STUS

(LADY OF OUR FATE) 

Major goddess, N - Fate, Destiny, Predestination, Future 

Istus, the Colorless and All-colored, Lady of Our Fate, is honored and feared as the controller of fore-ordination. While she has relatively few faithful devotees, many persons will call upon Istus in time of want or need. She may or may not heed. None knows. Because fate is so often cruel or unkind, only very cynical or unfeeling persons tend toward service of Istus. 

No one knows where (or when) Istus makes her abode. Some savants postulate that there is a nexial pocket universe, which only she, and her webs of fate, can enter or exit. Istus does certainly make appearances on other planes, including the Prime Material. Sometimes she is an old crone, at other times she appears as a noble dame, then again as a lovely lady or even as a shepherd girl. In whatever form, Istus never bears an obvious weapon, for she is able to employ any object offensively. Istus also can create and cast strands and webs of many different kinds. Each strand or web has its own powers and effects. These strands and webs are: 

Strand of Binding, which confines a creature as if wrapped in iron chains. 

Strand of Cancellation, which causes the object struck to cease existing, and become as if it never had existed. Only non-living things can be affected. 

Strand of Death, which reduces whatever it strikes to dust, forever. 

Strand of Hostility, which causes any affected creature to become hostile to anyone and anything, which opposes Istus, because destiny would have it, so. Any and all possible actions in defense of Istus will be used by the creature affected, against even former friends or associates, without direction from Istus. 

Strand of Passage, which instantly connects the plane it, is on with any other Istus desires. Any creatures touching it are transported instantly to the connecting plane. 

Strand of Sending, which sends the affected creature to whatever time and place in the near future which poses the greatest threat to its freedom or existence. Willing creatures can be sent to a place of future opportunity. 

Web of Enmeshment, which causes all creatures caught within it to become lost in a maze-like space, vision clouded by mist, filled with apprehension and likely to attack on sight any other creature encountered. The web seems to have no internal boundaries, although those inside it can see no more than 10 feet in any direction. 

Web of Entropy, which drains magical powers from enchanted items and cancels the effects of spells cast from within (or into) the web. 

Web of Stars, which transports Istus and all that is near her to an unbounded time-space of unknown type. All see an infinity of starry space draped with endless nets of silken strands. Distances are distorted, and each step taken moves the individual vast distances - or so it seems. Any creature more than two "steps" away appears as a glowing star of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, or white. This web is an ultra-dimensional pathway to virtually anywhere or any when, provided the way is known. Istus, naturally, knows the way. Extremely intelligent creatures have been known to return to their point of origination. A few intellects, whose genius was surely beyond measuring, are reputed to Wave actually determined the location of other points along the web and traveled to other times and planes. The web lasts for one hour of "real" time. When it fades, all creatures return instantly to an apparently random location on their respective home planes, unless they have found and entered some other plane. The "stars" are entryways into times and planes, but unless the nature of the time/plane is known, these portals are impassable. 

Istus employs a spindle-like instrument to cast these strands and webs. This device responds to Istus, and Istus alone. All times and places and planes are known to Istus, and she may move freely from one to another so long as she has her spindle. If it is lost, she returns immediately to her own plane. The lost spindle will then crumble into powder, and Istus will be compelled to remake her magical spindle, which may require up to a year, during which time she cannot control fate. 

Istus can never be surprised. She can move into the future and back, instantly, once per day. Such movement is known to have a curative effect on her. All time-related spells are totally useless when applied to Istus in any manner. Istus is said to be served by a strange companion, a creature of time similar to an elemental prince. 

Clerics of Istus wear gray robes, or black on occasion. Leading clerics have web-patterned formal vestments. Most are female. In addition to the holy symbol of Istus, the cleric must allow her/his hair to grow at least 6 inches long. 

Centers of worship of Istus are in Dyvers, Greyhawk, Rauxes, Rel Mord, and Stoink. Services include gauze hangings, clouds of incense, woodwind music, chanting, and meditation.