The Raven Queen

The Raven Queen resides sometimes in the Shadowfell. The guide between Birth, Fate, Blood and Death.
aka Lady Scythe of The Enduring Ones
Names: Scythe; Lady Scythe; Valentina; Uhlume; The Raven Queen; The Queen of Ravens; The Matron of the Raven; Death Bird; Winter Witch; Grand Doula; Valkyrie: Chooser of the Slain; Death
Symbols = silver ankh; black raven;
Realm = the Shadowfell
Gender: Seen mostly as female, and majorly referred to as She and Her - although they are Gender Fluid.
Alignment: Lawful Neutral

MAIN TEMPLE:

Horris in Kilt

TEMPLES:

Jeyton in Genx
Kellos City in Tucalyos
Zonja in Uphorn
Carr in Tuck
Lilbeth in Agwain

The Eye of the Raven Queen: Olin (Kutloc) An ancient bronze statue of a male Human warrior with the head of a raven. It is said that anyone who sacrifices one of their own eyes before the statue can see and speak with Death until the next dawn.

SHRINES:

Locke in Gert ,
Vilnon on Fogi Island ,
Scarlet in Tucalyos ,

CELEBRATIONS

Winter Hum = The music is without lyrics only a hum, which is dedicated to The Raven Queen on the shortest day of Winter.

Lady Scythe is about the beauty of death - The Raven Queen does not like Necromancy - sending those who practice necromancy to Zombata, the 7th layer of The Hells. Although not an Archfey, many think of her as one. She marks the end of each mortal life, and mourners call upon her during funeral rites, in the hope that she will guard the departed from the curse of undeath.

Scythe along with Destine, another member of The Enduring Ones, are together protectors of The Fates, who weave the threads of each one's destiny into people's lives. The Three Fates reside inside Moirai within the Shadowfell. The three Fates, control the mother thread of life, from birth to death. Her duty is to safeguard a soul's passage to and from the natural world to whatever lay beyond.

Lady Scythe's gaze is lead by The Fates - following and marking the beginning and end of each mortal life, as well as the blood flowing in living veins.
The Raven Queen watches over the transition between life and death and ensuring the natural transition is undefiled. Many funerals call to her blessing in hopes that she will protect the deceased from the terrible curse of undeath.
The Raven Queen was once not a deity - only the royal immortal Scythe of The Enduring Ones. Her rise to deity instantly obliterated the previous, since long-forgotten god of death, and the other gods quickly and fearfully destroyed the secrets to the rites of ascension.

Few existing visual depictions of the true face of the Raven Queen herself exist, with many temples merely using the raven or an ankh as the symbols of her blessing.
Those that do depict her, however, reveal a tall, pale woman wrapped in dangling black linens, her onyx-black straight hair, her face obscured by a white, Oōruritē face mask and black robes in the company of black ravens. The silver Ankh unseen beneath the ropes.
The figure has been know to scare people into better behaviours, warn of danger, or aid in stopping an Undead creature.
* This Oōruritēmask has been known to show extreme anger when dealing with those who use necromancy or aid the remaining of a creature being Undead.


In the Fortress of Memories of the Shadowfell reside loyal Shadow Elves, the Shadar-Kai .

FOLLOWERS

The Raven Queen’s holy day is the Night of Ascension, celebrating her apotheosis. The actual date of the goddess’s rise to divinity is unclear, but the Night of Ascension is nonetheless celebrated on the thirteenth day of the tenth month. The Raven’s followers believe the honoured dead would rather be venerated with cheer, not misery.

When called upon her Clerics will speak to the recently dead to answer questions and bring justice.

Commandments of the Matron of Ravens • Death is the natural end of life. There is no pity for those who have fallen. • The path of Fate is sacrosanct. Those who pridefully attempt to cast off their destiny must be punished. • Undeath is an atrocity. Those who would pervert the transition of the soul must be brought down

THE RAVEN QUEEN PACT

Those who prove their worth to her are often allowed to join the Watchers of the Night to help deal with threats from the Underdark and The Hells.
Archfey Magic: When deal damage, they may choose either cold, psychic or necrotic. The damage type changes to the type chosen. They can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus and regain all uses after a long rest.

Structure

Grim Censer-Bearers: They are hulking priests who swing iron censers from which intoxicating blue smoke issues.

Sorrowsworn: those who want to become her devoted servants must undergo grueling quests. If they succeed, the Raven Queen transforms them into one of her winged, scythe-wielding Sorrowsworn.

Public Agenda

To Meet the Raven Queen: In order to gain an audience with the Raven Queen, pilgrims have to complete a challenge at each of the four Fate Pillars outside her palace. These challenges are kind of odd
* Shadowthorns: Stand in shrubs for three turns.
* Bathe in a cistern for 3 turns (heal yourself if you like)
* Get the blood-crystal raven skull from a hole in the ground over there. It's a magic item.
* Get a book from that library over there. Hold it in your hands. OK, you can see The Raven Queen now.

Once the travelers are allowed inside, her sorrowsworn may attack them.

Death’s malodorous emanations are noxious to the Raven Queen’s servants.

Type

Religious, Pantheon

Alternative Names

The Matron of the Raven; Death Bird; Uhlume; Death; Lady Scythe; Winter Witch; Grand Doula;

Location

Horris

Controlled Territories

• Locke
• Shadowfell
• The Citadel of Spirits
• The Raven Queen Temple (Main: Horris)
• The Winter House of the Raven Queen