Swindler, Brimstone Gambler, The Grinning Devil
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Domains: Air, Fire, Luck, Trickery
Favored Weapons: Scimitar (Flame Tongue)
So began Sindarius' gradual ascent to power, from lesser to intermediate god. He hopes one day to rival Decima's power and destroy her, taking her powers as well. Though he wants to see Kalu destroyed as well, he has little interest in her powers. He keeps his plots to himself, trusting no one, but most of the gods suspect his true intentions, at least to some extent. Currently, he controls fire, air, trickery, and recently, he has acquired luck from another plot.
Worshippers of Sindarius know to tread lightly around this fickle god. What pleases him one moment may anger him the next. He is unfair, but when he does reward his followers, his gifts are powerful indeed. He encourages the subtle undermining of all other churches, as this will aid him in his schemes sooner or later. His dealings are not limited to the heavenly realm, however; he has no qualms interfering with mortals if it suits his plans or his fancy.
Physical manifestations that Sindarius chooses to adapt range from a teenager to an old man, from humanoid to demonic. Well-studied individuals note that most, if not all of his forms have similar red-tinted eyes. No matter his shape, Sindarius fails to hide his overwhelming arrogance and his almost compulsive love of gambling. A sardonic grin is never far from his face, and Flame Tongue seems to appear out of thin air when Sindarius is threatened.
Act in your own interest. If you can take something you desire, do so without regret. Strength can be deterred by a silver tongue, a gold piece, or an iron dagger. Deceive those who are weak of mind. Do no favors without assurance of repayment. Fortune smiles upon those clever enough to skew the odds. Do not betray the Grinning Devil.
Ceremonies
-No calendar days are celebrated in particular; every day is an opportunity. Some clerics may feel waxing and waning of their power of certain days, but this is merely due to The Gambler's whim.
-An abundance of rituals exist to bless an upcoming gambling venture. To the untrained eye, this appears to be run-of-the-mill compulsive gambling behavior.
-The Brimstone Bifurcation is an event that occurs every two years, at a date divined by the local high priest. As implied by the name, it is a festival of unholy doubling. It consists of two parts: coming into possession (legally or not) of a single item of great wealth, and obtaining (again, legally or not) of a sacrifice determined by the priest to be of equal value. The sacrifice is performed at a pre-determined time, and, if successful, the valuable item is replicated exactly. If the sacrifice is not valuable enough, members of the congregation (starting with the priest) are killed until the values are matched.
Leader
Carter "Hellfire" Helinski is a man of average height and average build, with buzz-cut red hair and a carefully groomed goatee. He spends his days weaving intricate plots to advance his own power and undermine his enemies. He is a Cleric 9/Acolyte of Skin 3; unlike normal Acolytes, Helinski has managed to bond with a piece of Sindarius' own skin, given by Sindarius himself as a reward for the skill and cunning in which Helinski ascended the ranks of the church. Carter is a dangerous combination of deception, intelligence, and brutality that have left many shattered foes in his wake. He keeps a loyal cadre of demon-enhanced blackguards at his side at all times; he knows that the Brimstone Gambler's right hand is a place of constant peril, held only by the strong.
Magic Variants
The Gambler has passed on secrets concerning illusions and evocations, befitting his fiery and deceitful nature. Specifically, clerics who take the Trickery domain can exchange the normal Trickery spell list for access to shadow evocation and greater shadow evocation. Note that these spells can only be used to emulate damaging attack evocation spells (not any evocation spell) and that all spells cast through this ability have a -2 penalty on the will save DC required for shadow evocation spells.
