Bestiary

Often said to be the eldest of all gods (though Legba, too, is known as “First and Oldest”), and the king of religion, Obatala is the father of many other gods, respectfully known as the “Sky Father.” Because of his standing, he is often the one to whom the gods go when they quarrel with each other. He can separate them, hear and comprehend each side, and then come to a fair judgment. For the followers, Awakened and unAwakened alike, who welcome his presence within them, Obatala can offer a certain amount of protection and guidance in dangerous situations, gliding them around obstacles whenever possible, navigating the world like he navigates through thorny arguments: unharmed and often untouched.

(Obatala’s presence within a host allows the spirit to employ his Deflect Harm Charm on the character’s behalf, and also gives the host a temporary Arcane Background of 5; if the host already has Arcane, Obatala’s presence raises that Trait to 5 while the spirit resides within the host.)

As the eldest of the gods, Obatala is the one who molded the bodies of humans and decided on the human anatomy before Olodumare breathed life into them. He is also called the “ruler of heads,” meaning that human thoughts and ideas are his domain. He knows what thoughts reside within the minds of men, and tries to help people think more clearly. To those who know him, Obatala is like a grandfather. Many gods — Loa and otherwise — view him fondly.

In vodou, white is a sacred color that offers protection to anyone performing magical tasks while wearing it; under Mage rules, white garments could be considered focus instruments (see the entry for “Fashion,” Mage 20, p. 591), possibly person­ alized or unique ones if they’ve been properly consecrated. To get the attention of the “Sky Father,” then, Obatala’s offerings should be white objects, including the metal silver, rice, eggs, coconut, cocoa butter, white yams, white hens, doves, and white goats. He prefers a soft and bland diet, so do not offer this spirit spicy or salty foods and alcohol. Obatala is also is fond of snails, whose calm and steady behavior he enjoys so much that he considers snails to be his living symbols; thus, he will not tolerate anyone abusing them, and takes a dim view of those who, for example, pour salt on snails or eat them for dinner.

Obatala lives in a white palace on a high mountain, sur­ rounded by tall walls that extend up into the sky. Mortals on the ground are unable to grasp the true height of his fortress, as it extends so high into the sky. His hair forms long white dread­ locks, and while he is an elderly man, Obatala remains strong in body and mind. He always dresses in white, to symbolize his calmness and even temper, and prefers to surround himself, and his worshippers, with the color white.

Beloved for his fair and even temperament, Obatala has few enemies among even the most sinister entities. Occasionally, he must reprimand some errant creatures for their behavior; even then, however, those he disciplines rarely hold it against him. Instead, he’s generally respected for his fairness and his ability to cut right to the heart of every matter.