Athreos, God of Patience
“Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.” The god of patience is a testament to this maxim. For most people, Athreos embodies waiting, freedom, and promises kept. Athreos is no stranger to being a guide. The previously silent god underwent a liberation and wants mortals to learn from his example in patience. The Patient One used to read the truth of each soul at the River Tartyx and knows that patience, freedom, and peace is a recipe for a fulfilled soul. There is no haggling for sympathy from Athreos if he finds out you have stripped away someones freedom.
Athreos appears as a handsome human man with jet-black shoulder length hair wearing simple gray robes and a necklace made from five golden obols. The Patient One is never without his ancient staff, Katabasis, which he used to transform into the ferryboat to ply the Rivers That Ring the World. Athreos's Influence
Most mortals focus on the biggest themes of The Patient Ones tale. Patience that lasted unknown centuries; Freedom from forced servitude; Promises kept by the gods to the first mortal to die. The Patient One has a deep understanding of the mortal soul. Athreos' wisdom can guide kings and peasants alike and his ire brings about an early trip to the River Tartyx. Athreos is also invoked as the god of individual liberties, binding contracts, and the changing of eras. Those who get married often have wedding bands made from golden coins to honor Athreos. His name is oft-heard alongside the name of Tyr amongst freedom fighters. Athreos's Goals
Athreos works to find peace for those in the lands of the living. The Patient One sees himself as responsible for the mortals of the world since he was the first to die and meet the gods. He does what he thinks will bring peace to the violent worlds of both gods and men, and should war break out, The Patient One and his servants work fervently to restore peace. Worshiping Athreos
Most traditions include lengthy periods of meditation and extolling Athreos' freedom. Holidays vary widely by culture, but celebrations usually revolve around being thanking laborers for their endless toils underneath the heat of Heliod's rays . These celebrations are often in the form of parades or feasts where the working class typically does not have to pay for anything for the whole day. Merchants and nobles use these celebrations as opportunities to praise other gods as well, which they believe is also promoting unity and peace among the gods, and therefor aligned with Athreos' goals. Athreos' Champions
Alignment: Usually lawful, nuetral
Suggested Classes: Cleric, monk, rogue, wizard
Suggested Cleric Domains: Peace, Order, Life, Twilight Most worshipers of Athreos believe patience is essential to get what you want out of life. They preach the importance of patience and peaceful co-existence. They seek to do their part in finding and freeing those bound by chains or servitude. They have been known to pay debts, negotiate the release of slaves or prisoners, and only when absolutely necessary, use violence to bring freedom to those who are oppressed. Most also respect their peers and honor them by sacrificing their time, labor, and money to pay homage to Fiorello, God of Passage who freed Athreos from his eternal servitude. Athreos' Favor
Most mortals swear by Athreos' name when inciting a promise, in reference to the gods promise to release him from his job on the River Tartyx. When binding contracts are being made or whenever mortal agents are necessary for other reasons, Athreos often seeks the descendants of those who impressed him during their journey to the Underworld during his tenure. The Athreos' Favor table offers several suggestions for the nature of your connection to the god. Circumstance
A family members promise of love and loyalty at a particularly moving wedding.
You don't ever feel rushed as others tend to do, finding emotions easily under your control.
In a brazen or desperate moment, you escaped bondage—and now know freedom.
Your strong skills in negotiation and wisdom brokered peace between warring peoples.
Serving Athreos is your family tradition, a responsibility honored for generations.
You have seen a promise broken, and in that moment, you glimpsed the pain that it brings.
Earning and Losing Piety
You increase your piety score to Athreos when you honor him or the virtues of patience, freedom, and promises through acts such as these:
-Clever or bold acts of arbitration
-Fighting against those who would enslave or imprison others
-Exercise patience when rash action could provide more immediate results Your piety score to Athreos decreases if you diminish Athreos' influence in the world, impede his work, or deny freedom through acts such as these: -Refusing to act when you are aware of someone's freedom being compromised
-Breaking a promise
-Creating conflict or advocating for war Athreos’ Devotee
Piety 3+ Athreos trait You can cast sanctuary with this trait, requiring no material components, a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell. Athreos’ Votary
Piety 10+ Athreos trait When you fail a Constitution or a Wisdom saving throw, you can reroll the die, and you must use the new roll. Once you use this trait, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest. Athreos’ Disciple
Piety 25+ Athreos trait You can cast Freedom of Movement with this trait, requiring no material components, and it's range is 60 ft. When you do so, the target gains 5 temporary hit points; a spectral obol orbits the targets head for each temporary hit point. Once you cast the spell in this way, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell. Champion of Patience
Piety 50+ Athreos trait You can increase your Wisdom or Constitution score by 2 and also increase your maximum for that score by 2.
Athreos appears as a handsome human man with jet-black shoulder length hair wearing simple gray robes and a necklace made from five golden obols. The Patient One is never without his ancient staff, Katabasis, which he used to transform into the ferryboat to ply the Rivers That Ring the World. Athreos's Influence
Most mortals focus on the biggest themes of The Patient Ones tale. Patience that lasted unknown centuries; Freedom from forced servitude; Promises kept by the gods to the first mortal to die. The Patient One has a deep understanding of the mortal soul. Athreos' wisdom can guide kings and peasants alike and his ire brings about an early trip to the River Tartyx. Athreos is also invoked as the god of individual liberties, binding contracts, and the changing of eras. Those who get married often have wedding bands made from golden coins to honor Athreos. His name is oft-heard alongside the name of Tyr amongst freedom fighters. Athreos's Goals
Athreos works to find peace for those in the lands of the living. The Patient One sees himself as responsible for the mortals of the world since he was the first to die and meet the gods. He does what he thinks will bring peace to the violent worlds of both gods and men, and should war break out, The Patient One and his servants work fervently to restore peace. Worshiping Athreos
Most traditions include lengthy periods of meditation and extolling Athreos' freedom. Holidays vary widely by culture, but celebrations usually revolve around being thanking laborers for their endless toils underneath the heat of Heliod's rays . These celebrations are often in the form of parades or feasts where the working class typically does not have to pay for anything for the whole day. Merchants and nobles use these celebrations as opportunities to praise other gods as well, which they believe is also promoting unity and peace among the gods, and therefor aligned with Athreos' goals. Athreos' Champions
Alignment: Usually lawful, nuetral
Suggested Classes: Cleric, monk, rogue, wizard
Suggested Cleric Domains: Peace, Order, Life, Twilight Most worshipers of Athreos believe patience is essential to get what you want out of life. They preach the importance of patience and peaceful co-existence. They seek to do their part in finding and freeing those bound by chains or servitude. They have been known to pay debts, negotiate the release of slaves or prisoners, and only when absolutely necessary, use violence to bring freedom to those who are oppressed. Most also respect their peers and honor them by sacrificing their time, labor, and money to pay homage to Fiorello, God of Passage who freed Athreos from his eternal servitude. Athreos' Favor
Most mortals swear by Athreos' name when inciting a promise, in reference to the gods promise to release him from his job on the River Tartyx. When binding contracts are being made or whenever mortal agents are necessary for other reasons, Athreos often seeks the descendants of those who impressed him during their journey to the Underworld during his tenure. The Athreos' Favor table offers several suggestions for the nature of your connection to the god. Circumstance
You increase your piety score to Athreos when you honor him or the virtues of patience, freedom, and promises through acts such as these:
-Clever or bold acts of arbitration
-Fighting against those who would enslave or imprison others
-Exercise patience when rash action could provide more immediate results Your piety score to Athreos decreases if you diminish Athreos' influence in the world, impede his work, or deny freedom through acts such as these: -Refusing to act when you are aware of someone's freedom being compromised
-Breaking a promise
-Creating conflict or advocating for war Athreos’ Devotee
Piety 3+ Athreos trait You can cast sanctuary with this trait, requiring no material components, a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell. Athreos’ Votary
Piety 10+ Athreos trait When you fail a Constitution or a Wisdom saving throw, you can reroll the die, and you must use the new roll. Once you use this trait, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest. Athreos’ Disciple
Piety 25+ Athreos trait You can cast Freedom of Movement with this trait, requiring no material components, and it's range is 60 ft. When you do so, the target gains 5 temporary hit points; a spectral obol orbits the targets head for each temporary hit point. Once you cast the spell in this way, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell. Champion of Patience
Piety 50+ Athreos trait You can increase your Wisdom or Constitution score by 2 and also increase your maximum for that score by 2.
Myths of Athreos
Athreos eternally provides a patient ear for prayers, lending guidance through omens to those deserving. The Athrean Obols. Legends say that Athreos didn't collect coins out of greed but because he was looking for five specific treasures. Apocryphal writings in the Underworld library of Oneirrakthys say that Athreos was the first mortal to die. When he came to face the gods, he brought a single treasure as an offering to each of Theros's five mightiest deities, hoping to receive a peaceful place among them in return. The gods realized what Athreos's spirit represented: the first of an endless flood of mortal souls that would soon begin to join Athreos in death. Unwilling to spend eternity sorting the endless stream of dead mortals themselves, the other gods did give Athreos a place among them, as well as charging him with his impossible task. They also offered him a measure of hope. The gods cast Athreos's offerings back into the mortal world in the form of five coins. They promised Athreos that, once he collected the coins anew, the gods would free the River Guide from his service and welcome him into their ranks. They kept their promise, when the mortal Fiorello united him with his five lost coins, called the Athrean Obols. It is said that Fiorello was forced to take Athreos' role for giving him freedom.
Eight Exceptions. Eight times in the course of history, Athreos has purposely allowed a mortal to delay their death or temporarily return from the Underworld. These individuals were restored as living beings (not as Returned) to complete particular tasks. As a record of these exceptions, Athreos passed down Returned-like masks of each individual to Fiorello. Despite centuries between bargains, though, no one who Athreos has made an exception for has ever returned. As a result, the Athreos instructed Fiorello to never make another exception.
Athreos eternally provides a patient ear for prayers, lending guidance through omens to those deserving. The Athrean Obols. Legends say that Athreos didn't collect coins out of greed but because he was looking for five specific treasures. Apocryphal writings in the Underworld library of Oneirrakthys say that Athreos was the first mortal to die. When he came to face the gods, he brought a single treasure as an offering to each of Theros's five mightiest deities, hoping to receive a peaceful place among them in return. The gods realized what Athreos's spirit represented: the first of an endless flood of mortal souls that would soon begin to join Athreos in death. Unwilling to spend eternity sorting the endless stream of dead mortals themselves, the other gods did give Athreos a place among them, as well as charging him with his impossible task. They also offered him a measure of hope. The gods cast Athreos's offerings back into the mortal world in the form of five coins. They promised Athreos that, once he collected the coins anew, the gods would free the River Guide from his service and welcome him into their ranks. They kept their promise, when the mortal Fiorello united him with his five lost coins, called the Athrean Obols. It is said that Fiorello was forced to take Athreos' role for giving him freedom.
Eight Exceptions. Eight times in the course of history, Athreos has purposely allowed a mortal to delay their death or temporarily return from the Underworld. These individuals were restored as living beings (not as Returned) to complete particular tasks. As a record of these exceptions, Athreos passed down Returned-like masks of each individual to Fiorello. Despite centuries between bargains, though, no one who Athreos has made an exception for has ever returned. As a result, the Athreos instructed Fiorello to never make another exception.
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