Gzemnid

Gzemnid was the beholder deity of obscurement and deception and son of the Great Beholder Mother. He was the Underdark god of gases and fogs, sometimes known as the Gas Giant for his mastery of elemental air spells, and renown for his ability to evade and escape.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In this case, the beholder would be Gzemnid, god of the eye tyrants. He makes his home in this plane. Judging from the chaotic landscape, I'd guess we're not too far from his realm."

- Finder Wyvernspur describing the mystifying terrain surrounding Gzemnid's lair.

Description
Gzemind appeared as an oversized beholder (about in diameter) of sky-blue coloration. Atop his head was a crown-like circle of long tentacle-fronds, extra appendages dexterous enough to use rods and wands.

Manifestations
Gzemnid might send an omen heralding the imminent arrival of his avatar, usually in the form of a semi-substantial mass of gaseous, writhing tentacles (that he might or might not speak through directly) wielding a "rod", to a powerful wizard who had something he wanted.

Personality
Gzemnid was a subtler, more secretive god than the tyrannical Great Mother, a highly intelligent deity whose thought patterns, unlike his predecessor, were actually coherent, if chaotic. The wily Gas Giant was also less aggressive than most beholders and, again unlike the Great Mother, was prepared to parley and bargain to add to his store of knowledge and magic. Of course, he would prefer to simply take what he wanted by force but might negotiate if his targets were obviously powerful and not immediately violent themselves (using his magical rod for leverage in the bartering).

Powers
Gzemnid's avatar was immune to spells of elemental air and could cast each of such spells once per day, each with the prowess of a master spellcaster. It also possessed an extensive retinue of obscurement and area distortion magic, able to cast distance distortion, guards and wards, hallucinatory terrain, phase door, screen, shadow door, vacancy, and veil once per day each.

Aside from these abilities, Gzemnid's avatar could bite with the same strength as a regular beholder, had access to the same (if enhanced) eye rays of one, and could fly twice as fast as one.

Possessions
Like the Great Mother, Gzemnid kept a cache of magical treasure and lore somewhere in the Outlands. Avatars of Gzemnid carried a rod of beguiling in their tentacles.

Realm
Many wondered why a chaotic evil god such as Gzemnid would make his home below the neutral Outlands, and furthermore why it didn't slide into the Abyss. A few scholars speculated that he was hiding from the retribution of powerful foes, perhaps even the Great Mother despite reports as to a cordial relationship. Others purported that it was because he had an alliance with the much stronger Ilsensine, the illithid god, attaching his realm to her's to keep them anchored. This however didn't answer how the realm stayed in the Outlands, as Ilsensine was lawful evil herself.

Some guessed that because Ilsensine was a god of knowledge and thought (as well as powerful), she was able to remain on the Outlands despite her lawful evil tendencies (which was notable given Gzemnid's own areas of influence). Others chalked it up to moral relativism, that alien standards applied to those monstrous deities. The truth of the matter, at least regarding Ilsensine, was that she persisted there because she conspired against all alignments alike.

The area around Gzemnid's realm seemed to have had the terrain put together at random. Tall, spindly mountains rose from perfectly level plains, with stone ledges wider than the bases they jutted out from and several peaks bending backwards like misshapen trees. Lakes dotted the mountain plateaus and swamps grew out from hillsides, yet rivers started and ended without sources or outlets, even circling back on themselves in some places. Fields were tilled in serpentine squiggles and trees were planted to spell out whole lines of script. Colors were pale and indistinct, and trying to focus on any specific feature made its color seem to blur with the background.

It was not known if Ilsensine and Gzemnid's realm was one or if they simply failed to make their realms distinct. Ilsensine's area was normally called the Caverns of Thought while the beholder god's was Gzemnid's Maze, though at times they were simply called Ilsensine's Realm and Gzemnid's Realm respectively. Both were a winding tangle of tunnels, passages, and caverns running deeper than even those of the Dwarven Mountain, all of which merged together. Gzemnid's section was a deadly labyrinth of illusions, distortions, traps, and subtle charms befitting the beholder god's nature.

There were no settlements in Gzemnid's Maze, the unpleasant petitioners forced to look out for themselves, and though they were willing to make deals, they were utterly self-interested. Though Gzemnid wasn't too fond of other races, his petitioners consisted of a fair number of thieves in addition to a few beholders. It was suspected that there were secret portals to the lower planes in Gzemnid's realm as well. Fiends often prowled the maze (apparently with Gzemnid's consent), taking up residence when business brought them to the Outlands, though even they stayed clear of Ilsensine's portion.

Aside from them, Gzemnid's followers sometimes had encounters with those of the Dwarven Mountain. There were also side passages leading to Glorium, which Gzemnid's petitioners sometimes raided and which Gzemnid himself was allegedly trying to take control of.

Activities
Gzemnid was quite possibly the beholder god most active in the lives of his followers, to the point that it was quite possible an exemplary follower would receive a visit from his avatar. Aside from this, Gzemnid sent avatars to the Material Plane to obtain magic items and lore moderately frequently. His last known primary interest was increasing his powers through acquiring illusion-generating magical items.

A good portion of Gzemnid's time was spent spying on mortal wizards who investigated the meaning and mechanisms behind reality, sending an avatar to procure any great revelation. Amazingly, the Gas Giant recognized that a wizard who made one important discovery might make another, and so always sought to obtain the information without harming the wizard. He was thus willing to negotiate for the knowledge as well as simply take it, saving violence for a last resort. While he might offer to trade for magic and secrets, trusting him to stay to his word was folly, and he hoped to steal discoveries through illusion and deception.

Relationships
Gzemnid got along well with both Kzamnal and the Great Mother. Though the precise nature of their relationship was questionable, whether he was her direct son or grandson by way of Kzamnal, Gzemnid was the only one the Great Mother's mortal descendants that had risen ascended to godhood. Gzemnid recognized the Great Mother was not a rational being and that they had almost nothing in common, but treated her with respect, albeit the kind given to a force of nature rather than a rational being. The Great Mother recognized and made noises of approval when she came across him.

Gzemnid's could count Kiaransalee of the Dark Seldarine among his few allies, though the other members (namely Lolth, Vhaeraun, Eilistraee, Selvetarm, and Ghaunadaur)f were his foes, as were the duergar gods Laduguer and Deep Duerra, Callarduran Smoothhands of the deep gnomes, and the elven god of vengeance Shevarash, a general enemy of evil Underdark gods.

Gzemnid had sensed a profound disturbance with the death of Maanzecorian and sent a beholder to investigate.

Worshipers
Beholder life was largely absent of religious rituals, but they had strong faith in their gods all the same. Worship of Gzemnid could be found in most beholder breeds, and some scholars reported his worship had begun to spread to humans and demihumans, with most "converts' being scholars who received a visit from the Gas Giant's avatar. As a mortal, Gzemnid specialized in elemental magic and escape tactics, and encouraged such practices in its followers. He also encouraged the pursuit of power through obtaining knowledge, and many believed that he was responsible for that branch of beholder philosophy.

Beholders lacked a clergy class and neither beholder god had a permanent priesthood. While the Great Mother at least had rare priestesses, temporarily elevated to the position in times of crisis, Gzemnid granted no powers or spells to his followers, for he would not dare rival her in terms of clergy. He had proxies (none of them known) and there were rumors he had a squadron of beholders to do his bidding. Attempts to invoke him however, like with the Great Mother, might result in the appearance of an avatar or manifestation to denote his response.

It was Gzemnid's scholars who pieced together a mind-shattering truth (at least to beholders) regarding the Great Mother from clues gathered over centuries; her appearance was in constant flux. His scholars also knew that, unlike regular beholders, she laid eggs, each batch of which gave rise to a different beholder breed. They also believed she was so knowledgeable she either couldn't or wouldn't share her information with lesser beings, simply cruising through the cosmos gibbering to herself and laying eggs. These beliefs were all deemed to be heresy.

Notable Worshipers

 * Skixtalq was the Chosen of Gzemnid in the beholder hive of Zokir. He was said to receive visions from Gzemnid and acted as the city's sage. He was known as "the Obscurant" for his relentless efforts to eliminate all knowledge regarding beholders on the surface, using charmed agents to permanently silence scholars who studied them and dispose of successful strategies for fighting them.

History
Gzemnid was a hatchling from the first brood of the Great Mother (either directly or as one of the spawn of her divine son Kzamnal). He was born on the Great Mother's home plane, having watched the rise of the beholder race almost from the very beginning. As a mortal he specialized in elemental magic and escape tactics, becoming the first beholder mage and first elder orb over the course of his long life. He was the only one of the original progeny to have survived to become a deity themself, his knowledge of the universe becoming so vast that he underwent apotheosis.

Some theorized that it was Gzemnid's capacity for camouflage, deception, and quick exits that let him live long enough to obtain godhood, allowing him to escape the perfectionist standards and subsequent punishment by consumption the Great Mother dealt to offspring that displeased her. Older beholders told of powerful foes seeking to rob Gzemnid of his treasures overcome through sheer exhaustion just trying to corner the elusive Gas Giant.

Trivia
One of the goals of the ancient beholder game Vellurith was to subvert the Elder Rune or the undead forces of Larloch into seeing beholders as a race to be protected from the machinations of any deity but the Great Mother, including Gzemnid. Given that the Great Mother allowed Mystra's forces to alter the rules of the game for reasons unknown (the very fact that this was done was not known to beholders) it could not be said where this rule came from.

One of the specialties of an inn within Sigil's Market Ward known as Chirper's was a beverage called Gzemnid beer.

Appearances

 * Video Games