Ic'tharious
From StormNexus
Common to all but the Oaken is Ic'tharious, the Gate Keeper of the Halls of the Dead. According to the Elves, Ic'tharious is the goddess that opens the veil of this world to allow the shade to enter the Otherworld. Which Hall in the Otherworld that a shade will arrive in is dependent upon the power and prestige accumulated in life, and the various Halls range from pits of fire and torture to golden palaces of delight and pleasure.
The prayers and rituals conducted at an Elven funeral will also have significant influence over which Hall that Ic'tharious guides the shade to for entry. As a result families spend all they have accumulated for funerary rites that will convince Ic'tharious to open the veil to a Hall of great standing.
This is one of the factors that feeds into the overall Elvish conduct and why lies and treachery are not regarded as 'evil' because it is the end goal of power and position that helps determine an Elf's destination in the afterlife. A common Elvish saying is, "It is better to be a feared ruler than a loved gardener when one meets the Gate Keeper."
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