Church of the Raven Queen
Taros, as one of the Primeval Deities, is among the most widely-worshipped Gods. Anywhere where death plays a part in a settlement - generally in a cemetery or graveyard - Taros will be there in one form or another.
Within the church of the Raven Queen, the clergy is viewed by people with a mixture of respect and fear. The presence of her followers tends to be an omen of death, as ravens are traditionally seen in graveyards and near mortuaries, or feasting on the bodies of the recently-deceased. Services held involve chanting and singing, considered joyous occasions and a celebration of life and death. Members of the clergy also keep records of their communities' deaths and births.
Within the church of the Raven Queen, the clergy is viewed by people with a mixture of respect and fear. The presence of her followers tends to be an omen of death, as ravens are traditionally seen in graveyards and near mortuaries, or feasting on the bodies of the recently-deceased. Services held involve chanting and singing, considered joyous occasions and a celebration of life and death. Members of the clergy also keep records of their communities' deaths and births.
Divine Origins
Worship of the Raven Queen has existed for as long as civilisation has; for as long as there have been people around, there have been rituals to follow relating to their deaths. The faith of Taros developed out of necessity more than anything else; people needed a way to bury their dead, and as a result mortals begun to follow Taros and adhere to the teachings that were scribed by her chosen. Overtime, these teachings became part and parcel of everyday life, making the Raven Queen one of the most widely-worshipped Gods.
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.
Ethics
The faithful of Taros place a great deal of emphasis of respecting death and the dead. Those who pass on are treated with the dignity and respect that they deserve, and it is the job of the faithful to ensure that the spirit can pass on and meet with the Raven Queen to be judged.
The faithful tend to have a mixed feeling of resurrection; some believe resurrection goes against the very cycle of life and death and pulls the souls of the dead away from Taros's grasp, while others believe that the dead will only return to their full life if Taros allows it.
Undeath of any kind is considered to be sinful and taboo in the church of the Raven Queen. It is seen as the responsibility of her faithful to strike down any and all undead where they can.
Worship
The Raven Queen is worshiped mainly on funeral rites to ensure a safe passage of spirits to the Raven's Road and beyond. She is also prayed to to ensure that if they are reborn, they are given a better life.
She frequently receives the prayers of warriors, soldiers, and those who risk their lives. Although they may not consider the Queen their patron, all warriors appreciate how close death is, as they function in a dangerous profession. In the end, there is no such thing as outrunning death, so say your prayers to her and have your affairs in order before conflict.
Those who worship the Raven Queen believe that she becomes vindictive and active with those who try to cheat death and avoid her cold embrace. Many Paladins and Clerics who fight the undead will receive blessing and swear fealty to her.
The temples of the Raven Queen have the appearance of large, dark, ancient cathedrals found close to graveyards, though a single stone in an empty field or graveyard can serve as a shrine. Underneath these buildings are catacombs filled with crypts of the dead, typically of priests and affluent townsfolk. These crypts are often warded from necromantic spells to prevent the creation of undead.
Priesthood
The priests of the Raven Queen are distinguished by their dark attire, coloured black with grey embroidery and some kind of black feather adorned on their dress, ranging from a single feather to a full cloak of raven's feathers.
Taros' priests are typically clerics, diviners, and necromancers who choose not to create undead. Her followers view undead with hatred and consider them an abomination, and see putting them to rest as a holy duty. The creation of undead is outlawed, and commanding undead rather than destroying them is frowned upon.
Granted Divine Powers
Foresight
Given that Taros is the Goddess of not only death and rebirth but also Fate, one of the gifts she can grant onto her followers is the ability to see the future in a limited capacity. The visions are not always accurate - as the future is everchanging - but this gift will allow those who have it to see the most likely future. However, the gift of Foresight is difficult to control. Many who are given it will often go mad as they cannot bear with seeing the future of everyone around them; many who have it instead choose to wear blindfolds to prevent seeing too much.Guarded Against Death
It is somewhat ironic that the Raven Queen, a goddess so strict about adhering to the cycle of death and rebirth, would allow her followers to potentially resist death. However, for those who have a great destiny ahead of them, she will grant them the miraculous power to avoid what would have otherwise been a killing blow.Sects
Peacebringers
Based in the mountains of Northern Marmarya, the Peacebringers are those who make the passing of the recently-deceased easier on their loved ones. Peacebringers work in temples or monasteries dedicated to the Raven Queen, and often perform various rites and rituals to ensure the safe passing of the dead.The Raven's Guard
The Raven's Guard are among the most militant worshippers of Taros, adhering closest to her anti-undead creed. They actively travel the world to seek and destroy any undead that they can find. However, they have a reputation for being overzealous in their hunt for the undead. A small regiment of the Raven's Guard are seated within the Matron's Chantry in Marmarya, serving as the personal guardians of Archbishop Vaia.The Fate Bearers
The Fate Bearers are a somewhat controversial sect of the Raven Queen's following, that adhere less to her dominion of death and rebirth, and more to her dominion of Fate and Destiny. Their role is to prepare for the deaths and rebirths of the people in their community, a role that has resulted in many people fearing crossing their paths. The Fate Bearers are burdened with the gift of foresight, allowing them to see the future of those around them. They are distinct from other worshippers by the black blindfolds they wear over their eyes, and the strange appearance of their uncovered eyes.Death comes naturally. Fear it, prepare for it, but do not deny it.
Type
Religious, Organised Religion
Alternative Names
The Queen's Subjects, Ravenites
Leader
Permeated Organizations
Deities
Divines
Notable Members
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This is *very* good! In one of the ancient Central American civilizations, it was common to gift the greatest warrior in a place with a cloak of hummingbird feathers as a mark his bravery. But hummingbirds are so darn tiny, that was *not* a quick process! I wonder how many feathers (and ravens) it takes to make the raven cloak...and how one cleans either one of those!