Chnum
Chnumu, Chnemu, Chnumis. CN lesser power of human creation (He/Him)
Pantheon: Egyptian
Symbol: A ram
Realm: Para-Elemental Plane of Ooze / Iunyt
Known Proxies: None
Chnum is one of the most mysterious gods of the Egyptian pantheon. Although his cult was not particularly popular in Egypt, being mainly worshipped in Upper Egypt, Chnum had a foremost role in Egyptian cosmology.
Ram-headed Chnum was said to have crafted mankind from mud, and was hence represented as a potter intent on shaping man in his workshop. Chnum also crafted the human’s ka, or afterlife double, the bodies of petitioners into which the souls of inhabit after death.
As a power of Upper Egypt, Chnum is also held responsible for the Nile’s fertility, another paramount element of Egyptian life. Chnum is the husband of Anukis, the Egyptian goddess of fresh water, and the father of Satjet, also a water goddess.
Chnum has no petitioners of his own; he is too busy making ka for the souls of Egyptians to inhabit. He may be found in the company of watery creatures (marids, nereids, tritons) and protean travellers in his realm in Ooze.
While he avoids the Outer Planes, Chnum does craft the bodies of Egyptian petitioners. Why and how this is done remains a mystery. Who knows what favours the Egyptian powers owe to each other? Perhaps because Chnum is chaotic and based on the Inner Planes, he has few friends among the Egyptian powers, even though he supplies them with kau (plural of ‘ka’).
The Priesthood
Chnum’s priests may be found travelling in the Elemental Plane of Water to meet some marid on a diplomatic mission but, again, these bloods tend to avoid the Outer Planes. See, Chnum ain’t interested in belief. He’s a most practical basher, after all: he’s a potter, ain’t he?
Source: MC Gianni and Jon Winter-Holt
