Ishara
The Crone
Areas of Concern: graveyards, grief, hope, souls
Edicts: respect the dead and dying, honor the sanctity of death, lay wayward souls to rest, comfort the bereaved
Anathema: take from the dead in bad faith, create or call on undead, impede a psychopomp, desecrate a corpse
Divine Attribute: Dexterity or Wisdom
Religious Symbol: melting wax candle within a handheld lantern
Sacred Animal: Owl
Sacred Colors: Light Gray, Purple
Ishara has been worshipped longer than any other deity in The Nine, and by a wide margin. Her role is to protect the dead as they make their journey from the mortal world to the great beyond. For countless generations, people from all walks of life, from farmers to soldiers to artists, have brought offerings of flowers and incense to her altar. Many mourners pray to the Crone for solace, finding comfort in the knowledge that their loved ones will not have to face death alone.
Her avatar manifests as a spindly old woman, her face hidden beneath a heavy mourning veil, holding a lantern to light the path through her forested realm. The psychopomps, her faithful servants, help their goddess carry out her divine duties by guiding lost souls to the afterlife in her stead. Ishara is unique in this manner, but due to the sheer number of mortals that live and die at any given time, her responsibilities are also much greater than those of any other god or goddess.
The Crone also shoulders the burden of judging every mortal that dies, peering into their hearts to decide whether they deserve salvation, damnation, or something in between. Her followers have faith that her verdict will always be just (and that any punishments will be fair), and believe her outlook to be favorable of those that live a virtuous life. For many, Ishara is a source of hope in times of grief, representing the promise that death isn’t the end, but rather a new beginning.
Devotee Benefits
Cleric Spells — 1st: Endure, 3rd: Ghostly Weapon, 5th: Wave of Despair
Divine Font: Harm or Heal
Divine Sanctification: Holy (optional)
Divine Skill: Occultism
Domains: Protection, Repose, Soul, Vigil
Alternate Domain: Sorrow
Favored Weapon: Staves in the Club group
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