Buy me a coffeeGod, Iktomi (The Trickster God, The Web Spinner)
“Meet Iktomi, the shape-shifting Trickster God whose web weaves chaos, wisdom, and technologyâare you ready to outwit the ultimate prankster?”
Iktomi is a powerful deity, known as the trickster spirit, revered by many North American tribes. He is depicted as a spider, but has the ability to shapeshift into any form, including that of a human. When appearing as a human, Iktomi is said to wear red, yellow, and white paint, with black rings around his eyes.
- Pantheon: North American Pantheon
- Deity Title: The Trickster God, The Web Spinner
- Deity Symbol: A red spider
- Home Plane: The Beastlands
- Deity Level: Greater Deity
- Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
- Aliases: Ikto, Ictinike, Inktomi, Unktome, Unktomi
- Superior: Inyan (The Creator God)
- Traditional Allies: Mica (Coyote), other trickster spirits
- Traditional Foes: None specifically; his mischief often pits him temporarily against gods, spirits, or mortals, but not with enduring enmity
- Divine Artifact: The Dreamcatcher
- Servants: Spiders, shapeshifters
- Servitor Creatures: Giant Spiders
- Sacred Animal: The spider
- Manifestations: Iktomi often appears as a spider with intricate, glowing web designs on his body or as a human with red, yellow, and white paint and black rings around his eyes. He can also take any shape he desires, including animals or even inanimate objects.
- Signs of Favor: Random acts of mischief that seem to help in hindsight, strange encounters with spiders, or sudden inspiration for clever solutions
- Worshipers: Native American tribes, especially the Lakota; trickster characters; technologists; those who seek to advance or disrupt societal norms
- Cleric Alignments: Chaotic Neutral, Chaotic Good, Chaotic Evil
- Specialty Priests: Iktonian, Web-Spinners
- Holy Days: None formalized; celebrations often occur during storytelling gatherings or times of societal transformation
- Portfolio: Trickery, Mischief, Technology
- Domains: Trickery, Chaos, Knowledge
- Favored Weapon: Net
- Favored Class: Rogue, Bard
- Favored Race: Shapeshifters, Native American Tribes
- Duties of the Priesthood: Spread Iktomiâs teachings through tales and mischief, advance innovation and technology, disrupt stagnation, and encourage creative problem-solving
- Major Cult/Temple Sites: None known; worship and reverence occur in natural spaces or through storytelling traditions
- Benefits: Protection from evil spirits, insights into new technologies or creative solutions, the ability to perform harmless pranks or manipulate outcomes for community benefit
- Significant Others: None formally noted, though he often collaborates with other trickster spirits like Mica (Coyote) and sometimes finds himself entangled with other deities in schemes.
Iktomi exudes an air of cunning and unpredictability, a being whose appearance shifts like the tales told about him. In his spider form, his body gleams with an unnatural sheen, as if spun from dark silk. His eight limbs stretch outward, their joints sharp and jagged like the teeth of a trap, yet his movements are eerily fluid, each step an elegant glide across the terrain. Patterns of red and gold adorn his back, mimicking the sacred designs of webbingâeach strand seemingly alive, pulsing faintly as though it holds the secrets of creation and deception.
His many eyes reflect the light like polished onyx, each one brimming with a knowing intelligence and an unsettling focus, as if he sees not only the world before him but the countless possibilities woven through it.
When Iktomi takes human form, he is no less striking. His skin is bronzed like the earth after a rainstorm, weathered yet radiant with an otherworldly vitality. His face is long and angular, with sharp cheekbones that catch the light like the edge of a blade. Around his piercing black eyes, circles of deep charcoal paint enhance his intense and haunting gaze, making it impossible to tell where his true focus lies. His lips curl into a mischievous grin, the corners twitching with the suppressed laughter of a thousand untold jokes.
Iktomiâs body is adorned with traditional paints in bold strokes of red, yellow, and white, the colors of vitality, trickery, and the spiritual realms. His garmentsâif he chooses to wear themâare loose and flowing, fashioned from the hides of animals and woven with strands of his web. Around his neck hangs a talisman resembling a spider, crafted from bone and sinew, a reminder of his divine essence. Every movement he makes, whether deliberate or absent-minded, seems calculated to ensnare, as though the very air around him bends to his will.
Despite his trickster nature, Iktomiâs presence is not entirely sinister. There is a strange warmth to his demeanor, a charm that draws you in even as you sense the risks of becoming entangled in his schemes. Whether as a spider or a man, Iktomi is a figure that embodies the balance of awe and unease, wisdom and mischief.
Iktomiâs Story
Iktomi, the Trickster God of the Lakota and other Native American tribes, is both a teacher and a tormentor, a spirit whose web spans the natural and spiritual worlds. Born of Inyan, the primordial Creator God, Iktomiâs existence is one of contrast: he is a figure of profound intelligence, responsible for bringing language and storytelling to humanity, yet his insatiable desire for amusement often leads him to create chaos.
Iktomiâs purpose is tied to the duality of his nature. As the Web Spinner, he creates connectionsâbetween gods and mortals, the physical and the spiritual, and even the forces of chaos and order. His tricks are not mere acts of malice but lessons wrapped in mischief. Through his pranks and schemes, Iktomi forces gods and mortals alike to confront their flaws, weaknesses, and misplaced certainties. He is a mirror to human folly, a reflection of the hubris that leads to downfall, yet he also serves as a guide, showing paths to wisdom through unexpected and often humorous means.
Iktomi does not seek power or worship in the traditional sense. Instead, his actions seem to stem from a need to maintain balance and ensure the continuation of storiesâthe lifeblood of his existence. He weaves tales as effortlessly as his webs, using them to shape the world and teach lessons. To Iktomi, the world is a tapestry of interconnected threads, and he relishes his role as both its creator and disruptor.
Despite his reputation as a trickster, Iktomi is not inherently malicious. His tricks, though sometimes cruel, are rooted in a desire to provoke growth and understanding. For example, his creation of the dreamcatcherâa gift to humanityâis a reminder that even in his most mischievous moments, he is a force of protection and guidance.
Above all, Iktomi embodies transformation. His schemes push the stagnant to move, the ignorant to learn, and the arrogant to fall. Through his weaving, both literal and metaphorical, he ensures that the web of life continues to expand, creating new stories, lessons, and connections for all who encounter him.
Iktomi, The Trickster God (CR 40)
Huge Celestial (Shapechanger), Chaotic Neutral
Armor Class: 25 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points: 720 (40d12 + 280)
Speed: 50 ft., climb 50 ft., fly 50 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 (+6) | 30 (+10) | 28 (+9) | 32 (+11) | 24 (+7) | 34 (+12) |
Saving Throws: Dex +19, Int +20, Wis +16, Cha +21
Skills: Deception +21, Insight +16, Performance +21, Sleight of Hand +19, Stealth +19
Damage Resistances: Radiant, Psychic, Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities: Poison, Necrotic
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Frightened, Grappled, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Restrained
Senses: Truesight 120 ft., Passive Perception 17
Languages: All languages, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge: 40 (155,000 XP)
Traits
Divine Trickery. Iktomi cannot be detected or located by divination magic unless he wishes to be. Spells such as divine intervention or wish that attempt to thwart his plans or locate him fail unless cast by a deity of equal or greater power.
Shapechanger. As a bonus action, Iktomi can transform into a spider (Medium or Large), a humanoid, or any beast of CR 6 or lower. He can also revert to his true hybrid form. His statistics, other than size, remain the same.
Web Weaver. Iktomi can cast web at will, and his webs are immune to dispel magic unless dispelled by a deity. Creatures caught in his webs must succeed on a DC 27 Strength saving throw or remain restrained until they escape.
Master Puppeteer. Iktomi can control creatures using invisible threads. As an action, he targets a creature he can see within 120 feet. The creature must succeed on a DC 27 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed for 1 hour. While charmed, the creature is under Iktomi’s control.
Legendary Resistance (5/Day). If Iktomi fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Actions
Multiattack. Iktomi makes three attacks with his divine threads or Dreamcatcher Lash.
Divine Threads. Melee Weapon Attack: +19 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 35 (6d8 + 10) radiant damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 27 Dexterity saving throw or be restrained by divine threads.
Dreamcatcher Lash. Melee Weapon Attack: +19 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 45 (8d10 + 10) psychic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 27 Wisdom saving throw or fall unconscious for 1 minute.
Dream Manipulation (Recharge 5-6). Iktomi targets a creature he can see within 120 feet. The creature must succeed on a DC 27 Wisdom saving throw or be placed in a dream state for 1 minute. While dreaming, the creature is incapacitated and cannot perceive its surroundings.
Legendary Actions
Iktomi can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time, and only at the end of another creature’s turn.
Weave Reality (Costs 2 Actions). Iktomi manipulates the environment within a 60-foot radius. He creates difficult terrain, obscures vision with illusory webs, or forces a creature to make a DC 27 Intelligence saving throw or become lost within a maze-like illusion until the end of its next turn.
Thread Snare. Iktomi flings a thread of magic at a creature within 60 feet. The creature must succeed on a DC 27 Dexterity saving throw or be restrained for 1 minute.
Mischief Surge. Iktomi casts a spell of 5th level or lower without expending a spell slot.
Mythic Actions
When Iktomi is reduced to 0 hit points, he is shrouded in a web of divine power and regains 300 hit points. His new form reflects his full trickster nature.
World Weaver (Mythic Trait). Iktomiâs webs can now affect reality itself. Any creature restrained by his webs must make a DC 27 Intelligence saving throw or fall under an illusory effect where they perceive a false reality for 1 minute.
Iktomi’s Spells
Iktomi casts spells as a 20th-level spellcaster (spell save DC 27, +19 to hit with spell attacks). He does not require material components to cast spells.
At-Will Spells
Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation, Thaumaturgy, Web, Mage Hand
3/Day Each
Dispel Magic, Major Image, Counterspell, Polymorph, Phantasmal Force
2/Day Each
Dominate Person, Wall of Force, Mislead, Dream, Seeming, Geas
1/Day Each
Time Stop, True Polymorph, Maze, Mass Suggestion, Weird, Mirage Arcane, Illusory Dragon
Legendary Spellcasting (Costs 2 Legendary Actions)
Iktomi may cast the following spells at will as legendary actions, without expending a spell slot:
Teleport, Illusory Script, Simulacrum
Mythic Spellcasting
While in his Mythic Form, Iktomi gains the following additional spells:
At-Will: Invisibility, Mirror Image
1/Day Each: Wish, Prismatic Spray, Antimagic Field
Iktomiâs spell list reflects his cunning and mastery of illusion, control, and deception. Each spell is chosen to confuse, manipulate, or dominate his enemies.
Regional Effects
The region surrounding Iktomiâs presence is warped by his divine trickery:
- Webbed Skies: The sky appears crisscrossed with glowing strands of light, visible only to creatures with Truesight.
- Subtle Mischief: Small objects vanish or move without explanation. Travelers experience sudden, inexplicable detours.
- Dream Influence: Creatures who sleep within 10 miles of Iktomiâs presence have vivid dreams of spiders and intricate webs.
Magic Item
Dreamcatcher of Iktomi. A legendary artifact resembling a spiderâs web adorned with feathers and beads. When attuned, it grants the following:
- Immunity to charm and fear effects.
- The ability to cast dream and telekinesis at will.
- Advantage on saving throws against illusion spells.
Destroying the Dreamcatcher requires the combined will of three divine beings or a feat of legendary cunning, as it embodies the heart of Iktomiâs web.
Currently in the World
The world is a restless, shifting web, and Iktomi dances at its center. In the 1450s, as empires rise and fall, as mortals clash in battles of conquest and invention, the Trickster God weaves his threads into the fabric of history, unseen but deeply felt. His laughter echoes in the winds of the plains and the whispers of campfires, where stories of his mischief spread like wildfire.
He sits atop a jagged hill overlooking a Lakota encampment, his form shifting between a spider, its legs glinting like obsidian in the firelight, and a man draped in painted skins. His grin widens as he observes the people below. They tell his storiesâhow he once tricked the animals into sharing their sacred songs, or how he taught the people to snare dreams with delicate webs. He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees, as though the telling itself sustains him. It does. Each story, each utterance of his name, weaves him tighter into the world.
Iktomi is not content to merely observe. He intervenes, pulling at threads where he sees opportunity or imbalance. In the shadowed corners of the Americas, he whispers to a hunter, guiding their arrow true, not out of kindness but to keep the tribe alive to tell more tales. In another village, he ties invisible strings around a proud chiefâs thoughts, nudging him toward a decision that will lead to chaosâa lesson for the chief and a delight for the Trickster.
As the world beyond his beloved plains churns in upheaval, Iktomi ventures further. He prowls the forests and rivers of the Mississippian culture, spinning his web through traders who speak of distant kingdoms, of golden cities across the ocean. Iktomi listens intently. Gold and conquest mean little to him, but the stories, the possibilitiesâthose are irresistible.
When he crosses the ocean, it is as a shadow, a whisper on the breeze. He slips unnoticed onto the ships of explorers and merchants, laughing softly at their determination to conquer lands and claim riches. He plucks at their ambitions like strings on a harp, sowing discord among crews, inspiring mutiny in one place and bold discovery in another. Where he can, he plants ideasânew tools, new strategies, new dreams. Not all will bear fruit, but some will become the seeds of inventions and revolutions.
By the 1450s, the printing press begins to whisper its promise of spreading knowledge far and wide. Iktomi watches with gleaming eyes. Though the machine is born in a distant land, it reminds him of the webs he weavesâdelicate, complex, and capable of catching more than prey. He threads his influence into this new creation, ensuring its potential for both wisdom and chaos.
For all his meddling, Iktomiâs motivations remain as tangled as his webs. He does not act out of malice; nor does he seek power or dominion. What drives him is something more profound and yet more frivolous: a need to see the world move, change, and grow. Stagnation is his enemy. A still web is a dead one, after all. He desires chaos not for its own sake but as a means to provoke transformation. Every prank, every scheme, every whispered word is a thread he spins to pull the world forward.
Yet, there is a loneliness to Iktomi. His laughter fades when he is alone, and the stories told of him carry a bittersweet edge. He knows he is both revered and feared, a figure whose lessons are often learned too late. He weaves himself into the world, but he remains apart from it, a being who cannot rest within the webs he creates.
As the 1450s give way to new eras, Iktomi watches the threads of his work stretch and tangle. The Americas change, their lands stirred by the footsteps of new arrivals. Stories shift, and his name flickers at the edges of memory. But Iktomi is unbothered. He knows his place is eternal, as long as there are tales to tell, dreams to catch, and mortals foolish enough to think they can escape his web.
For now, he sits on that jagged hill, a sly grin playing across his face as he waits for the next story to unfold, ready to pluck the threads and send the world spinning once more.