Erlok

Greater God

Often called the Stillborn God, the origins of Erlok are mysterious at best. The most commonly accepted account is a tragic tale. Erlok was stillborn to his godly parents (who they were is unsure). Since this was the first time that an otherwise immortal being had died, his parents were distraught. They tried everything they knew to try and bring him back. Eventually, Thadred, the mad god of lies and unholy magic, made a deal with them; if they would sacrifice their divine essence, Thadred could give it to the dead child and awaken him. They agreed, and both became mortal. Thadred kept his bargain.. sort of. Erlok's soul was brought back from death, but his divine body was not healed. Erlok would forever straddle the gate between life and death, so he chose to become the protector and judge of the dead.
 * Symbol: A skeletal hand holding a the scales of judgment
 * Home Plane: The Gray Waste
 * Alignment: Lawful Neutral
 * Portfolio: The dead and the afterlife
 * Clergy Alignments: Lawful Neutral, Lawful Good, Lawful Evil
 * Domains: Earth, Law, Protection, Repose
 * Favored Weapons: Scythe

Dogma
Death is but a part of life. It is not an end but a beginning, not a punishment but a necessity. There is no deceit in death, nothing concealed, nothing chaotic. Death is an orderly process. Seek to help others to die with dignity at their appointed time and no sooner. Give comfort to those whose loved ones die, for the Stillborn God grants each soul the fate he truly deserves. Seek out and destroy undead creatures, for they are a blasphemy to the Undead Lord. Let no person in all Ohma die a natural death without one of Erlok's clerics at his side.

Clergy and Temples
Clerics of Erlok perform funerals, settle the affairs of the dead, and often are called upon by local lords or magistrates to oversee the execution of last wills and testaments. They preach to the masses the doctrine of a peaceful afterlife journey, and ensure that the bodies of the dead are buried safely and according to religious tradition. They mark sites ravaged by disease with plague warnings, and attempt to cure disease wherever they encounter it. Clerics of Erlok consider all undead abominations, and do whatever they can to put them to eternal rest. They contend that those who create undead are fit only for swift and utter destruction.

Erlokite clergy sometimes declare crusades against the undead or against creatures deemed to have caused too much untimely death. Occasionally, this leads them to employ adventurers to solve problems with which they cannot contend alone. Members of the clergy tend to be taciturn, even morose at times. Many came to the church after losing loved ones to undead incursions, or even after dying themselves and being so profoundly touched by the experience that they enrolled in the clergy shortly after returning to life.

The temples of Erlok have the appearance of dark and ancient cathedrals. They are usually found close to a graveyard. Underneath the buildings are catacombs filled with crypts of the dead, typically priests or affluent townsfolk. Being entombed in these catacombs is thought to bring favor from the Lord of Graves. The services held by worshipers include chanting and singing. They are typically considered a joyous occasion, and a celebration of the circle of life and death. Members of the clergy also keep records of a community's deaths and births.