Malavisch: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 23:01, 18 August 2024

Malavisch (pronounced MAH-lah-vish) a pantheonic deity commonly associated with tyranny, law, vanity, and contracts.

Abanir pantheon

Mhakan (pronounced ma-HAH-khan) the Demander of Sacrifices is a god of retribution, punishment, schemes, order, and hunger. He commands that everything exist in its proper place and that all of his orders are followed to the letter, with severe consequences if not. The god is the strict ruler who enforces compliance through violence and threats.

Despite the strictness of his commands, however, Mhakan is not seen as tyrannical or evil purely for its own sake. Rather, he and those that worship him are willing to take harsh actions in pursuit of greater goals, as to them the consequences of their means are of considerably less concern than achieving their objectives. Theologically, Mhakan is the ultimate defender against evil spirits, as long as one is willing to make the necessary sacrifices he orders. In the mortal realm, the god is often followed by those whose ambitions and aims drive them single-mindedly forward.

Mhakan is often depicted as a fox.

Edicts and anathema

Edicts: Offer sacrifices to Mhakan, pursue your goals single-mindedly towards their fruition, defeat evil spirits, take revenge on those who have wronged you
Anathema: Halt your ambitions due to the objections of others, allow your foes to escape

Aserdian pantheon

Mothallah (pronounced moth-AH-lah) is a god of beauty, vanity, contracts, and false bargains. He attracts those seeking wealth, good looks, and immortality by offering such boons, but always with hidden repercussions. Mothallah is a seductive force that drives the vain towards evil, stoking their narcissism until they commit crimes against their communities, families, and friends in search of fleeting mortal treasures. His portfolio includes immortality for similar reasons, as he is thought to tempt the aging with immortality by offering the "gift" of eternal life with one hand while hiding the consequences in the other.

Mothallah is perhaps the only god of the Aserdian pantheon that is thought to be cosmologically dangerous. Through offering immortality to mortals, his designs would interrupt the cycles of death and rebirth that drive the world, causing untold yet doubtless catastrophic consequences. Making peace with one's mortality is seen as a way to drive Mothallah away from the material world, allowing it to continue to grow and shift without remaining stagnant.

Temples and shrines to Mothallah are usually located in out of the way places, in secluded locales where his faithful can worship without drawing attention to their practices from those that fear the consequences.

In the Aserdian pantheon Mothallah is always pictured in a mundane manner, simply as a well-dressed figure displaying obvious personal wealth. Other parts of his portrayal are shared across pantheons, however. For example, Mothallah is frequently imagined with his left hand raised to his chest, palm facing out, holding a scroll containing a contract in the other.

Edicts and anathema

Edicts: Seek methods of extending your life, put great care into your appearance, enter into agreements that subtly benefit yourself
Anathema: Tolerate slovenly behavior, give away your wealth or possessions, accept your mortality

Chaskan pantheon

Malavisch (pronounced MAH-lah-vish) is the god of tyranny, law, vanity, contracts, and summoning. Malavisch is that patron of those who use the law to their advantage, especially when they are also the same people that write the laws. He is the tyrant that can always find a legal justification for his actions and the merchant that hides exploitative clauses in their impenetrable contracts.

The god embodies the rule of law. Codes, contracts, and the subjugation of the weaker under the stronger are of central importance to his faith. He teaches that all have a place in the natural order of things, and that the best action any can take is to find and remain in that place, in order to not invite further chaos into the world. Even as Malavisch's faithful understand they must pay deference to their superiors, they often continue to subtly attempt to undermine those above them, following the example of their god. After all, if one can be weakened or overthrown then surely they never deserved their position to begin with - insubordination is only an infraction if it fails.

Most of Malavisch's followers are those who already possess some degree of power. Despots, bureaucrats, and merchants are among his most fervent worshipers, as are others whose lives are tightly intertwined with legal codes. Neither Malavisch nor his faithful are trusted by most, even among those who worship the god. It is well-understood that even if they abide by terms to which they agreed, they will doubtless find ways to warp any contract to their advantage, if it wasn’t already written to be entirely in their favor in some subtle manner.

To Malavisch and his clergy, appearances are everything; one should always dress in accordance with their status in the world. To keep appearances is to keep control, and a failure to do so is to offer a hint that one might not be worthy of their place in the hierarchy of the world.

The faithful of Malavisch are organized into an extremely rigid, hierarchical church. There is only one mortal church to Malavisch on Kishar, something not shared by any other faith - even the equally lawful and orderly religion of Harinna has schisms and multiple church structures. This centralization only occurred after the formation of Koritan in Y9414^*, as the new state claimed the divine favor of Malavisch.

Malavisch was always a deceitful deity, but he did not originally hold his current status amongst the divines. As the first creation was coming into form, Malavisch cleverly negotiated a contract with the god whose domains he now possesses, now known only as the Lost as his name has been forgotten by history. Malavisch would become the servant of the Lost, agreeing to act as his arbiter and deputy to oversee the newly-created inhabitants of the universe in exchange for inheriting the Lost's domains upon his death. Of course, the Lost agreed - he was divine, and he believed he could not die in any way that mattered. But Malavisch knew otherwise. He had seen Lotan lurking in the primordial waves, and he knew an attack was inevitable. When Lotan finally struck at Socharin, his anger too great to possibly contain, the Lost and Malavisch joined the other gods in driving Lotan back to the deepest waters. Malavisch and his superior fought back to back, protecting each other and striking as one. At least, until Malavisch vanished, knowing his contract did not require him to defend the Lost. Left alone, the Lost could not endure Lotan's attacks. He was consumed, struck from existence, his domains going to Malavisch as the contract was fulfilled.

At least, that is the story as told by the church of Malavisch. Others disagree, often vehemently - the notion of other gods having already been permanently killed by Lotan is heretical to most. Regardless, Malavisch has undisputed primacy of his domains now, his power great and his influence pervasive.

Malavisch is often depicted as a humanoid figure with four ram's heads - one looking forward, one behind, and one each to the right and left. In some simpler representations, he is pictured as a humanoid man with two spiral goat horns. Malavisch is always portrayed as having a calm demeanor and wearing fine clothes, often with his left hand raised to his chest, palm facing out, holding a scroll containing a contract in the other.

Edicts and anathema

Edicts: Use the law to your advantage, follow the letter of the law, maintain an appearance befitting your status, rule your lessers, punish insubordination, show subservience to your superiors
Anathema: Disregard or break a contract, have a slovenly or unkempt appearance, perform labor or take risks that could be delegated to others, exchange knowledge or a possession for nothing in return

Hellean pantheon

Melanthus (pronounced mel-ANN-thus) is a god of punishment, strength, war, schemes, and greed. He often has a highly competitive or even outright antagonistic stance towards the others of the Hexad as he seeks to further enrich and empower himself.

Though the god is widely viewed as evil and selfish, not all of his followers fit into such categorization. Rather, Melanthus is often worshiped and supplicated in hopes he will grant strength and endurance, even by those who do not necessarily align with the interests of the god. Such behavior is always a risky endeavor, however, as it is a very fine line to walk. Passing veneration causes great ire to Melanthus, leading him to bestow a commensurate punishment, while excessive devotion can be likewise dangerous, as the god is known to callously use his followers for his own goals, regardless of any harm that may come to them. Melanthus is especially popular amongst mercenaries, though many pray to the god in times of crisis.

Placation of Melanthus is seen as very important by followers of the Hellean pantheon, by those who do not worship the god even more than by those who do. He is said to visit the mortal world in search of those who do not pay him the proper deference with regular sacrifices, punishing those whose reverence and respect he finds insufficient.

Melanthus is usually depicted as a heavily armored man, almost always wearing his distinctive helmet and carrying either a polearm or a dagger.

Edicts and anathema

Edicts: Seek strength, punish insubordination, enrich yourself
Anathema: Give away your wealth or possessions, perform labor or take risks that could be delegated to others, accept rule by someone weaker

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+'''Malavisch''' {{Pronunciation|MAH-lah-vish}} a pantheonic deity commonly associated with tyranny, law, vanity, and contracts.
+== Abanir pantheon ==
+{{Clear|
 {{DeityInfobox
-|name = Malavisch
+|name = Mhakan
 |image =
 |titles =
-* The Black Swan
+* Demander of Sacrifices
-* Master of Hell
-* Author of Contracts
 |type = Pantheonic deity
+|pantheon = [[Abanir pantheon]]
 |adjectives = Malavischan
-|plane = Hell
 |alignment = Lawful evil
-|areas_of_concern = Tyranny, law, beauty, contracts
+|areas_of_concern = Retribution, punishment, schemes, order, hunger
-|worshipers = Tyrants, merchants, bureaucrats, lawyers
+|worshipers = Tyrants, those driven single-mindedly by their ambitions
 |cleric_alignments = {{Alignment grid
 | off | off | off
 | on  | off | off
-| on  | off | off
+| on  | on | off
 }}
-|domains = Ambition, Duty, Fire, Glyph, Secrecy, Tyranny
+|domains = Ambition, Duty, Protection, Secrecy, Tyranny
 |divine_font = Harm
 |divine_skill = Deception or Diplomacy
 |divine_ability = Intelligence or Strength
 |favored_weapon = Spiked chain
-|symbol = Inverted pentagram
+|symbol = Fox
-|sacred_animal = Black swan
+|sacred_animal = Fox
-|sacred_colors = Red and black
+|sacred_colors = Red
 }}
-'''Malavisch''' {{Pronunciation|MAH-lah-vish}} is the god of tyranny, law, beauty, and contracts.
-== Edicts and anathema ==
+'''Mhakan''' {{Pronunciation|ma-HAH-khan}} the Demander of Sacrifices is a god of retribution, punishment, schemes, order, and hunger. He commands that everything exist in its proper place and that all of his orders are followed to the letter, with severe consequences if not. The god is the strict ruler who enforces compliance through violence and threats.
-{{DeityReference
-|edicts = Use the law to your advantage, follow the letter of the law, maintain an appearance befitting your status, rule your lessers, punish insubordination, show subservience to your superiors
-|anathema = Disregard or break a contract, have a slovenly or unkempt appearance, perform labor or take risks that could be delegated to others, exchange knowledge or a possession for nothing in return
-}}
-== Description ==
+Despite the strictness of his commands, however, Mhakan is not seen as tyrannical or evil purely for its own sake. Rather, he and those that worship him are willing to take harsh actions in pursuit of greater goals, as to them the consequences of their means are of considerably less concern than achieving their objectives. Theologically, Mhakan is the ultimate defender against evil spirits, as long as one is willing to make the necessary sacrifices he orders. In the mortal realm, the god is often followed by those whose ambitions and aims drive them single-mindedly forward.
-{{DeityDisclaimer}}
-Malavisch was always a deceitful deity, but he did not originally hold his current status amongst the divines. As the first creation was coming into form, Malavisch cleverly negotiated a contract with the god whose domains he now possesses, now known only as the [[Fallen]] as his name has been lost to history. Malavisch would become the servant of the Fallen, agreeing to act as his arbiter and deputy to oversee the newly-created inhabitants of the universe in exchange for inheriting the Fallen's domains upon his death. Of course, the Fallen agreed - he was divine, and he believed he could not die in any way that mattered. But Malavisch knew otherwise. He had seen [[Lotan]] lurking in the primordial chaos, and he knew an attack was inevitable. When Lotan finally struck at [[Socharin]], his anger too great to possibly contain, the Fallen and Malavisch joined the other gods in driving Lotan back to the void. Malavisch and his superior fought back to back, protecting each other and striking as one. At least, until Malavisch vanished, knowing his contract did not require him to defend the Fallen. Left alone, the Fallen could not endure Lotan's attacks. He was consumed, struck from existence, his domains going to Malavisch as the contract was fulfilled.
+Mhakan is often depicted as a fox.
-At least, that is the story as told by the church of Malavisch. Others disagree, often vehemently - the notion of other gods having already been permanently killed by Lotan is heretical to most. Regardless, Malavisch has undisputed primacy of his domains now, his power great and his influence pervasive.
+=== Edicts and anathema ===
+{{DeityReference
+|edicts = Offer sacrifices to Mhakan, pursue your goals single-mindedly towards their fruition, defeat evil spirits, take revenge on those who have wronged you
+|anathema = Halt your ambitions due to the objections of others, allow your foes to escape
+}}
+}}
-Malavisch embodies tyranny and the law. Rules, contracts, and the subjugation of the weaker under the stronger are of central importance to his faith. He teaches that all have a place in the natural order of things, and that the best action any can take is to find and remain in that place, in order to not invite further chaos into the world. Even as Malavisch's faithful understand they must pay deference to their superiors, they often continue to subtly attempt to undermine those above them, following the example of their god. After all, if one can be weakened or overthrown then surely they never deserved their position to begin with - insubordination is only an infraction if it fails.
+== Aserdian pantheon ==
+{{Clear|
+{{DeityInfobox
+|name = Mothallah
+|image =
+|titles =
+* The Black Swan
+|type = Pantheonic deity
+|pantheon = [[Aserdian pantheon]]
+|adjectives = Malavischan
+|alignment = Lawful evil
+|areas_of_concern = Beauty, vanity, contracts, false bargains
+|worshipers = Tyrants, merchants, bureaucrats, lawyers
+|cleric_alignments = {{Alignment grid
+| off | off | off
+| off  | off | off
+| on  | on | off
+}}
+|domains = Ambition, Duty, Fire, Glyph, Secrecy, Tyranny
+|divine_font = Harm
+|divine_skill = Deception or Diplomacy
+|divine_ability = Intelligence or Strength
+|favored_weapon = Spiked chain
+|symbol = Black swan
+|sacred_animal = Black swan
+|sacred_colors = Red and black
+}}
-== Followers ==
+'''Mothallah''' {{Pronunciation|moth-AH-lah}} is a god of beauty, vanity, contracts, and false bargains. He attracts those seeking wealth, good looks, and immortality by offering such boons, but always with hidden repercussions. Mothallah is a seductive force that drives the vain towards evil, stoking their narcissism until they commit crimes against their communities, families, and friends in search of fleeting mortal treasures. His portfolio includes immortality for similar reasons, as he is thought to tempt the aging with immortality by offering the "gift" of eternal life with one hand while hiding the consequences in the other.
-Most of Malavisch's followers are those that already possess some degree of power. Tyrants, bureaucrats, and merchants are among his most fervent worshipers, as are others whose lives are tightly intertwined with legal codes. Neither Malavisch nor his faithful are trusted by most, even among those that worship the god. It is well-understood that even if they abide by terms to which they agreed, they will doubtless find ways to warp any contract to their advantage, if it wasn’t already written to be entirely in their favor in some subtle manner.
-To Malavisch and his clergy, appearances are everything; one should always dress in accordance with their status in the world. To keep appearances is to keep control, and a failure to do so is to offer a hint that one might not be worthy of their place in the hierarchy of the world.
+Mothallah is perhaps the only god of the Aserdian pantheon that is thought to be cosmologically dangerous. Through offering immortality to mortals, his designs would interrupt the cycles of death and rebirth that drive the world, causing untold yet doubtless catastrophic consequences. Making peace with one's mortality is seen as a way to drive Mothallah away from the material world, allowing it to continue to grow and shift without remaining stagnant.
-=== Church structure ===
+Temples and shrines to Mothallah are usually located in out of the way places, in secluded locales where his faithful can worship without drawing attention to their practices from those that fear the consequences.
-The faithful of Malavisch are organized into an extremely rigid, hierarchical church. There is only one mortal church to Malavisch on Kishar, something not shared by any other faith - even the equally lawful and orderly religion of [[Harinna]] has schisms and multiple church structures. This centralization only occurred after the formation of [[Koritan]] in {{Year|6414}}, as the new state claimed the divine favor of Malavisch.
-=== Holy text ===
+In the Aserdian pantheon Mothallah is always pictured in a mundane manner, simply as a well-dressed figure displaying obvious personal wealth. Other parts of his portrayal are shared across pantheons, however. For example, Mothallah is frequently imagined with his left hand raised to his chest, palm facing out, holding a scroll containing a contract in the other.
-Malavisch's holy text is the ''Transcript of Malavisch v. Agents of Lawlessness''. Written as a transcript of a mock trial between Malavisch and a series of unnamed enemies, this lengthy text is usually published as a set of thirty tree hefty tomes. In the trial, Malavisch systematically undermines and disproves the arguments of his opponents, while simultaneously demonstrating the superiority of his own ways. Among Malavisch's faithful, the ''Transcript'' is often read to give guidance on how to approach legal matters, and particularly on how to argue a case in a court.
-=== Relations ===
+=== Edicts and anathema ===
-Malavisch's followers have an oppositional relationship with most other religions. All that encourage chaotic behavior that disregards the law are especially inimical, and none more so than [[Marya|Marya's]] faith. The faiths of lawful deities, however, tend to be seen rather favorably by Malavisch's clergy. They find frequent allies among the devotees of [[Hasamel]] and [[Nisaba]], and sometimes even with those of [[Socharin]]. Opinions towards Harrina's faithful ranged from passive dislike to a surprising degree of friendliness, at least until Malavisch's church became inextricably intertwined with the modern state of Koritan - relations between the two religions are now extremely negative.
+{{DeityReference
+|edicts = Seek methods of extending your life, put great care into your appearance, enter into agreements that subtly benefit yourself
+|anathema = Tolerate slovenly behavior, give away your wealth or possessions, accept your mortality
+}}
+}}
-== Depiction ==
+== Chaskan pantheon ==
-Malavisch is often depicted as a humanoid figure with four ram’s heads - one looking forward, one behind, and one each to the right and left. In some simpler representations, he is pictured as a humanoid man with two spiral goat horns. Malavisch is always portrayed as having a calm demeanor and wearing fine clothes, often with his left hand raised to his chest, palm facing out, holding a scroll containing a contract in the other.
+{{Clear|
+{{DeityInfobox
+|name = Malavisch
+|image =
+|titles =
+* Author of Contracts
+|type = Pantheonic deity
+|pantheon = [[Chaskan pantheon]]
+|adjectives = Malavischan
+|alignment = Lawful evil
+|areas_of_concern = Tyranny, law, vanity, contracts, summoning
+|worshipers = Tyrants, merchants, bureaucrats, lawyers
+|cleric_alignments = {{Alignment grid
+| off | off | off
+| on  | off | off
+| on  | off | off
+}}
+|domains = Duty, Fire, Glyph, Secrecy, Tyranny
+|divine_font = Harm
+|divine_skill = Deception or Diplomacy
+|divine_ability = Intelligence or Strength
+|favored_weapon = Spiked chain
+|symbol = Spiked crown
+|sacred_animal = Black swan
+|sacred_colors = Red and black
+}}
-== Variations by pantheon ==
+'''Malavisch''' {{Pronunciation|MAH-lah-vish}} is the god of tyranny, law, vanity, contracts, and summoning. Malavisch is that patron of those who use the law to their advantage, especially when they are also the same people that write the laws. He is the tyrant that can always find a legal justification for his actions and the merchant that hides exploitative clauses in their impenetrable contracts.
-{| class="wikitable sortable"
+The god embodies the rule of law. Codes, contracts, and the subjugation of the weaker under the stronger are of central importance to his faith. He teaches that all have a place in the natural order of things, and that the best action any can take is to find and remain in that place, in order to not invite further chaos into the world. Even as Malavisch's faithful understand they must pay deference to their superiors, they often continue to subtly attempt to undermine those above them, following the example of their god. After all, if one can be weakened or overthrown then surely they never deserved their position to begin with - insubordination is only an infraction if it fails.
-!Pantheon
-!Name
-!Notes
-|-
-|Abanir
-|'''Mhakan'''
-|'''Mhakan''' {{Pronunciation|ma-HAH-khan}} the Demander of Sacrifices is a god of retribution, punishment, schemes, order, and hunger. He commands that everything exist in its proper place and that all of his orders are followed to the letter, with severe consequences if not. The god is the strict ruler who enforces compliance by force.
-Despite the strictness of his commands, however, Mhakan is not seen as tyrannical or evil purely for its own sake. Rather, he and those that worship him are willing to take harsh actions in pursuit of greater goals, as to them the consequences of their means are of considerably less concern than achieving their objectives. Theologically, Mhakan is the ultimate defender against evil spirits, as long as one is willing to make the necessary sacrifices he orders. In the mortal realm, the god is often followed by those ambitions and aims drive them single-mindedly forward.
+Most of Malavisch's followers are those who already possess some degree of power. Despots, bureaucrats, and merchants are among his most fervent worshipers, as are others whose lives are tightly intertwined with legal codes. Neither Malavisch nor his faithful are trusted by most, even among those who worship the god. It is well-understood that even if they abide by terms to which they agreed, they will doubtless find ways to warp any contract to their advantage, if it wasn’t already written to be entirely in their favor in some subtle manner.
-Mhakan is often depicted as a fox.
+To Malavisch and his clergy, appearances are everything; one should always dress in accordance with their status in the world. To keep appearances is to keep control, and a failure to do so is to offer a hint that one might not be worthy of their place in the hierarchy of the world.
-|-
-|Aserdian
-|'''Mothallah'''
-|'''Mothallah''' {{Pronunciation|moth-AH-lah}} is a god of beauty, vanity, contracts, and false bargains. He attracts those seeking wealth, good looks, and immortality by offering such boons, but always with hidden repercussions. Mothallah is a seductive force that drives the vain towards evil, stoking their narcissism until they commit crimes against their communities, families, and friends in search of fleeting mortal treasures. His portfolio includes immortality for similar reasons, as he is thought to tempt the aging with immortality by offering the "gift" of eternal life with one hand while hiding the consequences in the other.
-Mothallah is perhaps the only god of the Aserdian pantheon that is thought to be cosmologically dangerous. Through offering immortality to mortals, his designs would interrupt the cycles of death and rebirth that drive the world, causing untold yet doubtless catastrophic consequences. Making peace with one's mortality is seen as a way to drive Mothallah away from the material world, allowing it to continue to grow and shift without remaining stagnant.
+The faithful of Malavisch are organized into an extremely rigid, hierarchical church. There is only one mortal church to Malavisch on Kishar, something not shared by any other faith - even the equally lawful and orderly religion of [[Harinna]] has schisms and multiple church structures. This centralization only occurred after the formation of [[Koritan]] in {{Year|6414}}, as the new state claimed the divine favor of Malavisch.
-Temples and shrines to Mothallah are usually located in out of the way places, in secluded locales where his faithful can worship without drawing attention to their practices from those that fear the consequences.
+Malavisch was always a deceitful deity, but he did not originally hold his current status amongst the divines. As the first creation was coming into form, Malavisch cleverly negotiated a contract with the god whose domains he now possesses, now known only as the [[Lost]] as his name has been forgotten by history. Malavisch would become the servant of the Lost, agreeing to act as his arbiter and deputy to oversee the newly-created inhabitants of the universe in exchange for inheriting the Lost's domains upon his death. Of course, the Lost agreed - he was divine, and he believed he could not die in any way that mattered. But Malavisch knew otherwise. He had seen [[Lotan]] lurking in the primordial waves, and he knew an attack was inevitable. When Lotan finally struck at [[Socharin]], his anger too great to possibly contain, the Lost and Malavisch joined the other gods in driving Lotan back to the deepest waters. Malavisch and his superior fought back to back, protecting each other and striking as one. At least, until Malavisch vanished, knowing his contract did not require him to defend the Lost. Left alone, the Lost could not endure Lotan's attacks. He was consumed, struck from existence, his domains going to Malavisch as the contract was fulfilled.
-Unlike his rather more fantastical depictions in other pantheons, in the Aserdian pantheon Mothallah is always pictured in a mundane manner, simply as a well-dressed figure displaying obvious personal wealth. Other parts of his portrayal are shared across pantheons, however. For example, Mothallah is frequently imagined with his left hand raised to his chest, palm facing out, holding a scroll containing a contract in the other.
+At least, that is the story as told by the church of Malavisch. Others disagree, often vehemently - the notion of other gods having already been permanently killed by Lotan is heretical to most. Regardless, Malavisch has undisputed primacy of his domains now, his power great and his influence pervasive.
-|-
-|Chaskan
-|'''Malavisch'''
-|'''Malavisch''' {{Pronunciation|MAH-lah-vish}} is the god of tyranny, law, beauty, contracts, and corruptions. Malavisch is that patron of those that use the law to their advantage, especially when they are also the same people that write the laws. He is the tyrant that can always find a legal justification for his actions, and the merchant that hides exploitative clauses in their impenetrable contracts.
-The god embodies tyranny and the law. Rules, contracts, and the subjugation of the weaker under the stronger are of central importance to his faith. He teaches that all have a place in the natural order of things, and that the best action any can take is to find and remain in that place, in order to not invite further chaos into the world. Even as Malavisch's faithful understand they must pay deference to their superiors, they often continue to subtly attempt to undermine those above them, following the example of their god. After all, if one can be weakened or overthrown then surely they never deserved their position to begin with - insubordination is only an infraction if it fails.
+Malavisch is often depicted as a humanoid figure with four ram's heads - one looking forward, one behind, and one each to the right and left. In some simpler representations, he is pictured as a humanoid man with two spiral goat horns. Malavisch is always portrayed as having a calm demeanor and wearing fine clothes, often with his left hand raised to his chest, palm facing out, holding a scroll containing a contract in the other.
-Most of Malavisch's followers are those that already possess some degree of power. Despots, bureaucrats, and merchants are among his most fervent worshipers, as are others whose lives are tightly intertwined with legal codes. Neither Malavisch nor his faithful are trusted by most, even among those that worship the god. It is well-understood that even if they abide by terms to which they agreed, they will doubtless find ways to warp any contract to their advantage, if it wasn’t already written to be entirely in their favor in some subtle manner.
+=== Edicts and anathema ===
+{{DeityReference
+|edicts = Use the law to your advantage, follow the letter of the law, maintain an appearance befitting your status, rule your lessers, punish insubordination, show subservience to your superiors
+|anathema = Disregard or break a contract, have a slovenly or unkempt appearance, perform labor or take risks that could be delegated to others, exchange knowledge or a possession for nothing in return
+}}
+}}
-Malavisch was always a deceitful deity, but he did not originally hold his current status amongst the divines. As the first creation was coming into form, Malavisch cleverly negotiated a contract with the god whose domains he now possesses, now known only as the [[Fallen]] as his name has been lost to history. Malavisch would become the servant of the Fallen, agreeing to act as his arbiter and deputy to oversee the newly-created inhabitants of the universe in exchange for inheriting the Fallen's domains upon his death. Of course, the Fallen agreed - he was divine, and he believed he could not die in any way that mattered. But Malavisch knew otherwise. He had seen [[Lotan]] lurking in the primordial chaos, and he knew an attack was inevitable. When Lotan finally struck at [[Socharin]], his anger too great to possibly contain, the Fallen and Malavisch joined the other gods in driving Lotan back to the void. Malavisch and his superior fought back to back, protecting each other and striking as one. At least, until Malavisch vanished, knowing his contract did not require him to defend the Fallen. Left alone, the Fallen could not endure Lotan's attacks. He was consumed, struck from existence, his domains going to Malavisch as the contract was fulfilled.
+== Hellean pantheon ==
+{{Clear|
+{{DeityInfobox
+|name = Melanthus
+|image =
+|titles =
+* Bane of the Weak
+|type = Pantheonic deity
+|pantheon = [[Hellean pantheon]]
+|adjectives = Malavischan
+|alignment = Lawful evil
+|areas_of_concern = Punishment, strength, war, schemes, greed
+|worshipers = Tyrants, soldiers, mercenaries, merchants
+|cleric_alignments = {{Alignment grid
+| off | off | off
+| on  | on | off
+| on  | on | off
+}}
+|domains = Ambition, Duty, Might, Secrecy, Tyranny
+|divine_font = Harm
+|divine_skill = Deception or Diplomacy
+|divine_ability = Intelligence or Strength
+|favored_weapon = Polearm
+|symbol = Spear piercing a helmet
+|sacred_animal = Boar
+|sacred_colors = Red and black
+}}
-At least, that is the story as told by the church of Malavisch. Others disagree, often vehemently - the notion of other gods having already been permanently killed by Lotan is heretical to most. Regardless, Malavisch has undisputed primacy of his domains now, his power great and his influence pervasive.
+'''Melanthus''' {{Pronunciation|mel-ANN-thus}} is a god of punishment, strength, war, schemes, and greed. He often has a highly competitive or even outright antagonistic stance towards the others of the Hexad as he seeks to further enrich and empower himself.
-To Malavisch and his clergy, appearances are everything; one should always dress in accordance with their status in the world. To keep appearances is to keep control, and a failure to do so is to offer a hint that one might not be worthy of their place in the hierarchy of the world.
+Though the god is widely viewed as evil and selfish, not all of his followers fit into such categorization. Rather, Melanthus is often worshiped and supplicated in hopes he will grant strength and endurance, even by those who do not necessarily align with the interests of the god. Such behavior is always a risky endeavor, however, as it is a very fine line to walk. Passing veneration causes great ire to Melanthus, leading him to bestow a commensurate punishment, while excessive devotion can be likewise dangerous, as the god is known to callously use his followers for his own goals, regardless of any harm that may come to them. Melanthus is especially popular amongst mercenaries, though many pray to the god in times of crisis.
-The faithful of Malavisch are organized into an extremely rigid, hierarchical church. There is only one mortal church to Malavisch on Kishar, something not shared by any other faith - even the equally lawful and orderly religion of [[Harinna]] has schisms and multiple church structures. This centralization only occurred after the formation of [[Koritan]] in {{Year|6414}}, as the new state claimed the divine favor of Malavisch.
+Placation of Melanthus is seen as very important by followers of the Hellean pantheon, by those who do not worship the god even more than by those who do. He is said to visit the mortal world in search of those who do not pay him the proper deference with regular sacrifices, punishing those whose reverence and respect he finds insufficient.
-Malavisch's holy text is the ''Transcript of Malavisch v. Agents of Lawlessness''. Written as a transcript of a mock trial between Malavisch and a series of unnamed enemies, this lengthy text is usually published as a set of thirty tree hefty tomes. In the trial, Malavisch systematically undermines and disproves the arguments of his opponents, while simultaneously demonstrating the superiority of his own ways. Among Malavisch's faithful, the ''Transcript'' is often read to give guidance on how to approach legal matters, and particularly on how to argue a case in a court.
+Melanthus is usually depicted as a heavily armored man, almost always wearing his distinctive helmet and carrying either a polearm or a dagger.
-Malavisch is often depicted as a humanoid figure with four ram's heads - one looking forward, one behind, and one each to the right and left. In some simpler representations, he is pictured as a humanoid man with two spiral goat horns. Malavisch is always portrayed as having a calm demeanor and wearing fine clothes, often with his left hand raised to his chest, palm facing out, holding a scroll containing a contract in the other.
+=== Edicts and anathema ===
-|-
+{{DeityReference
-|Hellean
+|edicts = Seek strength, punish insubordination, enrich yourself
-|'''Rhadamanthus'''
+|anathema = Give away your wealth or possessions, perform labor or take risks that could be delegated to others, accept rule by someone weaker
-|In the Hellean pantheon, Rhadamanthus was historically seen as a more neutral god, one tied to the enforcement of laws and contracts. He was connected to merchants, including both unscrupulous ones that would twist contracts to their advantage and honest ones that simply did their diligence to ensure they had the backing of the law. Since the rise of the church in Koritan, this side of Rhadamanthus was rapidly dropped in favor of the worship of [[Khalkeus]]. Today Rhadamanthus plays a very similar role in the Hellean pantheon as he does in the Chaskan pantheon, though there remain a not insignificant number of non-evil followers of Rhadamanthus in the nations of [[Hellea]].
+}}
-|-
+}}
-|Dwarven
-|'''Katharn'''
-|In the Dwarven pantheon, Katharn is a god of inflexible leaders, those that continue to demand compliance with laws that have become harmful. He is not widely worshiped in the Dwarven pantheon, though he does play an important theological role as a foil to [[Hurra]].
-|}
 {{Deities}}