Cocytus (Ka-sih-tuss)
River of Sorrow
For more information on all deities, see: Deities
All souls inevitably drift along Cocytus, the sentient Evergate that flows through the Multiverse, guiding the dead to their proper afterlife. Both a deity and an Anchor Plane, Cocytus embodies the flow of life and death, carrying souls that weep with sorrow and nostalgia. It does not judge but ensures each soul reaches its destined fate, whether in paradise or torment.
Physical Description
Cocytus is a vast, unwinding river with spectral, translucent waters, filled with the lost souls of the deceased. Its surface reflects a cyan-colored sheen and emits a mournful, eternal wail. When Cocytus manifests physically, it often appears as a roiling wave with a sorrowful, faceless figure emerging from it or as an enormous whirlpool with an eye that stares endlessly into the abyss. In mortal accounts, Cocytus takes the form of an imposing ferryman clad in ragged robes, bearing a scythe and a lantern of pale light. Wherever the figure treads, the waters they leave behind age and erode everything they touch.
Divine Realm
Cocytus is a unique plane in of itself despite also being an Evergate; it is a river stretching across various afterlives, where grief and memory weigh heavily on the living. Mortals sometimes wander its shores, seeking loved ones or redemption, however time flows strangely here, and those who linger too long risk becoming part of the current forever. In its depths, forgotten souls swirl, their lives and deaths reflected on the eerie surface. Along the banks, echoes of past lives persist, while dim lanterns however, lighting the way. For those resisting death’s call, Cocytus sends its psychopomps—shadowy figures who ensure all souls move on. They sail on macabre gondolas, following the lanterns and leading lost souls to their final rest. Cocytus is believed to be among the most powerful entities in the metaphysical realm, surpassing any single deity. Some claim the enormous skeletal remains submerged within it belong to fallen gods who defied the natural order of life and death.
Tenets of Faith
- All who pass are due respect, and their journey to the afterlife must not be hindered.
- Tampering with the afterlife through necromancy or otherwise invites the wrath of Cocytus.
- Remember the ferryman’s role, for all shall one day cross the river’s waters.
Worshipers
Few actively worship Cocytus, as it is less of a god to be revered and more a force to be acknowledged. Those who do are often clerics, morticians, and guides who assist the dead in finding peace. Worshipers conduct solemn rituals to ensure the dead are prepared for the journey across the river. Some of these clerics are ferrymen in the mortal world, guiding the spirits of the dead to their final rest. The clergy of Cocytus dress in muted colors and carry small vessels of water from sacred rivers or streams to bless the deceased.
Paladins of Cocytus
Unlike traditional paladins who seek to uphold righteousness or justice, paladins of Cocytus serve a higher purpose: maintaining the balance of life and death. They do not seek glory in battle but rather to fulfill their sacred duty of ensuring that the dead are respected, and their souls reach their proper destination. They are sworn to protect the natural order, guiding lost souls and combating any force that would upset this balance. Their mission often leads to hunting down necromancers, undead, and any who defy the cycle of death through unnatural means. Their presence in a region is a sign of a grave spiritual disturbance. The creed of Cocytus’ enforcers emphasizes the following tenets:- Respect the Dead: All dead, regardless of their life, must be honored. I must ensure their passage remains undisturbed.
- Protect the Soul’s Journey: I will ensure that no soul is trapped, manipulated, or enslaved. Those who attempt such acts must be destroyed.
- Embrace the Cycle: Life and death are intertwined. I do not fear death, for it is a part of the natural order.
- Destroy the Defiled: Undead are a perversion of nature. I will seek out and eliminate any who defy the natural cycle of life and death.
Mortal Ushers
When threats like a lich enslaving ghosts or a demon stealing souls arise, psychopomps occasionally enlist a Mortal Usher—a living agent empowered to act where they cannot. These mortals, recognized for defending the natural order of life and death, operate independently of the Cocyan clergy, though these priests and paladins revere them as elites. The Ushers hunt the undead and those who defy mortality, gradually taking on traits of Cocytus’ envoys. Rare and formidable, their presence often signals an impending disaster.Holy Books & Codes
The Lamentations of Cocytus
The Lamentations are a solemn yet poignant collection of hymns and reflections on death, mourning, and the afterlife. As the holy book of the Cocyan faith, it offers understanding to the grieving rather than comfort. Its poetic verses echo the grief of both the living and the dead, reflecting on the weight of memory and the inevitability of fate. While somber, it is revered by those who tend to the dead, serving not as a source of despair but as a guide to accepting the responsibilities of their calling. Deeply personal to its followers, the text invites individual interpretation through the lens of personal loss.Contacts & Relations
Arael
Cocytus is a cosmic force that ensures the flow of souls remains uninterrupted. It neither judges nor comforts; it simply fulfills its purpose as the ferry of souls to their proper afterlife. Arael, in contrast, takes a more intimate and compassionate approach. He ensures that souls are treated with care, provides solace to the grieving, and guides spirits that might otherwise become lost. Where Cocytus ensures the process happens, Arael ensures it happens with grace and dignity. Despite their shared goals, Cocytus regards Arael's involvement in mortal affairs—such as his endorsement of white necromancy and direct interventions in the journey of souls—as unnecessary interference. Officially, the Cocyan clergy condemns Arael and his flock, fundamentally opposing his use of necromancy as a means to achieve his ideals, even if some acknowledge the nobility of his intentions. Privately, however, some Cocyan adherents have been known to offer discreet aid, choosing to act against religious doctrine when their personal convictions conflict with the impartiality of Cocytus' teachings.Halmyra
Halmyra sees herself as the antithesis of Cocytus, claiming to offer mercy where the River delivers finality. While Cocytus carries souls to their destined ends, Halmyra preserves them, defying the inevitability of death. She presents herself as a champion of free will, offering souls the choice to escape their fated journey and remain in eternal stasis, even in undeath. To Cocytus, Halmyra is a distortion of the natural order. Her preservation traps souls in a limbo of suffering, denying them the release and resolution that death provides. Though Cocytus views her actions as misguided, it does not respond with malice but with cold inevitability. Her defiance may delay the flow of fate, but it cannot stop it. When her influence disrupts the balance, Cocytus intervenes, sending psychopomps or mortal agents to restore order, seeing her as little more than a fleeting disruption in the eternal cycle.Niwali
Cocytus views reincarnation as a delay of the soul’s final rest, while Niwali sees his finality as incomplete, believing souls need multiple lifetimes to reach their full potential. Despite this, they share a mysterious accord: Niwali may reincarnate select souls under unknown conditions, while respecting those claimed by Cocytus. Their roles meet at death, where a soul either moves on through Cocytus or returns to Niwali’s cycle of rebirth. Over time, some followers have come to see their relationship as symbiotic—Niwali prepares souls for the final journey with Cocytus.Divine Traits
General Information
Alternative Name(s)
Dread River of Oaths
God of the Afterlife
God of Death
God of the Dead
River of the Dead
River of Sorrow
The Weeping Waters
Alignment
N
Follower Alignment(s)
LG, LN, NG, N
Tier of Divinity
Elder Gods
Pantheon(s)
The Dead Three
Area(s) of Concern
Afterlife, birth, death, fate, rivers, time
Favored Weapon(s)
Scythe
Sacred Animal(s)
Vulture
Sacred Color(s)
Black, gray, sea green
Symbol
Flowing river of souls
Worshipers
Clerics, executioners, ferrymen, gravekeepers, the grieving, morticians, priests, undertakers
Worshipers' Adjective(s)
Cocyan
Divine Realm
Cocytus
Dungeons & Dragons 5e
Domain(s)
Grave
Pathfinder 1e
Domain(s)
Darkness, Death, Luck, Repose, Water
Subdomain(s)
Ancestors, Fate, Loss, Psychopomp (Death / Repose), Rivers, Souls
Pathfinder 2e
Domain(s)
Death, Fate, Repose, Water
Alternative Domain(s)
Sorrow, Soul, Vigil
Divine Ability
Constitution or Wisdom
Divine Font
Harm or Heal
Sanctification
Can choose holy or unholy
Divine Skill
Religion
Cleric Spells
1st: Mindlink
2nd: Reaper's Lantern
3rd: Ghostly Weapon
4th: Dirge of Remembrance
Children
Comments