Benatur
God of Judgment and Time
As the god of judgment, Benatur presides over the delegation of mortal souls to the afterlife. As the god of time, he ensures that time flows unimpeded and protects it from being tampered with. He is considered extremely wise and his impartial council is highly respected amongst the gods. Benatur often oversees treaties and other deals made between higher-powered beings. He is a powerful force for order and serves as a mediator and justiciar capable of holding cosmic beings accountable for their actions. Benatur is often depicted as an Odesian human male with a noble disposition and wearing some form of judicial or noble attire. He is traditionally depicted without hair and wearing a gold circlet with a depiction of a small, crested pterosaur in the center, as pterosaurs are often seen as Benatur's messengers.
It is said that when the first mortal died, there was no one to watch or guide their soul to their deserved afterlife. Instead, their soul shone like a beacon as they drifted aimlessly within the space between the planes. It was not long before the various extraplanar entities were attracted to this beacon and realized the untapped potential of the soul. These beings fought and killed each other, trying to maintain possession of the soul, forcing it to exchange hands repeatedly and undergo untold trials and horrors. It is unknown exactly how, but eventually, the soul freed itself from this torment and rapidly rose to power. This soul was Benatur, and when he rose to power, he vowed that no other soul would undergo the same trauma.
At that point, Benatur created the system for conveying souls to his realm, where he could judge them and ensure they are sent to their proper afterlife. He created and enlisted the aid of various beings to aid in the protection of these souls against those who would prey upon them before they received their judgment. Atu, the god of undeath, was once one of these protectors and served as Benatur's right hand. However, Atu attempted to usurp Benatur's position and nearly succeeded if not for the efforts of Jesvata, who was both Benatur's friend and the god of time. Unfortunately, Jesvata was killed in the process of stopping Atu's coup. After Atu's betrayal, Benatur appointed Nebt-Nehi as his right hand to help protect and manage the souls of the deceased. Recognizing his failure, Benatur gave Nebt-Nehi full dominion over death and took over the role of the god of time for his slain ally. Retaining his role as the god of judgment, Benatur continues to judge the souls of the dead while Nebt-Nehi sees they are delivered to their proper afterlife. It is believed all deities have a representative who sits upon Benatur's council, acting as a jury who might petition for any given soul during their trial.
Benatur's followers include judges, nobles, and lawmakers. The average person will pray or appeal to Benatur in the hopes that they might receive a fair trial. Others will pray to be sent to whatever afterlife they prefer. Benatur's clergy often attend funerary rites of the deceased, going so far as to work with the followers of other deities and Nebt-Nehi's clergy during the process. It is believed that in doing this, the soul has a better chance of being delivered to the proper afterlife of their faith. Benatur's faithful, like Benatur himself, view the undead as an affront to the cycle of life and death. Many of his clergy devote their lives to hunting down and destroying undead wherever they might be found.
Places dedicated to the worship of Benatur are usually places of law and legislature. These buildings are often used as courthouses where trials might be held and city officials can form laws in a secure environment. Other temples of Benatur are places dedicated to the study and preservation of time. Vast libraries of historical records and mechanisms designed to measure the flow of time and detect disturbances can be found within these temples.
Mental characteristics
Gender Identity
He/Him
Domains:
Erosion, Law, Nobility, Ruins, Rune, Time
Favored Weapon:
Khopesh
Erosion, Law, Nobility, Ruins, Rune, Time
Favored Weapon:
Khopesh
Divine Classification
Greater Deity
Alignment
Lawful Neutral
Children
Comments