Know Your Deity: Pelor, The Basics

Title: The Shining One
Home Plane: Elysium
Symbol: A face in a sun
Portfolio: Sun, Light, Healing, Strength
Alignment: Neutral Good
Domains: Good, Healing, Strength, Sun, Glory*
(*From Complete Divine)
Favored Weapon: Mace

Pelor is the creator of many good things, a supporter of those in need, and an adversary of all that is evil. As the sun god, Pelor plays a major role in agriculture. That, along with his teachings of healing and strength, make him very popular among humans. Pelor is often seen as the unofficial patron deity of humans (though humans technically do not have one). Pelorian temples can be found almost anywhere. His temples tend to be tall, airy buildings with large windows (in more affluent areas these are often stained-glass). They are blindingly white and often placed in areas where the sun can shine into most of the rooms for most of the day. They often feature large, open, sunny courtyards as well. They are kept scrupulously clean and most have hospital wings.

Among the core deities, Pelor is most closely allied with Heironeous, St. Cuthbert, and Yondalla, though he is friendly to all good-aligned deities. He opposes all evil deities (especially Nerull) and his clerics avoid neutral deities whose teachings are counter to Pelor's (such as Wee Jas).

Appearance
Pelor appears as a tall, elderly human with long, wild hair and a beard of shining gold. He is garbed in shining white robes.

Dogma(copied from Deities & Demigods)
Though widely revered as a peaceful and gentle deity who alleviates suffering, Pelor also has more martial aspects. He brings his wrath to bear on darkness and evil, and he invigorates and heals those who champion the cause of good. Pelor teaches that the energy of life originates from the sun. This light brings strength to the weak and health to the injured, while destroying darkness and evil. He urges his followers to challenge the forces of corruption aggressively, but also to remember that just as staring at the sun can cause blindness of the eyes, relentless attention to the destruction of negative forces can blind the heart to the true essentials of life: kindness, mercy, and compassion.

Clergy
Priests of Pelor are well-received wherever they go. They are kindly people with backbones of steel. They are nurturers and protectors first, though they are not afraid to take arms against evil when necessary. They heal the sick, bless crops and otherwise help any in need. They oppose undead more so than clerics of any other deity. They wear yellow robes.

Because of Pelor's popularity among the common folk, he attracts many earnest youths who want to make the world a better place. While his clerical training is not unduly harsh, it is rigorous enough to send many of these well-meaning youths back to their farms and workshops.

Clerics of Pelor may be of any good alignment. Despite his good alignment, paladins of Pelor are not common (though they do exist). Druids sometimes revere him and Pelorian druids tend to be less reclusive than others of their order.

Planar Allies
Typically, Pelor sends Hound Archons, Astral Devas, and Planetars as lesser, regular and greater planar allies respectively.

Pathfinder Conversion
Pelor has access to the Glory, Good, Healing, Strength and Sun domains.