God Character Sheet (just found this, not using it)

[Xartamal]

Xartamal (Lord Death)
Neutral Evil Greater Power

Specialty:
Death Corruption, Disease, Decay

Areas:
Funeral Rites, Afterlife, Undead and the Coming of Night

Aliases:
The Lord of the Cold Embrace, Soultaker

Holy Book:
Necras Librum (The Book of the Dead)

Outer Realm:
Nathalfertium

Xartamal is the king of the dead. But more than just the ruler of those that have crossed over, he is the force that assigns their allotted span of years walking the living world that guides them to their final destination at the time of their demise. A power that is both neutral and necessary but also cold and hungry, Xartamal does not despise the living, for he knows they will one day be his, but he cannot tolerate the way most mortals fight against the natural end of to life's cycle. He is the presence that hovers over the terminally ill laying in their bed or the wounded soldier whose life is spilling out on a battlefield. He waits patiently for their last breath to release their spirit and guides it on its way through the realms of the dead. All come to his first to guide them to their judgment and then put them on their road to their final destination in the afterlife. As such he is one of the most powerful of the gods, a primeval force that holds the final fate of everything in his cold and unforgiving embrace.

Physical Manifestation:
The Lord of Death has a great many avatars but the one most often described is that of an hauntingly handsome man with alabaster skin, blood red lips, black eyes and cloaked in dark robes. Sometimes he is hooded and at others she is draped by a dark lacy veil. His touch is always described as cold and his voice commanding but only a whisper. He has also been seen as a cadaverous or skeletal figure in tattered black

Outer Realm of Xartamal
Nathalfertium, The Realm of the Dead
Though many of the dead's final destinations can be found in the realms of other gods, all spirits pass through the Realm of the Dead, Nathalfertium. Nathalfertium is actually many places. It is comprised of an infinite network of roads upon an infinite plain. Each spirit must walk this plain and find their own road to their final resting place. The Road to Justification is many and it winds through the Realm of the Dead. Many lose their way, never come to peace and so wander the plain for many years, even centuries, some for an eternity. Many lose their way and end up wandering aimlessly in the Abyss. But most find their way and it leads them to a place readied for them with all the necessities of their final Judgment. Thus Nathalfertium can be a great city where they live amongst one another sharing the afterlife and find final peace and oneness with the cosmos, for others it is a palace filled with great beauty and a multitude of servants to wait on their every whim. But for some it can be a small box buried under the desert like plain which is invaded nightly by tiny insects that feed off their flesh or it may be a pit of fire and unending pain in which they must stand and never have their thirst quenched. So many hells and heavens can be found within the Realm of the Dead, that it is difficult to give it a definitive description. But all of it is an illusion created by and for the spirits that are confined there. If one were able to travel there and not be tied to it by death, what they would find is a great and nearly infinite plain with a multitude of spirits standing unmoving, without any notice of their surroundings, at one with the cosmos in a state of perfection or torment of their own choosing.
At the center of Nathalfertium is the palace of Xartamal, simply known as the Court of Bone, it is a grandiose monument to death, a giant mausoleum where Xartamal resides and metes out judgment to the souls that come to him. It is here that the gods and on rare occasions others come to plead for the souls they care to take elsewhere. The Court itself is built out of the bones of all kinds of once living creatures and beings. The mortar is made of hair and fingernails, pillars are formed from hundreds of skulls and door frames created from the leg bones of giants. It is a polished white, sterile palace of many rooms, a silent refuge from the torment of the souls found outside. The many halls lead to suites of rooms where the favored of Xartamal are allowed to reside and serve the Lord after life. They are provided with the best servants, treasures and blessings death can bestow. These favored few who excelled in the service of Death while still alive are known as the Archon. They act as lesser judges of the dead and are able to freely travel Nathalfertium with no chance of being lost to guide souls on their road. Some use this ability to forestall the souls so they are punished and held from other gods’ realms or forced to wander or wait in torment for a longer time. Others aid the souls on their way and speed them along to their final destination. Whether that be a place of torment or pleasure in Nathalfertium or to the realm of another god. Each serve the will of Xartamal which appoints them their tasks and what souls to hinder or help but they are also given voice in the Court of Bone when dealing with their charges and may take the case of a soul either to prosecute or defend it before Xartamal at their own will. Souls that are prayed for by the living to speed them on their way by worshippers of Xartamal, or that have been formally sanctified by a Caretaker are given an Archon to defend them in the Court and to help guide them along their road.

The Book of Xartamal
Necras Librum (The Book of the Dead)
The Necras Librum is a book of prayers and rituals that enable the Priesthood of Xartamal to put the dead to a final rest. It includes the many funeral rights that are used throughout the world as well as specific ways to keep certain types of undead from rising or being formed. Some magus have used the writings within the book to reverse the process and so learn the ways of necromancy and the animation of the dead. This is considered a sacrilege to the church of Xartamal and unless sanctioned by the church or the Lord of Death all mage use of necromancy is punished by the church. Those that would use the magics of the Book of the Dead to create undead need first pray and receive the permission of Xartamal or be looked on in disfavor and receive his wrath in the afterlife.

The Necrotic Credo
• Death is patient.
• Death is eternal.
• Death is perfection.
• One must respect the dead and the spirit of the dead.
• One must commemorate the dead and ease their spirit to judgment.
• One must have sympathy for those that do not understand that life is not the reason for existence.
• All will know death as the ultimate destination of the spirit.
• All will worship Xartamal to be swiftly taken to their final destination.
• All will accept their allotted time living and not fight the call of death when it comes.
• It is forbidden to return a spirit to life.
• It is forbidden to stay off the oncoming of death.
• It is forbidden to rob the sanctified dead.

Church Hierarchy:
"Death is the ultimate in fairness. Young and old, rich and poor, death is equal to all." –Maern Buran , Caretaker of Xartamal (born 701-)
"Final judgment comes at death, the sooner you are judged, the less you need to worry about." – Hastor Graham, Darkbringer of Xartamal (born 631 to died 684)
All levels of the Xartamalian church serve death in one way or another. They dedicate themselves to the recording of, teaching about, bringing forth and giving of death. They attempt to ready others and themselves for death. Bringing the understanding that life is only a preparation for death and to ease other living things along in the cycle is the general concern of the Clergy. Though it can also be the instigators of death and the personal hand that so ends life, this is not the purpose of the clergy. There purpose is to spread the understanding and erase the fear of death, make others realize it is a natural thing to be accepted and even longed for or desired, the final conclusion in the cycle of their creation.
The following are the recognized callings found in the Xartamalian Church. They are each of greater power and importance in serving death, but all are needed and so carry their own respect. Though reaching the ability to become one of the higher callings, many of the clergy remain in one of the lower ones, spending their whole life at what they feel is their appointed duty. There are many separate or even secret orders that do not use these titles or even consider themselves part of the organized structure but this is the socially accepted and recognized religious titles known to the greater populace and all Xartamalian clergy.

Necra Grafi - Also known as the Recorders of the Dead, these are the initial members of the church seeking further enlightenment. They maintain the lesser but necessary duties of the church by working in the carnal houses, tending cemeteries, digging graves and preparing the dead for their funeral rights. Their robes are generally brown and when needed wear leather armor. Their typical weapon is a sickle, hammer, mace or footmen's pick.

Necra Freri and Necra Sorori- The Necra Freri, Brothers and Necra Sorori, Sisters of Death are the main body of the church of Xartamal. They fill most all orders found in monasteries and nunneries. These are teachers, guards, cemetery and shrine keepers and the proselytizing of the religionfootman's pick or hammer.

Charitadi and Negracourium - The Caretakers and Darkbringers are those that find a special calling form death. Gaining special notice and favors of the Lady, they represent the embodiment of his two sides.
The Caretaker represents Xartamal’s duty towards seeing that death is understood and respected. They attempt to make others understand what comes after life and so not fear death. Caretakers try and make people realize that what they do in life carries over in to death and the final judgment. The Charitadi is more socially accepted and many live out their lives in one place shepherding the living towards the end of their life and caring for the dead after they die. Caretakers are more oftenthan not female. The Caretakers surprisingly wear robes of white but cover it with an enveloping hooded mantle of black and many wear a funeral mask. It is commonly held by society to be a bad omen to see a caretaker wearing armor. In their minds it signifies that the peaceful side of Xartamal has been turned towards war. But when needed the caretaker will wear hide armor if available, otherwise they wear leather. It is acceptable but rare for them to use bones in their armor or other dress. Scales are also rarely worn but on occasions one of the Charitadi has done so. The favored weapon of the Charitadi is the footman's pick, but a close second is the scimitar or sickle.
The Negracourium brings death where ever he travels. These are the servants of Xartamal’s unforgiving nature. Acting as a means of ending those lives that had outlived their allotted time. Sometimes culling out the weak or those who waste their lives and serve no purpose, they aid in the struggles that are found in life bringing them to their ultimate end. The Darkbringer tends to be more active and mobile. Most people will not abide one living in their presence. Though some are accepted where death is preferable to suffering and help the dying on their way with a more swift and usually painless death, in general the Darkbringer is feared and reviled even by others within the Xartamalian religious structure. Darkbringers are generally male, though some females are called it is rare. Only in the orc ranks are their more female Darkbringers to be found. Famale Negracourium are sometimes known as Death's Handmaidens of Negra Vesti. In all cases they are unable to give birth and so are called to instead bring death. The Darkbringer wears the best armor he can afford or find with crimson and black color scheme. The bones of other living things are highly prized by the Darkbringer and worn as much as is practicable without being encumbering or ridiculous. They will only wear the bones of creatures they have killed themselves and those of more sentiant beings are more higly prized than those of mere animals. The favored weapons of the Negracourium are the scimitar, scourge and scythe.

Necra Courium - These are the Bringer of the Dead. Either through their own hand or by collecting the casualties of life, the Necra Courier are the main body of the traveling Xartamalian church, going out to teach the world for readiness of their final journey and serve death in all its duties to the living. In collecting the dead they give them a proper funeral and see that they are at final rest. Also removing the corruption of the corpse and giving it proper care removes it from causing unwanted problems. But it is also sometimes the duty of the Necra Courium to spread plague and disease to thin out the population when it has become a burden. Many fear the priests that practice this vocation in the religion. Marked by their ability to enthrall others they intone the secrets of death and bring others into the belief that it is a natural conclusion to a being's existence. To many hey are thought of as death personified and a bad omen. Though generally acting for the benefit of the living many Necra Courium find themselves persecuted and so few remain in this calling once able to take on another.. Most wear long enveloping robes of charcoal gray. Those in the pursuit of death and actively bringing it about wear red. When needed they wear any type of armor and wield any weapon allowed to the Xartamalian cleric, but the favored weapon is the scythe.
Necra Logosum- The Necra Logosum, or the Speakers for the Dead, are the next level within the church structure. These are the typical leaders of small parishes, speakers over ritual funerals and the preachers of the lessons of the cycle leading to death. Once a Xartamalian priest has achieved enough favor with Xartamal to be able to speak with the they may choose this vocation within the church hierarchy. In most towns they can be found tending to the shrines upon the hollowed ground of their cemeteries. By the time they are ready to take on the mantle of Necra Logosum, the Xartamalian clergy has learned enough of death to be able to speak for and dead, eulogize for the departed, giving their journey to the afterlife a better understanding by those left behind, still alive, and a quicker road for the one beginning the Path of Justification. They almost never wear any kind of armor but at need dawn what armor they have. The preferred weapon of the Speaker for the Dead is the sickle. The robes of the Necra Logosum, unlike those of most all other callings in the church, are more form fitting and typically of white. Black sashes are wrapped around the priest holding the robes tightly to the body. The significance is to show that nothing is hidden, all is bared in living as it will be in death. A death mask is worn to allow the priest to be anonymous and so represent the dead to the living while eulogizing them.

Necra Sengiri - The leaders of the Xartamalian church are these priests, Death's Blood. Wearing robes or sashes of red and skull caps taken from another human skull, they are greatly feared by most people around the world. Generally the equal of the high priest in other religions, that may have such power to give life back to the dead, n the case of the Necra Sengiri, they can slay the living with the power given them by the Lord. Most will lead a cult or be the high priest of one of the main temples of Xartamal and maintain the church for the Necra Agari of the region. other than the red sash and skull cap they will dress and arm in the manner of their last calling in the church.

Necra Matari- Also called Death's Mother, this level of the hierarchy is only held by females but is equal to or even more respected than the Necra Sengiri. The Necra Matari are always completely dressed in black. They walk amongst the living in shrouds of black and rarely were bones or other unattractive accouterments. Many think them an apparition or shadow, a ghost of a long lost loved one, or even Xartamal himself. They are considered the living embodiment of the Lord. Normally the Necra Matari do not remain in one place but travel throughout the lands and spread the lessons of death to as many as they can. Like Death they are never far away and almost always unexpected.

Necra Agari - This is the highest calling of the Xartamalian church, also known as the Giver of Death. These have reached such favor with Xartamal that they can speak his unholy words of power. Though there is no limit to how many may reach this level, it is rare to have more than one at any given time in any specific connected region. Thus there is normally only one in each realm or geographical area at any given time. The personage and whereabouts of this individual is rarely known. They typically stay on the move but also may be the High Priest of one of the major temples of Xartamal. It is wrongly believed that those of this level have been made into undead, serving Xartamal after their normal life has ended. But this is an abomination to Xartamalians. For a Xartamalian priest to accept such a thing and be kept any longer from the embrace of perfection is worse than most anything imaginable. The Necra Agari have no set manner of dress. Most dress as they did in previous callings in the hierarchy of Xartamal. The main visual aspect that sets them apart from others of the same calling is they invariable look more cadaverous even if still young in years.

Temple Hierarchy:
The general religion of Death is without a true leadership. Each of the clergy of Xartamal find their calling and then work within it, together or apart, to serve death. Natural leaders become the decision makers of groups that band together with generally only the more powerful in the church taking president. This gives rise at time to misunderstandings and internal strife. The temple thus have a more rigid and strict order of command. Within the temples this is the order of command generally found.

Necra Grafi - The Recorders of the Dead care for the day to day care of the temples business. Mainly they are found dealing with the care of those that have passed and the cemetery and mausoleums belonging to the Temple.

Necra Freri and Necra Sorori- The Brothers and Sisters of Death do most of the teaching and handling of the living that come to the temple for comfort and learning.

Necra Logosum - The Speaker for the Dead is the general head of the Religion within the Temple. Presiding over most funeral services of the greater members and giving the ritual prayers for the worshippers on each of the three full moons.

Necra Agari - One of the Givers of Death will be the ultimate leader of the temple. Though generally not handling any of the day to day business of the religion, they can preside over major funerals or rituals as they feel is needed by their close communication with the Lord. They are generally the figure head that the others come to with their greater problems and is considered the final reprieve when all else fails.