Vardama

Position Intermediate Deity Symbol A Golden Scale with a Triangle Colors Bastalt and Gray (sometimes with sand-toned accents) Celestial Symbol The Constellation 'The Grey Harpist' Alignment Lawful Neutral Home Plane The Halls of Waiting Portfolio Judgment, Death and Dying, Families Domains & Inquisitions Community, Healing, Knowledge, Repose, Law Final Rest, Fate, True Death, Possession, Spellkiller Cleric Alignment LN, LG, LE, TN Favored Weapon Lamentation (khopesh) Other Names The Dread Lady, The Grey Harpist, Queen of the Dead, Feiu of the Tears (oruch), Haven of Souls, The Enduring One, Basalt Queen (Veyshan) The Grey Harpist (sildanyar) Commonly Associated Organizations Temple of Vardama, Hunters of the Dead Some IC Hangouts Alexandrian Grid: A15: Vardaman Temple (the Vardaman Temple is the entryway to the Catacombs, where adventurers may go for dungeon-filled adventures!) Main Grid: H06: Fate's Spire, Monastery Wilderness Pointe Grid: W02: Mictlan

Ancient Vardama guards the Gates of the Afterlife and stands vigil over the passage of the souls of mortals to their next stage of existence. The goddess of death, judgement and the afterlife, she has the most dealings with the mortal world then any of the others, for all beings must ultimately die.

In doing som their spirits come to her embrace for a time until the gods can collect them to their own domains. She is a somber goddess who some say has very little in her by way of pity and sorrow, while others argue for a quiet melancholy. With her scales, she weighs the souls of those who come to her ever-widening halls and then she delivers them into the hands of the gods. Here upon her black chair with a roof woven of dark wings and basalt pillars, she would listen to the lamentations of the dead and grant them peace or judgment. Her ears are always laden with mourning and sorrow for the violence of the world above for the many who come to her do so by means of violence, strife, turmoil and evil that had first been unleashed into the world by Maugrim. Vardama is seen as Lawgiver to many societies, especially in the southern lands of the world.

Ages ago she was married to Thul until darkness twisted him away, and the battles since between the two deities are legendary. According to scholars, Thul has long since corrupted from what purposes the two deities originally shared. She possesses, it is rumored, an unusually strong friendship with the newly arisen Serriel. This is most evident in Serriel's sharing of her Lancers to the protection of tombs and other ancient sites, to guard against those who would desecrate them. It's rumored that in return, Mourners lend education and elocution to Serriel's newest priests, but this is unfounded.

Dogma

Death is a natural part of existence and it is normal to fear it as little is known about it. However, what awaits you beyond the grave need not be something to fear. Live life to its fullest, and fulfill your obligations according to your beliefs. The passage from this world to the next should be made easy and comfort is to be given to those who require it.

Help those left behind to understand what is going on and ease their suffering. Stand strong against those who would breach the sanctity of these times. Speak against those who seek to extend their life beyond the natural time for them to pass on but also reverence those who have come before you and shaped the world with their actions while moving on to leave room for future generations.

Clergy and Temples

Titles
Cleric	Mourner
Paladin	Absolution
Monk	Chord*
Inquisitor	Executor

* Monks of Vardama often serve within temple orders as Her divine guards and are more numerous than Her paladins. Chord was originally taken as a title from a line from an ancient Veyshan poem: A Chord Within Vardama's Harp.

Vardama's clergy work to ensure the proper easement of this life to the next. They guard graveyards against robbers and necromancers, and take on tasks within the community such as death services, records keeping, and even the letters sent home to families of soldiers.

Because Vardama's church is expected to be able to adapt to the burial customs of different cultures and realms, they tend to be organized locally rather than broadly. Nevertheless, most heed a higher authority in the form of the Temple of Midha Ara, located in the northern reaches of Veyshan. They often appear in times of need to preside over funerals and in particular to aid those who do not have the funds, with the acts of burial and the proper means in dealing with the body after death.

In protecting tombs and ancient sites, they've found an ally in the faith of Serriel, who seems willing to lend Her Lancers to the cause.

Vardaman Cleric Traditions: Vardama's priesthood is expected to be knowledgeable and mindful of different beliefs and customs and to be always prepared no matter where they be, to aid the locals in their tasks. They do not encroach upon the burial traditions of other cultures and religions but stand ready to aid them while performing their own tasks to ensure the soul a safe journey into the afterlife.

Vardaman Paladin Traditions: Paladins of Vardama are almost exclusively concerned with the hunting, slaying and destroying of evil Necromancers and killing of undead. While rarer than paladins of other faiths, they nonetheless maintain a sacred role within their faith. These paladins are some of Thul's greatest enemies.

Clerical Vestments

Vardama's clerical vestments are chosen in a manner to bring comfort and solemnity to their service. They tend to favor styles and cuts that show an influence from local areas, sewn and dyed in Vardama's traditional blacks and grays, with occasional sand accents or tones.

Avatars

No avatars of Vardama are known.

Local History

Note that not every location has this sort of entry. It does not always mean there is no local history, only that we haven't had a reason to fill one in, yet or there has not been a demand for it.

The Alexandrian Temple of Vardama in Alexandria is no stranger to rough times. Shortly after the reign of Altima with Witch, a Mourner by the name of Barnatos came to power. He became the High Priest of Vardama within Alexandria in short order and appeared at the time to be a model priest. (Vardamen temples are arranged locally so that they can better tend to and understand local burial and grieving customs).

Over time, Barnatos and his second, Felix Cranston, engineered the internal corruption of the Temple, leading to the rising of dead within its tombs and the thieving of the Temple's finances and treasures (the latter done via use of Alexandrian adventurers). As he performed these dark rituals, he sealed the Temple from the world and began the rituals which transformed him into a blood-drinking abomination.

Eventually, his plan to sacrifice the remaining Vardamans was foiled when Alexandrian guard and its mercenaries, who did not particularly enjoy being used, defeated him in combat and purified the temple. At this time, Cranston was slain by opposing forces. However, Mourners soon received visions that Barntos had rapidly ascended to the Chosen of Thul, by both his acts and by slaying the previous Chosen in ritual combat.

Barnatos then fled to Blar and founded the Garnaks, a sorcerous clan of vampire arvek dedicated to Thul. Though the Garnak's rule over Blar has weakened greatly, Barnatos himself has not. He now lives within Charn as the highest priest among Thul's many forces and is heavily protected.

Today, the Temple of Vardama in Alexandria is on a long road towards recovery, both financially and in terms of staff and resources. Vardaman have allied themselves with the newly risen Serrielites to increase what guards they may upon Alexandria's catacombs, for which they are charged with guardianship. Always kept local and relatively small compared to other organized faiths, the Temple still suffers greatly from its loss of resources, and the desecration and sacking of its Temple. The recent Azure Queen took advantage of this weakness, and there was some trouble in the catacombs once again. Naturally, the recent activity of Heth--even so far away across the world--has all of this faith concerned.

For a version of this history from a former conquerer's view, check out the Arvek Nar page. Ironically, the Arvek now turn to Vardama and Serriel in record numbers.