Mithra, the Rogue Angel

Wars are fought between the celestials, too, and though theirs are kept secret, they are no less Bloody. It was one such war that sparked the rise of one Meitros Manycolor, planetar deva and Lord Commander of the Radiant Host.

The battlefield was the Prime Material Plane; specifically a young Sphere still seeped in darkness, among hapless mortals clinging desperately to their chthonic proto-deities for protection. On one side was the Sublime Horde - asuras, and phoenixes, and firres, and even a leonal clan. On the other, the Radiant Host, consisting of aasimon legions and their vassal races, mostly rhek and vrill. The reasons, as always, ultimately inconsequential.

Both sides built mighty citadels and cathedrals, which eventually grew into fortress-cities. There was Dudael in the desert, and the silvery Tabaet, and the underground Kasdeja, but the mightiest of all was Genhinnom City, the seat of the Lord Commander himself. Both sides herded the young mortal races to these strongholds, to protect them from the war, but also to ensure that the enemy would not enlist their aid, weak and ignorant as they may be.

It is generally assumed that it was the final glorious victory of the aasimon forces that caused the primitive mortals to begin worshiping Lord Meitros as a deity, but this chronicler must express his doubts here. It is my firm belief, affirmed by years of meticulous research, that this religious cult had been previously encouraged, even purposefully inspired by the ambitious deva, and that this new belief was instrumental in the final outcome of the war. Needless to say, such actions were in no way approved by the higher authorities at Elysium.

Lord Meitros took the name of a local minor power, Mithra the Sun, effectively murdering the infant deity, a crime he has yet to answer for (though, of course, a deity from another pantheon would have probably assimilated this godling anyway). He had heralds whispering among the mortals, and soon the word had spread: Lord Mithra came to the world to save his people from the Wild Hordes, lift the dark from the sky, and light their path to destiny! Soon enough, inspired mortals were standing in line to channel their newly developed beliefs into the aasimon, empowering him and enlightening themselves. Divine powers say there's no sensation quite like a fresh flow of mortal belief in the entire Multiverse, and I for one believe them. From that point, Lord Meitros's path was laid before him, and set in stone.

The cult spread like wildfire, as mortal priests and sorcerers were born and petitioned to join the Host in their righteous campaign. A special regiment was formed of these mortal warriors, led by a movanic deva named Ilfion; her role was primarily to protect them from coming to harm in the thick of celestial battle. All victories were celebrated in Mithra's name, the dead were committed to his flames, and ritual sacrifices dedicated to him alone. When the victorious Host  gathered before the gates of the last enemy citadel standing, instead of offering terms of surrender, Mithra challenged their general, Eao Taurus, to single combat and defeated him easily. In front of horrified celestials and exultant mortals, he then proceeded to cut apart the asura's body, proclaiming that the blood spilled here would "flow through the land and expunge the taint that the Horde had brought". The world was free, the light would shine. The mortals cheered, and spread the word.

The light did shine upon the world, actually, and not only because the fog of war had cleared. When the twin solar paragons, Imlil and Ibliw, came from Elysium to investigate the rumors of unsanctioned divine ascension, Mithra laughed in their faces. He would not hear their accusations, nor accompany them to the High Seat and plead his case there. However, neither would he fight his former brethren for the wounded Prime world that bestowed godhood upon him. He left the solar emissaries and the Radiant Host to rebuild and restore what they could, knowing full well that they would sanction his cult as soon as he left.

"There are other worlds than these" were the last words that crossed his smiling lips as he plane-shifted away.

Eventually, the aasimon managed to suppress the belief in the rogue planetar, gradually replacing him with the religion of the Reborn God, a minor power allied to the Elysium celestials. Over the ages the cult of Mithra the Illuminator was reduced to exotic superstition, but the fate of this power is still uncertain. Investigations on the Astral could not confirm his demise, and he has appeared on a number of Prime worlds, never staying longer than a couple of centuries, departing before the aasimon had the chance of tracking him down. Continually being forgotten and then renewed, Mithra's light still shines. One would expect that, once he grows in power and experience, he would make a stand and face the pursuing aasimon. When and if that might happen, only time will tell.

MITHRA The Sun and Stars, the Lightbearer, the Favored Singer, the Illuminator, the ConciliatorLesser Power (Chaotic Good) Symbol: The Snake Orobouros Home Plane: Prime Material Portfolio: Victory, ascension, purification, self-improvement Domains: Chaos, Glory, Mysticism, Nobility, Sun, War Favored Weapon: Shortspear Cleric Training: Priests of Mithra are initiated into the mysteries gradually, secretly monitored by superiors for any sign of indiscretion or lack of loyalty. The life of a potential initiate is a small price to pay for safeguarding the Illuminator's secrets. Successful initiates advance through the ranks of spiritual progress, from "Raven" to "Soldier" to "Lion". The highest rank is "Father", a direct proxy of Mithra. Quests: Military achievements are always pleasing to Mithra, though other paths of improvement (both personal and communal) are also possible. Priests are encouraged to inspire others to push their limits, to extend the boundaries of both knowledge and power, and to maintain spiritual and physical purity throughout their lives. Fiends and undead are eternal enemies, of course, though surprisingly, the church does not frown on lichdom as a path to eternal life, and priests occasionally seek this state. Prayers: Mithra's followers do not pray openly, nor share their prayers with the non-enlightened. When praying in public, they typically mutter to themselves, speak in tongues, or hum wordlessly. Temples: Called mithraeum, temples to Mithra are usually either natural caverns or natural buildings imitating a cavern. Dark and windowless, they usually contain a secret window that would let the light shine in at the height of a ceremony. Rites: Most celebratory rituals involve blood sacrifice. Traditionally, minotaurs are the preferred choice (though a white bull will suffice), symbolizing the Illuminator's victory over the asura lord Eao Taurus. In rites of initiation, priests to be are sometimes immersed in pools of sacrificial blood, after which they undergo ritual purification. When non-enlightened folk witness these rites, mithraites are often mistaken for worshipers of vile, bloodthirsty deities; the ritual sites are in fact usually sanctified, and the blood has a primarily symbolic meaning, but this can be difficult to explain at times. Heralds and Allies: Ilfion, an advanced movanic deva is Mithra's herald and proxy. In response to mortal pleas, he usually sends a firre eladrin or a celestial radiance elemental. Relics: Helm of the Ages, Sun's Shield.