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 | In the Aserdian pantheon, Errai entirely loses the antagonistic aspects they have in some other pantheons. Instead they are a necessary part of the natural change in the world required for renewal and change, frequently worshiped alongside Saclateni. |
| Chaskan | Erra | |
| 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. |