Öken (eugh-kun)

God of deserts, lightning, and monsters
Allies: None
Enemies: Akmens, Rodina, Farraige, Arven
Temples: Laenatan (allegedly)
Worshippers: Desert-dwellers (allegedly), monsters
Sacred animal: Technically, all monsters are sacred animals of Öken; amidst normal beasts, the scorpion is the one closest to Öken
Sacred colors: White and yellow
Holy symbol: Glaring eyes from behind a sandstorm
[DnD 5e] Domains: Death, Light
  Öken is not part of the traditional divine family. Öken, in Yasamaqi religion, is the Enemy. All the monsters that dwell within the tunnels and caves; the Ökenhadari; and even the extremely dangerous surface of Yasamaq, Laenatan. All of these blights upon the people are the work of Öken, the god of monsters, whose name is so feared that many opt to call him by a nickname instead: Rhib, or 'The Ignoble One' in Common. Indeed, some say that even speaking his name is enough to summon the attention of his vile children.   There are many legends that relate to the origin of Öken. Some believe that he WAS part of the divine family originally, but his heart was filled with evil, and so he was banished to the surface, where he eventually turned into a monster. Others say that Öken was a monster from out of this plane, which infiltrated Aj'kar when Akmens created the land. In no version of this myth is Öken ever cast a sympathetic figure: he is the Enemy, the progenitor of monsters, and he is not to be empathized or talked with.   Unlike the Betrayer of the Siarvaldan pantheon, there are no non-monster worshippers of Öken, or at least none that stay alive for very long. The god of monsters does not suffer mortals to worship him, and the very few who have tried, if only to get his attention or mercy, have all been killed horrendously. Even monsters only 'worship' him in a very loose manner; by killing all those that stand in their way and rampaging through civilization.   This means that Öken has no organized religion about him, though some maintain that some of the more intelligent monsters have rituals and gestures dedicated to him. A lot, therefore, remains unknown about him and his goals. Most believe it is simply mindless destruction, but some theorize that there is a darker purpose behind the Ökenhadari and the monster attacks. Perhaps he seeks to create a society of monsters, and take over Aj'kar? Nobody can know for certain.   Öken is very, very rarely seen by mortals, and as there are no priests dedicated to him (or not any priests that anyone cares to talk to, anyway), his true appearance remains unknown. Legends depict him as a massive monster who spans the length of Laenatan, yet can remain hidden within its sandstorms.

Holidays

There are no holidays dedicated to the god of monsters. The Yasamaqi ironically state that "any day where a monster dies by our hands is a good day".

Common rituals and gestures

Because of the relative obscurity of Öken's worshippers, there are no known rituals and gestures associated with him. However, theologians have stated that blood rituals may be involved in his worship, as strange patterns have been noticed time and time again after monster attacks.

Divine Intercessions

The blessings of Öken are theorized to be monstrous in nature: to grant more strength, more power to those that dedicate themselves to him body and soul. Some say he can even grant them a part of the Ökenhadari's electrical powers, explaining the appearance of monsters who take on lightning properties when struck by it. Öken's curses are not subtle, merely brutal, involving being forcefully mutated into a monster or, more simply, one's internal organs being turned to mush.

Aphorisms

The aphorisms associated with Öken are not dedicated to him, but actually curses meant to keep him away.   Rhib, ab khaz arum!: An Ancient Yasamaqi expression, translating roughly to: 'Ignoble One, Thine children be damned!'.   May his children look the other way: Often whispered, this proverb reflects one's hope to have a monster-free journey.