Merabyss
Merabyss, mainly recognized for her malice, cruelty, and wickedness, instills fear among sailors and coastal inhabitants worldwide. She capriciously breaks agreements and derives immense pleasure from witnessing others succumb to drowning or the jaws of sea predators. Vain and craving adulation, she harbors an insatiable greed for power and delights in its exercise. Weresharks, her creations, are among the few races that worship her out of admiration rather than sheer terror.
Merabyss influences wind and water currents within the seas and oceans, yet her dominion does not extend over the entire world.
Divine Symbols & Sigils
Clergy, Temples and Worshippers
Similar to the disdain that was directed at the church of Talos, the church of Merabyss is widely scorned and revered solely due to fear. Despite the lesser influence of the church of Bailshar, sailors universally offer homage to the Goddess of the Seas and Oceans before venturing into her realm. Clerics of Merabyss enjoy unimpeded passage through dockside districts in many ports and are often invited aboard ships in the hopes of placating the Stormgodess.Day-to-Day Activities
The clergy of Merabyss are tasked with promoting reverence for their deity by recounting the havoc she has unleashed in the past and warning of impending storms in coastal cities and settlements. In their endeavors, they aim to garner enough favor to invoke the deity's protection should they encounter peril at sea. Additionally, they seek to capitalize on their position by accepting offerings, selling the perceived safety of their presence on ships, and performing certain spells for profit.Temples
Merabyss temples are consistently situated along coastal regions or submerged beneath the waves. They often inhabit sea caves or are built from materials such as driftwood, rugged rocks shaped by the surf, and the shells of formidable marine creatures. These places of worship primarily serve as venues for sailors and traders to present offerings of candles, flowers, sweets, or currency in hopes of pacifying the Stormgoddess' fury.Priestly Vestments
The official attire worn by Merabyss clerics comprises a snug body stocking in hues of blue or green, paired with a flowing cape in matching tones, accented with white fur reminiscent of crashing waves. Adorning the ensemble is a lofty collar, also trimmed in the same fur, extending from the cape's neckline. A frequently seen symbol of status among them is the skeletal hand of a drowned individual.Hierarchy
The structure of the Merabyss church varies greatly from place to place, lacking a unified organization. The sole semblance of hierarchy typically arises under the influence of a highly regarded and influential cleric, yet such authority is transient, often eroded by the unpredictable whims of the Stormgoddess. Disputes among clerics are occasionally resolved through duels, though these conflicts seldom result in fatalities. Instead, the defeated party is typically exiled on the next departing vessel, irrespective of its destination.Rituals
The clergy of Merabyss conduct their spellcasting rituals during high tide, typically in the morning or evening, while offering prayers and anointing themselves with seawater on the brow, hands, and feet.The Drowning
The Drowning is a private ritual, and only clergy members may witness it or take part. In the Drowning, a supplicant lies before an altar and is surrounded by candles lit to the deity, each placed with an intoned prayer by a different cleric of Meraybyss. The attending clergy then withdraw and release a wave of sea water to flood the room in a huge breaking wave and then flow away. Supplicants who survive are confirmed in the service of Merabyss and warned that if they should ever betray the Queen of the Deeps, drowning is the fate that awaits them. They are spared during the Drowning and so can be taken by the Sea Queen at any time to come.Tenets of Faith
The vast expanse of the sea is a realm of relentless danger, where those who navigate its waters must acknowledge the formidable presence of Merabyss, the feared Stormgoddess. Her domain extends far and wide, her wrath capable of stirring wind and wave to wreak havoc upon the unwary. To appease her fury and secure safe passage, sailors must offer their homage, for neglect invites the icy indifference of the sea's depths. It is the duty of her followers to spread word of her might, ensuring that every act done in her name exacts its due toll. They instill a pervasive fear of the elements, reminding all of the peril that lurks without the protection of Merabyss' clergy. Those who dare attribute maritime tempests to any force other than the Bitch Queen face swift retribution, affirming her unrivaled dominance over the tumultuous seas.
Holidays
The Merabyssi faith observes two prominent public ceremonies known as the Thawing Tide and the Tempest Invocation.
The Thawing Tide
This ritual marks the breaking of ice in the harbor and features a procession through the town, during which a caged animal is paraded and then bound to a rock before being cast into the sea. Should the creature survive and reach the shore, it is revered as sacred for the remainder of its life.Tempest Invocation
In this ceremony, worshippers gather for a collective prayer aimed at summoning a storm to either wreak havoc upon a designated harbor or vessel, or to divert an oncoming tempest away from the worshippers. Participants encircle pools adorned with candles resting on driftwood planks, offering sacrifices into the waters. The extinguishing of a candle symbolizes the wrath of the Bitch Queen.Physical Description
Identifying Characteristics
Merabyss is usually depicted as a female blue-green torso adorned with shells and a mauve jellyfish cape emerging from the waves, she possesses taloned hands, elbow fins, eyes reminiscent of deathly pearls, and hair resembling kelp strands.
Social
Contacts & Relations
Merabyss harbors strong animosity towards Lune, whose stars guide sailors, Bailshar, who aids travelers in finding their way home safely, Helena, whose beauty she envies, and Thea, for her dominion over land.
In the past, Merabyss had a home in the Prime material Plane, well before Ervenius countered her; Then, she ventured into the Elemental Plane of Water.
Following The Gods War, Merabyss embarked on a campaign to conquer the Elemental Plane of Water and challenge Istishia's dominion. However, her efforts have yet to dismantle the major powers of the Elemental Plane of Water.
Titles:
Tempest Empress;Queen of the Depths;
Goddess of Oceans;
Queen of the Murkey Depths;
Stormgoddess of the Seas;
Sea Queen;
Sovereign of the Tides;
Divine Classification
Religions
Alignment
Chaotic Evil
Realm
Children
Other Affiliations
Ruled Locations
| LG | NG | CG |
| LN | N | CN |
| LE | NE | CE |
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