Elli, Goddess of Old Age

Elli  is the Goddess of old age, appearing as a haggard crone. She defeated Thor in a wrestling match.

• Pantheon: Norse
• Deity Title: Elli, Goddess of Old Age
• Deity Symbol: A withered hand holding a staff
• Home Plane: Niflheim, the Norse realm of the dead
• Deity Level: Lesser deity
• Alignment: Lawful Neutral
• Aliases: Hela (in some versions)
• Superior: None
• Traditional Allies: Hel, Loki, Mimir
• Traditional Foes: Thor, Odin
• Divine Artifact: Staff of Old Age, which causes those who touch it to age rapidly
• Servants: Valkyries, who collect the souls of those who die of old age
• Servitor Creatures: Dwarves, who craft items associated with old age and death
• Sacred Animal: The raven
• Manifestations: A haggard old woman, a withered hand, a gust of cold wind
• Signs of Favor: Grey hair, wrinkles, a sense of wisdom beyond one’s years
• Worshipers: The elderly, those who work with the dying, historians, genealogists
• Cleric Alignments: Lawful Neutral, Lawful Good, Neutral
• Specialty Priests: Healers, morticians, midwives
• Holy Days: The Winter Solstice, Samhain (Halloween)
• Portfolio: Old age, death, wisdom, genealogy, history
• Domains: Death, Knowledge, Life
• Favored Weapon: Staff
• Favored Class: Cleric
• Favored Race: Dwarves
• Duties of the Priesthood: Care for the elderly, preserve genealogical records, perform funerals and burial rites
• Major Cult/Temple Sites: The Cave of Elders in Niflheim, the Dwarven Hall of Ancestors
• Benefits: Ability to cast aging spells, resistance to aging and disease, heightened wisdom and knowledge

As the Goddess of old age, Elli is depicted as a wizened crone, with deeply lined skin and thin, wiry hair. Her frame is small and bent, but her eyes are sharp and piercing. Despite her frail appearance, she radiates a fierce inner strength and a calm sense of wisdom that only comes with age.

Elli’s primary role is to represent the natural progression of life and the inevitable march of time towards old age and death. In Norse mythology, she famously defeated the powerful God Thor in a wrestling match, demonstrating the power and inevitability of age and decay. She is not a deity of malice or ill-intent, but rather a symbol of the natural cycles of life and the importance of embracing one’s eventual mortality.

Elli’s actions are not driven by any particular goal or desire, but rather a recognition and acceptance of the natural progression of life. She is not venerated in the same way as more active and interventionist gods, but rather serves as a reminder of the importance of accepting one’s eventual decline and passing on wisdom and experience to future generations. Despite her haggard appearance, Elli is revered for her inner strength, resilience, and the hard-won wisdom that comes with age.

Elli, Goddess of Old Age

Medium deity, any alignment

Armor Class: 35 (natural armor)

Hit Points: 800 (32d20 + 320)

Speed: 60 ft.

Strength	Dexterity	Constitution	Intelligence	Wisdom	Charisma
30 (+10)	30 (+10)	30 (+10)	30 (+10)	30 (+10)	30 (+10)

Skills: Insight +30, Perception +30

Senses: truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 40

Languages: all

Divine Aura: Elli’s presence radiates an aura of ancient power that affects creatures within 100 ft. of her. While within this aura, creatures must make a DC 30 Wisdom saving throw or be aged by 1d4+1 years. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Divine Resilience: Elli is immune to all non-magical attacks, and resistant to magical attacks. Additionally, she has advantage on all saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Divine Magic: Elli can cast any spell from the Death and Life domains, as well as any spell from the Druid and Cleric spell lists.

Actions

Multiattack: Elli can use her Frightening Presence. She then makes three attacks: with her Elder Staff.

• Elder Staff: Melee Weapon Attack: +30 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 50 (10d8 + 10) bludgeoning damage.
• Frightening Presence: Elli can frighten creatures within 100 ft. of her. Each creature of her choice within that range must make a DC 30 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of her for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Divine Magic:

At will: blight, contagion, feeblemind, harm, power word kill, power word stun, true resurrection

3/day each: circle of death, finger of death, mass cure wounds, mass heal

1/day each: foresight, miracle, wish

Legendary Actions

Elli can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Elli regains spent legendary actions at the start of her turn.

• Aging Gaze: Elli targets a creature within 30 ft. of her. The target must make a DC 30 Constitution saving throw or take 10d10 necrotic damage and be aged by 1d10 years. If the target fails the saving throw by 10 or more, it is instantly slain.
• Elder Shield: Elli raises her Elder Shield, granting her resistance to all damage until the end of her next turn.
• Wither: Elli targets a creature within 30 ft. of her. The target must make a DC 30 Constitution saving throw or take 10d10 necrotic damage and have its maximum hit points reduced by the same amount. If the target fails the saving throw by 10 or more, it is instantly slain.

Lair Actions

Elli’s lair actions take place in an ancient, decrepit hall filled with cobwebs and dust. The following actions can be taken at initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), and only one can be used per round.

• Aging Floor: The floor beneath a creature within 60 ft. of Elli ages rapidly, causing the creature to take 10d10 necrotic damage and be aged by 1d10 years. The creature can make a DC 30 Dexterity saving throw to avoid the damage and aging effect.
• Elder Foes: Two wraiths, shadows, or other undead creatures of CR 15 or lower appear within 60 ft. of Elli and attack the nearest creature.
• Crumbling Walls: The walls of the hall crumble and fall, causing all creatures within 60 ft. of Elli to take 10d10 bludgeoning damage. Creatures can make a DC 30 Dexterity saving throw to halve the damage.

Regional Effects

The region around Elli’s temple or lair is affected by the following effects:

• Aging Aura: The air within 1 mile of Elli’s temple or lair is thick with ancient power. All creatures within this radius age 1d4+1 years every hour they remain within the area.
• Elder Creatures: Undead creatures within 1 mile of Elli’s temple or lair gain advantage on all attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws.
• Withering Plants: Plants within 1 mile of Elli’s temple or lair wither and die, becoming twisted, blackened husks. Creatures that attempt to eat these plants must make a DC 30 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 24 hours.

Currently in the World

Elli, the Goddess of Old Age, has always existed, watching the world grow and change around her. She remembers the creation of the universe and the birth of the other gods, but over time, she has become more detached from the mortal realm, focused solely on her own divine purpose.

In the early days, Elli was often sought out by mortals seeking wisdom and guidance. She was seen as a benevolent deity, offering her knowledge to those who showed her respect. However, as time passed and the other gods began to gain more prominence, Elli’s influence began to wane.

It was not until her famous wrestling match with Thor that Elli once again gained recognition among the gods. Though she was seen as weak and feeble, Elli was able to use her age and experience to outmaneuver the powerful Thunder God. It was a testament to her resilience and cunning, and it earned her the respect of many.

But despite this victory, Elli remained a solitary figure, distant from the other gods and their petty conflicts. She was content to observe from afar, occasionally offering her wisdom to those who sought it out.

In the 1450s, Elli’s focus has shifted to the mortals once again. She watches with interest as the world changes around her, fascinated by the advancements made by humanity. But while she admires their resilience and ingenuity, Elli knows that death and decay are inevitable. Her goal is to remind the mortals of this fact, to prepare them for the inevitable end that awaits them all.

To achieve this, Elli has begun to send omens and visions to those who are receptive to her message. She appears as a wizened crone, warning of the dangers of complacency and the need to accept the natural cycle of life and death. While some see her as a harbinger of doom, others recognize the wisdom in her words and seek her out for guidance.

Despite her age and frailty, Elli remains a powerful deity, able to wield great magic and divine power. But her true strength lies in her understanding of the natural order of the world, and her willingness to embrace the inevitable end that awaits all things.