Nisaba

Origin:

The child of Anu and Antu, Nisaba is one of the Anunnaki. A popular goddess from this family of deities, Nisaba is emblematic of the process of writing, the growing of grain, and the hard work of scribes - whether utilizing cuneiform or more modern scripts.

Known Powers:

Immortality: a fifth generation Anunnaki, Nisaba is an immortal being. She can be brought to zero Health and Endurance, but will eventually recover no matter how severe the damage that caused such a turn of events. She also possesses these related abilities:

* Awe: bolstered by the faith of her followers, both who know they are such and those who do not, Nisaba can expose the spectral glow of her immortal life force to the world. This will overwhelm those within Very Near distance who fail a Psyche (will) FEAT against Amazing (50) rank.

* Boon: having been venerated in some form or another for almost seven thousand years, Nisaba readily grants power requests. She may do this with Amazing (50) ability, bolstering magic or fueling Homogenization, Inspiration, Linguistics, or Plant Control entreaty spells.

Inspiration: Nisaba is often prayed to for inspiration, particularly by those versed in the written arts, and she is generally happy to indulge those who do. She wields this ability at Amazing (50) rank, allowing a bonus Reason FEAT roll to those in need of an intellectual nudge.

Linguistics: though Nabu has managed to steal some of her thunder, Nisaba is often credited with giving mere mortals the gift of writing. She is generally associated with the written form of every language, and as such, she can wield this ability at Amazing (50) rank.

Plant Control: before she was associated with the work of scribes, Nisaba was initially a goddess of grains. Though rarely thought of in agricultural terms these days, she can induce growth in plant life, or otherwise manipulate it, with Excellent (20) ability.

Limitations / Enhancements:

(none)

Equipment:

(none)

Quirks:

(none)

Talents:

Artist 3: while she originally was a goddess of grains, Nisaba grew to represent writing as the practice developed in ancient Sumer. Nisaba can spend up to 1d10 weeks per written work, after which she shall receive 30 times that amount of Karma as a reward.

Mathematics 2: an additional area of expertise that Nisaba is famous for is her mastery of accounting. She should receive a +2 CS on any Reason FEAT roll required when performing mathematical operations, particularly where accounting and inventory is concerned.

Contacts:

Nisaba is a fifth generation Anunnkai, and can readily rely upon her fellow descendants of Abzu and Tiamat for assistance should she but ask. Furthermore, she is beloved by most of those who venerate these deities, not to mention writers and farmers of various stripes.

Costume:

The exact clothing Nisaba utilizes depends on what role she is currently filling, generally wearing ornate yet sensible ensembles whether farming or acting as the scribe of the gods. One common component of her outfits is the horned cap common to most Anunnaki and Igigi.

Personality:

Nisaba embodies various aspects of civilization, and as such comes across as quintessentially cosmopolitan. She is a creative soul who enjoys the process of writing, and is happy to offer inspiration to those who need it in their literary endeavors, regardless of their intent.

Real Name: Nisaba
Occupation: goddess of grains, writing, and scribes
Legal Status: the citizen of no mortal land, Nisaba can be considered one of the people of extraplanar Ubshukkina.
Marital Status: married
Alias(es), if any: Nidaba, Nanibgal
Group Affiliation: the Anunnaki

Height: 5' 6"
Hair: black, possibly with gray streaks
Eyes: brown
Weight: 130 lbs.
Other Distinguishing Characteristics: she is known to carry a golden stylus, with which she documents all that she oversees.

Story:

One of the older members of the Anunnaki, Nisaba is arguably the most popular of Anu and Antu's many daughters. Worshiped since the very dawn of civilization, Nisaba was initially thought of in relation to farming, and was represented in ancient art as a single grain stalk.

As trade and agriculture developed during civilization's dawn, so did primitive writing systems. Nisaba is generally credited as the deity who devised cuneiform, the original script mankind performed accounting with, which eventually evolved to convey linguistic information.

For thousands of years, Nisaba was properly venerated as a goddess of writing, and eventually became the scribe of the Anunnaki. She documented facts both major and minor for those gods, crafted maps of the various territories held by gods and men, and a whole lot more.

In this capacity, Nisaba worked closely with Haia, the deity of doorways and warehouses, and in time the two were wed. They had at least one child, Sud, who ultimately married Enlil himself! Upon doing so, Sud changed her name, becoming known as Ninlil.

In time, Nisaba's place as the divine scribe was usurped by Nabu, but the people never stopped thinking of her as the goddess of writing. Even after the rest of the Babylonians fell by the wayside, Nisaba thrives, for the art of writing persists long after the rise of newer faiths.

While she herself may have been almost forgotten by history, Nisaba continues to draw power from humanity to this very day. This is because the very act of writing is considered veneration of her person, helping her, and by proxy her pantheon, to persist in the modern age!

Legal Hoopajoob:

I offer this Costumed Adventurer Simulation Engine work under the Creative Commons Attribution license. You may use this material as you see fit in your own, derivative texts or products, whether copying, distributing, or displaying it, as long as you credit me within said works.

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