Lykke

The last god to be born, and final member of the Soul, Lykke is the rogue god whose domain is that of fortune, crime and trade. In the creation myth, it was his release of Fianna that led to the corruption of the once pure equines, making them wise in ways that the other gods had not intended.  Lykke is seen as a dark, untrustworthy god who loves to lead mortals astray with promises of fame and fortune.

## Sphere

Lykke’s primary sphere has the innocent and useful aspect of trade. He taught equines how to trade and barter, allowing them to expand their resources and inevitably their civilizations.

He is also the god of fortune - both as an accumulation of wealth, and as a simple source of luck. It is unclear if Lykke was the one who created the little drop of chaos known as luck, or if it had always been, and he simply claimed it as his own; either way, all fortune now flows through him.

His final primary aspect are the shadows - both real and metaphorical. Nima might be the god of night, but Lykke’s is a darkness of a different kind. He is the shadow in every heart - the darkness within souls of mortals. His is the primordial dark, the absence of light, the fear of the unknown.

### Secondary Sphere

Lykke is the god of travel, and patron of all travelers - he is as such also associated with roads and riverways. Lykke is also credited as the god of sailing, as trade and travel are closely interlinked with ships.

As the god of shadows, it is fitting that Lykke is also the god of crime and lies. While murder and violent crime fall more within Fianna’s sphere, Lykke is the god of thieves, burglars, con-artists and other charlatans. He gives mortals honeyed words and sweet lies, and can even lead mortals into believing their own lies. Kosmas might hunger for lies as knowledge, but Lykke is the one who taught mortals how.

Lykke’s very final sphere of influence is revolution - whether that of ideology, science or government. He heralds change, and change is not always pleasant or to the best interest of mortals; it can be violent and terrible. Lykke provides only the spark, not the outcome.

## Mythology

Lykke’s most powerful bond is with his sister, Fianna. Lykke was the one who freed her upon mortals, and the two have deeply interlinked spheres of influence. Neither would be as powerful without the other, and as such, they are often shown together. Lykke is believed to have a strenuous relationship at best with all of the other gods, but especially Kosmas, who does not appreciate the chaotic fortunes he bestows. Some think he is secretly in league with Nima - the shadow to her moonlight.

His relationship with mortals is complicated. To some, Lykke is simply a tempting, dark god who offers a great deal but always asks for a price far dearer than what he gave. But to others, he is the god of the downtrodden, of enterprise and taking your fate into your own hooves. He is said to trade in deals, and respect those who match his wit.

Many stories are told of the deals and schemes Lykke has been involved in, although some would say this is more due to shifting blame than his actual involvement. He is said to come to people in the form of a cat, or perhaps a moving picture on a playing card. In some legends, he is downright monstrous, luring people into the darkness, never to return. In others, he is the personification of a person’s own shadows - a powerful yet fair opponent who must be bested for the hero to be reborn a better person.

Lykke is exclusively depicted as male.

### Appearance in Art

Generally depicted as a shadowy figure, Lykke’s body looks malnourished and almost skeletal, but he has a dazzlingly handsome, soothing face, with vibrant golden eyes. He has a long, flowing mane with metallic sheen, but a more mundane tail - or sometimes, no tail at all. It is said he weaves fortunes through his mane.

Lykke’s animal symbol and constant companion is a cat. The cat can be any color, but is most commonly solid, with no stripes or white markings. Often the cat is perched on Lykke’s back, and may be threading it’s claws through the strands of his hair. He is often shown playing with or near dice, and is surrounded by gold and jewels. Some artists choose to depict well-known treasures, such as the royal crown, among these ill-gotten gains. His halo is red.

Common scenes for Lykke are him accompanying his sister Fianna, watching over some nefarious deed or another. When alone, his backdrops are often treasure chambers, shady alleys or simple darkness - sometimes, only his halo and eyes are truly visible. Like Fianna, he is often featured in the background of events, influencing and observing them.

## Worship

There are two faces to Lykke - one of these is the publicly worshipped god, the other a frowned upon, secret god. As the god of trade and travel, Lykke is naturally favored by all of those who frequently engage in such activities, from the richest merchant to the humblest shopkeep. Sailors whisper his name alongside that of Maris. In this form, Lykke has countless wayshrines placed across prominent roads, often depicting a cat with a coin purse. Leaving small offerings on such shrines is believed to bring good luck.

The other side of Lykke is not to be praised publicly. Dens of thieves and drifters often have cobbled together shrines for their patron. There he is praised in his entirety - the good and the bad, without hesitation or judgement. It is his shadows that hide these rogues, and it is by his blessing that they remain safe. Unlike Fianna, Lykke’s worship rarely receives a conspiratorial aspect; his darker side is worshipped almost strictly by characters of the underworld, whereas Fianna’s devout tend to come from higher circles.

His favored offerings are coins, stolen items, and any items related to gambling, such as cards or dice. Public worship of Lykke is opportunistic, and even when worshipped as a main patron, very mundane and understated, often limited to giving gold offerings. His few temples also double as trading posts, and his priests generally use donated funds to support causes within the city. His secret worship is more devout and communal - involving stories and shared songs, secrets to never leave the given company. Each underworld sanctum is a touch different, with their own particular flavor. The only thing they all share is the absolute understanding that no one is to take what has been given to the idol of Lykke; to do so is sure to damn the whole congregation.