Kerali's Blessed Arlidra

Of course Arlidra was able to communicate with Kerali , otherwise how would Silara justify its strict laws and governance in the name of the deity?

— Adalian cleric of Kerali

The founder and half of the first sovereign of modern Silara , Arlidra has been credited with numerous divine powers, especially since her death, ranging from being able to discern truth from lie effortlessly, to not being able to die except through natural causes, to even communing with Kerali themself and knowing the future. These legends are not completely unjustified, Arlidra was a known blessed of Kerali and there are a few records from the time detailing Arlidra's life and abilities. Nonetheless, many legends go far beyond what is mentioned in these documents and those outside of Silara often question the trustworthiness of these records.

Summary

Arlidra was a faithful servant of Kerali who felt that the government wasn't being truthful enough with its citizens. She prayed to the deity for a better understanding of truth and began drafting what would become the Silil . One day while in prayer, Kerali manifested before Arlidra and instructed her in how the perfect, truthful government would function. Afterwards, Arlidra was a blessed of Kerali, granted powers far beyond a normal cleric. Standard powers credited to her are the ability to discern truth from lies, being incredibly difficult to kill, and being able to commune with Kerali themself.

Variations & Mutation

In some versions Arlidra becomes a blessed only after she writes the Silil. There are many variations of what powers she had. Some say she could see visions to help verify what happened in the past or that she was able to force people to reveal the truth even if they tried to remain silent. Some say that she was unkillable by means other than disease and age, others credit her with being able to kill whoever she touched or even looked at. In addition to being able to commune with Kerali, some legends say that Kerali would show Arlidra limited visions of the future so that she could ensure that Silara was ready to meet whatever the future might hold.

Cultural Reception

Several phrases have arose in Silara that reference the myth:

• to have Arlidra's ear/speak with Arlidra--to have good fortune or to have one's prayers answered
• write the Silil/writing the book--to have a deep faith experience, to come to a realization after much thought, spending a lot of time reflecting on concepts
• fighting Arlidra/lying to Arlidra--an impossible task, a foolish action
• Kerali's mouthpiece(s)/the mouth(s)--slang for the sovereign or sovereigns of Silara, used both inside and outside of Silara

In Art

Lots of art in Silara depicts the two founding sovereigns of modern Silara, it is not uncommon for these portrayals to depict Arlidra with abilities described in myth. A more common example of the myth in art though is the frequent depictions of Arlidra in temples of Kerali. Arlidra is often shown at the deity's side and delivering messages from Kerali's followers to the deity. Special depictions of Arlidra with her head in profile where people can whisper prayers or petitions to Kerali are common in temples and government buildings alike across Silara.

Related Organizations

• Silara