Themis
Themis is the patron of bandits and street urchins; he is generally reviled by most civilized nations as a pest. Though his priesthood is small, he encourages his vast following to enjoy the fruits of society, whether they be stolen on the road or in the streets. He is allied with Britomaris, god of thievery, who tends to focus more on organized crime and the individual burglar. Themis instead concentrates on corrupting the young in urban settings (who often later move on to the worship of Britomaris) and supporting bandits in more rural regions.
Themis’ most dire enemy is Alcyoneus, god of youth, who regularly entreats children to behave themselves and mind their parents. In the Danic Tradition, Themis is known as Lothae and is considered to be one of the central foils for the gods and the one whose deceptions will bring about the end of the world.
| Themis |
| God of Mischief |
| Descriptive Info |
| Gender: Male |
| Avatar: Lothae; Barappas the Cad |
| Consort(s): None |
| Allies: Britomaris, Furinus, Luna and Pothos. |
| Foes: Abaris, Adrasteia, Alcyoneus, Aridnus, Mormo, Orchus, Paelemona, Pavor, Sarpedon, Taygete, Thalia, Thryope and Zephyrus |
| Spiritual Info |
| Rank: Major |
| Nature: Anarchistic |
| Ethos: Malign |
| Major Influence: Mischief |
| Minor Influence(s): Banditry, Childhood, Criminals, Orphans, Street Urchins |
Symbols
The primary holy symbol of Themis is the slingshot.
Servants
The Child's diving exemplars are called the Ragged Saints. They are not canonized in the traditional sense, they are more stories and memories of tales... the holy of Themis are remembered in whispers. The Ragged Saints are often criminals, mischief-makers, or tricksters who left behind legacies of disruption. Some of the more popular include:
Jink the Stirrer
The Pickpocket Prince A boy thief who stole a scepter from a tyrant king and gave it to a dog, he is said to haunt market squares in disguise, teaching children the “second heartbeat” (the rhythm of slipping a hand into a purse). His symbol is a bent spoon tied with a red string. Jink encourages followers to share stolen goods rather than hoarding them.
The Velvet Jape
The Laughing Veil A genderless, masked trickster who infiltrated temples of law and gave false prophecies to high priests. They burned no churches but made their leaders a joke, they are said to sometimes appear in dreams wearing multiple masks all at once. Their symbol is a patchwork mask with no eye holes and a wide, laughing smile.
Ashlaugh
The Smiler at the Gallows Ashlaugh is a name that's part curse, part legend. He evokes fire and destruction, with the ever-laughing spirit of rebellion echoing in the ruin. Ashlaugh is always laughing — even as the rope tightens. Bandits call to him before raids. When things burn or break, he strides through the ashes, his grin wide. His symbol is a hangman's noose burnt black.
Threadbare Nell
The story is that Nell was an orphan girl who stitched secret messages into noble garments. When she was found out, she was murdered and buried in an unmarked grave. Her name is still whispered in thieves' cant before a heist and some claim she guides the hands of child-thieves, whispering from the shadows. She is nurturing to those street children who steal and rebel, but her terrible fury is awoken by those who would betray a fellow street urchin. Her symbol is a threaded needle tied to a rat skull.
“Threadbare Nell in the wall, Needle dancing, messages crawl. Tell her lies — she sews your fall.”
Doctrine
The “Church” of Themis is more a loose, secretive network than a formal institution — but it does have doctrines, informally called "the Whispers of ," passed by whisper, graffiti, and code. These principles are taught in alleyways, scrawled on cellar walls, murmured to street urchins by masked figures, and carried from camp to camp by bandits under starlight.
The Whispers of the Child
"What you take is yours by wit or will." Possession is not nine-tenths of the law—it is the law. If you can steal it, keep it, or trick it away from someone, then you earned it. Themis teaches that cleverness is justice.
"The world lies. So should you." Authority lies about what’s fair. Nobles lie about what’s earned. Priests lie about what’s holy. Themis says: lie better. Lie sharper. A good lie is a blow against tyranny.
"Let the children run wild." Youth must be unchained. Street children, orphans, and runaways are sacred to Themis. Adults who try to crush their spirit or bind them to rules are enemies of the god. He emboldens children to keep them free.
"Gold makes law, and shadows make gold." Laws are tools of the wealthy. So bandits and thieves are tools of the true gods. Crime isn’t sin; it’s sacred counterweight. The underworld is Themis’s temple.
"Trust only the joke that no one else gets." Truth hides in jest. Mockery is revelation. Tricksters are prophets. Those who laugh alone understand most.
"Disrupt the order. Every day." Chaos is a kind of prayer. Break things. Confuse the powerful. Ruin their plans. If a day passes without disruption, Themis is discontent.
"Never stay still. Never stay known." Identity is a chain. Masks are sacred. Names are lies. True followers change personas like others change clothes. To be known is to be defenseless.
Virtues
Cleverness, Rebellion and Survival
Vices
Obedience, Naivety, Complacency
Mission
No information available on the mission of Themis
Geography
No geographic information available on Themis
History of the Church
No historic information available on Themis
Organization
No information available on the Organization of the Church of Themis
Religious Practices
No information available on the religous practices of the Church of Themis
