She is a destructive, chaotic goddess and she is usually worshiped by people who fear her and hope she won't kill them if they give her offerings. These people are usually sailors and people travelling somewhere by sea. She controls all the harsh power of the sea and has a fondness for drowning people if the mood takes her.
Her big rival is Selune, goddess of light, the moon, star and navigation. The two continually contest against each other over the fate of ships at sea, Selune trying to help them navigate and Umberlee trying to sink them.
Those who truly worship Umberlee tend to be chaotic evil magic users and clerics since she is a chaotic evil lesser goddess. Her church is disorganised due to her chaotic nature and her shrines and temples are spread in random, disparate locations. If you are a member of her church you want to be the strongest because disputes settled under her authority do not go with justice, but to the strongest.
I've always found the rich tapestry of D&D fascinating, although I've only ever live action roleplayed - could never quite get in to the table top version. I have lots of Forgotten Realms books and they are always a great read.
Sources: Wikipedia | Forgotten Realms Wiki | Revolvy
Have you read any Forgotten Realms? Are you a roleplayer? Have any of your characters ever worshiped Umberlee?
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I haven't read Forgotten Realms, but I did play D&D on a few campaigns over the years. Some of my friends are seriously into it.
ReplyDeleteI always used to get Forgotten Realms muddled up with Dragonlance and I never could keep anything straight in my head. :) I tried to play D&D once and just didn't get it - I don't think my friend was a very good Dungeon Master and failed to explain quite how the game worked!
DeleteWell, now, who doesn't love a destructive, chaotic Bitch Queen? I've never played D&D or read Forgotten Realms. Clearly I've been depriving myself. :)
ReplyDeleteSo glad I finally figure out what was causing my blog to send your comments to comment purgatory. Now I wish I could find a way to convince it that I don't need its interference. :)
She sounds like someone you definitely don't want to piss off doesn't she, although it doesn't sound like she actually has a good side to get on either :)
DeleteSometimes WordPress comments are a mystery - do you have any security plugins turned on that could be doing it without you asking?
My cousin and sister (I was too little, so I wasn't invited!) would disappear into the rumpus room of my Aunt's basement for an entire weekend with about 3 other kids and BOXES of junk food to play D&D. I've always been jealous and I still am =)
ReplyDeleteYou can find me here:
ClarabelleRant
I've never campaigned like that - only the live action, which was so much fun. The Uni Roleplaying Soc used to create a game a couple of times a year with characters from all the different roleplaying universes where everyone could choose any character and have them written is - it was always so much fun. I remember one time, I was literally the second hardest character in the game - unfortunately I was a bodyguard and got sent up again the hardest character in the game who happened to be god! LOL I died!
DeleteI love Forgotten Realms though I confess I have not read any for years
ReplyDeleteBest Author R. A. Salvatore and the Dark Elf Trilogy along with the Hunters Blade Trilogy but the one which started me off was the Icewind Dale Trilogy. I need to get back and read some more of them. Must check kindle
I haven't read any for ages either - I keep looking at the books on the shelf and thinking I must got back to them. Thanks for the recs.
DeleteYes, Bitch Queen kind of gave it away! I'm sure she would annihilate anyone she heard using the term! She reminds me of Poseidon in a lot of ways - definitely one to be avoided at all costs!
ReplyDeleteMaybe the sea makes certain people cranky? ;)
DeleteI remember D&D from when I was a kid. It crazy to think it has transcended time and people still play it today!
ReplyDeleteIt seems to be something that doesn't lose it's appeal :)
DeleteDespite the fact I have played D&D since 1979 I never really cared for the Forgotten Realms books. Although I have that book cover hanging as a painting in my game room because I love the artist.
ReplyDeleteHonestly I have been reading your blog long enough to know that you (and your sister) would rock at playing D&D. I would love to run you both through an adventure one day. Esp one where you can play characters you are really passionate about.
Plus the newest version of D&D (5th Edition out last year) is super easy to learn.
You can even get the Basic Rules for free!
http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/basicrules
--
Tim Brannan, The Other Side Blog
2015 A to Z of Vampires
http://theotherside.timsbrannan.com/
Listen to Tim. He knows his game stuff. Especially about the Forgotten Realms books being lousy.
DeleteI enjoyed the books - they were fun and I enjoyed the characters :) Maybe one day I will actually play D&D :)
DeleteI blame my brother for the fact I never got into D & D. I pestered him to play with me, so he said, "Ok, you're in a dark room with no windows and doors. How do you get out?" After struggling to figure out WTH he was talking about, I decided the game was lame and never tried it again. :P
ReplyDeleteUmberlee sounds pretty cool though, in a crazy, rip-your-face-off kind of way. ;)
Brothers! :) Yes, definitely crazy - wonder if she actually has any friends...
DeleteI love the name Umberlee. It would be fun to say it several times in a day :) However, I wouldn't like her reputation, imagine being known like that; it would scare people away I think. No I never got into D&D or read Forgotten Realms, I think when D&D was becoming popular I was probably older than those playing it and probably into other things.
ReplyDeletebetty
I think D&D can probably appeal to many age groups, but you have to have a group of you all in the same place to play with :)
DeleteI actually wrote a book pitch for a competition years ago to write a Forgotten Realms novel. My proposal was rejected (which is fair, I wasn't really that into the setting and took a lot of liberties with it), but I had completely forgotten about it until this morning and looked up who actually won.
ReplyDeleteIt was his first book and the Amazon reviews were not kind (probably written by people who's proposals were rejected). He hasn't done much since.
In retrospect, I guess I'm glad I didn't win. :-/
Ah, that's a shame for a new writer. I can imagine in a situation like that it might get a little catty. (Been there, got the 1* review to prove it and it was nothing like as grand.)
DeleteI haven't read any of these book, but I do love Bitch-Queens. ;)
ReplyDeleteThey can be brilliant characters, can't they :)
DeleteOh no! One I'm not familiar with. And here I thought we make it through with my knowing all of them.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the A to Z Challenge!
A to Z Co-Host S. L. Hennessy
http://pensuasion.blogspot.com/
Don't worry, I wasn't familiar with her either - I was stuck for a U and went Googling and since I have read loads of the books went with her :). She sounds kind of bonkers too and I can respect that ;)
DeleteMy brother and sister used to play D&D back in the late 70s and early 80s. That was before video games.
ReplyDeletePrecious Monsters
Less stress on the wrists I suspect ;)
DeleteI only played D&D once, so I don't know much about the game. Totally LOL'ed at the name "Bitch Queen". Says it all, eh?
ReplyDelete~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
Member of C. Lee's Muffin Commando Squad
Story Dam
Patricia Lynne, Indie Author
Yep - I think they had her pegged ;)
DeleteI'd imagine those shrines and temples to be near or under the water. "Earn your worshiping right! Dive down..."
ReplyDeleteGreat post.
That would make lighting a votive fire kind of interesting ;)
DeleteThe Bitch Queen about sums me up one week out of the month. Other than that, I'm a real sweet girl...lol.
ReplyDeleteI am more like you I guess, because if I had my choice, I'd rather be out LARPING with my friends instead of inside playing D&D. But that's just my ADD personality shining through, and my inability to sit still for long periods of time. I know tons of people who love to play D&D.
It's all the dice throwing in D&D that put me off, but since I've never done it properly I actually have no idea what you're supposed to do :) I only tried playing once and I think my friend was a not great DM.
DeleteI remember seeing Forgotten Realm books, but I had no idea they were connected to D&D!
ReplyDeleteI always forget and get confused as to what books go with what games :)
DeleteI've never played D&D but Umberlee sounds like a great character.
ReplyDeleteA great character you'd want to avoid I suspect :D
DeleteI haven't read any of the Forgotten Realms books but I see on Kindle they have great reader reviews.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed them when I read them, but I have to admit I haven't revisited them in many years.
DeleteShe's pretty hard core. I don't remember her, but it's been forever since I read any of those books.
ReplyDeleteMe too - she popped up when I Googled and I still have the books so I investigated some more :)
DeleteNever played D&D but she sounds like a demanding goddess!
ReplyDeleteVery and I'm not sure it's even possible to get on her good side. :)
DeleteWas never into d&d. One day I may read the forgotten realms stuff like drizzt.
ReplyDeleteThe vague bits I remember, I definitely enjoyed reading the books :) I've kept them, so they can't have been bad ;)
DeleteWow...Tasha...I'm so not familiar with D&D...for all I know about it the 'D's' could stand for DippityDo. With that said, I would give Umberlee a wide berth reserved for bitch goddesses. Are there more than one? I should think so by all that I have read here.
ReplyDeleteSue at CollectInTexas Gal
AtoZ 2015 Challenge
Minion for AJ's wHooligans
I think it would be wise on the wide berth ;) I think every realm needs at least one bad to the bone goddess - it makes like interesting.
DeleteNever played D & D but know LOTS of folks who have! Lisa, co-host A to Z Challenge 2015 and http://www.lisabuiecollard.com
ReplyDeleteIt was very popular at uni, but I only ever live actioned it - never played a campaign.
DeleteSometimes I'm afraid to pick up the FR books because there seem to be hundreds of them (and me, being OCD, would be afraid to miss any of them)... do you have a certain arc you prefer?
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid I don't remember - it was so long ago that I read them. I picked Spellfire as the cover to illustrate the post because I remember really enjoying reading it, but I have to admit I can't really remember what it was about :).
DeleteBill Nichols said this in his comment "Best Author R. A. Salvatore and the Dark Elf Trilogy along with the Hunters Blade Trilogy but the one which started me off was the Icewind Dale Trilogy."
It sounds... well, chaotic. But then I think it must be fun to play :-)
ReplyDelete