evilautistic goblincore, Mayan edition
The "alux"† is a trickster and a cross between a golem (fashioned by the gods out of clay and decaying matter) and a goblin, very short in stature, that live as guardians of notable natural features, including arable land.
I propose an autistic reading of their mythological traits:
- they can only be seen when they will it, and normally they do not like interacting with people
- when a person builds a house in a site guarded by an alux, the alux will make its presence known by rearranging or hiding things
- if the person builds a house for the alux, the alux will help the person benefit from the site; if they do not, they will escalate their trickery and appear in visible form
- seeing an aggrieved alux is very disquieting for people, for no reason other than the uncanny valley
- the alux expects regular offerings in exchange of their help organizing nature for a bountiful harvest
- the alux is there to ensure the farmers work in harmony with the land and that they distribute the bounty fairly *among all creatures in the area*, including neighbors, the vulnerable or dependent, animals and plants
- if a person is unjust to nature, the alux issues a warning; if it happens a second time, a punishment; at the third transgression, the alux curses the person and ensures the site will never again be exploited by people
## extras
† Pronounced [aˈluʃ], Mayan plural "aluxo'ob" [aluʃoˀːb].
The critter in the bonus pic is called "zorrito" (colloquial), "coatí" or "coatimundi", scientific name Nasua.
(I tried posting a link to a typical alux tale, but the spam filter complains.)