Maleki

Greater (native): Gorethar | O'Ma | Dru'El | Toran | Mikon | Forian | Valok | Aarilax | Maleki
Greater (foreign): Clangeddin | Titania | Corellon Larethian | Tobin | Ptah | Gruumsh | Blibdoolpoolp
Intermediate: Andria | Dagath | Hurine | Ingoren | Mishlekh
Lesser: Angadar | Berryn | Dra'Nar | Dre'Ana | Fegall | Senath | Skern | Ti'si'faan | Verossa | Vorin | Wilsash | Yeraiah
Demi: Aryeh Gidol | Balgar | Cha'reth | Evrak | Harpinger | Kelvos | Keros | Lesa | Naren | Paragus | Pelar | Ra-Ghul | Seven | Stephanus | The'ton | Xenon | Zhitaril

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Colors: Black and Dark Purple

Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Worshippers' Alignment: CE

Area of Control: Giant-Kin, Hatred, Slaughter, Disease

Clerical Domains: Death, Evil, Protection, Strength, War

Holy Warrior: Blackguard

Religious Orders: The Reavers of Maleki

Center of Worship: Malekia

More information on Maleki

Of all the things that were created, free will is the most important. Everyone in existence has the basic right to do whatever it is they want. No one should have to be loyal or subject to another unless that other is holding their life in the balance. When someone holds your life in check, then you have no choice but to do what they say, yet free will is still yours. You can opt to pay for your disobedience with your life. It is always a choice.

The god of ogres and giant-kin is pure evil, and so are his followers. Organization is not a concern. Taking what you want is a concern. If it's given freely, good. If it needs to be taken by force, better. Working with others is tough, but can be done in a pinch.... stupidity is only a trait of SOME of the giant-kin specimens. For the intelligent ones, subtle means are key.

How does a follower of Maleki reach enlightenment through his God?

Enlightenment is the betterment of the self, and the exercising of free will. Any action that brings fortune to you, or gets you what you want is one step towards becoming favored by Maleki.

Maleki holds all of our lives in the balance.

Although you have free will, there is one above you that can rule you by force if necessary. That is Maleki. His way of things is to have those whose will is not strong be guided by those whose will IS strong. By serving Maleki, you better yourself. By exercising his free will, you gain the power to eventually exercise your own.

Whatever it is that Maleki wishes must be done, by any means necessary. There is no right or wrong. There is only your will, and its status. You must tend to it and use it to better yourself by the best possible methods, the foremost being obedience to the one who fought hard for your free will, Maleki.

The things you acquire for yourself are a direct reward from Maleki. Those with much are favored. Those with nothing are faithless and must be ruled. Maleki will only take care of those who take care of themselves and have faith in his abilities.

Slaughter is an expression of Maleki's will on the world. Your affection to him may be shown in the form of a sacrifice. By offering the will of the victim up to Maleki, you strengthen your own. The better the sacrifice, the stronger its will, the more pleased Maleki is.

There are levels of sacrifice and how much they please Maleki, from lowest to highest:

Senseless slaughter - killing somethign without ritual

Willful slaughter of the Weak - killing something weak with ritual

Willful slaughter of the Weak and Willing - killing something weak with ritual that it consented to, i.e. it wanted to be sacrificed

Willful slaughter of the Strong - killing something strong with ritual

Willful slaughter of the Strong and Willing - killing something strong with ritual that it consented to

Senseless slaughter pleases Maleki, but not greatly. It is difficult for him to run his followers' lives when the whole world is out to kill them for their actions. You must take what you want, when you want it. But things done with wisdom imply a high degree of will. Maleki prides strength. But wisdom is the icing on his cake.

Maleki has temples in Mikona, the wilds of M'Chek, and Deglos, and a shrine in Visimontium.

The Church of Maleki

The various churches of Maleki are spread throughout the world, ranging from clandestine gatherings of a handful of followers to the masses that throng into the High Temple in Malekia and the cavernous shrines of the Giant Kings, high in the mountains of Deglos. Each church is more or less a law unto itself. There is little or no central organisation - the larger churches have earned their power through conquest, the others do not care. Each worships Maleki in an idiosyncratic manner, according to their circumstances. Sacrifices at the High Temple in Malekia are days of celebration and feasting in that city, while the goblins of the M'Chekian hills do not stand on such ceremony.

As is to be expected, the churches are always in a state of flux. No power is permanent, and only the strong of will can hope to rise to prominence and last for any length of time. Even for these exceptional individuals, their lives are a constant battle. The challengers to power are endless, and eventually even the greatest priest or Blackguard will get old, or sloppy, or simply fall in the face of a strong opponent. As with the leaders and holy men, so with the churches themselves - especially among combative creatures such as the goblins and ogres, the sites and forms of places of worship change as tribes rise and fall, fight and die.

Like the churches, the Blackguards have no formal organisation, serving Maleki directly. They are often affiliated with one church or another, depending on where they live and the circumstances of the moment, but there is no one holy organisation. Whenever Blackguards do band together, it is an uneasy alliance for mutual benefit, with each member constantly vying with the others for their place in the pack - and their very lives.

The greatest and most terrible of Maleki's servants are the Titans - those so devoted to Maleki and strong in will that their patron elevates them to Immortality, rejoicing in the widespread slaughter and strife the rise of such an individual causes. The rise of a Titan is a terrible time for the world, for the strength of their will and their capability for widespread destruction attracts the attention of many Malekites to their armies, which swell with each new conquest. But it is this success that always proves the Titan's downfall - their lieutenants and the horde under their control will eventually attempt to destroy them, to take the power for themselves. The greatest of all attempt to overthrow Maleki himself, and are crushed with great glee by the Lord of Slaughter.