Ilmater (/ɪlˈmeɪtɛr/ ihl-MAY-ter)

Ilmater is one of the gods of the Infernal pantheon, and is often associated with life, endurance, suffering, martyrdom, perseverance, love, care, and compassion.

She is the god of those who suffer, the oppressed, and the persecuted. She offers relief and support, encouraging those who struggle to endure, and encourages others to help them - taking another person's place to bear their burden. To this end she cares far more about mortals, and the material plane matters more to her than the outer planes. She doesn’t show interest in the machinations of the gods unless they cause some kind of suffering to mortals.

It is written that Ilmater was once very present in the lives of mortals, appearing to followers and interacting with them frequently. Currently, her followers believe she only manifests as an unseen presence that makes a howling or whimpering sound, yet feels watchful. They say in this form, she can move objects around by telekinesis, or cast spells.

Power: 3/5 | Interest: 4/5 | Passion: 4/5 | Form: 3/5 | Thought: 5/5

Following

Loyalty	Influence	Size
7/10	8/10	7/10

Ilmater is worshiped by many mortals of Kai, with a profound concentration in the Malgian empire. Her clergy includes a range of clerics, paladins, and monks. They are organized into the temple of Ilmater, with many affiliated knightly and monastic orders. Her highest ranking priest is known as the Heartwarder, who is expected to shower others with acts of compassion and care at least five times a month.

Ilmater's clerics seek to bring care to the world in many forms, many of which are pleasing to the senses. They create great works of art, become patrons for promising actors, and import exotic luxuries like satin and fine wines. These clerics can often be found on battlegrounds, tending to the wounded and dying. They are easily identifiable due to the coarse-furred shirts they wear.

Her temples usually hold social salons, some even providing public baths for the local populace. Her shrines often stand on the corner of busy city streets. Some shrines even hold perfume and other soothing items for those who can not afford such luxuries themselves. When worshipers pray, they mimic her holy symbol by wrapping their hands (bound at the wrist) with red cord.

Divine Domains

Life

Divine Symbols & Sigils

Hands bound at the wrist with red cord.

Divine Goals & Aspirations

She seeks to offer aid and relief and words of comfort to those in pain, who are oppressed, or otherwise in great need. She encourages them to endure their pain, suffering, and abuse, for good things came to those who waited. She encourages her faithful to halt and relieve the suffering of others, and to take it on themselves if they must. Ilmater is herself a willing sufferer, taking another person's place to bear their burden, seeking to endure any pain if it would lessen the pain of another.

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

Ancient holy texts describe her avatar appearing as a short humanoid with a burly build. Her body bore the marks of mutilation and torture on the rack, covered with open cuts, closed scars, burns, and a range of other wounds. Ilmater's joints were broken, her limbs ravaged, and her hands smashed yet still functional. Moving caused her a great deal of pain as she dragged herself around. The texts further suggest that no matter how much her avatar healed, it still showed these terrible wounds.

Body Features

Religious records suggest her physical manifestation would change from time to time. Depending on the author, her skin might be described as golden, mahogany, reddish, or ivory.

Facial Features

She was described as having a plain but kind and comforting face. Like her skin, different accounts described her almond-shaped eyes in different colors such as sky-blue, forest green, or of darkest amber or honey.

Identifying Characteristics

Although stories vary wildly about her skin and eyes, her avatar was identifiable for her lustrous, impossibly long red hair. This color persisted regardless of any other permutations in her appearance, and often assumed the appearance of flames.

Special abilities

Stories Ilmater manifesting as an avatar describe her as being able to cast a wide variety of magic spells, being strongest with healing magic and beneficial necromancy. Only rarely did she cast a spell that would injur another, unless she did so in anger and retribution for a cruel or sadistic deed performed by the target, or to protect another from harm.

She fought unarmed, open-handed or with her fists, and was a supreme martial artist. However, she usually chose not to defend herself, instead simply taking and absorbing the damage, as her avatar was extremely difficult to destroy. As with her spells, Ilmater only attacked in retribution or protection, or to deflect missiles or destroy items. She also used nonlethal methods to disable her powerful foes.

Alternatively, she could possess any good and innocent creature that was being tortured, provided that the torture contravened local laws. Stories describe the creature glowing white, all pain being relieved, and any wounds being regenerated immediately. Torture or restraining devices were immediately destroyed, releasing the sufferer, alert and healthy. In the case of extreme torture or associated murder, Ilmater could grant the possessed being the ability to cast destructive spells, such as flame strike, lightning bolt or chain lightning, meteor swarm, sink, or imprisonment for a short time in retribution.

After she stopped appearing in her avatar form, Ilmater continued to manifest as an unseen presence that makes a howling or whimpering sound, yet feels watchful. Followers say that in this form, she can move objects around by telekinesis, or cast spells.

Some holy texts state that, to act in her place, Ilmater can send devas, einheriar spirits of slain martyrs, hollyphants, incarnates of courage, planetars, solars, and some beings that remain unidentified. To indicate or suggest her presence or awareness, to show her favor, and to give her faithful encouragement, Ilmater can create daisies and white roses, or send white donkeys, white doves, field mice, or sparrows. A minor manifestation to show favor are in the colors gray and red.

Finally, it is said that Ilmater can sense any kind of suffering the moment it takes place, anywhere in the world. She also knows whenever a person sacrificed themselves for another being. She can also instantly create any magical item that can heal or reduce suffering, or is altruistic, benevolent, or lawful in nature.

Manifestations

Favored animals

• White donkeys
• White doves
• Field mice
• Sparrows

Favored plants

• Daisies
• White roses

Favored colors

• Gray
• Red

Apparel & Accessories

She has been depicted as wearing only a breech-cloth.

Personality Characteristics

Virtues & Personality perks

Ilmater is the incarnation of compassion, and the eternal foe of suffering. A benevolent goddess that truly loves and protects her followers. She is quiet, generous, good-spirited, and even-tempered, with a kind and gentle nature.
She is the most forgiving of beings. Though she knows full well the atrocious and horrific acts that wicked creatures can do, she remains forever hopeful that selfish and malevolent beings can one day be turned to be altruistic and benevolent (or destroyed if necessary), and so she stays firm in her goals.

Vices & Personality flaws

It is said that Ilmater does not anger quickly, but when she does, she is fearsome in her wrath. She can be greatly angered by extreme cruelty and atrocities, and at those who inflicted such suffering. She is particularly enraged by those who harm or abuse children and other young creatures. Old stories tell of such times, where she set aside her doctrine of endurance and non-violence, and unleashed her full force to put an end to cruelty. Other tales state that, although her ravaged appearance or her righteous rage could scare children, Ilmater always took great care to reassure them and protect them. Her followers claim that she treasures all children and young creatures in general.

Personality Quirks

She has a good if rather rustic sense of humor, and likes to hear funny stories.

Social

Contacts & Relations

Show Spoiler

Istishia is moving down a dark path, but I feel it is my duty to help them.

Show Spoiler

I desire affection from Deneir, but they never offer it in a way that pleases me.

Religions

• The ‌Tiefling Malgian Empire

Alignment

Lawful, Infernal

Church/Cult

Gods of the Infernal Plane

Honorary & Occupational Titles

The Crying God, The Broken God, The One Who Endures, Firehair, Lady Firehair, The Lady of Love, Goddess of Love

Current Residence

The Infernal Plane

Eyes

Varies between sky-blue, forest green, almond-shaped, or of darkest amber or honey

Hair

Red, Long

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Varies between golden, mahogany, reddish, or ivory