The Laughing Shadow, hero-champion of all thieves, was once a mortal Halfling who stole divinity from the Gods themselves. He wrapped himself in shadow and erased himself from sight and memory to protect those he loved. Now only those who he chooses can even perceive his existence, and most other faiths deny that there even is a God of Shadows.
The Laughing Shadow's ethos prescribes theft from those with too much dignity and not enough compassion, vengeance against those who harm the weak, and secrecy to protect yourself and others. Some take this to logical extremes, and believe in theft of everything, from everyone, but the Laughing Shadow rolls his eyes at this. He much prefers to expose those who are hypocrites or preach values they do not espouse. Those who serve the Laughing Shadow are somehow protected from other deities' vengeance, and usually undergo some training in other churches before making an escape to serve their own. Statistics: The Laughing Shadow is a Chaotic Good major deity, with the Chaos, Thieving, and Trickery domains. His favoured weapon is a shortbow forged of rainbow light, stolen from the sky and known for its unerring accuracy. It delivers shafts of light at breathtaking speed, and when he wants to be known for his deeds, arrows of pure gold, often with a message tied to them. The Laughing Shadow offers sanctuary to thieves and ne'er-do-wells of all creeds, so long as they hold by his demands. When the Laughing Shadow appears, if at all, he emerges fully-formed from any shadow or darkness in the vicinity, usually behind whoever has called him. His diminutive stature belies blinding speed and swordplay, as well as incredibly imaginative escapes. How you can use the Laughing Shadow in your game: - The Laughing Shadow makes a perfect patron for Player Character rogues, and might encourage them out of murderhobo antics into anti-authoritarian socially-responsible acts. - The Laughing Shadow might call upon PCs to carry out an act for him, whether exposing a tyrant or freeing a prisoner. If all goes well, they'll be lauded in song and owed many drinks. If they fail, they may earn enemies in power. - A strong-willed Cleric of a Lawful faith has taken exception to even the rumour of such a deity, and has taken it upon himself to craft a trap- a room filled with constant light, from which the Laughing Shadow cannot escape. Those who serve him will notice the weakening of his powers, and might be able to call for aid. Happy birthday to my little brother, and his old character Nibbler Hubshank, who we played to nearly 30th level back in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, way back in the day! Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 20 May 2019. Comments are closed.
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AuthorI'm Luke. He/him pronouns. Archives
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