Chalana Arroy has a surprisingly large cult and constitutes a widespread non-violent, merciful, and vegetarian movement throughout Central Genertela. Chalana Arroy is both supportive of the ruling gods and also constitutes a radical rebuke to them.
The cult is bigger than folk often realize. There are some 8k initiates in Dragon Pass, with 3k in Sartar alone. In the Holy Country, the cult has another 45k initiates. And Chalana Arroy is important in the Lunar Empire, with some 13k in the Lunar Provinces (outside of Tarsh), and a staggering 53k initiates in the Lunar Heartlands. That’s over 100k initiates in Central Genertela.
Chalana Arroy is strictly neutral, completely non-violent, and is merciful to all. This is a radical position in a tribal world of often hostile cults. But I think the cult’s success is at least partially because it is such a radical rebuke towards an otherwise violent and partisan world. She’s a vegetarian, a complete pacifist, and expects her initiates to hold true to her oaths.
Chalana Arroy is both one of the Seven Lightbringers, and a member of Yelm’s household, and even the Red Emperor is required to maintain a White Lady in his household. Chalana Arroy draws the line at Chaos and is Hostile or even an Enemy towards cults associated with Chaos. This includes the Red Goddess (but not the Seven Mothers or Nysalor), which is something I find very interesting. Maybe the Mother of Mercy knows something that the Lunar elite do not?
I find Jainism a good starting point for getting a handle on Chalana Arroy.
See also:
It is worth keeping in mind that there are 100,000 people in Central Genertela that have foresworn violence, meat-eating, and tribal allegiances in favour of the Goddess of Mercy and Healing. That’s an interesting thing to me – and even more interesting is how much Orlanth and Yelm support and protect the cult, even if they refuse to place them above anyone else.
Orlanth, Yelm, and many others all agree that CA is something obviously worth protecting regardless of her lack of partisan allegiance.
Full cult write up