In the Stillness of Life

Devotees of Ghenshau

This week’s exploration into one of the lesser known divine beings was a bit of a challenge for me. How does one make interesting sects based on a god of lack of knowledge and being placid and simple? I took that tough task at hand and came up with these three sects for Ghenshau, Empyreal Lord of ignorance, placidity, and simplicity. Let’s take a look and maybe you’ll find a place for them in your game.

As always, let us imagine we are sitting at our theoretical gaming table. Our imaginary GM sets out the rules for the game that we will play; in this game, we are to make a follower of Ghenshau. The character does not need to be a divine caster, just a devotee of Breezes-Still-and-Ripples-Cease. What character do you make?

For more information on Ghenshau

Ghenshau’s Pathfinder Wiki Page

Ghenshau’s Archives of Nethys Page

The Tranquil Brothers

Deep in the Darklands hidden away, as most Svirfneblin cities are, is the Abbey of Thoughtfulness. The deep gnomes are known for their erratic minds, at one point violent and another hyperactive. The Tranquil Brothers seek to sort through the influence of the First World on their emotions and tame them. To that end they have taken up the worship of the Empyreal Lord Ghenshau, the Father of Placidity.

Each of the sect’s members are trained in a defensive form of martial arts. Some are even touched with a spark of Ghenshau’s divinity. Those who represent all that is good and just in the world (paladins) are generally known for fighting evil, those that dedicate themselves to Gehnshau instead battle the forces of chaos.

The Empty Mind

The path to true knowledge is knowing that you understand next to nothing. The sect of the Empyreal Lord Ghenshau known as The Empty Mind takes time to plumb the these depth of their own ignorance and an attempt to find true enlightenment. These seekers look for knowledge, from the terrestrial to great beyond, but with each new nugget learned they contemplate how much more is missing.

The Empty Mind accepts any who are willing to shed their ego and admit that they don’t know. Most members of the sect, however, are seekers of the knowledge to fill this emptiness. Wizards, alchemists, clerics, investigators, and oracles are the most common devotees of Ghenshau in the group. The martial minded rarely even seek to join the sect.

Idyllic

The sect of Ghenshau simply known as Idyllic is a very small group based in a small farming village in the north east of Andoran. This group of maybe half a dozen followers of the Empyreal Lord seek to aid the people of their home keep their simple life and traditions. Led by a man named Corvin Aldus, who seems to channel the knowledge of the town’s ancestors, the group is well loved in the community.

Unlike many sects which keeps members who used to be adventurers, other than Corvin none of the members of the sect have ever left their village. Each member is either of representative of a family with a history in the community or of a specific occupation. Due to Idyllic’s push for a tradition of simplicity the village thrives.

The first step to enlightenment is admitting that you don’t know the first step. Who is your disciple of Ghenshau? Why have they chosen to dedicate themselves to Breezes-Still-and-Ripples-Cease? Where does their devotion to the Empyreal Lord come from? Let me know in the comments.

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