The Nameless Goblin God

## The Nameless God

> "*Ya ever wondah what a tricksy little god of games is doin in the big bad dominion of war, eh? Well I’ll tell ya. Its a secret not many know, but it's pretty obvious if ya think about it. Bet Bane knew it. It’s a game. That’s all this dominion is, that’s all th’ Great Chern is. A big big game of king a’ the hill. Once you realize it's just a game everythin’ starts to make sense dunnit? All th' little players, they're just game pieces ta th' bigger players, and they're just game pieces ta th' bigger players themselves. Alllll the way ta’ the top, that’s where Bane played.*
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> Hm…now that I thinks about it…what sorta piece does that make me?*"*
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**The Nameless God**, later revealed to be *Bane*, was the Goblin God of Games and Fun. He knew that he could not defeat Maglubiyet during the Goblin Wars, and thus devised a brilliant plan to escape eradication when The Mighty One came for him. The God made a secret pact with Bane (who himself was secretly undermining Maglubiyet). The God took Bane's name as his own and hid is body away for eternity, essentially becoming as aspect of Bane himself, hidden inside the god. Before completing this he forbid his playful children, the goblins, from even speaking his original name again. Thus he became known as The Nameless God, as only Bane himself now knew the god's name. As an entity without a body or discernable name, Maglubiyet was never able to slay The Nameless God. There was no essence to be eradicated.

Although this saved The Nameless God, it also made him a mostly inert piece of Bane. His only interaction with the world was through nilbogs. The God could still occasionally influence his original followers, the goblins, afflicting them with a "curse" known as nibolgism. This would cause the goblin to take on The Nameless God's endlessly playful aspects, while simultaneously becoming near impervious to harm. It was commonly believed that this was caused by some sort of possessive spirit, as whenever a nilbog was released from the curse another would be afflicted in its place. Very few (except perhaps the nilbogs themselves, though they never told) knew that nilbogism was in truth merely The Nameless God himself being channeled through the goblins' bodies.

The overlords of goblins, particularly Hobgoblins, feared nilbogs for their unpredictable nature and inability to be destroyed once active. A single nilbog could send an entire goblin army into chaotic uproar with its antics. This act most certainly pleased The Nameless God, continuing to thwart Maglubiyet millennia later.

## The Psion's Night

### Getting His Body Back

When Bane was slain during The Psion's Night, the piece of The Nameless God contained within him was freed. Once Maglubiyet was overthrown by Khurgorbaeyag and The Black General, there was little reason for him to remain in hiding. His lucidity returning, The God began to seek out his lost body and name. Taking more direct control of a Nibolg, The God followed The Afterparty into Clangor, searching for the Mantle of Sus which Kinsley had won in Goblus Amogus.

He first encountered Aisu Kurimu and Vivian Estrella, who The God engaged in a dance-off with while sizing each other up on their respective information. In the end he convinced Aisu to allow him a moment with the Mantle. After putting it on, The Nameless God's own body returned.

### Getting His Name Back

Now with a body again, The Nameless God could still not recall his name, although he made clear The Afterparty would eventually help him retrieve it. His powers partially restored, The Nameless God became able to sense the playing of games and appear where they occurred, popping up occasionally during such events. Through this Aisu was able to briefly summon The God for help when captured by Kurtulmak.

When The Afterparty reached Bane's Vault, they found within a dragonchess board. Attempting to play summoned The Nameless God, delighted because he felt the vault contained knowledge of his name. Realizing the fitting location of the game-board, he and Kin Diety played a game. Although The God lost, this returned his memories of his pact with Bane, taking that god's name as his own. This also unlocked the residual aspects of Bane that were conversely present in "Bane" the goblin, allowing The War God to unveil his plans to The Afterparty.

The Nameless God subsequentially opened The Road Less Traveled to The Afterparty to help them escape. This unfortunately led them straight into Cach'chinite the Grinning Flayer, who had been awaiting this opportunity to intercept them. The two challenged each other to a game, and while Cach'chinite gained the upper hand, The Nameless God successfully allowed The Afterparty to escape via manipulating game rules while temporarily trapping Cach'chinite on the road. However, this maneuver cost The Nameless God his life, as he was left behind to be consumed by Cach'chinite in the process. Before going, Aisu made a final prayer to The Nameless God, being blessed by the so-called 'curse of nilbogism', and perhaps some aspect of The God, hidden away in others once again.

## Trivia

* It is implied that The Nameless God invented the game Goblus Amogus. It was through this game that his Mantle of Sus was preserved.