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 Community, Healing, Knowledge, Repose, Law 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)

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 what purposes the two deities originally shared.

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*

* 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 hard in order to make the passage from this life to the next easy. They guard graveyards against robbers and those who would raise up the remains of the deceased to do their bidding. Most of Vardama's temples are like gloomy and dour monasteries situated near large mass graveyards or beneath the earth. Because Vardama's church is expected to be able to adapt to the burial customs of different cultures and realms, they are not as organized or structured under a singular head as other lawful churches may be. 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.

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.

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.