Morana
Encase the land in a glittering shroud of ice.Smother any flicker of flame with your icy embrace. Unleash the howling winds and biting cold. Tear down flimsy barriers and pierce every wall and roof, so my breath may seep through. Cloak the world in an endless night, extinguish the hateful sun, and let the frost I bring claim all life. Respect the resilience of arctic creatures - only take their life when absolutely necessary. But all others who dare defy me shall face the fury of the blizzard. Let all who dwell in Theras tremble at the sound of my name.Morana, the Lady of Winter, is a goddess whose icy touch brings death and despair. Feared more than worshipped, she reigns supreme in the coldest realms.
Divine Symbols & Sigils
Clergy, Temples and Worshippers
Across the frigid north, where the very air bites, whispers of Morana, the Winter's Fury, hold sway. Trappers, miners, and those who call the unforgiving lands home - barbarians of the north, dwellers near the Great Codquet Ice Fields, and any soul living in the shadow of a glacier - all revere her in a desperate hope to appease her icy wrath. Winters have grown harsher in recent years, their grip tightening upon the land, and this has driven many more to plead with Morana's clergy, seeking solace from the coming cold.Morana's Wanderers
Morana's faith is a decentralized one, lacking a rigid hierarchy. Many of her clergy are wanderers, solitary figures who roam the frozen plains of Theras, with a heavier presence in the North. While a few brave men serve the Frost Queen, her clergy is predominantly female. Their primary mission is two-fold: to instill a healthy dose of fear in the common folk, encouraging them to venerate Morana and offer her tribute, and to ensure these offerings continue, lest the winter's fury worsen.Priestly Vestments
Morana's priests, easily identifiable by their chilling pronouncements of the coming winter's wrath, are clad in flowing robes the color of fresh snow, trimmed with a glacial blue. A wide silver belt cinches the robes, serving a dual purpose - holding ceremonial items and a fearsome ice pick. The pick, etched with the Serrated snowflake symbol of their faith, doubles as a weapon in combat (though its true purpose lies in channeling the Frost Queen's power). Completing their attire is a simple silver circlet, a chilling crown for these harbingers of winter. When venturing forth, practicality reigns. While not burdened by the need for warmth, these priests retain the circlet, belt, and ice pick as symbols of their office. They choose their remaining garments for aesthetics rather than necessity, often favoring mobility over cumbersome warmth. Sleeping bundles are anathema to them, as their travels prioritize swiftness and agility over creature comforts.Hierarchy
Those who serve the Frost Queen are known as Chillbringers, their ranks filled with both women and men. Most address each other with honorifics like "Icebreath" or "Most Chilling One". However, in grand temples dedicated to Morana, a more formal hierarchy exists. Here, devotees begin their path as Acolytes. As they progress in their faith, they ascend the ranks:- Herald: These disciples spread Morana's word and warnings of coming blizzards.
- Glacierheart: Priests wielding potent cold magic, their touch carries the bite of winter.
- Frostweaver: Leaders who command respect and hold influence within the clergy.
- Herald of the Eternal Freeze: Powerful priests who embody the relentless grip of winter.
- Emissary of the Frost Queen: Those closest to Morana, wielding immense power and serving as her oracles.
- Avatar of Winter's Fury: The singular leader of the entire clergy, a terrifying embodiment of Morana's wrath.
Rituals
Dancing with the Blizzard
Prospective Chillbringers, known as Acolytes, dedicate themselves to learning the ways of the Frostmaiden. However, only those who survive the most sacred and brutal test - Dancing with the Blizzard- are truly accepted into the clergy. This personal ritual can occur at any time, but those attempting it during summer must undertake a harrowing pilgrimage to the heart of a blizzard, be it in the arctic wastes or atop a treacherous mountain peak. Dancing with the Blizzard itself is a baptism of ice and fury. Clad only in minimal protection - boots, a thin garment, and sacred body paint - the Acolyte must endure a night of relentless blizzard. This trial separates the weak from the worthy. Those who succumb to the cold's grip perish, forever denied Morana's favor. The chosen few, however, experience the Frostmaiden's Embrace. Rescued from the brink of death by an unseen force, they are granted the strength and resilience to serve Morana.Listening to the White Silence
For ongoing communication with the goddess, Chillbringers engage in a ritual known as Listening to the White Silence. During winter, they lie prostrate in the snow throughout the night, offering their prayers and seeking guidance. In warmer months, they substitute this ritual with a full-body immersion (excluding the head) in the coldest water they can find, usually within a fast-flowing stream. In these moments of vulnerability and hardship, Morana answers their pleas, offering visions and directives that shape their missions.Tenets of Faith
- Spread ice across all lands;
- Extinguish fire wherever it flickers;
- Welcome the winds and the cold;
- Destroy windbreaks and create openings in walls and roofs to invite her breath;
- Summon darkness to conceal the cursed sun, allowing Morana's chill to prevail;
- Instill fear of the Frost Queen in all of Theras;
- Honor the Cold Goddess and extol her virtues in every frigid breeze or wintry gust;
- Refrain from raising your hand against fellow followers of Morana;
Holidays
Nights of Everlasting Ice
During Midwinter Night, The holiest night of the year for Morana's followers. A celebration of ice and winter's grip, it features all-night dance rituals performed on frozen lakes or specially prepared ice rinks. Clergy use this joyous celebration to spread cheer and subtly entice others to join their ranks.Frost's Fury
An informal but highly anticipated ritual marking the winter's arrival. Clergy collaborate, channeling their collective power to unleash a localized blizzard upon a town or region. The resulting chaos and harsh weather serve as a potent reminder of Morana's dominion.Wail of the North Wind
A boisterous celebration held at the tail-end of winter, as spring approaches. Clergy once again work together, this time to conjure a fierce, howling windstorm. This symbolic act serves as a final defiant roar against the encroaching warmth before winter relinquishes its hold.Mental characteristics
Personal history
Much is debateable about the origins of Morana. Some say she was a primordial, who took no interest in worship, while others say she was a witch of the cold north.
However, multiple different accounts mention that At one point, was in a relationship with Thrym, God of the frost giants. During that time she became the mother to an Empyrean daughter.
However, during those awful times, the Dwarven Pantheon had invaded Jotunheim, where they defeated several deities. The Cold hearted Goddess, in an act of anger, tried to freeze the whole place, only to be slain by Gorm Gulthyn, an act that weakened him beyond recognition. However, Morana was mortally wounded, merging her essence with that of Thrym, in order to preserve a cold winter that would last eternity.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Morana, the Frostmaiden, wields a chilling embrace. Not to destroy, but to possess. She traps beauty in its prime - exquisite art objects, vibrant flowers, even the skilled hands of artisans - encasing them in a glittering tomb of ice for her own icy pleasure.
Social
Contacts & Relations
Helena harbor enmity towards Morana, holding her responsible for the devastation of many things of Beauty.
Titles:
Goddess of Winter;The Frost Queen;
The Mother of Glaciers;
The Whisper on the Wind;
The Keeper of the Permafrost;
The Cold Fury;
Religions
Alignment
Chaotic Evil
Realm
Children
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
Ruled Locations
| LG | NG | CG |
| LN | N | CN |
| LE | NE | CE |
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