Brobat and Beesbok

Brobat and Beesbok are the Patron Gods of the Pygmies.

Description
According to the Pygmy myth, the world was created by thirteen short gods who then joined in an immense feast to celebrate. During the feast two half-brothers connived to murder the other eleven gods, and even to this day they still dine on the flesh of their former comrades.

Of the two gods Brobat is the more thoughtful and sober and is depicted in legends as a devious schemer. He is intelligent, self-interested and wholly without morals. His sphere of influence is work, suffering, disease and death, political intrigue and the acquisition of power for its own sake. He appears as a huge Pygmy - fully six feet tall wearing crocodile skins, a feathered head-dress and carrying a stout wooden rod.

Beesbok presents a much jollier image. He has no interest in working, scheming, thinking too hard or doing anything other than eat, drink and generally having a good time. His sphere of interest encompasses all the principle leisure activities, health and well-being, together with the promotion of lethargy. At five and a half feet he is tall for a Pygmy but short for a god. Beesbok is stocky, squat, dark-skinned, unwashed and he has an immense paunch. He is often naked, but may wear a simple loincloth and carry a club or blowpipe.

Beesbok's symbol is a crude semicircle with its ends upwards (said to resemble a smiling mouth) while that of Brobat has the ends downwards. Many Pygmies carry this symbol on an item that can be quickly inverted, such as a shield, to that they can present the correct symbol if they should happen to meet either of the Witchdoctors.

The names attributed to these gods vary from village to village. Brobat and Beesbok are revered (worshipped would be too strong a term) by Pygmies throughought Lustria.

Temples
There are no temples as such, although the huts of the witchdoctors are considered holy places and the name of each god is never mentioned in the hut of his half-brother's disciple. There is no central organisation or communication between followers of the gods in neighbouring villages.

Holy Days
There are no special holy days; praise is given to Beesbok whenever there is a large feast and respect is shown to Brobat whenever there is a death in the village.

Strictures
Those professing to follow Beesbok must never refuse an offer of food unless they know it to be poisoned or otherwise dangerous, and must share their own food if requested. Followers of Brobat must never willingly give another food and must never eat in the sight of others (they frequently claim never to eat at all although this is entirely spurious). Both of the Witchdoctors must listen to the problems of any villagers who come to them (though they often pretend to be out when gossips or hypochondriacs come to visit), but need not necessarily give any advice or assistance.