Korotiku
by Marco Dalmonte English translation by Gary Davies(GUAN ZI-YOU, THE SHAPECHANGER, SAIMPT RENARD, THE SUPREME SPIDER, YEHM)
The Cheat, Patron of the Pear Islands and the Tanagoro, Patron of Spiders
Level, Alignment, Sphere: 32nd (Hierarch), CG, Thought
Symbol: a black spider
Portfolio: clear thinking, cleverness, guile, wisdom, liberty, nonconformism, cheating and stealth, jokes and fun, aranea, Tanagoro, lupin, spiders
Worshipped in: Alphatia, Arm of the Immortals (Gombar), Cestia, Savage Coast (Dunwick, Herath, Renardy), Davania (Jungle Coast, Izonda, Meghala Kimata), Pearl Islands, Hollow World (Merry Pirate Seas, Tanagoro), Known World (Thyatis), Skothar (Minaea, Tangor, Zyxl), Thanegioth, Yavdlom
Appearance: a large black spider comically plump with the smiling face of a human with negro traits. The second form is that of a tall Tanagoro, stately and elegant, dressed in the royal dress typical of the Tanagoro (the fur of a lion or tiger) and the usual scornful grin that he never loses.
History: Korotiku is ancient, one of the oldest among the Immortals, who doesn’t with any accuracy his past. Due to his affinity with the arachnids, he thinks that perhaps he belonged to the race of the planar spiders, but seeing that he has forgotten his own origins (maybe since his patron, whoever that is, has erased the memories before his ascension) no one can be sure. Naturally, given that Korotiku is well known for his leaning to jokes and mystery, no one can be really sure that he is telling the truth or not of not knowing nothing of his past (and the other ancient Immortals that could known have never spoken of it).
Personality: Korotiku is patron of the non-evil arachnids (in contrast with Aracne Prime), guile and jokes that induce reflection, and for this hates Loki, who instead creates destructive and evil jokes only for inducing pain and chaos, and is a heated rival of Masauwu and Harrow (his pupil and now ally of Loki), masters of those illusions that he seeks to smash. His shrewd and extremely burlesque character makes him a true and proper volcano of ideas and resources. His objective is inducing the person to use his brain for surviving and prospering, to discredit clichés and demolish the illusions, to reconsider the values of the society in which he lives and to never do the predictable, via any means (and more amusing and embarrassing it is, the better!). Even if at first sight it seems that his behaviour is irrational and without aim, in reality Korotiku always has a very precise plan in mind, and any of his actions are directed to stimulate thinking in the mortals and in his Immortal equals (even if most of them are not able to profit from the ingenuity of their stratagems). His cult finds proselytes especially among the shrewd adventurers, the more astute thieves and the reckless and independent corsairs.
Patron: unknown (perhaps none)
Allies: Asterius, Eiryndul, Diulanna, Turmis, Tourlain, Raven
Enemies: Loki, Harrow, Aracne Prime, Masauwu
Alignment of followers: clerics and followers can have any alignment
Favourite weapon: dagger or net (allowed all bludgeoning weapons)
Clerics’ skills and powers: clerics gain the thief ability hide in shadows as a thief of equal level, +1 bonus to Dexterity, two free skills from among sense danger, lie, acrobatics, move silently, ventriloquism and run
Domains: Thought, Chaos, Good, Deceit, Stealth
Preferred weapon: dagger
Source: HW, DotE, WotI, SCS, DDA2