Urgathoa

**Urgathoa** (pronounced oor-gah-THO-ah) is the Varisian goddess of physical excess, disease, and the undead. She is mostly worshiped by dark necromancers, the undead, and those wishing to become undead. Sometimes those who live gluttonous lifestyles make supplication to her, as do those suffering from a serious illness.

## History

There are stories that suggest that Urgathoa was once a hedonistic mortal woman. Upon her death, she fled Pharasma's Boneyard and returned to Golarion, making her the Great Beyond's first undead creature. Her return to the mortal world is said to be the origin of disease.

## Relationships

Among her enemies are Erastil, Sarenrae, Pharasma, Gozreh, and their followers. She also comes into conflict with Abadar and Calistria. Calistria, in particular, is more of a friendly rival than an enemy, as she represents lust while Urgathoa champions carnal excess, and the two often fight over potential followers. She also hates followers of the Prophecies of Kalistrade, as their strict sexual and dietary restrictions go counter to her hedonism and gluttony; and she is annoyed by Irori's discipline and moderation. She has recently come into conflict with Gorum, who wants his worshippers to die in battle and considers death by disease humiliating. Since her undead followers can quickly spread across the living world, Lamashtu sees Urgathoa as a rival.

Zyphus, who keeps his divine realm inside hers, is loyal to Urgathoa and shares many interests with her. Due to their shared stance that love endures beyond death, Urgathoa has been trying to recruit Naderi, which in turn puts her at odds with Naderi's former mistress Shelyn. Urgathoa has been known to ally with the Four Horsemen from time to time, as many of their objectives are the same. She is also considered an ally of the followers of the Whispering Way. Her relationship with the demon lords Kabriri and Zura, patrons of ghouls and vampires, are inconsistent. Cults of Groetus often cooperate with cults of Urgathoa who share their hedonism, but the nihilistic Groetans scoff at an eternal existence as undead.

## Church of Urgathoa

The churches of Urgathoa are dispersed across Golarion in cell-based cults, with individual groups rarely working together. Activities are usually done under the cover of night, except in lands such as Geb, where she is worshiped quite openly.

### Obedience

Certain dedicated worshipers of the Pallid Princess perform daily obediences in order to receive divine blessings known as a boons from their goddess. The obedience takes the form of a ritual in which the worshiper spreads the most sumptuous feast she can find on a flat surface covered with a black velvet cloth. While consuming the food, the penitent must drink wine and say prayers to Urgathoa until she is painfully full. After a full hour of this, the worshiper must consume a piece of rotten or rancid food, trusting in the goddess to protect her from any illness that might follow. If the ritual is performed correctly and the goddess approves, the worshiper's ability to cast necromantic spells is increased for the day.

## Appearance

Urgathoa is generally depicted as an attractive, pale-skinned, and ebony-haired woman. Unlike mortal women, her flesh begins to rot and wither away at her waist, leaving her as little more than a blood-soaked skeleton from the hips down. She is often similarly manifested, but wearing a loose fitting gown stained with black, brown, and red splotches.