the Cult of Merod Lightbringer

Merod Lightbringer was raised to godhood in the thirteenth century PA.

His cult is by far the most popular hero-cult in Harkania and the only one to have been given real political power. While the nine major churches of the old Harkanian Pantheon squabble over church rights and limitations, the Merodine Cult merely takes what it wants from the Harkanian League. A Grand Theoginist lords over the church and is given a vote in League official business, equivalent to one of the League's sovreign nations. Churches and Shrines to Merod Lightbringer can be seen all over Harkania and numerous festivals have been recast in honor of his deeds, rather than more traditional changes of seasons, celebrations of the harvest etc.

The Merodine Cult is powerful enough that it even has had a major effect on the Old Harkanian Church. Merod's distaste for the goddess Ariadani was well known even during his own lifetime. Though already relegated to minor status by the influence of the Tyrakian Church, it is thought that the Merodine Cult played a direct role in not restoring her cult to full power during the Resubstantiation, instead favoring the pliant church of Aroa and even extending offers to the cult of Ankhora.

Merodine priests dress in white robes with gold trim. They take Merod's double ended stormblade as their holy symbol and often emboss it on their clothing and icons over a map of Harkania. Such priests, though they serve as community leaders and the like, are, as Merod would have wanted, also highly trained soldiers and military strategists and play a major role in Harkanian warfare, usually leading smaller regiments of Pikemen and riflemen, occasionally leading their own squads of Merodine War Priests. Such squads are fearsome on the battlefield and wield deadly thaumaturgies similar to the Phaelvye.

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