The Tradesman / The Craftsman

The God of Craft & Coin

The Tradesman, (or Craftsman) is one of the most important deities worldwide, and one worshiped most widely among the common folk. Part of being in a civilization is having to acquire food and shelter by paying for it with coin. Without coin you must rely on charity or your skills as a thief. Those who make money, those who beg for it, and those who steal it all will pay homage to this god and pray for their blessings- their survival within society depends on this. Most people make their living through the creation of goods or providing services and this is the Tradesman's area of influence. The extent to which this god provides aid differs among cultures. To the dwarves he is mainly a god of craft, with coin just being a by-product of the act of creation. To humans he is more known as the god of bankers, merchants, traders and general financial success. He can mean a lot of things to a lot of different societies but he is always seen as a pillar stone of the economy and of greater civilization.

Torav of the Common Pantheon

Portfolio: Craft, Commerce, Trade, Mining, Creativity, Luck, Success, Charity
Domains: Light, Forge, Peace
Alignment: NG
Alias/s:
Symbol: Laurel, Crossed Hammer and Pickaxe
Originally a draconic god, humans have held onto this deity and over time come to see him as the god of commerce, business, and charity. Torav is often considered the patron of blacksmiths and miners, as this was his earliest designation. This extended to artisans and tradesmen of all kinds- anyone who sold their wares and skills to make a living including painters, bakers, and builders. Humans in particular also consider him the deity of guilds, banks, and coin and he is worshiped by many entrepreneurs. This deity has a healthy rivalry with both Dathira- goddess of creativity, and Pelenei, goddess of travel and trade. The lines of what each deity is in charge of can become blurred, as some tradesmen are true artists and some travel to sell their own wares. Collectively these three gods are referred to as the Triad of Coin and in many large cities their Temples are even combined. Torav is also known to promote peace through delegation and deal-making. Despite the fact that war can be quite lucrative for those who craft and sell armor and weapons, overall Times of War are bad for the economy so Torav is often invested in ending wars quickly so his followers can get back to what they do best. He is therefore considered by some to be a god of peace and prosperity.

Oroh of the Dwarvish Pantheon

Portfolio: Mining & Craft
Domains: Forge, Light, Peace
Alignment: LG
Alias/s: The Forgemaster
Symbol: Pickaxe & Diamond
Oroh is an especially important deity to the dwarves as he is considered their creator- with a little help from Gwandela of course. He fashioned the dwarven race from stone and gem and she blew life within their sturdy frames. Oroh is a master craftsman, forge-master, and the patron of dwarvish Miners, Smiths, Jewelers, and Artificers. His influence extends to most areas of creative passion as well, including stone masonry, sculpture, and even tailoring or beer brewing. Devout followers of Oroh, which encompasses the vast majority of dwarvish civilization, believe that every dwarf was born to be something- was born with a purpose and a passion to fulfill. Most take up the same Path as Oroh- as minors and blacksmiths. It is considered holy work- the most superior path. Some think that Oroh designs each dwarf individually for their purpose. This purpose usually is supposed to support or glorify the stronghold a dwarf belongs to, and most dwarves are urged to find their destined "path" and stick to it once they've committed themselves. When a path does not fit into a particular stronghold's code of conduct or it goes against the norm, they are seen to be 'defective', one of Oroh's failed designs to be thrown away. They aren't really blamed for the passion they chose, but they are pitied and usually ostracized just the same. Though most dwarves are expected to get married, they may forego this if and only if their "path" would be difficult to follow with a family dependent on them. Purpose is more important than individual responsibility in many cases. For example, Oroh was set to be king of the Dwarvish gods- but this title and job would interfere with his Path- that of a creator. The throne went instead to his brother Balmir. According to dwarven myth, Oroh and Mavrin had four children- Dolbrek, Halthan, Maluth, and Thodar.
Oroh is also the dwarvish god of currency and wealth. The Path one chooses results in the money one needs to live on, so the two generally go hand in hand. Oroh is the patron of family breadwinners and fiscal responsibility. Being married to Mavrin, the deity of dwarvish motherhood and family, he is also seen as a father figure and a husband figure to look up to. Its somewhat ironic, as the only of his children he is said to be on particularly good terms with is Halthan. He is not a god of leaders and kings, mind you, but a god of the average dwarf- be he a miner, merchant, or scullery maid. This is why he is worshiped more heavily than near any other dwarf in the pantheon.

Geirr of the Gnomish Pantheon

Portfolio: Invention & Innovation
Domains: Forge, Protection
Alignment: LG
Alias/s: High Tinkerer
Symbol: Interlocked cogs & a star
Geirr is an important deity among Rock Gnomes, and in some Forest Gnome villages completely unheard of. He is the god of inventors and tinkerers. Geirr is in constant competition with the other two of the so-called Big Three of the rock gnomish pantheon. His rivals include Dahgmer and Cyreda, the deities of magic and general knowledge. Their portfolios sometimes overlap and they often fight to win the hearts of their followers. Geirr's sphere of influence is more earthly and physical. He is the god of innovation- the utilization of knowledge to make life easier and safer. And sometimes just to make a really cute clockwork companion. He is the god of technology and discovery and the laws of chemistry and physics. He is most often worshiped by inventors and scientists as well as some artificers and alchemists. He is also a deity of motivation and ambition and to a certain extent- risk and reward. Geirr's followers are far more superstitious and devout than Dahgmer's or Cyredas, the likely cause being that their professions (and even lives) often end with explosions and electrocution. They pray to him for success in their endeavors and to keep their fingers attached to their hands.

Torav of the Draconic Pantheon

Portfolio: Creativity & Luck
Domains: Forge, Knowledge
Alignment: CG
Alias/s: The Elder Smith
Symbol: a hammer on fire and a star at it’s center
Torav, the son of Ilazran, started off his life as a demigod- lesser, and unappreciated. It wasn’t until he discovered his unique talent as a blacksmith and eventually became known worldwide for his superior weapons and armor, that he caught the attention of his divine family members. He eventually ascended and outfitted all the gods with divine armor and weaponry, as well as many of the gods’ finest champions. It is said there are relics made by Torav still out in the world, hidden in plain sight or within lost tombs of ancient and mythic heroes. Though primarily a patron of blacksmiths and, by extension, miners, Torav is also the patron of all artisans and makers of all things. Most guilds in both draconic and human societies pay homage to this god in hopes for luck in business, trade, and renown. One thing that all dragonkin understand is that this deity is fickle and unpredictable. One artisan may have boundless talent and simply never make the right connections to make it big because he did something that Torav found unpleasant. Others might be incredibly mediocre in talent and become wildly successful because Torav simply found them to be charming. In many ways he is a Luck deity- at least among dragons.

TEMPLES OF THE Tradesman

The largest temples to The Tradesman are located in the following places.

• Ulad'hela (Stronghold of Uladun)
• Azanrul (Stronghold of Azan)
• Khorezun (Stronghold of Khorez)
• Banashi (Luxumu)
• Yersek
• Emenna (Namiza)
• Trades Meet (Namiza)
• Althoven (Capital of Belstrad)
• Valwick (Kaspar province of Belstrad)
• Elderlight (Capital of the Marasen Empire)
• Port Oriensa of Hathas Rhogan
• Kharo'jhan (Capital of Va'Sehir)
• Ijzertuin (Kardath)

Worshipers

The Tradesman is worshiped worldwide in most major civilizations except perhaps the elvish ones. Outside of those kingdoms however, there are plenty of elvish converts. The world runs on commerce, afterall. Anyone could potentially be a worshiper of the Tradesman but most of them do happen to have a trade or at the very least a hobby. The most devout are craftsmen and businessmen and even those who sell their services like bards and artificers. Most guilds and guild artisans pay their respects often. The biggest worshipers of this god are the clan crafters of the dwarven kingdoms. Most of the only known clerics and paladins of this god come from these strongholds. There are no known monasteries dedicated to this deity. There are, however, probably the most temples worldwide compared to any other god.

On-Brand Worshipers

• Artificer: All
• Bard: College of Creation
• Cleric: Forge Domain
• Paladin: Oath of the Crown
• Rogue: Mastermind
• Clan Crafter Background
• Guild Artisan Background
• Failed Merchant Background
• Smuggler Background