> [!infobox] > ![[Zegais.png]] > ###### Information > | | | > | ---- | ---- | > | **Titles** | The Coinlord, The Merchant King, The Silent Broker | > | **Domain** | Trade, Wealth | > | **Gender** | Masculine | > | **Alignment** | Neutral | > | **Artifact(s)** | Rapier | > # Symbol > ![[Zegais Symbol.png]] ### **Description** **Zegais, the Guildmaster** is the God of Commerce, overseeing all aspects of trade, negotiation, and economic affairs. While his domain may appear narrow, it extends across countless facets of society — from bustling markets to noble courts, from humble merchants to powerful trade guilds. Zegais is believed to quietly influence financial stability, guiding deals, ensuring fairness, and subtly favoring those who trade with wisdom and integrity. Unlike deities of greed or hoarding, Zegais values balance and fairness. Wealth should be earned through strategy, effort, and sound judgment. He is known to favor cunning negotiators, clever merchants, and those who understand the delicate dance of supply and demand. Rogues, mercenaries, and traders alike often invoke Zegais, not only for profit but for guidance in navigating deals, contracts, and dangerous bargains. His influence is felt wherever coin exchanges hands, and those who conduct business without honoring Zegais's principles often find themselves the victims of unforeseen misfortune. ### **Appearance** Zegais appears as a shrewd and charismatic figure, often taking the guise of a well-dressed merchant or guildmaster. He favors elegant yet practical clothing — finely tailored tunics adorned with gold-thread embroidery. His sharp, calculating gaze often betrays his otherwise composed demeanor. In divine form, Zegais is depicted as a lean, middle-aged man with silver-streaked hair tied back in a neat ponytail. His eyes gleam like polished coins — one gold, one platinum — symbolizing his mastery over trade and wealth. He carries a simple yet ornate ledger bound in gold, believed to contain the names of every merchant, trader, and deal ever struck in the world. When interacting with mortals, Zegais often adopts the guise of an unassuming merchant, trader, or even a beggar — always testing the wisdom and fairness of those he encounters. ### **Worshippers and Clergy** Zegais’s worshippers are as diverse as the commerce he oversees. Merchants, guild leaders, artisans, and noble financiers seek his favor for prosperity and sound judgment. Likewise, thieves, smugglers, and mercenaries may offer prayer to Zegais in hopes of sealing risky deals or navigating underhanded bargains. His clergy, known as the **Coinbound**, focus on maintaining economic stability and protecting fair trade practices. They often serve as advisors to merchant guilds, financial brokers, or intermediaries in high-stakes negotiations. The Coinbound value fairness above greed, emphasizing that reckless hoarding leads to ruin, while wise investment leads to true wealth. **Common Worshippers Include:** - Merchants, traders, and artisans seeking fair trade - Guild leaders hoping to expand their influence - Rogues, spies, and mercenaries navigating dangerous deals - Nobles and politicians seeking economic prosperity While some may call upon Zegais for personal gain, his true followers understand that wealth achieved without wisdom is fleeting. ### **Dogma** Zegais’s teachings focus on wisdom in trade, balance in wealth, and fairness in commerce. His philosophy emphasizes that prosperity must be earned through calculated risk and strategic action. **Core Tenets:** - Wealth is not evil — but greed breeds ruin. - True fortune comes from knowledge, patience, and wise investment. - Never cheat in trade; dishonesty invites disaster. - The value of a deal lies not just in gold, but in trust and respect. Zegais’s followers often conduct business with an air of diplomacy, seeking to avoid conflict whenever possible. However, when betrayed or cheated, they are swift and calculated in their retaliation. ### **Manifestations** Zegais’s presence is often subtle yet unmistakable. Merchants who strike particularly fair or clever deals often speak of feeling a warm breeze or hearing the faint jingle of coins. Conversely, those who cheat or manipulate trade may experience the unsettling sensation of their coin purse feeling inexplicably light. **His favored omens include:** - Coins landing on their edges during chance throws - Scales mysteriously balancing or unbalancing - Sudden gusts of wind rustling ledgers or coin pouches - The faint scent of parchment and ink in unexpected places In rare cases, Zegais is said to appear as a faceless figure cloaked in gold-threaded robes, silently watching over critical negotiations. ### **Relations with Other Deities** Zegais maintains a professional rapport with deities such as **Olos, the Captain**, whose structured governance helps stabilize trade. He often works alongside **Vaaldin, the Cosmic Void**, trusting her insight into the unknown to predict volatile economic shifts. However, Zegais holds a complicated rivalry with **Ezrasil, the Trickster**, as the Trickster's chaotic influence frequently disrupts otherwise stable trade routes. Conversely, Zegais’s relationship with **Vakasis, the Flame** is one of calculated respect — war may destabilize economies, but it also drives innovation, supply chains, and demand. ### **Holy Days and Rituals** - **The Balance of Scales:** A day of reverence where merchants gather in marketplaces to offer symbolic trades — often exchanging items of equal value as a sign of respect to Zegais. - **The Guildmaster’s Bargain:** An annual tradition where aspiring merchants craft a symbolic contract in honor of Zegais, offering a portion of their future earnings to charity in exchange for prosperity. ### **Favored Weapons and Tools** Zegais’s favored weapon is the **rapier**, symbolizing precision, cunning, and strategic action. Many of his followers also carry ornate coin pouches or scale-shaped charms to invoke his guidance during trade or negotiation. ### **Myths and Legends** - **The Empty Chest:** A legend speaks of a ruthless merchant who hoarded wealth through dishonest means. When Zegais learned of his deceit, he cursed the merchant’s treasure to transform into worthless stones, teaching the lesson that ill-gotten gains lead only to ruin. - **The Guildmaster's Gambit:** One tale describes a cunning mercenary who wagered his life against Zegais in a high-stakes game of cards. The mercenary’s clever manipulation of the game impressed Zegais, who not only spared his life but blessed him with prosperity for the remainder of his days. - **The Broken Ledger:** According to myth, Zegais once tore a page from his divine ledger, erasing a corrupt noble's fortune and plunging their kingdom into financial collapse — a warning that unchecked greed has dire consequences.