Trickster Moon

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Ta'u, the Trickster Moon is the god of pranks, tricks, and illusions. He is the twin brother of Rhan's second moon La'u, and the physical manifestation of Rhan's pale moon in the night sky. While not inherently evil, the Trickster Moon has on more than one occasion throughout history proven to the Prime Deities that he cannot be trusted. During the Infernal Conquest, Ta'u would often shapeshift and join allegiance with the fiends, solely for the purpose of entertaining himself with cheap pranks and tricks while rarely contributing to the war effort.
Contents

Description

Appearance

In physical form, Ta'u is the pale moon of Rhan that appear much closer than La'u, similar to that of Luna in the Sol system. In humanoid form, Ta'u rarely takes on the same form, though he can generally be described as a tall, slick male elf with a wide grin and colorful hair. Statues throughout Wildemyst depict him in a similar fashion as his humanoid form, though with a moon-shaped head and sly smile instead, or a theater mask worn upside down.

Personality

As a god of trickery and illusions, Ta'u can be unpredictable and capricious, and while not necessarily manipulative, he does not shy away from playing both sides of the moral spectrum.

Commandments of the Trickster Moon

Commandments of the Trickster Moon

• Embrace the dance of deception, for in the realm of mischief, you shall find the spice of life's surprises.
• Life is but a joke, best make sure you do not become the punchline.
• Through tricks and illusions even the strongest of senses can be deceived. Use this to your advantage, and do not become a victim of it.

History

The Age of Birth and the Heavenly War

Unlike the other gods, Ta'u, and his twin sister La'u, did not manifest at the beginning of time but rather shortly after the creation of Rhan and the Material Plane. The two moon twins are believed to have been born from the chaotic forces of matter and magic that created Rhan in the first place, taking shape in the form of moons orbiting the planet. Despite their connection to Rhan, they have little to do with the world itself; instead, they take pleasure in interacting with its inhabitants.
During the Heavenly War between the Prime Deities and the Fallen Gods, Ta'u was a wildcard who frequently switched sides for his own amusement, though he would never outright harm anyone from either side. Ta'u's exact role in the grand scheme of the war still remains unknown, yet he did get to remain a part of the Prime Deity pantheon, thanks to his sister La'u, who pleaded with the gods to spare him for his selfish behavior.

The Age of Arcanists

When magic was a common occurrence and part of everyday life in the societies of Rhan, it was controlled by skilled wizards or religious clerics who mastered the arcane arts through skill and wit. However, this did not sit well with the god of trickery, so he decided to create a fourth kind of magic, a perversion of both neutral, divine, and necrotic arcane energy. For nearly a month, the pale moon above Rhan pulsated with arcane energy in such a way that even the most skilled spellcasters would cast faulty spells that either had no effect or manifested into chaotic spells with unpredictable side effects. From being turned into a potted plant to having your hair turn into feathers, the Trickster Moon ensured that with every spell cast, there was the possibility of an unforeseeable effect, and thus, Wild Magic was born.
This, however, did not sit well with the Prime Deities who sought to empower their devout followers with arcane powers through their devotion. When they saw people lose faith in their ability to cast spells, the Prime Deities gave Ta'u an ultimatum: either he would renounce his arcane power or be cast out and become one with the Fallen Gods. Once again, it was La'u, the Loving Moon, who urged the Prime Deities to look past her brother's infractions and instead suppress his magic just enough so that it would only have a small chance of targeting those born with magic in their blood, such as sorcerers. Though hesitant, the other gods saw reason in her words and decided to spare Ta'u and allow his magic to flow through the Weave.
Following this close encounter, Ta'u did eventually suppress wild magic to such an extent that the likelihood of being born with it was so low that it could be mistaken for improper casting techniques, rather than faulty magic.

Artifacts

Mask of Laughter

The Mask of Laughter of Ta'u is a legendary porcelain mask that resembles a grinning face with intricate designs on it, and is said to give its wearer great power of illusion magic.

Places of worship and holy sites

Wildemyst

Few openly worship the god of trickery, preferring instead to reveal their faith through acts of cheap tricks and pranks in his name.

• Chantry of the Divine: Despite his deceiving persona, Ta'u has earned a spot in the Chantry of the Divine, thanks to his sister La'u. The Chantry of the Divine is the largest temple in Evergrace, dedicated to all the Prime Deities.

Symbol of Ta'u, by Midjourney

Deity Information

Type: Prime Deity

Title(s):

• Trickster God
• Laughing Moon

Common symbol: Red and white mask with a grinning smile

Gender: Male

Alignment: Chaotic Good (CG)

Home Plane: Astral Sea

Realm: Moon of Rhan

Worship

Worshipers: Illusionists, charlatans, tricksters

Holy Day: Jest O' Day (1^st of Gloomsky)

Major Temples: Chantry of the Divine

Associated domains:

• Trickery
• Arcana

Fragment of Divinity:

• Mask of Laughter

Gallery

Moon of Ta'u viewed from Rhan