Utrixia (oo-tricks-ee-uh)
God of Winter, Death, and Dreams. Prime Deity. Lawful Neutral
Utrixia
The Deathless Mother, Matron of Winter, Mother of Shadows, Herald of Dreams
God of Winter, Death, and Dreams.
The first born child of Ilia, Utrixia was the strongest and most feared of the prime deities. When Ilia took of her own body to forge Utrixia and her siblings, she was consumed by grief, much of which was passed along to her child. Utrixia took on this burden so that her siblings did not have to; an unwilling martyr for pain she did not know. She, in the contrary to her parent, was not consumed by this grief. It tempered her, made her stronger, and began the pattern of striking balance that her siblings continued. It did, however, place a lens of death and severity between her and the universe. After her creation, Utrixia was cast down to the land that would eventually be known as the Feywild to form her first domain, Winter. At its birth, the Feywild was more akin to a cohesive and massive forest, rather than the extremely diverse plane it is today. Utrixia, being the first creature of any significant power to touch this land, shaped it to her will; her gifted grief manifesting all throughout. The air turned cold, the land hardened, and the trees were stripped bare. The first domain ever shaped became one of sorrow, grief, and severity. In these elements, Utrixia was steeped. Even after her siblings came to shape their domains, Utrixia kept herself isolated to her harsh lands. Though her siblings felt sympathy for her grief, they did not know the strength she truly had. For holding domain over a season of death, gave Utrixia the keys to the domain of death itself. As the other parts of the Feywild began to form and the children of Ilia began their own journeys of creation, Utrixia maintained control over all of death. With every creation by her siblings, came the promise of their eventual demise. Utrixia needed not to invest her strength in meager creation; rather, she only need wait for those of her siblings to fall to her inevitability. Her mate, Poteus, saw the power and looked with jealousy. He built the domain of Summer to be one of strength and vibrance, but he could not surpass Utrixia. This period of early creation went on to make many creatures in the different domains of differing qualities and lifespans. Poteus endeavored to make creatures that could escape the inevitability of death, in the hopes it would finally give him the edge over Utrixia. With each attempt, he realized that there was no lifespan that would escape death, as time was not the only means by which a creature could meet its end. Utrixia saw her mate falter time and time again to surpass her, and she knew his desperation. She came to him to offer a deal; the creation of a new domain. Knowing the propensity for conflict that had been growing in their creations, she offered him the opportunity to claim dominion over it. Poteus, thinking his sister's sympathy was a show of weakness, took this offer without a second thought; creating the domain of War. Quickly, Poteus began to see his folly. Though he held domain over the wars that would rage and conflicts that ensued, Utrixia still grew stronger than he ever could.
The Deathless Mother, Matron of Winter, Mother of Shadows, Herald of Dreams
God of Winter, Death, and Dreams.
The first born child of Ilia, Utrixia was the strongest and most feared of the prime deities. When Ilia took of her own body to forge Utrixia and her siblings, she was consumed by grief, much of which was passed along to her child. Utrixia took on this burden so that her siblings did not have to; an unwilling martyr for pain she did not know. She, in the contrary to her parent, was not consumed by this grief. It tempered her, made her stronger, and began the pattern of striking balance that her siblings continued. It did, however, place a lens of death and severity between her and the universe. After her creation, Utrixia was cast down to the land that would eventually be known as the Feywild to form her first domain, Winter. At its birth, the Feywild was more akin to a cohesive and massive forest, rather than the extremely diverse plane it is today. Utrixia, being the first creature of any significant power to touch this land, shaped it to her will; her gifted grief manifesting all throughout. The air turned cold, the land hardened, and the trees were stripped bare. The first domain ever shaped became one of sorrow, grief, and severity. In these elements, Utrixia was steeped. Even after her siblings came to shape their domains, Utrixia kept herself isolated to her harsh lands. Though her siblings felt sympathy for her grief, they did not know the strength she truly had. For holding domain over a season of death, gave Utrixia the keys to the domain of death itself. As the other parts of the Feywild began to form and the children of Ilia began their own journeys of creation, Utrixia maintained control over all of death. With every creation by her siblings, came the promise of their eventual demise. Utrixia needed not to invest her strength in meager creation; rather, she only need wait for those of her siblings to fall to her inevitability. Her mate, Poteus, saw the power and looked with jealousy. He built the domain of Summer to be one of strength and vibrance, but he could not surpass Utrixia. This period of early creation went on to make many creatures in the different domains of differing qualities and lifespans. Poteus endeavored to make creatures that could escape the inevitability of death, in the hopes it would finally give him the edge over Utrixia. With each attempt, he realized that there was no lifespan that would escape death, as time was not the only means by which a creature could meet its end. Utrixia saw her mate falter time and time again to surpass her, and she knew his desperation. She came to him to offer a deal; the creation of a new domain. Knowing the propensity for conflict that had been growing in their creations, she offered him the opportunity to claim dominion over it. Poteus, thinking his sister's sympathy was a show of weakness, took this offer without a second thought; creating the domain of War. Quickly, Poteus began to see his folly. Though he held domain over the wars that would rage and conflicts that ensued, Utrixia still grew stronger than he ever could.
Holidays
Winter's Veil - 1st of Utrindir
- Marks the beginning of Winter; the longest night of the year.
- Funerals and remembrance ceremonies are often held on this day. Though not necessarily a part of the celebrations on the day, many people volunteer their time to help dig graves before the ground becomes too hard from frost.
- Many cultures exchange gifts with their loved ones. This began as a simple exchange of necessities to get through Winter, such as firewood, warm clothes, or food, but luxury and joyous gifts became more common over time.
- Larger cities and towns will often have large festivals. Funerals often happen concurrently with the festival and use it as a sort of reception or wake following them. The festivals will often include decadent foods made from the last of the harvests that will not survive Winter, story telling, and somber theatrical performances.
- Though it is also common during festivals, the tradition of making znaky pam'yati, or "tokens of remembering", remains in practice through many cultures and civilizations. They take many shapes, but they are often snowflakes woven from hemp, corn husks, or sticks. It is most commonly done by children, but all who wish to honor and remember a passed soul may make one. Once made, they are then buried, burned, or placed on graves at sunset, just before the lighting of torches. This is meant to symbolize the acceptance of the inevitable darkness beyond life, though many still light torches at their normal time in more densely populated areas.
Taboos
- Sacrifices are considered blasphemous on this day, as they are seen as arrogance for the coming season. Those that would normally make a sacrifice on this day for one reason or another often either delay this sacrifice or give what they would sacrifice as a gift to someone they do not know.
- Weddings are discouraged on this day, as many believe it is an ill omen for the marriage and any children that come from it.
- Disrespect of the dead, in any context, is seen as a high act of blasphemy on the day. Even those who would fight and kill an enemy on this day are expected to honor and respect them once they have fallen. Because of this, executions and military battles rarely occur on this day.
Comments