Mą’ii, the Coyote God
God of Coyotes; Trickster-Teacher; Keeper of Secrets; Guardian of Orphans and Found Families; Patron of Confidants; Big Sister; Little Brother
Divine Domains
Coyotes, chaos, vengeance, found families, orphans, riddles, games, scavengers, lawyers, secrets and secret-keepers.
Artifacts
In both their true form and all variants of their mortal guise, Mą’ii wears a necklace made from a strip of darkened leather and strung with a badger's fang and two badger claws. These are remnants taken from the fallen Badger God himself, and worn as a reminder of Mą’ii's decision to abandon the badgers to their fate.
Similar necklaces - with the pendants made from wood or stone - are worn by their priests, to serve as a reminder to their followers that the roads Mą’ii asks them to tread may be filled with suffering and cruel decisions.
Divine Symbols & Sigils
Coyotes, keys, raw quartz (milky, rutilated, and smoky), puzzle games, sage, rosemary, friendship jewelry, beaded braids.
Similarly to Ferventi, Mą’ii has two distinct aspects, each with their own prayers, offerings, and altar configurations.
Mą’ii the Trickster is their more commonly known and worshipped aspect, and their altar spaces are typically adorned with bright colors, shiny found objects, and small statuettes or images of the pale coyote. Mą’ii the Trickster is most commonly given offerings of rosemary and sage; puzzles; handmade gifts such as drawings or poems; and food and drink, with a preference for chips, French fries, and soda. Many followers also leave small statuettes or carvings depicting various yoga poses, despite Mą’ii having no actual connection to yoga.
Mą’ii the Bereaved is the lesser-known aspect of grief and war, represented by the darker combat variant of their true form. Their altar spaces are much more formal, often placed within specially made alcoves and sparsely adorned with dark fabrics, silver trinkets, and small statuettes or images of the dark coyote. Mą’ii the Bereaved is most commonly given solemn gifts of silver jewelry, mulled wine, and fresh game. Knives and bones also frequently appear as offerings from those who seek Mą’ii's vengeance on their behalf.
Divine Goals & Aspirations
The protection of found families, orphans, and secret-keepers; the sharing of wisdom through tricks and games; their own delight and the delight of those who follow them.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Mą’ii's true form is typically pale-furred with dark brown markings around the ears, face, and tail, as well as a dark cape that runs from the top of their head down across the length of their back and further dark points at their elbows. In times of war or hardship, their coloration changes drastically, becoming primarily black-brown with pale markings around their face, tail, chest, and belly; pale socks on all four paws and legs; and a pale crescent shape across the back of their shoulders, opening towards their head.
In their mortal guise, Mą’ii generally appears in decent health: Though thin enough to seem as though they've skipped a few meals, they possess a wiry build, a healthy complexion, and sharp eyes, and move gracefully about on near-silent feet. Their mortal form is rather short, however, and they do not make a habit of making direct eye contact unless they intend to speak with someone at length.
Mą'ii keeps their wavy hair around shoulder length, and it is always some shade of warm brown - darker in cold weather, lighter in warm weather, but never so much so in either case that they cannot be readily identified as a brunet even at range.
In their true form, Mą'ii is intersex (46, XX type, specifically in their mortal guise, however, they have been known to take on every physical configuration known to man, without seeming to have any set preference.
Body Features
In their mortal guise, Mą’ii appears as a young adult of mixed indigenous and Latin American ancestry. Their body is short and wiry, and they may appear either slender and long-limbed or stocky in proportion. Their mortal guise is often mistaken for a street urchin or juvenile delinquent by those unacquainted with them, something Mą’ii seems to enjoy taking advantage of.
Mą’ii is noted to have long fingers and nimble hands in their mortal guise, though their palms are usually dry and callused.
Facial Features
Mą’ii’s eyes are their most prominent facial feature; they are wide and round, and are always bright and attentive - even when Mą’ii otherwise seems distracted. They are also rather unusually colored, being an ombre blend of deep blue and brilliant gold. The amount of blue and gold present at any given time correlates directly with their mood, with the gold becoming significantly more prominent when Mą’ii is excited or agitated.
Mą’ii also possesses wide cheekbones, a large nose, and full lips; their jawline may appear rounder or more squared depending on their preference at any given time.
Physical quirks
Mą’ii has a habit of staring, unblinking, at a person for long stretches during conversations, particularly when the discussion centers around something of significant importance.
Mą’ii is infamous for their apparent inability to sit still, and are nearly always observed fidgeting or moving in some way even at rest. They are particularly known to flex their hands at their sides during times of great stress or irritation, as though they are only narrowly resisting the urge to claw at the source of their agitation.
On occasion, they may close their eyes when smiling; this is generally considered an ill omen for the one they happen to be smiling at, as it usually only happens when Mą’ii is hiding something. It is considered an even worse sign, however, if Mą’ii is observed to remain perfectly still for a prolonged period of time, as this typically only occurs when they are hunting.
The color of their hair is a point of interest among modern theologists and historians. The earliest depictions of Mą’ii universally describe and show their mortal form to possess black hair; this, coupled with the estimated time of their creation and the fact that Mą’ii's true form is known to sport significantly darker fur in times of war, would seem to indicate that Mą’ii spent at least the first several centuries or so of their existence in a state of hypervigilance... or grief.
Apparel & Accessories
Though Mą’ii is known to own and wear very expensive, extravagant clothes and jewelry during important ceremonies - most notably while they are granting boons and rewards unto their followers - they most typically dress in casual, modernized apparel, favoring bright or bold colors and soft, cheap fabrics. Most commonly, Mą’ii can be seen wearing blue jeans, sneakers, and layered short-sleeved or sleeveless tops. Their accessories are usually equally inexpensive, as they tend towards wood and bright plastic bracelets and earrings. When appearing to young children, they have been known to go a step farther and replace their typical accessories with those fashioned from trash items such as stray washers and old bottle caps.
Mental characteristics
Gender Identity
Genderfluid
Sexuality
Pansexual
Accomplishments & Achievements
Mą’ii's love of orphans and other foundlings has enabled them to amass a respectable following in spite of their relative youth. Many historians additionally point to Mą’ii’s decision to withdraw from the conflict between Ferventi and the badgers as the primary reason for the survival of coyotes into the modern day.
Failures & Embarrassments
Though coyotes were a known companion to badgers for millenia prior to the War of the Rabbit, Mą’ii’s first act as the newly born God of Coyotes was to round up and lead their mortal charges away from the carnage, abandoning their ancient friends to extinction. Mą’ii firmly believes the decision they made was the best available at the time; however, they do still grieve the loss of the badgers and their god, and wear symbols of that grief to this day.
The decision to abandon the badgers in their hour of need is one of the primary reasons coyotes are so frequently accused by their detractors of being cowards and false friends, something of which Mą’ii is keenly aware and for which they take absolute responsibility.
Mental Trauma
Having come into existence in the final years of the War of the Rabbit, Mą’ii is among the first to react when any of their fellow gods become aggressive, most commonly by either responding with an increase in their own aggression or fleeing the area and urging their followers to follow suit.
How they respond to each god seems to depend less upon that god's power or influence and more upon Mą’ii's existing relationship with the other god. If the relationship is good, Mą’ii is more likely to respond with aggression; if the relationship is poor or nonexistent, they will more often withdraw.
Personality Characteristics
Likes & Dislikes
Mą’ii values loyalty above all else, though they also favor those with a quick wit and a good sense of humor. On the other hand, they utterly despise those who are willing to betray kith and kin for personal gain, and have little patience for those who take themselves too seriously. Mą’ii has a great fondness for using games and tricks to teach valuable lessons to the mortals they encounter, and is easily irritated by those who try to refuse to play along.
Virtues & Personality perks
Mą’ii is clever and loyal, and views their followers as part of their band. They fight ferociously for those beloved to them, and meet the barbs and challenges of life with laughter.
They are also an excellent caregiver of children and the infirm, displaying a startling gentleness around their charges and even managing to handle the task of caring for their charges with a moderate level of responsibility, something otherwise unheard of for the Coyote God.
Vices & Personality flaws
Mą’ii can be incredibly vindictive and petty, and although they are not easy to offend, once it's been done they will often respond with a snapping of teeth or ruthless, deep-cutting commentary. If a mortal is foolish enough to offend them intentionally, Mą’ii is likely to force them into a “game” so painful and long-lasting that the only possible lesson to be gleaned from it is a fearful respect of the Coyote God - which is a useful thing to learn, because Mą’ii remembers every hurt and slight, and is not always swift to forgive.
Mą’ii is even worse when it is a fellow god who upsets or offends them, as they have no qualms about involving innocent parties in the mess. While a god they like may find themselves on the receiving end of Mą’ii's teeth if tensions should arise, Mą’ii refuses to give a god they dislike the same privilege. In such cases, they will instead quietly turn their Band and followers against those of the offending god, heckling their enemy with a barrage of inconveniences and losses until Mą’ii is satisfied that enough damage has been done… and holding onto most grudges for centuries or more, even then.
Personality Quirks
Among their followers, Mą’ii is said to smile three times: Once when they greet you, once when they claim you, and once when they kill you. The truth of the matter is that Mą’ii rarely stops smiling or smirking; even when genuinely enraged, their expression more closely resembles a grin than a snarl. They only truly cease to smile on one occasion: the death of someone they love, be it a friend, a follower, or a child they did not discover in time to protect.
Hygiene
Mą’ii is surprisingly clean, considering their dominions and personality - almost to the point of prissiness, in fact. They are fully willing to get themselves dirty and wade into and through all manner of slime and offal when necessary, but they will insist upon a long, thorough bath the moment their work is finished, and can most commonly be found lounging in or near bath houses and saunas.
Social
Family Ties
Fitting for the God of Coyotes, Mą’ii is intensely family-oriented, offering their greatest boons and protections to those they consider their own and seeing to others only once their family is secure and cared for.
To an outsider, this may sound callous or even unfair; however, Mą’ii's definition of family is exceedingly broad, and encompasses not only their Band but all who are or have ever been in their following, as well as those who do not follow them but still fall under one or more of their dominions.
Religious Views
Mą’ii's religious biases are rooted almost entirely in their personal opinion of each god, causing them to listen to and seek aid from those they like much more readily than those they do not, even when the sensible thing to do would be to put aside their personal gripes long enough to receive whatever aid or support they need regardless of who it comes from.
In spite of this, they do hold a legitimate reverence for both Shia and Mora - though few may realize it without spending many long centuries observing them, as these two are among Mą’ii's favorite targets to antagonise.
Social Aptitude
Mą’ii is a troublemaker, first and foremost. As a trickster god they delight in all manner of chaos, and particularly enjoy playing pranks and verbally lacerating friend and enemy alike with their sharp tongue and dry wit. They have little care for propriety or tact, and with only a few very significant exceptions will take any chance they find to cause trouble and ruffle the feathers of those around them.
That aside, Mą’ii is known to have a softer, more serious side, and does know when it's time to stop playing and treat a situation or individual with the respect they require. This most commonly comes during a period of loss or uncertainty for someone Mą’ii happens to care for; during such periods, their humor will become much gentler, and far more focus will be put towards comforting and protecting the person or people Mą’ii is visiting.
Speech
As with all the gods, Mą’ii can be understood by everyone they address, regardless of the languages their audience is fluent in. In Mą’ii's case, most listeners will detect a very faint indigenous accent, impossible to pinpoint to any one tribe or language.
When they speak, Mą’ii's voice is impossible to label as masculine or feminine, and seems to reverberate in their chest rather than project from their mouth. Mą’ii tends to speak at a slightly higher volume than necessary, though they are perfectly capable of lowering their voice at need. They nearly always speak swiftly, and in fact take great pride in their ability to do so without fumbling over their words or confusing their listeners; however, they will slow down significantly when angry or trying to get something very important across to someone they feel is not listening to them.
Many who speak with Mą’ii for a prolonged period will notice the Coyote will occasionally switch into a different accent, seemingly at random. To date, Mą’ii has been heard adopting Scottish, British, Latin, and Russian accents, as well as an atrocious southern Appalachian accent and an even worse French accent. None of these last longer than a few minutes at most, and Mą’ii claims certain accents trigger on their own in respons to sudden shifts in emotion. For example, they claim the British accent comes out in response to irritation, and the Russian one allegedly only makes an appearance when they lose their footing or drop something.
Relationships
History
Ferventi is among Ma'ii's numerous lovers, and the same for Ma'ii to Ferventi as well. They are neither the most important to one another, but also have a shared understanding that neither is also easily forgotten. Ma'ii has borne a child by Ferventi as well, their daughter Haskala.
History
Although much younger than the coyote, Ludovic is a regular companion to Ma'ii and often a frequent lover of theirs. Both have borne a handful of children between them to serve as their respective heirs.
Nicknames & Petnames
Ludovic is known to call the coyote god a peculiar nickname, "Ladssie", along with Ma'ii in turn using "Ludo" as a nickname for him.
Relationship Reasoning
Due to both gods having a lack of living heirs, they made a pact to fulfill this glaring issue and have children together, with each claiming one of them as an heir, and any others to replace them should their chosen heir die. They also have many shared associations and personalities that allow them to get along quite well, along with their almost hobby of pestering more powerful gods such as Ferventi.
Shared Acquaintances
History
Mą’ii's eldest child with Ferventi, God of Wolves. Though she is as adored as the rest of Mą’ii's biological children, Mą’ii works to keep some (tiny) bit of distance between them out of respect for Haskala's standing as a potential heir to Ferventi as the God of Wolves.
Relationship Reasoning
Oddly, John seems to be one of her few genuine friends. However, many suspect the validity of their relationship as JL is a notorious trickster god while Ana and Nancy are infamous manipulators, leading some to conclude that the spiders have managed to trick John or John is trying to trick the spider. Some even think they are both trying to trick each other. JL claims he can tell whenever the spider gods tell a lie but there is no concrete information proving this is true or false. Others think that at some point JL simply saw what the spider gods saw within the branching roots of fate or that they wanted to take advantage of his large cult and influence and the fact that fireflies have a more favorable reputation than spiders. Either way, Ana and Nancy helped him in the past when he was mortal and he seems to trust them to some degree, it is at the very least in their best interest to keep him alive and popular for now. Joining the Cult of Spiders also comes with the benefit of the gods promising that they can change your fate or rewrite one’s destiny as needed instead of just being a slave to it like others outside their cult.
Relationship Reasoning
Despite the gods both being trickster gods they often act as opposing forces, enemies, and rivals. This is because Ana and Nancy tend to be more associated with order, planning, and law while Mą’ii tends to be associated with chaos(which can conflict with or fly in the face of their carefully considered plans). Plus, there is the coyote god’s association with secrets while the spider gods are associated with discovering information and secrets via observation and planning. Interestingly, Nancy seems to like Mą’ii more than his sibling. Mostly likely, due to the possible connection chaos can have with possibility and change. There is a rivalry between their two cults because they both contain some of the world’s best lawyers, and they often find each other on opposing sides in the courtroom. They are known to sometimes manipulate and use each other for their own ends. As sometimes chaos is needed for Nancya to enact her plans and sometimes order is needed to create the ideal amount of chaos. Mą’ii seems to have some sort of grudge against the gods and makes themselves a thorn in both the sides of the Spider Cult and their respective god and the spider gods likewise often return the favor. This has led to a constant back and forth between the gods known as the “great game” by members of the Spider Cult.
Wealth & Financial state
Nobody knows quite how wealthy Mą’ii is - they do not typically dress in anything terribly expensive, and their dwelling-place is eclectic but not opulent in the traditional sense. They have been known to bestow great wealth and extravagant gifts upon those of their following who display exemplary service or loyalty, but such boons often come just as another known to have angered Mą’ii loses the same item or amount of wealth.
Divine Classification
Minor God
Species
Church/Cult
Circumstances of Birth
Mą’ii came into being during the final years of the War of the Rabbit, during a time when the coyotes had begun to suffer massive casualties in their efforts to aid the Badger God.
Spouses
Ludovic
(Ally, Lover)
Siblings
Height
5'2" (1.57m)
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
Comments