Laughing God

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In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000, the Laughing God is one of only two Eldar Gods to have survived the Fall of the Eldar. It is said that during the fight between Slaanesh and Khaine the Laughing God hid behind Khaine for protection, in the aftermath of the struggle the Laughing God fled to the Webway where Slaanesh could not find him. He still resides there, and is the only known being to know exactly where every door in the webway leads.

In ancient Eldar myth it was said to be the Laughing God who tricked the Outsider into eating other C'tan. Those Eldar who follow him, known as the Harlequins, are protected from Slaanesh in a different way from their Craftworld brethren. While Craftworld Eldar wear Spirit Stones which absorb their souls when they die, Harlequins are directly protected by their God, becoming one with him on death. The only exception to this is the Solitaire whose soul must be won from Slaanesh by the Laughing God.

[edit] The Laughing God and the Deceiver

The Laughing God is sometimes confused with the Deceiver. There are a pair of stories about the Laughing God and the Deceiver respectively which cause this confusion, as well as the fact both are known as Trickster Gods. In one, the Laughing God tricks the Outsider into eating many other C'tan, driving him insane. In the other, the Deceiver consumed several C'tan to increase his own power and convinced the Nightbringer and the Void Dragon to do likewise. Neither of these C'tan, nor the Deceiver, were driven insane; obviously a significant difference.

Perhaps most significant however is the obvious difference between the origins of the Laughing God and the Deceiver. The Laughing God was created by the belief of the Eldar, in the same way as were Kaela Mensha Khaine, Isha and the other Eldar Gods, and as such is a warp entity. This is supported by his ability to compete for Eldar souls with Slaanesh. The Deceiver however is a C'tan, a being entirely of the material universe. The mysteries of the Immaterium are beyond the C'tan, who find the Warp an entirely uninhabitable place. Thus the Deceiver could not fulfill the role ascribed to the Laughing God.

[edit] References

[edit] See also

• Trickster