Olidammara
Encyclopedia
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting
and the default pantheon of deities for the third edition of the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
roleplaying game, Olidammara is the god of Music, Revels, Wine, Rogues, Humor, and Tricks. He is often called the Laughing Rogue.
Olidammara is one of the more eccentric gods of Oerth
. The Laughing Rogue is often involved in good-natured schemes involving the other gods (less good-natured for the more evil deities), with repercussions that can make life difficult for his faithful. He has few proper priests, but is held in high regard in almost all non-evil regions of the Flanaess
.
His home plane is Ysgard
. His realm, on the border with Limbo
, is called the Den of Olidammara. His holy symbol is a grinning mask. Other symbols of his faith include the kantele
and the number nine.
in Dragon
#70 (1983). Olidammara was subsequently detailed in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting
(1983).
His role in the cosmology of the Planescape
campaign setting was described in On Hallowed Ground (1996). Olidammara is described as one of the good deities that celestials
can serve in the supplement Warriors of Heaven (1999).
(2000).
Olidammara is also detailed in the Deities and Demigods (2002).
(2004).
Olidammara and his priesthood were expanded upon in Dragon
#342 (2006), in the "Core Beliefs" column.
, Fharlanghn
, Dalt
, Garl Glittergold
, Ehlonna
, Ye'Cind, and Kord. Heironeous
and Hextor
may find him annoying at times, but they tolerate him because of his charm and humor. He even gets along with Zagyg
, despite their past run-ins; the Mad Archmage appreciates Olidammara's embrace of chaos. (The Laughing Rogue was once transformed into the shape of a small carapaced animal
and imprisoned by the mad archmage, Zagyg, but managed to escape.) Olidammara sponsored the apotheosis of the demigoddess Rudd
, who remains his favorite among the divinities. He also sponsored Kuroth. He is the brother of Scahrossar
, but these two deities have nothing to do with one another, and their relationship is only mentioned in the most obscure of texts.
Kurell
feels great jealousy toward Olidammara for his greater popularity among thieves, and seeks always to steal away his worshipers. Astilabor dislikes the Laughing Rogue. Olidammara avoids Nerull
, Erythnul
, Iuz
, and other blatantly destructive deities, as their malevolence is jarring to him. He would have liked to be their friend, but contents himself with teasing them gently.
Many of Olidammara's temples are converted inns or taverns, while some are theaters or actual thieves' guilds. Services typically involve songs, feasts, and a much drinking.
The Laughing Rogue was at first upset with his servant at this apparent betrayal, but soon he laughed, realizing the irony of a thief who seeks to steal by forsaking thievery. Yet he couldn't accept Andromalius' spirit, for that would ruin the joke; nor did he wish for another god to have such a clever soul. Finally, the god decided to "steal" Andromalius from the cosmos altogether, casting him into a void between existence and non-existence. Whether Andromalius appreciated this "joke" was never clear.
of its treasure in the last days of Zagig Yragerne's residence. To his surprise, his protégé Rudd was imprisoned there in Zagig's Godtrap. He tried to rescue her, but Zagig turned the tables on him and imprisoned him the form of a small, carapaced animal. Olidammara escaped, later stealing some of the Mad Archmage's treasure anyway. He retains the ability to form a shell to protect himself, leaving the shell behind as he teleports merrily away.
, who revered him in the shrine in the Tilvanot peninsula known to day as the Burned Circle. He was known to the Oeridians
as well, and is sometimes counted among the Oeridian pantheon.
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
and the default pantheon of deities for the third edition of the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
roleplaying game, Olidammara is the god of Music, Revels, Wine, Rogues, Humor, and Tricks. He is often called the Laughing Rogue.
Olidammara is one of the more eccentric gods of Oerth
Oerth
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Oerth, pronounced as "Orth" or "oyth", is the name of the fictional planet on which one of the earliest campaign settings, the World of Greyhawk, is located...
. The Laughing Rogue is often involved in good-natured schemes involving the other gods (less good-natured for the more evil deities), with repercussions that can make life difficult for his faithful. He has few proper priests, but is held in high regard in almost all non-evil regions of the Flanaess
Flanaess
The Flanaess is the eastern part of the continent of Oerik, one of the four continents of the fictional world of Oerth in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game. The Flanaess has been the setting of dozens of adventures published between the 1970s...
.
His home plane is Ysgard
Ysgard
Ysgard is the Outer Plane of Chaotic Neutral / Chaotic Good alignment in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. It is also called Asgard, Gladsheim or The Heroic Domains...
. His realm, on the border with Limbo
Limbo (Dungeons & Dragons)
In Dungeons and Dragons, fantasy role-playing game, Limbo or more fully, the Ever-Changing Chaos of Limbo, is a chaotic neutral-aligned plane of existence...
, is called the Den of Olidammara. His holy symbol is a grinning mask. Other symbols of his faith include the kantele
Kantele
A kantele or kannel is a traditional plucked string instrument of the zither family native to Finland, Estonia, and Karelia. It is related to the Russian gusli, the Latvian kokle and the Lithuanian kanklės. Together these instruments make up the family known as Baltic psalteries...
and the number nine.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)
Olidammara was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in "The Deities and Demigods of the World of Greyhawk" by Gary GygaxGary Gygax
Ernest Gary Gygax was an American writer and game designer best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons with Dave Arneson. Gygax is generally acknowledged as the father of role-playing games....
in Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#70 (1983). Olidammara was subsequently detailed in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting
World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting
The World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting and the World of Greyhawk Fantasy World Setting are two closely related publications from TSR, Inc. that detail the fictional World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game...
(1983).
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)
Olidammara was one of the deities described in Greyhawk: The Adventure Begins (1998).His role in the cosmology of the Planescape
Planescape
Planescape is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, originally designed by Zeb Cook. The Planescape setting was published in 1994...
campaign setting was described in On Hallowed Ground (1996). Olidammara is described as one of the good deities that celestials
Celestial (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, celestials are a class of creatures and monsters known as outsiders who are of wholly good alignment....
can serve in the supplement Warriors of Heaven (1999).
Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition (2000-2002)
Olidammara appears as one of the deities described in the Players Handbook for this edition (2000). Olidammara's role in the 3rd edition Greyhawk setting was defined in the Living Greyhawk GazetteerLiving Greyhawk Gazetteer
The Living Greyhawk Gazetteer is a sourcebook for the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the 3rd edition of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Despite the title, the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer is not exclusive to the Living Greyhawk Campaign...
(2000).
Olidammara is also detailed in the Deities and Demigods (2002).
Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition (2003-2007)
Olidammara appears in the revised Players Handbook for this edition (2003). His priesthood is detailed for this edition in Complete DivineComplete Divine
Complete Divine is a supplemental rulebook for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons and Dragons fantasy role-playing game published by Wizards of the Coast...
(2004).
Olidammara and his priesthood were expanded upon in Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#342 (2006), in the "Core Beliefs" column.
Description
Olidammara commonly appears as a slender young man with olive skin, merry green eyes, chestnut hair, and a rakish beard. His magical mask allows him to take any form, however. His favored musical instrument, the Kantele of the Oldest, can conjure illusions and real matter and shape the emotions of those who listen to its sounds as if they were moist clay.Relationships
Olidammara, bard of the gods, is on good terms with AasterinianAasterinian
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Aasterinian is the draconic deity who serves as Io's messenger. Her symbol is a grinning dragon's head....
, Fharlanghn
Fharlanghn
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting and the default pantheon of deities for the third edition of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Fharlanghn, the Dweller on the Horizon, is the Oeridian god of Horizons, Distance, Travel, and Roads. He is a well-known deity on the world of Oerth...
, Dalt
DALT
N,N-Diallyltryptamine is a psychedelic drug of the tryptamine class. Alexander Shulgin reports that DALT is active at 42 mg orally, producing a +1 on the Shulgin scale, and being back to baseline by 4 hours. It is said to have a similar potency to DMT, being active at doses of approximately 40-100...
, Garl Glittergold
Garl Glittergold
Garl Glittergold is the patron deity of gnomes in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, and a member of the game's default pantheon of deities. His symbol is a gold nugget.-Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition :...
, Ehlonna
Ehlonna
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting and in the default pantheon of deities for the third edition of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Ehlonna is the goddess of Forests, Woodlands, Flora, Fauna, and Fertility...
, Ye'Cind, and Kord. Heironeous
Heironeous
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting and the default pantheon of deities for the third edition of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Heironeous is the Oeridian god of Chivalry, Justice, Honor, War, Daring, and Valor. His holy symbol is a silver lightning bolt, often clutched in a...
and Hextor
Hextor
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting and the default pantheon of deities for the third edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Hextor is the Oeridian god of war, discord, massacres, conflict, fitness, and tyranny....
may find him annoying at times, but they tolerate him because of his charm and humor. He even gets along with Zagyg
Zagyg
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Zagyg is the god of Humor, Eccentricity, Occult Lore, and Unpredictability...
, despite their past run-ins; the Mad Archmage appreciates Olidammara's embrace of chaos. (The Laughing Rogue was once transformed into the shape of a small carapaced animal
Armadillo
Armadillos are New World placental mammals, known for having a leathery armor shell. Dasypodidae is the only surviving family in the order Cingulata, part of the superorder Xenarthra along with the anteaters and sloths. The word armadillo is Spanish for "little armored one"...
and imprisoned by the mad archmage, Zagyg, but managed to escape.) Olidammara sponsored the apotheosis of the demigoddess Rudd
Rudd (Greyhawk)
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Rudd is the Oeridian goddess of Chance, Good Luck, and Skill. As the Great Gambler, she knows every card game invented. Rudd avoids completely cerebral games like Dragonchess, finding them too easy...
, who remains his favorite among the divinities. He also sponsored Kuroth. He is the brother of Scahrossar
Scahrossar
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Scahrossar is the goddess of Pain, Torture, Sadism, and Cruelty. Her favored weapon is the whip.-Publication history:Scahrossar was mentioned in third edition in Book of Vile Darkness ....
, but these two deities have nothing to do with one another, and their relationship is only mentioned in the most obscure of texts.
Kurell
Kurell
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, Kurell is the Oeridian god of Jealousy, Revenge, and Thievery...
feels great jealousy toward Olidammara for his greater popularity among thieves, and seeks always to steal away his worshipers. Astilabor dislikes the Laughing Rogue. Olidammara avoids Nerull
Nerull
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, as well as in the game's default pantheon of deities, Nerull is the Flan god of death, darkness, murder, and the underworld. He is known as the Reaper, the Foe of All Good, the Hater of Life, and the Bringer of...
, Erythnul
Erythnul
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting and the default pantheon of deities for the third edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Erythnul is the Oeridian god of hate, envy, malice, panic, ugliness, and slaughter. He is known as the Many, and is worshipped by many gnoll,...
, Iuz
Iuz
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Iuz is the chaotic evil demigod of Deceit, Evil, Oppression, Pain, and Wickedness. Iuz is variously called "The Old One" and "Old Wicked," among other titles. Unlike most Greyhawk deities, Iuz makes his home on...
, and other blatantly destructive deities, as their malevolence is jarring to him. He would have liked to be their friend, but contents himself with teasing them gently.
Dogma
Olidammara teaches his followers to avoid predictability and routine, to delight in wine, to learn music, to seek out happiness, joy, entertainment, and the company of others. Olidammara advises his faithful to appreciate both the jokes they play and the jokes played on them. He also teaches that misery, temperance, and solemnity are the greatest poisons to the soul.Scriptures
Olidammara's religion lacks a single holy book, but instead maintains hundreds of mutually contradictory collections of parables and songs. Any attempt to codify or reconcile these texts is anathema to Olidammara's creed, which teaches that chaos should be embraced and material things have little importance or intrinsic value.Clergy
Olidammara's clerics often have a second occupation, such as vintners and entertainers in urban areas, or as minstrels, messengers, and jacks-of-all-trades in rural areas. They wear comfortable clothes, preferring browns, greens, and blacks. Some wear an actual mask as their holy symbol, while others merely wear a signet or amulet inscribed with a drawing of a mask.Temples
Small shrines to Olidammara are more common than actual temples; these can be found anywhere, in pubs, in dens of thieves, and in the form of piles of stones at roadsides, carved with his symbol. Most faithful drop a small token of their esteem by the shrine: a few coins, a bit of tasty food, or a cup of wine.Many of Olidammara's temples are converted inns or taverns, while some are theaters or actual thieves' guilds. Services typically involve songs, feasts, and a much drinking.
Holy Days
The entire week of Brewfest is considered a holy time by Olidammara's faithful. Other holidays include:- The Great Escape. This is a reenactment of Olidammara's capture by and escape from the archmage Zagig, and is celebrated on a GodsdayGreyhawk CalendarThe Greyhawk Calendar is a fictional calendar used in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game...
when the weather is pleasant.
- The Feast of the Doubling Dare. Celebrated just after the new year, this holiday includes a contest in which the participants challenge each other to perform ever-wilder pranks and deeds.
- Taste of a Hundred Years. This is an annual wine-tasting event where a cask is opened that was vinted exactly a century before.
Andromalius
Andromalius, once Olidammara's herald, repented of mischief and roguery on his deathbed, hoping in this way to cheat his god of his soul. This, Andromalius believed, would be the greatest theft of his long career.The Laughing Rogue was at first upset with his servant at this apparent betrayal, but soon he laughed, realizing the irony of a thief who seeks to steal by forsaking thievery. Yet he couldn't accept Andromalius' spirit, for that would ruin the joke; nor did he wish for another god to have such a clever soul. Finally, the god decided to "steal" Andromalius from the cosmos altogether, casting him into a void between existence and non-existence. Whether Andromalius appreciated this "joke" was never clear.
The Grand Illusion
This myth tells of how Olidammara, in the guise of a beggar and wielding the Kanteel of the Oldest, inspired a rebellion against a tyrannical lich-king thousands of years ago.Olidammara and the Grand Talisman
This myth tells of how Olidammara, traveling in the company of Fharlanghn, charmed the truename from the Nameless Demon and forced him to give up the amulet that contained his soul.Zagig and the Carapace
This myth, of very recent vintage, tells of Olidammara's attempt to loot Castle GreyhawkCastle Greyhawk
Castle Greyhawk is one of the central dungeon settings in the fictional World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. The Castle was originally developed by Gary Gygax for his own campaign and later detailed for publication...
of its treasure in the last days of Zagig Yragerne's residence. To his surprise, his protégé Rudd was imprisoned there in Zagig's Godtrap. He tried to rescue her, but Zagig turned the tables on him and imprisoned him the form of a small, carapaced animal. Olidammara escaped, later stealing some of the Mad Archmage's treasure anyway. He retains the ability to form a shell to protect himself, leaving the shell behind as he teleports merrily away.
History
Olidammara is an exceedingly old deity. His worship is thought to have originated among nomads and travelers of no particular race, but it soon spread to settled communities and cities. He was known to the ancient FlanFlan (Greyhawk)
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, the Flan are a race of humans living in the Flanaess. The Flan peoples were the first humans known to have settled the eastern portion of the continent of Oerik, the Flanaess, which is named for them...
, who revered him in the shrine in the Tilvanot peninsula known to day as the Burned Circle. He was known to the Oeridians
Oeridians
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, the Oeridians are a race of humans living in the Flanaess...
as well, and is sometimes counted among the Oeridian pantheon.
Additional reading
- Brown, Anne. Player's Guide to Greyhawk (TSR, 1998).
- Gygax, GaryGary GygaxErnest Gary Gygax was an American writer and game designer best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons with Dave Arneson. Gygax is generally acknowledged as the father of role-playing games....
, and Frank MentzerFrank MentzerJacob Franklin "Frank" Mentzer III , is an American fantasy author and game designer best known for his work on early materials for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. He was a performing folk musician from 1968 to 1975, and played one concert at the White House during the...
. The Temple of Elemental Evil (TSRTSR, Inc.Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
, 1985). - Living Greyhawk Journal no. 3 - "Gods of Oerth"