Erebos

Erebos is the god of death and the Underworld, lord of all that has ever lived. He presides over the bitterness, envy, and eventual acceptance of those who suffer misfortune. His hoarding of both souls and the treasures the dead carry into the Underworld see him worshiped by those who desire to collect and keep wealth. Erebos claims dominion over the desolate realm that is the Underworld. He sees it as his duty and his right to ensure that those who enter his realm remain there for all time. Within the Underworld, only the relative paradise of Ilysia is sheltered from his influence. In the other four realms of the dead, his will is law.

Erebos's very presence is stifling, and those who come face to face with him often depart in despair. He is jealous and tyrannical within his realm, but unlike his brother Heliod, he neither blusters nor tries to expand his influence. He waits patiently, secure in the knowledge that everything belongs to him in the end.

Erebos most frequently appears as a slender, gray-skinned humanoid with two large, outward-curving horns, wielding an impossibly long black whip. He also appears in the form of a black asp, a cloud of choking smoke, or an animated golden idol.

Alignment. Lawful Evil

Realm. the Underworld

Allies. Athreos, Klothys

Enemies. Heliod, Phenax

Edicts. convince mortals to accept misfortune, ease the transition of the dying into death or assist with funeral arrangements, return the Returned and their eidolons back to the Underworld, thwart the schemes of Heliod

Anathema. saving lives without securing compensation for Erebos, forsaking your duties for personal gain or pleasure, allow a soul to escape the Underworld

Areas of Concern. death, the Underworld

Worshipping Erebos and his Champions

To many mortals, Erebos is primarily concerned not with death, but with gold. Most of his followers downplay his association with death and misfortune, instead praying to him for material wealth. Others pray to him because they want to be more accepting of their misfortune. These individuals see themselves as beyond hope of improving their lot in life, asking only that Erebos grant them the strength to endure until they enter his realm at their predestined time.

A smaller but more dangerous group of Erebos worshipers are those who actively glorify death. These cultists and assassins congregate in secret in communities across Theros, engaging in campaigns of violence.

The only major festival dedicated to Erebos, called the Katabasion or "the Descent," features a ceremony in which worshipers make a symbolic journey into the Underworld. The supplicants enter a cave, offer prayers and sacrifices to Erebos in utter darkness, and slowly make their way back to the surface just before sunrise.

Champions of Erebos

Alignment. usually neutral, often evil

Suggested Classes. Cleric, Fighter, Rogue, Wizard

Suggested Cleric Domains. Death, Trickery

Suggested Backgrounds. acolyte, charlatan, criminal, noble, urchin

Most worshipers of Erebos seek to enforce the boundary between life and death, whether absolutely or selectively. They often find grim satisfaction in serving the covetous but patient god, knowing that all will ultimately know their patron's embrace.

Erebos's Favor

As Erebos sees it, he already owns the soul of every living being. For him to bestow special favor or power on a mortal would be an act of generosity, and he expects to be compensated for it. Those who rise to the ranks of true champions of Erebos, though, embrace death and their inescapable destiny in the Underworld. Did you pledge yourself to Erebos by joining his priesthood, or did you come to find his favor through a prayer of quiet desperation? The Erebos's Favor table offers a handful of suggestions.

Erebos's Favor

d6	Circumstance
1	You follow Erebos seeking financial success, expecting service to translate into rewards.
2	In a moment of anguish, you prayed to Erebos. He granted you acceptance of your fate and his favor.
3	You were pledged to another god, but when you lost a loved one, only turning to Erebos could ease your grief.
4	After you recovered from a mortal injury, Erebos appeared and claimed your service.
5	Ever since the first time you saw someone die, Erebos has whispered in your ear.
6	You can't bear to witness suffering, so you serve Erebos to bring peaceful ends to the unfortunate.

Devotion to Erebos

Just as every life ends at the same destination, many different paths can lead a worshiper to Erebos. As a follower of Erebos, consider the ideals on the Erebos's Ideals table as alternatives to those suggested for your background.

Erebos's Ideals

d6	Ideal
1	Devotion. My devotion to my god is more important to me than what he stands for. (Any)
2	Mortality. I will enforce the most important law: anything that lives must one day die. (Lawful)
3	Consolation. Everyone deserves the solace that comes with accepting their destiny. (Good)
4	Acceptance. Whatever my fate, I will embrace it with Erebos's blessing. ( Neutral)
5	Wealth. Death is forever, so I 'm going to get rich while I still can. (Neutral)
6	Power. I relish having mastery over life and death. (Evil)

December 1st, 2023

Piety with Erebos

You increase your piety score to Erebos when you expand the god's influence in the world in a concrete way through acts that enforce his edicts.

Your piety score to Erebos decreases if you diminish Erebos's influence in the world, weaken his dominion over death, or alleviate misfortune without good cause through acts in his anathema.

Athreos's Devotee

Piety 3+ Athreos trait

Your life is intertwined with the fate of the dead. You can cast gentle repose with this trait, requiring no material components, a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

Athreos's Votary

Piety 10+ Athreos trait

You can cast speak with dead with this trait, requiring no material components. Once you cast the spell in this way, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

Athreos's Disciple

Piety 25+ Athreos trait

You can cast false life with this trait, requiring no material components. When you do so, you gain an additional 25 temporary hit points. Once you cast the spell in this way, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

Champion of the Passage

Piety 50+ Athreos trait

You can increase your Intelligence or Wisdom score by 2 and also increase your maximum for that score by 2.