Ruthless
Someone new!
Posts: 3
(15/5/04 21:06)
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Ekrina sat in her room and thought about all the places she'd been before she'd settled into Serendipity. She had learned many things since she'd been banished from Earth, but none of it struck her as nearly as interesting as what her father had taught her in the week she'd known him. It was hardly important now that she was here, but she was drawn nonetheless to record the history of her origins.
The young girl sat stationed leisurly at a makeshift desk twirling her pen in concentration. Despite her convictions, she was stuck on just where to begin. After supposing for a bit, she decided the beginning was always the best place to start. And you can't get much closer to the beginning if you start at the world's creation. Set in her decision, she set to writing.
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Ruthless
SotE RPGer ^_^
Posts: 4
(16/5/04 16:01)
reply: The Beginning
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ooc: Some of the stuff I write will be actual Greek legends, so if that's the case, I'll keep those passages in italic. That way, you'll know what's "true" and what I made up. ^_~
Before there was anything, there was a storm of nothingness. Eventually, this chaos congealed into the form of a serpent. Ophion (oh FY uhn) was blind because there was nothing to see. He slithered through space in anger at his blindness until his rage kindled a fire in one particular corner. From this flame was born the moon goddess, Eurynome. (yoo RIH no mee) Together, they bore the sun, Earth, and all the stars.
The Earth was named Gaia. From earth, the sky must be separate, and so, born from this birth, came Uranus. This god of the sky lorded over his mother, Gaia. He brought rain, and this first miraculous wetting of Earth created plantlife, creatures, and eventually beings. First came the hundred handed giants, then the Cyclopes, and finally the Titans.
The youngest of the Titans was Cronus, lord of time. Gaia favored her youngest son, and so chose him to aid her in a special task. She had become tired of the high and mighty Uranus and gave the task of his murder to Cronus. She gave him a stone sickle which she had sharpened to do the deed. Cronus attacked his father with the weapon and chopped him into seven pieces, throwing each piece into a different sea. The head he threw into the sea easiest seen from Olympus, but just before it sunk, the head cried out to his traitorous son. "You've slain me and stolen my mountain throne, but know now that I curse you to a similar fate."
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Ruthless
SotE RPGer ^_^
Posts: 5
(5/17/04 8:59 am)
reply: Gods
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Cronus feared his father's words and took heed of them. From then on, whenever his wife and elder sister Rhea would bear a child, he would swallow the baby whole immediately. After having lost five children in this manner, Rhea was fed up. She went off to have her sixth child in secret, then returned to her husband with a stone dressed in baby clothes. Without realizing his error, he ate the stone.
Meanwhile, Rhea raised her son Zeus into a powerful being, all the while teaching him to hate his father. Eventually, Zeus ambushed Cronus while he was hunting and kicked his father in the stomach. The blow caused him to vomit out the stone, and then five fully grown people, his previously devoured children. Cronus fled in fear after seeing the stone. Zeus's brothers and sisters proclaimed him their savior and leader. It wasn't until later that Cronus led a force of his Titan brethren against his six children, but he was crushed, and he once again fled. This was the final deciding event that gave all ruling authority to the gods.
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Ruthless
SotE RPGer ^_^
Posts: 6
(5/18/04 1:27 pm)
reply: Establishment of the Pantheon
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The first gods born into the world were the six siblings: Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, Hera, Demeter, and Hestia. However, the pantheon included the ruling powers of twelve gods. Hades, being the lord of the underworld, was never granted any responsibility for ruling the living, and was never included into the pantheon.
Zeus was the king of the gods and spread his hands over everything. He governed fate to a degree and bestowed kingship to mortals that pleased him. He was the ruler over weather and the lightning bolt was his sole weapon of choice.
Hera was the queen of the gods, Zeus's jealous wife. Zeus had a tendency to spread his fertility to more than just her, frolicking amongst fellow deity and mortal alike. She was the patron goddess of women, marriage, and childbirth.
Poseidon was the raging hothead of the sea. His dominion over waters was absolute. He was the most feared of the gods among mortals. Not only were rough seas attributed to him, but even the non-seafaring mortals linked his fury with earthquakes. Poseidon did have a gentler side. This he only showed to those he favored. One such light mood of his spurred him to create the horse.
Demeter was the goddess of agriculture. She oversaw the fields and orchards. It was largely her influence that created the four seasons. Because of this continuous death and renewal of vegetation, she was also revered for her powers over life and death.
Hestia was the most humble of the six. She was the goddess of hearth, home, and family. She spread the wealth of hospitality to the world. She was one of the only goddesses to retain her virginity.
Aphrodite was first to join the ranks. She had been the first goddess, but hadn't been born. She had come into being on coincidence. When Cronos had killed his father Uranus, his blood had mingled with the sea water. With the rays of the sun, the bloody water whitened into a froth from which Aphrodite was produced. She made her first steps on the island of Cyprus. It was her duty among the gods to encite desire. Love was her domain, and sex was her tool.
Zeus coupled with the mortal Leto to have two children. It had been said of Leto that her children would be more brilliant than any of Hera's. Out of jealousy, the queen cursed Leto into being unable to give birth anywhere the sun had ever shone. Leto searched in vain for such a place until Zeus took pity on the beautiful girl and raised a island out of the sea. Never having been exposed to sunlight, Hera's curse didn't apply to it and Leto bore twins: Apollo and Aphrodite.
Apollo's primary responsibility was to drive the sun chariot across the sky every day. His other duties branched into many areas. He was patron of poets and musicians, herald of medicine and healing, and overseer of prophecy. His twin sister Artemis drove the moon chariot every night. She was goddess of the hunt as well. She was an isolated diety, preferring to be alone in the wilderness than anywhere else. Interestingly enough, she adored youth and dubbed herself the protector of children.
One of the most disliked gods was Ares. This son of Zeus and Hera was the god of war. He was viewed by his peers as a bloodthirsty killer. He urged mortals into warfare and enjoyed the battlefield. Hades loved his nephew because his wars greatly increased the kingdom of the underworld.
Zeus courted one of the Pleiades, Maia, a daughter of the Titan Atlas. Their offspring was Hermes. This upstart was a by far the wittiest of the gods. He managed to endear himself to the other Olympians until they happily accepted him as one of them. Zeus appointed his the herald god. It was his task to take the souls of dead mortals to the gates of the underworld. In the mean time, he took it upon himself to be the overseer of travel, trade, livestock, and gambling.
Hephaestus (hee FEHS tus) was one of the unfortunate gods. He was born to Zeus and Hera, but was twisted and ugly. Hera hated him on sight and threw her child from Olympus. The fall broke both his legs and he limped forever afterward. Thetis, a sea deity later to be the mother of Achilles, found the infant and cared for him. Hephaestus made amazing things from the coral and pearl around her underwater home. He invented tropical fish as well. Later, still bitter at his mother, he made a glorious golden throne and sent it to her. When she sat upon it, the arms held her down so she was unable to move. Hephaestus bargained with the gods of Olympus and said her would free her if they made him a member of the pantheon. He was successful in his ploy and became the god of metalcrafts and fire. He was wed to the adultrous Aphrodite by Hera as punishment for his trick.
Another interesting addition was Athena. Her mother was Metis, a Titan, and her father was Zeus. After their coupling, it had been prophesied that if Metis were to have a son, he would kill his father. Than take chances, Zeus consumed Metis. Immediately after this, he contracted a monumental headache. To relieve his suffering, he beat his head against a rock violently. Seeing his father in such pain, Hephaestus split his head with a blow from his mallet. From the wound sprung a maiden brandishing a spear. She was Athena and she would become the goddess of wisdom and ingenuity. She too kept her virginity sacred.
Finally came Dionysus (dy oh NY sus). His mother was Semele, a mortal princess. Zeus courted this woman in secret in the guise of the night wind. She suspected it was him and managed to coax him into his true form. He transformed, and when she saw him, she was devoured by divine fire. Out of the fire was born Dionysus. Zeus hid the child in a garden and had some mountain nymphs raise him. It was here that the child learned of the mystical powers of wine. Later, he was accepted into the ranks of the pantheon, but because it could not hold more than twelve members, there was a problem. Hestia voluntarily gave up her place for the excitable youth. Dionysus became the god of wine, parties, and frivolity. Some said that it was he who doled out insanity to those unfortunate enough to displease him.
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Ruthless
SotE RPGer ^_^
Posts: 7
(6/1/04 2:42 pm)
reply: Pleased with Progress
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Ekrina scanned through the writing she'd produced thus far and nodded in approval. As for now, her hand was getting a little tired, so she decided to rest. There was nothing quite like a walk in the afternoon to get the blood flowing again. She could easily lose herself to the bustle of the crowds at this time of day. She cleaned up her desk and headed out for a stroll.
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this thread was continued in "Come Inn"
