- "I am the smile of the worm-cleansed skull. I am the regrets of those who remain, and the restlessness of those who are gone. I am the haunt of mausoleums, the god of graves and age, of dust and dusk. I am Myrkul, Lord of Bones, and you have slain my Chosen. But it is no matter, for I am Death. And I am not the end — I am a beginning."
- ― Myrkul (Baldur's Gate III)
The characters possessing the traits of a death deity. Variation of Death. Archetype of Transcendent Physiology and Death Embodiment. Opposite to Life Deity. Not to be confused with Grim Reaper, Shinigami or Afterlife Deity.
Also Called[]
- Dead Deity
- Death/Dead God/Goddess
- God/Goddess of Death/the Dead/Dying
- King/Queen/Lord/Lady of Death/the Dead/Dying
- Transcendent Death Entity
Properties[]
As an archetype a death deity is a god/goddess who represents or is associated with death, the dead, the dying and aspects of the Underworld being the absolute death itself.
Deities associated with death take on many different forms, depending on the specific culture and religion of the said being in question. Psychopomps, deities of the underworld, and resurrection deities are commonly called death deities in religious texts. The term colloquially refers to deities that either collect or rule over the dead, rather than those deities who determine the time of death, making them a greater divinity due to their power over the aspects of death which directly affect the living and their afterlives. In monotheistic religions, death is commonly personified by an angel or demon instead of a deity.
Associated Powers[]
- Absolute Weapon Proficiency (traditionally a scythe but able to use any weapon with ease.)
- Afterlife Lordship (varies between deities)
- Abyss Lordship (rare)
- Afterlife Manipulation
- Astral Plane Lordship
- Heaven Lordship (rare)
- Hell Lordship (rare)
- Purgatory Lordship (rare)
- Spiritual Plane Lordship
- Angelic-Undead Physiology
- Anti-Storage
- Bloodlessness
- Causality Infringement
- Conclusion Dominance
- Conclusion Embodiment
- Dark/Greater Divinity
- Death Derivation (varies)
- Grim Reaper Physiology
- Life and Death Lordship (varies between deities)
- Rebirth Embodiment (resurrection deities only)
- Transcendent Spirit/Undead Physiology (varies)
- Underworld Manipulation (varies)
Associations/Relationships[]
- Absolute Death Manipulation
- Absolute Immortality
- Afterlife Deity
- Afterlife Embodiment
- Agathodaemon Physiology
- Conclusion Embodiment
- Darkness Manipulation
- Death Aspect Manifestation
- Death
- Fate Deity
- Four Horsemen
- Life and Death Embodiment
- Magic Deity
- Old/New-Patron God
- Omnicide
- Omnislayer
- Psychopomp
- Resurrection Deity
- Transcendent Cosmic Entity
- Transcendent Undead Physiology
- Time Deity
- Vegetation Deity
Flaws/Weaknesses[]
- Not all Death Deities are able to reap other beings before their time.
- Deity Consumption/Slayer/Banishment/Imprisonment
- Divine Power Immunity/Negation/Absorption
- Divinity Nullification
Known/Example Characters[]
See also: God of the Dead
Anime/Manga
- Ankhseram (Fairy Tail)
Cartoons/Comics
- Hades (Blood of Zeus)
- Lady Micte (Maya and The Three)
Folklore/Mythologies
- Ala (African Mythology)
- Mictecacihuatl (Aztec Mythology)
- Mictlantecuhtli (Aztec Mythology)
- Xipe Totec (Aztec Mythology)
- Xolotl (Aztec Mythology)
- Ereshkigal (Babylonian Mythology)
- Nergal (Babylonian Mythology)
- Allatu/Arsay (Canaanite Mythology)
- Shalim (Canaanite Mythology)
- Arawn (Celtic Mythology)
- Crom Cruach (Celtic Mythology)
- Dagda (Celtic Mythology)
- Donn (Celtic Mythology)
- Manannán mac Lir (Celtic Mythology)
- Morrigan (Celtic Mythology)
- Akhty (Egyptian Mythology)
- Anubis (Egyptian Mythology)
- Nephthys (Egyptian Mythology)
- Osiris (Egyptian Mythology)
- Sokar (Egyptian Mythology)
- Maximón (Folk Catholicism)
- San La Muerte (Folk Catholicism)
- San Pascualito (Folk Catholicism)
- Santa Muerte (Folk Catholicism)
- Hermanubis (Greco-Egyptian Mythology)
- Agathodaemons (Greco-Roman Mythology)
- Apollo (Greco-Roman Mythology); via diseases
- Atropos (Greco-Roman Mythology)
- Hades/Pluto (Greco-Roman Mythology)
- Hermes/Mercury (Greco-Roman Mythology); as a psychopomp
- Hypnos/Somnus (Greco-Roman Mythology); as the twin of death, Thanatos
- Thanatos/Mors (Greco-Roman Mythology)
- Zagreus (Greco-Roman Mythology)
- Adonis (Greek Mythology)
- Angelus (Greek Mythology)
- Charon (Greek Mythology)
- Iapteus (Greek Mythology)
- Macaria (Greek Mythology)
- Baron Samedi (Haitian Vodou)
- Dhumavati (Hinduism)
- Kali (Hinduism)
- Yama/Enma (Hinduism/Buddhism/Japanese Mythology)
- Nazi’at and Nashitat (Islamic Mythology)
- Izanami (Japanese Mythology)
- Death/Pale Rider/Grim Reaper (Judeo-Christianity/Western Folklore); deity-like entity
- Camazotz (Mayan Mythology)
- Ixtab (Mayan Mythology)
- Jaguar God of the Underworld (Mayan Mythology)
- Dumuzid (Mesopotamian Mythology)
- Mot (Mesopotamian Mythology)
- Freya (Norse Mythology)
- Hel (Norse Mythology)
- Odin (Norse Mythology)
- Valkyries (Norse Mythology)
- Dea Tacita (Roman Mythology)
- Dis Pater (Roman Mythology)
- Libitina (Roman Mythology)
- Orcus (Roman Mythology)
- Davy Jones (Sailor Folklore)
- Chernobog (Slavic Mythology)
- Morana (Slavic Mythology)
- Veles (Slavic Mythology)
Tabletop/Video Games
- Shiroko Terror/Anubis (Blue Archive)
- Catherine (Dislyte); as the Esper of Hela
- Drew (Dislyte); as the Esper of Anubis
- Hyde (Dislyte); as the Esper of Hades
- Ollie (Dislyte); as the Esper of Osiris
- Arkay/Orkey/Tu'whacca (The Elder Scrolls)
- Jergal (Forgotten Realms)
- Myrkul (Forgotten Realms)
- Hades (God of War)
- Thanatos (God of War)
- Stygian (Madness: Project Nexus)
- Nyx (Persona 3)
Gallery[]
Mictecacihuatl (Aztec Mythology)
Ereshkigal (Babylonian Mythology)
Nergal (Babylonian Mythology)
Hades (Blood of Zeus)
Shiroko Terror/Anubis (Blue Archive) is Sunaookami Shiroko from another timeline where she was one who had fallen into despair after the loss of her friends and Sensei, subsequently making contact with the Chroma and becoming a Nameless God of Death.
The Dagda (Celtic Mythology), god of fertility, agriculture, magic, druidry, life, and death.
Morrigan (Celtic Mythology)
.webp "Catherine (Hela).webp (83 KB)")
Catherine (Dislyte) as the Esper of Hela.
Drew (Dislyte) as the Esper of Anubis.
Hyde (Dislyte) as the Esper of Hades.
.webp "Ollie (Osiris).webp (145 KB)")
Ollie (Dislyte) as the Esper of Osiris.
Anubis (Egyptian Mythology)
Osiris (Egyptian Mythology), the Egyptian god of life, death, the dead, rebirth, resurrection, fertility, vegetation, judgement and the underworld.
Santa Muerte (Folk Catholicism)
Kelemvor (Forgotten Realms), the great god of death and lord of the dead, responsible for dictating laws in the afterlife.
Hades (God of War)
.jpg "Thanatos (God of War).jpg (58 KB)")
Thanatos (God of War)
Hades/Pluto (Greco-Roman Mythology), the Greco-Roman god of the dead and riches and the king of the underworld.
Iapteus (Greek Mythology)
Baron Samedi (Haitian Vodou)
.jpg "Yama (Buddhist Mythology).jpg (136 KB)")
Yama/Enma (Hinduism/Buddhism/Japanese Mythology)
Izanami (Japanese Mythology) lost faith in humanity after her transformation. Now she would kill millions, to spite her former husband, Izanagi.
Krinkels stats that the Stygian's (Madness: Project Nexus) job as an Employer is to transport S-3LFs back and forth between Nevada.
Camazotz (Mayan Mythology)
.jpg "Freyja (Norse Mythology).jpg (132 KB)")
Freya (Norse Mythology)
Hel (Norse Mythology)
Odin (Norse Mythology)
Nyx (Persona 3) is the goddess of night and death.