Sh'ther Kei-Sihr

A deity of shadow that originally wasn't part of the divine family, and often considered Rencal Kei-Rhai's complete inverse. In fact, he's been adopted into it, instead. He used to be a mindless blob of all-consuming malevolent energy that was known simply as "The Shadow" and today is known as the "Ancient Horror", until it was defeated and absorbed by Rencal, during an event called "The Great War of Shadows". Several millenia after this, however, he broke free from deep within Rencal's body and soul as a changed being, gaining both a mind, a stable soul and the ability to create. Grateful to Rencal, the newly formed Sh'ther immediately pledged his everlasting allegiance to him, much to Rencal's Surprise. After the deities of Illiad made sure he wasn't a threat, Sh'ther was adopted into the family as one of Rencal's brothers, and was awarded dominion over The Obsidian Cathedral, the inverse of the Rencal's Marble Cathedral, as its duke.

When Sh'ther was still known as "The Shadow", he is also noted as having been the progenitor of both Prethao, Tahvihsa and another entity called "Z'rsar", who was noted to be especially cruel during the Great War of Shadows. When Prethao and Tahvihsa, originally just very strong Shadowspawn, became sentient and developed their unique powers, they eventually defected to Rencal, which helped massively in Rencal absorbing The Shadow, and Sh'ther emerging from it when the time was right. To this day, Sh'ther considers Prethao and Tahvisa his children and they consider him their father. What happened to Zr'sar meanwhile isn't known, as no writings of his fate after the war survived. However, Zr'sar is still used as a bogeyman figure in children's tales, and considered one of the pantheon's worst enemies to this day.

Sh'ther is a bit of a trickster-deity, without much regard for mortals or Karrin in general. He does most things to amuse himself and sees most of the physical world as a toy or a really good theater play. However, he's also incredibly thankful to Rencal for giving him the life he lives now, even if it was by accident. Thus, he acts surprisingly very loyal to Rencal, as well as the other deities and even half-deities and noble-children, and sees them as his family. While this sentiment is only partially reciprocated, Sh'ther doesn't seem to mind. There's evidence in several texts that his feelings are real, and that he wouldn't do anything to betray them or harm them... Even if they're still subject to his dangerous "pranks" and doesn't mind messing with them, just like he does with mortals. Most of his pranks usually aren't (intentionally) life-destroying like those of more neutral or evil fey, but sometimes have a tendency to go awry. It's also worth noting, as part of his loyalty to his "brother" and "family", that he also discourages cults that still worship him as The Shadow or desire him to resume his old life's all-consuming conquest of the world. Whenever some of those grab his attention... he tends to snuff them out. Violently.

While most Karrin wouldn't really classify him as a particularly benevolent deity, as he tends to be egocentric and a bit sadistic, he's noted to actually be very attached to the few Karrin that he made a genuine bond with, like some Children of the Cathedral. Basically, if you bond with him, be prepared to forever be under his good graces, for better or for worse. He is sometimes prayed to by Rencalist for protection in darkness, in a joint prayer with Rencal.