View source for Balador

{{Infobox God |
strength = Lesser Power |
nickname = Father Bear |
pantheon =  |
aoc = Protection, fraternity, [[werebear]]s |
align = CG |
wor = werebears |
walign = NG,CG,CN |
symbol = Pitcher of mead |
plane = Beastlands |
layer = Brux |
realm = Ursis |
ally = [[Ferrix]] |
enemy = [[Daragor]], [[Eshebala]] |
weapon = natural |
domain = Animal, Community, Liberation, Plant, Protection |
subdomain = Cooperation, Family, Freedom, Fur, Growth, Home |
proxy = Brother [[Berrypaw]] the Black {{NPC|proxy|m|werebear|D7||CG}} |
}}

Counselor of the [[Beastlands]], Balador (or Father Bear, as he is known to his followers) is a fairly friendly deity, far less aloof than many.  Though not especially bright, he's quite wise, and the good and neutral sylvan powers across the Upper Planes often come to him to seek his advice, for his concern for the sylvan lands and those that defend them, both on his own plane and on the [[Prime]] is unparalleled, even amongst his peers.

Balador is revered by all werebears, regardless of other religious associations.  However, he has no true priests of his own, and thus his power is otherwise limited.  Instead, he serves as intermediary between the various werebear clerics and their deities, using his diplomatic skills to allow them to draw their spells from their deities despite their lycanthropic state.  Balador encourages cooperation amongst the deities as much as his own followers, and thus he has few enemies, his only foes being those deities of evil lycanthropes.

As mentioned, Balador is less aloof than many deities, and his avatar can often be found in [[Ursis]], helping those that come to him in need.  Though he prefers to manifest in either ursine or hybrid forms, most often the former, he occasionally takes the form of a tall, tanned, hirsute male human ranger.  He is the brother of [[Ferrix]], goddess of [[weretiger]]s, and the two are often held in contrast; Balador's wise nature and gentle strength versus Ferrix's pursuit of knowledge for knowledge's sake and guile.  The two are often said to have once been servitors of an unidentified deity of nature, with Balador gaining both his own freedom and his sister's in exchange for his loyal and loving service, refusing to allow himself alone to be freed.  The truth to this is yet unknown, however, and no deity has ever stepped forward openly to claim position in this tale.  They are also sometimes both held in opposition to [[Daragor]] and [[Eshebala]], the darker brother-sister pair amongst the lycanthropic deities.

==References==

* {{cite |title=Monster Mythology |pagenum=pg. 114}}
* {{cite |title=Planes of Conflict - Liber Benevolentiae |pagenum=pg. 25}}

[[Category:Beastlands]]