The Lady of Winter

Lorminstra is as unusual in her bailiwick as most of the other Arkati we know and worship. Her sphere of influence is life and rebirth. She is the keeper of the Ebon Gates and holds the Golden Keys. Winter is Her season of influence, fittingly enough, and She is very active (as Arkati go) in our everyday lives. She is commonly seen as an Elven lass holding a ring of golden keys -- a key for every soul in existence.

Lorminstra’s dominion is the realm between life and eternal rest. Also vying for control in this dominion is The Snake, Luukos. It constantly wars with Lorminstra, vying for the future of our souls.

Common understanding of the dominions mentioned above is patently incorrect. Most people assume that when our bodies die we pass through the Ebon Gate and meet Lorminstra’s mercy. This is false. In actuality, Lorminstra’s dominion exists before She opens the gates to us. It is in this Purgatory that she decides on our fates based on our deeds and fealty. It is also during this time when our souls and resolve are weakest and at most risk of being corrupted by the taint of The Snake.

During our time in Purgatory, Lorminstra weighs our soul against our good deeds and fealty. If she deems you worthy, you are returned to your mortal body with less knowledge of the world than you had, as a reminder of our tenuous grasp. However, if She deems you unworthy, even the sway of The Snake is beyond choice. She will open the Ebon Gates and send you into the realm of The Mistress of Death, Gosaena.

Gosaena decides, finally, if you remain behind the Ebon Gates in relative peace, unable to interact with the mortal plane. If not, she sends you to The Pales, the demonic underground, for your soul to be consumed, and forgotten, forever. Except during the rare times when Lorminstra can exert her influence and open a small portal through the Gate and allow some of the souls beyond to animate, you would be eternally kept in flux.

This knowledge should help the casual adventurer to better understand the importance of fealty and respect for The Lady’s influence. She allows us to be ourselves, following and worshipping who, what, and as we will, while asking for so little in return. A bauble here and there, or some items for the poor, is hardly a large cost for the safety of our souls.

The Snake attempts Its foul influence also, while in Purgatory. It has also been known to approach those weak enough to believe Its lies on the mortal plane. Again, it is important to note that this seduction, of sorts, occurs before Lorminstra opens the Ebon Gates for the souls.

It would also have you believe that you can receive immortality and ultimate power by giving It your soul. What It neglects to tell you is that once your mortal shell is depleted, It will reanimate you to plague the lands in the form of the Undead. Your soul is owned by It, and you will be forced into blasphemous service for eternity, or until your soul is, blissfully, released.

Once your soul is released, Lorminstra will open the Gates for you, and Gosaena, finally, determines your fate. It has oft been preached that Gosaena has little patience for those that willingly sold their souls and took away Her rightful choice before they reached Her domain.

It is my contention that those who believe Its Lies, and dupe themselves into trying to rationalize Its Lies, are the weakest sort of dupe. Those that have not the power, nor confidence, to believe in the Truth follow blindly in a shell of false power and promise.

Further, it is my contention that all those that believe the Lies can be redeemed. The Lies can, and will be, dispelled by the Truth, and the Light. Hopefully this essay is a start to inform all those of the faith, those of the Dark, and those atheists, that travel our lands into the Truth behind the Lady of Winter. Her beauty, grace, and compassion are known every day, but how often is She praised by us?

How often is this Arkati, the most influential Arkati in our day-to-day lives, forgotten? Remember all, who holds your soul in her hands, cradling it firmly, but lovingly, watching our deeds and efforts day in, and day out…Walk in Her light, friends.