The One Known as Death

Written by World Smithy

Everybody's story must end someday, but fear not my sweet child... for yours has yet to even begin. I will be waiting for you at the very end, and I will want to hear all about it when we meet again. - The Plumebearer comforting a sick and dying child

Iterations and Incarnations

Death, as a force, has existed since the dawn of life on the planes. There are many mythologies in which this force has been personified, but there are only two that will be mentioned here, and only one that will be expanded upon. Both of these incarnations of Death can be found on the continent of Vasara on the planet Zynaudis some 2,000 years apart.

The Judge of the Fallen

The older of the two was known as Iudex, or Judge. This iteration of Death took the form of a polychromatic dragon that hosted all known scale color and type. These colors and types would often be depicted as constantly shifting and moving about its body, granting it the illusion of constant motion. The physical features of this incarnation were not recorded often, and the few that still remain conflict in their descriptions. It is said that this version of Death had the ability to weigh the worth or value of one's soul based on how brightly or warmly it glowed when placed upon a silver scale. The other side of this symbolic scale often depicted a dainty flower or feather, and if the soul either burned or outweighed these items, it would be deemed unworthy to enter Elysium or any relevant afterlife provided by a diety. Instead, these souls found themselves being sent to a fugue plane known as the Shadowfell where they would wander eternally. It is thought that this draconic entity once served Bheniin, God of the dead and death, before he abdicated his position of divinity.

All records of this incarnation of Death seemed to cease being created near the end of The Empyrean Schism, and most records disappeared or were destroyed at the outset of The Lightfall Cataclysm. As such, various architectural digs and excavations have taken place after the Elysian Bastions were established, but few records have since been recovered.

The Plumebearer

After the Lightfall Cataclysm, the mortal that was only known as The Raven Queen had ascended to godhood and claimed the now abandoned portfolio once presided over by Bheniin. Along with her newfound divine status, she would go on to embody an additional aspect: memories. She would manifest this new aspect of her domain through the creation of an artifact called The Mantle of Memories; an object that is so powerful it imbues its wearer with god-like abilities over the mortal realm and its fundamental connections to other planes. As such, this artifact is physically and magically unable to be worn outside of those directly chosen by The Matron of Ravens. This mantle acts as a sort of divine heirloom, in which it is passed down at the end of the tenure of those that hold the station of The Raven Queen's harbinger - The Plumebearer.

While the most commonly used name for Death (when related to The Raven Queen) is The Plumebearer, it is also known by many other names. Some children raised in the Orbits of Vasara may refer to Death as Old Whisper-Beak, on account of its always quiet demeanor and penchant for always appearing with a raven's mask. Another common name to be uttered by children is The Fablewing; a persona that has been carefully crafted by many a parent in order to shield their child from the more macabre side of Death, Fablewing stands as an entity known to record one's life story when they near its end. Other names refering to Death often take some form of "The Mortal Scribe", as it has been proven in a few near-death accounts that those that converse with Death had gleaned that it, too, was once among the living.

Divine Domains

The Plumebearer jointly holds domain over Death and Memories, along with its master The Raven Queen. It also shares a certain domain with the exarch-turned-mentor deity Bheniin in Records and Scribing.

Artifacts

While it has been theorized that there are many artifacts that can be either traced back to attributed to The Plumebearer, there is only one known and recorded artifact - The Mantle of Memories. It is hypothesized by many scholars that every feather that covers the mantle Death wears contains a mortal's memory.

Divine Symbols & Sigils

A quill made from a raven's feather. Variations often include either an ink droplet at the end or an entire ink pot in which the quill rests.

Tenets of Faith

There are few tenets practiced by those that are devout to The Plumebearer directly, instead of The Matron of Ravens, but the most common are as follows:

Respect for Life and Death: Honor the sacred cycle of life and death, understanding that each is an integral part of the other.
Compassion in Mourning: Offer comfort to those who grieve, for in understanding loss, we understand the value of life.
Neutrality in Judgment: Like death, be impartial and fair. Do not hasten death nor unduly prolong life.
Wisdom in Silence: Value the wisdom found in silence and stillness. In quietude, the truths of life and death are often revealed.
Balance of Memories: Cherish both joyous and sorrowful memories, for they together weave the tapestry of a life fully lived.

Divine Goals & Aspirations

Death, The Plumebearer, has been tasked by The Matron of Ravens to collect two memories from every mortal that passes before shepherding their souls to and through her Fortress of Memories for further afterlife processing.

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

Death has been driven to conclude life when appropriate since the very inception of life itself, and this aspect continues unwaveringly. How this is done has varried through the eras, and the recent Death, The Plumebearer, has been a compassionate scribe and shepherd for the newly departed. The Plumebearer is driven to collect two memories from every mortal soul before it guides them to the Fortress of Memories.

Divine Classification

Quasi-Deity

Alignment

True Neutral

Current Status

Listening to the final stories of those on their deathbeds.

Church/Cult

The Raven Queen

Honorary & Occupational Titles

The Plumebearer
Dusk's Embrace
Old Whisper-Beak
The Fablewing
The Mortal Scribe

Age

Unknown

Current Residence

The Fortress of Memories

Sex

Male

Presentation

Masculine

Eyes

Red, ethereal

Hair

Raven black

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Pale white

Quotes & Catchphrases

"Each soul is a story, and in their final breath, I listen to the tale they have woven."
"To the world, I am the final silence, but to the departed, I am the first voice they hear in the beyond."
"In the final whisper of time, all secrets are told, and all stories find their end."

Belief/Deity

The Raven Queen