Isil

(a.k.a. The Raven Queen, The Queen, The Goddess of Death, The Queen of Death)

Few gods engender as much confusion, uncertainty, and fear as the Isil, even though she is not counted among the evil gods, and is certainly not considered destructive or belligerent. This deity is shrouded in secrecy, legend, and myth to such an extent that separating truth from fiction proves a daunting task.
Few mortal creatures view death as something cheerful or welcome. Despite this, virtually every person understands the inevitability of death, and its crucial part of the life cycle. As a result, the typical response to the Goddess of Death is a curious blend of fear, suspicion, reluctance, and acceptance. There is no escape from her clutches in the end.
Many mortals view death, and the Death Goddess, with superstitious dread. In their eyes, every sign is an omen of impending death, every strange occurrence a foreboding of the dark reaper. There are countless legends, folktales, and myths surrounding death and dying, the afterlife, and Isil’s role in the process. Underlying these fears is one basic question: where do souls go after death? It is said that the gods do not even know where most souls travel after death, and the truth remains known only to Isil.
Servants of the Isil wage a constant struggle to educate people about the goddess. They proclaim the Queen is a friend to mortals. She brings cessation of pain and suffering, grants peace to those ravaged by age, and makes room for the birth of new souls. The Raven Queen is an extension of nature, a part of the cycle of life and death. In this way, she is no more evil than a bolt of lightning or rainstorm. She claims the souls of the dead because that is her role, not because it brings her any pleasure or glee.
Not surprisingly, even the clerics of the Death Goddess are shrouded in folktales and rumor. Many people look upon these priests as bad luck. At the same time, when a friend or family member passes away, people call upon these priests without hesitation. When it comes to the realm of the dead, there is no one else to call upon.
The Raven Queen frequently receives the prayers of warriors, soldiers, and those who risk their lives often. Although these individuals may not consider the Queen their patron deity, all warriors appreciate the constant proximity of death; after all, they function in a dangerous, violent, and unpredictable profession. To men and women of the sword, death remains a constant companion. Wise warriors do not seek out death, but they do not fear it or run from the Raven Queen. In the end, there is no such thing as outrunning death, so it is best to say your prayers to her and have your affairs in order before every conflict. Many people believe the goddess becomes most vindictive and persistent with those who try to cheat her or avoid her cold embrace.

Divine Domains

Main Domains: Darkness (Moon and Night), Death
Other Domains: Animals, Plants, Law, Repose (Ancestors)

Holy Books & Codes

Liber Mortuorum
This codex is written in an ancient language and further obscured with codes and ciphers. Only priests of a certain level within the Raven Queen’s church are taught how to read or interpret the Liber Mortuorum. Possession of this book by any outside the Queen’s clergy is viewed as worthy of swift death. It is likewise forbidden for those who are not priests to know how to read the text. There are a number of stories that describe the strange and tragic curse that seems to befall unauthorized readers or owners of the Liber Mortuorum.
For the most part, the Raven Queen’s clerics remain silent on what the holy book contains. In the absence of facts, people have formulated an astonishing number of stories and fables about the work. Priests of other religions have long postulated about what dark and horrible secrets lie within its pages.
For their part, clerics of the Raven Queen indicate their holy book consists primarily of prayers, rituals, and ceremonies designed to consecrate the deceased and speed the journey of the soul on to the Death Goddess.

Divine Symbols & Sigils

Because death is such an omnipresent part of the mortal condition, every culture and race believes in different omens and portents of death and dying. Many humans, for example, believe the appearance of a raven on the windowsill at twilight is a sign the occupant of the room will die before morning. Elves consider the sudden arrival of a flock of ravens signals an impending battle or disaster. Dwarves believe that a black cat is an omen of death. Even the most learned of the Raven Queen’s clergy are unable to determine which omens are true and which are coincidental. In the end, the Queen keeps her own counsel as to when death strikes, and she is rarely inclined to offer hints and forewarnings.
Dreams, although not necessarily considered omens of the Raven Queen’s will, are nonetheless important. Worshipers of the Queen of Death believe that the dream world is connected to the realm of death. When a mortal dreams, he travels one step closer to the Raven Queen’s demesne (one foot in the grave, so to speak). The dream world offers mortals their only glimpse (shadowy and shrouded though it may usually be) into life after death.

Tenets of Faith

Hold no pity for those who suffer and die, for death is the natural end of life. 
On the surface, this may seem a harsh of uncaring philosophy. It represents a stark and unavoidable truth; death is unavoidable, and death always wins in the end. Underneath, however, are numerous deeper ideas and beliefs. The tenet has nothing to do with ignoring suffering or foregoing compassion. Instead, it offers comfort to the living. When a loved one dies, his friends and family should feel happy for him, for he is freed of suffering and fear, and has escaped to his final rest. Those souls traveling to the Raven Queen are safe and secure, and have put the concerns of mortal life behind them. All mortals should feel a sense of comfort knowing that death awaits them, not as a hunter or murderer, but as a final source of succor and tranquility.
Bring down the proud who try to cast off the chains of fate. Punish hubris where you find it. 
This tenet has sparked considerable debate and confusion amongst the Raven Queen’s clergy. As often happens, different interpretations have spawned separate sects and splinter groups of the Queen’s church, each with its own understanding of the intent.

Watch for the cults of Shal'isil and stamp them out whenever they arise. 
There exists a deep and endless enmity between the Raven Queen and Shal'isil, (a similar, albeit lesser, hatred exists between The Lich and the Queen). The unliving represent a debasement of life, and such creatures are an affront to the Goddess of Death. She demands her priests combat all plots and schemes involving the undead or Shal'isil. The two churches often oppose one another, and their conflicts inevitably involve violence, destructive, and bloodshed.

Holidays

Night of Ascension (Autumnfall, 30)
Many people of Caelestra see this cheery celebration of the dead to be unnerving and macabre, but the Raven’s followers believe the honoured dead would rather be venerated with cheer, not misery.

Divine Classification

Deity

Religions

• The Lunarichists

Church/Cult

The Lunarichists