Shadon: Special

Reliquary

If Shadon has any relics, the clergy sure hasn't been the entity to hold onto them.

Myths

Favored of Toran

Once, a long time ago, there was a halfling who owned a circus. Now this is not the first halfling to own a circus and perform tricks, but this one--Narglo was his name--took his tricks to an extreme. No one was safe from his pranks and many did, over time, come to dislike him. Indeed, not everyone takes well to being tricked and played for a fool. However, once when his circus was in Lor and the magnificent multicolored tent was being set up, a man came by. The man looked at the halflings working as he gently stroked his holy symbol of Toran. Narglo could not resist playing a joke on the man, and so he walked up to him and greeted him in the most serious manner. He then proceeded to explain that there had been foul play at his last performance and perhaps one such as he could help investigate. Elmir, as the paladin was named, could not refuse a request for aid. So he asked what had happened and what he could do to help. Narglo then explained that someone was stealing the animals he showed the audience, and it was ruining him. He even showed Elmir an empty cage where his most dangerous beast, a huge bear, had been kept. Elmir knew how dangerous such beasts could be when not kept by trained people so he agreed to investigate this.

Narglo told him to hide in another empty cage and he would then let people believe it was a very special beast in there. Elmir did not sense what was about to happen and happily agreed and climbed inside the cage. As time passed, night fell and the show was about to begin. Elmir had dozed a bit off while waiting but suddenly he felt his cage move. It was pitch black under the cloth that covered the cage, but Elmir waited patiently, confident that he was being stolen. Suddenly, he heard the bustling of many people around him and then the voice of Narglo outside the cage. "Behold! Tonight you shall see a most gruelling beast. It has slain many a creature and instils fear in the hearts of those who face it." So he kept on for a while and suddenly the cloth covering the cage was removed and Elmir saw the faces of a huge crowd. Because they saw him first, one began to laugh then another; soon, the entire crowd was roaring with laughter at the caged paladin. Anger flew into Elmir's heart; Narglo would be held responsible for this. So as soon as he was released from the cage, he went to the wagon in which Narglo lived. It was empty. Narglo was gone and was never seen again.

The halfling played a great joke, and Shadon himself saved him from what would have happened after he ridiculed the paladin. It is whispered from time to time that Narglo resides in a place only known by Shadon, and Narglo keeps Shadon entertained with his jokes and tricks.

A Practical Joke

There was a dwarven clan who were masters of many a craft; not the craft of weapons and armor but the crafting of exquisite pieces of art and jewelry. It was whispered among other clans that the dwarves in this clan were blessed not by Dorand but by Ilsare--for such was their devotion to the arts. As most know, many rumors hold a grain of truth. The dwarves were indeed some which Ilsare had taken a liking to. Their art was magnificent, she thought, and their chanters sang the most beautiful chants as the workmen sat in their shops and smithies. One day, Shadon noticed this little clan and felt like playing a small practical joke. He sent word to Vorax that the dwarves of this clan had forsaken the dwarven way and had become as peace-loving and tree-hugging as elves. Vorax knew of this clan, and he detested them, because they were not as real dwarves should be. When he heard Shadon's report, he flew into a rage. He hammered his fist down and thundered that they would learn better soon enough, that no one could do without battle, and that battle would come to all, even those whom Ilsare looked favorably upon.

He could not help feeling a little hint of satisfaction as he pondered how he would teach this clan the proper way of dwarven life. He knew he would take some of them from Ilsare and rubbed his hands with a slight smile. Now Shadon leaned back and grinned; he knew soon enough that the Deep dwarves would be attacking the clan. And soon, indeed, the Deep dwarves marched upon the dwarven clan. As the attack began, the dwarves tried to fend the invaders off, but they could not, they were not warriors but rather artists. Vorax watched them die with a face as expressionless as if it had been cut from the roots of the mountains themselves. He would not do anything until they called for him, if only one would call for Vorax to aid them he would let his fury destroy the invaders, but until then, they were not dwarves to him, they were just beings. As the dwarves fought and died, they time and again cried out to Ilsare to save them. However, as she watched the slaughter, little did it matter.

Soon, the clan was destroyed and their art with them. Ilsare glared at Vorax as they both watched the battle end. When the last of the dwarves drew his last breath, Ilsare cursed Vorax for not saving them, and Vorax in turn cursed Ilsare for not teaching those she blessed to stand and fight. Shadon watched from the shades as they quarrelled. He tried to restrain himself from laughing but found it so amusing he suddenly burst into laughter and thus revealed his presence to Ilsare and Vorax. When they saw Shadon, they knew he had been playing them. They ran to catch him, but it is hard to catch one as fleeting as the trickster. In the end, Vorax and Ilsare gave up their hunt--even though they knew Shadon had a hand in the destruction of the dwarves. They parted with hostile looks as each still blamed the other for the downfall of the clan.