Zenniva

## **Description**

Zenniva is a deity of order, labor and obedience, who is widely worshipped by hard-working people of all walks of life. He is especially well-known, however, by slaves and slavers whose practices are not only justified, but encouraged by his teachings.

## **Zenniva in the Divine Record**

The Divine Record describes Zenniva's origin as that of a devout and humble man, born free, who was forced to sell himself into slavery to overcome financial hardship. Despite violent masters and cruel treatment, his attitude, honesty and work-ethic set him above his peers time and again, until eventually, he became Head Slave to the city's king - who made him overseer of all other slaves in his land.

When food supplies ran low, Zenniva led the house-slaves to work the fields. When a plague struck the land, he taught them to make bandages, organized care for the sick, and sent them marching to bring back clean water from a nearby stream. And, when a neighboring city laid seige to the walls, Zenniva led the servants to carry supplies, fortify the walls, and even give of their meager portions to better supply the soldiers on the wall.

The seige, however, was long, and the winter cold. By the following spring, the food supply was nearly gone and the soldiers on the wall were too exhausted to fight. Knowing that the end was near, Zenniva approached his master, and asked for permission to unshackle the slaves who he had led for so long - and march on the enemy. Knowing his servant's honor, and knowing he had no other options remaining, the ruler of the city agreed.

That night, over a thousand unarmed and unarmored slaves crept from the city under cover of darkness. While their unsuspecting enemy slept, they took their swords, scattered their horses, and then set fire to the tents. In the chaos and confusion, the enemy force was routed, and when morning came, the surviving slaves stood victorious, silhouetted against the still-crackling fires of the enemy camp.

The soldiers of the city formed at the gate to meet the approaching slaves, assuming that they would now surely use their superior numbers to take the city for themselves. As the slave army marched forward, the archers readied their bows, waiting for the ruler to call for their release. That call never came, for as the slaves came within bowshot, it became clear that they carried no weapons - but instead were bringing back the supplies from the enemy camp - to feed the city, with Zenniva at the front, bearing the heaviest load.

The ruler met them at the gate, regarding his servant with awe, and asked him what gift or honor he could give in repayment for such a selfless act. His response was only this:

It is not a slave's place to ask for reward in exchange for duly rendered service to an honorable master. It is honor enough simply to receive that master's trust, shelter and kindness. You have always shown me these, and so I serve as I always have. These men and women, however, have not always been so fortunate. On their behalf, I would you only to ensure that their wrists and ankles never again feel the chafe of shackles, nor their backs the biting sting of a whip. All hard-working men and women should be treated fairly, and this evening's labor was hard work indeed.

The king agreed to the meager terms, and the people rejoiced. Zenniva continued to serve his master faithfully until his death many years later, and upon his passing the slaves of the city were so distraught that they began to pray and bring offerings to Munus, begging for Zenniva to be returned to them once more. Moved deeply by the peoples' pleas, the World Weaver re-spun the life-force of Zenniva from a silver thread, making him a deity, and granting their wish.

## **Church**

Zenniva's faith is home to hard-working laborers of all vocations, but especially among slaves and slavers. In nations where slavery is legal, faithful worshippers may actually represent a major public force in the community, with great temples that double as clean, professionally managed slave markets.

Whether slave or master, the tenets of the faith are simple, honoring fair-treatment, hard-work, honesty and loyalty. In areas where Zenniva is worshipped, those masters who truly uphold this faith often find themselves with laborers who seem to get more done than even seems feasible - while those who do not, all too often find themselves financial trouble, infertile fields, and high competition from rivals.

## **Important Rituals**

Most faithful of Zenniva rise before the sun, and say their prayers as the light first crests the horizon. Filling the day with hard-work while the light is shining is seen as an act of worship.