Aeber

Aeber is the trickster god. He is worshipped by thieves and rogues. Like his brother Brand, he is a god of justice, but actively seeks retribution on behalf of the wronged; those seeking revenge often ask for his blessing. Dwarven and gnomish culture value his cunning; halfling and elven culture value his love of freedom, though he is a major god in drow culture more than high elven; orcish culture makes offerings only to placate or distract him, rather than worships any of his qualities. His epithets include the Prince of Thieves or Clever Aeber.

Symbols and Depictions

Aeber has few symbols, as a job well done calls little attention to itself. One particular glyph, that of two broken circles stacked vertically, the top broken to the right and the bottom to the left, represents the broken shackles of freedom. Crows and other corvids are sacred to him.

Aeber always appears as and is depicted as a man. Although like all deities, Aeber can choose his appearance on the Material Plane, he has shown no preference for race; history can only say that he seems to favor human, halfling, and tabaxi forms. As a trickster and shapeshifter, he seems to prefer to take the form most suited for his current goals. Notably, he has several recorded appearances as a goblin. No matter what form he takes, he is almost always wearing a tunic of dark purple and a cloak the color of a shadow at midnight, and wields two daggers.

Worship

Aeber has no major temples in the Vale, and few outside it. He has no major worship traditions, festivals, or holy days. When he is invoked, it is usually with a prayer to the effect of, "Aeber, help me take what's mine."

Myths

Aeber's demiplane is the Mementos, an endless labyrinth of locked doors in Limbo only he can open.

Aeber is the son of Balogar and Luthic, so his older siblings are Halone and Brand. Draefendi and Nophica are his half-sisters. Tymora and Beshaba are his aunts and Nymeia his grandmother. Through Nymeia, Byregot and Bifelgan are his uncles, and which makes Nald and Thal his cousins. As Luthic's son, he is also half-brothers with her four children.

Aeber's relationships with his siblings are complicated. Both he and Brand share a desire for justice, but Aeber pushes for revenge over simply balancing the scale. Halone shares his sense of righteous anger, although she cares more for slights made against herself than others. Aeber's closest companions are Nald and Thal, his cousins; to the vexation of their father, Bifelgan. Aeber taught them what they know of trickery.

Aeber's first recorded deed as a trickster comes early in his youth, being caught as a scout by Maglubiyet when the Onslaught marched to defeat Brand after conquering his own siblings. By the time Brand had fought his way deep into Maglubiyet's jail to save his brother, Aeber was patiently waiting outside the jail, all of the prisoners released, and the cages relocked with the hobgoblin wardens inside. Grankhul in particular is his rival; Grankhul fights with cunning in battle, but Aeber would rather avoid combat altogether.

As a thief, there are stories of Aeber tricking or stealing from nearly every god save for Steorra and Althyk. He has justifiably earned the ire of most of the dark gods. However, he is particularly hated by Vecna, having once stolen a secret back from the Secret-Thief herself. In turn, Aeber has a hatred for Zehir, as the Cloaked Serpent uses the cover of darkness not to aid but to harm. He has a running rivalry with Asmodeus, who also fancies himself a trickster.