The Raven Queen
The Raven Queen is the goddess of death, mourning, and the afterlife. She unseated the Forgotten One from the Throne of Death, becoming the new reaper of souls. Her true name is erased from history. Her ravens are her scions and messengers, gathering near places of death to ferry displaced souls, and acting as omens.
The Raven Queen is a prevalent deity in Mirandus, where superstitions of death remain constant. She is worshiped sporadically throughout Sylvanmere and deeper south into Werifesteria. Her name has also reached the northern Wyrmteeth Peaks and accompanying civilizations.
Divine Domains
She is the spinner of fate and the patron of winter. She marks the end of each mortal life, and mourners call upon her during funeral rites, in the hope that she will guard the departed from the curse of undeath.
Holy Books & Codes
The Ravens' Omen
One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy,
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
Seven for a secret,
Never to be told,
Eight for a wish,
Nine for a kiss
Ten for a bird
You must not miss
Divine Symbols & Sigils
Ravens are her her reapers and omens; their number corresponds to a person or peoples' fate.
Tenets of Faith
- Hold no pity for those who suffer and die, for death is the natural end of life.
- No being should be made to hide their death in shame or forced to die alone, nor should discussion of death be silenced.
- A body without life should be given back to the elements from which it came. It is an empty vessel and belongs to no one.
- Bring down the proud who try to cast off the chains of fate. As the instrument of the Raven Queen, you must punish hubris where you find it.
- Watch for the wraiths and turn them out whenever they arise. The Forgotten One seeks to claim the Raven Queen's throne.
Holidays
Allhallowtide (also called Samhain) is a festival halfway between the autumn equinox and winter solstice, a time to remember and celebrate the dead. Samhain is a liminal time, when the boundary between the Material Plane and the other worlds can more easily be crossed. In order to prevent recognition by otherworldly creatures (such as souls), people don masks or costumes to disguise their identities.
The souls of the dead are also thought to revisit their homes seeking hospitality. Feasts are had, at which the souls of dead kin are beckoned to attend and a place set at the table for them. Divination rituals and games also play a part of the festival and often involve nuts and apples.
Divine Goals & Aspirations
Even among deities the Raven Queen is enigmatic, her true motives always shrouded. It is known, however, that she opposes all forms of necromancy which is seen as an insult to the true nature of death. To this end, her loyalists work to scourge the undead from the Material Plane.
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