Mera's Vengeance
Of all the Nine, Mera is by far the most gentle and forgiving. When a Scarterran speaks of "Mera's Vengeance", they usually mean this ironically.Carcelli, Parchment Background by Zeta Gardner"(Mirthful laughter) Oh, I quake in fear of Mera's vengeance! Mera's vengeance is much like a politician's sincerity or a satyr's sobriety. It makes a nice story, but no one has ever seen it. It's just a tall tale to entertain children or child-like adults." Carcelli priestess of Greymoria
Summary
"Mera's Vengeance" is Scarterran idiom with two common interpretations. The first is effectively a verb and the second is effectively a proverb.
The most straightforward interpretation is for someone to cut off aid that they were previously providing. You were taking my contributions for granted, and now that my assistance for you is gone, it feels like I'm attacking you even though I'm doing nothing.
The more abstract interpretation is a criticism of self-destructive behavior. Effectively this is opposite of "a good deed is it's own reward". Or another way of saying "You are your own worst enemy."
Without naming her specifically, this is a critique of the goddess of Greymoria. The idea is that Greymoria is lonely and miserable and it's own her damn fault. Greymoria is bitter about being feared and hated, so she lashes out which cases her to be more feared and hated.
Mortals are certainly capable of creating self-destructive feedback loops. Misers, bullies, addicts, and other self-destructive hurt a lot people but always end up hurting themselves too. Letting someone suffer the consequences of their own misdeeds is said to be a form of Mera's vengeance.
Cultural Reception
"You will almost never hear a Tender of the Sacred Hearth speak of 'Mera's vengeance'. It is very disrespectful to speak of the All-Mother in such a flippant and casual way. But the more we protest it's use in casual vernacular, the more human commoners like to use it. The best response is to say nothing which is ironic because Mera's vengeance is said to be enacted merely by Mera doing nothing....Perhaps there is a bit of wisdom in this crass phrase. Beslyfle, Matron of the Fumayan Tenders
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