Ishtar

Ishtar's History

Ishtar, Queen of Heaven and mistress of love and war, is a goddess of many and diverse facets. A dispenser of divine justice, she strikes down all those who would dare defy the gods, even as she zealously protects those who worship her. Brave and cunning; caring and spiteful; Ishtar is all these things and more.

She moves from conquest to conquest, never resting — never satisfied. By turns capricious and determined, Ishtar is loyal only to her own designs...though what those designs might be are never wholly clear, even to her worshippers.

When the gods first came into being, each was blessed with a domain and responsibilities — all save Ishtar. Incensed by this oversight, Ishtar stole the sacred mes from Enki, lord of the waters, after challenging him to a drinking contest. Infuriated by her impudence, Enki sent legions of monsters to reclaim his power, but all failed. Ishtar defeated them one by one, and earned Enki's grudging respect in the process.

With her newfound power, Ishtar soon set her sights on fresh challenges and conquests. She claimed the temples of her father, Anu, as her own and destroyed Mount Ebih, considering its natural beauty an affront to her authority. She even escaped from the underworld, and it was she who spoke on mankind's behalf when Enlil sought to drown humanity in a great deluge.

But perhaps the most well-known tale of Ishtar is how, having taken offense at Gilgamesh's lack of respect, sent the Bull of Heaven to slay the semi-divine king of Uruk. But Gilgamesh managed to defeat the creature, and thus earned the undying enmity of Ishtar.

Now, Ishtar has once again descended from the heavens — in search of what, none know. But woe betide any who seek to stand between the Queen of Heaven and that which she desires.