A god(dess) of spies

What's a deity that you can imagine being a patron of spies and those dealing in deception?

My story is in a completely realistic setting. It's just going to pop up in coversation.

A Trickster God. Hermes, Fox, Loki, etc.

Except for 4/1/2011. That day lingers in my memory like...metaphor here...I should go.

^ Basically that, a trickster god lacks reliability, which would make for interesting hypothetical relationships between the god and his/her followers. Especially spies.

Janus as well. A name which, in some fiction, has become symbolic of a backstabber or traitor. (Example: Magus in Chrono Trigger and Alec Trevelyan in Golden Eye.)

A trickster god doesn't quite work. Those tend to deceive and trick for the sake of deception and trickery, rather than to achieve an agenda. I'm looking for a deity that deceives (and deceives notably, to achieve an agenda). My characters are spies and don't see their profession as one of chronic treachery but of treachery for a purpose.

Like there's some who depict Gabriel as a patron of the internet and communications due to being God's messenger to prophets. That's the kind of correlation I'm looking for, and yes, I know Gabriel isn't a god.

Well, according to The Other Wiki, Joshua is seen as the patron saint of spies and intelligence services (though Citation Needed on that one), following his recon mission in Israel.

I think the problem is that espionage didn't really blend in with the whole idea of godhood in the ancient times, since a) there is no valor in that (no matter what James Bond movies tell) and b) gods are already supposed to be omniscient, so what's the point? Classical myths tell of several major spy operations (IIRC Odysseus went undercover in Troy at least twice) but none of it was under patronage of any particular deity.

My suggestiong would be not something like a fox or a stereotypical trickster animal, because that's the equivalent of a spy going in with 007 emblazoned on his t-shirt. If they're an animal, how about something you'd trust or find cute, like a dove, and if they're a person, you could try either a perky teenager or someone completely nondescript.

Scepticism and doubt lead to study and investigation, and investigation is the beginning of wisdom. - Clarence Darrow

I can see Odin being made a patron of spies, given his status as god of wisdom and having two ravens doing daily spying for him.

"Atheism is the religion whose followers are easiest to troll"

^In that case, Huginn and Muninn (said ravens) should be the spy deities, since they are obviously of divine nature, as well. Good catch, nonetheless.

Oh you would be surprised. the big G is omniscient, but most gods are not. I have head espionage been referred to as the world's third oldest profession right after prostitution (the first being flint knapping). And yes along with spies there is a patron saint of prostitutes, saint nicholas. So I can see I happening.

edited 24th Dec '10 3:23:53 PM by joeyjojo

hashtagsarestupid

I was looking for something a little more obscure, but Odin works pretty well. Thanks for that.

Prostitutes worship Santa Claus? O_o

♥♥II'GSJQGDvhhMKOmXunSrogZliLHGKVMhGVmNhBzGUPiXLYki'GRQhBITqQrrOIJKNWiXKO♥♥

No. Santa Claus woship prostitutes.

Ho ho ho }:-)

edited 26th Dec '10 2:56:42 AM by joeyjojo

hashtagsarestupid

Btw, the goddess of prostituion was the Sumerian Inanna/Assyrian Ishtar... Just saying. :3

If I remember correctly, Odin had a fondness for using disguises..

Hermes generally only tricked people with a goal in mind, rather than for the lulz like most tricksters.

Except for 4/1/2011. That day lingers in my memory like...metaphor here...I should go.

I always thought that since spies generally serve the intelligence agencies of a certain country, and their loyalties generally lie with that country, then they should be Lawful and not Chaotic. Maybe that's just me.

But Janus sounds pretty appropriate. Being two-faced, and all...

(Janus was originally the god of gateways.)

Would you kindly click my dragons?

Hmm that's true but by spying they are breaking the law. I guess if you take lawful to mean roughly that they believe in something greater than themselves than yes they would count.

edited 26th Dec '10 9:05:48 PM by joeyjojo

hashtagsarestupid

Actually, spying is regulated by international laws (or maybe they're just unwritten agreements, I am no expert) in modern politics. :) Kinda oxymoronic, yes, but hey, they also have laws for war.

edited 26th Dec '10 11:09:15 PM by Koveras

Espionage is a crime, but yes most government having certain understandings with each other.

hashtagsarestupid

Ultayellow - Hermes is more generally the god of communication; by extension, trade; and, by extension of trade, theft. He seems like the most logical choice to me so far.  ^*

(The main Trickster "god" in Greek myth is Prometheus - try to see how many parallels with Loki you can find!)

The Revolution Will Not Be Tropeable

Hmmm..on the Discworld, such a god would combine the relatively ineffectual seediness of Ipcress, a man who did prosaic jobs for an underfunded government, with the flamoboyant toatally innappropriate stupidity of an Austin Powers. The deity would want to be James Bond, but the power of a god on Discworld is dictated by the amount of raw belief they can command: and how many true believers would power such a God?

I like this. Might use it myself!

Male, early sixties, Cranky old fart, at least two decades behind. So you have been warned. Functionally illiterate in several languages.

Necro'd

It occurs to me that spies might worship a god who is known as a patron or communications or strategy, but as a mystery cult rather than (or in addition to) visiting the public temple.

edited 29th Jul '13 9:56:49 AM by Noaqiyeum

The Revolution Will Not Be Tropeable

I thought he snuck away Apollo's cattle just for the heck of it.

I like to keep my audience riveted.