CRB is a repository of all the creative things that float through my mind about the RPG Pathfinder. Two major features are random character generation and building characters based on the god they worship. Anything that seems like it adds to the creative aspects of the game will pop up from time to time, including location descriptions, adventure ideas and even short stories. CRB won't just be my own creativity, it will open the floor to anyone who has an idea sparked by what I present to you.

Saturday, October 17, 2015

Praise the Fallen - Followers of Mahathallah, Whore Queen of Hell


It’s Saturday, which means it's time to talk about a god. For those of you who haven’t been a part of my explorations into the religions of Golarion here’s how it works:

Imagine, if you will, you're making a character for a group. Your only instruction is that you must be a worshiper of a specific god. You do not need to be a divine casting class, although you can be. The party's purpose is to work toward the goals of this specific divine being. I'd like not just a race/class combo, but a little bit about why the character would choose to dedicate him or herself to this god. Feel free to make up secret or not-so-secret orders within the church, or even sects outside of the church you think might be interesting. With only this one requirement, let your imagination run wild with the rest.

Today's god: Mahathallah, Lawful Evil Whore Queen, Mistress of death, fate, and vanity.

Mahathallah’s PathfinderWiki page 

Mahathallah’s Archives of Nethys entry 

When Asmodeus fell, he wasn’t the only creature bound for Hell; there were many other fallen angels, as well as beings from other planes. Four female beings in particular sided directly with Asmodeus upon his fall and these women became the Whore Queens. Despite being some of the original denizens of hell, the Whore Queens found themselves left behind in the division of power due to the misogynistic and hierarchal structure of the realms of the Archdevils.

Mahathallah wasn’t actually an angel; she was a psychopomp, a reaper in the services of Pharasma. She fled with Asmodeus after she had visions of her own death. Although she has temporarily escaped her final demise, she dies over and over every day. She arises at dawn in her original state of beauty and decays as the day progresses until she is nothing more than a wasted skeleton at night.

With that in mind we’ll explore who the worshipers of Mahathallah are. Like most beings that are not full-fledged deities, the Whore Queens followers consist of little more than cults.

Sisters of the Broken Mirror

Many women who have deformities choose to dedicate themselves to Mahathallah. They take her aspect of vanity within themselves as they try and hide their misshapen bodies, much as she tries to disguise her inevitable decay each day. These sisters seek out illusion and shape shifting magics to aid them in their attempts at transformation.  Unfortunately the worship of a Whore Queen is a cruel and foul practice, and the process generally makes their souls become as hideous as their bodies.  Hide as they might their physical deformities, these women cannot conceal the deformities of their character.

This cult operates mainly out of the Varisian city of Korvosa and began among women of the aristocracy who feared their appearance would keep them from moving up the social ranks. Their worship of Mahathallah also brings them into contention with many of the cities leaders who worship Asmodeus. In reverence to their patron’s disdain for the lord of hell, the Sisters of the Broken Mirror often work against the machinations of Asmodeus’ followers.

The Beautiful Veils

In the lands of Taldor, where the nobility spends their time in courtly intrigue while their peasants starve, the cult of the Beautiful Veil makes its home. Instead of playing to their own vanity, they gain power through the vanity of others; specifically the women of the courts of Taldor. When appearance is everything many of the ladies of aristocracy will do whatever it takes to one up their rivals.

The cult of the Beautiful Veils sell their illusions to those who seek approval at court. At first the price is mere gold, but as the noble ladies become more addicted to the attentions they receive, the price gets higher. Depending on the needs of the Veils, this can be noble approval of actions or parcels of land. As the noble’s spiral into decadence they will even give away their first born and sometimes even their very souls. You’d be surprised what one will give away for beauty.

The Lich Queens

Mahathallah fled Pharsma’s boneyard in fear of visions of her own death. Many who fear death themselves come to her worship. These women seek the secrets of lichdom and band together to exchange knowledge as they grow in power. Witches, wizards, clerics, oracles and sorcerers all take to the banner of the Lich Queens

Unlike many of the other cults of Mahathallah, the Lich Queens are contained in one region or city. Their search for immortality sends them far and wide across the face of Golarion, although they do have a base of operations in Ustalav. The founder of the cult, a minor disgraced noble who never found her path to immortality before she died, left her mountain retreat to her sisters. This hidden walled manor is used as a repository for the gathered knowledge of the Lich Queens. Many tales of transformation to Lichdom line the library walls.

The chateau itself is both geographically hidden and strongly warded. In the generations since its founder’s death it’s been the repository for the group’s knowledge. To keep this lore safe, ward, upon illusion, upon abjuration have been woven into the very fabric of the stonework. The sisterhood strives to both hide their secret knowledge from other prospective liches who do not share their faith, as well as to defend themselves from the machinations of Liches whose knowledge they have stolen through the ages. There are few things on earth or hell as terrible as an angry Lich.

Deathtellers

An oracle’s visions can vary from person to person, but the Deathtellers have a very narrow focus of their visions, death. And those who come to petition them know this and seek their special knowledge. These women never sought their power, Mahathallah in her own frustration curses exactly four oracles with this ability at any one time. The first death they ever see is their own, which drives them more than a little mad.

When one oracle dies another woman receives the curse and is led to their lair. The oracles reside at the top of a frozen waterfall at the head of the Thundering River in the mountain range that hosts the Lost Hope peak on the border of Irrisen and Varisia. In this age of broken prophecy many will travel far and pay quite a lot to gain accurate foretelling of the future, especially about something as important as the nature of their own death. For these people the only recourse is the Deathtellers. They believe that knowledge of when they will die will help them plan a better life. In reality knowing one’s death is a curse, one that the mad Deathtellers gleefully share.

Hell’s Belles

While not a cult specific to Mahathallah, it is one that must be mentioned. In hell the Whore Queens are little more than hangers-on to Asmodeus. The patriarchal misogynistic hierarchy of Hell keeps them in this place of not quite power. To that end Mahathallah and her sisters despise the prince of lies.

Hell’s Belles work within the confines of Cheliax and much of their operation is centered in Egorian. Their ordained mission is to disrupt the mortal nation which has fallen under the sway of Asmodeus. Although the Whore Queens don’t expect Cheliax will fall anytime soon they get joy out of throwing a monkey wrench into the Lord of Hell’s finely laid plots and machinations.

So that's my followers of Mahathallah, what are yours? What is the character you make with the Whore Queen of vanity as their patron?

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