Baravar Cloakshadow (BAIR-uh-var)
Baravar Cloakshadow is a crafty, vengeful deity who specializes in deceptions.
Baravar resides within the Gnomish realm known as the Golden Hills, situated on the plane of Bytopia. Within this domain lies the Hidden Knoll, a place adorned with an array of tricks and harmless traps that Baravar frequently alters. Those clever enough to navigate these challenges are granted unrestricted access to the treasures carefully concealed by Baravar for this very purpose.
Divine Symbols & Sigils
Clergy, Temples and Worshippers
The organization of Baravar's church is rather loose, as the shroud of secrecy enveloping it also offers a degree of protection to its members from each other. Clerics devoted to Baravar are deeply engaged in the exploration and enhancement of illusionary arts. A significant portion of the clergy consists of adventurers tasked with seeking out and securing new spells and enchanted items enabling the creation and manipulation of illusionary effects. Meanwhile, other clerics focus on research, continuously refining their magical expertise. These clerics, typically cunning and astute gnomes, fulfill community roles as spies, investigators, and educators, imparting skills such as disguise, concealment, and stealth. The clerics of Baravar, characterized by their cunning and intelligence, serve their communities by imparting knowledge in disguise and camouflage techniques. They commune for spellcasting rituals at dusk, as nightfall provides cover for their covert endeavors.Priestly Vestments
The traditional attire worn by priests devoted to Baravar includes a hooded black cloak, a gray cloth mask, and an intricately crafted silver dagger with a rippled blade. The sacred emblem of their faith is a weathered miniature replica of this silver dagger. During their ventures into the unknown, followers of Baravar opt for the attire typical of rogues, donning lightweight leather armor, wielding nimble weapons, and cloaking themselves in dark gray or black garments for concealment.Temples
Baravar's temples are never presented as such, being usually disguised as some unrelated type of building and further cloaked with hidden doors, traps, and illusions.Rituals
Baravar's clergy demonstrate their devotion by crafting intricate illusions of objects they have perceived through sight, sound, or other senses. The more lifelike and convincing these illusions, the greater the satisfaction bestowed upon the deity.Tenets of Faith
- Embrace the shadows and the art of deception as shields against the perils of the world.
- Pursue mastery in illusion and deceit, for they offer security amidst uncertainty.
- Demand proof of trustworthiness before placing faith in others.
- Employ illusion and camouflage in conflict to secure victory for your cause.
- Dedicate yourself passionately to your craft and cherished relationships, finding purpose beyond mere existence.
Holidays
The Cloaking
The followers of Baravar pay homage to the Sly One through a monthly rite called the Cloaking. Taking place on the night of the new moon, each ceremony is uniquely conducted in diverse locations. Often held in public settings, participants take pride in ensuring that these gatherings remain clandestine to outsiders, leading to jests among the gnomes about any unexplained assembly of gnomes being dubbed "another meeting of the Illusory".Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Baravar manifests as a youthful gnome with dark hair and keen, watchful eyes. Attired in somber garments, he epitomizes vigilance and cunning. While lacking in physical prowess as a thief, he compensates with perplexing illusions, wielding the enchanted dagger Nightmare and the mystical Shadowcloak.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
He shows no mercy towards those who endanger his charges and readily takes action against those who provoke his wrath. While he shares Garl's fondness for pranks, Baravar's jests often leave his victims feeling more than a little uneasy. As a skilled thief, he delights in using illusions to disorient creatures before pilfering from them, sometimes motivated by sheer boredom. Baravar adheres to the philosophy of "strike first", dispatching celestial agents to harass potential threats to gnomes preemptively. His unwavering vigilance and intricate illusions have led many to perceive him as teetering on the edge of paranoia. Lately, he has dedicated much of his time to developing a master illusion spell that would render gnomes virtually undetectable unless they desired otherwise.
Social
Contacts & Relations
Aligned closely with the benevolent deities of the Gnome pantheon, Baravar, despite his vengeful tendencies, follows Garl's lead in prioritizing trickery over brute force. His allies encompass Sophis, Brandobaris, Angradd, Erevan Ilesere, Ervenius, Sehanine Moonbow, Avandra, and Vergadain. Notably, he harbors deep-seated animosity towards the deities revered by goblinoid races, particularly those of goblins and kobolds, which he does not hesitate to express. Previously allied with Ydite, Baravar now bears an everlasting grudge against Khaziba for a crime untold. Additional adversaries include Abbathor, Masech, and Urdlen, whom he regards with particular disdain.
Titles:
The Sly One;Master of Illusion;
Lord in Disguise;
Bane of Goblinkin;[br Keeper of Secrets;
Divine Classification
Alignment
Neutral Good
Realm
Date of Death
11 Ervnius
Year of Death
1051 AB
Children
Aligned Organization
| LG | NG | CG |
| LN | N | CN |
| LE | NE | CE |
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