Nenzus (/Nehn-zis/)
"He Who Speaks the Arcane Laws"
Summary
Nenzus is an unapologetic scholar, one who would do anything for knowledge. He is a master manipulator, and is hated by many for his corruption of El'yr and his influence on Maer, his lover. Fae'len despises him, and the feeling is mutual, as it is said he works actively to undermine her work for her criticisms of his actions. Still, plenty worship him, even if it is in reluctance. Nenzus, after all, possesses a great many secrets, and to those who don’t care much for earthly consequences, he is quite willing to share. The most famous of these secrets is the workings of the Planes, which are revealed in detail in his holy text. In fact, the vast majority of planar and magical knowledge among the Material Plane's races stems from Nenzus, and little has been discovered beyond his revelations.The Canon and the Way
The Green Way sees Nenzus as a prime teacher and logician, but little beside that. He is an example of what happens when the teachings of other deities go ignored, and is often used as a warning against those who practice the Prime Canon, where devotion is normally singular or minimally pluralistic. Nenzus is also an example which shows that everybody can be learned from, regardless of their other horrible acts or beliefs. In the Prime Canon, Nenzus is largely feared by the populace. He is respected (and sometimes openly worshipped) by magical academics, and by a minority of the Witch-Marked who feel bitter about their status as outcasts from society. Much of his worship is done in secret, however, and there is a non-negligible cross-over between worship of Nenzus and cults of Cinakath.Symbology
Nenzus is often portrayed as a diamond-shaped block of obsidian, locked up in chains which extend outwards to wrap around the world. This somewhat complex image is often simply called a pylon, and the symbol is fairly common around the world, usually without its chains.Rites and Worship
In the wilds, and in olden times, Nenzus was worshipped by the Witch-Marked at rock formations which took the shape of pylons. These days, such dramatic images have been replaced by small gemstones that display fealty towards him. His worshippers still often refer to worship sites as "pylons," though these sites are often just university study rooms or private sections of libraries. Because of the ubiquitousness of such institutions, many show devotion to Nenzus as a social representation of their path in academia rather than any true faith, and this makes his followers even more difficult to find. When followers meet at pylons, they typically attempt to transcend the world by entering the Emotional Demi-Planes, though this can be psychically destructive to the unprepared. Aside from such rites, Nenzus' followers share the secrets of illicit magic and discuss how to increase accessibility of the arcane within broader society. They also campaign to reduce stigmas against magic, though this work is rarely tied publicly to their faith. Clerics of Nenzus exist, though they are not prominent. There is no real desire to evangelize among them, as most are simply wizards who far prefer their books to people. Some, however, can become quite powerful by indulging into Nenzus' teachings, and such knowledge can have great consequences - sometimes good, sometimes bad.Holy Text: The Rubiora
Tenets |
|---|
Penances | Strictures |
| ⊕ Cast spells considered illicit by those around you. | ⊝ Never decline the opportunity to learn. |
| ⊕ Transcend the planes. | ⊝ Do not bind yourself with close relationships. |
Mandates |
|---|
| ⊜ When you meet a quorum and wish to study Nenzus' secrets, recite his rituals. |
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