Erra

Erra
Titles	Dust-Lord The Unstoppable End
Type	Pantheonic deity
Areas of concern	Decay, ruins, aging, disease
Typical worshipers	Apocalypse cults, druids
Domains	Decay, Destruction, Dust, Fate, Plague, Time
Divine font	Heal or Harm
Divine skill	Thievery or Stealth
Divine ability	Dexterity or Wisdom
Favored weapon	Warhammer
Symbol	Cracked skull
Sacred animal	Vulture
Sacred color	White and gray

The glory of the [...] ruler that is housed in this tomb has been forgotten. The [...] and the countless laborers that built it were forgotten even before. Soon the stones themselves will be swallowed by the [...] sands, ground to pieces as the winds inexorably shift the dunes. Such is the fate of everything touched by the relentless might of the Dust-Lord.

—Graffiti found on a sand-scoured ruin in the Sangora Desolation

Erra (pronounced err-RAH) is the god of decay, ruins, aging, and disease.

Edicts and anathema

Edicts

None

Anathema

Repair or heal things that have outlived their usefulness, attempt to unnaturally extend one’s lifespan, preserve history, hide the signs of aging, disrupt stagnancy

Description

Erra was born as soon as the first creation was completed, initially disregarded by the other gods as yet another spirit among the many that they had caused to come into being. Upon Erra's genesis the world began to slowly decay, imperceptibly at first, then accelerating. By the time the rest of the divines noticed, it was too late - Erra had established their place in the universe. Plants and animals began to age and even the tallest mountain peaks began to erode as the god’s influence spread.

Erra is the gradual yet unavoidable decay that touches everything. They are the slow aging of life, the rotting of flesh, the water and wind grinding down even the hardest stone, and the placidity that sets into society. With a complete absence of malice they look upon the world and lead it all towards dust and sand.

Followers

Erra has few devoted followers - not many find reason to worship a god of decay. Still, there are some devotees to the Dust-Lord. Many of their followers are members of apocalypse cults who believe they are among the few who see the imminent end times, and take to worshiping Erra out of a belief it will grant them favor to weather the oncoming ruin. Though Erra has no emotions towards their deific influence, some of these cults take to attempting to actively accelerate the end of the world - Erra grants these followers divine favor regardless.

Not all of Erra's faithful are cultists, however. Some druids take to paying homage to Erra, seeing them as an important influence upon the natural world. In some parts of the world they are closely associated with Socharin, as a necessary part of the cycle of death and rebirth necessary for things to grow anew.

Church structure

There is no organized church to Erra. Their followers tend to congregate into cults with shared interpretations of their god, though they almost entirely eschew physical temples, preferring to etch their prayers into existing ruins.

Holy text

Erra has no singular holy text. Instead, scraps of writings containing prayers to the Dust-Lord are passed between their followers, sometimes collected into larger volumes.

Relations

Erra's faithful are broadly unconcerned with the other gods and their followers, viewing them as ineffectual and unable to halt the inevitable decay of the universe. Some worshipers of Socharin have somewhat friendly relations with those of Erra, especially in areas like Brightmarch, but otherwise other religions prefer to have little to do with Erra's devotees. Other faiths widely see Erra as somewhat antagonistic, even if unintentionally, due to the Dust-Lord unmaking the work of the other gods.

Depiction

Erra is rarely depicted in a humanoid form. Sometimes they are pictured as a sandstorm incarnate, scouring all it encounters. Other common depictions include a desiccated tree stripped of all foliage, a skeleton of an indeterminate creature, or a vulture.

Variations by pantheon

Pantheon	Name	Notes
Aserdian	Errai	Errai (pronounced err-RYE) is a god of decay and destruction, but their influence is rarely seen as evil or unwanted. Rather, they are considered to be a necessary part of the natural cycles in the world required for renewal and change. In this role Errai is thought of as the counterpart to Saclateni. Errai and Saclateni are often invoked in prayers and sacrifices by the devoted followers of other gods, as together they are widely considered to be fundamental forces underpinning the world, worthy of worship and respect even if not necessarily the primary target of one's veneration. Like with Saclateni, many see Errai to be a cosmic force too broad and all-encompassing to be reduced to a simple depiction - these followers generally see Errai in all life, pervading everything and everyone. The god is rarely given physical form in depictions.
Chaskan	Erra	Erra (pronounced err-RAH) is the god of decay, ruins, aging, and disease, an inescapable and chaotic deity that slowly eats away at everything. Erra is the gradual yet unavoidable decay that touches everything. They are the slow aging of life, the rotting of flesh, the water and wind grinding down even the hardest stone, and the placidity that sets into society. With a complete absence of malice they look upon the world and lead it all towards dust and sand. Erra has few devoted followers - not many find reason to worship a god of decay. Still, there are some devotees to the Dust-Lord. Many of their followers are members of apocalypse cults who believe they are among the few who see the imminent end times, and take to worshiping Erra out of a belief it will grant them favor to weather the oncoming ruin. Though Erra has no emotions towards their deific influence, some of these cults take to attempting to actively accelerate the end of the world - Erra grants these followers divine favor regardless. Not all of Erra's faithful are cultists, however. Some druids take to paying homage to Erra, seeing them as an important influence upon the natural world. In some parts of the world they are closely associated with Socharin, as a necessary part of the cycle of death and rebirth necessary for things to grow anew. Erra was born as soon as the first creation was completed, initially disregarded by the other gods as yet another spirit among the many that they had caused to come into being. Upon Erra's genesis the world began to slowly decay, imperceptibly at first, then accelerating. By the time the rest of the divines noticed, it was too late - Erra had established their place in the universe. Plants and animals began to age and even the tallest mountain peaks began to erode as the god’s influence spread. There is no organized church to Erra. Their followers tend to congregate into cults with shared interpretations of their god, though they almost entirely eschew physical temples, preferring to etch their prayers into existing ruins. The god has no singular holy text. Instead, scraps of writings containing prayers to the Dust-Lord are passed between their followers, sometimes collected into larger volumes. Erra is rarely depicted in a humanoid form. Sometimes they are pictured as a sandstorm incarnate, scouring all it encounters. Other common depictions include a desiccated tree stripped of all foliage, a skeleton of an indeterminate creature, or a vulture.
Khapeshan	Isfet	In the Khapeshan pantheon, Isfet is widely characterized as more evil than they are elsewhere. Isfet works against the other gods, sometimes actively, attempting to undermine all the works of the divines and their followers. They are widely seen as a willing aid to Apep.
Dwarven	Edri	In the Dwarven pantheon, Edri is seen as a dangerous force invited by those that do not show diligence and care in their work, a slowly spreading rot that comes when people neglect their communities.
Orcish	Rautha	In the Orcish pantheon, Rautha is a neutral god, yet one that must always be resisted. Rautha represents the personal struggle against nonexistence, the enemy in the constant battle to live and thrive. Though few adherents to the Orcish pantheon worship Rautha, they are an important part of the pantheon's way of seeing the world.