Laanx

Statue of Laanx on the fountain of Hydlaa Plaza

Laanx is one of PlaneShift's Gods. He is sometimes called the Masquerade God, or the Masked God.

Appearance

Laanx appears as an empty thick red tunic, with a featureless mask.

Originally, Laanx was female, but through an accident caused by Talad, she was disfigured and denied her femininity. This often causes confusion to those unaware of Laanx's history.

History

Together with Talad, Laanx created the cave that is now Yliakum. After praying to Vodùl to lure people to Yliakum, she agreed to become his lover for a time. Vodùl taught her how to create life with the power of Yliakum's Crystal, which she then used to create the Lemurs. Talad then attempted to do the same, creating the Kran. However, he did not know how to control the energy, and a tempest of chaos burst forth from his hands and hit Laanx on her face, penetrating deeply into Laanx's body, and she became forever disfigured.

She sank into a deep depression and denied her being, her femininity and her people.

Laanx left Yliakum to wander the Stone Labyrinths, followed by many of the Lemurs, and became the Masquerade God. He dressed in a thick red tunic and made a mask without features to hide his face. In his exile, he also wrote the Book of Names. Ignoring Talad's entreaties to return, which seemed insulting to him, he sought the loneliness of the deepest parts of the labyrinth, heedless of the large number of Lemurs following and worshiping him.

After many generations of the Lemurs, Laanx arrived to a cave hundreds of times larger than the one he shaped with Talad, which held the stalactite which contains Yliakum. The Lemurs, believing that Laanx had led them to their new home, offered praise and many sacrifices. Laanx became aware of the people who had followed him, and created many powerful and useful things for the Lemurs to light the cave and make it a place to live. They multiplied rapidly, and built the ten towns of Kadaikos, which Laanx ruled harshly. He remembered the promise made by Vodùl to send people to Yliakum and decided to lead them to Kadaikos instead.

Taking care not to reveal his presence to Talad, Laanx observed Yliakum and saw with disappointment that the Ylians and Enkidukai had already arrived. In the Stone Labyrinths, Laanx lured the newly arriving Dermorians to a separate cave, to keep them from arriving in Yliakum. Some time later, the Dwarves arrived, which pointed Laanx to a starving group of men called the Xacha. Laanx revealed himself to the Xacha and showed them all his power. The Xacha followed him without exception and created a clergy and faith based on the Book of Names. Having also found the portal through which the Klyros were arriving, Laanx attempted to bend them to his will as well, but the Klyros refused. After destroying and corrupting many of them, Laanx gave up, showing them the way to Yliakum in the hope that they would cause trouble to Talad.

By now, there were many people living in Yliakum, and food became scarce. After conflict broke out between some of the races, Laanx considered the time ripe to return to Yliakum. He endowed one of the Xacha, Galeran Tarbius, with great power, and in turn Galeran led the Xacha to Yliakum, where they settled on the first level. Using their ancient knowledge, they build the Iron Temple and consecrated it to Laanx. Galeran's charismatic leadership has allowed Laanx worship to grow and prosper, especially in Hydlaa, where it has become the dominant religion.

Worship

Laanx has followers throughout Yliakum. Although Laanx created the Lemurs, the faith and clergy is based upon the religion the Xacha created from the Book of Names. The main place of worship is the Iron Temple in Hydlaa, though Hydlaa also boasts a stunning statue of Laanx in the middle of Hydlaa Plaza.

Laanx worship tends to be for people very serious about religion. Laanx worship has become the dominant religion in the city of Hydlaa. The worshipers of Laanx value purity and power, and perfection of the self. They help others, but only because they believe doing so makes them better people. Since many Xacha worship Laanx, it tends to be the religion of choice amongst the educated and wealthy. People attracted to this faith:

• Inventors
• Politicians
• Orators
• Writers
• Lawmakers
• Organized Criminals
• Scientists
• Red Way and Azure Way Mages
• Warriors and Martial-Artists
• City dwellers
• Wealthy merchants and other members of the upper class.