Geb

Slow to display emotion but appreciative of humor of all varieties, Geb (pronounced gheb ) is the eldest member of the Mulhorandi pantheon. Also known as Gebthant in Thay and Gebakotep in Unther, he is a cautious and even tempered deity.

History
Geb was the first child of the deities Shu and Tefnut. He wed his sister, Nut, and they had four children. The two were forcibly separated when Geb was ordered to join the Mulhorandi pantheon on Toril.

During the First Empire, Geb was considered an Intermediate deity and his church flourished. However, due in part to inaction on the part of his clergy, Geb receives little respect today.

Geb led his most faithful followers in building the Golden Forge during the Time of Troubles. This temple serves to prevent the eruption of a volcano that would devastate much of the Unther's coastal regions.

Relationships
Geb is the father of Isis, Set, Osiris, and Nephthys. Other than in the case of Set, he remains on good terms with all his children. He also counts Flandal Steelskin, Grumbar, and Moradin as friends.

Avatar
Usually appearing as a Mulan human of regal stature, Geb typically wears a earth-colored robe known as a kalasiris as well as golden bracers and crown. Red eyes glow faintly from the brown skin of his face, which often sports a beard cut short and braided. He typically keeps a quarterstaff close at hand.

Powers and Abilities
Geb's staff allows him to duplicate the effects of any earth-related spell or magical item. He is also able to negate all such effects. He can summon earth elementals to his side, and can exert control over certain denizens of the Elemental Plane of Earth.

Other Manifestations
Geb's will is often communicated through the acts of earth creatures such as stone golems and rust monsters, or those of animals such as bears and badgers.

Geological Phenomena
Those that find they have displeased Lord Earth may experience an earthquake, while those that have performed Geb's will may discover a cache of gemstones. Followers that plan to mine in unsafe regions may witness cracks forming in the ground and rock of the area.

Earth Elemental
In order to indicate a specific location to his followers, he may appear as an earth elemental in the region.

Animals
A follower of Geb may recognize the appearance of a dead canary to indicate unsafe air conditions, and the appearance of a fleeing rat as a sign that a mine or cave system may be unstable.

Church of Geb
The position of priest in the church of Geb is hereditary; members belong to the House of Gebthant, and can claim at least one divine incarnation of Geb among their ancestors. Geb's clergy is largely composed of humans native to Mulhorand, but both dwarves and gnomes will occasionally follow the teachings of the King of the Riches Under the Earth.

Temples dedicated to Geb utilize natural geographic formations in their construction as much as possible. Most of these sites are built underground to better facilitate this decision. At least one temple exists in each mountain range within the range of influence of the nation of Mulhorand.

Worshipers
Followers of Geb spend much of their time working within the earth, seeking to discover the treasures that lie beneath its surface, or working the materials that are found in stone. Clerics must locate at least one new deposit of precious stones or vein of ore annually. Divine spell casters dedicated to Geb pray for spells at midnight.

Clerics of Geb typically paint a series of three blue circles on their shaved heads that serve as a symbol of their calling. They often color their skin to a brown tint, and it is not uncommon for a member of the clergy to grow a short beard which is then braided. Usual vestments include a kalasiris, bracers, and iron-shod boots. These items are usually inlaid with small precious stones, and are often worn under a blacksmith's apron. Members of Geb's clergy favor heavy armor when preparing for a journey, and dress as the occasion dictates.

Affiliated Orders
The church of Geb supports no known combat-oriented organizations.

Fellowship of the Mithril Mountain

 * Charged with discovering the location of large mithril deposits, this order is composed primarily of traveling clerics of Geb.

Brotherhood of the Pick

 * The members of this order serve as a representatives of the miners and craftsmen of Mulhorand, presenting their needs and wants to the nobility.

Hidden Gift and Bountiful Joy

 * Clerics of Geb must bury a precious stone or mineral each evening, which is then unearthed the following morning. These acts commemorate Geb's gifts to the earth and their eventual discovery.

The Unwrapping

 * Begun on the first of Mirtul, the Unwrapping celebrates nature's tendency to uncover the secrets of the earth on its own.

Day of Drawing Down

 * In memory of those that died within the earth over the past year, one or more abandoned mines are collapsed on the last day of Nightal.