Chapter 3: Becoming a Deity

Tyche nodded firmly. Tethys smiled with relief, then took out a seashell and handed it to her daughter.
“Take this, my strong child. Your father and I have blessed you. No matter when, the ocean will always answer your call.”

With that, she gently pushed Tyche out of the temple. Her sisters, who had taken mermaid forms, reluctantly saw her off, gifting her treasures from the sea. Tyche promised that she would return often to visit her mother and sisters.

Back on her island, Tyche decorated her dwelling with the gifts she had received. A great pearl that glowed with soft white light, jagged and radiant corals that made her pond appear extraordinarily beautiful. Once she had settled down, Tyche began to contemplate what kind of divine office she should claim. Although the goddess of magic had gifted her the powerful essence of the Weave, Tyche did not believe that Mystra had left it unguarded. For now, it could serve as her hidden trump card, but to consume it recklessly was not wise.

Fingering the necklace formed from the Weave, Tyche walked to the beach and gazed at the sea in thought. The scorching sunlight beat down on the waves, and the sand grew hot. Suddenly, an inspiration flashed in her mind. She rose quickly, stepped to the boundary where sea met shore, and ignited the divine spark she had inherited from her parents. With a resounding voice she proclaimed:

“I am Tyche, daughter of Oceanus and Tethys!
I declare: I shall bring clouds and mists to shield the earth from the blazing sun.
I shall stir the seas to create currents, carrying warmth into the cold depths.
I am the Goddess of Mist and Currents, the Mistress of Temperature!”

Her divinity burned into divine fire. The supreme laws of the world judged that these domains would aid in its evolution, and so they generously bestowed their blessing. Tyche gritted her teeth within the divine fire, enduring its searing pain, clinging to consciousness. Suddenly, a cool mist arose, dispersing the oppressive heat.

Two radiant godhoods (divine sparks) descended from the heavens and landed in her hands. Instinctively, Tyche’s soul fused with them—one of mist, and one of temperature. Joy overflowed in her heart. Mist combined with temperature could evolve into climate; and the godhood of ocean currents, though not yet whole, awaited only her actions to form. With this, she leapt past the stage of a “lesser divine spark” straight into the rank of a lesser deity.

Familiarizing herself with her new powers, Tyche immediately leapt into the sea. She released the power of temperature, stirring the surface waters to sink into the depths, while drawing up the icy waters from below to the surface—thus creating circulation. The warmer waters nurtured vast marine plants, which in turn drew schools of fish. The godhood of ocean currents was completed and merged into her being. Tyche chose not to use it to increase her rank, but instead to strengthen her existing divine power.

The blue godhood of Currents, the white godhood of Mist, and the red-blue godhood of Temperature stood in balanced harmony, forming a stable triad. At last, Tyche had taken her first true step on the radiant path of divinity, gaining the strength to protect herself.

In the days that followed, Tyche flew into the sky each morning. She spread water vapor across the land, condensing it into mist, then judged by temperature whether clouds would form that day. At noon, she returned to the sea to stir the waters into currents, and only when the sun set did she return to her island. Her days were busy, yet not dull. In fulfilling her divine duties, she deepened her understanding of them, and the tasks became ever more natural. During her spreading of mist, she finally found moments to observe the affairs of mortals below.

One morning, as she drifted as mist across the land, Tyche noticed a man in a valley mixing water with clay. Curiosity drove her to float closer, hiding in the clouds as she watched from above. The man shaped the moistened clay into forms—flying birds, fierce lions, gentle cattle and sheep—and finally, even the likeness of the gods themselves.

Tyche faintly guessed who this man was. Her heart stirred, the mist dispersed, and she descended lightly to his side.
“Greetings, wise god. May I know your name?”

The man turned toward her, his olive-green eyes gleaming.
“Greetings, diligent Goddess of Mist. I am Prometheus, son of Iapetus and Clymene.”

Tyche groaned inwardly at the tangled relations. Iapetus, god of souls, was her father Oceanus’s brother, while Clymene, goddess of fame, was one of her oceanid sisters. That made Prometheus both her cousin and her nephew. She quickly shook off the headache, nodded politely, and said, “Greetings, Seer. Please convey my regards to my sister.” Then she couldn’t resist adding, “What are you doing?”

Prometheus answered calmly:
“Cronus, the King of the Gods, has overthrown Uranus, God of the Sky. To celebrate, a great feast must be held. But on Mount Othrys, just after the war, there are not enough nymph attendants. The King has ordered me to create new beings to serve the gods.”

Golden humanity! Tyche marveled inwardly. She watched with great interest as Prometheus molded clay figures, then breathed souls into them. One by one, they moved, alive—beautiful and wise, nimble yet strong. Witnessing the birth of the Golden Race of mankind, Tyche departed with satisfaction after bidding farewell to Prometheus.

Before she left, Prometheus invited all sea deities to attend the coming banquet. Tyche, who so far had only met two gods, thought that perhaps she could make new friends there. Happily, she agreed.

Returning to the sea, Tyche stirred the waters with her divine power and rode the downward current toward Tethys’s temple.