National Bird Day is every year on January fifth. Naturally, we wanted to take a bit of time to talk about Thread of Souls and how birds play a large part in the narrative. More specifically, Lady Raven, the Goddess of Death, healing, and natural order. She is so named because of her connection with ravens and their symbology with death.
Lady Raven in the Books
Lady Raven is mentioned on and off throughout the first two books. We talk about a temple in An’Ock and characters know of the deity but aren’t too familiar with what they represent. In Path of the Spiders, we learn much more about the goddess and meet a village full of worshippers. These acolytes are known as Ravenites and keep watch over her temple in the Gloomdwell. However, there are far more temples and shrines to the goddess of death throughout Tos.
Ravenites & Deathwalkers
Lady Raven’s symbol is a scythe surrounded by two raven wings. She is often depicted as a dark hooded and winged figure. She guards those that pass on and is actively opposed to necromancy, murder, and the perversion of death. She chooses an acolyte she deems worthy to become her champion known as a Deathwalker. This hero is part of an order of warriors that fight against the necromantic arts.
A common saying you will hear spoken by champions and followers is “Travel far. Threads connect us.” Her temples are often visited by groups of ravens. Her followers dress in robes of black and red.
History
Little is truly known about how Lady Raven became the goddess of death. From what texts and documents have been gathered, she joined the pantheon much later after the previous god of death corrupted his duties. She is not strongly connected to the other gods and is seen as an outsider. She took part in a key battle during the Divine Wars and is still suffering from the loss.
That’s a short history of Lady Raven to celebrate National Bird Day 2022.
