The Keeper

_{Left to Right: The Elder, The Warrior, The King
Left to Right Art By: Peter Popken, Krabat, and Randy Vargas}

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“As a child does not name its father, we in so much do not name him. He is the God of Many Faces, the Father of Humanity, and the Patron of Justice. The Keeper.”

— An Inscription upon the First Temple of Amica

About

The Keeper; God of Balance, Father of Humanity.   The first-born Deity of Tenegrim, The Keeper is a fixture across the lands as a symbol of equality and constant change. In ancient times he walked amongst the mortals, continually seeking knowledge and understanding of the vast world he had sprung from. A loving father and devoted husband, The Keeper has offered warmth and acceptance to all creatures over the ages.   Do not mistake his desire for balance for mercy. Though it is rare, the wrath of the Keeper has ravaged mortals, creatures, and the Gods themselves in ages past. He will forever preserve the life of Tenegrim even through acts of violence or kindness.  

Description

The true face of The Keeper alludes mortals. Some recall him as an elderly man, offering wisdom to the masses, others see him as a golden haloed knight, even others recall the ebony beauty of his skin and startling eyes. No one description matches another. But there is one truth between them, no matter how he looks, he is always said to bring the comfort of a familiar face.  

Origin Story

Fragments of the beginning are scattered throughout the Libraries of Kirja. An essence of duality sprang forth from the very heart of Tenegrim, giving birth to the nameless father of creation; The Keeper.   Speculation and theories swirl about the God of Balance. Is he a reincarnation of the spirit of Tenegrim itself? Or is it simply that he came first out of luck? Was it all a design or is chaos simply the existence of all? These questions are shrouded in mystery with no one answer to shed light on the truth of his origin.   The accepted theory surrounds the necessity of his existence itself. Though he is attributed to the humans of the world, his culling of both light and dark has proven to all those, faithful or not, his significance.  

Relationships

Balance is The Keeper’s nature in all things, including the relationships that he holds both with the divine and the mortals that have passed through the cycle of life. Though ages have forced his existence to be less prevalent upon the physical surface of Tenegrim, The Keeper is still an ever present God that has at times answered the call of his faithful in a very literal form.   As for the interactions with the divine; outside of his own pantheon he still finds himself respected or feared by the ascended beings of Tenegrim. Closer with the Pantheon of Light due to collaboration in the past, The Keeper does not play favorites in the face of maintaining balance for the sake of Tenegrim itself.  

Religion

Dogma

"There is a time for compassion and a time for war, learn well the difference."
"All beings must be free to be judged by their own actions and not those of their kin or clan."
"The balance must be respected, cherished and maintained in all things."
 

Clergy

Devoting your life to serve The Keeper is a task in patience and continual balance. Trained in the art of diplomacy and acceptance, most clergy are welcome throughout the kingdoms of Tenegrim except for within the Shadowed Sun territory. They vary in their martial or magical skills and tend to utilize their strengths in favor of the oppressed.   Their prayers are often offered in unison with respect to the Goddess Kirja as well as their main patron. Though there are no restrictions as to the time of day that prayers are offered, it is always done so facing north towards the divine city of Reginvithr, the seat of The Keeper’s power and chosen people.  

Temples

Vast temples cover the landscape of the lands far and wide portraying the God of Balance. Though the style may vary, the purpose does not. A haven for the weary, a place of equal exchange, and devoted to both beauty and function.   Each temple that resides within a city or town is required to contribute to the upkeep of the people and the surrounding land. Often maintained by clergy sent from the homeland of Reginvithr, the temples often act as an official embassy in order to offer sanctuary and freedom to the oppressed.   As the Father of Humanity, nearly every human or human descendent tends to pay homage to him through minor shrines throughout the more rural areas.    

Worship

Balance in all things. This is the basic tenant of worship that is followed by both clergy and believer alike. Offerings and prayers at dusk and at dawn are seen as the most sacred due to the transition and equality at that time of day.   The rituals, rites, and duties of those who worship The Keeper fall in line with peace makers and diplomats. Though there are many who devote themselves purely to The Keeper himself, many worshippers tend to include his worship alongside another of the Pantheon of Balance.   In the end, actions are most cherished by the God of Balance. Acts that lead to the restoration of balance wherever it is absent is seen as the purest form of worship to The Keeper.