The Matron of Ravens

The Raven Queen

Alignment: Lawful Neutral Master over the skein of fate and the mistress of winter, the Matron of Ravens stands as the god of death. Her gaze follows and marks the end of each mortal life, watching 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. Those who keep ancient lore believe the Matron of Ravens was once mortal herself, and is the only known mortal to have ascended. Her rise instantly obliterated the previous, now-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 Matron of Ravens herself exist, with many temples merely using the raven as a symbol of her blessing. Those that do depict her, however, reveal a tall, pale woman wrapped in dangling black linens, her onyx-black hair straight and never ending, her face obscured by a white, porcelain mask.

Divine Domains

Domains: Life, Death, Blood

Tenets of Faith

• 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.

Holidays

The Matron of Raven’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. Many people of Emon see this cheery celebration of the dead to be unnerving and macabre, but the Raven’s followers believe the honored dead would rather be venerated with cheer, not misery. The Matron of Ravens is also considered by some the winter patron to the holiday of Winter’s Crest: the celebration in Tal’Dorei of freedom from Errevon the Rimelord, celebrated on the 20th day of the twelfth month. Most, however, see this holiday belonging to the people of the land, and recognize no pertaining divine worship.

Divine Classification

Deity

Religions