Tyton is depicted as an immense black barn owl. It
is believed he ushers the night in by spreading his
wings over the sky. Tyton also governs time, memory,
and death. As the sun must set, so too must the light of life
give way to the darkness of the grave. Rather than being seen
as a frightful figure, Tyton is looked upon as kind; he greets
the old, the frail, and those at the end of their lives as familiar friends, guiding their souls
peacefully back into the Great
Rhythm, where they will be reborn, in time.
When not occupying the sky, it is believed Tyton resides in
the lands of death. Not an afterlife, rather this is a part of the
Great Rhythm where everything is cold, dark, and eternally
still. His abode lies beyond the parts of the Rhythm associated
with life, a divide impossible for mortals to cross. Even other
Amaranthine find travel to the lands of death difficult, except
for Altus, who resides there with Tyton for most of the year,
only leaving to bring winter storms across the land.
In addition to guiding the souls of the dead, Tyton is
associated with the coming of old age, and the keeping of
memory. When Tyton is invoked at funerals, it is to remember
those who have passed, and to recall their lives and deeds. He
watches the living, patiently observing all beneath him. Tyton
can learn all there is to know of your life by watching your
dreams. Because Tyton watches the living from birth to death,
he is known as “Father Owl”.
Tyton frowns upon those who would seek to enslave the
souls of the dead using necromantic magics, and those who
would desecrate the tombs of the deceased, as these actions
corrupt the natural cycle.