Archives of Nethys
There are few beings in all the Inner Sphere who can escape the Lantern King's mischievous grasp once they've proven worthy of his full attention. He is a prankster whose cunning plots and capriciousness are unparalleled, he is peerless in his craft, and not even fellow Eldest are spared the dangers of his nigh-inexplicable sense of humor.
At heart (or at least, at the center of his runic coronet), the Lantern King is a figure driven by a desire to make the First World more chaotic and less boring. Though at times harmless, his jokes aren't always good-natured and are usually made at the expense of others. At many times, he straddles the line between good humor and outright sadism, not yet tipping into the depths of irredeemable villainy but never a safe figure to be around. Tricks and misdirection are his tools of trade, and he frequently adopts a multitude of shapes and forms, the better to carry out his endless masquerade of playful and sinister impersonations. His preferred form is a ball of light, however, and some have taken this to mean that he is the progenitor of all will-o'-wisps—a story he finds exceedingly entertaining, and which he refuses to confirm or deny.
Historically, the Laughing Lie has demonstrated a penchant for cruelty. Few things seem to please him more than humbling others (particularly those he deems deserve it), and though he often reserves his most vicious japes for the similarly cruel, this hasn't always been the case. Recent years have seen a subtle shift in his behavior; his mischief has been tempered by bouts of patience of late, and he has even occasionally deigned to be merciful toward the particularly contrite or afraid. Still, like many fey, he is infamously mercurial, and those who meet the Lantern King are often changed forever.
Though the Lantern King's actions often seem to occur at whim, entities with similarly long lifespans have watched the Eldest's influence on many major events reverberate across every plane of existence. Gods, fey, and mortals alike have been affected, even manipulated, by his schemes, and so he's treated with caution by all and granted a grudging respect by more than a few. If he can be said to have a realm or domain all his own, it's surely found along the manifold and ever- shifting pathways of the First World, over which he is said to preside. Among the myriad caravans whose merchants and performers wander these roads, the famous Witchmarket most often holds the Lantern King's favor. From artists and spellcasters to hags and dryads, its members purvey a wide variety of wonders and attractions. A vendor might help an adventurer recover a lost memory, for example— albeit at a steep and mysterious price!
Category Eldest
Edicts Play pranks, seek new jokes, leave lit lanterns in unusual places
Anathema Be completely honest, ruin or explain a good joke
Areas of Concern Laughter, mischief, transformation
Religious Symbol Golden lantern
Sacred Animal Firefly
Sacred Color(s) Black, gold, green
Pantheons/Covenants Fortune's Fate, The Perplexing Jest
Devotee Benefits
Divine Attribute Intelligence or CharismaDivine Font harm or heal
Divine Sanctification none
Divine Skill Deception
Favored Weapon dagger
Domains change, disorientation, passion, trickery
Cleric Spells 1st: illusory disguise, 2nd: laughing fit, 6th: cursed metamorphosis
Shelyn's Corner
×Classic Feel
Classic Feel
Classic Feel
The classic look for the Archives of Nethys.
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Book Feel
Book Feel
Book Feel
An alternative feel, based on the Rulebooks.
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Round Feel
Round Feel
Round Feel
A rounded, modern look for the archives.
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Slim Feel
Slim Feel
Slim Feel
A variant of the Round feel, more compact.
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