Saint Cuthbert (Dungeons & Dragons)

Greyhawk Deity|fgcolor=#fff


caption=
bgcolor=#000
fgcolor=#fff
name=Saint Cuthbert
title=St Cuthbert of the Cudgel
home=Peaceable Kingdoms of Arcadia
power=Intermediate
alignment=Lawful Neutral (Lawful Good)
portfolio=Common Sense, Wisdom, Zeal, Honesty, Truth, Discipline
domains=Destruction, Domination, Law, Protection, Strength
alias=
super=None

In the "Dungeons and Dragons" roleplaying game, Saint Cuthbert of the Cudgel is the combative deity of Wisdom, Dedication, and Zeal. Originally specific to the "World of Greyhawk" campaign setting, he was considered part of the generic "core pantheon" during the game's third edition.

Publication history

As a "Dungeons & Dragons" character, Saint Cuthbert of the Cudgel first appeared in the short story "The Gnome Cache" by Gary Gygax (as "Saint Cuthburt") in the second issue of "The Dragon".

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)

Saint Cuthbert was first given formal game statistics for the Dungeons & Dragons game in "The Deities and Demigods of the World of Greyhawk" by Gary Gygax in "Dragon" #67 (1982), where his alignment then was given as lawful good (lawful neutral tendencies). [Gygax, Gary. "The Deities and Demigods of the World of Greyhawk." "Dragon" #67 (TSR, 1982)] Saint Cuthbert was subsequently detailed in the "World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting" (1983), [Gygax, Gary. "World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting" (TSR, 1983)] and in "Greyhawk Adventures" (1988). [Ward, James M. "Greyhawk Adventures" (TSR, 1988)]

A roleplaying scenario appeared in "Dragon" #100 (1985) involving the recovery of the "Mace of Cuthbert" from "real world" of Earth, in a museum in London. According to the scenario, Saint Cuthbert had secreted his favored weapon there in order to keep it safe in a world where magic doesn't exist, and therefore no one would have reason to believe the medieval armament was anything special. [Schroeck, Robert. "The City Beyond the Gate." "Dragon" #100 (TSR, 1985)]

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)

Saint Cuthbert was one of the deities described in the "From the Ashes" set (1992), for the Greyhawk campaign, [Sargent, Carl. "From the Ashes" (TSR, 1992)] and appeared again in "Greyhawk: The Adventure Begins" (1998). [Moore, Roger E. "Greyhawk: The Adventure Begins" (TSR, 1998)]

His role in the cosmology of the Planescape campaign setting was described in "On Hallowed Ground" (1996). [McComb, Colin. "On Hallowed Ground" (TSR, 1996)] Saint Cuthbert is described as one of the good deities that celestials can serve in the supplement "Warriors of Heaven" (1999). [Perkins, Christopher. "Warriors of Heaven" (TSR, 1999)]

Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition (2000-2002)

Saint Cuthbert appears as one of the deities described in the Players Handbook for this edition (2000). [Tweet, Jonathan, Cook, Monte, Williams, Skip. "Player's Handbook" (Wizards of the Coast, 2000)] Saint Cuthbert's role in the 3rd edition Greyhawk setting was defined in the "Living Greyhawk Gazetteer" (2000). [Holian, Gary, Erik Mona, Sean K Reynolds, and Frederick Weining. "Living Greyhawk Gazetteer" (Wizards of the Coast, 2000)] He was described as a lawful neutral (though still intolerant of evil) deity with a focus on retribution and the punishment of sins. Retribution had formally been the primary area of influence of the deity Trithereon, who did not appear in this book.

Saint Cuthbert is also detailed in "Deities and Demigods" (2002). [Redman, Rich, Skip Williams, and James Wyatt. "Deities and Demigods" (Wizards of the Coast, 2002)]

Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition (2003-2007)

Saint Cuthbert appears in the revised Players Handbook for this edition (2003). [Tweet, Jonathan, Cook, Monte, Williams, Skip. "Player's Handbook" (Wizards of the Coast, 2003)] His priesthood is detailed for this edition in "Complete Divine" (2004). [Noonan, David. "Complete Divine" (Wizards of the Coast, 2004)]

In "Dragon" #358 (2007), a "Core Beliefs" article by Sean K Reynolds has officially returned Saint Cuthbert to lawful good (with lawful neutral tendencies). [Reynolds, Sean K. "Core Beliefs: Saint Cuthbert." "Dragon" #358. (Paizo Publishing, 2007)]

Fictional history

Rumored to have once been a mortal man, Saint Cuthbert is an intermediate deity. His alignment has been variously interpreted as lawful neutral (lawful good tendencies) and lawful good (lawful neutral tendencies). Saint Cuthbert hates evil, but is more concerned with law and order, with converting the uninformed, and preventing backsliding among the faithful.

Relationships

Saint Cuthbert is a foe of many evil deities, including Iuz and Vecna. He also has an intense rivalry with Pholtus, a similarly intolerant though good-leaning god.

Saint Cuthbert is strongly allied with Rao.

Worshipers

Cuthbertines (that is, worshipers of Saint Cuthbert) are most prevalent in the central Flanaess. The saint has churches in Dyvers, Furyondy, the Gran March, the Free City of Greyhawk, Keoland, Perrenland, the Shield Lands, Tenh, the Principality of Ulek, the County of Urnst, the Duchy of Urnst, Veluna, and Verbobonc. These churches can be large cathedrals, but most commonly are wayside shrines and small, rude chapels.

On other planes, Saint Cuthbert is the most favored god of the Harmonium faction, who appreciate the god's uncompromising nature. The current leader of the faction, Faith, is a cleric of Saint Cuthbert.

When they shed their mortal coils, those who worshiped the saint in life go to Saint Cuthbert's divine realm, called the "Basilica of Saint Cuthbert" or the "Bastion of Law". This realm is in Arcadia. Souls there act as silent observers while the saint gives out judgments from his Seat of Truth. Saint Cuthbert seldom leaves his plane unless some great duty calls him forth.

Clergy

Saint Cuthbert's priesthood is divided into three major orders.

*The Chapeaux, whose symbol is a crumpled hat, seek to convert people into their faith. They are equally divided between lawful good and lawful neutral characters. Paladins of Saint Cuthbert, known as Votaries or Communicants, have an honorary position in the Order of the Chapeaux. Their role is not just to convert others, but to actually fight enemies of the faith.

*The Stars, whose symbol is a starburst, seek to enforce doctrinal purity among those already dedicated to the saint. Most are lawful neutral, and they do not shy from using mind-reading magic in order to ensure that even the private thoughts of their flock are pure.

*The Billets are the most numerous of Saint Cuthbert's clergy. Most are lawful good, and they seek to minister to and protect the faithful. These are well-beloved by the common folk. Their symbol is a wooden club. The Chapeaux often come into conflict with the Billets, because the former order wants to seek new converts while the latter wants to care for the worshipers they already have.

Minor orders

There are a few lesser-known orders of St. Cuthbert.

*L'Ordre de la Croix-Rose Veritas, or the Order of the Rosy Cross of Truth, was founded in 587 CY), after the Greyhawk Wars. It was founded by Ormus, a former priest of Rao only just converted to Saint Cuthbert's faith himself. When Ormus discovered an evil warlord had been corrupted by a devil in disguise, he founded the new order in order to track down other devils living among mortals in disguise. The order has three branches: "La Croix-Vert", "La Croix-Blanc", and "La Croix-Bleu".

*The Society of the Sanctified Mind focuses on ridding the world of evil psionicists. It was founded circa 561 CY by a cleric of Saint Cuthbert named Sir Jeremy Costineux, after his home village was enslaved by illithids. This society is a knightly order rather than a strictly religious one, and people of a wide variety of character classes belong to it.

Artifacts and relics

Saint Cuthbert wields a powerful artifact called the "Mace of Cuthbert". Other magic items associated with Saint Cuthbert include the "cudgel that never forgets" and the "tabard of the great crusade".

References

Additional reading

*Baker, Richard, James Jacobs, and Steve Winter. "Lords of Madness" (Wizards of the Coast, 2005).
*Brown, Anne. "Player's Guide to Greyhawk" (TSR, 1998).
*Brown, Richard W and Anne Brown. "Falcon's Revenge" (TSR 1990).
**Brown, Richard W and Anne Brown. "Falconmaster" (TSR 1990).
**Brown, Richard W and Anne Brown. "Flames of the Falcon" (TSR 1990).
*Conforti, Steven, ed. "Living Greyhawk Official Listing of Deities for Use in the Campaign," version 2.0. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2005. Available online: [http://www.wizards.com/rpga/downloads/LG_Deities.zip]
*Findley, Nigel. "Greyspace". (TSR, 1992).
*Gygax, Gary, and Frank Mentzer. "The Temple of Elemental Evil" (TSR, 1985).
*Holian, Gary. "Paladins of Greyhawk." "Dragon" #306. (Paizo Publishing, 2003)
*Niles, Douglas, and Carl Sargent. "The City of Greyhawk" (TSR, 1989).
*Pramas, Chris. "Guide to Hell" (Wizards of the Coast, 1999).
*Living Greyhawk Journal no. 3 - "Gods of Oerth"