Shibboleth

Few priests openly speak her name, but travelers in desert crossroads and scholars in candlelit towers whisper of Shibboleth — a minor goddess who tests mortals with riddles that cut deeper than steel. Some claim she was once a mortal thief who stole secrets from a god and was cursed into divinity. Others say she appears as a winged lioness with a woman’s face, offering knowledge at a terrible price.

It is said she favors the clever and devours the foolish — though what “devours” truly means depends on who tells the tale. Certain guilds of scholars and spies leave offerings of ink and unanswered questions in her honor. Superstitious folk avoid speaking passwords or private phrases aloud at night, lest she be listening.

Most agree on one thing: if you hear a voice ask you a question in the dark, you should answer carefully.