Quick Scroll: Symbol Worship Advocates Deity Plane

NG Greater Deity

Aliases: The Great Dreamer, The Architect of Clouds (duergar and dwarves), Storm of Passions, The Eternal Artisan (worshipers only), Diti (derogatory, used by asuras – blame Ibidi for their existence).

Portfolio: Art, Craftsmanship, Diligence, Skies, Trade Winds

Favored Weapon: hammer

Domains: Air, Artifice, Good, Sun, Travel

Tenets: Artistry, Beauty, Craftsmanship, Diligence, Passion, Perfectionism, Pride, Skies, Tools, Vision

Divine Symbol

The author of this entry would further expound upon Ibidi were it not for the fact that, as a patron of the arts, Ibidi is also a writer herself; and, given her self respect, it would probably be demeaning for someone else to describe her. This modest notion was communicated by a suspiciously small thundercloud over the original author’s home.

“Thank you.”

“I am surprised that my reputation does not precede me. Nevertheless, it shall fall upon me to provide a fully accurate autobiography of myself. If there are any flaws in this work, they will at least be of my own.”

“As is befitting my artistic nature, I do not have a traditional holy symbol. Each conduit is a unique work of art, preferably crafted by the individual priest that will use it. The symbol must be of jade or silver and as a medallion depicting a scene of difficult labor in some sort of creative endeavor. The setting must have a purpose, a direct function such as tilling a new field or sculpting a statue. The designer will show this undertaking via carving or painting, both are acceptable craftsmanship in my eyes.”

“As a final touch, I do require a degree of the artist’s signature. A hammer and brush must be present, one touching the other, resting, being held in the same hand, crossed, and thereon in the scene. How prominent or subtle the mark is duly chosen at the prerogative of the crafter.”

In game terms, all clerics of Ibidi have to take a rank in Craft (jewelry).

Worship (infrequent)

“I am not quite as popular as I would prefer. In this era of hardscrabble existence little time gets devoted to the cerebral appreciation of art. Yet, I am satisfied by what I have, particularly how my less-than-abundant churches are respected. Mortals justly admire the devotion I procure from my followers for their dedication radiates throughout all of my religious structures.“

“My followers tend to be divided into two groups, the lay-folk and the clergy. Lay-folk seek to live their lives through the wisdom of my elegance and work ethic, whether that be farming, smithy work, pottery or any other profession. The possibilities are seemingly endless. I do, however, demand a certain degree of perfectionism and determination, which, now that I consider it, is probably part of the reason I do not have my preferred number of lay-folk. In any case, quality trumps quantity.”

“Beyond my average supporters lie the clergymen, though they are not necessarily true advocates. Many of my clergy are aristocrats or experts, common classes. Nevertheless, both types seek the same things, the maintenance and improvement of my churches. They ensure that the work of others (not just the lay-folk) is fruitful. My churches are the envy of all and must remain so.”

“I am not ashamed to admit that I have been mocked for my flamboyance: hand-crafted statues made from the most expensive stone, complex and colorful frescoes, and intricately worked gardens, all marked with the Crafter’s Hands. I find the opulence pleasing; however, I am a charitable realist. So long as the work continues on the cathedrals, I am content. The same holds true with any concerns of devouring more resources than my clergies’ areas can reasonably support.”

“My worshipers are a busy people. The only time things quiet down is during the Meditation, a short period held every tenth day for my followers to contemplate my vision of Thepa and to grant them a much needed rest. I am impatient, not a slave driver.”

“A final note on my worshipers – for I would be remiss if I did not mention it – I have noticed a strange occurrence. My followers have a marked tendency to be of a more Lawful bend, despite the fact that I simply do not care about ethical systems of moral judgment and make such information public. I suspect this effect is caused by the proscribed organization of my churches and system of rituals and virtues.”

Advocates, Direct Followers, and Minions

common: dwarf, elf
uncommon: duergar, human
rare: fenodyree, kel

“I have a smattering of advocates. Among the most common is the race of elf. Elves tend to come to me as the artisan. Their pursuit is specific to finding greater symbiotic connections for their relationships with nature. Thus, elven prayers include the desire of evermore efficiency in the usage of forests as well as less harmful effects caused by elven involvement therein, but most importantly, for the beauty of reshaping their homelands.”

“Dwarves, on the other hand, emphasize my nature as the goddess of diligence. While their ability to craft new and interesting magical items has been cruelly lost to them, their mundane crafts and sense of personal honor are quite in line with my own virtues. I find their institution to me as one of the most pleasing and effective instruments of my vision. Even more delightful is the fact that dwarven temples are always situated outside their strongholds allowing me to view my house as they labor about it.”

“Dwarves mainly asked for help with farming and to ensure stable trade routes for the raw materials they mine. They see no point in asking me to help with underground business as my nature is that of the sky. Dwarves also feel that they should never rely on others to help with tasks they are capable of completing themselves. Commendable, if I do say so.”

“Speaking of dwarves, I do have a significant clerical following among their deep brothers the duergar, a fact that is quite amusing when one realizes I am the sky goddess. Duergar are the closest thing to a pure strain of my faith. They respect my artistry and creativity, and their clerics seek my aid in ever grander works of art. The only reason their temples to me remain so small is that my empathic qualities tend to conflict with their more isolationist and xenophobic ones. I promote sharing one’s vision freely with the world and duergar are, by nature, unreasonably private; however, this section of my faith has recently gained the reputation of advocating for reform.”

”Human patronage is equivalent to that of the duergar. Their support may be due to a certain degree of mutual empathy – I was once human – yet I believe the reason for their backing is that humans have a naturally creative passion. It’s why they’re so versatile; however, the march of eons strikes against them. They are preoccupied with survival and are unable to dedicate themselves to the arts and its sister invention.”

”Most of these human advocates are merchants who pay me frequent tribute, though they often do not have the opportunity or inclination to embrace the diligence and vision I demand. As a whole, humans plan retirement, and they trade what has already been made as much as creating it themselves – two things I condemn. Nonetheless, my merchant-clerics are a sizable minority among those merchants who simply sell products.”

“From here, the demographics of my faith drop off dramatically. Fenodyree possess the same inadequacy to produce as humans, in fact, greater; yet, they do not ignore my other hand. Fenodyree see me as their repository of tales for both accuracy and embellishment. My halfling clerics pepper the memorization of their oral histories in the same breath as their prayers to me. This synergy helps keep their stories true.”

“The final race of my advocates holding a sustained population is ironically the kel. On a whole, kel sublimate anger into discipline, so choosing a more productive path (outside their constant warmongering) is not so strange. These beings believe in my virtues of never giving up and never resting until a vision is complete. Surprisingly, they are fully accepted by the vast majority of their race. My kelian priests’ innovations and crafts are often keys in keeping conquest healthy and viable. After all, Rai’s weaponsmiths are more focused upon military matters.”

Ibidi

“Ah, we have finally reached the crux of this little excursion for the art cannot be made without the artist! I shall begin with an explanation for why I am called the Eternal Artisan. It is well hidden within my past. My soul was originally human, diligent and talented, but it is how I died that is a testament to the virtuous passion I would one day hawk.”

“I was a craftswoman, a painter, a trade passed down through my parents, but as I aged I took up a dozen other pursuits hoping to become the ultimate artisan. My health suffered as a consequence of my intensity to work far beyond what my body could withstand. A combination of potions and sheer willpower were used to prop me up.“

“Why?“

“Because I, above all else, wanted to share the fruits of my labors with the world. I do not work for adulation (although I appreciate it). I work to make Thepa beautiful, and nothing is more beautiful than knowing the world is content.”

“Eventually I took my artistry to the next level. I became a wizard focused on magical items. I have always put more of my life into my art than I have had to give, quite literally, and in the end, I worked myself to death. I should have learned to re-craft my body before this point in time, but I honestly did not notice, and for some time I remained ignorant of my demise.”

“Once I realized my little problem, I set out to resolve it. I found it the way I always have – I worked at it until it worked for me. Before my death, I was engaged with a device meant to chart the planes. It had followed me into the afterlife. By using this tool, I was able to find the center of what is now my home plane Arcadia and used it as a reference point from which I started my greatest work.”

“I analyzed the fabric of this plane (which was a great sky even then) taking note of its occult fabric. I interviewed celestials in return for art I had made from the floating islands. I traveled to its edge. I even designed a palace for Iteff himself in return for a vision to the inner workings of Arcadia’s physics and place in the Heavens. Finally, I realized the only way to regain my full capacity of crafting was to become the connection to Arcadia’s magic, so I did, shedding all but my mind as I dove wholeheartedly into Arcadia’s heart.”

“Thus, I became the great artisan once again, though the price was dear. I lost all physical traces to humanity (hence the term Storm of Passions). In any case, I have made peace with the cost, and in return I have gained access to a fitting canvas (Thepa) as well as the ideal palette (my meager yet sufficient body, Arcadia).”

“I will admit that the lack of a body is challenging at times. To put it simply, I cannot form avatars that communicate easily with others, not even the dark sea of that nihilistic laggard, Eadiac. The closest thing to a mode of communication that I am still able to claim is that of a rainstorm.“

“Sadly, the storms require no small amount of effort to decode. The patterns I use to ‘speak’ are problematic for my advocates, even for the most gifted ones. And since a significant number of my clergy inspect every disturbance, I feel that I must leave a message in every storm produced by me, even if the information is simply a signature.”

Arcadia

“Arcadia, my realm, my home, my body, my finest creation…my complete and utter indifference. There is no great passion among the dead. No great transformation of beauty. But souls do pass through here, so I feel I must explain.”

“I am the majority of Arcadia. I take the form of the endless sky in which float hundreds of islands, most of them quite lush. The health of my lands are due to the ambient sun that permeates from a source I have long since given up finding. Additional vigor comes from my encouragement to landscape. My islands are artificial archipelagos, often connected and tethered by floral bridges, an innovation for which I do not claim credit. My petitioners are among the finest in both creativity and ability to focus their vision.”

“As much as it pains me to admit, my winged petitioners’ art and craftsmanship take backseat to Arcadia’s nature as a hub of the Heavens. It has become a clearinghouse of sorts for various celestial merchants. I am also ashamed to admit that the birth of this commerce gave rise to a perpetual cold war – a war that created the race of fiends known as the asura. I’m capable of admitting when my pride has overcome my better judgment.”

“Those particular incidents were my earliest and costliest errors. Indeed, one could call the asura one gargantuan mistake. A mistake that I refused to notice and fix before the dominion of these would-be god slayers was no longer in my control. To put it bluntly, I attempted to devise an environment of healthy competition by creating a couple broad teams to design a powerful artifact. I initiated the contest by promising greater rewards to the team that contributed the most to the item’s construction.”

“This experiment did not go well. Fighting over limited resources occurred, and unfortunately my impatience and cruelty were rampant. Now I govern with a lighter touch, but in the past I was much different. I gave little in the way of praise and much in the way of punishment, usually by disrupting the faction’s homes with storms. They came to blame each other for my ire and developed irreconcilable creative differences. They’ve come to term themselves as the Guild and the Union.”

“The Guild believes in the personal perfection of an expertise, while the Union believes in passion to define their work. More aptly put, difficult training honed by constant practice versus raw talent wrought with random ideas. Normally, this rivalry would not be grounds for war, but old scars run deep, and they still compete for my attention even if they no longer live within me.”

“This ongoing war tore a hole in the asuras’ reality. Now their souls warp into their first emotional experiences: incredible passion, discipline, and bitterness. They call me Diti, these twisted children of mine, as it was my negligence and ego that led to their existence, their inability to truly balance the artist and the architect.“

“Is this why my petitioners journey onto Iteff’s realm?“

“I wonder.”

Artwork provided by Sandara
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