Divine Rank: Demigod
Symbol: A withered rose, a blackened heart
Home Plane: Azzagrat, city of Samora
Alignment: NE
Portfolio: Tainted love and tainted pleasure
Worshippers: Hedonists; selfish, possessive, desperate and tyrannical lovers; addicts
Cleric Alignments: LE, NE, CE, N
Domains: Charm[F], Trickery, Perversion*, Pleasure*
Favored Weapon: The sting of love (long bow, acid arrows)
Appearance: Samora is a lithe and strikingly beautiful humanoid, with obsidian skin and golden orbs for eyes. She has a fall of hair the hue of spun gold which nearly hides the two small horns that curve up from just above her forehead. She has six fingers on each of her hands and six toes depending from each of her feet. Samora favors finery and jewels, but sometimes wears less valuable items due to "sentimental value." (She has a collection of wedding rings that have been abandoned due to adulterous love.) She has also been seen to favor black, gold, and crimson.
History and Relations: During the Time of Troubles, the goddess Waukeen was betrayed and imprisoned by the demon lord Graz'zt, who proceeded to use her for his own wealth and pleasure. He went on to love her in his own twisted way, as he had come to love his former captor, Iggwilv. And as with Iggwilv, Graz'zt fathered a child with Waukeen - a female born in and named for the city of Samora. When adventurers eventually rescued Waukeen, she made no mention of her daughter to them or to her friend, the goddess Llira. It is said that Waukeen made an offering of Samora in exchange for her freedom, and apparently Graz'zt accepted. Waukeen returned to Toril and Samora was left as princess of one of the greatest pleasure dens in all the planes.
As she grew in stature, a number of the city's residents began to favor and then to worship Samora as the embodiment of the city's purpose. A few believe that she actually is the essence of the pleasure den given life and form, a creation spawned out of the plane itself. Samora regularly encountered visitors, some of which realized that they already believed in her dogma, which is why they made their way to the infamous city in the first place. These visitors took her faith with them. More recently, Samora discovered that she could grant clerical spells and that her powers had evolved. She has become able to shape the city for which she was named to match her own desires, as well. She's started to hear the hidden pulse of tainted love in Faerun and she feels that this is no coincidence; Samora believes it is her destiny to take root in the world her mother favors, as she has in Graz'zt's realm.
Samora has the encouragement of her father and her half-brother Athux to seek her fortune in Faerun (indeed, it was Athux's drow blood that led Samora to consider the drow as future worshippers). The disgraced Thraxxia is at her bidding, and Samora is completely aware of the embittered love Thraxxia suffers. Samora secretly aims to find and destroy Belyara, a half-sister who has become a nuisance to their father. Samora also seeks to distance Graz'zt from his son Iuz and to erase any lingering affections for Iggwilv in Graz'zt's blackened heart.
Samora has not made herself known to the gods of Faerun yet, the better to learn about them and to remain her own mistress. She has her eye on a number of deities if only for the loves they carry and the power that might be gained through careful manipulation. She has been thinking of subsuming the demigod Sharess but thoughts of conquest are for the future. For now, Samora avoids powerful gods that might destroy or consume her, like Shar, as well as gods that might thwart her, like Sune - and her mother.
Dogma: Nothing is as sweet as the delight which is forbidden or the joy that is stolen, so give in to the dark side of love and passion and truly live. Nurture covetous glances, envious desires, and hidden yearning. Arrange for secret trysts, carry off the mate you favor, or blackmail the lover of your choice so long as you revel in the experience. Foster the love that defies everything and threatens to consume all, for it is that love which matters most. Those who live only for approved love and acceptable passions know nothing. Those who say they love selflessly are liars. There is nothing quite like the pleasure of getting what you want most, especially when it's said to be bad for you. Obtain as much gratification as you can. Be sure to take at least as much as you give. Encourage others to indulge themselves. Dedicate the burning love and lust of your deepest heart to Samora. Call out to her in your dissolution as you would in your victory.
Clergy and temples: Samora's clergy are secretive and spread out. For now, they receive personal attention from their goddess. As of yet, Samora has no official temples (although revels, dens of pleasure and places that encourage intoxication are regarded fondly), but that will soon change. Rites to Samora involve sex and intoxication, both willing and unwilling. Offerings of currency are accepted but offerings of dedicated tokens are favored - the blood of a jealous rival bested in combat, the handkerchief of an adulterer's wife, or the wedding ring of a blackmailed husband, for example.
Worshippers: Those who live in evil communities where love is hidden, forbidden, and/or hopelessly mixed with possession are more susceptible than they would believe. Some are being taught to pray to the goddess to bless them in their dangerous trysts, blackmail, and conquests. Good communities are not immune, however, particularly where laws are harsh toward things like adultery and drug use. The fall of a good being to their more selfish and abandoned desires is particularly sweet to the goddess, who is served by succubi and incubi. Addicts of all kinds are learning of the goddess of dark pleasures, as well.
Clerics of Samora pray for spells at night, often following fantasizing, drug use or sexual activity, or the viewing thereof. Ceremonies are held after (or during) seductions and conquests. The only holy day recognized thus far coincides with Waukeen's holiday of Orbar, held on Nightal 25. Clerics celebrate the dark side of wealth through buying slaves, finery, drugs, aphrodisiacs, and favors.
* Domains in the Book of Erotic Fantasy
F Domains in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
Samora, the Blackened Heart 