Mythology: tell us about your favourite gods/goddesses!

[Amicale]

OK, I'm starting this thread because I've always enjoyed mythology and the study of ancient religion in general. To me, it's a wonderful example of how creative and imaginative people can be, and although it may flabbergast us now that 'people actually believed that stuff', it shouldn't. It shouldn't surprise Christians, Jews, atheists, or anyone else. Mythology is alive and well in our own culture. Millions of people around the world today believe in a holy book that features talking snakes, staffs that turn into serpents, satyrs, angels, giants, and even a creature that sounds suspiciously like a dragon and/or dinosaur (Behemoth).

That being said... mythology can be fun! It can show us how incredible the human mind is, as well as how entertaining and complex. I'm sure I'm not the only one here who enjoys mythology and/or fantasy, so let's find out which creatures, gods, goddesses etc amuse you or interest you!

I'll start with: Bastet.

The goddess Bastet was usually represented as a woman with the head of a domesticated cat. However, up until 1000 BC she was portrayed as a lioness. Bastet was the daughter of Re, the sun god. It may have been through him that she acquired her feline characteristics. When Re destroyed his enemy Apep, he was usually depicted as a cat. As portrayed as a cat, she was connected with the moon (her son Khonsu was the god of the moon). When shown as a lioness, she is associated with sunlight.

Bastet was the goddess of fire, cats, of the home and pregnant women. According to one myth, she was the personification of the soul of Isis. She was also called the "Lady of the East". As such, her counterpart as "Lady of the West" was Sekhmet.

Bastet seemed to have two sides to her personality, docile and aggressive. Her docile and gentle side was displayed in her duties as a protector of the home, and pregnant women. Her aggressive and vicious nature was exposed in the accounts of battles in which the pharaoh was said to have slaughtered the enemy as Bastet slaughtered her victims.

Read more here: http://www.egyptianmyths.net/bastet.htm

A cat goddess is right up my alley.   

Anyone else care to share one?

[Ali]

I've always been a fan of Lilith.

[Recusant]

My personal favorites are the trickster gods. Raven and Coyote in Amerind mythology, and Hermes/Mercury in classical mythology. I actually used to burn cinnamon (Hermes' signature incense) on Wednesday (Hermes' day) many moons ago, and still occasionally invoke him. I'm an infidel, but in Hermes' case, I guess you could say that I'm a desultory cultural pagan.

[En_Route]

I've always had a sneaking admiration for the old Irish deity Bhréige who could turn himself into a lady's handkerchief at a moment's notice.
Not a talent to be sneezed at.

[Gawen]

I've always been a fan of Lilith.

She liked to be on top. A girl after my own heart...so to speak.

Some years ago I loved reading about the Celtic deities. It's been a long time now and I really don't have a fav deity.

[The Magic Pudding]

I like death, he doesn't have any skin but he's still such a nice chap.
Susan Death is quite nice too.

[Asmodean]

The Asmo.

Realm: Asmodea Prime

Power level: Greater

Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Domains: Plots, evil deeds, megalomania, pottery

Worshipers: Mad scientists, clones, egomaniacs, clowns

Weapon of choice: Thralls

[Melmoth]

Hands down, Satan. God casts him down to the lake of fire - he's gone from a big shot in heaven to planes of suffering that he hitherto had no awareness of, and that we cannot even imagine - and how does he react? He gets up, brushes the sulphur off his lapels and says, "Is that it? I mean sure, you're an omnipotent being and everything - I'm not stupid, I know I can't win... but jeez, if this is the worst punishment you can cook up for me I might as well fuck up your shit some more. Now where was that Eden place all those snooty angel gits were going on about..." He's just cool.

Also the ancient Egyptian Set, for similar reasons. I think I'm attracted to the underdogs.

[Ali]

Weapon of choice: Thralls

I wasn't sure exactly what a thrall was, so I looked it up.

1. Also called thraldom (US), thralldom [ˈθrɔːldəm] the state or condition of being in the power of another person
2. a person who is in such a state
3. a person totally subject to some need, desire, appetite, etc.

I don't know if your weapon of choice is subjecting people to your every whim, or siccing your enthralled masses on people, but either way I'm frightened.

[Asmodean]

Hands down, Satan. God casts him down to the lake of fire - he's gone from a big shot in heaven to planes of suffering that he hitherto had no awareness of, and that we cannot even imagine - and how does he react? He gets up, brushes the sulphur off his lapels and says, "Is that it? I mean sure, you're an omnipotent being and everything - I'm not stupid, I know I can't win... but jeez, if this is the worst punishment you can cook up for me I might as well fuck up your shit some more. Now where was that Eden place all those snooty angel gits were going on about..." He's just cool.

That's what you do when you find yourself in the lake of fire - brush off the ash and get to work building your empire.

Even when what one has seems to be nothing, one can usually work with that. Perhaps make something good for oneself in the process, like... a realm full of minions, if one is good (as opposed to "dumb fuck", not "evil"), lucky and patient.

Also the ancient Egyptian Set, for similar reasons. I think I'm attracted to the underdogs.

Sutekh was cool, but Anubis was cooler  

[Ecurb Noselrub]

I've always been a fan of Lilith.

She liked to be on top.

Good. Very good.

Mine is Thor.  Nordic by birth, Texan at heart.
[/quote]

[Sandra Craft]

I've had a thing for deers ever since I was a kid, so I gravitate towards deities who are involved with them.  Cernunnos, Hern, those are my boys.  I used to like Dianna too but she really does go overboard on the tomboy thing.

[philosoraptor]

[Guardian85]

I would prefer to identify myself with Heimdall. The gift of foresight, battle skills and connoseur of the finer things in life.

And he gets to kill Loki at Ragnarok.

[Tank]

Bilious

The "Oh God of Hangovers," who gets all of the bad effects of drinking even though he has never touched a drop. He has a supreme dislike of people who drink heavily, especially if they don't appear to suffer from a hangover the next day; understandably so, since the reason that they have not, in fact, suffered a hangover, is because he has suffered it instead.

He appears in "Hogfather," where he decides to drop his duties as the Oh God of Hangovers and become holiday relief for other gods. He also begins dating one of the many Tooth Fairies and still exists because of her belief in him.