Tricksters and You!

I've been speeding through my treasure trove from the library. This was my latest score:

Because of it, I am now fascinated with mythical tricksters.

This book was an anthology of stories about mythological tricksters as written by modern fantasy authors. It featured both original characters and famous figures like Coyote and Hermes.

What is a trickster? A figure in mythology who isn't good or evil, but does what he/she wants, when he/she wants, with huge repercussions on the world. The consequences can be good, holding together the balance of the cosmos, or bad, resulting in death and destruction. The original Loki was this. If you're looking for a good modern equivalent, I guess this guy would fit the bill, especially after Season 3:

The point of this all is that reading about tricksters has made me want to write about them. With a burning passion. They come and they go. They are alluring to all who behold them, but they end up causing tons of trouble for themselves and others. I want--no, I need to write a character like this.

So who are tricksters you should look out for in mythology?

Loki: Once risked life and limb to help Thor recover the mystic hammer Mjolnir...but also once went to great pains to kill Balder, god of goodness, and make sure he stayed dead. Also happens to love crossdressing.
Coyote: The reason people have to stay in the Underworld when they die. Likes to remove his eyeballs and juggle them.
Anansi: Spider who's smarter than everyone else and makes sure you know it.
Hermes: God of messengers and thieves. Stole Apollo's herd of sacred cattle one day after being born; used excuse "But I was just born yesterday!"

And strangely enough, every character ever played by John De Lancie.

No, seriously, this De Lancie thing is getting weird.

Though I will add one post note: one of the stories in Coyote Road involved a trickster god transforming into a famous actor that everyone immediately fell in love with and who hadn't existed until that god decided he did. He used that guise to get in with the mortal world and screw people over. And I can't help wondering...trickster god, actor everyone falls in love with...do you think trickster gods walk among us?

And d'you think they have the face of Tom Hiddleston?

That perfect, perfect face.

Ahem.

I have to go start writing stories about tricksters now.