Brigh
Need spawns invention, but imagination gives rise to need. —Logic of Design
The Whisper in the Bronze
Brigh, the Whisper in the Bronze, is a puzzling goddess of unknown origin, the patron of technologies too complex for most folk to understand. She is the goddess of invention, particularly of devices that seem to possess a life of their own, such as clockwork constructs and golems. She promotes insatiable curiosity, endless experimentation, and the sharing of knowledge, and is responsible for numerous esoteric and expensive creations. As a result, she is popular among gnomes, and many designers, inventors and other brilliant minds capable of comprehending her vision of innovation pray for her blessing. Outside of these few worshipers, however, Brigh remains relatively unknown across the world.
Brigh is a patient, calm inventor willing to learn from mistakes and constantly trying to improve her work. Quiet and reserved, she is careful to not offend with casual words or gestures. However, she is not without emotion, and treasures the things her followers craft in her name. There is a special place in her mechanical heart for intelligent constructs, and she punishes anyone who abuses them.
The goddess teaches that people should build upon the work of others and share their own achievements to be improved upon. Creations are to be treated like children, as a legacy of which to be proud. Paying attention to details is critical; one should identify a problem, plot a course of action to correct that problem, and try a different course if the first doesn’t work.
Brigh’s past is so mysterious that her own priests have several theories regarding her origin. Some preach she was originally a created being that moved beyond the faculties of a normal construct and gained a spark of life and divinity. Others believe she was once a living person, a talented prodigy studying alchemy and clockwork who spent centuries working in isolation. By uniting disparate theories of natural life and construct creation, she was able to seamlessly fuse mechanical parts with her body to attain incredible powers of strength, agility, and mental calculation, eventually perfecting herself into something on the border between mortal and god.
Brigh sometimes manifests as a slender human woman made of bronze clockwork. Other times she appears as a humanoid woman with perfectly symmetrical features wearing clockwork armor (parts of which she can split off and transform into clockwork weapons) and a bronze skullcap. It is unclear which of these is her actual form, or whether both are aspects of her true self. In her clockwork form, Brigh can open a cavity in her chest and draw out perfectly crafted mechanisms she then bestows on other creatures or releases to operate as independent creatures.
When Brigh is pleased, damaged gears spontaneously repair themselves, mirrors acquire a bronze color, constructs whisper words of encouragement, the smell of grease or gunpowder wafts through the air, and worshipers acquire sudden insight into their current projects. When she is angered, alchemical reagents explode, mindless constructs go berserk, intelligent constructs rebel, grease and oil spontaneously catch fire, quills break, inkpots spill, and innocuous materials become irritants.
Although some of her followers’ inventions prove useful and interesting to followers of Gorum, they are fundamentally beside the point to the god of war, who gives weapon inventors little regard. Brigh detests Rovagug, as there is no creation in him, only destruction. She avoids dealing with evil gods who cannot be reasoned with, which generally means most of them aside from Asmodeus.
Regardless of Brigh’s opinions regarding the other gods, she makes no rules regarding with whom her worshipers can associate, as the free pursuit of new knowledge can lead to strange but ultimately beneficial partnerships. Her priests’ obsession with knowledge and its pursuit does produce some hostilities, however. Priests of Asmodeus and Zon-Kuthon see the free exchange of ideas as a threat to their hegemonic influence over Cheliax and Nidal, respectively.
Norgorber’s faithful have repeatedly sent agents to silence inconvenient alchemical and healing researchers. As a result, Brigh’s clergy often avoid discussing religion around followers of those faiths, pretending to be irreligious or nominal followers of more popular gods.
Karapek: This dark-haired man is made of bronze, and has large hands and a back reinforced with struts of polished steel. He is knowledgeable regarding constructs and flesh golem construction, and sees himself as an ambassador between living creatures and sentient constructs.
Latten Mechanism: Brigh’s herald is a defender of constructs and crafters, a living siege engine who prefers the solitude of research to the distractions of battle. It has a massive insectile form, and its only humanlike feature is the androgynous face built into the top of its insectile head. Able to tear open castle gates, scoop up enemies and crush them in its body, and form walls or complex objects out of raw materials or thin air, Latten Mechanism is a versatile engine of both creation and destruction guided by its mechanical conscience. It has a childlike appreciation for small but cleverly constructed clockwork objects, such as music boxes and hopping animals.
Brigh is a patient, calm inventor willing to learn from mistakes and constantly trying to improve her work. Quiet and reserved, she is careful to not offend with casual words or gestures. However, she is not without emotion, and treasures the things her followers craft in her name. There is a special place in her mechanical heart for intelligent constructs, and she punishes anyone who abuses them.
The goddess teaches that people should build upon the work of others and share their own achievements to be improved upon. Creations are to be treated like children, as a legacy of which to be proud. Paying attention to details is critical; one should identify a problem, plot a course of action to correct that problem, and try a different course if the first doesn’t work.
Brigh’s past is so mysterious that her own priests have several theories regarding her origin. Some preach she was originally a created being that moved beyond the faculties of a normal construct and gained a spark of life and divinity. Others believe she was once a living person, a talented prodigy studying alchemy and clockwork who spent centuries working in isolation. By uniting disparate theories of natural life and construct creation, she was able to seamlessly fuse mechanical parts with her body to attain incredible powers of strength, agility, and mental calculation, eventually perfecting herself into something on the border between mortal and god.
Brigh sometimes manifests as a slender human woman made of bronze clockwork. Other times she appears as a humanoid woman with perfectly symmetrical features wearing clockwork armor (parts of which she can split off and transform into clockwork weapons) and a bronze skullcap. It is unclear which of these is her actual form, or whether both are aspects of her true self. In her clockwork form, Brigh can open a cavity in her chest and draw out perfectly crafted mechanisms she then bestows on other creatures or releases to operate as independent creatures.
When Brigh is pleased, damaged gears spontaneously repair themselves, mirrors acquire a bronze color, constructs whisper words of encouragement, the smell of grease or gunpowder wafts through the air, and worshipers acquire sudden insight into their current projects. When she is angered, alchemical reagents explode, mindless constructs go berserk, intelligent constructs rebel, grease and oil spontaneously catch fire, quills break, inkpots spill, and innocuous materials become irritants.
Relations with Other Religions
Brigh is careful not to antagonize other gods or get in the middle of feuds. Of the major deities, she is closest with Shelyn, despite having few common interests aside from a focus on artistic creation. Brigh and Desna are fond of each other, as they share a wonder for discovery. She is also close with Abadar, who admires the fruits of her invention—particularly items that improve construction methods, allow for faster counting and calculation, and facilitate record-keeping. She looks favorably on Torag because of his focus on creation and work with the forge, but he is ambivalent toward her because of her apathy toward families. Brigh is on good terms with Cayden Cailean, who appreciates the science behind brewing. She and Norgorber have collaborated in the past on certain aspects of alchemical research, though his unwillingness to share information has soured this relationship. Brigh has a close working relationship with other nonevil gods who share the Artifice domain, particularly the empyreal lords Bharnarol and Eldas.Although some of her followers’ inventions prove useful and interesting to followers of Gorum, they are fundamentally beside the point to the god of war, who gives weapon inventors little regard. Brigh detests Rovagug, as there is no creation in him, only destruction. She avoids dealing with evil gods who cannot be reasoned with, which generally means most of them aside from Asmodeus.
Regardless of Brigh’s opinions regarding the other gods, she makes no rules regarding with whom her worshipers can associate, as the free pursuit of new knowledge can lead to strange but ultimately beneficial partnerships. Her priests’ obsession with knowledge and its pursuit does produce some hostilities, however. Priests of Asmodeus and Zon-Kuthon see the free exchange of ideas as a threat to their hegemonic influence over Cheliax and Nidal, respectively.
Norgorber’s faithful have repeatedly sent agents to silence inconvenient alchemical and healing researchers. As a result, Brigh’s clergy often avoid discussing religion around followers of those faiths, pretending to be irreligious or nominal followers of more popular gods.
Planar Allies
Many of Brigh’s divine servants were once mortal inventors, but have been recreated in “perfect” mechanical forms; she treats them as her children or younger siblings. Her following servitors are the ones most likely to respond to planar ally.Karapek: This dark-haired man is made of bronze, and has large hands and a back reinforced with struts of polished steel. He is knowledgeable regarding constructs and flesh golem construction, and sees himself as an ambassador between living creatures and sentient constructs.
Latten Mechanism: Brigh’s herald is a defender of constructs and crafters, a living siege engine who prefers the solitude of research to the distractions of battle. It has a massive insectile form, and its only humanlike feature is the androgynous face built into the top of its insectile head. Able to tear open castle gates, scoop up enemies and crush them in its body, and form walls or complex objects out of raw materials or thin air, Latten Mechanism is a versatile engine of both creation and destruction guided by its mechanical conscience. It has a childlike appreciation for small but cleverly constructed clockwork objects, such as music boxes and hopping animals.
Holy Books & Codes
Very little of Brigh’s texts are presented as religious dogma; instead, they are framed as information established through research and study.
Logic of Design: The official book of the church is presented as an essay, or perhaps the transcription of a lecture, covering the basic ideas of innovation, experimentation, documentation, and discovery. Later sections provide a cursory overview of the fields of metallurgy, electricity, physics (particularly in relation to motion), and stonemasonry, as if the book were intended to be a primer for a series of university courses instead of a holy text. Large parts of these later sections have a different writing style than the first part, as if fleshed out by students or other researchers.
Logic of Design: The official book of the church is presented as an essay, or perhaps the transcription of a lecture, covering the basic ideas of innovation, experimentation, documentation, and discovery. Later sections provide a cursory overview of the fields of metallurgy, electricity, physics (particularly in relation to motion), and stonemasonry, as if the book were intended to be a primer for a series of university courses instead of a holy text. Large parts of these later sections have a different writing style than the first part, as if fleshed out by students or other researchers.
Holidays
Brigh has no set holidays, though individual temples make note of the anniversaries of important discoveries and inventions, particularly if they are tied to that community. These remembrances take place at a convenient time within a few days of the event’s actual anniversary. Temples usually give a nod to local holidays and those of friendly divinities if the holidays have some aspect that’s of interest to the church.
Sunwrought Festival: Brigh’s followers often help celebrate Sarenrae’s holiday by crafting fireworks.
Taxfest: Brigh’s faithful celebrate Abadar’s Taxfest by performing complex calculations to make sure there is no inaccuracy in the taxes they owe.
Wrights of Augustana: The church in Andoran takes this day to praise the math and engineering necessary to build large ships.
Sunwrought Festival: Brigh’s followers often help celebrate Sarenrae’s holiday by crafting fireworks.
Taxfest: Brigh’s faithful celebrate Abadar’s Taxfest by performing complex calculations to make sure there is no inaccuracy in the taxes they owe.
Wrights of Augustana: The church in Andoran takes this day to praise the math and engineering necessary to build large ships.
Symbol
Edicts
craft new creations, pay attention to details, share achievements
Anathema
carelessly destroy others’ creations or research, enslave intelligent constructs, abuse constructs, refuse to acknowledge or learn from mistakes
Areas of Concern
clockwork, invention, and time
Centers of Worship
Absalom, Druma, Mana Wastes, Nex, Numeria
Favored Weapon
light hammer
Domains
creation, earth, knowledge, time
Alternate Domains
fire
Divine Ability
Intelligence or Wisdom
Divine Font
harm or heal
Divine Skill
Crafting
Divine Classification
God
Church/Cult
Children
Ruled Locations
Aphorisms
As Brigh’s followers are always struggling to expand the frontiers of knowledge, many of the faith’s common phrases are meant to inspire hope and determination.Invention is immortality: For the many followers of Brigh so devoted to their craft that they cannot maintain a family and never have children, their inventions are their children and their work is their legacy. Allowing others to learn and use their discoveries is at least as good as passing on a family name.
Question, propose, test: The basis of understanding the world is to think of a question, propose an answer to it, and find a way to test whether or not that answer is true. Each of these concepts is part of a “perfect triangle” of understanding; all three parts are necessary and interdependent. Questioning without proposals or testing is mere philosophy. An answer can’t exist without a question, and an answer without testing is mere speculation. Testing without a question or hypothesis is dangerous experimentation.
Share what you know: Every discovery since the dawn of civilization has allowed later inventors to create even greater things than those who came before them. Refusing to at least share documentation posthumously is like stealing from starving future minds.
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