Medlayla

Medlayla is the patron goddess of night and canines. Alongside Divakara, she is one half of the Sisters of the Necropolis who oversee the Underworld.

## Overview

Medlayla is one of the original Musean Gods, created by Ora shortly after the creation of Musea itself. Medlayla assists her sister Divakara in running the underworld, specifically the plane of the Necropolis. Medlayla handles the processing of all souls (petitioners) who are ready to move on to the afterlife.

Medlayla has a difficult relationship with her sister, fueled by the fact that Divakara frequently skirts her duties. Medlayla cares deeply for the living, and believes that the best way she can help them is by taking care of their dead; a sentiment Divakara does not share.

Medlayla is the creator of lycanthropy, and is capable of bestowing it as a blessing upon her followers.

## Obedience 1

Dance in an isolated place under the light of the moon. If no moonlight is available or if someone witnesses your dance, pray for the spirits of the lonely dead and then leave a lighted lantern in a dark area. Gain a +4 sacred bonus on saving throws against spells and effects cast by undead.

### Evangelist Boons

1. **Celestial Guide (Sp):** *bless* 3/day, *augury* 2/day, or *guiding star* 1/day
2. **Touch of Freedom (Su):** As a standard action, you can touch an ally to grant it the benefits of the *freedom of movement* spell until the beginning of your next turn. While under this effect, the target gains a +10-foot enhancement bonus to her base speed when taking the withdraw action and can, as an immediate action when she fails a saving throw against a charm or compulsion effect, reroll that saving throw. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
3. **Navigator Wisp (Sp):** Once per day, you can cast an extended *find the path* on yourself with a caster level equal to your character level. The effect of the spell manifests as a mote of light that is visible to only you. If the route would take you through dangerous territory (such as a river with a very strong current or a hidden pit of acid), the wisp glows yellow. If the route would take you past hidden creatures, the wisp flashes red, giving you a +10 circumstance bonus on Perception checks to notice them.

### Exalted Boons

1. **Moonlight Caller (Sp):** *faerie fire* 3/day, *glitterdust* 2/day, or *daylight* 1/day (visible effect is moonlight)
2. **Lunar Frenzy (Sp):** Three times per day, you can cast *moonstruck* with a caster level equal to your character level. You can choose to have the target affected by haste rather than *confusion*; you make this choice each time you use this ability.
3. **Moon’s Blessing (Sp):** Once per day, you can cast *divine vessel* with a caster level equal to your character level. You can choose only the celestial aspect, and you take on the form of a large, winged wolf made of glowing moonlight. Instead of 2 slam attacks, you gain a bite attack dealing 2d6 points of damage.

### Mystery Cultist Boons

1. **Lunar Dancer (Sp):** *faerie fire* 3/day, *cat’s grace* 2/day, or *daylight* 1/day (visible effect is moonlight)
2. **Moonlight (Sp):** You can cast an enlarged sunbeam once per day. The visible effect is a beam of brilliant silver moonlight, but the spell’s effects are unchanged.
3. **Compelling Dance (Sp):** You can cast irresistible dance once per day. If you cast this spell-like ability on a willing creature, the target is affected normally by the spell but also gains a +4 sacred bonus on Dexterity checks, Dexterity-based skill checks, and Reflex saves for 24 hours after the effect’s initial duration ends.

### Sentinel Boons

1. **Gravekeeper (Sp):** *hide from undead* 3/day, *calm spirit* 2/day, or *searing light* 1/day (the visible effect of the spell is a ray of moonlight)
2. **Choreography of the Night (Su):** When the night sky is visible to you, you gain +4 sacred bonus on initiative checks, a +2 sacred bonus on Acrobatics and Escape Artist checks, and a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class and on Reflex saving throws. In addition, you can take 5-foot steps in difficult terrain. Finally, you gain uncanny dodge (as the rogue class feature). If you already have uncanny dodge, you gain improved uncanny dodge instead. If you already have improved uncanny dodge, the minimum rogue level required to flank you increases by 1 instead.
3. **The Dance in All Things (Sp):** Once per day, you can cast *animate objects* with a caster level equal to your character level. Objects you animate with this ability gain the benefits of a *haste* spell for as long as they are animated, and their natural attacks count as good and silver for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

## Obedience 2

Under the night sky, offer prayers to the moon. On nights when there is no moon, you must supplement your prayers by sacrificing a living, evil-aligned creature by tearing out its throat with your teeth and feeding on the still-warm body. Gain a +4 sacred bonus on saving throws attempted when the moon is visible in the night sky.

This obedience is considered an ancient worship rite for the goddess. It was used heavily back during the time of the First War, a time during which Medlayla and her followers were evil-aligned (and the sacrificed creature needed not be). Many Medlayla devotees would take on this difficult obedience in order to achieve lycanthropy. In the modern day, it is almost completely forgotten—one must visit dark, seedy "chapels" or black market circles to even find out about it, let alone learn the steps to perform it.

### Evangelist Boons

1. **Moonshadow (Sp):** *keen senses* 3/day, *darkness* 2/day, or *rage* 1/day
2. **Lunatic Potency (Su):** The light of the moon fills your spells with maddening power and opens your heart to pure and primal rage. The DC of spells and spell-like abilities you cast under the light of the moon increase by 1, and you are healed of an amount of damage equal to the spell’s level as the spell is cast. During nights of the full moon, spells with the fear or emotion descriptor have their save DCs increased by 2 and you are healed of an amount of damage equal to twice the spell’s level when you cast such a spell.
3. **Howl at the Moon (Su):** You take on the aspect of the wolf—you become more rugged, your ears become elongated, and you sprout sharp fangs and fur. You gain a +2 sacred bonus to your Strength, the scent ability, and a +4 bonus on trip combat maneuvers checks. You gain a bite natural attack that deals damage appropriate to your size (1d6 if you are Medium). As a swift action or whenever you hit with a bite attack, you can attempt combat maneuver to trip your foe; this trip attempt does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

### Exalted Boons

1. **Gift of the Moon (Sp):** *charm anima*l 3/day, *summon nature’s ally II* (1 fiendish wolf or 1d3 wolves only) 2/day, or *beast shape I* 1/day
2. **Afflicted Lycanthrope (Su):** You contract lycanthropy and become a werewolf (even if you normally couldn’t gain that template). If you are already a werewolf, you become a true lycanthrope. If you are already a true lycanthrope, you gain a +2 bonus to Strength and Constitution.
3. **True Lycanthrope (Su):** You can use your lycanthropic change shape ability as a swift action. You become a true lycanthrope if you were an afflicted lycanthrope. If you are already a true lycanthrope, you gain another +2 bonus to Strength and Constitution.

### Sentinel Boons

1. **Desolation of Flesh (Sp):** *ray of enfeeblement* 3/day, *feast of ashes* 2/day, or *ray of exhaustion* 1/day
2. **Beast Within (Su):** You contract lycanthropy and become a werewolf (even if you couldn’t normally gain that template). If you are already a werewolf, you become a true lycanthrope. If you are already a true lycanthrope, you gain a +2 bonus to your Dexterity score and a 10-foot increase to your base speed in your hybrid or animal form.
3. **Lupine Champion (Su):** You can use your lycanthropic change shape ability as a swift action. You become a true lycanthrope if you were an afflicted lycanthrope. If you are already a true lycanthrope, your natural armor bonus increases by 2 in your hybrid and animal form, or it increases by 6 when you’re not wearing armor. In addition, you gain the pounce ability when in your hybrid form (whether you are a true lycanthrope or not), but only when you make attacks with natural weapons.