It all started just outside of Narmans when Cult of the Ever-Blooming Goddess manifested an Eidolon. The priests of Belo, their culture heavily in tune with that lunar god, decided this was dangerous enough and tried to dismantle the cult. Surviving the purge and stealing away with the eidolon, Itli wishes to find a place and a people willing to hear the promises of Meliae the Gracious. While Meliae is still a young goddess, the entity needs worldly power shepherded to her to grow in strength. Whether that's through actual experience, some kind of ritual or through accumulated worship, he's dedicated to cultivating this entity and growing its power.
Perhaps a new deity of nature, raised by mortals, would be more apt to intervene in the fate of those mortals, germinating in the land more fecundity and prosperity. Having a visible, powerful entity that can effect great change in the landscape my inspire faith and hope in the people. Itli is uncertain how he may attend to his goddess competently, however. Should he bring this hope to the people freely? Ask of Meliae to give to her followers freely, without recompense or worship? Or does he demand it of them? If you want to feed your family and keep your fields and livestock healthy, then you have to pay homage to Itli, and by extension, Meliae the Gracious. After all, its hard to argue with the promise of abolishing hunger and a utopian garden for the price of your unerring devotion.
Both the Meliae and Itli were raised and indoctrinated at a "young age". So Itli ,who was used as the anchor for the Eidolon, believes himself an integral devotee and high priest. While Meliae thinks there's something wrong with the wilds of the world, that mortals and the wild places can coexist, but they need someone to guide them and harmonize them. Meliae believes she's the right deity for the task.
Meliae, the Gracious One