[43] After Vax was killed by Vecna, he made a bargain with her to defeat him in return for continued life as a revenant-like being. She is the lawful neutral ruler of Shadowfell, dwelling in a decayed, dark reflection of the world. The other gods were alarmed and quickly rose to destroy Nerull, except this mortal was able to worm his way out of punishment. These fragments even form the black, twisting stonework of the fortress itself; for every new trinket added to her collection, the castle grows. Her body is made up of a twisting jumble of stolen memories and darkness, and the elven deities Correllon and Lolth both wiped all memories of her from existence as punishment for getting in the way of their own little war for the souls of elvenkind. Even if your DM isnt into gothic horror, undead are still one of the most common monster types in D&D 5e, and there are plenty of other monsters (from the Topaz Gem Dragon to the Violet Fungus) that deal necrotic damage. [29] Many centuries later, in 812 PD, Vecna returned and successfully completed the ritual. A layman on the street who doesn't know Sehanine from celery is not going to have this kind of detail on the tongue at any time, and when they do hear that the Raven Queen is a death goddess, they'll be hella suspicious when one of her clerics comes walking down the street in dark regalia preaching her virtues. Moments before completing the ritual and reaching Arvandor, the queen reacted by punishing the wizards with a burst of divine fury. Much like the Eladrin (elves native to the Feywild also found in Mordenkainens Tome of Foes) were changed over the centuries by the magic and raw emotion of their home plane, the Shadar-Kai have taken on many of the characteristics of the Shadowfell. Vaxs soul was in limbo after he was killed by Vecna. The Raven Queen gently sympathized with their grief but insists that a deal was a deal. They are nearly devoid of all emotion, existing in a shadowy state between life and death no longer fey and not truly undead but something new and terrible. This was especially important to Nerull because the Dawn War, a massive war between the gods and primordials, was starting to go against the gods. The Shadar-Kai have naming conventions similar to other elves tending to favor melodic sounding names, although a Shadar-Kais name will probably still sound harsher than that of a wood or high elf. Starting at 1st level, you gain the service of a spirit sent by the Raven Queen to watch over you. Within the Fortress of Memories, the Raven Queen obsessively adds to her collection. Cryptic, indefinable, and unquestionably a being of great power, the Raven Queen has in recent years become one of the most iconic deities in all of D&D 5e. More often than not, the process destroys those who undergo it. The Raven Queens obsession with memories (particularly tragic ones) leads her to send her Shadar-Kai agents on missions to capture and retrieve such memories, souls, or information she desires. Worshipers She sits in her fortress, amidst all the memories of the world, looking at the ones that please her most as though they were glittering jewels. [11], Another devout enemy of the Raven Queen was the Oerthian lesser deity Vecna, who envied her for her unique abilities to tap into the flow of souls and to harvest knowledge. Rising from a maze of ash, the newly formed Raven Queen immediately cursed the evil wizards, blackening their bones and warping their bodies, transforming them into the scabrous bird-like monsters known as the Nagpa doomed to wander the dark places of the world forever. Yes, Pluton was that bad. Feminine Theyre also some of the most powerful traits available to any race in D&D 5e. Blending in with the natural environment of the Shadowfell, the shadar-kai excel at sneak attacks and ambushing their potential victims. . She concerns herself with ensuring that those fated to die pass from the world as expected, and bids her agents to defeat those who seek to cheat death through undeath or other imitations of immortality. Unable to see any other options, she accepted their offer. He realized he was being held by her in the endless plane. What do Evard, Melf, and Snilloc all have in common? While it is within 100 feet of you, it can awaken you from sleep as a bonus action. Once Vecna had been banished, the Raven Queen immediately came to collect Vax'ildan, who became the Champion of Ravens, a celestial still acting as her champion. A review of The King of Elflands Daughter a meandering book with a hoard of idea gems. Grieve the fallen, but do not pity them. She concerns herself with ensuring that those fated to die pass from the world as expected, and bids her agents to defeat those who seek to cheat death through undeath or other imitations of immortality. Symbol: Raven's head, in profile, facing left It was insinuated to be sent by the Goddess. They are a race of shadow fey creatures, though don't confuse them with the drow, they aren't into spiders just ravens. The Raven Queen first appeared in D&D in 4th edition as a minor goddess of death, winter, and fate. Starting at 1st level, you gain the service of a spirit sent by the Raven Queen to watch over you. When she began this special ritual, things started fairly well for her as she became a semi-divine being of power. Strangely enough, it worked for a while. Initially, it seems like a short but exciting topic, and while it certainly was interesting, it was anything but quick. Lolth's story has several similarities to the Raven Queen's, except with a much different ending. Life, Death You have proficiency in the Perception skill. Serving the Raven Queen: Using the Goddess of Death as a Deity or a Patron, Using the Raven Queen in Your Next Campaign, Mousefolk Playable Race in DnD 5e: Homebrew Lineage Guide, Feinting Attack - DnD 5e Battle Master Maneuver Guide, How To Make Custom & Homebrew Character Backgrounds for DnD 5e, The Alhoon in 5e: DYK Guide on Underdarks Mind Flayer Liches, Underdark Monsters 5e: Our Searchable List of Underdark Creatures. Feminine Ability Score Increase: Being able to choose between +2 ASI, +1 ASI, or +1, +1, +1 ASI means that you can pick exactly what your build will need. Others believe the powerful emotions people experience while they go mad confronting their darkest, innermost demons actually sustain the Raven Queen, allowing her to maintain her form and even grow in power. Some Shadar-Kai forsake the Raven Queen, fleeing the Shadowfell to wander the multiverse as adventurers. Unfortunately, this caused a problem in the ritual and, in desperation, the almost-god grabbed the souls of her followers and dragged them with her into the Shadowfell where the deitys body died. Others leave their home plane on their Queens own orders, wandering far and wide through the planes agents of her inscrutable will. Once you use this trait, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest. Vax'ildan communed with the Raven Queen in the Raven's Crest temple in Vasselheim, informing her of Vecna's ascension. She encouraged him to enjoy the time he had, as soon she would call upon his purpose. Home plane The path of Fate is sacrosanct. The Raven Queens true name remains unknown (a piece of information the demon god of death, Orcus, would dearly love to get his hands on). In the Shadowfell, the spirit of the elf queen coalesced with all of the power from the ritual and and memories of sorrow abundant in the Shadowfell, into a new being, the Raven Queen. [1] Even without his massive armies of undead, Nerull was able to hold Nera off. The Raven Queen, always looking to better her position, offered to do so only if she was given the portfolio of winter - which the other gods agreed to, but the Raven Queen wasnt done yet. The raven doesn't require sleep. Vecna's servants constantly battled with the Raven Queen's shadar-kai followers. 5e Fey Ancestry. For this reason, many Shadar-Kai choose to wear elegant, beautiful masks though these too often present a melancholic face to the world. Or maybe she wants them to witness her immense power and darkness that comes with being the goddess of death. Percy asked if they could stop it. The raven vanishes when it dies, if you die, or if the two of you are separated by more than 5 miles. The Duskmeadow District of Vasselheim is devoted to worshiping her and is also where her temple, Raven's Crest, is located. Her devotees seek her favor to guide them in death and prevent the curse of undeath from falling on them. [11], Her general iconography in Issylra, Tal'Dorei and Wildemount represents the way in which the goddess appears to mortals, almost always adding elements of black feathers such as a cape or wings. Clerics of the Domain of Death or the Grave Domain would make great candidates for disciples of the Raven Queen although her obsession with collecting memories might also make her a potential deity for a Knowledge Domain cleric as well (albeit, a pretty creepy one). "The Sunken Tomb" (1x44) [12], Although a complete account of the Raven Queen's motivations and origins was not generally known, it was believed that she was originally a much beloved elf queen from the Feywild who witnessed the conflict between Corellon and Lolth. [9], As an NPC, the Raven Queen is played by Matthew Mercer in Critical Role and Courtenay Taylor in The Legend of Vox Machina, When she was alive, the Raven Queen was described as a beautiful woman with raven hair. When the world was just in its infant stages, the gods laid claim to many mortal souls when they passed on. Whether youre interested in making your next character one of her shadow elf worshipers, in search of a deity for your next cleric to draw their power from, looking for a BBEG to form the climax of your next campaign, or just interested in the rich lore of the D&D multiverse, welcome to our crash course on everything to do with the Queen of Ravens. In 5e none of the gods have stats. Lastly, the Blessing of the Raven Queen trait provides an amazing mixture of utility, offense, and survivability depending on how you use it. By your hand, your bravery, your sacrifice, you ensure a future for all you love and all who will come to love you and what you've done. Portfolio: Death, Memories The name of this goddess of death is long forgotten, but she is called the Raven Queen. Featured on Meta Improving the copy in the close modal and post . While the raven is perched on your shoulder, you gain darkvision with a range of 30 feet and a bonus to your passive Wisdom (Perception) score and to Wisdom (Perception) checks. At 6th level, you gain the ability to merge with your raven spirit. Shadar-kai (elf), loyal followers of the Raven Queen. From the gray, lifeless depths of the Shadowfell plane of darkness, shadow, and death come the Shadar-Kai, elves forever changed by their connection to their home and the power of the Raven Queen who rules it. With her assistance, Corellon was able to defeat Araushnee, who fled to the abyss, renamed herself Lolth, and took her current spider form. Reasons aside, Nera took to learning the secrets of Nerull's necromantic secrets of raising the dead. We have sent you a confirmation email. Her ability to reach into the world is limited. Realm The power she grants Warlocks in her service allows them to manifest dark energies into powerful weapons and devastating curses. Through the use of arcane magic and the knowledge he gains, he has been able to raise countless undead soldiers that assist him in his battles throughout the planes. What's the difference, you say? You may never know the import of your time here, but take solace in the knowledge that you will see the ripples of your actions carry hope for generations to come. She sits in her fortress, amidst all the memories of the world, looking at the ones that please her most as though they were glittering jewels. Now, she rules the Shadowfell as a minor goddess of death and something of a mix between a patron deity and eternal tormentor for the Shadar-Kai whose souls she still owns, reincarnating them whenever they die as either a dark gift or eternal torment and servitude, depending on how you look at it. While perched on your shoulder, the raven can't be targeted by any attack or other harmful effect; only you can cast spells on it; it can't take damage; and it is incapacitated. Attempts at conquering the Fortress of Memories were constant, but were always thwarted by her more fanatical shadar-kai defenders. Vax communed with the Raven Queen, sensing that his deal with her was coming to a head. Check out our D&D Kickstarter: h. She is the spinner of fate and the patron of winter. Her ravens fly from their roost, leading the Shadar-Kai to the places where the walls between worlds are weakest so that they might slip through the cracks between realities and complete their mission. EGtW Vax protested, saying he still wanted to help his friends. Fighters wield light weapons while their spellcasters use shadow magic to drain their opponents of life and energy. At 6th level, you gain the ability to merge with your raven spirit. She asked him if he could shoulder that burden, and told him to be patient. [42] Not long afterward, Vax became a paladin devoted to her cause. Aurom was simply jealous of Nerulls discovery, at least that is what Nerull thought to himself as he fumed and planned. As Keyleth finished addressing the crowd, the Raven Queen appeared behind Vax'ildan and put her hands on his shoulders. We do bones, motherf***ker! She set him down and they were suddenly in the room where Vax left. During this time, you gain the benefits of your raven being perched on your shoulder. The mysterious figure known as the Raven Queen is a subject as enigmatic as the goddess of death herself. Divine Power (2009)Dragon Magazine #380 (2009)Dragon Magazine #427 (2013)Dungeon Magazine #171 (2009)Explorers Guide to Wildemount (2020)Manual of the Planes (2008)Mordenkainens Tome of Foes (2018)Player's Option - Heroes of Shadow (2011)The Shadowfell - Gloomwrought And Beyond (2011). 3rd level - Feign death, speak with dead, 4th level - Ice storm, locate creature. Through sentient weapons of the Shadowfell, such as the famous Blackrazor . Another challenge when writing about the Raven Queen is she is wholly re-invented in 5th edition, with the lore of 4e being tossed out. A way forward paved with dark deeds and corruption. Thus, she turns to mortal warlocks to serve her will. The Raven Queens transportation to the Shadowfell also had the effect of bringing along those Shadar-Kai who followed her. Of course (much like how not all drow are fanatical, spider-worshiping lunatics), there are some exceptions. For 1 minute, swirls of dark, chilling wind surround you in a 30 foot radius. Whenever an enemy creature starts its turn in the area, the creature takes 10 cold damage and their movement speed is reduced by 10 feet. She watches over the world, anticipating each creature's death and ensuring that it meets its end at the proscribed time and place. The other gods, who had watched in horror as Nera exploited and destroyed countless souls when she freed' them, gave the new goddess a choice. She made him an offer: he could return to life as her champion, for the sole purpose of hunting down Vecna, so long as he returned to her forever when he had finished that task. From her vast citadel, the Fortress of Memories, deep within the desolate Shadowfell, the Raven Queen subtly pulls the strings of fate, collecting and hoarding the memories and souls of mortal beings. It was a rocky start but I had a blast and now, the better part of a decade later, I play, write, and write about tabletop RPGs (mostly5e, but also PBtA, Forged in the Dark and OSR) games for a living, which iswild. Shadowfell The shadar-kai and sorrowsworn are sent to uproot and destroy any holdings that Orcus might have, slaughtering them through Gloomwrought and the rest of the Shadowfell. Then they collected mementos, such as trinkets, memories from the living and sometimes the souls of the dead, and brought them back to her. The skein of destiny has tugged in your wake, and even this victory culminates with the crossing of a few fate-touched souls. So powerful was she that she could block the gods and goddesses from entrance into her city. In combat, you roll initiative for the raven and control how it acts. She called him "fate-touched" and said that he was interesting to her because of how he bent his own destiny. But she understood that an individual may not always be meant to die in one moment and that their destiny went beyond one death. However, as her people began the journey back to Arvandor, a cabal of evil wizards tried to siphon away the Shadar-Kais soul-energy for their own ends. White, humanoid mask framed in black feathers[1] Append content without editing the whole page source. [23] However, another powerful mage of the Age of Arcanum, Vecna, reconstructed the Ritual of Seeding and attempted it, but the ritual was interrupted and he was all but destroyed. Exult in the time that they were granted. Shadar-kai (Netherese), a more recent race of humanoids that arose from Netherese effected by the Spellplague. She warned him to be careful with his own bending of destiny and rebuked those who would try to live indefinitely like undead and wayward necromancy. Trance. [1] Moreover, both Corellon and Lolth considered her actions to be treason, so they erased the memory of her existence from all elves. [12], As a mortal, the Raven Queen developed the Ritual of Seeding and wrested a position in the pantheon from the previous god of death.[13]. At 10th level, the Raven Queen grants you a protective blessing. For a moment Vax saw her as the woman she was before she was a god and she removed her mask. If it is slain by a creature, you gain advantage on all attack rolls against the killer for the next 24 hours. Alignment: Lawful Neutral Death, Fate, Winter, Twilight, Inevitability While perched on your shoulder, the raven cant be targeted by any attack or other harmful effect; only you can cast spells on it; it cant take damage; and it is incapacitated. In fear, the remainder of the pantheon swiftly destroyed and prohibited these rites. Campaign One (10 episodes). Once a week on Saturday we will send out a single email with the latest posts from Dump Stat Adventures! Because gods are hard to kill, her spirit survived in the Shadowfell but it was slowly burning away. more replies isitaspider2 2 yr. ago At that point, Vax unwittingly became her new champion. This includes the story for unaired episodes of The Legend of Vox Machina, as it's based on the first campaign of Critical Role from 2015-2017. And this is where it all started to go wrong. Vax asked if he was her enemy, and she confirmed he was the enemy of all. In the light was his mother, telling her son she is proud of him. The Raven Queen Owners Purvan Suul (formerly) Vax'ildan Fate Taken with Vax'ildan to the afterlife Fan art of Deathwalker's Ward entombed with Purvan Suul, by Joma Cueto. Allying herself with one of Corellon's greatest enemies, the orc god Grummsh, she gathered her forces and attacked Corellon. While merged, you become Tiny, you replace your speed with the ravens, and you can use your action only to Dash, Disengage, Dodge, Help, Hide, or Search. Raven's head, in profile, facing left She said that he was interesting to many and she was the one who seized the opportunity. [23] She sundered his name from reality, so that it even disappeared from his temples at the moment of her ascension;[24][25] likewise, her name was taken even from the memories of those who knew her[26] and was later believed to be either lost to or removed from the historical record.[22]. In a bid to provide the elven people with a better way, the unnamed elven queen began gathering followers, promising an end to the war and a way back to Arvandor (elf heaven, if were being reductive) in exchange for their souls to use as a kind of cosmic battery. The Raven Queen lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. See, those two great elven deities were bickering and tearing the elves apart, forcing them into different factions. Wikidot.com Terms of Service - what you can, what you should not etc. She kissed him on the forehead in parting. [1], Another account of the Raven Queen's origin stated that she was originally a sorceress who led a rebellion against a former god of death in Pluton. She could be impressed that these adventurers survived the trials they went through to reach her. Masculine Shadar-Kai Names: Baelo, Carishal, Hone, Innel, Oriel, Mothel, Nadarian, Videos, Zoron, Feminine Shadar-Kai Names: Cigna, Hashkadrin, Irneli, Lervathra, Thenndann, Velis, Yildi, Yilve. The Raven Queen knew of his hatred and fear of her, but she dismissed it as most hate her due to lack of understanding. She told him his dual nature was what interested her; half recklessness and half instinct. . While Vax'ildan and Keyleth discussed the Raven Queen, a raven appeared at Keyleth's window, cawed at the two, then disappeared. As the ruler of the Shadowfell, she dwells in a decayed, dark reflection of the world. Shadowfell She is a dark secret, her name whispered in furtive tones throughout halls of forbidden learning. According to certain superstitions, the Matron of Death, just like ravens, pays attention to shiny things; in her case, it is said that she always notice when certain mortal souls have a glint that makes them different and special. She told him to ask the right questions. Over the subsequent centuries, these identities and memories have fused into the being known as the Raven Queen. Warlocks sworn to the Raven Queen receive visions and whispers from her in their dreams, sending them on quests and warning them of impending dangers. I played my first tabletop RPG (Pathfinder 1e, specifically) in college. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you. A year later, she allowed him to return to the mortal realm to speak at Vex'ahlia's wedding, thanks to a Wish spell cast by Scanlan. What she could see was greatness in Vaxs future, and that the fates of his friends were possibly tied to his own. {{art caption}}: autoformat art credits/captions, {{infobox character}}: infobox for character pages, {{infobox episode}}: infobox for episode pages, {{new artist category}}: boilerplate for new artist category pages, {{new character}}: boilerplate for new character pages, {{new episode}}: boilerplate template for new episode pages, Articles needing presumption confirmation, But note that the language changes from "The circle of Prime Deities involves the leaders and luminary creators that battled the Primordial Titans and instigated the Founding, forging the mortal races of Exandria" to "The circle of Prime Deities, Official art of the Raven Queen's ascension to godhood, by, Fan art of the Raven Queen and Vax'ildan, by, Fan art of Trence Orman contacting the Raven Queen, by, Screenshot of Vax witnessing another form of the Matron of Ravens, by, Characters mentioned in Exandria Unlimited, Stephen Colbert's D&D Adventure with Matthew Mercer, Critical Role: The Mighty Nein - The Nine Eyes of Lucien, Critical Role: Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Angels of death, able to chase down fleeing souls. Plane: Shadowfell First seen [14] The Raven Queen noted that giving of her essence in this way would expose her already-precarious position in the pantheon to even greater risk: For the Prime Deities, she portends the possibility of another Calamity, which Vecna's apotheosis realizes to an extent. Gender: Female Deathwalker's Ward is a set of studded leather armor, one of the Vestiges of the Divergence created for the Champion of the Raven Queen. At 10th level, the Raven Queen grants you a protective blessing. The current god of the dead, Aurom, saw this as an abomination of life and enraged Nerull. The main two enemies of the Raven Queen are Vecna and Orcus. They became the Drow, or dark elves. The Queen of Shadows was first introduced in 4e and lived on in 5th edition, and while information may seem sparse, there is quite a great deal of lore to be found in various publications. I rocked up late to the first session with an unread rulebook and a human bard called Nick Jugger. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you. Dragon Magazine #427, 2013 Wizards of the Coast. She explained that her gift is to safeguard the passage between life and death - a charge that Vax' now shared. However, when the dust cleared, the surviving Shadar-Kai found something else where their queen once stood: her ruined body and mind reborn as the Raven Queen. However, certain sects in Marquet (in which she is worshiped as Duskmaven) depict her as a keen-eyed vulture with plumage varying from the shades of a sunset to the black of midnight; in this representation the goddess also covers her face, in this case with a golden funerary mask. Forgotten Realms Wiki - Raven Queen - [https: //forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Raven_Queen], https://dnd-wiki.org/w/index.php?title=Raven_Queen_(5e)&oldid=347247. We understand that 5e wanted to separate itself from 4e, but discarding a fun and intricate piece of lore for a vague background that attempts to be mysterious makes little sense. The Raven Queen is a mysterious entity, worshiped as a goddess of death by the Shadar-Kai and other acolytes of darkness throughout the multiverse. This ties into the old tradition of crows, ravens, and the like acting as pyschopomps, escorting the soul from the death of the body to the next destination. We are going to provide both backgrounds for the Raven Queen, and you can decide which one fits better with your world. They stripped her of the title of god of the dead but instead gave her the title, and power, of the god of death. The Prince delighted in usurping some of the Raven Queen's power through his association with freezing death and darkness. These powerful, otherworldly beings grant power and knowledge to mortal beings that enter into a pact with them. The Raven Queen is trapped by her fascination with the past. She sits in her fortress, amidst all the memories of the world, looking at the ones that please her most as though they were glittering jewels. The bonus equals your Charisma modifier. As a second form of aid, Vax pledged to serve the Raven Queen unconditionally and with conviction. Above all else, the Raven Queen is mysterious. Once you use this trait, you cant do so again until you finish a long rest. He saw a spark of white and it widened to be the mask of the Raven Queen as she approached him. They appear withered and colorless, like ravaged husks. You have done well, my champion. Elves love freedom, variety, and self-expression, so they lean strongly toward the gentler aspects of chaos. If that wasn't bad enough, the shadar-kai can also teleport short distances, reappearing with a form similar to that of a wraith. She dropped the name Nera and was reborn as the Raven Queen, abandoning the gray and depressing Pluton, and moving to the much more cheerful Shadowfell.
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