THE BEASTLORD: OF THE GOD MALAR AND HIS WORSHIP

THE BEASTLORD

Of The God Malar and His Worship

Malar is the Great Beast, the god of hunting and bloodlust.

Increasingly, he is venerated as the patron of lycanthropes (and other shapeshifters whose changes of form don’t come from spells they cast on themselves).

Many lycanthropes believe that prayers to Malar are rewarded by the Beastlord with greater control of their own shapeshifts and bodies: they understand blood loss and infection better, they can divert blood flow from a wound so as to lose less blood, and they gain a better sense of balance, so they can run along narrow branches or ridges more surefootedly, and aim their jumps and falls more precisely (to land where they want to). “Malar be with me!” is often whispered while attempting such things.

Origins
Malar tells his senior clergy that he “has always been,” becoming aware as the first forests solidified out of the mists. He hunted and slew when other beasts were but formless, mewling worms (gigantic versions of the dew worms of today). Elminster believes that the Bloodgod has told himself and others this tale so often and for so long that he now believes it himself. El believes that Malar is a “younger god,” but for mortals, such terms are relative; he has certainly been active in the Realms since well before Dalereckoning began. He arose after Silvanus left off his savage side to embrace a Balance (after the rise of Chauntea), and he is now under the rule of Silvanus once more, though thus far Silvanus hasn’t curbed Malar in the slightest (so far as mortals know).

How Malar Sees Himself, And Toril
He is the Eternal Beast, the ultimate hunter, the One Who Rends The Balance.

In Malar’s view, the Balance is an attempt to freeze matters as they are, and can only lead to stagnation, then corruption, and then decay (the Decay of All).

The True Way is to rend the weak and sick, hunting ruthlessly and voraciously, and so drive endless renewal. Hunt not to extinction, hunt no more than is needed for plentiful food for all and to keep one’s bloodlust sated yet sharp, and glory in the hunt; let it be swift and efficient, anticipate where prey will run and hide—but when you close with a quarry, let the slaying be long and bloody; the prey must know...

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