Under the brilliant glow of Lysora's undying love comes the maiden of birth and growth. Granted the touch of life, Miellyah, the Protector of Innocents, watches over the land, women, and children of the world. Miellyah is a common household diety throughout Audalis (save Sendria). She is the patron goddess of fertitility and growth, of the planting in spring, the harvest of fall, and motherhood. Many midwives throughout the realm call upon her gifts for the birthing of children. Farmers and ranchers seek her aid for crops and cattle. Miellyah also protects children, the lost innocents of the realm. Although occasionaly cursed by women who find themselves in the throes of labor pains, Miellyah is mostly well-loved by all, and small shrines and statues dedicated to her are ubiquitous among the common folk of Antaron.

Worship of Miellyah has been around seemingly as long as humanity has been present, and little is known of her creation. The Church teaches that at one time, Miellyah was a devoted human priestess of Lysora who had a special place in her heart for children.

Miellyah speaks to her priesthood through dreams and visions. When she does, she often appears as a woman in her mid-twenties, "heavy with child", wearing only a simple white gown. She beams with a heavenly rosey glow. At times, a foal or calf is by her side as she carries golden grain in her arms.

The worship of Miellyah is a mix of those seeking the bounty of the earth and the blessings of children. Many priests and followers of Miellyah find companions and support in the temples of Falloes, Lysora, and Solanis. Some are strong in their conviction, waging a war of nature. Others are endearing and caring folk with a seat always available at their table.

Joining the Pantheon
Many myths and legends begin with a spark of truth. In a time long past, the lands suffered a terrible blight. Foals and calves were stillborn, women could not concieve, and crops withered and died in the fields. Miellyah prayed to Lysora for aid in such dark times. She fasted for weeks, nearing her soul to heaven to hear her prayers.

Soon Lysora appeared. To save the land, she would need to sacrifice her own life's blood, as life cannot continue without a balancing of the way. Lysora, favoring the woman's faith, claimed her chosen after she whispered her final words. She traveled the lands, spilling her blood in small draughts. As the land accepted her sacrifice, her life shortened. Now she resides within the shining home of Lysora, bringing life to the world she touches.

Miellyah. The voice of the mother in the night. The giver of bounties. The hope of wayward children. Bring to us peace and care. Touch our world with the blessings of your hand and heart. -Mother Margaret Liers, Revered Mother of the Temple of Golden Promises

Dogma
The bonds of birth and growth, of the mother and child, the tilled earth and its bounty, all come together to bring the dawning of new days. Through the blessings of the rain and sun, the child of the family, the creatures newly awakened, the cycle of life never ends. May all living things grow and thrive. May children never be left upon the temptation of strangers. Let no man forget the strength of the earth and family. We carry the burden of the mother. We carry the love of Miellyah.

Avatar
Miellyah appears in various guises, but always as a woman. She is the elderly woman who gives mothers and daughters advice on birthing, families, and healing. She is the young lass with a large belly, glowing in the later months of motherhood. She is the young lady tending the fields or animals. Yet always her hair is a golden tawny as the grain in the fields. Her eyes shine amber as the warmth of love and harvest mooons. Her skin is tanned and flushed with joy. She wears simple garments of flowing white and gold of the fields and sunset.

Fellowship
Clerics and followers of Miellyah tend towards spells that give them dominion over plants, weather, and healing. They use magics in natural ways, working with the land and people to bring harmony and love. Many druids also seek the wisdom and power of Miellyah.

The fellowships of Miellyah include the following:

Wandering Mothers: The followers of the Wandering Mothers travel the world for lost children and mothers. Within them burns the need to seek the lost, pray for their health and innocence, and return them to the ones who miss them. They calm the fears of mothers who have lost children to war, death, sickness, and time. The faithful establish and visit orphanages across the realm, taking care of children and families where they find them. At times, a member of the Wandering Mothers may lay with a man to have a child. They travel with the child, bringing them into the service of Miellyah.

Threshers of Rot: The faithful of the Threshers seek the terrible pains of the earth. The mother calls down for the removal of the rot and terror that suckles away the life of the land. And through their efforts, the land will be righted and reborn. Although Kith-Jora seeks the way of nature, his followers, especially those of the Eyes of Creation, see this faith as terrible and destructive. The Threshers seek to not cure, but purge the blight of the land, be it deep in the earth and mountains, within the trees of a woodlands, or the waters of the seas. The earth itself is their realm, and they will bring a great rebirth through the burning away of the pain.

Shield of Innocents: The faithful of this fellowship seek to protect all wayward and hurt peoples of the world. They seek to uplift and help those in the greatest of need and most dire of situations. The fellowship includes a mix of priests of Falloes and Miellyah. They take up divine magics, the sword, and the voice to protect and rebuild. They are there before a war begins and afterward to clean up and aid the hurt peoples. Theirs is a hard life without much reward beyond the smile and tears of families and the new growth in the fields.


Special thanks to Lori Krell, without whom this article would have been lost!