Nex Szar, God of Death
"Perhaps the greatest surprise of my death was not that it had happened, but that when I stepped from my body Nex Szar was waiting for me and greeted me as an old friend. He, the god I had perhaps paid least attention to, had done the most to comfort me. He, who I had avoided for most my time as a priest, embraced me all the same when he rescued my soul." -Willem Silverhand, former Priest of the Fifteen.
The god of Death, Nex Szar is the most misunderstood of all the gods. Nex is one of the fifteen primary deities of Illiria, responsible for shepherding and judging all souls that have come to an end of their mortal lives.
Shepherd of the Fallen
As much as is possible, Nex Szar likes to personally appear to the recently deceased. If not him, then one of his servants. He spends a short time with each ghost and comforts them before taking them to his home plane, Geminus Predicae, a sprawling city of the dead where souls wait to be judged. When Nex personally takes a soul, he will often pass on final messages to the loved ones. Nex and his servants cannot be everywhere at once, however, and the sheer number of souls on the continent means that most will not be able to send a direct message in such a manner. For these, Nex uses his godly power to send portents to comfort the grieving.Guardian of Souls
The god of death is slow to anger, for he endlessly deals with those who are (understandably) upset about being dead, and he usually does not get upset at blasphemers and personal insults as a result. However, the one tenet of Nex that must never be violated states that the undead are grotesque abominations in all their corporeal forms and must be hunted down wherever they rise. Death priests to this end are trained in combat and well versed with the weaknesses of the dead. The primary function of his holy champion is to destroy them. The only souls not treated with kindness are those of necromancers, these usually immediately consigned to the Void of Innocence where they will be punished for the closest thing to eternity Nex is comfortable assigning. Of course, souls bound to another deity get a pass, and for this reason Nex is opposed to Ku'Qala more than any other god- the Lord of Contracts tends to give his followers unreasonable powers including the binding of souls.Divine Domains
Nex Szar presides over the domains of Death, Repose, Ruins, Travel, and Void
Artifacts
The holy champion of Nex Szar is called the Watcher Between Worlds, and their service is marked with the scythe Preserver, which gives the user the power to disrupt negative energy. The scythe cannot destroy the undead by itself, but it can sever control a necromancer has over undead, and it can prevent new undead from being created in its presence. This also allows the champion to stop an undead cleric from accessing the gifts of their deity, though it does not shut down spellcasting as a whole.
The Raven's Cloak is a black hooded cloak that allows whoever wears it to pass between the mortal world and Geminus Predicae at will, at the cost of being unable to interact with mortals while using it.
The Reaper's Staff was created by Nex Szar in the events leading up to the Sylvan War.
Holy Books & Codes
Grief is a guide of how to respect and honor the dead as well as spiritually guide grieving families. Curiously, it also has a chapter dedicated to descriptions and weaknesses of the undead.
Death priests take a relatively simple oath. They promise to Honor the Dead, Guard the Living, Offer Comfort to the Dying, and Destroy the Undead.
Divine Symbols & Sigils
The Hooded Man is the symbol of Nex worshipers. His warriors favor the scythe, and ravens are said to herald his arrival. In the presence of Nex Szar and when his moon is ascendant, fire burns a dull but comforting gray and reveals the presence of restless spirits.
Tenets of Faith
There are those who will always misunderstand a death cult. Treat them with patience. Our mission is to shepherd souls and to destroy the undead, not to rise against the living.
Holidays
Valkyrie is a two day period during Journey in which people pay respect and pay tribute to the dead. It is a solemn time and Nex looks with special disfavor on those who take a life during the event.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
To ease the pain of the deceased
Relationships
Divine Classification
God
Alignment
Neutral Good
Honorary & Occupational Titles
The Last Friend, The Guide, The Ghost of the Fallen, The Warm Embrace, God of Death, Bringer of the Blessed Sleep
Spouses
Attinae, Goddess of Monsters
(spouse)
Siblings
Children
Current Residence
Geminus Predicai
Quotes & Catchphrases
"I am sorry you had to die. I can help you say goodbye, if you like, before we go to the Great Beyond. I am in no hurry. Take all the time you need."
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
Comments