Misericorde

Of all the foul deities in Morisia, none are as infamous as Misericorde, the Lady of Devils universally being either feared or respected - Though these two usually go hand in hand. Her penchant for making mortals do her bidding is well-known, tricking them into doing heinous things to further her influence over mortals, or merely to satisfy her cruel whims when they strike.

## History

Although the origins of most deities are well known, Misericorde’s history is unknown. Words speak that she took shape out of the terrible desires of a tyrant; other sources speak of her being a lowly servant who turned into a powerful slaver; or perhaps her form hails from the cruelty of children, a symbol for those that lust for power and control over others. It may even be that all of these theories are true, though the mortal world has no way to know - What is known is that Misericorde is here now, and nothing will change that fact.

## Home

Misericorde's divine realm is not one that's present on the mortal plane, but instead is present in one of the corners of the Plane of Fire. With a hellish heat even higher than the plane around it, only those heavily resistant to fire are capable of even theading into the blackened land that's chockful of devils under the Fettered Tyrant's control. Great volcanoes are present which often erupt in hellfire, from which devils are shaped into being. Small cities are also present in this domain due to the vastness of her plane, where devils live in a decadent fashion with mortal slaves serving their whims - Who usually don't last long considering the uninmaginable heat.

The city of Diabol that's present at the heart of Misericorde's divine realm is constructed around this grandest volcano. Inside of it, the Throne of the Tyrant is present, an unholy artifact that grants the deity her infernal might which only Misericorde herself may enter - And simultaneously binding her to it with chains, earning her the name Fettered Tyrant. Due to this, she's unable to visit her followers directly, though the great magical prowess she has makes her capable of manifesting a menacing visage of herself anywhere she wishes.

## Worship

### Worshipers

With one of her core beliefs being that the weak are meant to be pawns of the strong, most of her followers are people in high-standing communities that treat those under them in a cruel manner. Though, in places where slavery is commonplace, those holding the chains usually also devote their prayers to the evil deity. Her favor is also one of the most easily earned out of all the deities, her prideful nature easily won over by lavish offerings, something desperate folk often do in a last-ditch effort to get out of bad positions. Yet, these gifts bestowed by her usually end up biting back against the bargainer, often in manners that are advantageous for Misericorde.

### Clergy

The organised church of Misericorde is present all over Velouve - though lessening in influence due to The Twins their meddling - and in small pockets of the rest of Morisia, filled with those of a higher standing in the nation that praised Misericorde for their fortune. Outside of Velouve, these don't practice the infernal rituals and sacrificial rites that are made by the clergy to show the god their obedience - Or at the very least, not out in the open.

Members of the clergy usually are encouraged to wear clothing in red and black colors, often made of luxurious silk to simultaneously show off their wealth and position. The unholy symbol of Misericorde must also be worn in the open to showcase their allegiance, usually in the form of a necklace depicting it, or by wearing a visible spiked chain on their body.

## Present

In the current age, Misericorde is still a powerful goddess. With a horde of devils at her command ready to do her foul bidding, and with her infernal influence being present in almost every nation, she’s none to be trifled with. Yet, her influence has been slowly dying down to the emergence of The Twins - Two mortal woman who once were her faithful servants and bestowed with powers, but are now rebelling against her patron and usurping her domains to cause her strength to fade, her worshippers gradually converting to the new faith.

Those still faithful to Misericorde are instructed by her deity to thwart these faithful’s plans whenever possible, signaling a deep-seated hatred for the rival god. Incapable of directly striking against her rivals due to her fettered state, she’s forced to influence things with merely her words subtly. Yet, the inverse isn’t true, the twin tyrants having made several attacks against Misericorde. While none of them came close to threatening her, seeds of doubt have been sewn in people’s minds that the twin tyrants might be able to depose her - Something which worries the divine being and her worshippers.