Mara

Goddess of war and peace Mara

Due to the long history of war and conflict in their region, the Dercians ended up having a single goddess for war and peace.
No one is quite sure how or when it happened but the legend goes that a few years into the First unification war a bright being in the shape of a woman appeared during a gathering in front of the palace in Pearlhal, here she should have presented herself as the manifestation of the people of Dercias love for war and peace and their dedication to avoiding war but also their willingness to fight once the war had broken out.

Apparel & Accessories

Mara wears ornate armour and carries a sword, that is intricately designed and symbolic of her divine status. The armour is adorned with intricate carvings although it still maintains the look of being a useful piece of armour that represents her connection to both war and peace.

worshippers

Worshippers of Mara, the goddess of war and peace, encompass a diverse range of individuals united by their reverence for her dual aspects. Their beliefs and practices reflect Mara's contrasting domains, leading to a unique and multifaceted group of followers
Dedicated worshippers of Mara may become priests, priestesses, or monastics, serving in temples or shrines dedicated to the goddess. They may lead rituals, offer guidance to the community, and interpret Mara's teachings.

Clergy

The priesthood of Mara will follow the military of Dercia into battle and will perform the job of medics during battle, healing soldiers and after battle hopefully bringing back as many as possible. When not performing their duties in the military the priesthood will perform the rituals associated with Mara in the settlements that have a temple dedicated to her.
There is a branch of the priesthood of Mara that has dedicated their lives trying to track down the position of their most holy book, The Book of Mara that was stolen by Clifians a long time ago.

Temples

Walking up to one of the grand temples dedicated to Mara, one will notice the entrances that are framed by several imposing columns with scenes carved into them that show battles but also negotiations. 
Along the front of the temple stands several statues, these depict famous persons in Dercias history, these can be of people who have distinguished themself in battle or been instrumental to the ending of conflicts.
Entering the temple, one can look at the central altar dedicated to Mara, the altar features symbols depicting swords and shields but with olive branches intermingled with them, showing Mara's unique status in the Dercian Pantheon. Along the walls and in small nooks are small shrines where worshippers can bring small offerings or come to ask Mara for protection in battle or help them focus during combat, Offerings might include weapons or symbols of war for blessings in battle, as well as peaceful offerings like flowers and candles for mediation and peacekeeping.
The walls of the inside of the temple are adorned with mosaics and murals that depict famous battles like Battle of the Lone Castle 
The temple is well lit by plenty of sunlight which is an important part of the filosofi of the goddess. 
Temples dedicated to Mara typically have a sanctuary where soldiers or other followers of the goddess can train and or meditate

Divine Domains

In the Starlighters Pantheon Mara is in a unique position, being the goddess of two of the most powerful domains, that of war and peace. In most of the nations of Mirateia, the domains are separated into two beings called Fira and Cassius and each has its dedicated priests and followers but in the Empire of Dercia the domain of peace normally belonging to Fira have been folded into the domain of war and forms the foundations of the goddess Mara.

Holy Books & Codes

Across Mirateia there are several codes and holy books dedicated to the goddesses of war and peace.
In the empire of Derica, the unique situation of two goddesses into one also created the unique situation of a holy book called The Book of Mara  a book with a direct link between the followers and the goddess herself.

Tenets of Faith

One of the main principles of beliefs by the followers of Mara is that without war there can not be peace and without peace, there can not be war. The Dercians want peace and they are willing to go to war to defend this peace, the Dercians view war as a means to defend the peace and will swear to take no thinking life unless it's to save others.
The Dercians also believe that when the times are peaceful that they should prepare for war and not only when war seems imminent and that having a strong peacetime army will help signal to enemies that war is not worth it and throughout that preserve the peace.

Involvement in daily life

Unlike the other versions of herself and the rest of the gods in the Starlighters Pantheon Mara is very involved in the daily life of her followers and the empire in general. Over time the people of Derica have come to call it the Blessing of Mara and the blessing is typically bestowed by the goddess even before the person is born. Not much is known about the blessing other than its typically given to people Mara can sense will play an important role in the future of the empire or she simply just have taken a liking to their future and wants to give them a helping hand in life, Crown Princess Ira is one of such people who the goddess have given the blessing, a way to spot those with the blessing is that their eyes turn red and their hair silver-white.

Holidays

In the empire of Derica, some events celebrate the end of major wars like the week-long celebration of the signing of peace during The war of Western expansion were especially the peace side of Mara is celebrated.
But while there are plenty of smaller events that celebrate the goddess, the Dercians a long time ago dedicated an entire month to celebrate the tenants of Mara and over time the month became known as the month of Mara.

The personality of a goddess

Mara tends to be kind and just and is willing to listen to her followers when they contact her, while she is more than willing to help the people of Dercia she also wants her followers to be able to solve their problems without her help but if all options are tried she sees no problem in giving a hint to a solution or a helping hand.
Mara can sometimes show her more playful side, enjoying some witty banter and teasing those she considers close, this helps calm the nerves of these normal people but it also helps make Mara feel more human. Although sometimes she needs to be more assertive and strong-willed, she dont shy away from a challenge or challenging situations, and unlike some of the other more dominating deities in the world of the gods, Mara knows how to show compassion and understanding, she understands the struggle of the mortals, some speculate that this stems from Mara being the youngest goddess in the Starlighters Pantheon.
Mara is fiercely protective of those she cares about, particularly her followers and those caught in conflict. Her protective nature would extend to defending justice and maintaining peace. She has taken a particular interest in some mortals like Azran and Crown Princess Ira and regularly are in contact with them. Given her dual nature, Mara would strive to maintain a balance between war and peace, using her wisdom and experience to guide her actions.

Let me tell you, the gatherings back home can be interesting when the other versions of "me" is there - Mara speaking to a follower.

Divine Classification

Goddess

Religions

• Imperial Guard
• Starlighters Pantheon

Alignment

Lawful neutral

Age

Unknown

Gender

Female

Eyes

Dark blue

Height

Divine