Istus (ISS-tuss)

Istus, also known as the First One, was the first sentient being to exist in Talonn and the celestial that has dominion over fate and time. The true nature of Istus is rather mysterious, and her clerics are notoriously opaque about their practices. There is no rule of secrecy in the cult, but its practitioners all adhere to this unspoken rule not out of fear, but out of reverence.
According to the stories, Istus spent three thousand years alone in the age of Silence, germinating within the Abyssal Void beneath the planes, which were still forming. Some historians argue that all of the senior pantheon of celestials were born at once, but this theory is generally dismissed as revisionist fiction and a result of larger cults throwing their weight around. The genesis of Istus is hotly debated-- where did she come from? Why did she appear in a humanoid form, which therefore dictated all humanoid forms after? How was she created? Unfortunately, those who are chosen to commune with Istus never seem to be the type to ask such questions.
The worship of Istus has always been esoteric and unpopular, sometimes even more so than The Raven Queen . The lack of codified practice is the most repelling to those inclined to follow a god, as well as the goddess's notoriety for being elusive and difficult to commune with. Followers of Istus may go thousands of years without a single cleric or paladin being able to contact the goddess, although like most celestials her conferred powers remain constant. The most zealous followers of the goddess of fate are, seemingly ironically, Mechanical s. Istus was the patron goddess of Hatupis back in the glory days of Sarkhaan, and the sacred mechanicals made there were drawn to the cult as they searched for purpose in their man-made lives. Whatever they found in Istus's sparse, word-of-mouth teachings, the cult of Istus became a safe haven for mechanicals all across Talonn. Currently, the Listener of Istus is Shining Voice Crushes False Truths , a Tempest-age Sarkhaanian mechanical, and they have held that position for about 200 years.
A common rumor is that those chosen by Istus can receive visions of the future. Interestingly, there is no evidence that this is true, despite her designation as "the goddess of fate"-- on the other hand, it is well documented that the chosen of Sune can see the future in visions or dreams. Some early historical writings refer to the two goddesses as "sisters", which makes the link clear, but the reason why followers of Sune receive prophecy and devotees of Istus do not is a mystery.

Historical Basis

Istus is linked by ancient records from the age of Glory to the Tombs of Reason: Id, Ego, and Super. These strange buildings have been objects of fascination by explorers for ages, but no reliable accounts of their interior exist-- every person who has entered them either refused to describe what they had seen, or offered accounts so wildly different from those in the past it became impossible to tell which was accurate. There is also the issue of location; all three tombs are in extremely hazardous areas, and many adventurers and scholars attempting to reach them either return home battered or not at all.
The most easily reached Tomb is that of Ego, and its outside appearance has been well-documented. It is said that the Tombs are all identical, and that they are all pyramid-like structures that float in the air on a spike, like a top that does not spin. Their walls are smooth and cold to the touch. As the historian Derrich Albridge wrote in 1894 Magic, the Tombs are "unlike anything that should-- or even could-- exist in this world." Albridge's expedition never breached the Tomb, but instead left for Hatupis after he recorded this description. He retired shortly after.

Variations & Mutation

The goddess does appear in multiple aspects, like many celestials, but her forms are again rarely seen. It is said that in dreams she may appear as a white hart or a giant, unblinking eye. Depictions of her humanoid form generally hold that she has a "star for a face, and many strands of light emerging", in the words of the poet Urvenes. Statues made by her followers are indeed often faceless, although a few have eyes.

In Literature

Istus is frequently described as a weaver-woman, or even sometimes a spider (most popular in the Runic age, when Urvenes became obsessed with the metaphor).