Erathis
Erathis | |||||
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Prime Deity | |||||
Deity information | |||||
Other names | |||||
Pronouns | she/her | ||||
Province | Civilization, Law, Peace[3] | ||||
Symbol | Double-headed axe inset with a pattern of scales[3] | ||||
Alignment | Lawful Neutral[3] | ||||
Home plane | Astral Plane[2] | ||||
Realm | Hestavar, the Bright City[2] | ||||
Worship | |||||
Worshipers | Judges, rulers[2] | ||||
Holy day | Civilization's Dawn (Quen'pillar 22nd) | ||||
Major temples |
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Cleric domains | |||||
Appearances
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Erathis, the Lawbearer, is the goddess of civilization and laws. She is commonly worshiped by leaders and judges.[4] Before arriving in Exandria, Erathis bore the name "Edam".
In Downfall during Campaign 3: Bells Hells, Erathis is played by Noshir Dalal during her time in Tengar and afterward both as an NPC by Brennan Lee Mulligan, and by Noshir following Aeor's fall.
Appearance, symbols, and personality[edit | edit source]
The Lawbearer is shown as a hooded, armored woman sitting atop a throne or a throne of pillars, her face obscured or expressionless. She is often depicted with light brown skin and a strong but lithe body.[4][5] She is described as one of the two most dutiful and self-sacrificing of the Prime Deities, alongside Bahamut.[6]
During the Schism between gods the Lawbearer sided with the Prime Deities, and motivated by the promise she gave to the mortals. She didn't have an affection for mortals, and saw their relationship as the contract she must fulfill.[7]
Biography[edit | edit source]
Arrival and creations[edit | edit source]
Edam, along with other deities of Exandria, escaped their home plane of Tengar, losing an aspect of their eternality and infinite nature. In her home plane Edam was a loud chaotic shapeshifting entity that tried to copy and change. When fleeing on the ship created by the god Ihana, Edam made a helm and compass out of geometry for the ship.[8]
Edam, now given the name Erathis, and Melora created humans through their passionate love as the third race on Exandria. They granted humans passionate hearts as well but also a chaos that blessed them with the ambitions, mirth, and curiosity of their two creators but also cursed them to be too short-lived to fully fulfill these impulses.[6]
The Calamity[edit | edit source]
Erathis was among the Prime Deities who fought against the Betrayer Gods in defense of Vasselheim shortly before the Calamity, and again fought against the Betrayers in the Calamity.[9] Certain artifacts for Erathis were crafted and repaired at the Underforge within Kravaraad.[10] The records of the Scalebearers state that, at the end of the Calamity, it was she and Bahamut who came to Vasselheim and declared that the Prime Deities would also leave Exandria. Though this was initially met with protest from both the divine and mortal, the other gods ultimately agreed, finding this "unimpeachable and just". Thus, the Divergence occurred and the Divine Gate was created.[11]
Downfall[edit | edit source]
Erathis was originally one of the gods who were intended to take on mortal form, but instead sent The Emissary. She spoke to him in a vision in the Chamber of Seasons, explaining that she made him because the responsibilities she had to mortaldom were in some ways in conflict and needed to honor all she could. She also mentioned that she feared the gods were harming the world.[12] Following the fall of Aeor, she joined the Prime Deities who had been in mortal form; she apologized to Melora and told her she did not go because they had to try to save the city, and if anything had happened to her it would have made it impossible for her to follow her own rules. She thanked the gods for looking after The Emissary, whom she considered a son.[13] She and Ioun then brought up the subject of creating the Divine Gate and leaving Exandria due to what they had wrought upon it.[14] Melora then told her she wasn't angry, and the two left together, discussing the forest Melora had made for her, and The Emissary.[15]
Post-Divergence[edit | edit source]
Clerics of Erathis and druids of Melora work together to keep civilization and nature in balance.[16]
Ogden Trickfoot claimed the curse afflicting their family had been placed upon an ancestor of theirs by Erathis as punishment for fratricide. However, this curse did not actually exist.[17]
Relationship[edit | edit source]
Erathis has a tempestuous and furious romantic relationship with Melora, the goddess of nature, that "tempered only when civilization and nature are in balance."[4] When this balance is disrupted, "civil unrests and riots bloom in her beloved cities".[5] Zehir detests both Erathis and Melora, and sends his followers to destroy civilization and deplete nature.[18] Erathis also despises Bane, seeing his reign as a perversion of law into authoritarianism; Bane is also an enemy of Melora.[19]
Worship[edit | edit source]
- Utilize the company and aid of others. The efforts of the individual often pale against the capabilities of community.
- Strive to tame the wilds in the name of civilization, and defend the points of light and order against the chaos of darkness.
- Uphold and revere the spirit of invention. Create new settlements, build where inspiration strikes, and expand the edicts of the Lawbearer.
— from the Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn[5]
The Lawbearer's holy day is Civilization's Dawn, celebrated on the autumnal equinox (22 Quen'pillar).
Issylra[edit | edit source]
The Lawbearer is worshiped by the denizens of the Quadroads District in Vasselheim.[20] Her temple is called the Crown of Erathis;[21] the Holy Paramours of the Crown of Erathis approve magically-binding[22] contracts under which the Slayer's Take hunts monsters and other creatures around Vasselheim.[23][24][25]
Tal'Dorei[edit | edit source]
Erathis is one of the gods with the most worshipers spread across Tal'Dorei, from the Lucidian Coast, across the Dividing Plains to the Bladeshimmer Shoreline, and down in the Rifenmist Peninsula (outside the Iron Authority, which is devoted to Bane).[26] The cathedral to Erathis is one of the two biggest in Emon's Temple District,[27] and a dual statue of Erathis and Melora stands in Azalea Street Park in one of the city's oldest neighborhoods.[28] A short rest taken here grants inspiration to a character once a week.[29]
In Whitestone is a small temple to Erathis called The Lady's Chamber.[30] By 836 PD, it is known as the House of the Lawbearer and is both a place of worship and a stately courthouse. A permanent Zone of Truth spell is active on the premises, and all who enter are sworn to tell the truth by vigilant clerics. The protection is fallible but sends a clear message to all visitors.[31]
During the occupation of Westruun by the black dragon Umbrasyl and the Herd of Storms, the temple to Erathis in the city was partially ruined,[32][33] but the temple to Erathis is noted as one of the three largest shrines in the city's Temple Ward a year later,[34] and the High Priest of the Lawbearer blessed the unveiling of the Black King, a construct intended to defend the city in times of crisis and otherwise stand as a statue.[35] A newer temple to Erathis, in the Underwalk Ward, shows up in the adventure hook Down Below in the original Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting sourcebook, set in 812 PD.[35]
By 836 PD, the First Bastion in Westruun, dedicated to the Lawbearer, is the most magnificent temple the Temple Ward. It is an opulent sanctuary of decadent gold-and-marble exterior that can't be imagined by most to be something that sits on the Material Plane, seeming like a building from the realm of the gods themselves, and is a common attraction for folks of all faiths. The First Bastion was a secret refuge while Kevdak occupied the city, and many Westruun survivors turned to worship Erathis afterwards because of her protective grace.[36]
Yearly, Clergy of Erathis send champions to the Godsbrawl Ring in Emon for the annual Godsbrawl celebrating Kord but rarely take it seriously because they scorn the Storm Lord's notion of "might makes right".[37]
In 842 PD, a party called the Everdawn began on Civilization's Dawn and promised to continue all the way into the new year[38] more than two months later. The symbol of the Everdawn is the double-bladed axe of the Lawbearer turned into a chalice.[39] The Crown Keepers attended this party the night before the events of the first episode.
Wildemount[edit | edit source]
The Lawbearer is one of the deities that is approved for worship in the Dwendalian Empire,[40] and her holy day is celebrated with feasts in honor of the laws of the Dwendal bloodline, with one seat at each table left open for the king to dine with them in spirit.[41] The Prime Arbiter of the Dwendalian Empire delivers judgements in the Temple of Writ, the central temple to Erathis in Rexxentrum.[42] Next to the temple is the Claykeep Prison, providing a reminder to anyone doing business in the surrounding Vigil Circle of the swift consequences for theft.[43]
The aarakocra city of Vol'antim prominently features dual temples to Erathis and Melora, and the laws are built around Melora and her respect for Erathis.[44] Rural folk persist in believing that aarakocra are angels of Erathis despite the aarakocras' attempts to explain they are not.[45]
The Mother's Lighthouse by Nicodranas was built from stone produced by the union of Erathis and Melora.[46] Uthodurn has a temple dedicated to her worship.[47]
Known worshipers[edit | edit source]
- Keeper Yennen of the Lady's Chamber in Whitestone[30]
- Head Cleric Umentu of the temple to Erathis in Westruun[35]
- Aldor, a member of the Slayer's Take[48]
- Holy Curator Curtis Uleas, one of the leaders of Vasselheim[49]
- In "Bar Room Blitz" (OSx12), Jayne Merriweather pretends to be a disciple of Erathis, but is actually a follower of Tharizdun.[50]
- Theona Balmhand, wandering cleric and member of the Golden Grin[51]
- Herald Voloshin, Lawmaster of Zadash[52]
- High cleric Yuana Bretei, former holder of the Spear of Judgement[53]
Behind the scenes[edit | edit source]
When working on Downfall miniseries, Matthew Mercer and Brennan Lee Mulligan came up with divine laws established by the Lawbearer and given to the mortals. One of the first laws—the gods are unimpeachable.[54]
Appearances and mentions[edit | edit source]
Appearances[edit | edit source]
- Campaign 3: Downfall
- "Downfall: Part One" (3x99), as Edam (first appearance)
- "Downfall: Part Two" (3x100), in a vision
- "Downfall: Part Three" (3x101)
Mentions[edit | edit source]
- Campaign 1
- "Hubris" (1x17), mentioned only
- "Trial of the Take: Part 3" (1x20), mentioned only
- "Whispers" (1x29), mentioned only
- "Dangerous Dealings" (1x42), mentioned only
- "Family Matters" (1x96), mentioned only
- "The Fate-Touched" (1x103), mentioned only
- "The Ominous March" (1x109), mentioned only
- Campaign 2
- "Beyond the Boundaries" (2x32), mentioned only
- "Clay and Dust" (2x72), mentioned only
- "Lingering Wounds" (2x89), mentioned only
- Campaign 3
- "Rush for the Bloody Bridge" (3x82), mentioned only
- "Bittersweet Reunions" (3x93), mentioned only
- "Where The Red Fearne Glows" (3x94), mentioned only
- One-shots
- "Bar Room Blitz" (OSx12), mentioned only
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 16.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, Chapter 1: "Story of Wildemount", p. 22.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, Chapter 1: "Story of Wildemount", p. 21.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, Chapter 1: "Story of Wildemount", p. 22.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, Chapter 2: "Allegiances of Tal'Dorei", p. 29.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, Chapter 1: "Welcome to Tal'Dorei", p. 13.
- ↑ "4-Sided Dive: Oh My Gods" (4SDx26) at 17:35.
- ↑ "Downfall: Part One" (3x99).
- ↑ See official art on this page.
- ↑ "Clay and Dust" (2x72) at 1:58:46.
- ↑ Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, Chapter 1: "Welcome to Tal'Dorei", p. 16.
- ↑ "Downfall: Part Two" (3x100) at 21:51.
- ↑ "Downfall: Part Three" (3x101) at 5:49:09.
- ↑ "Downfall: Part Three" (3x101) at 5:50:40.
- ↑ "Downfall: Part Three" (3x101) at 5:56:51.
- ↑ Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 18.
- ↑ "Family Matters" (1x96) at 1:46:56.
- ↑ Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 19.
- ↑ Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, Chapter 2: "Allegiances of Tal'Dorei", p. 35.
- ↑ "Trial of the Take: Part 1" (1x18) at 46:51.
- ↑ Or "Erathis's Crown." "Hubris" (1x17) at 3:12:00.
- ↑ "Hubris" (1x17) at 3:05:10.
- ↑ "Trial of the Take: Part 1" (1x18) at 39:07.
- ↑ See the written contract from Alchemist Ozwyn Gruude.
- ↑ "Trial of the Take: Part 3" (1x20) at 39:32.
- ↑ Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 43. See also pp. 52, 76, and 87.
- ↑ Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 90.
- ↑ Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 93.
- ↑ Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, Chapter 3: "Tal'Dorei Gazetteer", p. 136.
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 "Whispers" (1x29) from 1:56:59 through 2:02:59.
- ↑ Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, Chapter 3: "Tal'Dorei Gazetteer", p. 78.
- ↑ "Best Laid Plans..." (1x50) at 2:46:18.
- ↑ "Best Laid Plans..." (1x50) from 2:56:31 through 2:59:47.
- ↑ Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 59.
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 35.2 Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 61.
- ↑ Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, Chapter 3: "Tal'Dorei Gazetteer", p. 92.
- ↑ Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, Chapter 3: "Tal'Dorei Gazetteer", p. 138.
- ↑ "The Nameless Ones" (E1x01) at 12:08.
- ↑ "The Nameless Ones" (E1x01) at 1:05:32.
- ↑ "Steam and Conversation" (2x09) at 46:11.
- ↑ Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, Chapter 1: "Story of Wildemount", pp. 22–23.
- ↑ Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, Chapter 3: "Wildemount Gazetteer", p. 106.
- ↑ "Frigid Propositions" (2x109) at 1:58:36.
- ↑ Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, Chapter 3: "Wildemount Gazetteer", p. 92.
- ↑ Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, Chapter 4: "Character Options", p. 165.
- ↑ "The Ruby and the Sapphire" (2x33) at 3:04:13.
- ↑ "Hope Within History" (3x55) at 59:33.
- ↑ "Hubris" (1x17) at 3:11:47.
- ↑ "The Search For Grog" (OSx28) at 32:16.
- ↑ "Bar Room Blitz" (OSx12) at 39:07.
- ↑ Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 37.
- ↑ "Steam and Conversation" (2x09) at 2:53:35. The Herald is named earlier.
- ↑ "Breaking and Entering..." (3x20) at 2:55:51.
- ↑ "4-Sided Dive: Oh My Gods" (4SDx26) at 18:13.
Art:
- ↑ Official art of Erathis, by Hannah Friederichs and Cael (source). This file is a copyrighted work. Its use in this article is asserted to qualify as fair use of the material under United States copyright law.
- ↑ Symbol of Erathis from Critical Role: Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting.
- ↑ Symbol of Erathis from Explorer's Guide to Wildemount by Claudio Pozas. (source)
- ↑ Official art of Erathis and Bahamut battling Asmodeus and Gruumsh at Vasselheim, by Kent Davis (source). This file is a copyrighted work. Its use in this article is asserted to qualify as fair use of the material under United States copyright law.
- ↑ Official art of Erathis (right) with Melora, by Zuzanna Wuzyk @zuzartii (source). This file is a copyrighted work. Its use in this article is asserted to qualify as fair use of the material under United States copyright law.
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