*General universe info found here. Read this first: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/15763132/

NAME: Merishka
TITLE: The Aspect of Renewal
-Also represents: motherhood, childbirth, the harvest
SPECIES: demoted Underlord
SIGIL: An infant cradled in skeletal hands dripping blood


HISTORY: Merishka was the very first of Saetan's followers to be chosen as an Aspect. However, unlike the others, she did not submit willingly. Until her unwanted ascension, she stood proud and equal with those who would soon be called the Underlords, and her absolute cruelty made her a threat to any who stood even a fraction beneath her in status, and even her equals were wise to not turn their backs on her. But eventually her ambitions caught up to her, and she got on Underlord Paaithrox's bad side. As strong as Merishka is, she was not equal to Paaithrox's wrath. And as she lay on the ground in bloody defeat after a pathetically short battle, Saetan poured salt on her wounds. Demoted from Underlord status, and forced out of Hell to dwell in Stormhold. And to top it all off...become the Aspect meant to be the representation of childbirth, harvest, motherhood...all the good things of the world. The malice of her fury has not cooled in the slightest. She continues to hate Saetan and the Underlords for the indignity she suffers now. But Saetan's might is more than strong enough to keep her submissive to him, and the Underlords take every opportunity they can to remind her of her shame.


PERSONALITY: Merishka is NOT the Aspect you want to have notice you, despite the fact that her "responsibilities" technically make her the most important of all the Aspects. Every family has a small shrine to her somewhere in their homes, and the prayers and chants for her "blessing" with each harvest and childbirth are taught to children at a very young age. Thankfully for the Telmarines, the rituals that govern her power do not require Merishka's influence directly. In truth, no amount of prayer can actually influence how a family's fortunes will turn out. Saying the blessing of a successful birth properly will never guarantee the babe will survive. But upholding the traditions shows that the family accepts and respects the higher powers that ensure Stormhold's success.

Merishka herself is a spiteful, wicked, evil creature. Except for one or two very rare exceptions, she will not hesitate to butcher any who are foolish enough to approach her directly. Before Pandora's ascension to Aspect, she made it a point of striking out at families that accidentally recite the ancient prayers incorrectly, consuming the children, spoiling the harvest and gutting the adults. But now Pandora stops her whenever she tries, which only further boils her wrath. The fact that any mortal-born creature, even a Nichtvren, is strong enough to keep her from doing what she wants is infuriating. The only creatures in Stormhold she has any respect for, however minute, are the Straxin. She thoroughly enjoys the fact that they routinely slaughter the Telmarine populace, and is actively working against Garancia's attempt to bring them under control, albeit secretly. Her only friend is Babaaliah, and that is only because Babaaliah can sympathize with her, as they became Aspects under similar circumstances. Being the Aspect of Sin makes Babaaliah very tolerant of her wickedness.


POWERS: Merishka technically doesn't have any powers at all, at least not where her position as Aspect comes into play. She can't make plants grow or ensure the health and wellbeing of a new family, not that she would ever want to. She still possesses some strengths from her history as a demonic lord, but they were vastly weakened when she was demoted. She can control and communicate with snakes, and her venom is so potent that one drop can kill a thousand men. This is where the exception to her desire to kill any that approach her comes into play. During the great war in the early part of Stormhold's history that would eventually establish the Telmarines as the strongest nation in the world, a Telmarine general willingly traded her the lives of his wife and all twelve of his children, including an infant boy, for one drop of her venom. He used this venom to poison the water supply of the enemy army, and overnight every last soldier, warhorse and pack animal died in agony. At dawn there were thousands of rotting corpses strewn across the enemy camp. Merishka found herself pleased at what the general had done, and upon his death persuaded Saetan to elevate rather than punish him. He served as the Aspect of War until Saetan boosted the number of Aspects from nine to thirteen, at which point the first of what would prove to be a very long line of Orkrim Aspects slaughtered him for the title. By then Merishka was bored of him, so did nothing to interfere.


ARTIST'S COMMENTS: My first naga-thing, and I really like how she turned out. Yes, this is a female character. She's a snake. Snakes don't have boobs. Same goes for Garancia, come to think of it. Straxin and Straxin half-breeds don't have boobs either. But anyway, I do wish I had a bit more room on the paper to extend Merishka's body. And perhaps in retrospect I should have made her chest and arms slimmer. But overall, especially the stripes and the cheating scales, it all came out pretty good. I am satisfied with it.