MIRKOS – God of the Dead, Protector of Souls

Status:  Younger God

Level:  80000

Avatar:  Barint

Also known as ‘Soulkeeper’ and ‘Dreamweaver’ to some of his followers, Mirkos is the god of the dead.

When the young gods were given the power of life and death by Marnarka, Mirkos turned away from the gift of immortality knowing this to be wrong; Mirkos left Bifrost and returned to Eä. Seeing this Ome-te Llest spoke unto Mirkos in a terrible dream in which Mirkos saw the world in a state of perpetual stasis where only the gift of death could be passed onto another by violence. This angered Mirkos for he knew that death is a gift of utopia that should only be experienced when the individual knows that the time is right, or should be given as a reward for services to others while living. People who take life without just cause should never be allowed to see utopia they should never be allowed to see Ome-te Llest’s true paradise.

In this dream Ome-te Llest said ‘Hearken young one. Death; the only certainty of human existence. Death permeates all of my Mythologies. Anxiety about what death itself actually entails has infused my creations with emotions most strong. They have abject fear, they have enlightened calm and acceptance, but thou knowest the true value of this gift that I have granted my creations. Only you knowest why death is so great. I will givest thou the power to judge these spiritually risen souls but if thou acceptest my offer then be it known that thou will never knowest utopia. You will be as eternal as my firstborn.’

Mirkos thought on Ome-te Llest’s words for ninety-nine days before taking a rowing boat to Bifrost and coming to stand before Marnarka. He spoke unto Marnarka and said ‘Marnarka tellest thou father that he is my father also. Tellest him I choose to indulge in the forces of death. I shalt carry out his command and ensure that all creatures that have served the true laws pass peacefully unto the Halls of the Dead’ (what was later to become Mirkos’ realm).

Mirkos protects the souls of the departed and guides them peacefully into his realm. His are the priests who conduct funeral rites and lay the dead to rest. Souls who are sent to his realm cannot be brought back by magical or spiritual means and thus they cannot be brought back as undead.

Mirkos had a powerful servant Balial she was the first to come unto Mirkos’ great throne and be judged. Mirkos read from her life book and saw that she too understood the true meaning of the gift of death and made her a great Avatar who became renowned for her warrior prowess in conquering the Undead.

Unfortunately Balial had always a fascination for the dead and it did not take much for the perverse teachings of Taoune to sway her loyalty away from Mirkos. Taoune was able to do this by offering her the chance to study the ‘real’ dead. Something forbidden by Mirkos. The ‘real dead’ being the creatures of death that are able to walk the world of Eä. But this forbidden knowledge was not cheep, she would have to betray Mirkos by leading souls from Mirkos’ realm to Taoune’s.

Balial eagerly agreed and taking a brilliant torch from Taoune began the task of leading the hapless souls who wandered through Mirkos’ realm, to Taoune’s. Tempting them with the pure light of her torch and promises of everlasting life.

Eventually Mirkos caught his fallen disciple in the act; however Taoune had foreseen this happening and whisked Balial away with his dark magic’s back to his twisted realm.

As would be expected, this drove the Mirkos cult into a very anti-undead and especially living dead role, and necessitated the creation of the feared underground sect ‘The Magus’. The Magus is comprised of an elitist command of fanatics that actively seek out the twisted necromancers especially priests of Taoune and Balial and destroys them. The Magus act as paid witch hunters to the cult, trying to locate any source of evil necromancy and destroying it or bringing the culprits back to the temple to be dealt with there. Unfortunately their methods are not always as scrupulous as their ethics and they have been known to burn down whole villages on the merest suspicion of a necromancer being present. However, these incidents are very rare indeed, as the cult is mainly a peaceful one. However, there are a few individuals for whom the name of the Magus rings a fearful bell in their hearts.

It should be noted that Mirkos is a jealous god when it comes to protecting the souls entrusted to him. This means that in the mind of a Mirkos priest, undead are the lost souls who have not had the guidance of their lord Mirkos, and so they must therefore be in eternal torment. This means the cult specialises in exorcisms and paranormal investigation/research.

SYMBOL

Mirkos’ symbol is that of an engraved cross to mimic the titanic monument that is at the very centre of his realm upon which, it is believed, are carved the names of all the souls in his realm.

WORSHIP AND RITUAL

Mirkos is a very highly respected cult. The common man will always try and get his loved ones laid to rest by a cleric of Mirkos to ensure their peaceful departure to the realm of the dead. His Magus are tolerated in many areas, although some see them as an unnecessary evil.

Most people who have had someone laid to rest by a cleric of Mirkos will make a small sacrifice every year on the same occasion to remember the dead and to ensure Mirkos’ watchful eye is always upon them.

TEMPLE

His temples are quiet affairs, dark and solemn. Many common citizens come here to pray for lost loved ones and to light a candle in their memory. Usually state leaders or kings have there own private or family tombs constructed directly underneath the temple itself to ensure protection of their souls. In large temples these vaults can extend for quite some way underground and may contain family wealth and riches. Thinking of robbing these would be foolish however.

HOLY DAYS

Every day someone dies so every day is a day to worship Mirkos. Once every year, however, there is a festival of the dead held in the temples and none other than clerics are able to enter. All the candles are extinguished and silence reigns. The clerics are not permitted to speak during this time, or face excommunication. This festival lasts for four days and four nights, starting on the morning of All Hallows Eve, 31st day of Octomonath.

FRIENDS AND ENEMIES

Mirkos holds extreme animosity towards the cults of Balial, Taoune and Pharastus because of their dabbling and belief in necromancy. If a cleric of Mirkos should ever encounter these cults then he or she should attempt to destroy them, or at least call the Magus.

The cult also bears a grudging respect for that of Ishtra because of the mirror powers of life that her clerics are granted.