- "For sound advice, I seek a Priest of Verena. For everything else, I seek a Priest of Ranald."
- —Wermer Losch, Merchant[3a]
Ranald, known by many names such as the Night Prowler, the God of Thieves or even the Trickster God, is the Human God of Luck, Fortune and Mischief. His is a curious cult, for it lacks the trappings, the pomp and majesty, even the structure of other cults. His priests are thieves, tricksters, and gamblers, rather than the educated effete elite so favoured by others. His temples are the gaming halls, the brothels, the taverns, and other dens of iniquity, not the gilt structures of gold and marble. Indeed, Ranald and his priests are unlike any others — a fact that is both distressing and delightful.[1a]
Part of Ranald's curious nature stems from the fact that this God has several different aspects. To most, he is known as the Night Prowler, God of Thieves and patron of thieves and rogues. Venerated by the criminal elements in the Old World, his symbols and sayings serve as the foundation for much of the secret language used by thieves.[1a]
Ranald is also the Deceiver, watching over, or rather inspiring, charlatans and tricksters. In this way, Ranald is something of a force of nature, the personification of irony but also illusion — hence Ranald’s appeal to Grey Wizards. As well, Ranald is the patron of gaming, gambling, and more than anything, luck. It is in this form that Ranald is upheld by the Empire folk and to curry favour with the God, Old Worlders employ a dizzying array of superstitious sayings and gestures to ensure they retain or acquire the God's attention.[1a]
Of all the forms Ranald assumes, though, none is more brutally oppressed than his role as the Protector. The symbol of freedom from tyranny, liberation from despots, and the symbol of revolution, this aspect of Ranald is embraced by agitators, demagogues, and even a few politicians. In fact, Ranald in this role is a rallying force for the democratic movement that persists in the Empire's largest cities.[1a]
According to his origin myth, Ranald was once a mortal man, a noble brigand who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. His behaviour caught the eye of Shallya, the goddess of healing, and she fell in love. However, one day he became so afflicted with disease that the only way to save him was to let him drink from her holy chalice and gain immortality. But once he supped from the chalice, he laughed and danced into the heavens, revelling in the ruse that had made him a god.[3b]
As befits a deity with many aspects, Ranald's physical depiction varies greatly. In fact, he is not even always portrayed as a male. The attributes that all depictions have in common are his humanity, his dapper style, and his perpetual smile. Beyond this, there is no consistency.[3b]
Omens of Ranald
Omens and signs from Ranald are often playful and cryptic. They can contain puns and other wordplay. This means that a follower of Ranald must be quick-witted and may even need to think laterally in order to understand what his god is conveying. For example, a vision of a cat picking its way through the rubble of the Sigmar’s Arms, might mean that that inn is going to fall down. However, it might mean that becoming involved with Sigmarites is going to get the priest into trouble.[2a]
A common augury of the god is, of course, the black cat, but other types of cat appear, too. The ginger cat can be a sign of conflict and potential violence; a white cat, the feminine or the innocent; or with a tortoiseshell cat, confusion or complications. Other symbols associated with Ranald are gold coins and large, valuable gems. These are used in visions to show the way or to display a worthy goal. A coin on its heads side represents good fortune, while on its tails side represents the opposite.[2a]
Mundane occurrences are common in Ranaldian omens and the list is almost endless: toast falling on its unbuttered or buttered side, spilled salt, a chimney sweep whistling, a broken glass or mirror, an upside-down hat or bucket, torn clothing, a cuddly toy, shoes on the wrong feet, and so on.[2a]
