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Shar

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Shar, also known as the Nightsinger, Lady of Sorrows, Mistress of the Night, or the Dark Lady is the Goddess of Darkness and Loss.

Portrait Shar.png
“
I am nothing. I am the empty room. The dreamless sleep. The shadow's shadow. There was no pain before my sister set the sun aflame. Now you exist to suffer until you find your way back to my embrace.
„
— Shar on existence

Overview

Shar is the twin sister and enemy of Selûne Selûne and the patron deity of Shadowheart Shadowheart. She is associated with the domains of Death and Trickery. Shar cannot be the deity of a custom player Cleric.

Shar’s presence is described as feeling of emptiness, feeling like one with the darkness, shadows that cloud thoughts and memories, and feelings of oblivion-like loss.[1]

Church of Shar

Shar is considered an evil goddess, and as such her faithful are feared and reviled, considered monsters by most. Sharrans rarely flaunt their worship openly due to this - as well as the fact that it breaks Shar’s teachings to reveal themselves. Worship of Shar is forbidden outright in some places.

Sharrans take pride in secrecy, trickery, interrogation, torture, and stealth. They do not shy away from brutality, and have been known to display their enemies' bodies. Secrecy is valued so highly that some Sharrans undergo a ritual to have their memories temporarily suppressed.

Sharran culture is militaristic, given their centuries-old war with Selûne. Sharrans have been at war with Selûne since before most history was written, thus making it an eternal conflict from the eyes of mortals. Shar’s creed focuses on waging war against her. Initiates of Shar are taught to reject anything that may distract them, including romance.

Shar is known to be unforgiving and ruthless even toward her own devotees, claiming that if any of her warriors are caught, tricked, or blunder, they are unworthy and weak.

They are enemies of Selune, often referring to her as the “moonwitch”, as well as Lathander.

Ranks of the Church of Shar from highest to lowest:

Dark Justiciars

Dark Justiciars are an honorary order within the priesthood of Shar, who were gifted with supernatural abilities and carried out her will throughout Faerûn. They are considered her most elite warriors, known to be formidable in battle - though Viconia DeVir mentions that they are “better deployed as daggers in the shadows, not massed upon a battlefield”.

In order to ascend to the rank of a Dark Justiciar, initiates must pass the Gauntlet of Shar; a series of trials that prove a variety of skills valued by the Dark Lady. If the trials are survived, the initiate would kill a cleric of Selûne (for a hundred years, this was the ever-regenerating Dame Aylin.)

Dark Justiciar equipment was quality gear; companions may describe a Sharran crossbow as powerful, nicer than duergar craft, graceful but hardy, and “exquisitely designed”. Their uniforms are clad with the symbol of Shar. They incorporate various fabrics, including velvet tunics and dark cloaks. Companions may describe the armor as fine, “unusually robust”, and handsome. [2]

There are very few living Dark Justiciars remaining in Baldur's Gate 3; the vast majority appear as a race of Undead creatures, serving the Lady of Loss in death.

Variants

Ceremonies and Rituals

The Nightfall Feast (also known as the Nightfall ceremony) is a sacrificial ritual in which worshippers enjoy a banquet in honor of Shar, then kill an innocent in her name. It is considered a sacred right among her followers and is meant to honor her with an act of wickedness.[3]

On a Moonless night, the faithful of Shar can show worship by committing an act of depravity in Shar’s name.

Related quests

Related items

Related literature

Related characters

Sharran Fidelians

Sharran Sentries

Sharran Novices

Related locations

Quotes

Book Tome Y Unfaded.png “

Shar will take your sorrow from you

But beware: her night is dark.

She'll hide your pain, and secrets too.

And all your joy, and all your spark.
 „
— A is for Azuth, and other Gods XI
"In the beginning came morning, then night; two sisters clashed - one dark and one light.

Selûne did call forth the moon and the stars; Shar cloaked them in shadow to cover our scars."

- Plaques in Grymforge

Notes

  • Only Shadowheart Shadowheart can have Shar as a deity.
  • Shar was available as a deity for non-Shadowheart player character Clerics in Early Access, but the option was cut in the full release of the game.

Gallery

  • Shar's symbol.

    Shar's symbol.

  • Model

    Model

  • Keeping Shadowheart's Parents

    Keeping Shadowheart's Parents

  • Cinematic

    Cinematic

External Links

  1. ↑ Companion and player dialogue when interacting with the Sharran artifact that grants temporary Darkvision.
  2. ↑ Companion and player dialogue while interacting with items in Grymforge.
  3. ↑ Companion dialogue after finding the banquet table in Grymforge, and dialogue from Shadowheart’s 3rd romance scene, on the Shar path.
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