Bilgi - God of wisdom

I

f there ever was a god that is close to us mortals, then it surely is Bilgi, God of wisdom. Born as a mortal himself, he ascended to godhood and is now woreshipped by many people all over the world. Born as Isetar Dalkyn in the small village of Sifa in the year 317 of the First Age, he was obsessed with learning new stuff already as a child.

Even at a young age, he read everything he could get his hands on. When he was still considered a teenager amongst the Valoperi, he left Sifa and traveled the continent seeking as much knowledge as possible. He traveled all over Mirintha, spent several years with the trolls, tried to follow the tracks of the dragons, and visited just about every library he could find. The more knowledge Bilgi accumulated, the wiser he became. When he was around 50 years old, he decided to open the biggest library in all of Mirintha. He collected everything there that he deemed valuable. Over the years, the number of books steadily increased, and authors, historians, and researchers vied to have their works included in Bilgi's library.

But he didn't just collect knowledge, he also shared it with others. Bilgi, or more correctly Isetar, was known to give lectures regularly. He was also often sought out to give judgement on disputes. He didn't enjoy that, however, so he only accepted the most complicated cases, those the local authorities were unable to settle.

Steps to ascension

The more knowledge Bilgi amassed, the wiser he became. Surprisingly, he aroused the interest of Kära, the goddess of love and sexuality. Their relationship began when she, wandering around Mirintha, saw a large gathering of Valoperi all standing in front of a nondescript house. Curious, she approached the house and, as was her wont, immediately attracted everyone's attention. She confidently crossed the crowd and entered the small house. As she walked straight into the house she saw what, or rather who, was attracting attention. A handsome, young Valoperi was sitting at a desk, receiving documents. He concentrated on the content of the texts and either accepted them, to the delight of the bearer, or rejected them, to the obvious disappointment of the bearer.

I smell drama here ...

Kära stood directly in front of the young man and waited for his attention. He looked up briefly, saw that she had no document or anything similar with her and waved her aside. Shocked by this unexpected lack of interest, Kära's fighting spirit was awakened. She tried again the following day, but only achieved the same result. So she watched him for a while. On the third day of her observations, she went to him again. She whispered to him that she would tell him the greatest secret there was for mortals if he would spend a night with her that would satisfy her. Without hesitating for long, Isetar sent all the visitors away and led Kära into his bedroom. There, the two spent the night together. As it turned out, Isetar was a really good lover and Kära would have been quite satisfied. And so she told him a secret that no other mortal knew. As soon as he had gained this knowledge, the inquisitive young man lost interest in the goddess of passion and turned back to his books. Some time later, Kära wandered around Mirintha again, her thoughts always returning to the young Valoperi.

Kära's first seduction attempt

Ohhhh, I like how this is developing ...

And so she sought him out again, only to achieve the same result as on her first visit. Intrigued by how eager Isetar was to gain knowledge and frustrated that she didn't have his undivided attention, she made him a proposition. She would give him access to all the knowledge of the gods if he would devote his attention solely to her in return. Isetar interrupted his work and looked at Kära thoughtfully. She decided that a little more persuasion was needed and gave him a little insight into the knowledge he could gain. Then she took this knowledge away from him again. Shocked by what had happened, he immediately sent all the visitors away and took Kära back to his bedroom once more. After another night spent together, Isetar agreed to devote his attention to Kära in the future if she would give him the knowledge that she had lent him for a short time.

So clever, but also so sneaky of her.

However, since Kära did not think that Isetar would really only concentrate on her in his current environment, surrounded by so many books, she explained to him that she would make him a god and that he would have to spend his life with her at the seat of the gods. In return, he would receive all the knowledge of the human and divine world and, moreover, become immortal. Isetar accepted this invitation without hesitation and so Kära asked her parents, the divine beings who existed from the beginning of time, to make the young Valoperi one of them. They granted their daughter's wish and from that day on Isetar was known as Bilgi, god of knowledge and learning. Bilgi left Mirintha with Kära and never returned. Together they had two childern, Nauda and Satuma.

What a marvelous story.

Depiction

The depictions of Bilgi usually do not differ significantly from one another. Since he was still quite young when he left his mortal shell, he is usually depicted at correspondingly young age. In most cases, he is shown reading a book or some kind of text. There are also paintings of him, sharing his knowledge with others and teaching them what he nows. In a few instances, he is also portrayed in his role as a mediator. Those statues and paintings are normaly only found in courtrooms.

Domains

Bilgi’s primary domains are wisdom, learning, knowledge, and secrets. However, his influence extends into more subtle areas. As a former mortal, he also embodies aspiration and the pursuit of self-betterment. His divine presence is invoked in all intellectual endeavors, court rulings, debates, and historical preservation.

Classical depiction of Bilgi

While Bilgi values truth, he also governs secrets, especially those freely given. He is said to keep every secret ever burned at his shrines, and sometimes whispers forgotten truths into the ears of those who prove themselves worthy.

Tenets of Faith

1. Seek knowledge endlessly

Ignorance is the enemy of growth. Never believe that learning is complete. Every question is worth asking, and every answer leads to another layer of truth.

2. Share what must be known, and guard what must remain hidden

Wisdom is knowing the difference. Truths can uplift or destroy. It is a sacred duty to discern when revelation serves the greater good and when secrecy preserves it.

3. Respect those who teach and those who question

Both are necessary for wisdom. Teachers pass down what is known; questioners uncover what is not. Together, they forge the path to enlightenment.

I can respect all of those tenets.

Symbols

Bilgi is often symbolized by a book with a single closed eye on the cover, representing the balance between shared knowledge and kept secrets. Another common motif is a quill and flame, recalling the ritual of burning secrets to gain his favor. In courtrooms, a stylized set of balanced scales with a scroll on one side is sometimes used to invoke his sense of fairness and clarity.

Worship

Temples in the traditional sense were never built for Bilgi. However, all libraries, educational institutions, and courtrooms in Mirintha are dedicated to him. The biggest of those institutions surely is the Great Library of Sifa. Typically, these institutions contain shrines dedicated to Bilgi. Those seeking knowledge or are about to face a court trial would do well to visit one of these shrines beforehand. It is customary to pray to Bilgi and burn a piece of paper on which a secret, known to absolutely no one else, is written. By burning it, the knowledge of this secret is believed to transfer from the petitioner to Bilgi. As he increases his knowledge in this way, the petitioner's wish is granted in return.

Priests and scribes dedicated to Bilgi often wear robes of muted blues and grays, representing contemplation and neutrality. They act as advisors, judges, or scholars in many communities, and are especially revered in academic circles.

An interesting approach on worship ...

Holidays

The day on which Bilgi ascended from mortal to deity, 13th Rain Moon, is a holiday in all regions of Mirintha. Known as Day of Illumination, it is a day of reflection, on which the population commemorates that it is possible for mortals to attain divinity. Most residents try to visit one of the more esteemed libraries on this day and ask Bilgi to grant them wisdom. Citizens are encouraged to donate books or scrolls during their visit.

The wealthier and more educated Mirinthans are prone to holding or visiting debates, lectures, and presentations in honor of Bilgi. Among the poor, however, this holiday is given significantly less importance. After all, who has time to worry about divinity when they don't know what they will eat in the evening?

Yeah, well, I couldn't care less.

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TLDR for my players

Bilgi is a former Valoperi and now god of knowledge, wisdom, law and pride.
He is married to the goddess Kära and father of Nauda and Satuma.