Black Harp (Firmament)

From Bestiary of the Hypogriph

Template:Deity Black Harp is a psychopomp gravekeeper associated with acceptance, performances and the macabre.

Appearance[edit | edit source]

Black Harp has two known forms; the first resembles a ghostly and eerily beautiful Human woman with unnaturally pale skin, an intricate gothic dress and deep black eyes. The other resembles the former, but is rather a rotting zombie-like corpse, half-eaten by maggots and with a bloodied longsword impaling her torso.

History[edit | edit source]

According to mortific legend, Black Harp was once a Human belonging to a Nitchlander family of dirge bards who served Dominus Mortis by guarding a powerful artifact in Telamon. However, this family was eventually assassinated, and the artifact was stolen. Once their souls reached the Underworld, Dominus Mortis rewarded their devotion by giving them the chance to be elevated into higher beings to continue serving him in death, with the family's daughter being chosen to undergo the transformation. Black Harp's first act in existence was return to the material plane and destroy her assailants, recovering the artifact and damning their souls to Irkalla.

Realm[edit | edit source]

Black Harp's realm is Blackharp Mansion, which is said to be a replica of her original home in the material plane. The realm is directly linked to the real Blackharp Mansion, which is located in modern day Duskwood, leading to the latter being haunted by all manner of spirits, including the ghosts of Black Harp herself and her family.

Personality[edit | edit source]

Black Harp is curious and mischievous, showing a fascination with the supernatural and the macabre which stems from her original family's mannerisms in life. She is well aware of her reputation as a ghost and uses it to play with those who try and sneak into her mansion, which has become famous due to her presence.

Relationships[edit | edit source]

Black Harp is described as being in good terms with all deities of the dead. Like all psychopomps, she considers all undead abhorrent and sees their destruction as holy duty. She is known to have a deep antipathy towards the Cult of the Worm and all such followers of Varagarash Narahil, as her murderers were under the orders of the latter.

Cult of Black Harp[edit | edit source]

Black Harp has no organized religion or large-scale following in Telamon, instead being treated as a being of prestige by his fellow psychopomps and being revered by a small number of dirge bards across the world. When acknowledged by mortals, she is often revered as a facet of Dominus Mortis rather than as a separate deity.

See also[edit | edit source]

Template:Psychopomp gravekeepers