Zheenkeef (zheen-KEEF)

Red-Haired, Wild-Eyed, the Shifting, of the Many Ways, the Gnomish, Titan’s Root, Mother of Madness, Inspiration

Zheenkeef is the goddess of inspiration, intuition, wine, madness, invention, internal turmoil, creativity, tragedy, prophecy, oracles, half-wits, and geniuses. Put simply, she is the goddess of those living on the edge, who dare to peer into the darkest parts of their hearts. Zheenkeef is usually shown as impossibly tall, with a wild mane of red hair. Her eyes are usually inhuman—solid black or red—and she is sometimes shown with the tail of a dog or with more than two arms. In such cases, these representations are symbolic, or come from an artist’s vision. Zheenkeef’s hand gestures and the items clasped in them usually bear some deep significance. Zheenkeef accepts an infinite number of symbols, for those who worship her select a symbol for their faith on the day they dedicate themselves to her work. Common symbols include manacles worn on the wrists with the connecting chain sundered, an eye tattooed on the forehead, or a creeping grape vine, dried and wrapped around the left arm, always. But these are just a few of many—truthfully, there is no one symbol of Zheenkeef. When those who are not adherents of the Zhenkefan faith (and the members of the Great Church) need to symbolize Zheenkeef, they use a cluster of grapes. This is usually simplified as an inverse pyramid of circles. She is associated with the wolverine, the badger, the jackal, and the hyena. The strongest of these associations is the hyena, whose laughter is much like her own. Further, many hyenas have red fur like the hair of the Mother of Madness. Zheenkeef is quite popular among many chaotic peoples, with barbarians and sorcerers holding her especially dear. Some sorcerers believe her blood courses through their veins, giving them their remarkable gifts. Oracles, prophets, and seers of all varieties have held Zheenkeef as their patron for many ages, and so too have inventors and vintners. Among the five races, the gnomes hold Zheenkeef dearest, for they see her as their patron and lady, but the elves, humans, and halflings also revere her for the inspiration she offers. Dwarves name her in their prayers grudgingly, receiving all the inspiration they need from her nephew Korak.

Divine Domains

• Change
• Confidence
• Creation
• Delerium
• Dreams
• Fate
• Freedom
• Indulgence
• Nightmares
• Trickery

Tenets of Faith

Shifting Motivations

Zheenkeef seeks surprise and entertainment. She is a god of impulse and whimsy, caprice and insanity. To ascribe long-term motives to her is absurd, as she rarely concentrates on anything long enough to call it a plan. Her motives can be seen in trends rather than in histories, and repeated circumstances, not continuing traditions. Zheenkeef wants the mortal races to be interesting, to do things differently from one generation to the next. She likes to see them give in to their passions, and has little or no respect for those who hold themselves in check. If a man wants to drink, he should drink. If he wants to sing, he should sing. If he wants to destroy the world, he should try to destroy the world. People who refuse to live out their desires for fear of change are among those she loathes most. When she influences the world personally or through her agents, Zheenkeef does whatever might make the world more interesting. Sometimes this means promoting grave evil, sometimes great good—neither interests her much. Rather, she works to ensure nothing stays the same for long. Her favor falls upon some for a matter of years, other for minutes, but it rarely lasts a lifetime. Some of her most faithful servants have never even been noticed by the Mother of Madness, and are instead seen to by her celestial attendants. One does not revere Zheenkeef for her warmth. Her mercurial attentions and moods are not always merry. She is considered the patron of tragedy for a reason, as legends tell of a feverish sorrow that consumes her from time to time. Her boredom with life and the world sometimes coalesces into a stultifying misery, thick and terrible, and in those times, she is wont to lash out at friends and foes alike or, worse for those who follow her, withdraw entirely.

Holidays

As with their prayers, the Zhenkefans do not standardize their holy days. In fact, vineyards often decide to have a ‘holy day’ with no notice. They announce to the community that the next day, or even that very day, just happens to be a sacred celebration. Other times, they spend months planning elaborate festivals. One time is always kept sacred for the Zhenkefans, though: the first pressing of the new harvest of grapes. A great festival is held for the pressing, and celebrants mix some of the juice from the new harvest with the dregs of last year’s wine to drink in celebration. Large congregations keep the party lasting long enough to bring new wine to full fermentation, and drink it to conclude their revels.

Religions

• The Vineyards of Zheenkeef

Realm

Seven Heavens

Church/Cult

The Vineyards of Zheenkeef

Servants of Zheenkeef

Zheenkeef’s servants are many, but she rarely keeps them in mind, and leaves them to wander her realm in Heaven without aim or purpose. Over the millennia, she has accumulated countless odd followers, most of them formerly mortals, and at any point she can call upon one to do her bidding.

The 1,001 Handmaids

Almost any servant called to Zheenkeef’s side becomes a “Handmaid,” whether man, maid, or beast. Zheenkeef determines their attire by whim—some dress in robes of gold, while others wear nothing but fish guts. Handmaids are usually powerful celestials, capable of performing any important task for their mistress in the world or in Heaven.

The Menagerie

For her amusement, Zheenkeef keeps two of every kind of creature that has ever been in a great menagerie of Heaven. These creatures wander freely in her realm, and are sometimes sent earthward with a Handmaid on a task. In all the menagerie, Zheenkeef is fondest of Heka and Tekit, the two hyenas, and they accompany her wherever she goes.

The Titans

While not her servants, the various titans are Zheenkeef’s children, and she takes more interest in them than in any of the mortal races.