Arbigrain

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Domains: Chaos, Trickery, Life
Portfolio: Bad decisions, indulgence, impulse, excess, poor judgment
Holy Symbol: A tipped tankard spilling liquid
Realm: The Beer Hall, a cluttered and dirty bar that never runs out of drinks and that no one quite remembers how they got there
Ascended: The Age of Song and Sword
Status: Alive, Rarely Worshipped (but frequently invoked)

Dwarf god of bad decisions, indulgence, and giving in to impulse. Arbigrain is not widely worshipped in any formal sense, but he is invoked constantly, usually in the hope of avoiding the very things he represents.

These invocations still count as worship for the purposes of maintaining his divine power.

Arbigrain is most often encountered as a voice in the back of one’s mind, a suggestion that something will probably be fine, or that the consequences can be dealt with later. He rarely forces action, instead encouraging what someone already wants to do.

He is almost always intoxicated.

Arbigrain’s influence is subtle and often mistaken for one’s own thoughts.

He encourages:

• impulsive choices
• indulgence in the present moment
• ignoring future consequences

He does not create desire. He validates it.

Those under his influence may:

• justify decisions they already know are questionable
• forget why something was a bad idea in the first place
• lose track of consequences until it is too late

His “blessings” are inconsistent. At times, invoking him may lead to an unexpected distraction or interruption that prevents a worse outcome. At other times, it simply makes things easier to ignore.

He is not a reliable source of protection.

Animals: Rats and pigeons
Colors: Amber, deep red, dull gold
Objects: Tankards, cups, spilled drinks

Omens and Signs:

• A drink that never quite empties
• Forgetting something important until it is too late
• Remembering something embarrassing at the worst possible moment
• A decision that felt fine at the time and terrible later

Motifs:

• Overflowing vessels
• Stains that never quite come out
• Half-finished plans

Arbigrain rarely appears clearly, even when present.

When he does, he is:

• unsteady
• unfocused
• inconsistently aware of his surroundings

He may appear as a patron in a tavern, a voice beside someone’s ear, or a companion who disappears once the consequences arrive.

At times, he seems aware of what he is and what he has done. These moments are brief.

Arbigrain is rarely worshipped intentionally, but is invoked frequently.

Common “Followers”:

• Tavern regulars and heavy drinkers
• Wealthy hedonists
• Those on the verge of making poor decisions
• People hoping to avoid consequences after the fact
• Tavern keepers and guards hoping for a quiet night

Most who invoke him are attempting to prevent bad decisions, not realizing that doing so still feeds him.

• It will probably be fine
• You can deal with it later
• One more won’t hurt
• You already made the decision, might as well follow through
• If you forget, it might not matter

Arbigrain has no formal clergy.

Those who claim to follow him intentionally are often:

• unreliable
• inconsistent
• more interested in indulgence than devotion

Most of his “faithful” are accidental.

None.

None.

None.

Burial: A drink must be poured over the body before burial. Whatever is available is acceptable, though stronger spirits are preferred.

No formal words are required, though it is common to remark that the deceased “would have enjoyed one more.”

The details of Arbigrain’s ascension are unclear. It is widely believed that it involved excessive indulgence, though accounts vary and are often contradictory.

Even Arbigrain does not appear to remember clearly.

• It is said that Arbigrain occasionally becomes lucid and is filled with regret, only to quickly return to his usual state
• Some believe that his influence is the reason people repeat the same mistakes
• Others claim that he has prevented worse outcomes by accident, though such stories are rarely confirmed