Melif

Exarch of Mystra / Lesser Deity

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The Lich-Lord Melif

Melif is a lich deity of arcane obsessions, hoarding knowledge and Necromancy. He is considered one of the darker exarchs of Mystra, rarely worshiped otherwise than in secret, and excisting more like as a warning, or lure to those that crave for power.

Yet for others, warnings are more like an invitation; some choose to lean on Melif and his philosophy to further their own power, to reach immortality and infinite knowledge. Small cults for melif have been popping up, for mages that dare to dream big and toss away the chains of conventional morality.

Divine Domains

First and foremost, Melif is the god of necromancy, arcane ambitions and undeath. His domain is the thirst of knowledge that knows no bounds, and cares not for conventional morality, only to furtherin the progress and knowledge that one uses for their power and self-betterment.

Melif is a god for those that are ready to give everything to their arcane pursuits, no matter what the cost. Self improvement and enlightenment, transending to conventional is the holy duty of his followers.

Divine Symbols & Sigils

Commonly used symbol of Melif is a skull wearing a golden crown, however, sometimes he is refered to with more discreet symbol of an scarab beetle or crossed bones.

Tenets of Faith

  1. Knowledge is power, and power is the ultimate pursuit.
  2. One who controls life and death will give power over all beings.
  3. To gather knowledge is a sacred act, and for it everything is justified. Research and practice should be always front and center in ones life.

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

In writings, Melif is described as a Lich, however it is sometimes debated what race they were before turning in to undead.

Mental characteristics

Morality & Philosophy

Melif represents the ambition of gathering power and knowledge when it comes to matter of arcane, with devotion to the task that makes you break all the boundaries that limit one's progress, hence his strong connection to necromancy and undeath. According to Melif, following the natural cycle of life is nothing but a diversion from one's true potential.

By his base nature, Melif is not a destructive deity nessessarily, but very, very fixated one, one that sees it as a moral duty to take magic as far as it can go, twist the line of life and death to get where one wants to be. Everything is simply a tool to use to get bigger understanding about the universum around you and become more bigger, powerful version of yourself.

Path to greatness can sometimes align you doing good for other people, and sometimes to hurt them. what ever takes you furthest and serves your purposes. Once you understand everything that magic has to offer, all those things are perfectly reasonable sacrifices in pursuit of higher truths.

Divine Classification
Lesser god of Necromancy
Religions
Alignment
Neutral Evil
Conditions
Church/Cult
Honorary & Occupational Titles

Archmage of Necromancy
The Necromancer
The Vaunted
Lord of the Forsaken Crypt
Lord of the Forgotten Crypt
The Lich-Lord
Patron of Evil Liches

Children
Gender
Male

DnD details

Typical follower classes
Necromancer Wizards, Warlocks
Typical cleric subclasses
Arcane Domain, Death Domain, Knowledge Domain
Typical paladin subclasses
...

About Divine Domains & Deity Alignments

By the classic rules of DnD, certain deities are connected to certain oaths, domains and alignments, and the paladins & clerics to said deity are suggested to have same or compatible features. However, when in Melyria, we tend to be a little more permissive.

Players, as well as NPCs, are able to have alignments and domains beyond the ones assigned to a certain deity, as long as there is an explanation to this that makes some sort of sense. Make an argument that sounds reasonable, and we ain't complaining in these parts!

For example, a deity with nature and life domains might bless their cleric with the Grave domain powers, if the cleric in question fights undead to prevent them from destroying life.


Credit where credit is due!

This article uses the lore from Velsharoon & Mellifleur from sources like Forgotten Realms Wiki and Greyhawk Wiki and video essay by AJ Pickett as the starting point, and expands on those ideas and alters them to fit Melyria as a setting.


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