Divone (dee-vonn)

Divone is the Queen of Undeath and Granter of Forbidden Knowledge, also sometimes known as the Demon Queen. She is one of the Elder Beings, along with Morwyn, that inhabit the negative energy planes and spread their evil throughout the universe. Her main portfolio is undeath and raising dead creatures as soulless husks to do her bidding. She deals out this knowledge - and many other secrets of dark magic - to mortals in exchange for their souls and/or their assistance with some nefarious plot she is working. While some who claim to have witnessed Divone report that she appears as a seductress and others claim she showed up as a terrifying specter, all accounts detail the horrid smell of death and decay that surround Divone and permeates her entire realm. Her necromancy and creation of undeath are most strongly opposed by, surprisingly for some, the queen of the dead Helī who believes undeath to be the greatest heresy in the universe. This makes it even more puzzling that the two deities produced one child, Khemozh, the Hex Maiden.   With Morwyn, Divone has created almost the entire Dark Pantheon through their sporadic divine unions. These deities have been given specific missions or portfolios of their own, similar to the Deirid of the positive energy planes. Morwyn and Divone's relationship and history is a very complicated tale of love and hatred. At various times through the history of the universe, they have had passionate romantic affairs and alternatively have continued the everlasting Blood War against one another. Their children, known as the Olcrid, sometimes take Divone's side and command legions of demons from The Abyss, while others maintain their own planes and stay out of the Blood War entirely. Her dark, corrupting influence can be felt all over the world, especially in mage colleges and arcane circles, where practitioners of the arcane arts are often tempted by the promise of secret knowledge. Before they know what they are doing, Divone has used their studies and powers to open portals and have masses of her demons invade other planes.   Divone does not have any priests or organized religion, though there are many cults and individual followers that are devoted to her in secret. Many of these tend to be the scholars and mages she has corrupted with the promise of power and secrets, and they continue to work toward her aims in the Material Plane.   **Divone could be compared to Orcus in the traditional D&D pantheon or universe, though she highlights and amplifies the role of over-lord of all demons. Several of her children are rulers of the Abyss, and she exerts a tight control over their leadership and actions - while still allowing them some level of autonomy to carry out their evil plans. As noted above, her relationship with the king of the devils is a complicated web of romance and hatred, nothing like the pure acrimony and disdain shared by Asmodeus and Orcus in traditional lore.**