Gemen

God of Craftsmen and Engineers

With a body hardened from the forge, Gemen is the most virile and handsome of the gods. He can also be surly, inattentive of his followers, and loathe to leave the forge-fires for any reason. It is his hand, and only his hand, that has the skill to craft raw divine power into the powerful weapons they used during the War of the Heavens. His greatest work during that time was Ragna, the legendary axe of Vayne. The head was formed from a shard of Nocht and head-spike from Sonne, kept forever separated by a small sliver of The Chaos.

It is the followers of Gemen that often craft the most powerful relics used by the clerics of other deities, just as Gemen crafts the relics used during the War of the Heavens. A true cleric of Gemen will not allow their own beliefs to interfere with their best possible craftsmanship. During this time a master will take no students or teach journeymen; instead concentrating their full efforts on the completition of the work.

Gemen has no quarrels with mortal magicians and many of his clerics are enchanters as well. In some cases his clerics will work with magicians for the crafting they need; however this is rare because in most cases the magician must craft the item with their own hands.

The clerics of Gemen recognize the god as their true master and inspiration, but also the lineage of masters that have gave them their religious indoctrination and taught them their craft. This loyalty from apprentice to journeymen to master and if lucky to grandmaster connects often distant groups of clerics into a tight group. It is not uncommon for a travelling journeyman to be working at the shop of one temple, but owe their allegiance to the master at another temple.

The temple more serves as a place where masters can teach their craft, journeymen can practice their craft, and apprentices can be taught. Throughout this process a strict regimen of religious indoctrination keeps everyone focussed on how to best serve the edicts of Gemen. In those areas without a temple, a cleric of Gemen will often simply set up shop them announce their religious following with statuary or symbols located at the front of the shop.

Any temple to Gemen must have an active forge, wainwright, bowyer, or other craftsman working out of it. In most cases, the clerics of Gemen are journeymen or masters of their own craft as well as performing their clerical duties. This makes the temples of Gemen some of the wealthiest as they sell their wares on the market and collect fees from other craftsmen that wish Gemen's blessing.

Because of the wide variety of crafts that various clerics may gravitate towards, it is common for clerics to travel to those temples that will best serve their needs. This has created a system where temples have become well known for their craft masters as young apprentices seek them out both for the craft and religious instruction. In most cases the temples are ruled by the three to five different craft masters that are the most respected.

This variety makes a single temple design very difficult to maintain. Instead, most temples have a statue of Gemen working the craft of the masters found within. Inside, each temple is allowed to change to suit the needs of the masters and their craft. However, all will have an alter surrounded by several benches for contemplation.

Gemens symbol is a stylized black hammer on a red field. Silver embattlements, mountains, and occasionally an eternal flame are used as well. Followers traditional carry small amulets in the shape of hammers, anvils, or flames. Clerics of Gemen forgo robes, cloaks, or scarves for a leather jerkin and steel skullcap. It is very common to burn incense during ceremonies honoring Gemen.

There have been times when the goods sold by the church have conflicted with the goods sold by other local craftsmen. This would tend to undercut the number of craftsmen that would seek Gemen guidance when his clerics are direct competitors. This competition is reduced because the church sells none of the goods they craft. It is the crafting of the object that brings the cleric closer to Gemen. To sell such a thing would be bordering on heresy. They may gift their creation, but they wouldn't consider selling it.

Rather than coin or gifts of land, most worshippers of Gemen tend to gift fine woods, strong steels, and pure ores. These can then be worked by the clerics into the inspirations given by Gemen. Many masters gift their shop to the church if they die and do not have an apprentice to take over for them. This gives the temple a working shop where they can work and earn money for their effort.

Gemen has many daily rituals from starting a forge's first fire, rekindling the forge, blessing the staves, a gem's first cut, and hundreds of others that are preformed by masters and handed down to apprentices as simple steps they must always take to ensure their work is not corrupted by a dark influence. Some of these have become so common they are now done by non-believers because they were taught to do them.

This ritual takes several years to complete and can only be done by a master craftsman. First the cleric must purify their body through fasting and prayer. When they have reached purged their body of outside influences Gemen may send them a vision of their most perfect crafting. They must then travel the world to gather everything necessary with their own hands. After they have completed this task Gemen will bring them to his workshop and allow the cleric to make his life's work. Only when it is completed will he be returned to the world with his creation — and only a sense that this new work is unlike any other.

In recognition for his loyalty and pure heart, Gemen created a fine mechanical stallion and gifted it to the warrior-king Hoku. This stallion was fearsome in battle and allowed Hoku to dominate the tribes around him. Soon, with the help of his stallion, Hoku defeated his other rivals and named himself king. He ruled for many years and each year he rode forth on his stallion and crushed anyone that could challenge his authority. Over the years as his hold over the area became absolute he grew distant from Gemen and soon even took his stallion as payment from the gods rather than a gift. Gemen became enraged at his arrogance and the next year when he rode out on his stallion, it bucked him off and caved Hoku's skull in with its hooves. The stallion then strode off in to the forest and was never seen again.