An enigmatic figure, Gesme is the Amaranthine who
governs knowledge, insight, and inspiration. She
represents fire, the spark which 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 a 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.