Notes on the Clerics of Shar

 Shar is the location of the main Temple of the Crystal Heart. It is located within the Chult region, and the Cult of the Crystal Heart has generally very little presence on the Sword Coast. Not much is known about the Cult, though it is generally thought to be evil in nature, primarily due to its focus on the necromantic arts. 

Followers claim, however, that they are simply easing a soul’s transition to other planes, allowing them to complete unfinished tasks, or spend another few days with a loved one before departing the mortal realm. Critics view this as propaganda, and lies.

The Cult worship Velsharoon, a former Lich wizard specialising in necromantic arts, who rose to Godhood. The Cult has mastered the art of necromantic magic, and they use special crystals to focus their energies and magics. The crystals must be Chinz – a rare but otherwise useless, and not very attractive, clear crystal that comes in many different sizes. To allow a Chinz crystal to receive such magic takes a special ritual – the exact nature of the ritual is known only to members of the Cult, and only senior members are actually allowed, and generally able, to perform this ritual. Critics say that the ritual involves child sacrifice, though this has always been vehemently denied by followers of the religion, who state that a small amount of animal blood is all that is needed, though they will not reveal their full secrets to anyone outside the Cult.