Mortem, God of Death

The Reaper, The Ender

Symbol: White skull on black background
Home Plane: Funereal
Alignment: LE
Portfolio: Death, necromancy, undeath, murder, disease
Worshipers: Morticians, necromancers, murderers, sentient undead
Cleric Alignments: LE, LN, NE
Domains: Death (PH), Deathbound (SC), Evil (PH), Pestilence (SC), Undeath (SC)
Favored Weapon: “Last Breath” (Scythe)
Dogma: Death comes for all mortals. It is inescapable and unavoidable, and can only be delayed. Accept death as a part of life, and know that a soul will spend eternity longer in death than it ever did in life. If you wish to extend your time among the living, seek undeath, where both the worlds of the living and the dead can be experienced simultaneously. Help take a life whenever it benefits you or your victim, by murder or euthanasia. Hastening the living towards death is the greatest gift that can be given in life. But do not seek to kill all of the living. Remember, in order for there to be death, there must first be life.
History/Relationships: Mortem is one of the deities who helped create the world of Embril. His faith has been ever present in the lives of all mortals as, ultimately, none can escape death. Mortem is not necessarily popular, but the existence of his church is viewed as necessary. Few deities consider Mortem a friend, but most respect him. He is reasonably close to his daughter, Umbra, Goddess of Shadow, and is thankful of the work done by Bellum, God of War, and Vastator, God of Destruction, who keep him busy with the dead. It is widely known that Mortem is in love with Vita, Goddess of Life, and has coveted her since the beginning of time. He was always jealous of Mundus, God of Nature, to whom Vita was married, and openly dislikes him. When Mundus had an affair with Luna, Goddess of the Moon, Mortem sought to comfort Vita in her time of need. This led to a short-lived affair between them that ultimately yielded their daughter, Umbra.
Clergy and Temples: In public, Clerics of Mortem serve as undertakers and morticians, help settle the affairs of the dead, and are often called upon to oversee the execution of last wills and testaments. However, their fixation with the dead can sometimes lead a follower of Mortem to become a necromancer, murderer, or a lich. The church of Mortem secretly supports evil spellcasters, especially those who favor necromancy, though in cities, they try to keep this separate and untraceable to the local temple. Temples of Mortem are grim in design, with dark and somber colors and hidden bone-and-skull motifs. Clerics of Mortem wear ceremonial garb of all black robes, hooded, with their holy symbol hanging from a silver chain.
Holidays:
Day of the Dead – Lead prayers to Mortem and celebrate the dead’s passing into his domain.
Day of Souls – Take a vow of silence for the day.
Soul’s Rest – Day long chanting and rhythmic bell ringing.
Known Temples:
The Reaper’s Hall (Elester, Barosk)
The Temple of Death (Church)
The Sanctuary of the Necromancer (Bransea, Goldcoast)
The Hall of Last Rites (Delvine, Kainan)
The House of Souls’ Rest (Grenace, Kainan)
The Hall of Life’s Passing (Kelter, Kainan)
The House of Funerals (Rindell, Kainan)
The House of Eternal Rest (West Andaria, Kainan)
The Holy Sanctum of the Ender (York, Kainan)
Afterlife Hall (Molinay)
The Temple of the Skull (Talith)