Baravor (Ba-RA-vor)
Death is but part of life: fear it not; view it not as evil. To fear death is as futile as to fear the rain and as foolish as to fear birth. Die with dignity, neither raging nor seeking to embrace undeath. Do honor to the dead, for their strivings in life brought Theras to where it is now; to forget them is not only to forget where we are now, but how we got here and why.
Arise, for after two hundred years the seed of the tree that was hewn has taken root and sproutedBaravor stands apart from many deities associated with death. In his mortal life, he was a skilled mercenary known for his honorable conduct, a quality often associated with paladins. This background informs his approach to the afterlife, which he views as a realm of order and understanding, not fear. Baravor once championed the concept that death is a natural transition, an integral part of the life cycle. He promotes the belief that death can be comprehended and accepted, not dreaded. This central tenet fuels his opposition to undeath, which he considers a perversion of the natural order. Once he acted as a judge, ensuring the proper passage of souls into the afterlife.
Arise, for though your kinsmen attempt to conquer this land your might is needed to hold them back
Arise, for the spirits of wind, stream, and stone seek to reforge the bonds that have long been broken
Arise, for a god once dead stands firmly behind you providing success through failure
Arise, for Baravor has sounded his call across the worlds and you have heard it deep within your soul
Arise
Defend Clochdor. Now and for eternity.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Baravor, once a Human fighter and a close companion of Ervenius, achieved godhood through a unique path through the convergence. As the newly appointed Lord of the Dead, Baravor assumed the solemn responsibility of judging departed souls. Determined to cleanse the afterlife of corruption left by his predecessors, he undertook the task of transforming the Bone Castle, a foreboding fortress in the realm of Hades, into the ethereal Crystal Spire. Its transparent structure symbolized the dispelling of fear and mystery surrounding death. While devout souls found solace in their respective deities, faithless individuals and those who falsely professed belief faced judgment before Baravor. Unlike the previous gods of death who determined the fate of such souls, Baravor ensured transparency and fairness in his rulings, sparing them from eternal torment.
Baravor's reforms to the afterlife judgment system were not without nuance. While faith remained important, a virtuous and honorable life held significant weight. Those who lived with courage and integrity, regardless of specific religious affiliation, found themselves rewarded with a peaceful and pleasant afterlife within the City of Death. Conversely, the cowardly and malicious faced a harsh judgment, destined for the city's more unpleasant regions.
This shift in the afterlife had unintended consequences. Fear of judgment transformed previously reckless mortals into cautious souls, unwilling to take risks for fear of facing Baravor. On the other hand, those who believed in Baravor's just system embraced death with a newfound acceptance, sometimes even neglecting to seek the protection of their deities.
This, combined with Ervenius' controversial practice of favoring good-aligned mortals in his magical blessings, created an imbalance. Other deities, robbed of potential followers, grew concerned. When exposed by Torog, The Greater Gods levied a harsh accusation – "Disruption of the Natural Order" – against Baravor and Ervenius. Their well-intentioned reforms, it seemed, were disrupting the established order of the divine realm.
After several millenia, during The Gods War, the god of death was usurped by The Raven Queen, who saw his rule over the dominion over the dead as evil. The Raven Queen saw Baravor as a deity who neglicated his duties, letting demons and devils steal the souls he was supposed to safeguard, which fueled horrid wars upon Theras as the fearful sold their souls with little hesitation.
The Undead God
By a cruel twist of fate, Baravor became an undead himself. No more powerful than a demigod, his essence and being were drawn to the material plane rather than the astral, where he was reanimated, for a lack of a better term. It is speculated that his mortal origins, together with his affiliation with the dead and his resentment towards the Raven Queen, allowed for such an event to take place. He supposedly has only a single cleric, lord Dara Colcamin, with and upon whom he bestows the full extent of his powers.Titles:
Lord of the Dead;The Great Guide;
Lord Death;
Divine Classification
Alignment
Lawful Neutral
Children
Aligned Organization
| LG | NG | CG |
| LN | N | CN |
| LE | NE | CE |
Comments