to the party of heroes who has taken up Athan’s quest to destroy the Pool of Radiance.

Mystra’s influence can be seen throughout the game, as players unlock special glyphs set by the Lady of Mystery’s followers, retrieve powerful artifacts that allow Beriand to bring the dead back to life, and meet up with ancient forces that still worship the Lady even after their time of passing from this world. Anorrweyn, a potent female cleric turned into a ghost by her strong ties to her former shrine, is a central part of the story. She gives the players valuable insight into the ways of the Cult’s plots through her connections with the baelnorn, an ancient undead elf charged with guarding the Emerald of the Weave. But players will find her wavering spirit only if they listen to the breeze that whispers plaintive cries about the followers of Mystra.

Although the gods have lost much of their former presence within the walls of Myth Drannor, their clerics and faithful still maintain a toehold in the ruined city despite all the darkness that has descended on the area throughout history. In Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor, players will have the opportunity to come face to face with a few powerful individuals who still pray to Shaundakul and Mystra – individuals who might very well give them the edge they need to countermand the forces of the Cult.

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