Raven (goddess)

Raven (Rockallian: Fiádh, Fernolian: Céifran, Astrallic: Fiag) is a in Rockallic mythology, belonging to The Thirty-five. She is associated with, , impending doom, and ravens. She is one of the most prominent characters in the Legendarium and Prose Legendarium, where she or one of her ravens often appears as the forebode of war or death. In that sense she is often compared to in.

Raven shares her soul with the god Dragon, occupying the dark half whilst Dragon possesses the light half. As such, they could be seen as one deity expressed in two individuals. Nonetheless they are often considered two separate deities, as they share only a soul, but not a conscience.

Appearance
Raven appears in many different forms in the Legendarium and Prose Legendarium, but most often as a either in flight or perched. One such example is from the chapter Fiagin a gus Driagin of the Legendarium, where she is described as follows:


 * Aflight in the sky
 * An unkindness of ravens
 * Their feathers ebony black
 * Fronted by Raven
 * Indistuinguishable from the others
 * But for her white neck

In human form, Raven often appears as a hybrid of a woman and a raven. She is said to have pale, white skin similar in colour and texture to marble, covers her body with a dress of raven plumage, has talons instead of feet, human arms but with wing feathers attached to them, and long, flowing, iridescent black hair.

Nature and functions
Raven is a member of The Thirty-five and as such her ancestral home is the Home of the Thirty-five. However, in actuality Raven spends most of her time in her nest on a branch very near the top of the All-Tree, just below where Eagle is perched.

Raven serves as the foreboder of death, war, and doom. It is said that when Raven flies over your battlefield, all fighting parties are doomed, meaning that there may be a winner in the end but that all sides will suffer extensive casualties. It is also believed that if a raven perches on your windowsill, you or someone close to you will die within the next few days.

Ravens are also responsible for escorting the souls of the dead to the Home of the Wraiths, whilst Raven herself escorts only the souls of the most powerful men and women, who can call themselves "Ravenwarriors". Raven and her ravens also serve as messengers between the worlds, but only if there is impending doom. Otherwise, Raven and ravens do not mingle in the affairs of others and only serve as escorters and observers.

Legendarium
Raven appears often in the Legendarium from chapter Fiagin a gus Driagin onwards. Up until the very end of the chapter Ialn, her appearance forebodes only war or death. However, at the end of said chapter, she first appears in the function of the foreboder of impending doom:


 * Unbeknownst to either
 * The Girl or the Silhouette
 * There was one other who knew
 * For there in the darkness
 * Was perched on a branch
 * A dark and knowing Raven

Another important appearance of hers is before the chase of Ever-Dream:


 * Tired of running
 * She sat at the lakeside
 * The Three Pines behind her
 * Nothing but the wind
 * And the croak of a Raven
 * Perched atop a pine

Cultural attestations
Raven gives her name to the Ravenwold and many of the towns, villages, and geographical features therein, including Fiaggceairraig (Ravenstone), Fiaggclease (Ravenwound), Fiagscuaonn (Ravenknife), and Fiagbheuall (Ravenwing).

Raven is also a popular goddess in Rockallic popular culture, appearing in comics, films, series, and fictional literature. She is one of the most studied deities in Rockallic mythology, with many books about her written over the past centuries.