 |
 |
 |
But the ancestral diseases, each the source of new disease, were gradually defeated by Malia's foes. Each culture has its own hero who it claims defeated Malia: among the Orlanthi it was Chalana Arroy, among the Dara Happans it was Yelm or one of his sons, among the elves it was Arroin, among the Kralori it was the emperor Shavaya, but a vengeful Malia recalls each of these defeats. Because of her enemies' actions, the ancestral diseases have been destroyed, and all diseases now breed true, rather than spawning new diseases each time they feed.
When Thed and Ragnaglar combined to create chaos, Malia joined them, though whether willingly or under compulsion varies with the tale and the teller. She was thereafter known as one of the Unholy Trio, and served as midwife to the birth of Wakboth the Devil. Ragnaglar's children, the Broos, gave her worship, and she in turn aided them and provided immunity to her spirits so that they could further the spread of her diseased dominion. She blessed them with her gifts, both as a sign of her favor and to ensure that she would always have slaves to do her bidding. She finally parted company with Ragnaglar and Thed, but may never be freed from the stain of that association.
From fear and respect other chaos creatures came to worship her. As her powers increased, men, trolls, and elves came to her out of fear alone, praying to her to spare their tribes. Many endured the scourge of disease through their propitiation of Malia, and she continued to grow in power from such devotions.
Malia is pictured by most humans as an old woman, pockmarked and dripping with diseases; she often pushes a cart loaded with the dead. Broos see her as a powerful female broo, surrounded by spirits of disease, standing over the corrupt forms of her many victims. Praxian sand drawings and Lodrili wall paintings depict her as a headless body with a single huge maw in its belly, two stout legs, and many arms sprouting from her torso. Trolls picture her similarly, chewing her image out of flint or basalt, then smashing it to the ground, usually under the feet of Kyger Litor or Zorak Zoran. The elves see her as a diseased dryad, eating her way out of her tree, from which spirits of disease hang like fruit.
Malia's faithful know that there will be no reincarnation for their spirits, and that all they can hope for is a safe eternity serving the goddess. Some of them may return to the world as Spirits of Disease, to spread her blessings, though only the greatest may be so blessed. Some humans who worship Malia believe that they will be reborn as broos if faithful, and thus immune to her diseases forever.
Funeral rites are simple. The body is infected with at least one Spirit of Disease, then placed in the earth so that Darkness and Death become one in the worshipers. Only the ignorant or foolish will disturb such unmarked graves.
Malia is associated with the runes of Death and Darkness. Where she is worshiped by broos and other horrors, she is associated with Chaos as well.
Worshipers of Malia gain protection from disease by sacrificing to her on seasonal holy days. For each sacrifice, the person gains increasing resistance when defending against disease, until the next holy day. Sacrifices are disease-specific: if a person sacrifices to protect against Soul Waste, Creeping Chills, and the Shakes, he will still lack protection from other diseases.
If there is a lapse in sacrificing on a holy day, the person is no longer a worshiper, and must sacrifice again on the next holy day to rejoin. There are no other benefits gained by propitiatory worship of Malia, and a person must become an initiate to gain any further training or benefits.
Propitiatory Worship
Malia accepts worship from anyone. Her worship is ingrained in the broos, who are members at birth, and automatically unaffected by Spirits of Disease, although they can be possessed by them. A creature of any other race can become a member, gaining increased resistance to disease.Other Notes
Insects
Malia is associated with certain insects, notably flies and a few types of beetles. Malia defeated some of Gorakiki's children in the Darkness, and she gains power from this association. Such insects are the pre ferred hosts for cult spirits, especially Spirits of Disease, which can possess such insects even thou" most diseases (except for certain insect-specific diseases) do not affect them; this is an exception to the normal disease rules. While possessing these insects a Spirit of Disease does not harm the host, and may linger for an indefinite leng of time. A Spirit of Disease cannot infect other indi viduals while bound to an insect, but can be Commanded to leave the insect host at any time.Plague
Although the ancestral diseases were defeated in the Godtime by various deities, one escaped — the Spirit of Plague. It is still the source of unique diseases capable of depopulating whole nations. Such plagues were common in the Darkness, but have been rare since the Dawn. The most famous case of Plague during human memory was in Fronela before the Dawn, where Xemela, holy mother of Saint Hrestol, sacrificed her life and soul to end the Black Swelling which afflicted her people.
The Spirit of Plague is difficult to find, but a Disease Master who locates it can become infected by it. Such pieces of the spirit are immensely powerful, and almost assuredly will multiply and spread throughout a populace very quickly.
Such diseases, while mostly harmless to humans, are deadly to elves and other aldryami, and their shamans spend much of their time defending their charges against such spirits.