En-shanni-Vatti-Brother Shadow

Areas of concern: Secrets, Shadows, The unknown, trickery, nightmares

Divine attribute: Intelligence or charisma

Religious symbol: A black box full of shadows.

Sacred animal: Nyctosaurus

Sacred colors: Black, dark gray

Devotee Benefits

Cleric spells: 1st: Invoke true name, 2nd: Illusory Shroud, 5th: Umbral Journey

Divine font: Harm or heal

Divine skill: Deception

Domains: Nightmare, Trickery, Darkness

Favored weapon: Sword Cane

Aphorisms

Listen to the shadows- Means that instead of speaking, even when alone, you should first listen to hear if there is anything worth hearing. It is also used in a roundabout way to mean think before speaking.

The Shadow's bidding- Often stated when something terrible has happened, it is a phrase Kolobvol use to find strength. As Brother Shadow brings turmoil into the lives of the kolobvol that turmoil brings strength and builds character.

Big Brother is watching- If you are doing something that the person thinks is aggregious, this is a reminder that you are always seen by Brother Shadow.

Champions

While few champions, specifically, of Brother Shadow exist, those who do, are spymasters and assassins. Whispering secrets to the shadows, and leaving people dead with no known cause or leads. Many of these champions who do exist do so in miniature tribes called Secrets and often ally themselves with night hags to obtain the magical power they needd for such endeavors. Night Hags know to deal fairly with these champions, as their deity's work is done through them.

History

The deep history of The Ancient Ægadia is one of mystery and secrets, largely due to brother shadow himself. The secretmaster of all secret masters, Brother shadow represents all things hidden, lost, and/or nightmarish. Once, one of two deities of the Ancient Ægadia , Brother Shadow is by far the eldest of his family, and individually the most dangerous by far. Everything the other members of The Ancient Ægadia have has been stolen from him by Storyteller, his ancient rival.

Long ago before the Kolobvol were sapient, there was En-Shanni-Vatti- Brother Shadow and Alzëkolën- Sister light . They were rivals, but they were balance. Until Sister Light brought one of the kolobvol into her family. Gave him some of her power, and lessened herself to bring up another. In that moment, Brother Shadow struck, and took from his sister everything that she was, and brought himself to be the lord of all the kolobvol.

He made the mistake of ignoring the kolobvol who had been given his sister's spark, however, as he would become the greatest problem for the master of shadows. As time went on, Brother shadow watched the going's on of the kolobvol and noticed that they were no longer the simple beings they once were, they were capable of thinking and planning. Many could now outthink the Jant who would capture them. This intrigued Brother Shadow, and he sought to find the cause of this, as no secret should be hidden from him.

The kolobvol spoke of a teller of tales who brought them knowledge of the world, a Spark of knowledge. This infuriated Brother Shadow, as he realized who exactly had done this, and it was not due to his own machinations. Brother Shadow sought out this Storyteller, but every time he thought he had the teller cornered and contained, he found that his own powers had diminished, that some of what he had stolen from his sister had been taken from him, and he was no closer to finding this thief.

First stolen was life itself, not a power to be trapped, and closest in power to the Storyteller's own inner light. Storyteller had given this power to one of the kolobvol and this brought about Pyotyukae- They of the Flowers and Trees who gave the kolobvol vitality, and the power to feed themselves in the hot desert and cold caves of the mountains. If Brother Shadow had focused on this one, then he could have reclaimed his power, but so focused was he on the one who had stolen his power, that he swore to return to claim that power after he caught up with the Storyteller.

The second power was stolen when Brother Shadow hunted Storyteller into the deep heart of a cave. Surely, he thought, that the Storyteller would pay for his theft, but instead, he found only carvings of the Ancient Ægadia depicting the story of their time there. During this trek, deep in the caverns, Storyteller took the part of Brother shadow that was concerned with the living stone, and gave it to an kolobvol woman who took upon the powers that had been stolen Gaepyopizi-Worldsister . Still, Brother Shadow hunted for Storyteller, his focus now doubled and his wrath enough to darken the sky.

The cave system led to the steaming vents of a volcano, and again Brother Shadow thought he must have cornered Storyteller, he would burn the thief, he thought, then reclaim his rightfully stolen powers. But again, in ash and charcoal he found carved on the walls of the volcano the story of how fire had been used by the kolobvol and knew instantly that in following Storyteller here Brother shadow had been burgled of that power as well. He searched for it within himself, and found it lacking, he searched the darkness of the world, and found that power in another Peblui- Sister Flame , and he raged, cold and terrible without the flames to stoke his inner fury.

The gasses of the volcano could only go up, and so Brother Shadow hunted Storyteller into the sky. It was open and left nowhere to hide, so he would have plenty of time to reclaim his power from the others, as no one could hide in the sky. He took the form of a Black-winged Nyctosaurus and rode the heat currents into the sky, but found that clouds had gathered. Not only had they gathered, but he could see within them the figures of himself and his sister, and knew that even clouds could tell stories. He cursed, as he felt the wind, once his to command, simply existing under his wings. It was no secret that this power had been taken, and whispered upon the wind was the name of it's new master Aepyozoi -Skybrother .

As brother shadow flapped silently in the stormy sky, he looked around for the Storyteller , but found that only rain escaped the clouds. 'Of course'! he thought to himself, the rain falls to the sea, but the water is mine to control. I shall crush the whelp against the shores. So he dove into the sea, but two things happened then. Brother Shadow forgot that the seas around his land were the domain of Tvohhdknohd Tvokhkhzohk- Ocean Queen, and that he was not ready for her wrath upon him entering her domain in his weakened state. Thus Brother Shadow suffered his first defeat, and washed upon the very shores he sought to crush the Storyteller against. His vision blurry, he could hear a voice in his ear. He looked sharply, but saw only a conch shell. His anger brought about an untimely night as he realized that that sound was no longer his to control, the voice in the shell was no longer his whispers, but another kolobvol , Pekepeti-Brother Water 's.

Weakened by his defeat by Tvohhdknohd Tvokhkhzohk- Ocean Queen, Brother Shadow fell back to the Shadows, and gathered followers, in hopes that after he recovered, he would know the location of the Storyteller. Centuries later, as Brother Shadow was mustering his power to defeat the other members of The Ancient Ægadia , one of his followers, a priest who had gathered much power had found that Storyteller had been sighted among the Jant , teaching metalworking to the kolobvol . Brother shadow was as elated as a being without light in their heart could be, as a cold joy filled him. He went to the mountain home of the Jant , but was careful not to anger Gohgbohb Gahghahk-Mountain King, for while he was fairly certain he could defeat the Jant deity, he would not be able to follow the path of his hunted prey any longer.

Deep in the mountains with the sounds of clanging hammers, and sizzling steel, he found blades with etchings in the pommels telling of kolobvoli glories. He could sense the new power growing among the Ancient Ægadia in the form of Gaepyolaenga- Mercurial Maiden . He shouted in anger, and this brought the fury of the mountain. Gohgbohb Gahghahk attacked him, but while the battle was long, centuries and centuries, Brother Shadow came out the victor, but when he looked around, as the Jant deity slunk away, he found that the world had changed. The kolobvol were no longer trapped in the darkness of their slavery, and they had taken new forms. This was the true treachery of the Storyteller, for as the battle had raged, Storyteller had learned the secrets of shifting, and had given them to the kolobvol who could now take a form of their choice. Not only that but Gaepyolaenga had taken some of the power from Gohgbohb Gahghahk, and had powers that Brother shadow had never borne.

Now, Brother Shadow waits for his chance to destroy Storyteller, but with so much power stolen from him, he must tread carefully with the other members of his 'family' as together they now have the power to face him if he is not careful. So he plots, he waits, and he seeks the ruination of Storyteller.

The Church

While En-Shanni-Vatti himself existed long before the kolobvol, he has spent little of that time garnering any form of organized church. Many kolobvol worship him, as they do all of the Ancient Ægadia . There are no true churches to Brother Shadow, but any place of darkness, and shadowed alley, and any secret room will suffice... so long as your whispered prayers are a secret.

Followers

The Followers of Brother Shadow are almost all kolobvol. Unlike many human religions, Anadi worship all of their deities in the same breath. Secrets and shadows are an intrinsic part of life after all. However, specific followers and sorcerers of brother shadow do exist, and the shadow tribe survived more completely than most against the slavers among the humans and Jant of the past. Secrets and shadows allowed for freedom that other tribes were not provided, so the shadow tribe has a strong affinity and worship for Brother Shadow.

Relationships

Brother Shadows followers have a respectful relationship with the other followers of the Ancient Ægadia with the exception of those specific followers of the Storyteller. However, as both groups are secretive and have companionable relationships with the followers of the other Anadia.

Brother Shadow has never forgiven Tvohhdknohd Tvokhkhzohk for his defeat at her hands, which he blames for his having never caught Storyteller . He has great disdain for Galvander, but does not consider Galvander to be an enemy, rather, he has a grudging respect for the Tyrant king, as Brother Shadow believes that the greatest way to improve the strength of his people is adversity.

Brother Shadow has a rivalry with The Interested Party, as she has a great many secrets that he does not know, and shares that purview with him. Gohgbohb Gahghahk also bears a grudge against Brother Shadow for his defeat, and blames Brother shadow for the decline of Jant civilization.

Divine Allies

Shadows of all sorts flock to Brother Shadow, as do many creatures of dream and darkness, from monsters that dwell in dream, to those that skulk in shadows, night hags, The nightwalkers that all kolobvoli deities gather over time, and a Flock of Nightmare Nyctosaurus that hunt the most dangerous secrets among dreams.

The Shadow's Shadow - First among En-Shanni-Vatti-s followers is his own shadow, a creature created from time immemorial when his sister's light shone against him. His shadow is a mythic greater shadow, that, when slain simply reforms at its master's feet.

Realm

Deepest Shadow is a place like the name suggests: a dark sun hovers on the horizon basking everything in darkness, and sending long shadows of even deeper penumbra like a pall on the very soul. Everything seems to be shifting, and figures move out of the corner of your eyes, even if you do not have eyes capable of sight in such a place.

Divine Intercession

While Brother Shadow is rarely willing to give his followers boons, acting in ways that directly harm or slow the most devout followers of his enemies, or finding secrets that he finds particularly devious can earn his favor, while giving away important secrets for nothing or aiding the Storyteller can certainly earn his ire.

Minor Boon: If you would stealth, the first time you roll, you may do so as a non-secret roll. You may choose to re-roll. If you do so, the second roll is a secret roll, and you must take the result.

Moderate boon: Once per day, for three actions, you may use the spell shadow jump as though you were a caster of your character level

minor curse : Someone who could do harm to you gains knowledge of a secret that could harm you.

Moderate Curse : Shadows shy away from you. If you have the ability to hide in plain sight, you lose that ability. Any hiding spot that relies on darkness or shadow cannot be used as a viable hiding spot for you.