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The Raven Queen, Matron of Death, also commonly known as the Matron of Ravens and the Duskmaven, is the goddess of death, fate, and winter; she is also considered the goddess of twilight, inevitability and the passage of time, presiding over the transition between life and death.[8] Originally a mortal woman in the Age of Arcanum, she ascended to godhood and destroyed the previous god of death. After her ascension, her true name has long been lost. Her devotees seek her favor to guide them in death and prevent the curse of undeath from falling on them.

Because of her hatred of undeath, she and the Demon Prince of Undeath, Orcus, are fierce enemies. The Duskmeadow District of Vasselheim is devoted to worshiping her and is also where her temple, Raven's Crest, is located.[9] Blood, which plays a large part in the ritual of communing with the goddess within her temple, is one of many very powerful tools in the worship of the Matron of Ravens and sometimes blood magic is utilized by her followers.[10]

As an NPC, the Raven Queen is played by Matthew Mercer in Critical Role and Courtenay Taylor in The Legend of Vox Machina

Description[]

Appearance[]

When she was alive, the Raven Queen was described as a beautiful woman with raven hair.[11] After becoming a goddess she is described as a tall and slender woman, with flowing black hair and pale, porcelain skin. She almost always wears a blank, porcelain mask. On the rare occasions she removes it, she is still described as beautiful, and her eyes have red irises.[12]

Symbol[]

Her general iconography in Issylra, Tal'Dorei and Wildemount represents the way in which the goddess appears to mortals, almost always adding elements of black feathers such as a cape or wings. However, certain sects in Marquet (in which she is worshiped as Duskmaven) depict her as a keen-eyed vulture with plumage varying from the shades of a sunset to the black of midnight; in this representation the goddess also covers her face, in this case with a golden funerary mask.[13]

Personality[]

As a mortal, the Raven Queen was ambitious and determined following what she considered her own fate, developing the Ritual of Seeding and wresting a position in the pantheon from the previous god of death.[14]

Not long before Vox Machina's final confrontation with Vecna, Vax'ildan visited the Raven Queen to ask for a bead of divinity, used in the creation of weapons that could banish the ascended Vecna.[15] The Raven Queen noted that giving of her essence in this way would expose her already-precarious position in the pantheon to even greater risk:

The Raven Queen: Am I to believe that this is not some ploy to diminish my power and leave me vulnerable to cast me from my seat?
Vax'ildan: I thought you knew me inside and out.
The Raven Queen: I know you, but do you know them? Do you think I've been welcome since I entered this pantheon? My existence is a perpetual threat to the creators. If anything, part of this burden that we all face lies on my shoulders as well. Why should they not think to strike at two birds with one stone?
– 
Vax'ildan seeks a bead of divinity from the Raven Queen [16]

For the Prime Deities, she portends the possibility of another Calamity, which Vecna's apotheosis realizes to an extent.[17] Despite her reservations, in Exandria's hour of need, her faithful servant Vax'ildan persuaded her to overcome her anxiety and sacrifice a measure of her power to contribute the bead of divinity.[18]

Commandments of the Matron of Ravens[]

Commandments of the Matron of Ravens


  • Death is the natural end of life. Grieve the fallen, but do not pity them. Exult in the time that they were granted.

  • The path of Fate is sacrosanct. Those who pridefully cast off destiny must be punished.

  • Undeath is an atrocity. Death is too good a punishment for those who pervert the rightful transition of the soul.

Biography[]

Background[]

Raven Queen's Ascension

Official art of the Raven Queen's ascension to godhood, by Jessica Nguyen from "Exandria: An Intimate History" (Sx61) at 3:24.[art 3]

The Raven Queen was originally a mortal wizard who lived during the Age of Arcanum, possibly in Avalir,[19] theorized to have been Ruidusborn.[20] She was a follower and partner of the previous god of death,[21] but between 119 and 126 years before the Calamity,[22] she developed rites that allowed her to destroy him and take his place, becoming the first mortal to achieve godhood.[23] Her rise to godhood is variously described as either involving her challenging her predecessor and overtaking him[23] or as having instantly destroyed him upon her ascension.[24] She sundered his name from reality, so that it even disappeared from his temples at the moment of her ascension;[25][26] likewise, her name was taken even from the memories of those who knew her[27] and was later believed to be either lost to or removed from the historical record.[23]

In fear, the remainder of the pantheon swiftly destroyed and prohibited these rites.[24] However, another powerful mage of the Age of Arcanum, Vecna, reconstructed the Ritual of Seeding and attempted it, but the ritual was interrupted and he was all but destroyed.[28][29] The Raven Queen's ascension also inspired Vespin Chloras to release the imprisoned Betrayer Gods back into the Material Plane, leading to the Calamity.[23] She foresaw this disaster and, through her champion Purvan Suul, attempted to warn the governing body of Avalir, The Septarion, to pay close attention to Vespin's affairs, but Purvan was largely derided or ignored.[30] Many centuries later, in 812 PD, Vecna returned and successfully completed the ritual.

At some point after her ascension the Matron of Ravens made Letherna her realm in the Shadowfell.[31] She became revered by the shadar-kai, elves that now lived in that plane, and who received new powers thanks to the goddess.[32][33][34]

"The Sunken Tomb" (1x44)[]

The Raven Queen first appeared as a spectre during the revivification spell of Vex'ahlia, summoned by the opening of her late champion's casket. At first, the party mistook her for Vesh (due to Kashaw's part in the ritual), but she was revealed during Vax'ildan's contribution to be, in fact, the Raven Queen. Vax offered his life to her in place of his sister's. The Raven Queen reached her hand out to Vax and nodded, agreeing to the offer. At that point, Vax unwittingly became her new champion.

"Those Who Walk Away" (1x45)[]

While Vax'ildan and Keyleth discussed the Raven Queen, a raven appeared at Keyleth's window, cawed at the two, then disappeared. It was insinuated to be sent by the Goddess.

"The Family Business" (1x47)[]

In his sleep, Vax'ildan had a brief vision of the Raven Queen and the tapestry of threads she oversees. She identified him as "fate-touched," and told him he could be anything.

"Best Laid Plans..." (1x50)[]

The Raven Queen was summoned during Grog's revivification by Vax'ildan. As a second form of aid, Vax pledged to serve the Raven Queen unconditionally and with conviction. The Raven Queen sent Vax a vision, seemingly agreeing to the offer.

After these events, Vax found a raven's feather laying on his pillow which he symbolically put in his hair, similar to the blue feathers worn by his sister.

"Duskmeadow" (1x57)[]

The Raven Queen and Vax'ildan - Mikael

Fan art of the Raven Queen and Vax'ildan, by Mikael.[art 4]

Vax visited the Raven's Crest temple in Vasselheim and communed with The Raven Queen in a pool of ice-cold blood. He saw a spark of white and it widened to be the mask of the Raven Queen as she approached him. He realized he was being held by her in the endless plane.

Vax asked if this was always supposed to happen, but the Raven Queen said that he guided his own path. She called him "fate-touched" and said that he was interesting to her because of how he bent his own destiny. She said that he was interesting to many and she was the one who seized the opportunity. The Raven Queen knew of his hatred and fear of her, but she dismissed it as most hate her due to lack of understanding. Vax agreed to learn to understand and serve. She explained that her gift is to safeguard the passage between life and death - a charge that Vax' now shared. She warned him to be careful with his own bending of destiny and rebuked those who would try to live indefinitely like undead and wayward necromancy. But she understood that an individual may not always be meant to die in one moment and that their destiny went beyond one death.

Vax accepted that this was his cause. She told him his dual nature was what interested her; half recklessness and half instinct. She believed that he had been preparing for this his entire life, unconsciously. She set him down and they were suddenly in the room where Vax left. For a moment Vax saw her as the woman she was before she was a god and she removed her mask. She kissed him on the forehead in parting.

Later that same day, Percy also went to the Raven Queen's temple and communed with her. He entered the void and saw the white porcelain face of the Raven Queen. Percy asked if they could stop it. She told him to ask the right questions. He asked if he was chosen because he was broken or if it broke him, (likely referring to Orthax). She told him that he was always broken and was preyed upon. She said that his deeds would determine whether he could be fixed. He asked for help in getting rid of it and she said she had already helped. The Raven Queen told him that he had to watch himself or he may stray from their side. He asked if he could look for healing. She told him that life is broken from the start and there is no perfection, that finding ways to better yourself before the end is what gives life purpose. She assured him that mortals could achieve great things, just like she did.

"Trust" (1x70)[]

Vax went to the Raven Queen’s temple and communed with her once more, asking for advice. She told him that the path they walked to the sphinx gave them what they needed, and told him to stay alive.

"Curious Tides" (1x89)[]

First, the Raven Queen directly appeared to Vax'ildan, now dead, in a space similar to the first time he communed with her. She then asked him what his destined thread is.

Later, as a part of Vax's resurrection ritual, Vex'ahlia made a bargain with the Raven Queen to hunt down Orcus in return for her brother. Apparently seeing this to be favorable, the Raven Queen manifested in some physical way,[35] allowing Vax to be brought back to life and calling Vox Machina "to meet [her] behind the Divine Gate".[36] Seeming to have disappeared to the rest of Vox Machina, the Raven Queen was still seen by Vax as she gave him an ominous message about future activities of his employment[37] before actually leaving.

"Voice of the Tempest" (1x90)[]

Vax'ildan was visited in his sleep by a vision of the Raven Queen. She told him that she sensed some villainy on the horizon, although she could not see the cause of it. What she could see was greatness in Vax’s future, and that the fates of his friends were possibly tied to his own. She asked him if he could shoulder that burden, and told him to be patient. She encouraged him to enjoy the time he had, as soon she would call upon his purpose.

"Thar Amphala" (1x101)[]

Vax communed with the Raven Queen, sensing that his deal with her was coming to a head. She told him to follow his instincts, and mused that their paths may meet soon enough.

"The Fate-Touched" (1x103)[]

Vax’s soul was in limbo after he was killed by Vecna. The Raven Queen appeared to him and asked what he had seen, revealing that Vecna had “blocked her sight”. He told her about the fight, and the Raven Queen offered him the eternal rest that she said he had earned. Vax protested, saying he still wanted to help his friends. She made him an offer: he could return to life as her champion, for the sole purpose of hunting down Vecna, so long as he returned to her forever when he had finished that task. Vax accepted, and he was raised from the dead as a revenant.

"The Endless Atheneum" (1x106)[]

Vax'ildan communed with the Raven Queen in the Raven's Crest temple in Vasselheim, informing her of Vecna's ascension. Vax compared the two gods, but the Raven Queen insisted there was a difference: he ascended for selfish reasons, she was simply doing as fate willed. Vax asked if he was her enemy, and she confirmed he was the enemy of all. Vax asked her for a third bead of divinity to use in crafting the trammels they would use to banish Vecna. She hesitated, fearing the other gods of the pantheon would take advantage of her weakened state, and that this was some ploy devised by them to do so. Vax asked her how much she wanted Vecna destroyed, and the Raven Queen relented, putting her faith in Vax and asking for his faith in return. When Vax emerged from the vision, he found a small black opal in his hand.

"The Chapter Closes" (1x115)[]

Vox Machina returned to the Platinum Sanctuary in Vasselheim after defeating Vecna and sealing him away beyond the Divine Gate. As Keyleth finished addressing the crowd, the Raven Queen appeared behind Vax'ildan and put her hands on his shoulders. Percy tried to get in between the two of them, but she froze him in place.

You have done well, my champion. The skein of destiny has tugged in your wake, and even this victory culminates with the crossing of a few fate-touched souls. By your hand, your bravery, your sacrifice, you ensure a future for all you love and all who will come to love you and what you've done. You may never know the import of your time here, but take solace in the knowledge that you will see the ripples of your actions carry hope for generations to come.
– 
The Raven Queen comes to claim Vax'ildan's soul[38]

Keyleth, Scanlan, and Vex asked the Raven Queen for more time. The Raven Queen gently sympathized with their grief but insists that a deal was a deal. Vax said goodbye to each member of Vox Machina, promising that he would see them again. Vax used Druidcraft to create snowdrops out from him to Vox Machina and walked to the Raven Queen. Vax saw a bright light from inside the Raven Queen's cloak. In the light was his mother, telling her son she is proud of him. As Vax walked towards the Raven Queen, her cloak faded, the snowdrops continued until they turned into feathers and both were gone.[39]

"The Search For Bob" (Sx45)[]

Lieve'tel Toluse received a vision from the Matron of Ravens while she and Vox Machina were in Pandemonium, revealing that they were being chased by a dust titan.

"Dalen's Closet" (Sx47)[]

When Scanlan cast Wish so that Vax could speak at his sister's wedding, an image of the Matron of Death appeared to deliver the Champion of Ravens, who confirmed that the goddess allowed that brief visit.

"Exandria Unlimited: Kymal, Part 2" (E2x02)[]

In Brussendar or Sydenstar, 843 PD, Morrighan Ferus was working at the Maiden's Wish Casino and became acquainted with Opal, Fy'ra Rai, Dorian Storm, and Cyrus Wyvernwind. Morrighan frequently heard the singing of a bird which guided her actions.[40] As the group started their casino heist and came closer to the target vault, the songbird got louder,[41] culminating inside where it became frantic cawing.[42] Among the gold and jewelry was a white marble bust of the Raven Queen, a human feminine face, very symmetrical and almost mask-like, with feathers extending from it. Underneath, in the place where the name would be, was an area which was magically protected so that eyes would slide across it and blur such that was written there could not be perceived.[43] The cawing inside Morrighan's head grew louder and more insistent, urging her to destroy the statue completely, and didn't silence until it was crushed.[44]

"Hope Within History" (3x55)[]

During the apogee solstice of 843 PD, after Bells Hells fought Ludinus Da'leth and his allies, discovering that some of them were forced to wear symbols of the Matron of Death, and later witnessing how an angelic champion of the goddess was trapped by the archmage, some of the party were teleported near Uthodurn. In the city, they visited one of the temples of the Matron to check if her followers had noticed anything different about her due to recent events; the woman who talked to them confirmed that, like all the other gods, the Raven Queen felt strangely distant although still present.[45]

"Crisis of Faith" (3x61)[]

While she was fighting against the followers of the Dawnfather in the Sunrise Sanctuary of Hearthdell, Prism Grimpoppy called upon the Matron of Ravens when she used her shadar-kai powers to teleport away from danger.[46] Later she once again dedicated a prayer to the goddess while using the blood of the recently killed Flameguide Kiro to prepare to cast Summon Greater Demon.[47]

"A Path of Vengeance" (3x65)[]

Orym, Chetney and Fearne visited the temple of the Duskmaven in the Smolder Spire of Jrusar. While their initial intention was just to check how things were going there, they were approached by one of the priests there and offered water to drink. This sent them into a vision in which they saw the Tishtan excavation site and the activated Malleus Key, and heard the screams of pain of the Champion of Ravens in his spherical prison before the vision ended with a last image of the Matron's pale mask. The priest told them that the followers of the Duskmaven were in a period of mourning and of preparation: mourning the loss of one of their own. When Chetney asked how they could help in the fight, the priest replied, "Faith."[48]

The Matron of Ravens - Kaitlyn L-NerdyNostalgia

Fan art of the Matron of Ravens, by Kaitlyn L-NerdyNostalgia.[art 5]

"A Gathering of Heroes" (3x76)[]

Orym, Chetney, and Ashton Greymoore visited the Altar of the Raven in Whitestone, climbing into sarcophagi in its cellar and receiving a vision of the Matron standing above them with chains dangling from manacles on her wrists. As they climbed up the chains, they broke, and they saw the Matron with black raven wings fly free above them, breaking into hundreds of smaller black ravens. They were left with a sense of being noticed and appreciated.[49]

"The Promise and the Price" (3x77)[]

After Imogen Temult prayed to the Dawnfather in his temple in the Greyfield, so he would help Laudna, she left the building and immediately saw a statue of the goddess of death, hearing ravens noises in the distance. She refused to accept it as a sign connected to her girlfriend.

"Fractures" (3x78)[]

After her refusal to absorb Rau'shan's magic led to Ashton Greymoore's near death, Fearne visited the Altar of the Raven (paying respects to the statue of the Champion of Ravens first), leaving her postcards as an offering and praying to the goddess of fate for guidance, as she feared that if she gained more power she would end up becoming a dark version of herself that she did not want. When she left the temple she saw a family of ravens: an adolescent one with one leg and its two parents, who fed it and stared at the druid for a bit, before the three of them left.

Artifacts[]

The Deathwalker's Ward is a set of armor that used to belong to one of the most famous champions of the goddess, Purvan Suul, and it is said to bear black feathers of the Raven Queen herself.[50] The Raven's Slumber is another magical object associated with the champion, but it is not as powerful, and it is unknown if it was originally linked to the Matron of Death.

Places of worship and holy sites[]

Issylra[]

The Raven Queen is worshiped in Vasselheim, the Dawn City, having her own temple, the Raven's Crest, in the Duskmeadow District.[51]

Marquet[]

A temple of the Duskmaven is located at the top of Jrusar's industrial Smolder Spire, among the living quarters of the workers there. It is striking for having three stories with multiple balconies rising to a blackstone-polished apex in a triangular form, and a golden bird skull perched over the double entry doorway. A candle-lit glow shows through opaque colored glass in the front. The interior has a form of illusory magic that makes the corridors seem endless, and the overall design is reminiscent of a large skeleton, with sections where arms can be seen extending in specific directions. There is a waterfall inside the temple, which offers cold, drinkable water that worshipers can drink, gaining visions under some circumstances.[52]

Tal'Dorei[]

The Matron of Ravens has temples in several important cities, such as Whitestone,[53] Emon,[54] and Westruun.[55]

The Altar of the Raven in Whitestone is small and located in the Greyfield of Whitestone. It was once the mausoleum of one of the noble houses of the city-state, the Anders family.[56] Along with the Raven Queen herself, it celebrates her champion, Vax'ildan.[57]

Although it isn't an official holy site, the Raven Tree of Zephrah acts as a place of tribute for the Matron of Ravens, and more specifically her champion, having, among other relics, a feather taken from his Deathwalker's Ward. Moreover, the raven population in the tree area is higher, and Keyleth, the Voice of the Tempest, takes care of them, especially a large one that visits her often.[58]

Wildemount[]

The Raven Queen is one of six deities whose worship is permitted in the Dwendalian Empire.[59]

In Uthodurn, in the Greying Wildlands, the temple of the Matron of Death is one of the most recent additions to the city.[60]

Relationships[]

Patia Por'co[]

The woman who became the Raven Queen knew Patia Por'co and taught her about apogee solstices.[61]

Morrigan[]

Morrigan described her relationship with the Matron as "complicated." The two don't see eye to eye because the Matron dislikes people interfering with her divine duties and the threads of fate, even though only the goddess can see, touch, and cut the main ones, and Morri dislikes certain things about the ascended mortal, regarding her as the pinnacle of ambition. Despite this, since the Fatestitcher is out of the Raven Queen's reach, they have a mutual understanding, and the Prime Deity is, in the hag's own words, "fine".[62]

Evontra'vir[]

Despite not being directly connected, the Matron of Death and the Great Tree of Atrophy are aware of each other, since their portfolios overlap and they both exist in a similar place. They generally have a sort of frustrating mutual respect for each other, with Evontra'vir being able to ride between the threads of the fate skein the Raven Queen holds. However, their relationship varies depending on the era, and there have been moments in history when both have been formal allies.[63]

According to Matthew Mercer, Evontra'vir might have known the Raven Queen before her ascension.[64]

Vax'ildan[]

Your will be done - David Rodrigues

Fan art of Vax'ildan praying to the Raven Queen for Scanlan's soul, by David Rodrigues.[art 6]

Vax'ildan offered his life to the Raven Queen in place of his sister, Vex'ahlia, as a part of her Revivify ritual. The goddess appeared before him and seemed to agree to those terms.[65] Not long afterward, Vax became a paladin devoted to her cause.[66] After Vax was killed by Vecna, he made a bargain with her to defeat him in return for continued life as a revenant-like being.[67] The Raven Queen and her Champion did not have a cleric-deity relationship, and the goddess just let Vax walk the path on his own after she had told him about it. According to Matthew Mercer, if the half-elf had strayed from that path, the Matron of Death would have intervened.[68]

Once Vecna had been banished, the Raven Queen immediately came to collect Vax'ildan, who became the Champion of Ravens, a celestial still acting as her champion. A year later, she allowed him to return to the mortal realm to speak at Vex'ahlia's wedding, thanks to a Wish spell cast by Scanlan. Since then the Champion of Ravens has acted as the celestial servant of the goddess of fate, and although he does what he musts, he occasionally disobeys her in order to check on his mortal friends, which causes the Matron of Death to reprimand him.

Known worshippers[]

Trence Orman by Tifany Gonzalez

Fan art of Trence Orman contacting the Raven Queen, by Tifany Gonzalez.[art 7]

Celestials[]

Appearances and mentions[]

Appearances[]

Mentions[]

Quotations[]

  • "All life is inherently broken from the start, Percival. Take solace in that. There is no perfection in life. Otherwise, what would be the purpose of death? It's to try to find ways to better yourself before the end that gives us purpose. You are all broken, but also understand - mortals can achieve great things. I did."[82]

Trivia[]

Vax and the Matron 3- LoVM

Screenshot of Vax witnessing another form of the Matron of Ravens, by Titmouse from "Belly of the Beast" (LVM2x11).[art 8]

  • The Raven Queen is the only of the Prime Deities whose name is secret, and thus she's always mentioned with epithets instead.
    • Matt said he does know the name of the goddess, and that he is the only one.[83]
      • According to the notes found in his Gildhollow Tower, Ludinus Da'leth, who was highly critical of any form of religious worship in Molaesmyr, was particularly interested in the secret name of the Matron of Death and the power it contained.[84]
      • In 4th Edition she used the name Nera as the consort of Nerull, but there's no reference to her original name.
  • In 5th Edition the Raven Queen has gone through a process of evolution defining her divine status. Although she appeared as a default deity in the sample pantheon of the Dawn War,[85] she would later be described as a warlock patron, a quasi-divine entity of the Shadowfell, obssesed with tragic memories.[86] Explorer's Guide to Wildemount would reaffirm her status as a goddess, after which she would be mentioned as a potential entity connected to the goddess Ezra (also from the Shadow Realm),[87] a power that clerics could pray to for spells,[88] and indeed, described as a divine being and the queen of the death giants.[89]
  • The Raven Queen is typically categorized with the Prime Deities,[6][90] a group usually defined by its actions during the Founding,[91][92] even though she was not present during the Founding.
  • The Raven Queen's holy day is the Night of Ascension, celebrated on the thirteenth of Cuersaar. Some in Tal'Dorei also associate her with Winter's Crest.[6]
  • The Raven Queen's alternate title of the Matron of Ravens in the original Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting[6] is modified to the Matron of Death in the Explorer's Guide to Wildemount,[31] presumably to avoid redundancy.
  • In the cosmic and magical domain that is fate in Exandria, there are three entities connected to it and aware of each other: the Matron of Ravens is considered the weaver of its threads, with the Great Tree of Atrophy growing in the middle of them in a way that allows them to watch destiny very closely, and the Fatestitcher being an observer that likes to touch and change small details of the skein whenever she pleases.[93]
  • According to certain superstitions, the Matron of Death, just like ravens, pays attention to shiny things; in her case, it is said that she always notice when certain mortal souls have a glint that makes them different and special.[94]
    • It is very possible that the "glint" is connected to the supernatural blessing of the Fate-touched: mortals marked by destiny in a way that can either give them good fortune, helping them make history, or completely ruin their lives.[95]
  • While the Raven Queen is (like the rest of the gods) beyond the Divine Gate, she has been the deity that most actively has shown up in Exandria on stream, making several visual appearances (even if she wasn't physically there) in key moments of Vax'ildan's journey.
  • In her portfolio the Raven Queen includes domains who originally belonged to each of the three destroyed great deities of Exandria: death (from her predecessor), fate (from Vordo the Fateshaper) and winter (from Ethedok the Endless Shadow).[96]
    • It is very likely that the first god of death also became the god of fate and winter after Ethedok and Vordo were destroyed, and that's why the Matron of Ravens inherited it all when she became a goddess.
  • Most common folk, unless they have studied a bit about religion, aren't aware that she used to be a mortal; for them, the Matron has always been the goddess of death.[97]
  • Even though her first angels were cursed by Tharizdun, since then the Raven Queen has created new angels of death that serve her, among other things, chasing fleeing souls and summoning creatures to aid them in that duty.[78] It is unclear if they are a specific type of angel or if any angel serving the Matron of Ravens can be considered an angel of death.
  • In the vision she sent to Orym, Ashton, and Chetney behind her mask there was only a dark void, but this is likely a visual representation of the darkness through which the adventurers were having the vision, since in her humanoid form the Matron of Death still has an actual face under her mask.
  • Despite her bad reputation as a goddess of death, some see the Matron of Ravens as an extremely sincere entity. Ashton Greymoore, for instance, truly respects her because she keeps her promises.[98]
  • The Matron's first known champions are Purvan Suul and the three ancestors of the Clay, Dust and Stone families. The three latter, according to the source known by Caduceus Clay, were the earliest, since he said they were serving the goddess of death the day after her ascension,[99] while Purvaan was doing the same more than a century later, right before the beginning of the Calamity.[100] This, however, becomes more confusing after Taliesin Jaffe explained that the warrior whose body Clay, Dust, and Stone had taken had died during the Calamity,[101] making it unclear if he mixed the chronological details of the tale at some point or if the story Caduceus knew has become altered through the centuries.

Art gallery[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 21.
  2. Critical Role: The Mighty Nein - The Nine Eyes of Lucien, p. 117.
  3. See "Make It Fashion" (3x12) at 2:33:29.
  4. 4.0 4.1 See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 25.
  5. See "A Race for the Prize" (3x27) at 2:27:52.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 17.
  7. 7.0 7.1 See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, p. 33.
  8. See Call of the Netherdeep, p. 87.
  9. See "Trial of the Take: Part 3" (1x20) from 0:51:54 through 52:52.
  10. See "Crisis of Faith" (3x61) at 1:45:04.
  11. See "Bitterness and Dread" (E3x02) at 1:41:04.
  12. See "Duskmeadow" (1x57) at 1:15:02.
  13. See Call of the Netherdeep, pp. 87–21.
  14. See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, p. 15. See also Ritual of Seeding.
  15. See "The Fear of Isolation" (1x105) from 21:43 through 22:25.  Matt explains that "there wasn't really a name for [the shards] more than they're small pieces of essence of the deity" and that the shards are "bead size." This wiki uses the term "bead of divinity." For example, see the page: The Endless Atheneum (episode).
  16. See "The Endless Atheneum" (1x106) at 2:41:08.
  17. See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, p. 24.
  18. See "The Endless Atheneum" (1x106) from 2:42:55 through 2:45:10.
  19. See "Bitterness and Dread" (E3x02) at 1:41:04Patia Por'co, who grew up in Avalir, knew her as a child.
  20. See "Omens Above" (3x19) at 33:50.
  21. See "Duskmeadow" (1x57) at 0:57:06.
  22. See "Bitterness and Dread" (E3x02) at 1:11:01.
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 6. Also Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 12.
  24. 24.0 24.1 See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 17. Also Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 25.
  25. See "Excelsior" (E3x01) at 3:57:45.
  26. See "Bitterness and Dread" (E3x02) at 2:01:51.
  27. See "Bitterness and Dread" (E3x02) at 1:41:04.
  28. See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 29.
  29. See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 38.
  30. See "Excelsior" (E3x01) at 3:35:25.  Magister Madara was baffled by the fact that Purvan needed a connection with a deity to wield divine magic, when the First Knight of Avalir Zerxus Ilerez required only the power of people.
  31. 31.0 31.1 See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 24.
  32. See "Crisis of Faith" (3x61) at 1:07:09.  Prism, a shadow elf, has the teleporting abilities of the shadar-kai, and she called upon the Matron of Death when she used it.
  33. See D&D: Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes, 5th ed., p. 62.
  34. Wizards of the Coast, Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse, p. 31.
  35. See "Curious Tides" (1x89) at 0:56:22.
  36. See "Curious Tides" (1x89) at 0:57:54.
  37. See "Curious Tides" (1x89) at 1:01:17.
  38. See "The Chapter Closes" (1x115) at 1:29:59.
  39. See "The Chapter Closes" (1x115) from 1:27:42 through 1:42:40.
  40. See "Exandria Unlimited: Kymal, Part 1" (E2x01) at 1:12:11.  "That little sound that your songbird makes that's just for you. You realize now as you attenuate your senses to it, that it's been singing loudly the entire time you were having a conversation with that group."
  41. See "Exandria Unlimited: Kymal, Part 2" (E2x02) at 3:27:39.
  42. See "Exandria Unlimited: Kymal, Part 2" (E2x02) at 3:35:38.
  43. See "Exandria Unlimited: Kymal, Part 2" (E2x02) at 3:36:16.
  44. See "Exandria Unlimited: Kymal, Part 2" (E2x02) from 3:39:55 through 3:46:16.
  45. See "Hope Within History" (3x55) at 3:25:31.
  46. See "Crisis of Faith" (3x61) at 1:07:09.
  47. See "Crisis of Faith" (3x61) at 1:48:08.
  48. See "A Path of Vengeance" (3x65) from 2:51:39 through 3:02:59.
  49. See "A Gathering of Heroes" (3x76) from 3:20:02 through 3:31:00.
  50. See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 113.
  51. See "Duskmeadow" (1x57) at 26:30.
  52. See "A Path of Vengeance" (3x65) from 2:40:59 through 2:44:39.
  53. See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, p. 78.
  54. See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 90.
  55. "Belly of the Beast" (LVM2x11)
  56. See "Duskmeadow" (1x57) at 3:29:34.
  57. See "A Gathering of Heroes" (3x76) from 3:06:41 through 3:09:17.
  58. See "The Chapter Closes" (1x115) at 4:11:10.  See also 3:40:33, when Keyleth gets the feather.
  59. See "Steam and Conversation" (2x09) at 0:46:11.
  60. See "Hope Within History" (3x55) at 0:59:33.
  61. See "Bitterness and Dread" (E3x02) at 1:41:04.
  62. See "Fractures" (3x78) at 3:50:04.
  63. See "4-Sided Dive: Anxiety Game Gauntlet" (4SDx18) from 1:38:10 through 1:42:28.
  64. See "4-Sided Dive: Shard Candy" (4SDx19) at 1:15:44.
  65. See "The Sunken Tomb" (1x44) at 4:30:31.
  66. See "Umbrasyl" (1x55) at 0:55:37.
  67. See "The Fate-Touched" (1x103) from 0:51:15 through 1:04:41.
  68. See "Talks Machina #13: 'A Bard's Lament' and 'Daring Days'" (TMx13) at 0:44:11.
  69. 69.0 69.1 See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, p. 53.
  70. See "Rime and Reason" (2x75) at 2:09:55.  Caduceus explains the history of his family.
  71. See "Dinner with the Devil" (2x110) at 3:29:24.
  72. See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 55.
  73. See "A Gathering of Heroes" (3x76) at 3:14:46.
  74. See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, p. 213.
  75. See "The Momentum of Murder" (3x39) at 0:58:50.
  76. See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 176.
  77. See "The Search For Grog" (Sx42) at 3:50:40.
  78. 78.0 78.1 See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, p. 214.
  79. See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, p. 274.
  80. See "Vox Machina Go to Hell" (1x91) at 0:32:37.  The Raven Queen was mentioned.
  81. See "Deals in the Dark" (1x92) at 0:21:42.
  82. See "Duskmeadow" (1x57) at 2:03:26.
  83. Twitter logo Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) on Twitter: "I do, and I am the only one." (2022-05-27).
  84. See "The Sorrow of Molaesmyr" (3x57) at 3:21:19.
  85. See D&D: Dungeon Master's Guide, 5th ed., p. 11.
  86. See D&D: Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes, 5th ed., p. 58.
  87. Wizards of the Coast, Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft, p. 64.
  88. Wizards of the Coast, Minsc and Boo's Journal of Villainy, p. 78.
  89. Wizards of the Coast, Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants, p. 126 and 127.
  90. See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 21. See also pp. 24–25.
  91. See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 14.
  92. But note that the language changes from "The circle of Prime Deities involves the leaders and luminary creators that battled the Primordial Titans and instigated the Founding, forging the mortal races of Exandria" to "The circle of Prime Deities includes the leaders and luminary creators" etc. See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 20.
  93. See "4-Sided Dive: Shard Candy" (4SDx19) at 1:15:44.
  94. Critical Role: The Mighty Nein - The Nine Eyes of Lucien, p. 12.
  95. See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, pp. 189–190.
  96. See "Axiom Shaken" (3x43) at 3:28:28.
  97. See "Hope Within History" (3x55) at 1:17:04.
  98. See "4-Sided Dive: Anxiety Game Gauntlet" (4SDx18) at 1:46:25.
  99. See "Causatum" (2x70) from 3:30:56 through 3:34:42.
  100. See "Excelsior" (E3x01) at 3:24:19.
  101. See "4-Sided Dive: Feat Fetishes" (4SDx21) at 0:23:46.

Art:

  1. Symbol of the Raven Queen from Critical Role: Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting.
  2. Symbol of the Raven Queen from Explorer's Guide to Wildemount by Claudio Pozas. (source)
  3. Official art of the Raven Queen's ascension to godhood, by Jessica Nguyen from "Exandria: An Intimate History" (Sx61) at 3:24. Used with permission.
  4. Fan art of the Raven Queen and Vax'ildan, by Mikael (source). Used with permission.
  5. Fan art of the Matron of Ravens, by Kaitlyn L-NerdyNostalgia (source). Used with permission.
  6. Fan art of Vax'ildan praying to the Raven Queen for Scanlan's soul, by David Rodrigues (source). Used with permission.
  7. Fan art of Trence Orman contacting the Raven Queen, by Tifany Gonzalez (source). Used with permission.
  8. Screenshot of Vax witnessing another form of the Matron of Ravens, by Titmouse from "Belly of the Beast" (LVM2x11). This file is a copyrighted work. Its use in this article is asserted to qualify as fair use of the material under United States copyright law.
  9. Fan art of the Raven Queen, by NLN4 (source). Used with permission.
  10. Fan art of the Raven Queen without her mask, by MargaretChurchA (source). Used with permission.
  11. Fan art of the Raven Queen and Vax'ildan, by advocatingAvian (source). Used with permission.
  12. Fan art of Vax'ildan and the Raven Queen, by NLN4 (source). Used with permission.
  13. Fan art of Vax and the Matron of Ravens, by Jenny Dolfen (source). Used with permission.
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