(a.k.a. Murien Greymaiden)
"Our Lady tell us there is likely a third option when we believe there are only two. Especially when we believe this, and that it can often be found somewhere in the middle."
Physical Appearance & Manifestations
Murien is the embodiment of Balance, of equilibrium within a system, of even distribution of weight, on a metaphysical level. Murien’s role, from the beginning it seems, has been to stand between her siblings, Berana and Yshirea, and ensure that they if not get along then at least work together as necessary. With this need to be mediator and mother, she almost always is a blending of styles when she manifests. A tasteful merging of seemingly conflicting fashions that nevertheless work well for her.
She is, like most of the Elder Gods able to manifest in a variety of ways, wearing faces and forms as the need arises.
There are no known depictions of Murien from before The Breaking. In several stories about that time Murien apparently vanished from all sight in the centuries prior to that great catastrophe. Most depictions of her after The Breaking, especially those created by her priests and clerics, show her as a woman wearing a palla style dress of light grey with dark grey embroidery symmetrically placed. She is also depicted as wearing a darker grey shawl with light grey embroidery which is often shown covering her hair, but not always. Her skin is depicted as being lighter than Berana’s medium brown but darker than Yshirea’s alabaster skin. Her hair is shown to be past shoulder length, slightly wavy and an ashen grey in color. Around half of it loose and flowing while the other half is bound in thin braids here and there. Her eyes are depicted as being pale grey orbs without iris or pupil and a pair of angelic wings emerge from her back, the top edge of which is snow white and gradually change colors to midnight black at the bottom edge. A pair of halos encircle her head, one of light and one of darkness, and these shift and change position slowly.
Personality & Philosophies
No matter what words are used to describe Murien, there is one word which always rises to the forefront of the mind, for better or worse. That word is patient, for she is obviously that but so much more as well. Murien is known and revered among mortals as being a caregiver, a restorer, a mediator, a negotiator, a guardian, and a protector, to name but a few of her roles and those only the positive ones. To say that Murien bears no negative mantles is to ignore who and what she is, though even in her darkness, Murien strives always for balance in all things. When necessary Murien can and will amputate the limb to save the life, destroy that which is beyond repair and end a meeting that will only waste her time. She is a guardian and protector not only in keeping people safe from harm, but in removing those who would harm from those in need of protecting.
There are clerics and priests who tell long held stories that Murien has changed in the years since The Breaking. The oral histories speak of her before this time as being willing to accept the words of her siblings at face value. The terrible price that has been paid, and is still being paid, by the world in the years since the Breaking has hardened Murien and worn away at her patience. At least so say some of her devout followers, though not to blame her for this. They feel her change of mind is warranted, given that both of her daughters with Cendar were lost when the Breaking happened.
Murien does not exactly consider mortal outlooks on good and evil, though given the nature of her twin daughters she is intimately familiar with both. To Murien, good and evil, like order and chaos and even life and death are simply tools within her grasp able to be used as necessary to restore and maintain the balance. Her task is not complete and has not been since before the Breaking. The world is still in the thrall of chaos and will be for many mortal centuries to come, as it must be. The time of enforced order which led to the Breaking must be balanced with a time of enforced chaos. From Murien’s point of view, the world is injured, and she is doctor and nurse performing triage, sacrificing what will kill her patient should it be allowed to remain.
Powers & Magical Artifacts
Murien’s powers lay in Balance, and as Balance is intrinsically linked to both sides of any duality, so too do Murien’s powers lay there. Many theologians have postulated that it is Murien, and not Berana nor Yshirea, who is the strongest and most powerful of the Elder Gods. For while Berana wields chaos, and Yshirea wields order, Murien is capable of wielding both. She also grants those who follow her power over life and death, light and darkness, and protection and destruction. Her powers lay upon that very edge, that boundary between opposing forces. Yet for all this power, her very strength is also her weakness for she is bound to use it in service to the balance. Given how skewed it is now, she is a potent force in the world, pushing the scales back towards their even state, but once attained her powers will diminish in their broad application.
One powerful tool in her arsenal is known among Murien’s followers as The Demitasse of Equity. It is a shallow drinking bow with two low handles, made of a silver-like unknown metal. The handles on both sides and the bowl are carved with intricate knotwork. Carved into the very center of the bowl is Murien’s symbol. Those who drink from this bowl will find themselves beholden to the balance itself, seeking to make fair, even, equitable deals with all those they interact with. There have been several important historical moments where the followers of Murien have arrived, bearing with them the demitasse to ensure that two sides of a conflict are able to reach a resolution. Though some arcane researchers have uncovered tapestries showing Murien holding a cup in one hand and using it to anoint what are believed to be followers of her. If this cup is the demitasse, what effects are its uses in this manner? Another question asked, and at present unanswered, is whether the demitasse has a negative aspect to balance out the positive aspect for which it is so well known.
Followers & Organizations
Murien’s followers are widespread, versatile, and capable of responding to any number of problems. A cleric of Murien may be a healer, a warrior, a diplomat, or a spy, and you will never know which they are until they choose to make it obvious. Murien’s followers have no grand hierarchy like the Chorus of Harmony, but they are organized and keep in touch. Murien’s central temple is located within the capitol city of Equilibria in The Free Lands of Muria. However, to look at the temple, you would not know it is the most important temple to Murien upon the world. It does not tower over the other buildings around it, and its construction is of plainly dressed and lightly carved stone. The smaller temples and houses of worship follow this pattern in simple but elegant construction.
Her followers claim no grand titles for themselves, and among them there are few divisions. Those who are taken in by them to learn are called Aspirant. After one has spent sufficient time learning they will be called Acolyte. When one has earned the respect of their peers, they will be called Apostle. Those who continue to learn and to strive to be closer to understanding Murien will eventually earn the title of Adept. Her followers are found in all the lands of Ashiel, even within Ordina for not even The Chorus of Harmony will snub the followers of Murien. Small houses of worship are easily found in most towns and cities, and almost ever settlement, no matter how small, will have a shrine to Murien somewhere.
Holidays & Services
While Murien is worshipped in several localized holidays which worship all the gods, the only one truly connected to her is known as The Festival of The Fallen. It is held mostly in The Free Lands of Muria but is observed by followers of Murien in other lands as well. Falling on the 18th of Runas every year, people will gather, either at a temple or house of worship to Murien to offer solemn remembrance of those they have lost, and those others have lost. The festival begins at night and the crowd gathers. A brief sermon is given, often on loss or grief and then a candle it lit and placed where all can watch it burn. Silence falls over the crowd as they look at the candle and remember those who have been lost. Once the candle burns down the crowd then is encouraged to mingle and speak and share stories of the lost, so that they might be remembered by more people.
It is no surprise that the followers Murien are often involved in arbitration and the seeking of fair and equitable arrangements between parties. The priests of Murien are sought out by the Dwarven Locals specifically to ensure a well-balanced contract. Her worshippers are called into service when the worshippers of Berana or Yshirea are unable to perform their duties. They assist with the healing of injury and disease and work side by side to assure a proper send off for the souls of the dead. Lastly, perhaps because of the loss their Goddess suffered, the temples and houses of Murien are known to take in those without anywhere else to go.
Stories & Myths
The first and most well know of the stories of Murien is that of her creation. After having made Berana and Yshirea, the Weaver saw them quarreling. Lacking thread, she removed the embroidery of her robe and wove this into Murien. There is an apocryphal story told, its origins lost to The Breaking and time, that Murien sprang from the Loom itself without intervention of The Weaver at all. There is a story of her going to Seram and bonding strongly with her while war ravaged the mortal planes. It was by their combined effort that S’erien, the God of Peace was born. It is not the only story with The Younger Gods. Often told is the story of how Cendar wooed Murien, charmed her and made her smile and laugh and hope again. How their feelings for each other grew over time until they chose to be together and from their union was born her twin daughters, M’urcen and M’urdar.
There is also the story of how her daughters were lost during The Breaking, along with K’arest and A’naris and N’avrio. How in her grief she walked the world alongside Xistan, searching for her children and helping him to collect the souls of the dead. With the world broken, much of it needed to be remade and she and Xistan together created the Silver Path upon which the souls of the dead would journey to their resting place in the Silvered Garden. Many of the dead had gotten lost or trapped where they should not be. Together they restored that balance to things so larger balances could be addressed. But during all that time walking with Xistan, always her eyes sought out the light of M’urcen’s candle, hoping to find her daughters. Though sometimes she caught glimpses they vanished into the dark, obscured by the dark winds of the chaos storm; or by M’urdar covering the flame with her douter.
Mental characteristics
Gender Identity
Female
Sexuality
Bisexual
Divine Classification
Elder God
Alignment
True Neutral
Children
Eyes
pale grey, without irises or pupils
Hair
Light grey, wavy, past shoulder length, about half in braids.
Height
5'9"
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