Ranald is the fictional trickster god in the Warhammer Fantasy setting, similar to real trickster gods such as Loki or Hermes.

Background

Ranald is described as the god of cunning, sharp dealing, luck, traders, lesser merchants, thieves, gamblers, non-violent criminals, and all those who live by their wits. The god is presented as a popular deity despite a lack of official support and general disapproval by authority. As a trickster and criminal god, Ranald is opposed to traditional authority, law, and dedicated to overturning NATURAL social order.

He is portrayed as a charming rogue with a wicked smile, always ready to take advantage of a situation. Unlike most of the Warhammer setting deities, Ranald is described as a god who may actually intervene in the lives of characters, for good or ill. Unusually for the Warhammer setting, Ranald is asserted to be a non-violent deity who finds [...] and assault disgusting. He is accordingly not given much attention in the highly combat oriented Warhammer games, outside the role-playing game.

Symbols

Ranald is symbolized by crossed fingers, the mark “X”, the crow, the cat, and other symbols of luck. Anyone who wishes Ranald’s favor (good luck) might wear a charm with an X on it, and this is described as so common that it is not suspicious.

Areas of Worship

Ranald is apparently worshipped throughout the Old World, mainly by the lower classes and those who wish to get lucky and improve their situation.

The cult of Ranald is highly decentralized, with no main temple and no structured organization. The few temples that exist are described as careful to emphasize Ranald’s role as a patron of trade. A large temple to Ranald is in the city of Marienburg, but most Ranald worship is organized around local shrine clubs. Priests of Ranald are often mobile, and train initiates on an ad hoc basis. The cult has no formal orders.

Ascension into godhood

Just like Sigmar, Ranald was not born a god but managed to become one himself. While Sigmar did so by proving himself worthy of this spectacular honour to his patron god Ulric Ranald became immortel through great thinking, lies and trickery. He exemplifies to all his followers how to live by this act, he tricked Shallya the maiden of mercy to let him drink of her tears and thereby becoming a god. For Ranald wishes all his followers to lie trick and rise against authorities and laws and what greater authority than a god. Thou Ranald is not known to dislike the odder gods nor think bad of them.

The afterlife

Even thou Ranald is not a very philosophical deity that seemes focuses mutch on life after death but instead seems focused on live it self, he still offers an afterlife. If one is favoured by Ranald he will after death be escorted by Morr to a large city. This place is under a huge celebration that never ends. Drink and food that need not be worked for nor can even come close to running out of, no here there is always more to be had. Entertainers of all kinds roam the streets plying their trade to the delight of everyone. Here, everything rogues and lairs of all different sorts may desire awaits their pleasure. There are endless things to be stolen, people to be tricked and also guards to try and keep order as to have something to rebel against, but here there are no prison, penalties nor courts a captured thief is at once set free in the great festival to try again or attempt another trickery, gambit or theft. So basically all the god things of adventuring and living as an outlaw, trickster and rebel but non of the consequences. A paradise for those ho love life itself and all its pleasures.

Source

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Second EDition, 2005