Moral Fables of Lady Doom is a thick tome with Beshaba's crest stylishly emblazoned on the front. The book is wrapped in fine rothe leather, and the following note is included on the inside cover:

Moral Fables of Lady Doom It is the intention of this book to bring young people to faith in Beshaba, the Maid of Misforune, that She may guide them to fortune and they may live lives of prosperity. It is intended for young children, although it may be used for any length of time to educate the feebleminded, dwarves, and elves, all of whom are prone to slowness of thought.

When your child has outgrown this book and has absorbed its content, you will find favor in the eyes of Lady Doom if you pass it along to another budding family

- Vruk Renthark

The Story of Alabaster

Young Alabaster Markleston lived a life of struggle and toil. His parents were unknown to him, and he had to struggle to survive. Every day, he worked for hours breaking rocks open in hopes of finding a few ounces of iron. One day, he woke up to the sight of a strange woman walking by. She was an old, dirty woman with long, white hair and pointed features that made her look a bit like a rat. The old woman shuffled past, and Alabaster felt an urge from the bottom of his soul to follow her. She shuffled along for some time, leading Alabaster farther and farther from his usual alley and into a part of Sanctuary that was unknown to him. Several times, he questioned whether to stop his pursuit, but his soul burned to see where she would lead him. Fortune struck! As he walked, he found a heavy piece of iron that would keep his belly full for many weeks. Alabaster picked it up with sudden wonder, knowing that he was right to trust his instincts.

Suddenly, a much larger and tougher looking boy shoved him from behind and demanded the piece of iron. It was his, he claimed. It was Tymora herself had led the cruel bully to this find, and he would kill Alabaster if need be. The old woman turned and leered at Alabaster with eyes that burned through his soul and stripped away all of his strength and security. Her old maw opened and she screamed:

“Beshaba Provides!”

Alabaster echoed her cry:

“Beshaba Provides!”

Suddenly, his strength was renewed, and in fact his muscles bulged. His ears and eyes were sharpened, and with a shout of rage he virtuously beat the much stronger boy with his bare hands. A cowardly scream escaped the older boy’s lips:

“Tymora, protect me!”

But no help came. Alabaster emerged triumphant, and turned to thank the old woman. In a flash of light, a pair of robust stag’s antlers appeared to hover above her head, and a moment later she dissolved into an alluring red mist. For his wisdom, the hunk of dingy iron was transmuted into gold, which allowed him to prosper.

The Moral: Lady Doom provides strength and skill to the faithful, and will shield them from the brutality of the world so that they may appreciate their gifted fortune. Prayers to Tymora are hollow offerings that may well be ignored in a time of need, so trust always in Beshaba. Do not submit to foes, especially those who oppose the Maid, for Her interests are in line with those of the faithful. Success in resisting enemies will be rewarded.

The Story of the Cruel Goblin

Three boys played together in the dirt near their home. Rusty was the oldest, Micah was the middle child, and Marshall was the youngest. They were all tough boys who had struggled to survive, but they did not all possess the same amount of intellect. Each was from a different family, and each worshiped a different deity. One day, the boys were throwing a smooth rock to each other when a greedy goblin approached them. He was strong and cruel, and the whip and sword at his side were well used. He shouted:

"Get out the way! Throw down your gold or I'll give you the lash!"

Rusty, a Helmite, was taught that it was his duty to protect his property. He picked up a big rock and charged the goblin, intending to murder him. The goblin deftly stepped aside and cut Rusty down with his rusty blade.

Micah was a child of Tymora, and inaccurately believed that fortune was on his side. While he might have been able to receive some good luck if Tymora had noticed him, but he had not given praise to Beshaba to protect him from bad luck. He foolishly attacked the goblin as well, and met the same fate as Rusty.

Both of Marshall's friends lay dead. Their flame was extinguished, and their precious coins lost. The goblin turned to him and sneered:

"Are you going to hand over your gold?"

Marshall only had one coin to his name. He cast his eyes towards the heavens with a smile and replied:

"It is only one coin. Wealth comes and goes, and means nothing if Fortune is not behind me."

The goblin did not understand. He asked:

"You will not try to murder me for killing your friends? Or stop me from taking your coin?"

Marshall did not take his eyes from the indistinct spot he had been staring at. As the goblin bent down to rob his friends, Marshall sprang to action. Drawing a dagger from his boot, he leaped forward and stabbed the evil goblin in the eye, screaming as he did:

"Beshaba provides!"

A faint, alluring red mist formed briefly some distance away, marking his favor and fortune in the coming days. With a smile, he said a prayer for his poor friends, gathered their coins, and went straight to the nearest inn to enjoy a delicious meat pie.

Moral: Virtue and anticipated fortune are useless to the dead. Your duty is to yourself to survive, and you must guard against misfortune before seeking fortune. Friends and wealth come and go; more important than both is to ensure that you are guarded against bouts of misfortune.