(MIKALAEON - “ALIKE TO GOD”)
“THROUGH THEE, KIND PROSPERER,
MAY WE OBTAIN WEALTH WHICH ALL MEN DESIRE.”
Hymnal-Saint Mikhail: Saint of Laborers, Salt, and Tolerance.
Aliases: Aspect of Posa, the Son of Salt, the Kind Prosperer, the Laborer Mikalaeon
Symbols: Salt pillars, mules, lit lanterns, calloused hands, amphoras.
Worship: See your tasks through to the end; labor selflessly for the betterment of others, lay the foundation upon which they tread; tolerate all invectives and abuse, rise above them.
Dwelling: The desolate salt flats of Altrecht, Lagain, and within ravines or quarries.
Equivalents: Posa (Marathan/Mazzaroth), Folk hero Mikhail (Triburger land).
The humble laborer has long been the backbone of empires, and the Hymnal-Saint Mikhail is no exception. Since as far back as the Late Second Age, when Ensas fell and Marathas rose, the worship of Posa—an enduring mule, stubbornly loyal—has been a common practice amongst the working freemen, serfs and slaves. Entreating Posa with gifts throughout construction would ensure the success of a project and protection from the elements or disaster. When Posa crossed the border into Gailian lands in the Late Third Age, he was seamlessly absorbed into the legend of the Triburgan folk hero Mikhail—a man commanded by the gods to carry an amphora full of salt-water from the heavens to pour across the earth, forming the oceans.
Since then, the Hymnal-Saint Mikhail has become a symbol of artisans and laborers across northern Yiegdra. Gates are constructed for him in guild halls or at the entrance to penal colonies; it is believed that no matter the enterprise, he will bless the work so long as a fraction of the profits are returned to him. In Altrecht, an eclectic mercenary company known as the Shields of Saint Mikhail have taken him as their patron. They are an assembly of former serfs from the Empire, and are regularly contracted by the Triburgan lords to guard their interests across the border regions.
He is typically depicted as a robe-swaddled man at the mouth of a river, cave, or great ravine. He delves into the abyss to find offerings for mankind, and bears a deformed countenance from his time in the depths—thought to be salt-blasted, or eroded by rain and wind. His scarred face and calloused hands are evidence of his unconditional love for, and devotion to, his fellow man; they represent a willingness to sacrifice beauty for others. He is thought to dwell in desolate places, eager to labor for those who entreat him.
Acts of Favor
- A bowl of salt (1 Favor)
- An unlit torch or lantern (3 Favor)
- A fine pair of gloves or an ornate mask (5 favor)
- A fresh set of sheets, robes, or a saddle (5 Favor)
- A pillar of salt, evaluated by height and volume (1-10 Favor)
Invocations
Pull This Complexity: 1 Favor: (#, maximum of 5) Range: Paces (10) Duration: Instant AP: 1 Effect: The target is pulled closer to you by a number of Paces equal to the Favor expended.
Push That Complexity: 1 Favor: (#, maximum of 5) Range: Touch Duration: Instant AP: 2 Effect: The target is pushed away from you by a number of Paces equal to the Favor expended.
Build This Complexity: 2 Favor: (#, maximum 10) Range: Paces (1) Duration: Persist (#, maximum 10) AP: 2 Effect: Construct a pillar 1 Pace wide and long, and 3 Paces high with Hardness (#) and Persist (#) equal to the Favor expended.
Break That Complexity: 3 Favor: (#, maximum 5) Range: Touch Duration: Instant AP: 3 Effect: You carve a 1 Pace wide and tall hole that is Paces (#) long in a straight line in front of you. This ignores Hardness (2), and creatures in this line roll a Willpower vs. Dexterity contest; on a failure, they gain a Minor Wound.
Shoulder Our Burdens Complexity: 4 Favor: (#, minimum of 10) Range: Paces (5) Duration: Persist (#) AP: 5 Effect: For a Duration equal to the favor you expend over 10, all damage dealt within the range is quartered and redirected to you.