Ubtao
Creator of Chult, Father of the Dinosaurs, the Deceiver. N Primordial greater power of creation, jungles, tabaxi, dinosaurs [He/Him]
Pantheon: Chultan (Pantheon Leader)
Symbol: A maze
Realm: Outlands / Ringlands / The Labyrinth of Life; Beastlands / Krigala / The Forbidden Plateau
Known Proxies: None
Ubtao (pronounced oob-TAY-oh), is a mysterious being indeed, also known as the Creator of Chult and the Father of the Dinosaurs. He’s a bit of an oddball among the gods, standing aloof from both mortals and powers. Some reckon he’s more primordial than divine, a fact that might explain his distant nature. Chant goes that during the ancient Shadow Epoch he betrayed his fellow primordials and aided the gods during the Dawn War. After that he settled down on Toril, created the vast jungle of Chult, filled it with creatures and especially dinosaurs, and then retreated into its unexplored depths. After Toril’s Time of Troubles, though, he started taking a bit more interest in his followers, showing himself in various avatars, like a powerful tabaxi male or a colossal tyrannosaurus rex—some might argue they preferred it when he was aloof! When he communicates, it’s often in cryptic messages, leaving his followers scratching their heads trying to interpret his will.
Ubtao’s personality is like a calm sea—endless patience and not a flicker of emotions. He’s all about detachment and wisdom, preferring to watch events from afar rather than mingle in the daily squabbles of his followers. This hands-off approach extends to other deities as well.
His divine realm’s a strange and isolated one too— the Labyrinth of Life in the Outlands. It’s massive jungle maze where he sometimes roams, in the form of an enormous tyrannosaurus rex. And let’s not forget the Forbidden Plateau in the Beastlands, where he hangs out when he needs a break from his human petitioners. In Chult, he’s the undisputed high-up, the only true power in the Chultan pantheon, and his presence is mostly felt in the jungles he created on the prime world of Toril.
Ubtao’s got a few allies, like the dwarves jungle power Thard Harr and Corellon Larethian the leader of the elven Seldarine, but not many, thanks to his distant nature. His biggest beef is with Eshowdow, a dark shadow born from his own essence when Ubtao filled the jungle with nature spirits. This shadow giant is a real thorn in Ubtao’s side, and a constant threat to his domain and devotees.
Now, the Church of Ubtao, that’s split into three sects, each worshipping a different aspect of Ubtao—the jungle, spirit worship, and Ubtao himself. The faith is pretty laid back as religions go, not pushing for conversions or worrying about the mortals of the jungle work sipping other powers as well. The Chultans see dinosaurs as Ubtao’s Children, and how these creatures interact with a person is seen as a sign of Ubtao’s favour or displeasure.
As for his followers, they’re a devout bunch, praying at noon and following a slew of ceremonies and holy days. They’ve got this unique practice of using gravestones and grave markers to honour their dead, writing praises that serve as their introduction to Ubtao in the afterlife.
Canonical Sources: Powers & Pantheons [2e] p88 (description of the power and his worshippers)
Source: Jon Winter-Holt, mimir.net