Calling for volunteers - IC Books on gods of Death

[MAB77]

Hi all,

As part of an ongoing project, I need a series of in-game books describing the various gods and fiends of Death of the D&D multiverse. I'm calling for volunteers to write them. One book per entity, or group of entities in the same pantheon.

The books should be written from the point of view of Eternal Order members researching on the various beliefs on Death powers in multicultural Darkon and beyond. And of how it ties in their belief to postpone the Hour of Ascension.

If you'd like to try you hands at it, just reply here indicating which power you wish to work on. Sent me your essays in .txt files through Discord. I'll handle the editing. Here is a list of possible options. It's a given that list is not exhaustive, so if you know of another canon D&D Death deity or Demon, feel free to write a book about it too.

Awaiting volunteers
Mictlantecuhtli (Greyhawk's Olman Deity / Aztec god)
Doresain (Demon-Prince, multiple settings)
Hel (Planescape)
Hades/Pluto (Planescape)
Urogalan
Sehanine Moonbow
Urdlen

Assigned
Kiaransalee (Multiple settings)
Anubis (Planescape / Ravenloft / Forgotten Realms)
Osiris  (Planescape / Ravenloft / Forgotten Realms)
Vecna (Greyhawk)
Wee Jas (Greyhawk)
Kyuss (Greyhawk)
The Keeper (Eberron)

Completed
Orcus (Demon-Prince, multiple settings)
Arawn (Planescape / Ravenloft)
Nerull (Greyhawk / Ravenloft)
Chemosh (Dragonlance)
Thanathos (Mystara)
Jergal (Forgotten Realms)
Kelemvor (Forgotten Realms)
Velsharoon (Forgotten Realms)
Myrkul (Forgotten Realms)

[RedMoney]

I'll take a stab at Anubis and Osiris

[inkcorvid]

I can take a crack at Arawn.

[strangerinthealps]

Please please please give me Orcus!!!

Throw in Kiaransalee and I'll right it up around the events of Dead Gods, but keep it to scholarly vagueness...

[MAB77]

Please please please give me Orcus!!!

You better not disappoint he is the most important of all!

[Naiad]

I'll take Myrkul

[strangerinthealps]

Please please please give me Orcus!!!

You better not disappoint he is the most important of all!

Agreed! *salutes smartly!*

[MAB77]

Still seeking more volunteers for this project.

It's an easy project, how do you feel the Eternal Order would perceive any of the above god or demon of death. Write in the form of an in-game book and send it to me for review.

[Thrun]

I can try to do Nerull

[Death]

Would the Dustmen count for a book? They are a Planescape faction all about death, but with no specific entity in the focus for the faction.

[Naiad]

I'm on a real roll here, can I take Kelemvor and Jergal as well so I can do the full Toril Pantheon?

[MAB77]

Would the Dustmen count for a book? They are a Planescape faction all about death, but with no specific entity in the focus for the faction.

As it happens we have always accepted submissions for in-game books regardless of the topics. If they are well written and interesting we'll find a place for it in the module.

But for this particular project I would say no. Don't get me wrong, I genuinely believe Planescape is the greatest D&D setting, but it meshes poorly with Ravenloft. The Dustmen would actually disagree a lot with the Eternal Order's philosophy. The dusties would reject the Eternal Order's tenets as false and detracting people from achieving True Death.

It's fine to have a book about their philosophy somewhere in the module, but in this case, I am building a library to be hosted in a shrine of the Eternal Order. The content of which will be available to players. Like all self-serving organization, they will keep books that aligns with their point of views and goals, even rewriting them to fit their purpose. Above all I'm creating a set of books by Darkonians for Darkonians. These are not gods of other lands, but gods of death believed in by people that lived "all their life" in Darkon (even though they may actually be claimed people). Their tenets warped to fit that of the Eternal Order.

For instance

This book is part of a collection written by monks of the Eternal Order, attempting to record the beliefs on the various powers of Death within the population of multicultural Darkon. This particular book is about the aspect of Death known as Chemosh.

This power of Death goes mainly by the name Chemosh. Though he is also known by other names and titles such as Aeleth, Chemos Jotun, Dron of the Deep, Khemax, Lifebane, Lord of Death and Orkrust. He is held as the master of undead, the representation of fatalism and the lord of false redemptions. He is most eager to usher in the Hour of Ascension.

Chemosh hates life, thinking it a gift wasted on mortals. He festers within the hearts of mortals, trying to get them to give up the shell of mortality and move on to the next stage in the soul’s journey. While he oversees the passing of souls into the Gray Realm, it's always on the lookout, promising immortality to those that would willingly serve him. Those seduced by his promises find themselves spending immortality in an undead body which he sends back to the lands of the living, tasking them to hasten the Hour of Ascension.

Iconography to this aspect of Death represents it as either a rakishly handsome man in a black robe or as a lich clad in rotting finery. In either guise, he bears a small obsidian sickle.

In this aspect, Death isn't easy to placate. He yearns for the Hour of Ascension to occur. To destroy undead is to invite his wrath, and only the creation of more undead can calm him once its anger is roused.

Expeditions to far away Sithicus revealed telltale signs through various ruined shrines that he may once have been venerated their as well. But the insolent elves are quiet on this issue and refuse to acknowledge its existence or share any knowledge about him."

[MAB77]

I can try to do Nerull

We already have one, but no harm in having two. Nerull is after all the most relevant Death god we have in Ravenloft along Arawn, Osiris and Anubis.

[MAB77]

I'm on a real roll here, can I take Kelemvor and Jergal as well so I can do the full Toril Pantheon?

Knock yourself out

[Krosenq]

I would like to take a stab at Urogalan if this is still a thing.

[MAB77]

The scope of the project changed a bit. But you can still submit lore books you feel would be pertinent for the server.

[Bizarro]

I'd like to give Doresain a try, but I'd have to get a bit familiar with the Eternal Order first. Is that allright?

[MAB77]

As stated previously, the scope of this project changed. A decision was made to keep the powers of death a bit more mysterious instead of adapting them all for the Eternal Order. Several of the books produced are now in-game in the Vault of Remembrance. This project is technically over, but we still accept submissions for any and all book which can further the setting lore.