Myrkul

Myrkul, also known as the The One Who Waits, the Lord of the Dead and the Reaper, was the neutral evil god of death, decay and twilight in the Ogdoad pantheon. His status as god was not always so, a minor god in ancient times, Harmonic Convergence not only strengthened his power, but his survival ensured him the status as god of the dead for all time to come. Ever patient, ever vigilant. Myrkul is the constant, the certainty that all mortals must come to terms with. All races know him, all feel his presence. Depicted as a shrouded skeleton his true form is unknown to even the gods. Both venerated and feared throughout the world, most cultures feature Myrkul in some capacity. Whilst not openly worshipped, all pay tribute to him to ward off plague, disease and death before its time. In some tales, Myrkul is the remains of the calamity made god. Whatever the truth, he waits for all at journeys end.

His influence in Aletrias was inspired through the fear of death. Myrkul wasn't widely worshiped so much as dreaded, and even blamed for the natural difficulties that accompanied growing old. He had mastered the skill of sparking unease and fear amongst mortals through every action or mere word. His face, the white skull shrouded in a black cowl, was recognised across the Realms as the symbol of fear and death, the paragon of nightmares.

It was very important to Myrkul that people of Aletrias always kept him in the back of their mind. He never missed an opportunity to remind the world that he was waiting for them all. His symbol was a white skull and he favoured ravens as his messengers of death and disease

Description
The avatar of Myrkul appeared as a humanoid skeleton hidden in flowing black robes. His wrinkled, lesioned skin and blackened, cracked lips gave the appearance he was just on the verge of death. He spoke in a rather high whisper, though his words never showed enough inflection to convey feeling or concern.

Symbol
The holy symbol of Myrkul was a white skull inset into a black triangle.

Worshipers
The worship of Myrkul was never popular in Aletrias. His worshipers, who were often undertakers in one form or another, were a morose, secretive lot, reticent to share their faith with those outside his meagre and unorganised church. These Myrkulytes were tasked with ensuring the people of Aletrias both feared and respected death. To aggrandise Myrkul's power they would propagate rumours that merely touching one of his priests would bring certain death.

"Death walks behind each of us, every day. Nay, don't look back nor try to run—none can outrun his fate, though many try strange and elaborate ways of doing so. Death is patient and comes for you when he's ready—oft when you least expect him and least want him. It's the way of Death."

— Oren Bel Danarr, Sage of the Infinite Chorus, Musings on the Realms