Asterius
by Marco Dalmonte(Belnos)
Patron of Trade and Money, Patron of Communication, Protector of Merchants and Thieves
Level, Alignment and Sphere: 25th (Eternal, NG), Thought
Symbol: the moon (different cults can represent different phases of the moon) or a silver coin
Portfolio: trade, profit, communication, travel, cleverness, merchants, thieves, healing (only in Robrenn)
Worshipped in: Known world (Darokin, Thyatis, Karameikos, Five Shires, Minrothad, Ylaruam), Norwold, Isle of Dawn, Alphatia, Savage Coast (Robrenn, Dunwick, Vilaverde, Texeiras, Richland), Hollow World (Milenia, Nithia, Traldar Lands)
Appearance: a stocky middle-aged man with jet-black hair wearing an ancient robe, sporting a keen eyesight and an ever present beguiling smile.
History: born in Blackmoor before the Great Rain of Fire, Asterius never manifested the love for technology of his contemporaries. Instead he dedicated himself to master the arcane arts and the thieving profession, and later he became known as a respectable trader also thanks to the liaisons with the criminal organisations he had helped in his past. Thanks to his long journeys and the ancient artifacts he discovered in his adventures, he was able to unveil the secrets of the Path of the Epic Hero and successfully completed it around the 3200 BC, after destroying an Entropic artifact of Thanatos, the Spear of Destruction, with the epic weapon he created, the Crystal Dagger of Cymorrak (such was his mortal name), thus preventing the end of the Blackmoor civilisation way before the cataclysm.
Personality: Asterius is extremely friendly and charming at first sight, but he hides a dangerous side that never shows and which helps him taking his enemies by surprise to achieve his goals. He considers himself the universal patron of thieves and merchants because they are two sides of the same coin, even though he despises the evil ones who act merely for self gratification or for envy (and for this reason he hates Talitha with passion). He is also associated with travellers and those who bring information, since knowledge is a priceless good on Mystara. His most loyal ally is his old patron, Korotiku, and Asterius can count also Ixion and Valerias among his friends, since they share his centuries old crusade against the common enemy Thanatos.
Patron: Korotiku
Allies: Korotiku, Ixion, Valerias
Enemies: Thanatos, Talitha
Classic D&D Stats:
Followers' Alignment: any; clerics cannot be Lawful
Favourite Weapons: dagger (allowed all one-handed weapons)
Clerics' skills and powers: clerics obtain one of the following thieves' skills: Move Silently, Hide in Shadows, or Hear Noises. They can use it as thieves of same level, with eventual penalties for armours worn. Moreover they obtain a +2 bonus to the following general skills Estimate, Accounting, Bargaining (in case they choose to them).
D&D 3E Stats:
Domains: Thought, Good, Travel, Stealth, Trade
Preferred Weapon: dagger [any type]
Sources: HWA1-3, HW, DotE, WotI, SCS, HWR3