Meloch (meh-lok)
The Amorous One, the Heart's True Desire
Goddess of healing, love, and passion
Nation: Gestrini
Allies: None
Enemies: None
Temples: Brothels, hospitals
Worshippers: People who are in love, the wounded, the sick
Sacred animal: Cat
Sacred colors: Pink and white
Holy symbol: A heart with a scar running down the middle
[DnD 5e] Domains: Life
Meloch was never one to like war very much. As a matter of fact, she was always of the opinion that if the Emberi just tried, they could potentially get along; that if people were united in their love for one another, they could live peacefully. But she was derided by her peers, even Eolas, for being a naive idealist. That, however, did not stop Meloch from speaking out. And naive though she may be, she was convinced in her own ideals. Refusing to help any of her brethren with their wars, she instead broke a part of the Vast, surrounded it with the Embrace, and created that nation for her own, calling it Gestrini. There, she promised, people that shared her ideals would be able to congregate, to love, and to heal those who have been wounded by the harsh realities of the world. Thus, Gestrini and Meloch have remained neutral ever since. Meloch is the goddess of healing, both physical and mental, of passion for all things, and, most importantly, of love. Meloch's domain governs all forms of consensual love. The familial love that a child feels for their parents; the puppy love that two youths feel for each other; the love of an old couple, married through many reincarnations; and even the platonic love between two friends. All of these things, and more, fall within the purview of Meloch; and in a world wracked by war, that responsibility is a big one indeed. Meloch's responsibility is all the more important for two reasons. The first is obvious; Meloch's healers are known the world over for their ability to heal both the body and the mind, which is an important skill to have when wounds can be carried over multiple incarnations, and the Regret plagues one's mind. Though solving a regret often takes more than just Meloch's intervention, she certainly has grown to understand this predicament a bit more over time, and shares that knowledge with her followers. But secondly, there is an issue with reincarnation that is very difficult to solve. Imagine, for instance, that one person were to die; then, choose to reincarnate into a Husk, only to find that their partner had decided to marry someone else in the meanwhile. What would happen then? And what if that second person had pretended to be the reincarnation of their former love? For such cases and more, Meloch's direct intervention is often required. While her priests are adept at solving the simpler cases that relate to reincarnation, and are more than happy to help couples renew their wedding vows, some cases are best taken to the goddess herself. Thus does she hold court in a palace in the city of Nukkua. Meloch's form is never truly constant. She often appears as a cloud of pink vapor, which slowly manifests into the vague form of an attractive Emberi. That form seems to shift to accommodate the preferences of the person she is currently talking to, but she is referred to as "she" regardless of the shape she takes. Meloch is the Veika with the most Roglaw on Domhan, all naturally born from her. She takes pride in her children and cares for each one greatly.
Nation: Gestrini
Allies: None
Enemies: None
Temples: Brothels, hospitals
Worshippers: People who are in love, the wounded, the sick
Sacred animal: Cat
Sacred colors: Pink and white
Holy symbol: A heart with a scar running down the middle
[DnD 5e] Domains: Life
Meloch was never one to like war very much. As a matter of fact, she was always of the opinion that if the Emberi just tried, they could potentially get along; that if people were united in their love for one another, they could live peacefully. But she was derided by her peers, even Eolas, for being a naive idealist. That, however, did not stop Meloch from speaking out. And naive though she may be, she was convinced in her own ideals. Refusing to help any of her brethren with their wars, she instead broke a part of the Vast, surrounded it with the Embrace, and created that nation for her own, calling it Gestrini. There, she promised, people that shared her ideals would be able to congregate, to love, and to heal those who have been wounded by the harsh realities of the world. Thus, Gestrini and Meloch have remained neutral ever since. Meloch is the goddess of healing, both physical and mental, of passion for all things, and, most importantly, of love. Meloch's domain governs all forms of consensual love. The familial love that a child feels for their parents; the puppy love that two youths feel for each other; the love of an old couple, married through many reincarnations; and even the platonic love between two friends. All of these things, and more, fall within the purview of Meloch; and in a world wracked by war, that responsibility is a big one indeed. Meloch's responsibility is all the more important for two reasons. The first is obvious; Meloch's healers are known the world over for their ability to heal both the body and the mind, which is an important skill to have when wounds can be carried over multiple incarnations, and the Regret plagues one's mind. Though solving a regret often takes more than just Meloch's intervention, she certainly has grown to understand this predicament a bit more over time, and shares that knowledge with her followers. But secondly, there is an issue with reincarnation that is very difficult to solve. Imagine, for instance, that one person were to die; then, choose to reincarnate into a Husk, only to find that their partner had decided to marry someone else in the meanwhile. What would happen then? And what if that second person had pretended to be the reincarnation of their former love? For such cases and more, Meloch's direct intervention is often required. While her priests are adept at solving the simpler cases that relate to reincarnation, and are more than happy to help couples renew their wedding vows, some cases are best taken to the goddess herself. Thus does she hold court in a palace in the city of Nukkua. Meloch's form is never truly constant. She often appears as a cloud of pink vapor, which slowly manifests into the vague form of an attractive Emberi. That form seems to shift to accommodate the preferences of the person she is currently talking to, but she is referred to as "she" regardless of the shape she takes. Meloch is the Veika with the most Roglaw on Domhan, all naturally born from her. She takes pride in her children and cares for each one greatly.
Holidays
The worshippers of Meloch celebrate a variety of holidays, and because of the amount of different cultures that choose to live on Gestrini, one can be expected to see religious holidays of all natures, especially in Nukkua. Nonetheless, the 69th of Winter is considered a national holiday in Gestrini; in 143, the nation was created by Meloch on that very day.Common rituals and gestures
Unsurprisingly for a goddess of love and passion, the religious rituals to honor Meloch are often tiring affairs. Worshippers of Meloch consider that to give oneself fully to their daily lives is the biggest form of worship there is, and so they go about their routine with panache and incredible endurance. People that are not from Gestrini often find dealing with the Gest to be tiring, both physically and mentally, as a result. Though Meloch does not care much for formal rituals, she enjoys all forms of passionate displays. Thus, people invoke her name when going about any number of arts: songs, plays, poems, speeches, dances, spars, races, paintings, and even more tantric arts. Some worshippers of Meloch go on long journeys across the world in order to find people that were important in their previous lives and reconnect with them. This is considered a holy pilgrimage of a kind, and many worshippers of Meloch spend multiple lives trying to reach that singular goal. Domhan is, after all, a dangerous place.Weddings
As arbiters of the goddess of love, worshippers of Meloch are used all over Domhan to officiate weddings between the Emberi. While the specific rituals vary from country to country, one thing remains consistent: the crafting of the item known as the Promise. In this way, married people can keep living as a couple even through multiple reincarnations - becoming "soulmates".Divine Intercessions
Those who give everything to protect their loved ones are blessed by Meloch, and are granted the means and tools to continue fighting for the protection of love and passion in Domhan. Often, these blessings manifest as increased endurance, and an uncanny ability to say the right word at the right time. On the other hand, those who pervert the idea of love, or those who refuse healing to the needy, find themselves quickly understanding that "neutral" doesn't mean "passive". Meloch's curses can cause a variety of unpleasant physical mutations, and even cause people cursed in this way to never again maintain friendly relationships with anyone, even through multiple reincarnations.Aphorisms
The sayings of Meloch's followers often relate to their duty as healers of both physical and mental wounds. A wounded heart takes twice as long to heal: A gentle admonishment and reminder that mental wounds related to love are often difficult to solve. May your love last a thousand lifetimes and a thousand husks: A wish for a couple to remain happily married, even through multiple incarnations. No need to give Meloch a run for her money: A soft admonishment, told to somebody who is particularly promiscuous.Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
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