Nephthys
(a.k.a. Protector of the Dead)
Sister of Osiris, Isis, and Set, Nephthys appears as a human woman with large wings. She was married to Set and bore him one child, the twisted crocodile god Sobek. Longing for a normal marriage and child, she got Osiris drunk and seduced him, bearing Anubis as a result -- and provoking Set's murder of his brother. After Set kills Osiris, Nephthys abandoned her husband and joined with Isis to recover the dead god's body, mummify him, and secure his place as lord of the afterlife.
Divine Domains
Death, Healing, Good, Protection, Repose, Water
Portfolio
Life, water, and griefDivine Symbols & Sigils
Horns around a lunar disk
Tenets of Faith
Despite her marriage to Set, Nephthys is the greatest enemy of the god of evil, hating him more passionately than even Osiris does. She was deeply wounded by Osiris's death (which she felt was her fault), and her grief is the embodiment of all human mourning. Her priests teach that grief is an appropriate response to death -- even though the soul of the departed finds peace and joy in the Offering Fields. In her name, followers of the Pharaonic pantheon weep and wail at funerals even as they celebrate the new life of the deceased.
Clergy and Temples
Nephthys has few clergy of her own, as she is most commonly revered as part of the Pharaonic pantheon. Her clerics participate in funerals, raising their voices in loud and dramatic mourning. Most of her clerics are female. Nephthys is most often worshiped in small chapels within or attached to larger temples dedicated to Isis and Osiris. She also often has funeral chapels attached to temples of Anubis.
Divine Classification
Intermediate Deity
Alignment
Chaotic Good
Realm
Spouses
Set
(Husband)
Siblings
Comments