Arzamark
God of Truth and Enlightenment
Intermediate God

Epithets: Scrollmaster, Truthsayer, the Enlightened One  
Alignment: Lawful good
Symbol: Scroll
Colors: White and purple
Gem: Amethyst
Primary followers: Scholars, sages, seekers, teachers, investigators
Special marks: Goatee beard worn by all ordained males, regardless of race; distinctive hairstyle worn by all ordained females

     The true form of Arzamark, the Enlightened One, is that of a dignified and handsome human male in his late forties, slight of build and short of stature. A full head of silky, raven-black hair borders his face (though his sideburns are brilliant silver). The god sports a salt-but-mostly-pepper goatee that blends into a swirling, tapering cone directly under the chin. The countenance of the Truthsayer bears a perpetual wisp of a smile, and his sapphire blue eyes glitter with the god’s gentility and grace.

     The god dresses in the same robes and vestments worn by his senior priests. His only concession to sartorial style is an unadorned, tapered walking stick of mahogany, its tip bound in silver and topped off by a smooth silver ball. This humble cane is a potent magical device, and while its powers typically benefit the Power’s mortal servants, it can mete out punishment in equal measure. The Astarith recalls several incidents in which the cane deprived errant mortals of their willpower and intelligence; in other accounts, the cane has siphoned memories, skills, and magical talents from those who would use them unwisely.

     Arzamark is the beloved husband of Serenyi the Justicer and the proud father of Rifkis the Peacekeeper. The bond between these three Powers of the House is intense and inspiring to their followers, and they will act in concert when the need arises.

     At his core, Arzamark is thoughtful, wise, and serene. A natural pedagogue of supreme skill, the god instantly recognizes the most appropriate methods for instructing any mortal being. As the patron of scholars and sages, the Power will occasionally aid a devout and dedicated researcher who finds himself at a loss on a given line of inquiry.

     Among the first of the True Gods to discover an affection and respect for dragonkind, Arzamark employs a host of twelve silver dragons to help spread his tidings throughout the mortal world. (Three dragons are assigned to each of Minarra’s four continents.) Arzamark’s dragons are selected for their genuine fondness of mortals, and as a result take great pleasure and fulfillment from their duties.

Avatars: Avatars of the Enlightened One are rare. The god will manifest himself in only one of two forms: either as himself in the uniform of his own Order, or as a snow-white owl with eyes the hue of the deepest amethyst. When in his own form, he may appear younger or older than his own "real" age, and will adjust the rank reflected by his vestments accordingly. Arzamark will display his cane only when he wishes to make his presence perfectly clear.

     The god’s manner among mortals is as one would expect: gentle, wise, forthright, and intelligent. He speaks only where there is need, and is often more concerned with listening to mortals and their concerns. The Power instinctively knows when a mortal has lied to him, and whether any form of magic is being employed to conceal the truth.

     Over the centuries, the typical reasons of an avatar’s visit have become clear to mortal kind. Most often, the god appears to guide the worthy towards new intellectual discoveries that can improve the lot of all society. He may also appear to give cryptic clues and gentle nudges to those seeking the truth behind conspiracies, crimes, and cover-ups. Rarest of all, he may reveal subtle hints that will send the most daring of his servants on quests to rediscover the most priceless of lost lore.

Mortal Servants: Among Minarra’s urbane and educated classes, few organizations wield as much influence or authority as the Order of the Scroll. Great temples to the Enlightened One grace the vast majority of Minarra’s major cities, and many smaller communities can proudly claim at least a chapel dedicated to the Truthsayer.

     The humble Adepts of the Order dress in simple white robes, adorned only by a wide waistband of purple cloth. Graces of the Order are distinguished by their purple cuffs and purple-trimmed cloaks of white. The cloaks of the Serenities are solid purple, and each of these august individuals carries the Consort of the Enlightened...to all outward apperances, a cane as plain as Arzamark’s own.

     Male servants of the Scrollmaster also sport a beard in the likeness of their master’s. This beard is present even on the faces of elves or any other race where facial hair is unknown. If a follower is not in good standing, the beard will quite often lose its shape and become unmanageable or, in the case of elves, fall out entirely. Females of the Order grow their hair long, only to tie it back in a tight knot at the nape of the neck. As with the males' beards, the knot becomes impossible to tie for any female servant who has offended the god in some way. Female Knights and clerics who travel to serve are allowed to cut their hair short in a no fuss, common-sense style.

     The Order of the Scroll is one of only three that has monks among its members. These rare men and women bring the god’s good will into the hinterland, and perform much of the "field research" for which their city-bound, clerical brethren are ill-suited, either physically or temperamentally.

     The duties of the Knights of the Scroll are varied. The majority serves as temple security, ensuring the safety of the Order’s often-irreplaceable collections of manuscripts and scrolls. They may be asked to assist lay authorities as investigators in convoluted criminal cases, especially those that are socially or politically sensitive. Then there are those who simply wander the world, searching for rare or forgotten lore.

     In many lands throughout the Four Continents (especially Dass), the Order has a public mandate to administer the few existing universities and libraries. The spread of literacy is of great concern to the Order, and basic schooling for the young (and not so young) is available wherever the Order has permanent quarters. Classes for the poor are always free; for those with means, the cost is a nominal one (though adjusted for income).

     Formal worship of the god takes place on New Year’s Eve and at each full phase of Sandophal, the Blue Moon. Only the opening and closing ceremonies are cloaked in pious formalities; the hours in between are spent in buoyant revelations of new discoveries, spirited debates over intellectual theories of all kinds, and quiet reflections on the nature and power of truth, for both good or ill.

Philosophy/Tenets of Faith: The core teaching of Arzamark is the sanctity of truth. It is irrelevant whether it is distasteful or disgusting, or inspiring and illuminating; truth is truth. To be a custodian of the truth is a weighty, onerous, even dangerous responsibility, one not to be taken lightly or carelessly. Followers of the god are aware that truth, like knowledge, is power—either from its presence or its absence.

     Of equal importance is the belief that the mind of any sentient may be improved and enriched, regardless of race, family, or station in life. It is a sacred obligation, therefore, to enlighten all that would thirst for knowledge, the yeoman as well as his lord. To a servant of the Scrollmaster, ignorance and deceit are the two sides of the same vile coin, a lucre that buys nothing but misery and servitude.