Greyhawk Faiths - Wee Jas

Wee Jas grants us the clarity to see beyond the veil of mortality. - follower of the Ruby Queen

Wee Jas (Ouija) is a timeless Suel deity, eternally young and respected by all Suel who have any interest in their heritage. Through her, one can understand the world, the afterlife, and the intricacies of the human heart. Her energy is the legacy of the Suel people, her determination the source of their will to survive against great adversity.

Belittled by some as a lesser counterpart to Boccob and an inferior rival to Nerull, Wee Jas is actually a powerful deity of Oerth. She represents magic, the finality of death and guardian of the afterlife, and the natural laws that govern all these things, or in love's case, its lack of such laws. As the goddess of magic for a long-lived magical empire, fallen in a near-genocide event, Wee Jas has been a constant fixture on Oerth, and people of all cultures recognize her might and symbols, even though her own worshippers might not fully understand her.

Wee Jas is a powerful goddess who is used for getting what she wants. She insists on things being done her way, will chase it with great passion and will go beyond reason to achieve it. Her running affair with the chaotic deity Norebo only shows that she will get what she wants even if she has to compromise her own principles.

Origin 

The Lord of Time, a venerable and ageless dragon, guided some of the early human tribes to become the Suel Tribe. To continue guiding these enlightened humans, he summoned from the ever-turning wheel of time three deities to aid the Suel on their journey to order. The first deity to break free from the wheel was the goddess Wee Jas and she became part of the cycle of life. After every harvest season, Nerull slays Obad-Hai and hangs his body from the Summer Tree, ushering in the winter. At every winter solstice, it is Wee Jas who sneaks off with Obad-Hai's body and plants a new Green Man somewhere, which blooms into the new Obad-Hai to usher in the Spring.

Appearance 

The Witch Goddess is always depicted in religious art as an alluring Suel woman wearing a beautiful and elaborate gown, often surrounded by a sphere of magical light. When she sends visions of herself to worthy worshippers, her gown might instantly change its appearance several times. She never disguises herself as anything other than a beautiful woman, be they short or tall, slender or buxom, youthful or mature. Although she has been known to take the features of another humanoid culture.

Wee Jas displays her symbol - a skull in front of a fireball - as a piece of jewellery such as a necklace, brooch, or ring, although some of her more elaborate gowns might themselves be a motif of skulls and flames.

Wee Jas has no sacred animal following her around, although she is sometimes accompanied by constructs or magic items in the shapes of animals. A few temples are lucky to have one such a construct as a gift from the deity herself.

Relations with other Faiths

 

Although The Ruby Sorcerer's portfolios would seem to put her at odds with other powerful entities, her wisdom and strict adherence to her domain of influence has kept them on peaceful terms or at least are an interesting challenge.

The Ruby Sorcerer's true allies are lawful deities of the Suel pantheon and will ignore most other non-Suel deities. For example, Pholtus may be the Oeridian god who claims to be the absolute authority on law and the natural order, he is from another pantheon and Wee Jas focuses most of her attention on the laws of magic and death, which are outside his purview. She will work with non-Suel lawful deities if she absolutely must.

Although some may expect otherwise, she respects Boccob who is outside the Suel pantheon and is focused on preserving the magic of Oerth, leaving Wee Jas free to manage its practical, creative, and aesthetic aspects. Nerull is an ancient Flan deity and she is very delicate in her dealings with him as for him life ends abruptly, while she is more a steward of the afterlife. With this disposition, their portfolios complement each other rather than compete.  The relationships with these two deities are paralleled in the mortal churches as well.  

Lastly, she is not on speaking terms with any chaotic deity save her lover Norebo, a chaotic scoundrel with no respect for law and order, although from time to time her church comes into conflict with that of Norebo for obvious reasons. This passionate affair represents the unruly side of her.

Teachings 

Wee Jas teaches her followers about her full portfolio of magic, law and death.

The Witch Goddess is the mistress of magic who teaches that any type of magic be it arcane or Occult is worth devoting one's life to, whether it is spellcasting, creating or using items, or even its effects in general. Magic should be more practical rather than benign, more lawful than compassionate. For example, if a wizard's spell requires a human heart, no magical custom should stop the wizard from using it although he or she should not simply murder someone for the heart, but rather buy or trade for it legally. The common folk should thus not fear Wee jas's followers as they will never be at risk of magical experimentation against their will, slaves are property, however, and are not subject to these protections.

She is Death's Guardian, the lady of the portal between worlds and the guardian of those who have passed on. She teaches her followers that it is not about stalking the night to add a few more souls, instead, she teaches that death is part of the natural order of things, one of the laws defining mortal existence. Her law states that the focus needs to be on Spirits of the dead, not their bodies, although the correct rites need to be performed on the physical host. Because she guards the souls of the dead, she is displeased when these spirits are involuntarily summoned back to the mortal world and corrupted into undead unless the spirit is voluntarily willing to. Her belief in the sanctity of death is so strong that her clergy are forbidden from raising the dead by any means without first consulting with her, a variety of punishments awaits them who disobey this law. 

The Ruby Sorceress teaches that the law of the universe needs to be obeyed, for it is what is needed to define and control magic. Her teachings as the goddess of laws allowed the early Suel people to create a code of laws, only fragments now exist, that helped their society prosper and grow into a great magic empire. To understand the laws of the mortal realm is to hold the key to the universe and within the Suel pantheon she commands all this knowledge, even the father of time, Lendor will call on her for her knowledge on this.

Symbol

Wee Jas holy symbol

The symbol of Wee Jas is a vivid depiction of a crimson skull engulfed in swirling flames. The skull, bold and prominent, exudes an aura of fiery intensity, symbolizing both the inevitability of death and the transformative power of magic. As flames dance around it, the skull becomes a focal point, commanding attention and evoking a sense of awe and reverence. It is a striking representation of the goddess's dual domains of death and arcane mastery, encapsulating her role as a divine figure of both dread and fascination.

Places of worship

The exterior of her temples are imposing and dignified, designed to inspire reverence and respect. It might be constructed from dark stone, with tall, slender spires reaching towards the sky. The architecture would be elegant yet austere, with intricate carvings and symbols depicting skulls, flames, and arcane sigils adorning the facades. At the entrance, the large double doors are made of polished wood or metal and engraved with images representing death, magic, and law, serving as a reminder of her spheres of influence. Above the entrance, a red skull wreathed in flame is prominently displayed, indicating the purpose of the temple.

Upon entering the temple, visitors find themselves in a grand foyer or atrium, illuminated by flickering torches or magical flames. The air is scented with incense, creating an atmosphere of solemnity and mystique. The walls are adorned with tapestries depicting scenes from Wee Jas's mythology or the history of her followers. The main chamber of the temple is a vast sanctuary, with high ceilings and stained-glass windows casting colourful patterns of light onto the floor. Flanking the altar, statues or effigies of Wee Jas in various aspects might be positioned, each representing different facets of her divine nature—death as the final journey, magic as the source of power, and law as the foundation of order.

Services

Wee Jas, characterized by vanity, is revered by her followers through hymns honouring her as the mistress of death and Magic. Never is this more apparent when followers perform the 'Day of the Dead'. They will visit the graves of dead relatives and loved ones. But they don’t necessarily go to mourn; instead, they clean the graves and headstones or decorate them with flowers. Some might pray, while others play music. The environment almost resembles a party, with music, food and drinks. People come together to share stories of their loved ones — helping keep their memory alive.

Under the guidance of the priests, the congregation may partake in periods of contemplation and meditation, pondering the mysteries of life, death, and magic. These introspective moments foster a stronger bond with Wee Jas and provide insights into existence. Services include rituals honouring departed souls, conducting magical rites to commune with ancestors, and presenting prayers and sacrifices to the goddess for guidance in matters of death and magic.

Afterlife

The Witch Goddess' realm is on the plane of Acheron in the layer of Ocanthus, an infinite, perpetually dark expanse, filled with razor-sharp shards of black ice that fly around at high speeds. Here resides her realm The Cabal Macabre, a huge and intricately carved ice castle of horrifying architecture, glowing with a pale heartless light in the otherwise pitch-black layer.

Devout followers of Wee Jas may continue in her service even beyond death such as overseeing departed souls and fulfilling the goddess's will. A select few may even earn reincarnation or resurrection, returning to the mortal realm to further serve Wee Jas or complete unfinished tasks. Those who have disappointed Wee Jas will be consigned to the Layer of Tintibulus, characterized by chilling temperatures, perpetual dimness, and a constant hum. Here, in her stronghold known as The Patterned Web—an octagonal structure resembling a spiderweb—the unfaithful follower remains until the goddess deems their debts paid.

Divine Intercession

Anathema 

- Ignore or not act on a love interest

- Create undead

- Desecrate a corpse or rob a tomb

- Wilful destruction or suppression of magical knowledge or artifacts.

- Breaking established laws

Beliefs:

Respect the dead 

The dead must not be abused, and nothing may be done to their bodies unless they consented to it while alive. Respect those who came before you, left their knowledge, and died to make room for the next.

Magic is the key to all things

It is a sacred endeavour that leads to deeper understanding and enlightenment into the fundamental nature of reality, allowing practitioners to perceive the underlying forces that shape the cosmos.

Laws define mortal existence 

Law is the foundation upon which the universe is built, providing stability and predictability to existence. Legal precedents must be upheld, and souls must be properly adjudicated according to divine Law.

Goals:

Guard the secret knowledge of death and the afterlife

However, do not hunt nor be afraid of this knowledge, for immortality is impossible.

Gain Mastery of Magic 

Unlock greater understanding of magical power through, practice, and creating powerful spells and items.

Protect the laws of the universe  

Understanding the laws of the mortal realm is to hold the key to the universe.

Aphorisms

The everyday sayings and adages of the faithful tell a great deal about their beliefs and morals.

Mother of souls protect thee

This blessing or invocation for protection is uterred to appeal to the Ruby Lady to watch over and safeguard the person in question, especially in matters related to the afterlife or spiritual well-being.

Magic is the Key of All 

A person who is confused about his place in the world will hear this being spoken to him. Magic controls life and death, the heart and the mind. It operates by a set of laws, and knowing those laws arms you to deal with all aspects of life, death, and the afterlife. It serves to remind the person that the world works according to certain rules and those rules can be studied and mastered.

Honour the dead 

This saying is used daily to remind people that every creature that has died has influenced the world today in some way. Every stone in a house was placed there by someone, every spell crafted was written by another. By thinking about the chain of acts from the past to the present, a wise person begins to see a pattern to the world and can think ahead to what contribution his actions today will have in the future, when he is dead.

To defy the Lady of Graves invites her shadowed wrath

Used to condemn someone who disrespects or goes against the goddess’s principles. By uttering this curse, the follower is emphasizing that such defiance will bring severe consequences, invoking Wee Jas's darker, wrathful aspect, which brings about punishment and misfortune.

Divine relics

The church of Wee Jas is very careful with the relics of its faith. As such, recovering the following items is of the utmost importance:

Malf Ulad's Divining Board:

Whether the Suel mage-priest Malf Ulad created or discovered this device is unknown, but his many years of unearthing prophecy and dodging disasters proved the item has significant power. Built of lacquered cedar wood, the board consists of two hinged pieces covering an area 2 feet on a side when opened. Nearly an inch thick, the board is bound on the edges with runes of gold and silver, and the top is covered in dozens of runes, arcane symbols, and letters in various alphabets, either carved or inlaid with ivory. To activate the board, the user places a large gem on its surface and holds it with the tips of their fingers (rumours have it that some stones give better results, with certain kinds of questions). The user then speaks out to the board in a clear voice, asking a question about the past, present, or future. The board steers the gem toward various symbols and letters, spelling out its answers. Because of the age of the divining board, it is likely that it only responds to requests spoken in the dead Suloise language (although it may be able to understand parts of the Common tongue spoken by Suel-descendants). Malf Ulad's fate is unknown. He might have perished in the Rain of Colorless Fire or survived by becoming a Suel lich. In either case, the divining board is likely buried somewhere in a ruin deep in the Sea of Dust.

Dagger of the Fireheart:

This ornate dagger is decorated with a skull-and-fireball motif. Forged by the Suel witch Akalra and quenched in her own blood, this talisman was the key to protecting her against her political and arcane enemies. Born of low social status, she managed to join a witch's coven based on her raw talent, which she refined over the years, until she became its leader. Eventually, she came into conflict with Iggwilv, a powerful witch who despised Wee Jas's arts and her followers. Iggwilv was not to be trifled with, especially not by a fledgling witch like Akalra who was killed in 465 CY. As a powerful witch who died trying to destroy Iggwilv, Akalra is one of the few martyrs of Wee Jas's church.

Royal Firemage Gown:

This elaborate feminine gown is a work of art, decorated in tiny jewels, threads of precious metals, and exotic fabric. Lost since the destruction of the Suel empire, it was recovered from the eastern fringes of the Sea of Dust by Temeria, an adventuring wizard and one of the lesser daughters of a previous Gynarch of Hardby. This brave and headstrong woman first wore it to a formal ball in the City of Greyhawk in 490 CY, and when news of it reached Wee Jas's high priestess in Hardby, a few divination spells revealed its origin as an item from the Suel royal house. Although she wished to keep it for herself, at her mother's insistence Temeria eventually gifted the gown to the temple as a gesture of goodwill and alliance between the Gynarch and the church. The gown was worn in public on three occasions by two successive high priestesses but has not been seen for nearly 30 years. It might have been lost while in transit to another church or stolen by skilled thieves.