Talona (/tɑːˈloʊnɑː/ tah-LO-nah)

Talona is responsible for the Death domain of the Infernal plane. She has been called many names, including Lady of the Dead, Lady of Bones, Mistress of the Last Walk, and Un-Mother of the Cradle. She is associated with decay, old age, exhaustion, dusk, autumn, poison, and disease.

Currently, her followers identify her presence as being herald by an abstract, flickering black and yellow radiance. Other manifestations credited to her include several animals and insects, namely rats, maggots, worms, and beetles, as well as monsters such as chasmes, gulguthras, imps, ironmaws, monstrous spiders, quasits, shadowdrakes, terlen and vorrs. Although she is associated primarily with black lilies, some texts connect her to poisonous herbs and fungi. Worshipers living or working underground take heed upon discovering amber or jasper, as these are considered omens of her presence. It is also written that Talona favors the colors gray and green.

Interestingly, no records have been found that suggest that Talona ever directly spoke to mortals, even in her avatar form. Most descriptions mention gestures and facial expressions, but none regarding her voice. Some have concluded that this is a conscious decision on her part, while others canonized that she is mute.

Although it is said that her home on the Infernal plane is the Palace of Poison Tears, her endless work with mortal souls suggests she spends very little time there.

Black lilies are considered connected to Talona, however her symbol is depicted as three teardrops in a triangle.

Power: 3/5 | Interest: 5/5 | Passion: 2/5 | Form: 3/5 | Thought: 2/5

Following

Loyalty	Influence	Size
10/10	2/10	5/10

Talona's priests, known collectively as Talontar, typically wear ragged gray-green robes. Though they wash these vestments, they never repair them. Older and high-ranking members of her priesthood tend to either ritually tattoo their bodies all over. The House of Night's Embrace is argued as Talona's largest temple, located in the Magian capital city of Kachmorah. Temples to Talona often operate as a combination of community services, including funerals, mortician work, and in some cases palliative care and euthenaisa. They believe this work eases Talona’s burdens and responsibilities for all dying creatures. To aid in their labors, they devote much of their lives to building up an immunity to various diseases and poisons, by means of both inoculation and magic. In some instances they are also hired by paranoid members of high society, such as wealthy merchants or rulers, to test their food for any poison.

Her followers (Talonites) consist primarily of survivors from pestilence, mages, necromancers, undertakers, and in extreme cases malevolent cultists and powerful undead. Talonites often sell various medicines, including poisons and antidotes, noting that the concentration of different substances can heal or harm, depending on the context. When not doing so they are known to volunteer to travel with trade caravans across Kai, seeking out new diseases, afflictions, and medical substances both synthetic and natural. Some also use this opportunity for a kind of missionary work, evangelizing about Talona in hopes of boosting her reputation. Followers of Talona who embark on a battle or dangerous adventure often don armor of a grey and green hue, adorned with a variety of spurs, horns, and spikes.

Sects

Followers of the Black Lily

The Followers of the Black Lily are considered to be masochists who believe death is more powerful than life (insofar that it returns beings to the Infernal plane). They follow the dictum to work in her name and let their doings be subtle or spectacular.

Shadow Rats

The Shadow Rats are an elite group of assassins and thieves that operated throughout the territories surrounding Kachmorah and Barrath.

Divine Domains

Death

Divine Symbols & Sigils

Three teardrops in a triangle.

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

It is said that Talona's appearance reflects the dying's relationship to the concept of death. Those who spite, mock or hold disdain towards death meet her as an old crone with a scarred, tattooed face who brings misfortune and death. Those who at at peace, or are upset and fearful, but carry no malice in their heart see her manifest as a beautiful and compassionate woman who is alluring, inviting, and gentle.

Body Features

Ancient scripture described her avatar as gaunt, tall, humanoid female with long, unkempt hair and reaching, elongated fingers.

Special abilities

When Talona's avatar used to appear in the realms, her mere touch could disrupt the life force of non-divine living beings, siphon away their strength, or even inflict mummy rot upon them. Likewise, her touch could also immediately reanimate any dead being into an undead form or create undead at will.

Manifestations

Favored animals

• Rats
• Maggots
• Worms
• Beetles

Favored plants

• Black Lilies
• Poisonous herbs and fungi

Favored monsters

• Chasmes
• Gulguthras
• Imps
• Ironmaws
• Monstrous spiders
• Quasits
• Shadowdrakes
• Terlen
• Vorrs

Favored minerals

• Amber
• Jasper

Favored colors

• Gray
• Green

Miscellaneous

• Flickering black and yellow radiance

Personality Characteristics

Vices & Personality flaws

Talona is a strange goddess in terms of personality. Some sages have compared her to a greedy and petulant child, switching between the juvenile desire for attention at any cost to the aloofness of a discarded paramour.

Personality Quirks

Evangelicals of Talona argue that it is very important that the inhabitants of Kai always kept her in the back of their mind. They say she never misses an opportunity to remind the world that she is waiting for them all. Curiously, for a deity so closely tied to death, they also describe her as having no personal taste for violence.

Social

Contacts & Relations

Show Spoiler

Amaunator once made me a splendid gift, and I shall never forget.

Show Spoiler

Ilmater leads her followers astray and perverts the rightful order of creation.

Divine Classification

Deity

Religions

• The ‌Tiefling Malgian Empire

Alignment

Chaotic, Infernal

Church/Cult

Gods of the Infernal Plane

Honorary & Occupational Titles

Lady of the Dead, Lady of Bones, Mistress of the Last Walk, Un-Mother of the Cradle

Current Residence

Infernal Plane

Pronouns

She/Her

Gender

Female

Hair

Long, unkempt hair

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Gaunt

Other Affiliations

• The ‌Tiefling Malgian Empire
• The Tiefling Undersun Empire