Borthax

Lord of Lichdom

Duke of Death Knights

The Everpresent

A dark purple hand with eight fingers including thumbs on either side

Sometimes both superimposed atop one another

Solidarity

Trickery

War

Borthax is the god of undeath and darkness. Borthax used to command the domain and aspect of death as well, but the goddess Nemesis usurped it from him millennia ago. He thrives on the stench of decay and all things unholy. His followers actively seek to merge the material plane with the shadowfell by spreading despair and stagnation wherever they can. Sorcerers and warlocks as well as fallen Paladins and Clerics make up the majority of his living followers.

It is said that before Nemesis usurped the rite of ferrying souls, every time a soul would pass on, Merolius and Borthax would fight for control over its destination, and whomever could get a stronger hold on the soul, based on the actions of the mortal in question, would decide its ultimate fate. It is for this reason that Borthax worshipers despise followers of Merolius and actively hunt worshipers of Nemesis. They believe the right to ferry souls belongs to the grave king alone.

Death is a natural part of the cycle of life, an aspect of the universe that will always exist, and as a god of death Borthax's existence and influence on Voltunt was, at one time, ensured forever. But now his influence is threatened, and he must actively seek to spread the plague of undeath or risk losing his followers and any hold on the world. Because of this, any humanoid who dies without proper burial rites in an area not specifically protected by another deity will be claimed by Borthax and may rise as undead within a fortnight.

Borthax's influence is strongest in the shadowfell where stagnation and decay rule. He has a devour following there known as the Spider's Hand.

## Appearance:

Borthax, as a god of undeath and decay has a visage so unholy and horrifying to behold, any mortal to see an avatar of his presence would be struck dead on the spot. To get around this, Borthax forged a second appearance for himself he wears on his back.

Borthax, in ancient art will be depicted as an ashen skinned man with empty eye sockets. Only two points of purple light illuminate the place where his pupils should reside. He has gloved hands with eight fingers, including thumbs on both sides, and boots that face both directions.He has two sets of horns, one set pointing up like a tiefling's on his fake visage and one set facing downward like a ram's horns facing the wrong direction on his head for his true form. He always appears to his followers wearing a purple cloak with the hood drawn.

Some, rare art will depict Borthax's true form, without his cloak and disguise. The true form of Borthax wears black and purple armor made of brimstone bones. His two sets of horns remain from his cloaked form, but without his hood it can be seen he has a crown of jagged horns atop his skull. His real face is a putrefactive skull with jagged teeth and glowing purple eyes.

### Paladin Oaths Accepted:

Oath of Conquest

Oath of Vengeance

Oathbreaker

Borthax is one of many powers in the cosmos who will offer the gift of death knighthood to his most powerful and evil followers.

### Burial Rites:

The Burial rites of Borthax are rarely followed, as most of his followers wish to return as undead. However, on the few occasions where his followers are intended to stay in the grave, there is a specific ritual to be followed.

The deceased's head will be shaven, then an embalming knife is used to cut around the face. Once a line around the face has been traced the flesh is removed, leaving the eyes in the skull but taking the nose cartilage. The face is then either sewn or somehow adhered to the back of the head. Next the head is cut off cleanly between the top of the spine and the base of the skull and the tongue is removed. The head is then turned backwards. The top of the spine is pulled and fed into the the mouth where the tongue once was and a small hole is cut or bored at the base of the skull where the trachea is stretched and tied to the skull using this hole. Lastly the head is sewn back on in its backwards state using the deceased person's shaven hair as thread.