The Sisters of Death

Origins

"Are we not all the mirror image of another in some way? I ask this to suggests that our opposites are not nearly as different as we may believe. One person may be incredibly ambitious whilst another may find that events are best left up to fate. They are different in that one lacks motivation and the other has a nearly preternatural drive to do. Siblings are quite the same. Many believe that siblings born from the same womb are likely to have more similarities than differences, yet it is a natural spite that drives at least one of the children to bear a different fruit than that of their kin. "We must not see these differences as black and white, but more in the family of grays. Morality is not simply black as the night or white as freshly fallen snow, for we must oftentimes reap "evil" to sow "good". Within the mind of all are The Sisters. One, Heiran, represents our natural order and the belief that death is to come naturally whilst the other, Nareis, represents a death taken by the hands of another."

—Rekolad, Philosopher

Heiran and Nareis are the sister gods of death. During the reign of the Elder Gods, they were quite young. The Sisters have persisted longer than any other living god as mortality is a challenging thing to defy. They are often referred to as The Eternals for such a reason, as with the power of their worship alongside the cosmological need of their existence they cannot simply be displaced or destroyed without dire consequences. As a whole, the Sisters represent the cycle of mortality in its many different facets. Heiran and Nareis are notorious for their infighting and unending challenge of one another's dictations of mortality and often use their followings to settle their disputes.

The Faith

Most of the priests and priestesses tend to avoid the topic of the cosmological divide between the two sisters and instead choose to represent Heiran, the sister that wishes for mortals to live their entire life to the fullest. Their duties tend to fall in line with the planning of funerals, assisting in burials, and spiritual protection of their resting place. Many such clerics are adamantly against the use of necromantic magics as it defies the wishes and teachings of Heiran. The tenets of the faith include healing those that need it, learning to not fear death, easing the friends and family of passed loved ones, assisting with burial rites, and to destroy unlife as it is blasphemy to wake the dead.

The Following

Heiran has one of the largest followings within the cities. It is common to see temples of Heiran nearby graveyards or cemeteries as to keep them safe from those that would dare to defile the dead. Most of the priesthood wear robes of black with white silk sashes about their waste, though those ranking higher in the hierarchy tend to wear hats of white and a cloak of white silk about their shoulders.

"To maintain the natural balance of things is to keep the realms safe from those that would dare mock nature and Lady Heiran, blessed be her name. The Red Stain is not simply a threat to our faith but to the wellbeing of all living creatures"

—High Priest of Heiran

Very few mortals choose to become priests or clerics of Nareis despite the fact that she is the sister of Heiran. This diminutive flock of disciples is often referred to as "The Red Stain" or simply "The Stain". The clergy of Heiran never speak the name of Nareis and have been known to destroy shrines and places of worship that dare stand in the same city as a temple of Heiran. Followers are referred to as "false ones". These "false ones" are often believed to practice the dark art of necromancy, believing that Lady Nereis granted them the knowledge to return mortals from the dead as the natural evolution of life and that the afterlife may be lived in service to the living.

History & Rumors

There have been several battles and conflicts between the followers of Heiran and the false ones of Nareis over the past centuries. Many philosophers and scholars make clear that there is great hypocrisy in such conflicts that inevitably lead to the death of thousands or more. The current followers of Heiran refuse to acknowledge that these skirmishes ever happened despite records detailing the unprovoked slaughter of those believed to be the Red Stain. Even now, many citizens of the Ptolus watch skeptically as they wait for another round of sisters using their followers to squabble over one another. Open conflict (for obvious reasons) is not allowed in the city as to prevent casualties. The false ones' following has invaded the Ptolus' nobility and, as such, many nobles have made efforts to reclaim abandoned cemeteries. Some believe that these nobles use these cemeteries for sinister means such as digging up the dead to use as undead servants within their operations.
Undead are not incredibly common in the Ptolus, as there are many different faiths in the city that abhor the undead and would see them destroyed and returned to rest. However, many suspect that the false ones are not working alone in their endeavors to raise an undead legion and that many other nefarious organizations and benefactors provide funding and places of worship to Nareis, the sister of murder.

Religions

• The Sisters Priesthood

Ptolus Gods Major Sisters Red Text by WhiteWingedCrow