“Once my Dark Project is realized, they shall know again to fear and love their Lord.”
The Trickster is the main antagonist in Thief: The Dark Project and the Pagan deity who represents the chaotic forces of nature. He resides in a cavernous realm called the Maw of Chaos, the nexus through which he summons his forces.
Navigation
I. Overview
II. History
III. The Dark Project
IV. Defeat
V. Abilities
Overview
The Trickster desired to return the world to a primeval state covered in vast forests in which people lived off the land without relying on technology. He was oft-quoted in Pagan parchments and is mentioned in Hammerite texts as opposing the progress of the Builder.
History
According to Pagan lore the Trickster is a nature god who gave life to all wild beings and protected those who respected the wilderness. He allowed the Pagans to build small huts and temples and helped them craft parchment and ink, primitive clothes, and crude tools for gardening and cooking.
The Hammerite religion, however, depicted him as a devil-like entity who wished to stop technological progress. They called him a dark and false god, describing his many temptations toward sin.
Although the exact connection between the Trickster and the Builder is unknown, Hammerites believed that the Builder came upon early humans and offered them tools to work the land while the Trickster continued preaching of a pure earth to the Pagans. It is possible that these two gods have been fighting each other since the dawn of time.
Unlike the Builder, the Trickster was recorded throughout history actually walking the earth. The Kurshok described him as being kindhearted, allowing them to construct cities and ships of immense size despite his hatred of those who exploited nature.
Indeed he had a great fondness for them, but later banished them to live below the waves as punishment after their king proclaimed himself above the Trickster and refused to return his crown.
It is also speculated that the Trickster used the Eye in order to unleash the Cataclysm within Old Quarter that caused the Undead to pour forth from a Hammerite cathedral. The Keepers, however, managed to contain the reanimated horde by using magical wards on the cathedral that were controlled by four talismans.
The Watch kept the remaining Undead at bay while the City Council built a wall around that section to stop the plague of undeath from spreading.
The Dark Project
Prior to the start of the Dark Project, the Trickster had a close relationship with the wood nymph Viktoria. She acted as his personal messenger and was his main contact with City officials. Like him, she also disguised herself as a human but was more well adjusted to society.
The two concocted a plan and the Trickster disguised himself as an eccentric nobleman named Constantine.
This mortal persona owned a bizarre mansion and collected rare relics. He then tested Garrett’s thieving skills by having him steal a mystical sword from his own estate.
After retrieving the sword Garrett was hired to obtain an artifact called the Eye. Despite having unknown origins, it was believed to be be far older than the City, possibly dating back to the Kurshok empire.
When given it, Constantine revealed his true form and had Garrett’s right eye removed and placed into the Eye. This enabled it to focus Constantine’s magic and create a portal to the Maw of Chaos.
Defeat
Soon he and his minions rampaged through the city and attacked the Hammer Temple in Downtowne, reclaiming his ancient subterranean lair in the process. He later returned to the Maw to perform his ritual, but was killed by the exploding replica which Garrett had exchanged for the real Eye.
This did not seem to stop the Pagans from worshiping him as they believe that he shall return. It is not known if this is possible.
Abilities
Perhaps most impressive is the Trickster’s ability to shapeshift. When traveling as a human, he adopted the guise of an elderly, balding man. His true form, however, was similar to a large satyr, with a thick reptilian tail and the Pagan symbol of the third eye emblazoned on his forehead.
It is clear that he commanded vast mystical power, allowing him to command the elements, summon creatures, and distort space itself. He also gave the Pagans the power to control plant growth and raise the Undead.
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