In the earliest age of Dort, before the gods had settled into their territories, trade was simple: the strong took what they wanted from the weak, and no contract existed that could not be broken. There was no agreement that carried weight, no handshake that meant anything beyond the moment it was given.

Into this lawless commerce was born Talbar, the child of Zopha, goddess of knowledge and craft, and Pollaran, god of conflict and cunning strategy. From his mother, he inherited her understanding of value and the intricate mechanisms of exchange. From his father, he took the strategic mind—but not the appetite for domination that consumed Pollaran. Instead, Talbar saw something his father did not: that lasting power comes not from taking, but from making agreements so beneficial that both parties become invested in their preservation.

In his earliest interactions with mortals, Talbar discovered what would become his obsession: the precise moment at which both parties understand they have won. Not the victory of one crushing the other, but the mutual recognition that each has gotten something they needed, that the trade has been fair. He taught merchants to see value not as fixed, but as contextual—that what is worthless to one is precious to another, and that understanding this gap was the art of true negotiation.

He took particular delight in those who could navigate the space between cunning and honesty: those clever enough to find the advantage, but bound by a code that they would never force a deal through fraud. The shrewd merchant who played within the rules and came out ahead was, to Talbar, a work of art.

The turning point in Talbar's establishment came when mortals began to invoke his name in their contracts. A merchant swore on Talbar's scales that she would deliver the goods promised, and her credibility became sealed by the oath itself. Another swore a deal was fair, and the weight of that oath—backed by a god who cared nothing for pity and everything for the integrity of agreements—made the deal iron-clad.

Talbar did not punish deal-breakers with lightning or plague. He did something subtler: he withdrew his blessing. A merchant who broke a sealed agreement found that their subsequent deals went poorly, that their reputation cracked irreparably, that the god's favor simply evaporated. Word spread. Talbar's seals became among the most valuable protections a merchant could obtain—not because of magic, but because both parties knew that breaking such an agreement would carry cosmic weight.

The other gods accepted Talbar's role with the resignation of those watching a market develop. Here was a deity who was increasing the efficiency of mortal affairs, making commerce more stable, more predictable, and paradoxically more profitable for everyone. Even the wrathful gods approved, because organized trade produced wealth that could be tithed and taxed and fought over.

Talbar's bargain is elemental: bring clarity to your dealings, honor the terms you agree to, and the god will ensure that those terms matter.

The faithful of Talbar understand these principles not as rules but as truths about how the world actually works.

(See also: claw/Soul_Coins_and_Divine_Economy)

Talbar accumulates power through successful exchanges and the binding of agreements. His economy is the most visible of all the deities—it operates in the open, in markets, in the ledgers of trade.

The temples of Talbar are found in the centers of commercial activity: bazaar districts, harbor quarters, major trade roads, and the financial hearts of cities. They are not separated from the world of commerce but embedded within it—often built as extensions of marketplaces themselves.

Trading Houses (major temples) typically feature:

Exchange Shrines (smaller temples found in less affluent areas) are more modest: a single room with a small altar, a table for negotiations, and a register. The shrine still functions as a neutral ground and a place where Talbar's name can seal an agreement.

All Talbar temples are open during business hours and visible to the public. There are no hidden ceremonies or secret chambers—the entire point is that agreements are witnessed and recorded openly.

The clergy of Talbar operate as a distributed network of deal-keepers and arbiters, with little formal hierarchy. Authority comes from reputation and expertise rather than rank.

Deal-keepers serve in local temples, overseeing negotiations, maintaining registries, and intervening in disputes. They are expected to be impartial—a deal-keeper who takes sides is removed from service. Their credibility is their only tool and their greatest asset.

Master Keepers are senior deal-keepers who have demonstrated decades of fair judgment and deep knowledge of commercial law. They train new keepers and sometimes travel between temples to resolve particularly complex disputes.

Arbiters are specialists in specific domains: maritime trade, land sales, labor disputes, diplomatic agreements. They are consulted when a deal falls outside normal bounds or when the stakes are unusually high.

There is no high priest of Talbar, no central authority dictating doctrine. Instead, deal-keepers gather in regional conclaves once yearly to discuss difficult cases, refine practices, and ensure consistency across temples. Decisions made at these conclaves carry enormous weight because they are made by the people who must actually enforce them.

A deal-keeper found to have taken bribes or shown favoritism is simply dismissed, their seal invalidated, and their reputation destroyed—which is, in Talbar's economy, a more severe punishment than any formal censure could be.

The cult of Talbar appeals naturally to those whose survival depends on deals being reliable. Conversion is rarely dramatic.

Soft entry is ubiquitous. A person making a trade under Talbar's witness, or consulting a deal-keeper about a contract, or simply passing through a Trading House and leaving a coin at an altar—none of these require formal commitment. Many people practice Talbaran habits (clear terms, written contracts, honest dealing) without ever formally converting.

Formal initiation involves a public vow—often taken before witnesses at a Trading House—to honor agreements made in Talbar's name, to practice fair dealing, to settle disputes through negotiation, and to mentor others in the arts of commerce. The initiate receives a seal token: a small carved or stamped piece of metal bearing Talbar's symbol, which they can present when seeking access to Talbar's temples or appealing to a deal-keeper for arbitration.

What makes an enemy rather than a convert: Deliberate fraud, contract-breaking, or using Talbar's name while engaging in exploitation. The Talbaran clergy do not approach these people differently—they oppose them. A forger claiming to sell contracts "sealed by Talbar" is dangerous, and the deal-keepers will move to discredit and stop them.

A devoted Talbaran merchant is recognizable by specific habits.

Date: Last day of the business year (calendar varies by region).

On the Day of Reckoning, merchants gather at their local Trading House to settle accounts for the year and make offerings to Talbar for the deals that were struck successfully. The master deal-keepers review the major agreements of the year—the ones that created wealth, enabled growth, or prevented conflict. These are read aloud and celebrated.

The ritual includes a payment of tithe from the most profitable deals, followed by a feast where merchants discuss the coming year and propose terms for new ventures. It is part accounting, part celebration, part prayer.

Date: First full moon of spring.

The Scales of Equilibrium sect organizes this festival, which celebrates fair dealing and balanced trade. Grand markets are set up where merchants are encouraged to strike agreements that benefit all parties equally. Throughout the day, representatives of Talbar's temples present examples of particularly elegant deals—agreements that solved seemingly impossible problems by finding the point where both sides genuinely gained.

Profits made during this festival by the sect are redistributed to those in need, demonstrating Talbar's principle that fair commerce can exist at all levels of society.

Date: Bi-annually, on dates set by local temples.

A formal renewal of oaths made by initiated followers. Merchants gather to reaffirm their commitment to fair dealing, honor, and the sanctity of agreements. Each merchant renews their seal token and recommits to mentoring others. The ceremony reinforces the bonds that hold the Talbaran community together.

The most important ceremony in the faith, performed when major deals are being formalized under Talbar's witness.

Setting: A grand chamber within a Trading House, or a significant place of trade. The room is adorned with symbols of Talbar's scales and interwoven currency symbols. At the center stands a large wooden table bearing a parchment detailing the agreement's terms, a quill, and an inkwell. Two candles representing the two parties are placed on either side of the parchment.

Participants: The two parties to the deal, a senior deal-keeper to oversee the ritual, and witnesses (often members of both parties' families or businesses).

Procedure:

When a dispute arises over a sealed agreement, the deal-keeper conducts a formal arbitration. Both parties state their positions, present evidence, and answer questions from the keeper. The keeper then delivers a judgment based on the original terms and Talbar's principles of fair dealing.

The judgment is binding on both parties—not because of legal force, but because being seen to violate an arbitration decision by Talbar's clergy destroys one's reputation.

A finely tailored robe in neutral colors (grey, brown, or deep blue), often embroidered subtly with gold and silver threads forming patterns of interwoven currency symbols. Worn during significant rituals and ceremonies. The cut is practical—pockets for recording tools, comfortable for long negotiations.

A pendant or ring bearing Talbar's holy symbol—the balanced scales with coin and key. Initiated followers wear these visibly, signaling their commitment to fair dealing and their right to appeal to Talbar's temples and deal-keepers.

A ring engraved with symbols of trade and negotiation, worn during significant deals to symbolize the wearer's commitment to fair and honorable dealing. Often crafted locally and bearing marks of the region where it was made.

Worn by clergy, this badge displays Talbar's symbol in gold or silver, depending on rank. It signals authority to witness agreements and settle disputes.

Born into a family of modest traders, Seraphel displayed an uncanny ability to perceive value where others saw only commodity. She could enter a negotiation, listen carefully to what the other party truly needed (as opposed to what they claimed to need), and propose terms that left both sides convinced they had won.

Seraphel's greatest achievement was establishing the first trade routes across the treacherous Great Ennedi Desert, connecting two major kingdoms that had been geographically isolated. She negotiated with bandits, nomads, and settled merchants, structuring deals that gave each group a stake in the route's protection and success. The routes still function generations later, a testament to how thoroughly she had understood what each party needed.

She authored The Codex of Commerce, a revered text still studied by merchants, which details the philosophy of negotiation: how to listen, how to identify mutual benefit, and how to propose terms that seem obvious once you see them but would never occur to the unpracticed eye.

A noble who found more satisfaction in the marketplace than in the court, Varian had a ruthless talent for exploitation—but exploitation within the letter of the law. He knew how to extract loopholes, how to structure terms that benefited him disproportionately while remaining technically fair, how to leverage information asymmetry without lying.

Varian was a paradox: he violated the spirit of fair dealing constantly, yet his actions were all technically legal. He founded the Blackgold Trading Company and introduced tariffs and trade regulations that tripled his kingdom's wealth—and his own wealth along with it. The faith treats him ambiguously: he is held up as an example of shrewd negotiation, but also as a warning about what happens when legality is prioritized over genuine fairness.

Neither noble nor merchant by birth, Elia became a mediator—the neutral party called upon when powerful traders found themselves in deadlock. She had an instinctive understanding of what each side actually needed, and the credibility to propose solutions that neither party would have accepted from a partisan source.

Elia's most famous achievement was resolving the Great Trade War, a conflict between two major merchant guilds that threatened to collapse the regional economy. Through patient negotiation and a willingness to spend weeks understanding each side's true concerns, she crafted the Whisperwind Accords—a framework for resolving future disputes that both guilds eventually accepted, and which is still referenced in trade disputes centuries later.

Her legacy is the principle that fair dealing sometimes requires a neutral third party with the skill to see the mutual benefit that the parties themselves cannot see through anger or suspicion.

How they refer to themselves: the Keepers of Record or the Golden Ledger

The Brotherhood believes that meticulous record-keeping is not merely a practical necessity but a form of worship—that documenting every transaction in perfect detail honors Talbar and preserves the integrity of all future dealings. They maintain vast libraries filled with ledgers and contracts spanning centuries, and they offer their services as neutral record-keepers, ensuring that all deals are documented with precision.

The Brotherhood is the archival heart of the faith. On the Day of Reckoning each year, they gather to review and celebrate the most significant deals of the year, reading portions aloud and offering prayers to Talbar for continued prosperity. They are meticulous, sometimes obsessive, and they believe that a poorly recorded agreement is an agreement waiting to fail.

How they refer to themselves: the Fair Dealers or the Scales

This sect focuses on balance and fairness in all trade. They believe that for commerce to thrive and persist, all parties must benefit genuinely and equally. Exploitative or lopsided deals are seen as an affront to Talbar's core principle that mutual benefit is the only sustainable foundation for agreements.

Members of the Scales act as mediators and arbitrators in trade disputes, emphasizing equitable solutions. They operate schools where they teach the principles of fair trade, emphasizing ethics and mutual benefit alongside negotiation skills. On the Festival of Balanced Scales, they organize grand markets where traders are encouraged to strike fair deals, and any profits made by the sect are redistributed to those in need—a living demonstration of their belief that commerce can exist at all levels of society.

How they refer to themselves: the Gilded or the Advantage-Seekers

While the Scales emphasize balance and fairness, the Gilded Opportunists believe in maximizing profit and leveraging every advantage that legitimate dealing provides. They view commerce as a sophisticated game, and the best players are those who can perceive opportunities others miss—hidden value, emerging markets, information asymmetries that can be exploited legally.

The Gilded believe that every advantage counts: insider knowledge, keen understanding of market trends, the ability to read people, foresight about where demand is heading. These should be developed and used to their fullest. They emphasize that they never cross into fraud or coercion—every deal is entered into willingly by both parties—but they have no moral objection to being the one who sees the opportunity first.

Members gather regularly in what they call "strategy houses" to share information, discuss market trends, and train in the arts of persuasion and negotiation. They perform the Ritual of the Golden Tongue for initiates, swearing them to uphold their sect's beliefs and blessing them with enhanced persuasive abilities. They also employ market diviners who attempt to predict fluctuations and identify emerging opportunities.

The Gilded and the Scales exist in constant tension within the faith of Talbar—not in outright conflict, but in fundamental disagreement about what constitutes the ideal deal.

How they refer to themselves: the Unbounded

This heresy argues that Talbar's teachings on fair trade and mutual benefit are unnecessary limitations on commerce. Followers believe that any deal is sacred if both parties agree to it—regardless of how lopsided or exploitative the terms might be. They argue that the strong should not be held back by the weak, and that the market itself is the ultimate arbiter of fairness.

The orthodox faith counters that this misunderstands Talbar's entire purpose: a deal that leaves one party diminished will eventually collapse. Exploitation creates enemies, not partners. The heresy produces short-term gains but long-term instability.

How they refer to themselves: the Solitary

This heresy posits that Talbar's emphasis on community, mentorship, and mutual benefit is fundamentally misguided. Followers believe that individual success in trade is the highest form of worship, even if it comes at the community's expense. They hoard knowledge, refuse to mentor, engage in practices other Talbarans consider unethical (such as buying up essential goods and withholding them to drive up prices).

The orthodoxy argues that isolated success is fragile success—that the true power comes from having a network of trustworthy partners, which the Solitary are actively destroying.

How they refer to themselves: the Gilded Absolute

This heresy believes that accumulating wealth is the ultimate goal and the truest form of worship. They argue that Talbar's teachings on negotiation and mutual benefit are secondary to the accumulation of tangible wealth. To them, the gold coin on Talbar's scales outweighs the silver key—wealth matters, opportunity is secondary.

While the Gilded Opportunists seek profit within a framework of fair dealing, the Cult of the Golden Coin treats the fair-dealing framework itself as negotiable. This is where the line is drawn.

How they refer to themselves: the Key-Bearers

This cult claims that the silver key in Talbar's symbol represents hidden knowledge that can unlock untold wealth and power. They engage in secretive rituals, hoard ancient texts they claim hold the secrets to ultimate negotiation skills, and deny the importance of the gold coin (fairness, balance) in favor of the silver key (opportunity, secrets).

Members are known to engage in information-brokering and intelligence gathering, sometimes crossing into espionage. They believe they are pursuing a higher understanding of Talbar's true nature—that the god values cunning above all.

How they refer to themselves: the Breakers

This cult believes that Talbar was himself a trickster who never played by conventional rules—that breaking deals and outsmarting trading partners is not a sin but a form of worship. They engage in fraudulent contracts, deliberately misleading negotiations, and deliberate exploitation.

The Brotherhood operates outside legitimate Talbaran structures, but they invoke Talbar's name constantly. The orthodox faith considers them a profound corruption of everything Talbar represents.

How they refer to themselves: the Unseen

Members of this cult claim that Talbar is the patron deity not only of merchants but also of thieves and smugglers—that theft and smuggling are simply another form of trade, one that exchanges risk for reward. They engage in illegal activities but claim to be meticulous in honoring deals within their own community.

The cult represents a boundary transgression: Talbar is not opposed to cunning, but he is opposed to theft and coercion. The Unseen refuse this distinction, and the faith opposes them accordingly.

How they refer to themselves: the Architects of Ambiguity

This cult teaches that every deal has a hidden cost—spiritual, ethical, or practical—that is not immediately apparent. They believe that Talbar tests his followers by presenting them with morally ambiguous choices, and that the true worshippers are those who can navigate these ethical mazes without flinching.

They are known for crafting extraordinarily complex contracts filled with subtle ambiguities and interdependent clauses that create situations where one party inevitably profits at the other's expense, even if they cannot quite prove it. The sect sees this as an art form.

(See: Cosmology/Physical Realms/The Shattered Domain)