Mercario is the patron of all kind of street entertainers, like acrobats, fire-eaters, thimblerigs and tricksters.
Mercario was a flamboyant thief and confidence trickster who made his living from “games of chance”, impromptu street performances, and occasional dabbling with stolen property. Later he organized troupes of performers for festival and holy days, eventually becoming head of the entertainers’ guild. His cult is widespread, throughout the Empire and as far away as Dragon Pass, fostered by street entertainers, tavern comedians, and confidence tricksters.
His original Homeland is Dara Happa, but he is accepted almost anywhere and by most pantheons.
Mercario's brought himself to apotheosis. He is a god, thanks to his own activity and cleverness.
Mercario’s present-day worshipers include wayfaring and urban street entertainers with an emphasis on acrobatics, sleight of hand, and athletics. Mostly they perform as jugglers, fire-eaters, highwire artist, but also as thimblerigs, dancers, musicians, actors, puppeteers and so on. Organised troupes usually consist of worshippers to a complement of entertainer patrons. Most troupes have a shrine at least both to Mercario and Donandar.
Virtues: Debonair, Irrepressible.
Disadvantages: Worshippers are generally considered of suspect morals and irresponsible by the very communities they entertain.
Requirements: None. Active participants in street entertainment following Mercario's way, or supporters of a troupe in this field usually become lay members automatically.
Skills taught: Only passionate members (those aiming to be initiated) may be taught any entertainment, travelling, troupe organisation, sometimes limited thieving skills. Others may obtain a little expertise through learning by assisting troupes.
Requirements: standard. Required skills well above average: Three of athletic/agility/acrobatic types useful in street entertainment, or substitute 1 for 2 skill in different fields of entertainment (acting, orating, play instrument, singing...) in any combination.
Skills taught: Balancing, Jump, Climb, Ceaseless Chatter, Devotee of Mercario or Initiate of Mercario, Juggling, Mythology of Mercario, Sleight of Hand, Soul Vision.
Secondary skills: Travelling, troupe organisation, choreography, stagecraft, stagemagic
There are no priests of Mercario, or you might say any entertainer performing in Mercario's tenor spreads the cult, just like a priest, but they do not see themselves as priests. The stage (or even the plaza or street) is the temple, the audience is the parish, their cheers and applause are prayers. At least as such it is conceived by Mercario.
Mercario Rune Lords serve their patron by actively looking for talents and teaching them to entertain. They may even establish a gymnasion as school of artists, but still will they never turn their back on the streets and market places.
Mercario is associated with Donandar, and his worshippers usually know some of the Right Hand and Left Hand talents.
Affinities and Feats: Street Entertainer (Breathe Flame, Devastating Retort, Distract with Words, Hypnotic Tonality, Improbable Balancing Act, Invisible Hands)
I Secret: Grand Finale (Using this secret, performers may end their act balancing, juggling, singing, and offering round the hat — all at once. At the culmination of a show in which he has used any entertainment magic, the devotee may “stack” any number of appropriate mundane and magical abilities, each one after the first causing a –3 penalty to the secret’s rating. If the devotee receives any level of victory, he successfully performs all of the “stacked” abilities. Of course, certain combinations are limited by physical impossibility.)
Other Side: Mercario’s Booth is just outside the Ketpalo, or Lodril’s Palace, but Mercario and his followers can be found wandering all across the God World.
Associated Cults: Donandar provides Harmonize. At the same time there is a mild competion between both
fractions, but always with a twinkle in the eye.
Special Devine Spell
Switch Places
ranged, instant, nonstackable, reusable
2 points
This spell must be cast at an Illusionary Sight. It allows the priest
to trade places with the apparition, which must be visible to the
priest performing the transfer.
Shrines to Donandar teach Harmonize.