Tyche is the goddess of fortune, prosperity, and destiny revered by the Thulian Great Church, but her cult was well known for centuries beforehand. Called by her followers "Lady Luck" or simply "the Lady," Tyche is one of the more unusual deities venerated by the Thulian Empire. Although her patronage of prosperity and even destiny might be said to support the civilization of Man, the same cannot be said of fortune -- at least unequivocally. Tyche is a whimsical and occasionally capricious mistress; beseeching her aid is no guarantee of good fortune, only that the Lady will provide an unexpected outcome.
True devotees of Tyche accept this reality and, indeed, see it as instructive. For there are no certainties in life and to assume otherwise is a recipe for, at best, regular disappointment and, at worst, madness and despair. Consequently, Tyche worshipers see themselves as offering a counterbalance to Man's tendency to view himself as divinely gifted and, therefore, destined for victory in all his endeavors. Some servants of the Lady enjoy this role greatly, which does little to endear their faith to others, particularly the temples of other gods, some of whom see Tyche as tainted by Chaos and even whisper that Lady Luck is not a true deity at all.
Intriguingly, the church of Tyche evinces little interest in dispelling such notions. Some of its clerics even suggest, if only implicitly, that there is some truth to these charges. Though described in feminine terms and depicted as a woman in art, there are no myths or legends associated with Tyche's activities in the material world. She is not associated with any historical events or personages and her followers are adamant about the fact that her influence over mortal affairs is never direct. A few devotees come close to stating outright that "Tyche" is not a divine being at all but rather the personification of a concept, a notion that does nothing to undermine their faith in the slightest. Unsurprisingly, other temples are not so broad-minded and fear that ideas such as this encourage skepticism and even atheism -- two of the demons' greatest tools in spreading Chaos among Men.
Those who look for the Lady are doomed to never find Her. She appears only when unlooked for.
ReplyDeleteI love when I hear someone wish they where luckier. I know they mean good luck but if that was a wish I know how I would take it.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason, until now I never realized that Tyche would be a great goddess for a wildmage to follow.
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