Deneir

Deneir: Lord of All Glyphs and Images, The Scribe of Oghma

Symbol: Candle with an eye at its center. The eye also has a glyph within it.
Home Plane: House of Knowledge
Alignment: NG
Portfolio: Art, Cartography, Glyphs, Images, Knowledge, Literature, Scholars
Domains: Good, Knowledge, Protection, Runes
Worshipers: Historians, loremasters, sages, scholars, scribes, seekers of enlightenment, students
Aliases: N/A
Cleric Alignments: LG, NG, CG
Favored Weapon: A whirling glyph (dagger)

History/Relationships: Deneir, the Lord of All Glyphs and Images, is the god of literature and literacy, the patron of the artist and the scribe. His is the power to render accurately and describe, to write and to read, and to pass on information. His homeplane is the Beastlands, where it is said he has a libaray containing all that is known and true. Deneir is in service to Oghma, and is also known as Oghma's scribe. His symbol is a single candle set above an eye. Deneir, with Mystra, has influence on the mystereous group known as the Harpers, and one of his largest churches, The Inner Chamber, in Berdusk, is the front for an extensive Harper orginization known as Twilight Hall.

Followers of Deneir believe that information that is not recorded and saved to be used later is information that is lost. Literacy is an important gift of the gods, and should be spread and taught. Followers of Deneir have taken an oath of charity as well, such that they cannot turn down the request of another to write letters and transcribe information. Information that does not harm should be made free to all.

Followers of Deneir always remain in close contact with those of Oghma as he is whom Deneir serves. Each of Deneir's churches maintain a library of their own, always collecting literature and maps, but also keeping records of ancient languages and artistic renderings. These churches are full of scribes that transcribe books for the ever-growing collection.

Deneir answers the prayers of his organized priests, but he has also been known to choose a person who truly follows Deneir's ideals—to invent, to create, to learn. He himself seems to have a problem with some of his strictly-organized orders, whose devotion to a hierarchy and their duties impedes with his followers learning and inventing, to the point of their being little joy in their work. Despite their generally laid back attitude, the teachings of Deneir dictate that his followers create with a conscience and refrain from casually designing weapons of war or death.

Dogma:

Avatar/Manifestations:

Agents/Petitioners:

The Church of Deneir : Deneir priests have a special vow of charity, they will write letters and transcribe information upon request, usually at a modest price for the individual petitioning their help. Large projects must be negotiated, but in slow times, priests of Deneir can be found in the local commons and in bars, writing letters for those unable to do so, charging no more than a few coppers, or performing the service for free to the needy.

Also because of this vow, priests of Deneir often gain information that is otherwise sensitive, dangerous, or potentially lucrative. While a sizable donation to the faith will help keep such matters secret for some time, priests of the faith may gain a quick understanding of the lay of local landscape from talking to their neighborhood parish priest. There is a saying, "Remember that the pens of Deneir also have ears."

The hierarchy of Deneir also provides scribes and will train nonbelievers of good and neutral alignments to read and write. While such scribes are very good, many rulers and mages have a feeling that the information they transcribe also finds its way to the church's secret libraries.

Most large communities and temples of Deneir have secret libraries which may contain anything from a few tomes in the High Scrivener's office to (reputed) extensive underground vaults filled with the wisdom of the ages. Supposedly only the highest levels of the priests have access to such huge vaults, which are, of course, protected by powerful magical guards and wards.

Day-to-Day Activities:

Holy Days/Important Ceremonies:

Major Centers of Worship: The Library of Deneir is a secret collective located deep inside a mountain in Waterdeep and is accessible only via a pair of portals. While each is only accessible with the use of a key, one portal is connected to a library within the temple of Deneir and the other with the temple of Oghma.

Affiliated Orders: The Harpers are a notable organization with Deneir as one of its patron deities. However, the group is somewhat secretive, as Harpers are known for causes all sorts of trouble wherever they happen to be. The organization was founded in most part by Elminster the Sage and one of the Chosen of Mystra. Thus, his penchant for meddling lives on through the Harpers.

Priestly Vestments: The standard dress of priests of Deneir, both in normal daily use and for ceremony, is a tan-white tunic and matching trousers. The medium-length cloak is worn with the clothes as a badge of rank within the hierarchy. The lowest levels wear black and grays while the local High Scrivener has a white cloak. The tunic has a stiff, circular collar.

The most important identifier for a priest of Deneir is the ubiquitous writing kit, a triangular pouch of leather worn on the right hip, which contains paper, inks, and pens.

Adventuring Garb: Adventuring priests of Deneir wear whatever is most suitable for their particular mission, but always have both the writing kit and a gold circlet on the forehead bearing the symbol of their god.