Pygmea, the Wonderbringer (Pig-me-a)

Pygmea the Wonder-Bringer. One of the Prime Divinities. She is the Goddess of Gnomishkind, Perseverance, Ambition, Progress, Science, Artificers, Alchemy, Medicine, and Ingenuity. The Wonderbringer is pushed for innovation and imaginativeness, sometimes to a dangerous degree as the result of her short-sighted desire to create.
She is enamoured in the natural beauty of the world - its complexities, its patterns, its potential. She does not wish to change nor corrupt it, but to truly understand it for what it is, and make the best out of it. However, in her efforts to bring unending progress, the world conflicts around it and she finds herself at odds with other deities and the Old Faith in her reckless pursuits.

Church of Pygmea

Worshippers

Pygmea is the most popular of the gnomish deities, and honoured, in one way or another, by nearly all gnomes. She was also honoured by artificers, doctors, herbalists, debaters, juries, judges, politicians, lawyers, civilisation, common folk, engineers, architects, artists, artisans, merchants, traders, warriors, thinkers, mages, wizards, scholars, scribes, craftsmen, labourers and alchemists.
Merchants cultivate relationships with Pygmea's clergy in the hope of profiting from their inventions. Periodically, an invention of followers of Pygmea would have an adverse economic effect, resulting in hostility from other faiths.

Priests

The church of Pygmea is quite prominent in gnome society, although fairly loosely organized.
Led by the High Artificer, the most holy servant of Pygmea. The supreme voice in ecclesiastical matters and serves in a ruling council.
Mainly consisting of wandering clerics that travelled from settlement to settlement, finding work as artisans, alchemists, doctors and engineers. Settling in one area was only encouraged in centres of innovation that warranted constant observation. The church encouraged wealth, as it demonstrates the benefits of following Pygmea. As they travelled, clerics took samples of any inventions they discovered and assisted innovators they encountered, filling regular reports to their superiors.
Her clerics, known as Glitterbrights, wear war helms and gold belts. They serve their communities as artisans, educators, entertainers, mediators, and protectors. Even those who wander in search of adventure serve this function, for their exploits are incorporated into the oral tradition of the gnomes and related for generations thereafter.
In their teaching of the young, members of the Joker’s clergy combine a very earthy practicality with a streak of humour that keeps their young charges entertained and their learning all the better for that. Many also work as smiths (particularly goldsmiths), miners, gem cutters, and they are expected to contribute to the best of their ability, regardless of their seniority.
The clergy maintains a careful vigilance toward hostile races, especially kobolds, and watches over the collective strength of the Forgotten Folk. Finally, the clergy must maintain a good archive of jokes, jests, and tales.
They had a unique dress, wearing saffron robes, sashes that held tools and sun hats. They had great belts of large linked medallion ringlets. Serving as tinkerers, carpenters and civil engineers to rural communities. All clerics of Pygmea kept a journal in which they wrote down their ideas to be worked on or contemplated. Journals kept by wandering priests were given to temples they visited. Their notes were recorded and added to the temple library for everyone to gain insight from.

Orders

Temples & Shrines

Temples to Pygmea were imposing boxy stone structures surrounded by porticoes. The only internal decorations were sprawling exhibits of items, some of historical interest, some representing the latest work of master crafters. The central altar consisted of a massive anvil surrounded by spinning cogs in a giant machine. Backrooms consisted of workshops and laboratories.
Most shrines devoted to her were converted into labs, workshops, craft stations and guild-halls.

Realm

Her realm is actually the Golden Hills in the twin paradise of Bytopia.

Divine Domains

Forge - Knowledge - Nature - Order

Holy Books & Codes

Divine Symbol

Toothed cog with four spokes.

Tenets of Faith

• The only way for you to truly fail is to stop trying.
• Progress is inevitable, the world is always changing, and so should you.
• Delight in failures, be wary in success.
• Do not waver too long in thought, you will see the world move on around you, always act and always move forward.

Dogma

Progress can only be achieved by those who have the will, the ambition and the knowledge to dream big and to make their dreams come true. In order for progress to take its natural course, one must overcome many obstacles. Failure is not the end, but merely another step on the road ahead. It is important to view these as an opportunity for reflection and contemplation, to start fresh and try again - what is important is to never give up.
While life may sometimes be hard, it is important to keep a sense of humour and always welcome opportunities for laughter and delight. Communities are forged through the cooperation and communal spirit of a group of individuals who work and play together. The strength of a community is the cooperation that binds individuals into more than the sum of their contributions. A great prank can lighten hard times and make good ones shine. Never take yourself too seriously, lest you lose touch with those you protect and care for. Do not fear change or the unorthodox--therein lies the future. Above all, do what works.
They held technology above magic; in truth, Pygmea sees magic as a tool to further his creativity.

Divine Goals & Aspirations

Pygmea seeks to forever continue the progress of the natural order of things, to innovate ingenuity and to nurture knowledge with action and thought, never to get stuck too hard on an idea.

Personal History

During the Great Founding, Pygmea was one of the last of the Prime Divinities to be immortalised into the pantheon, but like Maevericki, she did not originate from the Great Founding - she was born within the Feywild. Yet she was one of the most brilliant and superiorly intellectual. Rivalling that of the Knowing Mistress in her expertise, and competing with the works of Ergo.
She held close relations with Erathis, tied to civilisation, as she was the measure and focal point of its progression and advancement through time. Alongside Promethea, Pygmea admired strife, and rising above it - without strife, the world would become stagnant and boring. She was also closely tied toward Avandra, ever tied with the necessity of commerce to innovate better methods of trade and better materials to work on. She had a competitive rivalry between Ergo - trying to outmatch each other in differing creations and masterpieces. Where the Dwarves were made brawny and stout, the Gnomes were made numerous, small, nimble and smart.
During the Calamity, she contended alongside Venarion against Sincainea the Vice Maiden as she sought to overthrow the Dragon God. Striking a clear blow against her, and trapping her within Avernus, in the Dragonspawn Pits.
Pygmea also faced off against the Undying King, Vecna, in his rise to godhood - stealing many of her secrets and potential magic from the Gnomish deity.
Pygmea had to face off against the Grey Taskmaster, Laduguer as he came back from the Underdark - and fought back against his duergar.
Quorlinn is one of her main rivals - as his purview denies progress and represents the stagnation of civilisation, and seeks to demolish or innovate these regions and keep people in great labours. Though, he is a worthy adversary, and believes that her rival keeps her on her toes, and keeps her notes and research secret to the mournful thief.
Kaijos is the true rival of the Wonderbringer, the arch-nemesis of her Gnomishkind - and both sides have felt the hardships under the purview of the Dragons on one side or the other. She believed that she decimated him and his state before the end of the Divine War, but he was resurrected by the power of the Vice Maiden and Platinum Dragon - but rejected from their draconic triad, and denied entry into the draconic heavens in the stars.

Physical Appearance

ASSOCIATED READING