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Istus the Colorless and All-Colored is a goddess of fate and destiny from the crystal sphere known as Greyspace.[2][1][3][4]

Overview[]

Istus is a powerful deity who takes an abstract interest in mortals and immortals alike. She carries a golden spindle with which she weaves the strands of fate together, spinning the future into the present. An aloof deity, Istus concerns herself solely with the fate of the universe and its inhabitants.[2] While she has relatively few devotees, most people will call on her in times of want or need. None know for sure whether she will heed their call, for fate will decide.[4]

Description[]

Istus appears in many forms, including an old crone, a noble dame, a lovely lady or a young shepherdess.[4]

Abilities[]

As long as Istus possesses her golden spindle, all times and places and planes are known to her, and she may move freely from one moment to another. If she ever loses her spindle, she will immediately return to her own plane, and the lost spindle will crumble into dust.

Istus can never be surprised. She can also move into the future and back again, instantly, which has a curative effect on her.[4]

Holy symbol[]

Istus' holy symbol is a golden spindle with three strands.[6][1]

Favored weapon[]

Istus wields a mystical golden spindle which she uses to weave strands of fate, known as the web of Istus[1]. Istus is able to use these strands offensively, as a weapon.[4] Her priests have selected the dagger as their favored weapon.[2]

Possessions[]

Istus possesses a mystical golden spindle which she uses to weave strands of fate. She uses these strands of fate in various ways:[4]

  • the Strand of Binding is used to confine a creature as if they were wrapped in chains.
  • the Strand of Cancellation is used to annihilate non-living objects, as if they never existed.
  • the Strand of Death reduces whatever it strikes into dust, forever.
  • the Strand of Hostility causes the person it strikes to feel hostility towards whoever or whatever opposes the will of Istus, including their own family and friends.
  • the Strand of Passage instantly connects the current plane with any other that Istus wishes, allowing whoever touches the Strand to be instantly teleported to the connecting plane.
  • the Strand of Sending transports whoever it touches through time and space to the moment in the near future which poses the greatest risk to their freedom or continued existence. Alternatively, a willing subject may be sent to their moment of greatest opportunity in the near future.
  • the Web of Enmeshment traps all caught within it in a maze-like pocket dimension. The web appears to have no internal boundaries although those trapped within can only see 10 feet (3 meters) in any direction due to dense mist.
  • the Web of Entropy drains all magical energy from magical items caught within it, and counters all spells cast from within (or into) it.
  • the Web of Stars transports Istus and all who stand near her into an unbounded space of an unknown type. Within is an infinity of star-speckled space draped with silken strands. This web is an ultradimensional pathway to virtually anywhere and anywhen.

Realm[]

Istus possibly resides within a pocket dimension or a demiplane within the web of fate that only she can reach.[4]

Alternatively, she resides within her realm known as the Web of Fate, located within the Concordant Domain of the Outlands.[7]

Worship[]

Most priests of Istus are female.[4] Because they will have born witness to the extremes of fate, from innocents dying horrible deaths to sadistic torturers ruling vast kingdoms, most of her priests are cynical and stoic. However some of them have embraced kindness after some fateful encounter has brought joy into their lives. Her clerics are called upon to make predictions and divinations for important personages across the world.[1]

In Spelljammer[]

Istus is a member of the Baklunish pantheon and is native to Greyspace. The largest concentration of true worshippers can be found in the nation of Liressian on the crescent-world of Ginsel. The capitol city of Liressian boast two churches dedicated to the Lady of Our Fate. Whether they revere Istus or not, few spelljamming captains will depart without first having their vessel blessed by a priest of Istus. Priests of Istus suffer no limitations within Greyspace and do not lose access to their spells when entering the Flow. However they cannot regain mid-to-high level spells until they re-enter wildspace.[3]

Appendix[]

External Links[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Gary Holian, Erik Mona, Sean K Reynolds, Frederick Weining, Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, 2000, (Wizards of the Coast), ISBN 0-7869-1743-1, Chapter 7: Greyhawk's Gods, pages 172-173
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 David Noonan, Complete Divine, 2004, (Wizards of the Coast), ISBN 0-7869-3272-4, Chapter 1: Deities, Other Greyhawk Deities section, pages 121-122
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Nigel Findley, SJR6 Greyspace, 1992, (TSR Inc.), Religion in Greyspace chapter, page 90
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 E. Gary Gygax, World of Greyhawk Fantasy Setting: A Guide to the World of Greyhawk, 1983, TSR 1015, Deities of the World of Greyhawk, pages 70-71
  5. E. Gary Gygax, World of Greyhawk Fantasy Setting: A Guide to the World of Greyhawk, 1983, TSR 1015, Deities of the World of Greyhawk, page 63
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Player's Handbook 5th edition, 2014, (Wizards of the Coast), ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1, Deities of Greyhawk, page 295
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Colin McComb, On Hallowed Ground, 1996, (TSR Inc.), ISBN 0-7869-0430-5, Appendix 1: The Powers by Pantheon, Single-sphere Powers section, page 180

Connections[]

Greyspace
Celestial Bodies of Greyspace
Oerth (Primary) | Kule | Raenei | Liga | The Grinder | Edill | Gnibile | Conatha | Ginsel | Borka | Greela | The Spectre
Additional Astronomicals of Greyspace
The Sisters | The Great Sargasso | The Habitat | Dark Stars
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