Laverna — Roman Goddess of Thieves, Secrecy & Concealment
Laverna is the Roman power behind the clean reputation and the dirty deed: thieves who do not wish to be caught, fraudsters who need to look respectable, secret bargains, concealed exits, false identities and wrongdoing hidden beneath a convincing public face.
Laverna at a Glance
| Pantheon | Roman Pantheon |
|---|---|
| Tradition | Roman and old Italic |
| Divine Standing | Lesser Deity · Divine Rank 7 · Campaign Divine Tier 27 |
| Alignment | Chaotic Neutral |
| Portfolio | Theft, concealment, secret gain, fraud, false reputation and hidden wrongdoing |
| Historical Anchor | The altar and grove associated with the Porta Lavernalis |
| Symbol | The Hood of Laverna — a faceless purple hood edged in gold |
| Favoured Weapon | Dagger |
| Domains | Trickery · Luck · Darkness · Travel |
| Divine Artifact | The Hood of Lavernalis |
| Worshippers | Thieves, fences, smugglers, confidence artists, corrupt clerks, spies and fugitives who need to disappear |
| Related Powers | Mercury · Janus · Diana · Venus |
The Respectable Face of Theft
Laverna is not merely the patron of a hand slipping into a purse. She governs the far more dangerous theft that leaves the victim unsure a theft occurred at all. A burglar may pray for darkness; a fraudulent merchant prays that the books look honest; an official taking bribes prays that witnesses remember a respectable public servant.
Roman literary tradition gives her exactly this flavour. Horace places her name in the mouth of a hypocrite who wants to appear just while keeping wrongdoing hidden beneath darkness and cloud. The old altar and grove associated with the Porta Lavernalis give the goddess a physical place at the edge of movement, secrecy and escape.
What Is Laverna Doing Right Now?
Banking, contracts, merchant houses, tax ledgers and expanding civic administration have created new ways to steal without ever drawing a knife. Laverna has followed the money. Forged accounts, substituted seals, vanished cargo, false identities and respectable men with inexplicable fortunes now attract more of her attention than common cutpurses.
Her agents are quietly encouraging a new doctrine among thieves: the perfect crime does not look like a crime. A robbery that leaves a broken door is crude. A missing inheritance that everyone remembers being lawfully transferred is art.
That does not make every person who asks for her concealment a villain. Spies, political fugitives, escaped captives and people disappearing from dangerous masters sometimes use the same hidden shrines. Laverna cares less about moral innocence than about whether secrecy itself has been handled skilfully.
Hidden Shrines and Quiet Prayers
Laverna has no respectable public priesthood that openly declares its purpose. Her worship survives in back rooms, cellar niches, storerooms, roadside groves, concealed passages and near gates where a person can enter under one name and leave under another.
Offerings are deliberately unimpressive: an unmarked coin, a covered lamp, a key that opens nothing, a scrap cut from a false ledger or a cup emptied where nobody is watching. Petitioners speak softly. The ideal prayer is one no witness can later repeat with confidence.
Her clergy favour practical secrecy over theatrical darkness. They teach coded speech, false papers, escape routes, respectable manners, concealed weapons and the dangerous discipline of knowing when not to boast.
Divine Mechanics
These statistics represent Laverna herself when divine conflict brings her directly into an adventure. Reducing her to 0 Hit Points defeats or expels her from the immediate scene; permanent divine death requires circumstances appropriate to a Lesser Deity and her divine estate.
Laverna
Armor Class 26
Hit Points 600
Speed 50 ft.
Initiative +19 (29)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 (+5) | 30 (+10) | 26 (+8) | 28 (+9) | 26 (+8) | 30 (+10) |
Saving Throws Dex +19, Int +18, Wis +17, Cha +19
Skills Deception +28, Perception +17, Sleight of Hand +28, Stealth +28, Religion +18
Damage Resistances Necrotic, Psychic; Bludgeoning, Piercing and Slashing from nonmagical attacks
Condition Immunities Charmed, Frightened, Poisoned
Senses Truesight 120 ft.; Passive Perception 27
Languages All; Telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 32 (custom epic; PB +9) · Campaign Divine Tier 27
Divine Awareness
Laverna automatically notices a major theft, fraud, forged identity or deliberate concealment carried out within 1 mile of her when the act invokes her name, symbol or protection.
Legendary Resistance
5/Day. If Laverna fails a saving throw, she can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance
Laverna has Advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Shroud the Misdeed
Divination magic that would reveal Laverna’s location, identity, recent actions or a creature she is actively concealing must overcome her divine shroud. The caster makes a spellcasting ability check against DC 27; on a failure the magic produces no useful information.
False Reputation
Laverna has Advantage on Charisma (Deception) checks made to appear respectable, uninvolved or lawfully entitled to something she has taken. Creatures have Disadvantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks made solely to detect those deceptions.
Divine Sneak Attack (1/Turn)
When Laverna hits a creature with Hidden Dagger and has Advantage on the attack roll, she deals an extra 35 (10d6) Psychic damage. She can also deal this extra damage when another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it and Laverna doesn’t have Disadvantage on the attack roll.
Expelled, Not Destroyed
When Laverna reaches 0 Hit Points away from her divine estate, her visible form collapses into extinguished lamplight, a blank coin and the memory of footsteps taking the wrong turning. She is defeated and expelled from the scene rather than automatically erased from divinity.
Divine Spellcasting
Charisma is Laverna’s spellcasting ability (spell save DC 27, +19 to hit with spell attacks). She casts these spells without material components.
At Will: Disguise Self, Nondetection
3/Day Each: Dimension Door, Greater Invisibility, Mislead
1/Day Each: Mind Blank, Passwall, Teleport
Full Domain Access
Laverna has every spell granted by her Trickery, Luck, Darkness and Travel domains in the matching edition, in addition to the commonly used spells listed above.
Actions
Multiattack. Laverna makes three Hidden Dagger attacks.
Hidden Dagger. Melee or Ranged Attack: +19 to hit, reach 10 ft. or range 60/180 ft., one target. Hit: 26 (3d10 + 10) Piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) Psychic damage.
Cloud the Record (Recharge 5–6). Each hostile creature of Laverna’s choice in a 60-foot Emanation makes a DC 27 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 45 (10d8) Psychic damage and cannot accurately describe Laverna’s appearance, route of escape or actions until the end of its next Short Rest. On a success, it takes half damage and remembers normally. A creature with Truesight has Advantage on the save.
Bonus Actions
Slip the Gate. Laverna teleports up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space she can see in dim light, darkness, a doorway, an archway or a covered passage.
Reactions
Not Me. When Laverna is targeted by an attack while another creature is within 5 feet of her, she imposes Disadvantage on the attack and moves up to 10 feet without provoking Opportunity Attacks.
Legendary Actions
Legendary Action Uses: 3. Laverna regains all expended uses at the start of her turn.
Dagger. Laverna makes one Hidden Dagger attack.
Slip Away. Laverna uses Slip the Gate.
Vanish from the Account (Costs 2). Laverna becomes Invisible until the start of her next turn or until immediately after she deals damage.
Laverna — Pathfinder 1e
Init +14; Senses truesight 120 ft., divine awareness; Perception +43
AC 57, touch 37, flat-footed 47
hp 600
Fort +37, Ref +39, Will +37
DR 20/epic; SR 39
Immune acid, cold, electricity, disease, poison, paralysis, sleep, stunning, death effects; Resist fire 12
Speed 60 ft.
Melee +5 keen dagger +52/+47/+42/+37 (1d4+10/17–20)
Special Attacks sneak attack +10d6
Str 20, Dex 30, Con 26, Int 28, Wis 26, Cha 30
CMB +42; CMD 72
Shroud the Misdeed (Su)
Divination effects used to discover Laverna, an identity she is protecting or a crime she personally concealed require a caster level check against DC 32. Failure returns no useful result.
False Reputation (Ex)
Laverna may take 10 on Bluff, Disguise, Sleight of Hand and Stealth checks even when threatened or distracted. Against creatures that do not know her divine identity, she gains a +10 circumstance bonus on Bluff checks made to appear respectable or uninvolved.
Sneak Attack (Ex)
Laverna deals an extra 10d6 points of damage whenever her target would be denied its Dexterity bonus to AC or when she flanks the target, subject to the normal Pathfinder 1e sneak attack rules.
Slip the Gate (Su)
As a swift action, Laverna teleports up to 60 feet between two spaces of dim light, darkness, doorways or covered passages she can see. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Spell-Like Abilities — CL 32nd
At Will: disguise self, nondetection, greater invisibility
3/day: dimension door, mislead, mind blank, greater dispel magic
1/day: greater teleport, miracle, veil
Full Domain Access
Laverna has the complete Trickery, Luck, Darkness and Travel domain spell suites in their Pathfinder-facing forms, including the matching granted powers.
Laverna — D&D 3.5e
Medium Outsider (Chaotic, Extraplanar); 20 outsider HD + rogue 20
Armor Class 57, touch 37, flat-footed 47
Hit Points 600
Speed 60 ft.
Base Attack +20 · Epic Attack Bonus +10 · Grapple +35
Attack: +5 keen dagger +52 melee (1d4+10/17–20)
Full Attack: +5 keen dagger +52/+47/+42/+37 melee
Special Attacks: sneak attack +10d6
Saves: Fort +37, Ref +39, Will +37
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 30, Con 26, Int 28, Wis 26, Cha 30
Divine Rank 7
Laverna gains a +7 divine bonus on attacks, saves, skill checks, ability checks and caster level checks. Her divine aura can extend to 700 feet (Will DC 27), her senses reach 7 miles, and she may maintain remote sensing at five locations at once.
Sneak Attack (Ex)
As a 20th-level rogue, Laverna deals an extra 10d6 points of damage whenever her target is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC or when she flanks the target, subject to the normal 3.5e sneak attack rules.
Divine Defences
DR 20/epic; SR 39; fire resistance 12. Laverna is immune to acid, cold, electricity, disease, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, death effects, disintegration, ability damage, ability drain, energy drain and ordinary mind-affecting effects. As a rank-7 deity she is also immune to mortal effects intended to banish, imprison or bind her.
Salient Divine Abilities
A Lesser Deity of Divine Rank 7 has nine salient divine abilities: one for each divine rank plus two for lesser-deity status. Laverna’s are Alter Size, Alter Form, Shift Form, Alter Reality, Divine Celerity, Know Secrets, Power of Luck, Stride and Supreme Initiative. She possesses Improved Initiative to meet the prerequisite for Supreme Initiative.
Domain Spell-Like Abilities
Laverna may use every spell from her Trickery, Luck, Darkness and Travel domains as a spell-like ability at will. Caster level 17th; saving throw DC 27 + spell level. She may use each granted domain power at least seven times per day where that power normally has limited uses.
Divine Skill and Portfolio Use
As a Lesser Deity, Laverna may take 10 on checks she is required to make. Events involving theft, fraud, concealment or false identity that affect roughly five hundred or more people enter her portfolio sense automatically.
Regional Effects
Where Laverna’s presence is strong, a major sanctuary can project the following effects across roughly six miles. A small hidden shrine normally manifests only one effect in a smaller area. Unless another divine power contests them, the effects fade over 1d10 days after the sanctuary is abandoned or desecrated.
Shadows Keep Secrets
A whispered conversation held in deep shade cannot be understood by casual eavesdroppers more than 30 feet away.
Stolen Goods Remember
An item taken through theft acquires a faint mark visible to Laverna’s clergy for seven days, though the mark does not reveal whether the theft was justified.
False Faces Slip
A creature maintaining a mundane disguise while lying about its identity develops tiny inconsistencies that grant Advantage to an observer who spends at least 1 minute studying it.
Doors Forget
At midnight, unattended mundane locks within a major sanctuary have a small chance to reset themselves to the state Laverna’s presiding priest considers most useful: open, closed or apparently untouched.
Domains, Spells and Divine Gifts
Laverna grants four principal divine spheres: Trickery, Luck, Darkness and Travel. Together they cover deception, the fortunate escape, concealment and the road out before anyone realises what has happened.
Trickery
False identity, misdirection, illusion, deception and the respectable mask over an illicit act.
Luck
The guard looks the other way, the key fits, the ledger is not checked and the wrong witness is believed.
Darkness
Not simple night, but obscurity: the face not seen clearly, the act hidden and the evidence swallowed by shadow.
Travel
Escape routes, concealed roads, false departures, smuggling paths and being somewhere else before the accusation is made.
Gift: Respectable Face
Once per Long Rest, a devotee may gain Advantage on one Deception check made to appear uninvolved in a crime they actually committed.
Gift: Hidden Exit
When the devotee enters a building, they can identify the nearest mundane exit not currently watched by a visible creature.
Gift: The Missing Detail
Once per Long Rest after failing a Stealth, Sleight of Hand or Deception check, the devotee may reroll it. The second result stands.
The Hood of Lavernalis
Wondrous Item (hood), Artifact
Attunement: Required. The Hood accepts a creature that has knowingly lived by secrecy, theft, deception, covert passage or the protection of a concealed identity. Laverna can refuse or end the bond.
Associated Deity: Laverna · Primary Domains: Trickery, Luck, Darkness, Travel
The Hood of Lavernalis is Laverna’s major divine artifact. At rest it most often appears as a deep purple hood edged in old gold, fastened with a dark amethyst clasp, but the artifact never remains remarkable in quite the same way twice. Witnesses disagree about its weave, colour, age and even whether the wearer had it raised. The Hood does not merely hide a face; it attacks the chain of evidence by which a person is recognised, traced and named.
The Hood of Lavernalis — 5.5e
Wondrous Item (hood), Artifact (requires Attunement)
Face Nobody Keeps
While the hood is raised, a creature that sees you in Dim Light or Darkness must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw when it loses sight of you. On a failed save, for the next 24 hours it remembers your approximate height, build and clothing but cannot accurately recall or describe your face, hair, eyes, scars or exact age. A creature with Truesight automatically succeeds.
Cloud the Name
You are under a continuous Nondetection effect while attuned. A spell or magical effect that would reveal your true identity, locate you by name or inspect your recent passage must also succeed on a spellcasting ability check against DC 22 or return no useful result.
Charges
The Hood has 7 charges and regains 1d6 + 1 expended charges each midnight. While wearing it, you can expend charges to cast the following spells without material components, using Charisma, Intelligence or Wisdom as your spellcasting ability when you first attune:
- 1 charge: Disguise Self
- 2 charges: Dimension Door
- 3 charges: Greater Invisibility
- 4 charges: Mislead
- 5 charges: Mind Blank, targeting only yourself
Unwritten Passage
Whenever you teleport using the Hood, mundane tracks, scent trails and ordinary visual evidence of the point from which you departed vanish. Nonmagical attempts to determine your route automatically fail unless the searcher witnessed the teleportation itself.
Vanish from the Record
1/Day. As a Bonus Action, you become Invisible for 1 minute. During that time, you cannot be detected by mundane tracks or scent and divination cannot reveal your location unless it overcomes Cloud the Name. The effect ends early immediately after you deal damage to a creature.
Laverna’s Claim
Laverna always knows when the Hood is used to conceal a major theft, fraud, betrayal or false identity. If the bearer deliberately uses it against Laverna, one of her sanctuaries or a creature under her direct protection, the Hood can immediately end Attunement and suppress all of its powers until Laverna permits another bearer to claim it.
Identification
Identify reveals the Hood’s ordinary properties, charges and Attunement requirement. It does not reveal Laverna’s Claim or the artifact’s destruction condition.
The Hood of Lavernalis — Pathfinder 1e
Major Artifact · Slot head · Aura overwhelming abjuration and illusion · CL 20th · Weight —
Face Nobody Keeps (Su)
While the hood is raised, a creature that observes the wearer in dim light or darkness must attempt a DC 25 Will save when it loses line of sight. On a failure, for 24 hours it can recall the wearer’s approximate height, build and clothing but not exact facial features, hair, eyes, scars or age. True seeing prevents this effect.
Cloud the Name (Su)
The wearer is continuously protected by nondetection at caster level 20th. Divination used to identify, locate or reconstruct the wearer’s recent passage requires a caster level check against DC 31.
Artifact Powers
- At will: disguise self.
- 3/day: dimension door, greater invisibility.
- 1/day: mislead, mind blank on the wearer.
Unwritten Passage (Su)
Whenever the wearer teleports using the Hood, mundane tracks, scent trails and ordinary evidence at the point of departure vanish. Survival checks and mundane tracking cannot reconstruct the route.
Laverna’s Claim
Laverna automatically becomes aware whenever the artifact conceals a major theft, fraud, betrayal or assumed identity. If the bearer acts directly against Laverna or one of her sanctuaries, she may suppress the artifact’s supernatural abilities until it leaves that creature’s possession.
The Hood of Lavernalis — D&D 3.5e
Major Artifact · Slot head · Strong abjuration and illusion · CL 20th · Weight —
Face Nobody Keeps (Su)
When a creature sees the raised Hood’s wearer in shadowy illumination or darkness and later loses sight of them, it must succeed on a DC 25 Will save or be unable for 24 hours to recall exact facial features, hair, eyes, scars or age. True seeing negates this memory-blurring property.
Cloud the Name (Su)
The wearer gains continuous nondetection at caster level 20th. Divination intended to identify, locate or trace the wearer must succeed on a caster level check against DC 31.
Artifact Powers
- At will: disguise self.
- 3/day: dimension door, greater invisibility.
- 1/day: mislead, mind blank on the wearer.
Unwritten Passage (Su)
When the wearer uses a teleportation power of the Hood, physical tracks, scent and mundane traces at the point of departure are erased. Tracking by Survival or scent cannot determine the direction taken.
Laverna’s Claim
Laverna knows when the Hood is used in a major theft, fraud, betrayal or false identity. She can suppress the Hood’s supernatural powers if a bearer knowingly turns the artifact against her cult, sanctuary or direct divine purpose.
Destroying the Hood
The Hood cannot be destroyed by ordinary damage, dispel magic or mortal crafting. It can be unmade only if its current bearer carries it openly through the Porta Lavernalis at noon, willingly and truthfully confesses every theft, fraud and false identity committed while attuned to it before three witnesses, then places the Hood upon Laverna’s ancient altar. If all three witnesses speak the bearer’s true name without error, a flame that has never previously been hidden or covered can burn the Hood to ash. Any lie, concealed crime or false name causes the attempt to fail.
Using the Artifact in Play
The Hood is not intended to be treasure that simply adds numbers to a character sheet. Possessing it creates a relationship with Laverna. Thieves want it, rulers fear it, investigators may not even agree on who owns it, and every spectacular use risks drawing the goddess’s attention. A bearer can exploit the artifact for escape and deception, but cannot assume Laverna remains indifferent to what is being hidden.
The Unmarked Coin
Lesser Divine Relic · Wondrous Item (coin-shaped token)
Attunement: None · Associated Deity: Laverna · Purpose: Wash ordinary currency of its provenance without creating wealth.
The Unmarked Coin is not meant to be spent. It is a blank-faced divine token carried by thieves, smugglers and agents of Laverna. By pressing it against ordinary currency, the bearer can strip that money of identifying provenance and give it the appearance of legitimate local coinage. The relic itself remains with the bearer.
The Unmarked Coin — 5.5e
Wondrous Item (coin-shaped token), Lesser Divine Relic; no Attunement required
Wash the Coinage (3/Day). As a Magic action, press the relic against a purse, handful or small pile containing up to 100 ordinary coins. Choose a legitimate local mint whose currency uses the same precious metal and approximate denomination. The affected coins permanently take on convincing local faces, inscriptions, wear and mint marks appropriate to that currency. The Unmarked Coin itself is unaffected and remains in your possession. All expended uses return at midnight.
Clean Provenance. Once washed, mundane inspection reveals no evidence of the coins’ former mint, owner or route of travel. Divination magic used to identify a bearer who possessed the coins before they were washed must succeed on a DC 18 spellcasting ability check or reveal no useful information.
Same Metal, Same Value. Wash the Coinage never changes a coin’s metal, weight or actual value. Copper cannot become silver, clipped currency does not regain missing metal, and the relic cannot duplicate money, increase purchasing power or provide a costly spell component.
Identification. Identify reveals Wash the Coinage, Clean Provenance and Same Metal, Same Value. It does not reveal the identity of anyone who possessed currency before it was washed.
The Unmarked Coin — Pathfinder 1e
Lesser Divine Relic · Slot none · Aura moderate illusion and transmutation · CL 9th · Weight negligible
Wash the Coinage (Su) 3/day. As a standard action, the bearer touches the relic to up to 100 ordinary coins. The affected currency permanently acquires the faces, inscriptions, wear and mint marks of legitimate local coins of the same metal and comparable denomination. The relic is never transferred or consumed.
Clean Provenance (Su). Appraise, Perception and mundane examination reveal no trace of the affected coins’ former mint or owner. Divination intended to identify or locate a creature that possessed the coins before washing requires a caster level check against DC 20.
Limit. The relic cannot alter metal, weight or intrinsic value, replace clipped metal, duplicate currency, satisfy costly material components or make a coin appear to be worth more than its substance permits.
The Unmarked Coin — D&D 3.5e
Lesser Divine Relic · Slot none · Moderate illusion and transmutation · CL 9th · Weight negligible
Wash the Coinage (Su) 3/day. As a standard action, the bearer presses the relic against up to 100 ordinary coins. The coins permanently take on the minting, inscriptions and ordinary wear of legitimate local currency made from the same metal and of comparable denomination. The Unmarked Coin remains with the bearer.
Clean Provenance (Su). Mundane examination cannot determine the prior mint, owner or route of the washed currency. A divination spell attempting to identify or locate a creature that possessed the money before washing must succeed on a caster level check against DC 20.
Limit. The relic cannot change metal, weight or intrinsic value, restore missing precious metal, duplicate currency, supply costly material components or transform base metal into precious metal.
Breaking the Relic
The Unmarked Coin loses its magic if both blank faces are deliberately engraved with the true name of its current keeper and the relic is then openly surrendered to a person from whom that keeper knowingly stole. The token remains physically intact but can never wash currency again.
Relationships
Mercury overlaps with cunning, movement and profit, but Mercury also governs open trade and legitimate exchange. Laverna rules the transaction that one participant hopes will never be reconstructed.
Janus governs the gate; Laverna specialises in passing through it unnoticed. Their interests meet at thresholds, departures and identities that change between one side and the other.
Diana can become an uneasy ally where fugitives need sanctuary rather than profit. Venus intersects with reputation, attraction and the persuasive face presented to the world, but Laverna’s interest begins where appearance is deliberately false.
Use Laverna Tonight
The Honest Man’s Prayer
A celebrated magistrate is overheard whispering Laverna’s name immediately before giving evidence that could condemn an innocent rival.
The Gate Has No Guards
Every watchman assigned to one old gate remembers being on duty, yet none can describe a single traveller who passed during the night.
The Stolen Ledger Returns
A missing account book reappears with every fraudulent entry correct and every honest entry erased. The book is now more dangerous than when it was missing.
The Wrong Face
Three witnesses identify three different people as the same thief. All three descriptions are truthful memories.
The Blank Coin
A money-changer discovers hundreds of blank coins in a chest that was full of valid silver the night before, but every customer insists they paid honestly.
No One Stole It
A noble relic vanishes from a locked chamber. Divination confirms that nobody entered, nobody left and nobody currently possesses it.
Historical Sources and Rules Compatibility
- Porta Lavernalis — the altar, grove and disputed topography associated with Laverna.
- Horace, Epistles 1.16 — literary evidence for Laverna as a power invoked to conceal wrongdoing behind a respectable appearance.
- Varro, De Lingua Latina 5.163 — ancient testimony connecting the gate’s name with Laverna’s altar.
- 3.5e Divine Ranks and Powers and Salient Divine Abilities — basis for the Divine Rank 7 rules-facing form.
Historical associations are kept separate from campaign additions. The hidden cult, present-day agenda, relics, regional effects and encounter statistics are original campaign material.
Rules licensing. 5.5e terminology derived from System Reference Document 5.2.1 is used under CC BY 4.0 where applicable. Pathfinder 1e and 3.5e deity statistics are original conversions; open rules concepts are used under their applicable licences.
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