Merikka (Greyhawk Action)
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| Greyhawk Action! |
Lawful Good, Second Generation Oerdian god
Merikka is a quiet and orderly Oerdian goddess of the calendar, and by extension science. Her task to keep the seasons in order is vital and she performs it dutifully, but she is a passive goddess and figures little in myths or cults. She is an ascended mortal sponsored by Istus.
Merikka (meh-RIK-kah) is a quiet Oeridian goddess who takes direction from Celestian and coordinates activities with her cousins (the gods of seasons) to allow farmers to plant and cut their crops at the proper rime. She guides the cycle of a family through the days, seasons, and years of life. Her obsession with dates and cycles makes her a patron of expectant mothers. She is shown as a gray-haired woman of faded beauty holding a basket of grain and a long scroll, with the objects being her holy symbol. She was trapped for a time under Castle Greyhawk by Zagig Yragerne but eventually released by a group of adventurers. She resents chaotic gods and any who would disrupt her work.
A well-run farm and strong family both rely on the adherence to routines, an understanding of relationships, and the consequences of actions. Animals will not thrive unless they are cared for, fields cannot be planted unless they are prepared, and grain won't last through the winter unless rationing is kept. Spouses must respect each other, children must obey their parents, and parents should love and teach their children. Ignoring these commands leads to ruin.
Clerics of Merikka coordinate groups of farmers so that everyone's crops are planted and harvested at the optimal time, mediate between warring family members, care for pregnant women, and officiate coming-of-age and marriage ceremonies. They enforce laws and punish lawbreakers where other officials are unavailable. Most city folk see them as emissaries of law because of their single-minded dedication in following their quarry to places far from home.
Alignment: Lawful Good
Weapon: Sickle
Pathfinder Domains
Community, Good, Law, Plant, Protection.