Gesme, the Brilliant

Learn, create, discover. Sometimes the old way must burn to make way for the new.

An enigmatic figure, Gesme is the Amaranthine who governs knowledge, insight, and inspiration. She represents fire, the spark that both inspires and destroys. She acknowledges that delving into the unknown requires the courage to be burned. Gesme is depicted as a raven whose body is alight with the flames of knowledge. In her talons, she carries a staff of burning oak, which lights the way for scholars. Gesme is best known for stealing fire from Ardea’s sun and bringing it to Everden, burning her feathers black in the process.

Her stolen flame brought fire and the light of reason to the world. While this act earned her a place among the Amaranthine, many feel it was folly to give fire to mortals. She is the patron spirit of the corvums. Legend has it that all corvums have at least one black feather, symbolic of Gesme’s seared plumage.

Gesme teaches that chaos and innovation are part of a great cycle. Each discovery spawns a new mystery, which leads to further discovery in a never-ending loop in which the old becomes fodder for the new. She is a symbol of all that birdfolk can achieve if they dare to push boundaries and harness their creativity. First among her followers are those who study the arcane arts or experiment with magical forces, such as scholars and mages. She is also revered by artisans, and craftspeople of every kind. Blacksmiths, in particular, understand the danger and power of working directly with flames and pay her special reverence. Her followers pray to her for the spark of creativity that will ignite the fires of creation.