Peridot
From Twilight Realms Wiki
“Knowledge that is good! Ignorance that is evil!”
Peridot Priest
“Follow knowledge to wherever it may lead for, to not, is to tether oneself forever”
Peridot Proverb
“Knowledge, even a little, is a dangerous thing”
Unknown
The Deity of Knowledge is either male or female it all depends on the individual referring to the Deity as their own beliefs. Nearly all representations show the Deity in robes but varieties include a scholarly implement in one hand with a weapon in the other, others have hands covering eyes or blindfolded. There are those that say the Deity has many eyes showing that the Deity knows everything and some of the more darker images of the Deities hint at this.
The covering of the eyes is believed to show the deep regret the Deity had over knowledge lost throughout the Ages. Some, recently, point to the Tome burnings of the Great War as an example which thelogians have said Peridot cried a year and a day over.
Others hint at this is more to do with the Deities dedicated devotion to knowledge rather than the emotions that Realmsfolk also have and even darker hints refer to the Deities jealous guarding of certain secret knowledge that Realmsfolk were not meant to know. This had led to the Deity of Knowledge having other names, which is understandable for if any Deity is to have a lot of names it would be the knowledge one. Some of the known names are The Keeper of Secrets and The Blind God.
The Deity is renowned for having no emotion just being the embodiment of Knowledge in all its forms. Peridot is a benevolent Deity, always wanting Realmsfolk to better themselves, prefering those that work hard rather than those who want things for free. It is said that despite knowledge has been lost to the Realms, Peridot has not forgotten. Therefore when the Realmsfolk are worthy or ready perhaps the knowledge will be known again though some say some knowledge is guard either jealously or for the Realmsfolk’s own good.
The Monk Priest
This refers to those that are in a contained area dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. This could mean a library, a village , a temple plus others. The priest doesn’t usually move around much apart from within his or her own domain. They tend to hire people to get their knowledge for them to research. A common misconception is that knowledge does not include fighting but the techniques and styles of fighting are studied by many ‘monk’ types much to the surprise of many, now dead, Realmsfolk.
The Travelling Priest
This refers to those scholars that prefer a more active role in their research. Some of Peridot’s priests start off as travelling scholars and in the later years become more hermit or monk like. The nature of the priests knowledge varies according to taste, some focus more on specific studies whilst others try to venerate their Deity by trying to gather as much knowledge as possible.
All of the Priests of Peridot try, in some way, focus entirely on the knowledge rather than emothions which is more Imogen. The path to peace or inner harmony is a goal that many priests try to reach. The tales of those that have reached this and those that have fallen from this path fill the storyteller’s mind.
Because of this inner peace or at least the ability to only look at the facts rather than the emotions of people the priests are used as arbiters in disputes. There are those that for them truth is the only knowledge and dedicate their lives to looking for truth, these are the Inquisitors or Justicars the more extreme end of Peridot.
The Heretical View
There are those that think that these Inquistors types worship a more darker aspect of Peridot. One in which the knowledge is the only thing and only those dedicated to its reasearch can study certain areas of knowledge or even that no-one except their Deity can even see certain knowledge. It is argued that those who are more passionate about their knowledge worship this darker edge. There are tales of Tempress stealing knowledge from Peridot and Peridot is searching for her to get it back.
Some even question whether Peridot knows everything so has driven the Deity obsessed with obtaining every piece of knowledge available. One such quoted is the question Can a Deity die? What Peridot is planning to do to find out the answer is unknown.
