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In my current game, the PCs are in service to Jican, god of knowledge. I had originally had his holy symbol be a silver quill. The players were all less than enthusiastic about this choice. Since it's tattooed on the forehead in this setting, I can understand they want something they can like.
So, does anyone have any suggestions for a good holy symbol/icon for such a deity?
Jican, God of Knowledge, The Wise One, The Learned, Father Advisor
God of knowledge, order, law, cities.
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I think since it's on the forehead, this would be a perfect time to use an eye?
It's a good symbolism, but the problem with that one is that the custom in the world is for every priest to be tattooed on the forehead, no matter the god. There's already an eyeball symbol god.
I probably should have mentioned in the OP about every priesthood doing this.
__________________ "It wasn't supposed to turn out this way. If they had talked to the rabbit, they would have figured that out."" --Prophet2b
1) An exclamation point- representing the "Eureka!" moment of discovery.
2) A candle- representing the metaphorical illumination of the mind and world- the equivalent of the lightbulb in some ways. (The candle has been used in this way IRL.)
3) A book or scroll.
3.1) A book or scroll over a broken sword. ("Knowledge is mightier than force.")
4) A stylized image of the god's library.
5) An equation that would be known to people of that tech level... F=ma, or A2 + B2 = C2 (I don't know how to do superscripts here) perhaps? 22/7?
6) A simple geometric shape of importance- an isoceles triangle, a circle.
6.1) The 5 perfect solids...we call them gaming dice.
It's a good symbolism, but the problem with that one is that the custom in the world is for every priest to be tattooed on the forehead, no matter the god. There's already an eyeball symbol god.
I probably should have mentioned in the OP about every priesthood doing this.
Well I guess the eye is already ganked, so that's out then.
I think your original suggestion is a good one. I think that it is a simple matter of using a stylized form. For example, the symbol of mars is a spear and shield, but its not a literal spear and sheild in sybol form.
So the symbol that means 'quill' might simply be a verticle line that meets narrow curve that points downword. I think that would look very tasteful tattooed on your forehead, or at least as tasteful as anything tatooed to the center of your forehead can be.
Most of the time, a holy symbol is much less direct than that though, and depends on some iconic story about the diety. Once you know the story, then just about anything can be the symbol for any diety.
In the case of a knowledge diety, the symbol might be related to a mythic quest by which the deity acquired his knowledge, or to the quest for knowledge of a saintly follower who impressed the diety (and may have founded the religion).
Some ideas other than quill.
1) Lantern: The diety may be worshiped as the bringer of truth, and thus figuratively 'enlightenment'. Hense, symbolically, he is represented by a lantern (abstractly, a diamond set within a rectangle).
2) Book: Rather than the quill, he may represent the knowledge of the universe itself - the book. Think of the symbol for an open book on its side.
3) Scale: The diety may be an empirical diety, who discovers things by testing and experiment - the diety of science and reason. Scales are normally represented by two triangles connected at the top by a line. In this incarnation, the diety may pick up unexpected duties - like serving as the expert witness when souls are judged, the diety responcible for weighing a person's good and bad deeds.
4) Fire/Olive Branch/Plow: As the diety of knowledge, the diety may be especially associated with some gift of knowledge or invention he gave to the first sentient beings - fire, an olive tree, or the plow.
Personally, in my campaign the answer would probably be, "All of the above." The same diety would probably be worshiped in five or more different forms, by five or more different churches, with five different symbols, and while many would suspect it none would be completely sure whether the worshiped the same deity. Furthermore, there might be sharp disagreements between the followers over the matter, and frankly, as a DM I wouldn't consider it my job to iron out the problem and set things straight. I might not even hold an opinion on the matter, considering it a campaign mystery that doesn't need a solution (until I think of a reason why it should).
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Last edited by Celebrim; 3rd March 2009 at 10:45 PM..
I think your original suggestion is a good one. I think that it is a simple matter of using a stylized form. For example, the symbol of mars is a spear and shield, but its not a literal spear and sheild in sybol form.
I agree with this. I think that the quill is honestly a pretty neat idea. And it could look pretty interesting, too.
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4) Fire/Olive Branch/Plow: As the diety of knowledge, the diety may be especially associated with some gift of knowledge or invention he gave to the first sentient beings - fire, an olive tree, or the plow.
I like that basic idea!
How about the first mechanical invention- the wedge- as symbolized by a right triangle on its side?
The wedge, after all, is the basis for the ramp, a simple brake, and the cutting edge...
In fact, it could even be that different sects of the deity's faith all adopt different holy symbols as they revere his various different aspects.
What about the first letter of your world's most prominent alphabet? It keeps the writing-is-knowledge theme that the quill had, but doesn't look like a big feather.
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A word tattooed on their body, making them the "living word" of their god. Together, they form prayers.
The sigils of the Ilumians always struck me as a good holy symbol for knowledge.
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Jican, God of Knowledge, The Wise One, The Learned, Father Advisor
God of knowledge, order, law, cities.
Hmmm. Not just knowledge then.
Some see knowledge as man's imposition of theory on the natural world, but most realize scientific theories (aka, knowledge) are merely explanations of the underlying order found there naturally. Most seem to believe that law is the order that governs human relations, but I believe that the original law is merely the discovered and written natural laws we all understand; they occur naturally within us, but we write them down so that no one can feign ignorance of them when it's personally convenient. It is the same, you see? Similarly well planned cities are the natural order of societies given form in brick and cobblestone.
The common theme doesn't seem to be knowledge per se, but the discovery of natural orders which govern harmonious interrelations, and then reflecting this truth in physical form (scrolls, law tablets, streets).
The discovery of the naturally occurring (and most harmonious?) order. The committing to form.
I like the stylized quill, but if your players don't, perhaps a stylized transit (the surveying tool), which measures the natural world and helps build cities?
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How about the 3 x 3 Magic Square (the numbers from 1-9 arranged in a 3 cell x 3 cell square so that the sum of every row and column equals 15). If you don't want the actual numbers in the cells, simply use the appropriate number of dots, or substitute letters with the ordinal values of the numbers they represent. It's simultaneously utterly weird and very rational, evoking the real-word ancient relationship between mathematics and mysticism.
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