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The Pale Horse
The Lash and the Plough (planar psychopomp usher of duty, revenge, beasts of burden [he/him] / N)
Portfolio: Duty, revenge and beasts of burden
Realm: Outlands / Underlands / Abatory
Alignment: N
The Pale Horse embodies the concepts of redemption, servitude, and vengeance. Originally, the Pale Horse was a formidable entity that roamed the Astral Plane, indiscriminately stealing souls from the River of Souls and indulging in their suffering. The nature of this being, whether a daemonic harbinger or a Fifth Horseman, remains a subject of debate. However, over time, burdened by the freedom of choice and leadership, the Pale Horse grew disillusioned with his existence, weighed down by the choices he had to make and the souls he consumed.
In a pivotal moment, the Pale Horse experienced a profound change of heart, abandoning his daemonic nature and seeking servitude as a means of escape from his burdens. Pharasma offered him a chance for redemption if he could save a significant number of souls, more than he had previously damned. Overwhelmed with relief, the Pale Horse willingly submitted himself to Pharasma’s service, finding joy in his newfound purpose.
Since then, the Pale Horse has transformed into an avenging angel for Pharasma, hunting those who commit the same transgressions he once did. He takes satisfaction in his duties, adhering strictly to the tenets set by Pharasma, with his soldiers following his lead unquestioningly. The Pale Horse represents the dual aspects of servitude—both its pain and its rewards. He guides souls who have died in service as well as those who have died alone due to their own choices.
The Oinoloth, recognising the threat posed by the Pale Horse, has erased his true name from yugoloth records. Despite his apparent loyalty to Pharasma, there is lingering concern among other psychopomps that the Pale Horse’s true nature as a daemon might still lie beneath the surface, and that he might eventually seek revenge upon the Boneyard once his sentence is complete.
Physically, the Pale Horse manifests as a powerful white stallion, lacking a head or neck but featuring a disembodied skull and a floating crown of flames. He can also appear as a silent rider atop a white horse. His domain, Abatory, mirrors the desolation of the Gray Waste, and is distinguished by the silent vanths that haunt its walls and hills.
Source: Concordance of Rivals [PF1e] p15
Compiled by: Jon Winter-Holt—drawing heavily from Pathfinder 1e Concordance of Rivals