Fiorello, God of Passage
Fiorello
God of Passage All mortals are destined to face Fiorello, Athreos' Successor, when their lives come to an end. The god of passage ferries the dead across the Tartyx River, conveying each mortal soul to its destiny in the Underworld. For most people, Fiorello embodies the greatest mysteries of existence—the terror and wonder of life's last moment and the revelation of one's ultimate fate in the afterlife. Fiorello is no judge, though. The veiled, silent god undergoes no deliberations and makes no exceptions. The River Guide reads the truth of each soul and bears it unfailingly to its proper place in the Underworld. There is no haggling and no sympathy on Fiorello's skiff, the god having heard and denied every conceivable mortal plea. Fiorello appears as a gaunt figure cloaked in fine black robes and a collection of golden obols. What little can be seen of his body is unsettling, its gray flesh stretched thin over a barely human skeleton. The River Guide is never without his powerful scythe, Reaping Season, which he transforms into the ferryboat he uses to ply the Rivers That Ring the World. Though the deity's shrouded form gives little clues, many mortals recall the legends of Fiorello in life as being male, but the River Guide cares for terms or labels no more than any other force of nature. Fiorello can change shape but rarely, if ever, takes on other forms. Fiorello’s Influence
Most mortals focus on the River Guide's role in their own deaths. Countless mortal superstitions prescribe ways to garner Fiorello's favor, but all Fiorello demands of those he transports is payment: a single coin of any minting or value. The River Guide has an expansive definition of what constitutes a coin, from actual stamped currency and jewelry to shiny beads or opalescent shells. Ultimately, he seems most concerned with whether a mortal has prepared for death, keeping payment ready out of respect and as a personal memento mori. Those whose bodies are burned, buried, or otherwise disposed of along with valuables deliberately intended for the River Guide discover that they can make use of such items when trading for Fiorello's services. Spirits that reach the shores of the Tartyx River unprepared, though, risk being stranded, as Fiorello refuses to ferry those who can't pay. Fiorello is also invoked as the god of passage, as well as the deity with dominion over borders, boundaries, and that which is "neither." Those who undertake journeys, especially dangerous ones, often drop a coin into a fountain or a body of water in apotropaic acknowledgment of the River Guide. Bridges and borders are also places where Fiorello is commonly remembered, with many such sites being marked by motifs of rivers or spirits. Additionally, phenomena that are neither one thing nor another, defying simple classification, are often considered to be within Fiorello's province—most notably the state between life and death, but also echoes, phantom sensations, and the feeling of déjà vu. Fiorello’s Goals
Fiorello endlessly works to maintain the balance between Nyx, the Underworld, and the lands of the living. The River Guide sees himself as a servant of the mortal world and knows nothing of the glamor, honor, or mystery mortals often ascribe such to him. Rather, he does what must be done, and should some cosmological condition fall out of sorts, the River Guide and his servants work with silent efficiency to restore balance. Divine Relationships
Fiorello cares little for the dealings of the other gods. As long as other deities don't impinge on the border between life and death, either by overstepping their bounds or by trying to draw the dead back into life, the River Guide has little to do with them. More than once, this isolation has put Fiorello in silent conflict with Heliod and Erebos, both of whom subtly resent Fiorello for limiting how much each can meddle in the other's realm. At the same time, the River Guide's role as a buffer between the two vindictive gods actively prevents their grudges from exploding into divine warfare. Fiorello bears a healthy respect for Purphoros. In the time before his mortal death, Purphoros was the venerated diety of his fated friend and fellow Theran legend, Alasin the Soulsmith. Though the god of the forge has been oddly quiet both mortals and gods within the last century, Fiorello has ferried many who fell to the creations of his inventive worshipers. Worshiping Fiorello
Most funeral traditions include small offerings and words of reverence to Fiorello. Predominant among these traditions is burying or burning the dead with a clay funerary mask, to "frame" the identity of the dead for Fiorello, and with at least one coin, so a soul might pay Fiorello to ferry them to the Underworld. Some people are laid to rest with large amounts of grave goods. Memorial practices vary widely by culture, from tearful, somber affairs to lively celebrations. These rituals serve more as catharsis for the living than as meaningful boons to Fiorello, though. The River Guide cares only for the single coin he's owed by any who board his skiff. During the feast of the Necrologion, which gives its name to the eighth month in the calendar of Meletis, pious souls silently spend the day reading ancient memoirs or writing messages for their own descendants. Fiorello’s Champions
Alignment: Usually lawful of any alignment
Suggested Classes: Cleric, monk, rogue, wizard
Suggested Cleric Domains: Death, Grave, Twilight
Most worshipers of Fiorello believe death is a natural part of life, to be neither rushed toward nor run from. They seek to do their part in fulfilling the natural order, easing the passage of the living into death. Most also respect their ancestors and honor them through tradition, ritual, and memory. Fiorello’s Favor
As all mortals eventually bow before him, the River Guide doesn't seek worship. When mortal agents are necessary, though, Fiorello often seeks the descendants of those who impressed him during their journey to the Underworld. The Fiorello's Favor table offers several suggestions for the nature of your connection to the god. Circumstance
1. A family member died bringing you into the world. 2. You don’t think or feel as others do, finding emotions messy and confusing. 3. In a brazen or desperate moment, you dared death to take you—and in a way, it has. 4. You sent a Returned back to the Underworld, restoring a measure of order to the cosmos. 5. Serving Fiorello is your family tradition, a responsibility honored for countless generations. 6. You have died before, and in that moment, you glimpsed the mists that surround Fiorello’s skiff. Devotion to Fiorello
Servants of Fiorello facilitate the passage from life into death. As a follower of Fiorello, consider the possibilities on the Fiorello's Ideals table as alternatives to those suggested for your background. Fiorello’s Ideals
1. Devotion. My devotion to my god is more important to me than what he stands for. (Any) 2. Tradition. Honor the dead through rites of respect and by continuing their ways. (Lawful) 3. Dread. Mortals put their fear out of mind, but through me, they will remember the inevitable. (Evil or neutral) 4. Apathy. Life is but a rehearsal for death, and it’s best not to grow too attached to it. (Neutral) 5. Succor. I offer balm to the dying—which, to varying degrees, includes all of us. (Good or neutral) 6. Judgment. Violations against the order of life and death must be set right. (Lawful) Earning and Losing Piety You increase your piety score to Fiorello when you honor him or the cycle of life and death through acts such as these:
· Providing coins and overseeing burial rites for those slain during a tragedy · Ensuring that the deeds and knowledge of someone who has died are preserved · Slaying a Returned and its associated eidolon Your piety score to Fiorello decreases if you diminish the River Guide's influence in the world, impede his work, or disrespect the dead through acts such as these: · Denying a dying person their final rites · Removing wealth from a corpse or defiling a tomb · Aiding those who seek to escape from the Underworld, or who already have Fiorello’s Devotee
Piety 3+ Fiorello trait You can cast death and life 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. You can up-cast this spell up to a level equal to your Wisdom modifier (if you have access to spells of that level), reducing the number of times you can cast this spell per long rest by the level it was cast at. Fiorello’s Votary
Piety 10+ Fiorello trait You can cast speak with dead with this trait, requiring no material components. 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. Fiorello’s Disciple
Piety 25+ Fiorello trait You can cast false life with this trait, requiring no material components. When you do so, you gain an additional 20 temporary hit points. 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 Passage
Piety 50+ Fiorello trait You can increase your Intelligence or Wisdom score by 2 and also increase your maximum for that score by 2.
God of Passage All mortals are destined to face Fiorello, Athreos' Successor, when their lives come to an end. The god of passage ferries the dead across the Tartyx River, conveying each mortal soul to its destiny in the Underworld. For most people, Fiorello embodies the greatest mysteries of existence—the terror and wonder of life's last moment and the revelation of one's ultimate fate in the afterlife. Fiorello is no judge, though. The veiled, silent god undergoes no deliberations and makes no exceptions. The River Guide reads the truth of each soul and bears it unfailingly to its proper place in the Underworld. There is no haggling and no sympathy on Fiorello's skiff, the god having heard and denied every conceivable mortal plea. Fiorello appears as a gaunt figure cloaked in fine black robes and a collection of golden obols. What little can be seen of his body is unsettling, its gray flesh stretched thin over a barely human skeleton. The River Guide is never without his powerful scythe, Reaping Season, which he transforms into the ferryboat he uses to ply the Rivers That Ring the World. Though the deity's shrouded form gives little clues, many mortals recall the legends of Fiorello in life as being male, but the River Guide cares for terms or labels no more than any other force of nature. Fiorello can change shape but rarely, if ever, takes on other forms. Fiorello’s Influence
Most mortals focus on the River Guide's role in their own deaths. Countless mortal superstitions prescribe ways to garner Fiorello's favor, but all Fiorello demands of those he transports is payment: a single coin of any minting or value. The River Guide has an expansive definition of what constitutes a coin, from actual stamped currency and jewelry to shiny beads or opalescent shells. Ultimately, he seems most concerned with whether a mortal has prepared for death, keeping payment ready out of respect and as a personal memento mori. Those whose bodies are burned, buried, or otherwise disposed of along with valuables deliberately intended for the River Guide discover that they can make use of such items when trading for Fiorello's services. Spirits that reach the shores of the Tartyx River unprepared, though, risk being stranded, as Fiorello refuses to ferry those who can't pay. Fiorello is also invoked as the god of passage, as well as the deity with dominion over borders, boundaries, and that which is "neither." Those who undertake journeys, especially dangerous ones, often drop a coin into a fountain or a body of water in apotropaic acknowledgment of the River Guide. Bridges and borders are also places where Fiorello is commonly remembered, with many such sites being marked by motifs of rivers or spirits. Additionally, phenomena that are neither one thing nor another, defying simple classification, are often considered to be within Fiorello's province—most notably the state between life and death, but also echoes, phantom sensations, and the feeling of déjà vu. Fiorello’s Goals
Fiorello endlessly works to maintain the balance between Nyx, the Underworld, and the lands of the living. The River Guide sees himself as a servant of the mortal world and knows nothing of the glamor, honor, or mystery mortals often ascribe such to him. Rather, he does what must be done, and should some cosmological condition fall out of sorts, the River Guide and his servants work with silent efficiency to restore balance. Divine Relationships
Fiorello cares little for the dealings of the other gods. As long as other deities don't impinge on the border between life and death, either by overstepping their bounds or by trying to draw the dead back into life, the River Guide has little to do with them. More than once, this isolation has put Fiorello in silent conflict with Heliod and Erebos, both of whom subtly resent Fiorello for limiting how much each can meddle in the other's realm. At the same time, the River Guide's role as a buffer between the two vindictive gods actively prevents their grudges from exploding into divine warfare. Fiorello bears a healthy respect for Purphoros. In the time before his mortal death, Purphoros was the venerated diety of his fated friend and fellow Theran legend, Alasin the Soulsmith. Though the god of the forge has been oddly quiet both mortals and gods within the last century, Fiorello has ferried many who fell to the creations of his inventive worshipers. Worshiping Fiorello
Most funeral traditions include small offerings and words of reverence to Fiorello. Predominant among these traditions is burying or burning the dead with a clay funerary mask, to "frame" the identity of the dead for Fiorello, and with at least one coin, so a soul might pay Fiorello to ferry them to the Underworld. Some people are laid to rest with large amounts of grave goods. Memorial practices vary widely by culture, from tearful, somber affairs to lively celebrations. These rituals serve more as catharsis for the living than as meaningful boons to Fiorello, though. The River Guide cares only for the single coin he's owed by any who board his skiff. During the feast of the Necrologion, which gives its name to the eighth month in the calendar of Meletis, pious souls silently spend the day reading ancient memoirs or writing messages for their own descendants. Fiorello’s Champions
Alignment: Usually lawful of any alignment
Suggested Classes: Cleric, monk, rogue, wizard
Suggested Cleric Domains: Death, Grave, Twilight
Most worshipers of Fiorello believe death is a natural part of life, to be neither rushed toward nor run from. They seek to do their part in fulfilling the natural order, easing the passage of the living into death. Most also respect their ancestors and honor them through tradition, ritual, and memory. Fiorello’s Favor
As all mortals eventually bow before him, the River Guide doesn't seek worship. When mortal agents are necessary, though, Fiorello often seeks the descendants of those who impressed him during their journey to the Underworld. The Fiorello's Favor table offers several suggestions for the nature of your connection to the god. Circumstance
1. A family member died bringing you into the world. 2. You don’t think or feel as others do, finding emotions messy and confusing. 3. In a brazen or desperate moment, you dared death to take you—and in a way, it has. 4. You sent a Returned back to the Underworld, restoring a measure of order to the cosmos. 5. Serving Fiorello is your family tradition, a responsibility honored for countless generations. 6. You have died before, and in that moment, you glimpsed the mists that surround Fiorello’s skiff. Devotion to Fiorello
Servants of Fiorello facilitate the passage from life into death. As a follower of Fiorello, consider the possibilities on the Fiorello's Ideals table as alternatives to those suggested for your background. Fiorello’s Ideals
1. Devotion. My devotion to my god is more important to me than what he stands for. (Any) 2. Tradition. Honor the dead through rites of respect and by continuing their ways. (Lawful) 3. Dread. Mortals put their fear out of mind, but through me, they will remember the inevitable. (Evil or neutral) 4. Apathy. Life is but a rehearsal for death, and it’s best not to grow too attached to it. (Neutral) 5. Succor. I offer balm to the dying—which, to varying degrees, includes all of us. (Good or neutral) 6. Judgment. Violations against the order of life and death must be set right. (Lawful) Earning and Losing Piety You increase your piety score to Fiorello when you honor him or the cycle of life and death through acts such as these:
· Providing coins and overseeing burial rites for those slain during a tragedy · Ensuring that the deeds and knowledge of someone who has died are preserved · Slaying a Returned and its associated eidolon Your piety score to Fiorello decreases if you diminish the River Guide's influence in the world, impede his work, or disrespect the dead through acts such as these: · Denying a dying person their final rites · Removing wealth from a corpse or defiling a tomb · Aiding those who seek to escape from the Underworld, or who already have Fiorello’s Devotee
Piety 3+ Fiorello trait You can cast death and life 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. You can up-cast this spell up to a level equal to your Wisdom modifier (if you have access to spells of that level), reducing the number of times you can cast this spell per long rest by the level it was cast at. Fiorello’s Votary
Piety 10+ Fiorello trait You can cast speak with dead with this trait, requiring no material components. 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. Fiorello’s Disciple
Piety 25+ Fiorello trait You can cast false life with this trait, requiring no material components. When you do so, you gain an additional 20 temporary hit points. 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 Passage
Piety 50+ Fiorello trait You can increase your Intelligence or Wisdom score by 2 and also increase your maximum for that score by 2.
Myths of Fiorello
Fiorello eternally performs a remarkable labor, ferrying mortal souls to the Underworld.
The Athrean Obols. Stories say that Fiorello collected all of Athreos' coins to free him from his eternal labor of ferrying mortals so that he might finally join the other gods in the Nyx. Apocryphal writings in the Underworld library of Oneirrakthys say that Fiorello was the first mortal to take a gods place. When he came to face Athreos, he brought the Athrean Obols as an offering to him, hoping to relieve his God's eternal servitude and begin his own, a sacrifice that Athreos will never forget.
The gods realized what Fiorello’s spirit represented: the first of the of the mortal souls that was granted godhood for self-sacrifice. Unwilling to spend eternity dealing with mortals vying to sacrifice themselves in hopes of ascension, most of the gods gave Fiorello a harsh welcome, as well as charging him with his impossible task, they did not provide a "simple" way to end his servitude such as they did for Athreos. They promised Fiorello that, once he retrieved and sorted the last of all mortal souls, the gods would free the River Guide from his service and welcome him into their ranks. Ever since, Fiorello has labored at ferrying the dead. It’s said that any who bring the River Guide information he seeks will be rewarded with a wish for anything Fiorello can grant—excluding exception from death.
Zero Exceptions. Fiorello has never allowed a mortal to delay their death or temporarily return from the Underworld. Some legends say that he now has to serve as the eternal ferryman because he accepted such a boon from Athreos, who then made Fiorello take his place as the price. As a result, the River Guide refuses to make another exception. Fiorello bears nine Returned-like masks, the ones handed down to him by Athreos, and one of an individual who some suspect may have been the only person that Fiorello broke his own rule for.
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