Lady of Eternal Equilibrium, The Frozen Maiden

Domains: Death

After the divine cataclysms which nearly shattered reality, the souls of the dead were left uncared for, to waste away into oblivion instead of being harnessed to sustain Rod’s sacred creations. A god was needed to govern and guard the plane of the departed. And not just any god, but one who is just, stern, unyielding, and unmoved by prayer or sacrifice—a deity to claim the frozen throne and the eternal responsibility that comes with it. Goddess Morana, daughter of Lada and Svarog, took on the heavy burden to become the queen of the icebound realm and ruler of the dead. Morana’s priests teach that death comes to all, one way or another, and that Morana vigilantly guards each soul that passes through her frozen plane on its path into the Great Cycle. It is said the Lady of Eternal Equilibrium offers a place by her side to the most zealous of her followers, that they may serve as her eternal frozen guard. 

The Frozen Maiden’s followers see undeath as an offense to the Great Cycle, and believe in the preservation of natural transition. Thus, those who keep her tenets close to heart often find themselves opposing arcanists who practice necromancy. At times, Morana’s worshippers go so far as to destroy ancient knowledge that describes undeath, seeking to stop those who wish to unearth the knowledge and practice it. Such fervent actions often put her devout at odds with those who follow Radigost and wish to simply record the information for the sake of knowledge itself. 

Ritual sacrifices are performed in Morana’s name throughout Rodozem, and one rarely finds people who don’t honor the goddess—for she is the Lady of Eternal Equilibrium and all are equal in her domain. Some believe that winter’s snow and ice comes as a gift by the Frozen Maiden to lay to final rest those who died but have not been cared for. 

Apart from religious rites, traditional ceremonies performed by Morana’s clerics take place at the beginning of the winter solstice and immediately after it. Masses of people come together on the icy banks of rivers to take part in this holy ritual. An ordained priest of Morana tosses her holy symbol, a sickle, in the freezing waters, and the one who fetches it first earns Morana’s blessing and is dubbed “Winter’s Champion.” Afterward, during the last days of the winter solstice, a doll is woven in the image of the goddess, then beheaded by her winter champion with the same ritual sickle. The doll is tossed into the river and Morana’s frigid essence is released from the world, symbolizing the end of winter and the beginning of spring.