Balogar

Balogar is the original hero-god and the god of humanity. Beginnings, risks, and ventures are in his domain, but he is far more well-known as a patron of bards and adventurers. Balogar is not worshipped formally as a major god in most cultures. However, he is an important cultural hero to most human cultures, while his stories are told in gnome and halfling cultures too because of his cunning and general roguery, and giant cultures, where he is said to have taught them the use of magic runes. His epithets include the Runeblade, the Mage Knight, and the Mightiest of Mages, all referring to his skill at wielding both blade and spell.

Symbols and Depictions

Balogar nearly always appears and is depicted as a man. However, there are several stories where he has disguised himself as a woman, or appears as one, often to achieve some goal or ruse. While he defaults to a masculine appearance, gender doesn't seem to be of particular importance to him. While like all deities Balogar can choose his appearance on the Material Plane, he most often chooses to appear as a human man in his early thirties. His hair and skin color can vary significantly, though his "wine dark" eyes remain one of the few consistent features.

His symbols

Worship

Balogar has few, if any, major temples or formalized worships. When he appears to mortals, he has notably expressed delight when stories of his deeds are retold, inspiring others to seek adventure. He also doesn't seem to mind embellishments, although he has been said to appear to those spinning too tall a tale and correct them.

Myths

Balogar's demiplane.

Balogar is related to most gods in some way. Nymeia is his mother, and Tymora and Beshaba are his sisters. Byregot and Bifelgan are his half-brothers, so Nald and Thal are his nephews.

He has children with two goddesses: Sealticge and Luthic. Nophica and Draefendi are his children with Sealticge, although their relationship was not long-lived. He was married to Luthic and had Halone, Brand, and Aeber, although she left him for Gruumsh eventually.

Balogar appears in his half-brother Bifelgan's origin myth which concerns the sale of a divine sword crafted by his brother Byregot that Balogar desired. Though a master craftsman, Byregot found himself at a loss when deciding on a price, unable to determine what would be equal to the sword's worth besides the materials that went into it. Bifelgan intervened, asking only for three gold coins; one for the materials, one for the labor, and one for the value Balogar saw in it.

Alephan views Balogar as his rival, although Balogar does not return the sentiment. When Balogar courted Sealticge, Alephan challenged him to a contest of magical skill, seeking to prove Balogar unworthy of Sealticge's hand. Despite her protests, Balogar accepted the challenge and won.

Winnehild is said to have been so great a champion that Balogar asked her to adventure with him. If the legend of her apotheosis is to be believed, it was Balogar who vouched for her and raised her to godhood.