Gemein

Gemein is the Heiligerian god of community. Her purview includes the rules of hospitality and strength though community support. Her domains include community, good, nobility, and healing. She was the god who fostered the first civilizations and helped them to grow. She encouraged the first mortals to organize and create cities to best help their fellow mortals. Her titles include The Lady of the Hearth and the Mother of Civilization.

Description

When Gemein takes the form of her avatar, she often appears as a middle aged woman. She has long curly black hair and often wears simple clothes. Her face was described as aged but comforting. Her frame is well built and muscular from long hours of work. She often has a child swaddled and carried on her back which represented the civilizations she nursed to prosperity. When walking amongst mortals she was known to offer great wealth to those who welcomed her and calamity to those who turned her away.

Personality

Gemein is the incarnation of community and civilization. She seeks to offer shelter to those in need and help people create home for themselves amongst the turmoil of the world. She encourages her followers to stop and help those in need. Her followers are encouraged to give what they have in excess to those in need, and to welcome others into their care. Gemein herself opens her arms to those in need and is willing to help foster the growth of others at great cost to herself.

Gemein does not advocate violence and encourages her followers to find a peaceful solution to conflict amongst themselves. However, she does encourage her followers to push back against nature and the beasts that pose a threat to their communities. She is particularly harsh against magical beasts whom she views as twisted abominations set forth only to destroy. While Gemein is generally calm, when angered her wrath has been shown to upheave the earth as she seeks to completely destroy whatever raised her ire.

Those who have met the Lady of the Hearth describe her as an incredibly proactive host. Even when invited into another's home she often takes the responsibility as the hostess and provides for those in the room. She has a good sense of humor and enjoys the jokes and stories that are told across a good meal.

Abilities

When manifested as an avatar, Gemein is a powerful cleric and healer. Her spells of choice are often healing or other conjuration spells. She rarely engages in combat herself rather relying on her companions or summoned creators to defend her.

When Gemein does fight it was with a longsword in one hand. She keeps one hand free to cast spells. Gemein uses her sword only as a last line of defense instead trying to use her spells to summon allies, heal herself or others, or to escape the conflict. Gemein will only truly go on the offensive is if the "baby" she keeps on her back is hurt. When the child of civilization takes damage, Gemein acts with a blind rage and attacks her foe with the strength of all Heligarian nations together.

Gemein holds the ability to posses her followers. She can posses any lawful creature that was working towards building a community or hosting an event. This creature glows with a soft white light, all fatigue is relived, and any negative status conditions affecting the creature were healed. The creature gains the ability to manifest food, drinks, and nonmagical materials while possessed to assist in their endeavors.

When not appearing through an avatar or possession, Gemein can send servants of her domain to assist those in need. These creatures take the form of celestial beings or beasts that serve the Mother of Civilization. Gemein also has the ability to see from any hearth that she is worshipped from.

History

Gemein was the second god created to defend mortal beings against the world. Gemein helped the mortals to create the first cities so they could stand on their own against the gods of chaos. She worked with Ernte to help the mortals stabilize the land and gain a foothold while Recht and Krieg kept the Freihet at bay.

When it came time for the gods to create planes of their own to inhabit, Gemein was one of the largest detractors of the idea. She viewed the idea of leaving the plane as abandoning the people she cared for. Her mind was eventually changed by Krieg and she took her place among the stars.

Relationships

The closest allies of Gemein include Ernte and Recht, both of whom were born at the same time as her, along with Krieg who she has taken as a lover. These four gods are touted as among the most powerful of the Steuem. When travelling with as an avatar, Gemein often travels with Kreig tempering his head strong nature and working together to create new settlements.

Other gods Gemein is on particularly good terms with are Zunei and Hingab, treating both as her children and prodigies. Gemein was also the first god to take pity on Vergan when he went mad, petitioning the other gods to take pity on him and help him to slowly regain himself.

Gemein's foes are those who would disrupt civilization. The largest of these being the Freiheit and the Fey. Gemein has also come to blows with both Handel and Kunst for what she views as encouraging people to take advantage of each other. While she does not care for Betrunk, she views him as a nuisance and dangerously close to creating total chaos, however she has never acted against the trickster god.

Realm

Gemein's plane is known as Stadplatz , the Divine Hall. The plane is a single sprawling city that stretches for as far as the eye can see. At the center of the city is a small tavern where Gemein can be found cooking for the denizens of the plane. The plane is located in the Heiligerian constellation as the warriors right hand.

Symbol

The most common symbol used by Gemein and her worshippers is a flame under a pot. The symbol is sometimes more elaborately represented as a stone hearth with a pot cooking inside. Those who take up arms to defend Gemein and her ideals commonly use the symbol of the fire of hearth wrapping around her longsword.

Worshipers

Worship of Gemein is one of the most common in the Heiligerian Pantheon. Her worshippers include those who call cities home, servants, home makers, construction workers, and healers. Her faith was especially popular in large cities, Veircourt in particular took to praising her and her customs. While anyone can worship Gemien, her followers tend to be of a lawful and good aligned.

The Clergy of Gemein was primarily made up of clerics, monks, and artificers. Attending clerics are often recognized by their well worn clothing and heavy armor. While on campaign, it is common for clerics of the order to create large camps that support those who are traveling with them.

Tenets

• There should always be a seat at your table for those in need
• When you have more than you need, you should give to those who don't
• Do not hold grudges

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