Hendren: God of Knowledge

What would a pantheon be without a god or goddess who oversees knowledge and wisdom? Hendren represents this aspect along with virtue and health. Benevolent and compassionate by his very nature, he is one of the most approachable Theriomorph deities.

In many mythologies, knowledge is bestowed through goddesses like the Greco/Roman example Athena/Minerva. Yet there are several prominent gods who cherish both knowledge and wisdom. In ancient Egypt, Thoth was the god of magic, the moon, writing and, of course, wisdom. He was depicted with either a baboon or an ibis head and would often hold writing utensils in his hands. He is also closely tied to cosmic balance and equilibrium. He was well-versed in many subjects including writing, the art of magic, science, and judgement of the dead. And why wouldn’t he be? Isn’t part of being knowledgeable to be well-versed in all things?

Another god of knowledge is Odin from Norse mythology. Yet, unlike the other gods or goddesses associated with wisdom and knowledge, Odin never cared to share his learnings with mankind. His sole purpose was to know everything there was, and he was not afraid to make great sacrifices to gain this hard-earned knowledge. At one point he plucked out one of his eyes so he could drink from the well of knowledge. He also stabbed himself then hung himself from the world tree for nine days in order to attain the mystery of the runes. Since he was a trickster god, he was not afraid to con another being into telling him what he wanted to learn. Like Thoth, Odin is associated with magical arts as part of his acquired wisdom.

Hendren is wise enough to respect virtues and kind enough to aid mortals when asked, unlike his Nordic counterpart. Knowledgeable in all things, he is acutely aware of medical practices. I chose to style him in part after the Greco/Roman god Apollo for he oversees medicine and healing and is also recognized as the god of truth. And just like Apollo, Hendren is depicted as young and athletic.

Hendren’s dual form is the Scarlet Panda. This imaginary creature was inspired by the red pandas of China since the Far East has, for many hundreds of years, been renowned for its medicine.

Brilliant from birth, this child of Slypher and Valcum is far too smart to get entangled with the pettiness of his fellow deities. If only all were so lucky…

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Please note that this image is from: https://www.pinterest.es/pin/682928730971422309/