Erebos, God of the Dead

When the sun first shone on Heliod, god of the sun, the first shadow was cast. When Heliod saw it, he feared and banished it, sending it beyond the so-called Rivers That Ring the World, the five rivers that form a boundary between Theros and its Underworld. That shadow became Erebos, the god of death. In time, Erebos accepted his role, knowing that although Heliod had banished him, he would always stand behind the sun god. Erebos rules over death and the Underworld, but these aren't his only duties. Because of his own origins, he is also the god of misfortune, ill fate, begrudging acceptance, envy, and bitterness. Erebos is an effective warden and lord of the Underworld realm. He knows that all mortal souls will eventually join him, which affords him a kind of satisfaction and certainty. When others suffer, it brings Erebos peace, but not glee, because the alienation and banishment of others enables them to identify with his own. Although Erebos forbids souls from leaving the Underworld, some escape his clutches. Generally, such souls are beneath his notice, but he sometimes sends agents to retrieve those he has particular interest in. The god of the underworld is worshipped by two distinct sets of mortal beings: those who exalt death and those who pray for acceptance of their fates. The first group is the smallest but most dangerous; they seek to bring about a confrontation between Heliod and his shadow. The second group is closest to Erebos's heart—those who have been cast out and who seek peace with their fate.

Champions of Erebos

Most worshipers of Erebos seek to enforce the boundary between life and death, whether absolutely or selectively. They often find grim satisfaction in serving the covetous but patient god, knowing that all will ultimately know their patron’s embrace.

Erebos’s Favor

As Erebos sees it, he already owns the soul of every living being. For him to bestow special favor or power on a mortal would be an act of generosity, and he expects to be compensated for it. Those who rise to the ranks of true champions of Erebos, though, embrace death and their inescapable destiny in the Underworld. Did you pledge yourself to Erebos by joining his priesthood, or did you come to find his favor through a prayer of quiet desperation? The Erebos’s Favor table offers a handful of suggestions.

d6	Circumstance
1	One of the souls that escaped the Underworld took something from you.
2	In a moment of anguish, you prayed to Erebos. He granted you acceptance of your fate and his favor.
3	You were pledged to another god, but when you lost a loved one, only turning to Erebos could ease your grief.
4	After you recovered from a mortal injury, Erebos appeared and claimed your service.
5	Ever since the first time you saw someone die, Erebos has whispered in your ear.
6	You can’t bear to witness suffering, so you serve Erebos to bring peaceful ends to the unfortunate.

Devotion to Erebos

Just as every life ends at the same destination, many different paths can lead a worshiper to Erebos. As a follower of Erebos, consider the ideals on the Erebos’s Ideals table as alternatives to those suggested for your background.

d6	Ideal
1	Devotion. My devotion to my god is more important to me than what he stands for.
2	Mortality. I will enforce the most important law: anything that lives must one day die.
3	Consolation. Everyone deserves the solace that comes with accepting their destiny.
4	Acceptance. Whatever my fate, I will embrace it with Erebos’s blessing.
5	Wealth. Death is forever, so I’m going to get rich while I still can.
6	Power. I relish having mastery over life and death.

Approval

You earn Erebos' approval when you expand the god’s influence in the world in a concrete way through acts such as these:

Convincing a group of people to accept misfortune
Easing someone’s death or assisting with funeral arrangements
Retrieving a prominent figure’s or form
Thwarting the schemes of Heliod

Erebos' approval decreases if you diminish Erebos’s influence in the world, weaken his dominion over death, or alleviate misfortune without good cause through acts such as these: