Ilianna

Divinity Card: The Moon

Ilianna is a goddess of death in The Common Pantheon and is primarily worshiped by humans.

## Origins

Card: The Moon

Ilianna is considered the Goddess of Death for most humans, but originally it is believed that in their home world, she was actually their Creator Goddess (known as Ki) in ancient times. She has had several portfolios over the centuries. She was abandoned and forgotten by most humans for many years after the rise of Eldthar, and during that time she slowly shifted into a different portfolio (love, war, & justice) for the very few humans that continued to worship her. When Eldthar destroyed whichever god had been in charge of the portfolio of Death, she stepped in to take their place as Ilianna. She became the keeper of the gate to the afterlife. When he challenged her, like her predecessor, he was unable to kill her- for she was able to recreate herself. He begrudgingly allowed her to remain within the humans worship, strictly within the realm of the afterlife to care for the souls of the dead. Her worshipers still faced great persecution by the church of Eldthar and most learned to worship in secret and held great disdain for the church. She taught them magic to protect themselves- something Eldthar had all but weeded out in their home world. Upon the humans’ arrival on Arn, worship of her grew by a large margin, and with the addition of new gods in the humans purview, Eldthar lost his absolute power. There is still considered to be some animosity between her and Eldthar- or at the very least, between their worshipers.

## Worship

Ilianna has become the goddess of death, but also of anarchy and faith, for her worshipers history of oppression. She is the judge of souls in the afterlife, primarily, but her worshipers also receive guidance from her on earth and she is considered a champion for those who are unjustly punished, persecuted, or imprisoned. Anyone who must do what they love or love who they love in secret, by light of the moon, is said to be under her watchful eye. In her days as Inanna she was a deity of justice, and she still is, in some ways. She is known for bringing down divine punishment upon anyone who would bend the laws of nature to escape her final judgment in the afterlife (ie necromancy) and she is constantly at odds with denizens of the Shadowfell. In smaller cases of these infractions, she is known for presenting mortal worshipers possessing The Sight a glorious mission to carry out in her name. It is believed that Ilianna chooses which human mortals have The Sight and it is considered her “gift” or subsequently “burden” to them. Some claim she was the original creator of Card Reading as a way to tell the future and this knowledge was gifted to her most favored priestess. Her Divining Cards of course evolved to incorporate numerous gods worshiped by humans in their interpretations. Temples to Ilianna are found in most major cities- generally in the vicinity of the nearest crypt, catacombs, or graveyard. People go to them for burial services as well as fortune telling. Others go seeking safety from persecution, for most temples of Ilianna are considered universal Sanctuaries.

## Appearance / Depictions

Ilianna is usually depicted in abstract ways- most often the moon. When depicted in human form she is shown as a woman in long black robes and sometimes a black veil. She is usually shown with a scepter in one hand and keys in another. She is referred to as “The Gatekeeper” to the afterlife. Physical attributes change, but she is most often depicted with black hair and eyes and pale skin.