Melifera

**Melifera** is an Elder Being (Primal God) of the World of Aedron, holding the domains of Vermin (Insects) and Community. She is the Chaotic Neutral younger sister of Colyptra. Bees, Wasps, and Hornets are particularly sacred animals and are the chosen creatures of Melifera.

## Details of the Faith

Melifera represents a perfect community of equals in her hive. Melifera believes in the intrinsic equality of all beings, that ones worth is self evident. She also believes that by bringing all peoples together into one hive, it will create a paradise.

In order to create this paradise though, Melifera believes that those who benefit from the work of others, or misuse power, must be cleared out of the way. These Parasites, as the faith calls them, are to be removed. Either by turning them to the faith, or through more violent means. This can lead to conflicts with other faiths and power structures.

Melifera's holy symbol is a represented by a three bees in a triagular formation, facing inwards toward each other.

Melifera's favored weapon is a scythe, as it is both a tool of the community, and reminiscent of a stinger.

When she contacts any member of her congregation it is as a cacophony of buzzing voices speaking in unison.

Prayer in the faith is done through silent meditation, and acts like bowing are considered taboo, because they promote a hierarchy. Power in the hive is distributed in the form of Honey. This is created in central fonts by the power of the collected faith of the hive, and can be given to individuals to enhance them in various ways.

Her congregations typically rise out of areas of slums, and her followers tend to be the downtrodden, those who find her teaching of equality and worth particularly appealing. this however, creates a great deal of tension with local power structures and other established religions.

Congregations are supported monetarily through a central treasury, as wealth is considered communal property.

Clerics and other members of the congregation typically refer to each other as brother and sister, indeed even Melifera herself is referred to in this way.

The brothers and sisters of the faith use the mantra "Uto ve Symbis" during meditation, as well as in friendly greetings. The mantra is a shortening of the phrase, "Utopia via Symbiosis". After instructing her brothers and sisters on the measures to take in light of the expansion of the Deadlands, Vera concluded her remarks with this phrase.

## Domains

Clerics of Melifera have access to the Community and Vermin domains.

## History

The final moments of the opening episode of season two of the Check Please! podcast reveal the body of a massive bee creature impaled on a giant spike in the Valley of Sett, described as Melifera. The following episode confirms that this body was a vessel for Melifera before she (like many other Primal Deities) was defeated by Sett.

## Afterlife

After a member of the Hive dies they will be born again as a bee within Melifera's Hive. The individual retains its memories and thoughts as it is added to the hive-mind of Melifera, truly becoming one with the Hive. Hummel, the bee familiar of High Priest Vera Vespid, is one such individual. Those in the hive-mind live with an ever-present feeling of contentment and tranquility, and may eventually be reincarnated back into the Hive by way of a birth from a Melifera worshiper or other various circumstances/rituals.

## Positions in the Faith

The Hive is guided by a "High Priest" or "High Druid" chosen by Melifera. The position does not technically have hierarchical power over other members of The Hive; but most members show great respect toward the individual and consider them a partial leader. The individual is gifted a weapon (typically a scythe) that is forged from the chitin of thousands of densely compacted insects and allows for direct communication with Melifera. This allows the High Priest/Druid to easily pass the guidance of Melifera to the rest of The Hive without the need for deep meditation or excessive strain on Melifera.

## Source Citations

1. ↑ *Check Please!* – "Can't Take It With You..." (C1 S2 E49)
2. ↑ *Check Please!* – "It's Electric" (C1 S2 E1)
3. ↑ *Check Please!* – "Not Enough" (C1 S2 E2)