Pharasma

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The Grave Goddess; Grey Lady, Lady on the Grey or Lady on the Pale Horse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Pharasma's temples are cemeteries and graveyards, sometimes mausoleums. An accurate but irreverent term would be boneyard; a more formal term would be Pharast Yard. Her domain is a wide river with many currents, varying in depth and bordered by a vast misty cemetery. It’s a common Pharastman saying that, "Some folks pay the boatman, some choose to walk or wade...but we all must follow the River."

The River is often compared to Desne's Road – Fate and Fortune are practically sisters. Often you may find statues of the two of them guarding graveyards together. One might interpret this as the Road through life becoming the River through Death, or see the difference as walking under your own power versus letting the current carry you. These impressions, of course, will vary from one believer to the next. Some old old stories don’t even distinguish between the two – a notion which is at least somewhat supported by the shared iconography of cats. Cats are sacred to both gods, as they’re known to travel wherever they damn well please and they seem to have their own accord with Death which isn’t the same as everyone else’s. Come to that, though, lots of gods like cats – they’re fond favorites of Besmara as well, and sailors often keep them on ships to chase rats...among other things.

Pharastmen (and women) are sometimes called greycoats for the stone-grey tailored coats that signify their clergy, often with a black minister’s collar. Depending on who says it, the term could be positive or negative – grey being representative of stone statues, tombstones, morning mists, and also their apparent neutrality in oh-so-many conflicts. Some folks are a bit irritable about the whole Fate thing, as well. Aren’t we all, at some point or other? And it isn't uncommon, you can imagine, for some Pharastmen to revert to the 'will-of-the-gods' method of argument, which annoys people. I don't think her worshippers are predominantly known for this, but the ‘ineffectual prophet’ has become an amusing sort of Punch-and-Judy stereotype.

Besides cats, Pharasma prefers and protects owls, ravens and crows – all of which are often seen in the stonework of her crypts, mausoleums, and offices. They seem to be much more effective than gargoyles (which are more Lamashtu’s style, anyhow, or Urgathoa’s). Sometimes Pharasma will favor other scavengers, lost wolves and coyotes – though Lamashtu doesn’t appreciate the apparent encroachment.

Scythe, Sickle, and Kusarigama are all viable options for favored weaponry of Pharasma.