Arwin
(Goddess
of Death, Dreams, and Sleep)
Divine
Empress of the Unknown Beyond
Sacred
Lady of the Ultimate Mysteries
Enigmatic
Mistress of the Dream World
Symbol:
A
lead disk with a crescent moon carved on the left and a skull on the right.
Description:
The
mysterious goddess Arwin is depicted as a beautiful woman with alabaster skin
and jet-black hair. She is clad in a silky, cellaphanous black robe, with a hood
that shadows the upper half of her face and is surrounded by a silvery-grey
mist. The souls of the dead as well as the protection of the underworld are her
domain. Her priests, the “Gatherers,” help comfort those who are dying as
well as provide funerary services and protect the dead from being violated by
necromancy.
Worship:
Very
few worship Arwin, but people pray to her quite often (usually for the safety of
a loved one’s soul, or a plea to spare their own lives). Shrines to the
goddess are found throughout the known kingdoms, both for the services the
church provides as well as the fact that most monarchs and organizations are
reluctant to obstruct the Gatherers.
Temples
:
The
temples of Arwin are large and vaulted, reminiscent of mausoleums. They are
often located in the center of a graveyard. The chief temple of the religion is
located in the Amari city of
Caros
.
Clerical
Raiment’s:
Gatherers
wear plain, black hooded robes.
Holy
Days and Times:
The
Church
of
Arwin
recognizes a single holiday, the “Festival of Dreams” (Sun’s Dawn 1st).
Gatherers use this day to revel in dreams and visions. They no longer honor
Arwin in her aspect as the Death Goddess. This less pleasant aspect of the
goddess has been turned over to Vanya as penance for a great wrong she committed
against her elven followers in the
Valley
of
Deriahn
.
Gatherers
pray for their spells during the hours of Eventide.
Relationships:
Gatherers
have a neutral relationship with most of the priesthoods – most of the other
clerics don’t have a reason to be particularly friendly with the Church, but
they likewise would rather not be in its disfavor, either. Priests that control
the undead, particularly those of Sanathon, are looked on with disdain and
hatred, however and are considered to be enemies to be vanquished. Those who
practice necromancy are treated in the same manner.
Essence
of the Faith:
•
Do not fear death – but do not seek it prematurely, either.
•
Heed the messages that come to you in dreams.
•
The Undead are a blasphemy in the eyes of the goddess – destroy them as well
as those who create or control them.
•
Keep alive the memory of those whose spirits have left this world.
•
Always strive to be at the side of those who stand at the threshold of life and
death.
•
Never violate the sanctity of a burial site dedicated to Arwin.
Factions
and Orders:
There
is only one Arwinsene faction that merits note, a faction which is commonly
referred to as “The Reapers”. The group is based out of the city-state of
Maar. The clerics there have ardently dedicated themselves to the death aspect
of the goddess and are feared far more than most Gatherers (whispered rumors
suggest that the Maar priests believe in hastening the process of dying, in
accordance with agendas that they feel are appropriate).
Domains:
Death, Fate
Favored
Class: Rogue
Typical
Alignment: Neutral-Evil
Game Information:
Allowed Alignments:
Neutral, Neutral Good, Neutral Evil, Lawful Neutral, Chaotic Neutral
Domains:
Death, Fate, Protection, Renewal, Sleep
Favored Weapon:
Scythe
Holy Day Powers:
On their holy day, priests of this faith enter in an hour-long reverie. At the end of this trance-like state, they are granted the use of two domains outside of those they already have. For the next twenty-four hours, the clerics may utilize the granted powers of these domains, as well as casting the spells of those domains in addition to their normal spell allotment (that is, they may cast two additional spells of each level they have access to, one each from each bonus domain).Notes: Clerics of this religion turn or destroy undead as a good cleric (regardless of their alignment). Also, this priesthood is open to PCs only with special GM permission, as clerics to the goddess are chosen at birth, rather than joining as adults.
Divine Gifts for Laity:
Once per month, characters with this goddess as their patron may cast disrupt undead. On their holy day, they may cast sleep.
Common
Prayers
The
core on the Arwinite faith is the rite of the dead. The sacristies are the
houses of the rite, where the priests keep all of the materials necessary to
perform it, including ointments, linens, incense, and scriptures. Administering
the rite takes as long as four or five hours and includes chanting a long series
of prayers, most of which are admonishments of the spirit of the deceased
preparing it for the afterlife. One of the earliest chants informs the spirit
that it has died, as apparently many do not realize this and become the restless
dead.
“I call upon you, (Name of the deceased)!
Heed me this hour!
You have passed beyond living.
You are quick no longer.
The light has left your eyes.
The warmth has left your flesh.
Arwin will claim you.
The final path is before you.”
A plea from the commoner to spare the life of one who is close to death.
”You have your kingdom, Mother Arwin, and this is not it.
There you rule as queen; here we are the most common of people.
There you dwell in a noble palace; here we live in a simple house.
There you enjoy sparkling riches; here our poverty shames us.
Go to your place, Mother Arwin, and wait for us there.
We have heard your message and we will respond.
But we many tasks yet for us, Mother Arwin.
Be patient, we will respond, but only when the time is right.
Return to your home, Mother Arwin, and wait for us to come.
For you it will be only a little while. For us it will be a lifetime.
When it is right for me to enter your kingdom, Lady Death, Gatherer of Souls,
May I go gently.
May I be a leaf dropping from a tree.
May I be a snowflake falling from the clouds.
May I be a drop of dew drying in the light of dawn.
Like opening my hands, like letting go, Like one final gift:
May it be like that.”
