Raven

Raven (right), as depicted in *Ride Like The Wind*.

Raven is the most important of the many spirits your ancestors discovered and learned to deal with after leaving Nivorah.

The Yanadlings, descendants of the North Clan Hyalorings who forsook gods for spirits, venerate Raven above all others. Raven was the first spirit Yanade, the first shaman, bargained with.

To Riders, Raven occupies a liminal position between god and spirit. He is a trickster and troublemaker, but she is nonetheless accepted.

## Ride Like the Wind

### Worship

You cannot build a shrine to Raven, but must bargain with him like any other spirit. However, unlike all other spirits, she has dedicated worshippers. There can never be more than one Raven shaman at a time among your nobles.

### On the Circle

   Having a Raven shaman on the circle will unlock special opportunities and events, including during Sacred Time.

Raven worshippers and normal shamans count as worshippers of different gods for the purpose of having seven different gods represented on the circle.

### Events

Raven sometimes intervenes directly into your clan's affairs, as in these events:

* Raven And Slavery
* Raven's Blessing
* Raven's Cruel Justice
* Raven's Torment
* Double Dealing (one variant)

Additionally, your clan may have an opportunity to hold a Raven Festival, consisting of two days of revelry ending with the ritual mistreatment (up to murder) of a captive.

### Lore

The clan circle says:

* "Raven came to us during the exodus. 'You will need to be as sharp-beaked as the wilderness you find yourself in,' he said."
* "If we started a war, Raven would feast on the dead from both sides."
* "Raven's gifts come with a cost in blood."
* "Spirits lie. Gods do not. That is how you can tell Raven is not a god."
* "Raven has always known how to count. Six happy families minus one unhappy family puts us five steps ahead."
* "When Raven was new and strange, the Hyalorings embraced him. Sort of."
* "We did not need Raven in the Golden City, where honesty ruled."
* "In the end, trickery always burns the trickster. Remember how Elmal's fire blackened Raven's once-white feathers."
* "Hyalor welcomed Raven so he could do things Hyalor should not."
* "Charioteers do not deal with spirits, so they will not understand Raven's role in our clan."
* "Hyalor abandoned the practice of ritual blinding. Raven brought it back."
* "Hyalor said, 'Contain your droppings.' Raven said, 'I know what you want, and cannot admit to.'"
* "Several of the elders remembered hilarious songs. People laughed the most at the old favorite where Raven loses his claim against himself.”
* "Raven exerts some mastery over birds, and much over sharp words."
* "Some stories have Raven appearing in Nivorah, but he did not show himself until the exodus days."
* "Big Vulture thinks much of himself, but is no king. Raven has always plucked his feathers."
* "You can't cage a raven. Even a Wheel shouldn't be caged."
* "Never forget that Raven is a trickster."
* "When Hyalor took in Raven, he knew the spirit's blessings would come with a price."
* "Raven is good at snatching eggs."
* "If Raven was so great we'd have had him, or her, in the Golden City."
* "I'll match Raven's piercing beak with my sharp tongue."
* "Raven is the trickster. This can only be a swindle."
* "When Raven tricks you, it is for a good reason."
* "Because Raven is capriciousness and cruel, her shamans become targets of abuse during hard times."
* "Yanade woke up one morning without his penis. Raven gave it back to him, but only after flying around the sun with it."
* "Raven came to us from outside the circle of gods."
* "Hyalor took Raven in. In exchange, Raven said she would perform harsh but necessary acts, preserving Hyalor’s divine purity."
* "<Trickster> sometimes calls Raven “he”, sometimes “she”, and sometimes “it.” By Relandar’s beard, choose one!"
* "If Raven were nearby he'd gift us with guile. Or she'd gift us. You can never be sure."
* "Raven is a harsh mistress."

### Myths & Rituals

Raven appears in the myth Raven and Hyalor.

## Lights Going Out

By the time of *Lights Going Out*, your clan, now Rams, have given up on dedicated Raven-worship. Instead, Eurmal fills the role of trickster deity.

### Lore

Though your clan no longer worships Raven, the ring will still occasionally mention him:

* "Long ago, we were both cursed and blessed by Raven."
* "Eurmal is utterly reliable, unlike the spirit Trickster our ancestors worshiped."

### Myths & Rituals

Since Raven is no longer worshiped by your clan, they do not tell any of her myths or dedicate any rituals to him. However, she does appear in Eurmal's ritual found inside the tear into the Gods War. He can be prompted to pick up the sword of Death instead of Eurmal. If so, she may accept or refuse to do so. In the former case, he will give the sword to her Rider friends, strengthening Rider raids throughout the valley.