Interlude 17: The Cult of Maferath

Sister Justine of the Denerim Chantry

Recent discoveries of documents regarding Maferath illustrate the influence of a little known heretical group that reveres the warlord and human husband to Andraste. While Andrastians vilify him as a traitor and some proponents for the inclusion of the Canticle of Maferath claim Maferath's betrayal was ordained by the Maker and forgiven as a necessary evil, this heretical cult is far more extreme in its support of this controversial figure.

The Cult of Maferath claims that Maferath was the true prophet chosen by the Maker to liberate the peoples of Thedas from the control of Tevinter and that Andraste had been deceitful, stealing the true regard that Maferath was due for his service to the Maker. The cult itself has even gone so far as to insist that the Andrastian faith perverted the true message of the Maker and enabled a conclave of misguided women to gain undue religious influence in the lives of the populace. They assert that women are not truly capable to shepherd the people to the Maker, as they are naturally drawn to sin and impurity.

As recorded by Grandmaster Leonitus of the Order of Maferath, "To follow a woman is similar to allowing a blind man to lead one across a rickety bridge over a precipice. However a blind man may be preferable to a deceitful woman. While the blind man might innocently cause you to stumble by accident, despite his best intentions, a woman will push a luckless traveler over the edge for her own gain, snatching his purse in the process."

Interestingly, the cult claims that the Canticle of Maferath is fraudulent and was probably written by a misguided Andrastian, trying to undermine Maferath's stand. Cult doctrine insists that Maferath's abandonment of Andraste was not a betrayal, but an attempt by Maferath to remove a false prophetess to ensure no more followers would be swayed by her in her bid for power. By having Andraste sacrificed, Maferath was selflessly giving his wife over to the bounds of her human sin and enabling her to be purified by the flame and death. It was a final act of love to save the woman who had ultimately betrayed him with her lust for power. They also assert that, through this act, he also saved the people in that her physical blood seeped into the ground and provided a blood price in a bargain for the souls of true believers.

While Andrastians assert that it is only through the Maker's mercy that people are forgiven, the cult of Maferath insists that it is through the works of the faithful, sacrifice and the performance of penance that the children of the Maker will be returned to the Maker's side. There are some cult members believed to have gone so far as to torture those they consider to be wayward in an attempt to "purify them through pain" or perform human sacrifice by burning, though there is no definitive evidence to prove this. Any actions taken by the Maferathian faithful are deemed to be necessary to prepare the world for the return of the Maker.

Women have no role within the cult's hierarchy, since it is believed that women will taint and misguide the faithful through deceit. It is taught among members that it is the place of women to silently serve as helpmeets for men and must not meant to teach, direct, correct or question any man's dictate. It is through husbands, fathers and brothers that women will be justified before the Maker through meek obedience.

The Cult of Maferath has no tolerance for mages and magic in any form, unlike the Chantry which sanctions the proper housing and enables willing mages to serve others through "proper execution" of supernatural gifts bestowed by the Maker to benefit mankind. In most cases, cult members will execute suspected mages based on hearsay alone and without proper investigation, claiming that in the event of a mistaken execution, the recipient has been returned to the Maker through the good intentions of the faithful and have, "died in service of their betters."