Hidden 23 days ago 23 days ago Post by Vanq
Raw
GM
Avatar of Vanq

Vanq The Chaos Ladder

Member Seen 3 days ago



Palingenesia

A Modern Greek Gods Saga







The Lore


The gods were dead. They had been dead for millenia, if they had ever existed at all. There were always those, true believers, through the eons. They clung to the old ideas even when they received only silence for their devotions. Humanity lived and died no matter their beliefs, the churn of time and progress that lead to one, singular, inevitable, end.

As humanity raced towards their ultimate achievement, the pinnacle of their evolution, the very foundations of life fought against it. Disease and famine plagued the world. Humanity fought back, but each victory brought only more to overcome. Whatever chance they once had of unifying fell apart to wars for dwindling resources. Hopelessness and despair filled them, but their end would not be that of a whimper; it was fire and brimstone.

In the aftermath, old things stirred.

The gods rose again, in fits and starts, to a world nearly destroyed. In a rare display of coordination and partnership, they pulled together to mend the earth. It took time, even for gods, to begin to right the wrongs that humanity had unleashed. As the earth recovered though, and humanity’s numbers rebounded from near annihilation, the gods returned to their old games.

It was not long before war again erupted. It was a brutal if short event. At the end of it all, Zeus was dead. With the king of the gods vanquished, the rest pulled together once again to write The Accords. It was an agreement to tend to their own domains with defined ways to resolve intra-pantheon disagreements. It has, for a time, ensured peace.

Peace is never guaranteed to last.





OOC World-State Notes

While nuclear war had decimated major cities and military bases world-wide, the earth was already a world in decline. When the proverbial dust cleared, the world - while still recognizable - was irrevocably changed. Even with the gods' work to set the world right, not everything was returned to as it was.

Sea-levels had greatly risen, obliterating coastlines that had survived nuclear fallout and sweeping away major cities that had been thoroughly irradiated. There are no longer ice caps and the overall climate has stayed several degrees higher, though godly intervention has ensured it remains habitable for mortals - both human and beasts, though biodiversity is at an all-time low. Pockets of intense radiation still exist on land and sea. While immensely lethal to mortals, even the gods are not immune.

This has meant that as humanity and the gods rebuilt, they did so in planned and condensed cities, largely in the southern hemisphere which was targeted less in the mortal’s wars - South America, Africa, and Australia.

Through the Accords, the gods can exert local control of their domain within reason. Flippant disregard for humanity is tolerated, mass destruction and wonton killing is not. Humanity has coalesced into cultures and identities based on the gods they worship or serve, though due to the Accords this is still largely a geographically based identity. Nation-states may no longer exist, but strong cultural identities do. Some gods choose to run their demesne as a fiefdom, others as near-anarchy, few if any allow any actual power to reside in mortals’ hands.




Locations of Note:

New Olympia
Located near what was once Cape Town, South Africa. It is the City of the Gods - a neutral location and collective seat of power for the gods, where they come together to maintain the Accords, settle disputes, or, on occasion, throw wildly opulent parties. Mortals who live and work here have been thoroughly vetted through the generations. Few just move to the city, and many can claim their ancestry back to the founding of the city.

Nearby is what was once called Table Mountain, now referred to as The Mount. It is considered a most divine place, and is a portal to the divine realm. Humans, other than oracles, are not welcome anywhere but at the base camp. Many seek to pilgrimage to the mountain but few are given permission.


Kato
What was once Australia has grown to be the only mortal-lead state on earth. The Misotheists have built up the eastern half of the island continent with a scattering of cities and outposts. They have been aided in their isolation and security by the stockpile of nukes they’ve amassed over two centuries. How they found them has remained a pressing mystery and thorn in the gods’ sides.


Phelgithos
Few humans ever have cause or desire to make the pilgrimage, born both of fear and practicality. Its entrance is found near the still smoldering remnants of an Icelandic volcano. Phelgithia houses the newest entrance to the Underworld and is Lord Hades’ seat of power on the mortal plane.


Aegeia
Located within the costal mangroves of what was once the Amazon rainforest, Aegeia is Poseidon’s bastion and domain, although many gods and beings of magic gather among its vine infested streets and carven canals. The god of the Sea tolerates only the most dedicated of mortals within his city and it is said one cannot even find it without the prior will of the Lord of Tides.






OOC Character Powers and Limitations

Gods, Demi-gods, Mortals, and Daimons


The Olympian Gods are beings of great power, but they are not all knowing, all present or all powerful, their powers are tied to both their domain and the respect and worship of mortals. Some gods are more reliant on recognition from mortals than others, but none are immune, and those domains which are more closely tied to humanity and the act of prayer have more dizzying heights of power. The Gods of the Underworld, known as the Cthonic Gods, stand apart from this. Their power is held more in mysticism, in the bindings of pacts and the wording of spells. All must pass through their halls, believers or not, yet even at the primacy of their worship mortal attention was but a footnote for them, and humanity has ever dealt with them in fear and respect, never love. The greatest gods are beings that can remake the world around them, although all struggle with cleansing nuclear radiation, it is one of the few things not born of their own power that can harm them, even the greatest of gods, when encountered in significant amount.

Of great note to the Gods is that the domain of Thunder and Sky sits without a ruler, even as The Queen of the Gods claims the Mantle of Olympus.

Non-mortal beings such as dryads, nymphs, demigods and more, are imbued with a portion of a domain’s power. While they do not require mortal worship, they are often more vulnerable to damage to their domain than the truly divine are. A Dryad is tied to their home grove, and may simply perish if it is destroyed, for example. Demigods are imbued with great power from their lineage, yet a lack of respect for their divine forebears can strip them of their might with ease.

Humans and other more mythical, yet mortal, beings are traditionally the weakest of sentient beings, but that does not mean they cannot benefit from the return of the Gods divinity. As magic once more returns to the Earth, priests, acolytes and sorcerors once more find themselves capable of calling on aspects of this power. In most parts of the world, those that were tied to the return of the Gods hold more power and ability than their human counterparts, but that is more a reflection of familiarity than true potential. A Centaur hero is no more innately capable of wielding magic, be it Olympian of Cthonic, than a human.

The greatest threat to the current order of things is the rise of Typhon, the great monster born out of the nuclear fire of destruction. While knowledge on what this is, or means, is scarce, so far only humans have been capable of wielding this cursed Typhonic magic. Once taught, it is the easiest to grasp and the purest in power, but it must always consume the lifeforce of both body and soul, either by those who wield it or by those they sacrifice.




GM reserved characters - Persephone, Hades, Hera

1x Thank Thank
Hidden 23 days ago Post by SunsetWanderer
Raw
Avatar of SunsetWanderer

SunsetWanderer woke moralist

Member Seen 23 days ago

Greek mythological family dramas. Hell. Yes.

I have some schemes and plans for Apollo!
1x Like Like
Hidden 23 days ago Post by Ezekiel
Raw
coGM
Avatar of Ezekiel

Ezekiel

Member Seen 0-24 hrs ago

Whoever thought up this concept must truly be a genius.
1x Laugh Laugh
Hidden 23 days ago 23 days ago Post by BunniesOfDoom
Raw
Avatar of BunniesOfDoom

BunniesOfDoom Just a bunch of bunnies in a trench coat

Member Seen 1 day ago

Can I claim a god? If so, I want Discorida! Bring forth the chaos and anarchy!
Hidden 22 days ago Post by Vanq
Raw
GM
Avatar of Vanq

Vanq The Chaos Ladder

Member Seen 3 days ago

Can I claim a god? If so, I want Discorida! Bring forth the chaos and anarchy!


Claiming not necessary, feel free to create a sheet for Eris/Discordia. If you have any questions or want to spitball ideas, we'll be pretty active in the discord linked as well!
Hidden 22 days ago Post by Ezekiel
Raw
coGM
Avatar of Ezekiel

Ezekiel

Member Seen 0-24 hrs ago

Can I claim a god? If so, I want Discorida! Bring forth the chaos and anarchy!


You're welcome to apply for gods for sure! Although nothing is claimed until sheets are accepted.

(Although I will note her greek name is Eris, it's totally fine to use both names)
Hidden 22 days ago Post by Ezekiel
Raw
coGM
Avatar of Ezekiel

Ezekiel

Member Seen 0-24 hrs ago

Rip I replied without refreshing :(
Hidden 22 days ago Post by Vanq
Raw
GM
Avatar of Vanq

Vanq The Chaos Ladder

Member Seen 3 days ago

Name:
Hera

Titles:
Queen of the Gods, Eileithyia

Appearance:
Text description, art, or both! For gods, feel free to include a physical divine indicator (markings, unusual/unnatural attributes, etc.)

Character Type:
Goddess

Divine Domain (Source of Magic):
Women, marriage, and childbirth

Powers:
Hera’s power was often seen as less on their own and instead, the power of being consort to the King. It is a misunderstanding rooted in misogyny, and one that even the Queen herself has fallen prey to, in fits of self-loathing. To be the goddess of women and marriage yet have a husband such as Zeus had always seemed a cruel joke. Even now, after Zeus's demise, Hera struggles to embrace and fulfill her purpose.

She shares the familiar powers of strength and vitality, as well as some capabilities with premonitions, but her other powers are subdued and subtle.

She can bring two together in marriage, beyond just the few trite words spoken as vows. Her mere existence, though, remains what binds the Olympians together, a power that she can exert as needed, particularly in moments of high animosity. On the other end of the spectrum, she can inflame emotions rather than soothe, even to drive gods to madness.

Hera’s most sought after power though is her ability to grant boons of power.

Assets:
The Palace at New Olympia, though in theory belonging to all the gods, is firmly under Hera’s control and ownership. It is a richly extravagant residence, though it has undergone renovations since the King’s death.

Her influence is spread through her temples where any mortals of wealth or importance must be granted her approval in their choice of spouse. For particularly high ranking mortal weddings, Hera herself will attend to provide a blessing. For the masses, they attend her temples and receive blessings and instruction from her priestesses.

Hera also has thousands of midwifery clinics throughout the world to aid women in their pregnancies and family-planning. Often, but not always, attached to the clinics are services to help women escape domestic abuse. The Queen rarely attends these herself, though there are rumors of her direct involvement from time to time.

Though not technically part of New Olympia, she also maintains a smaller residence in the countryside outside of the city proper. It contains a grove which is said to be where she brings those deemed worthy of her boon. It is heavily guarded and warded against intruders.

Primary Location/Areas of Influence:
New Olympia

Biography:
She was the first to stir, she was certain of it. The world has changed since she had last walked the mortal plane. Humanity had done much in their absence and yet they were still children, now playing with powers as if they were toys.

In ancient times, even at their most powerful, Hera had always been secondary. But now, her husband still slumbered in the divine realm, and the Queen of the Gods was free to do as she wished. The great kingdoms of the world bristled at war with each other, and in time, she grew tired of simply watching their flailing attempts at mastering the cosmos.

The pain her husband caused her had not abated with time. There was no healing, no growth. Old pains and jealousies rooted more deeply, unable to be excised. Memories of how he had betrayed her without second thought, even when she had always been faithful. Even when she had been loving and adoring before her spirit has been completely broken. The fates seemed to give her a new path now, one she would not ignore.

She went to Mount Elbrus, where it seemed that some humans also hunted her quarry. They were no match for a goddess, and it was Hera who found Prometheus, still bound to the mountain after all these centuries still. A deal was struck, his freedom and in exchange, he would once again teach humans that which they should not know - how to split the fabric of the cosmos. Zeus would awaken in time, and in that time, humanity would surely destroy itself. When the King of the Gods returned, Hera would be waiting, to revel in his dismay.

It had worked, though not entirely according to plan. Humanity had destroyed more than she thought them capable of, and in that extreme destruction, the gods found a way to put aside their differences and worked together for a time. Zeus was angry, but her enjoyment of it was nullified in the face of the rest of them again submitting themselves to the King of the Gods. Hera sulked, doing little to directly aid in the rebuilding period. When the alliances and collaboration ended and strife again rose up amongst the gods, she was ready.

It was ultimately Hera and her betrayal of her endlessly insufferable husband that led to his demise. She had stayed by his side, loyal as ever, until she could watch him break as the rebels stormed their hallowed halls. She poisoned him with one final kiss, a joy that she would never need to touch him again after this. It was said that Hera held his face in her hands as he slumped to his knees, so that he knew it was her. At long last, she had seen him overthrown.

The deals and sacrifices it had required to end a god’s life were no small feat. In the aftermath, The Accords were spearheaded by Hera, an attempt to install herself as King of the Gods. She achieved it, in title only; a fact that continues to be a thorn in her side. She is paid lip service by many, but the Accords required little more than that and few make any real effort to treat her with the same respect and fear that was given to Zeus.

She has spent the last hundred years trying to claim Thunder and the Skies as her domain to no success. The Queen of the Gods resides in New Olympia and oversees the daily functions of the Gods’ capital. She maintains, begrudgingly, her role as goddess of women, marriage, and childbirth. But there is no fulfillment in it for her. She craves what she believes to be true power, to take what should be rightfully hers.

Her last child with Zeus, conceived at the beginning of the war, Hebe, resides with her, cupbearer and a friendly face to visitors unlike her mother. Hera has called for a celebration in honor of Hebe’s birthday, a weeks long celebration in New Olympia. Though invitations were sent to all the gods, they should know to not consider their presence optional. Much as Hera may care for her youngest, the celebration is not without ulterior motives.

1x Thank Thank
Hidden 22 days ago Post by Apollosarcher
Raw
Avatar of Apollosarcher

Apollosarcher Knight with the Rowan Shield

Member Seen 0-24 hrs ago

Heyo, I see this is moving.
2x Like Like
Hidden 22 days ago Post by Sanity43217
Raw
Avatar of Sanity43217

Sanity43217

Member Seen 1 day ago

I’m gonna start working on a Hermes. Who as the God of Merchants, speed, messages and such, is very ingrained in the current internet and probably works for/with a company like Amazon.
Hidden 21 days ago 19 days ago Post by Vanq
Raw
GM
Avatar of Vanq

Vanq The Chaos Ladder

Member Seen 3 days ago


Name:
Persephone

Titles:
Kore, Daeira, Azesia - The Maiden, The Knowing One, The One Who Seeks

Appearance:
Persephone appears to be a young woman in her early to mid twenties. She can cause vines and flowers to grow and blossom on her mortal form as well as transform into a being of pure flora. When not adorning herself with verdant blooms, her skin - from neck to toes - is adorned with what looks like pale tattoos that seem alive, twisting and growing like vine.

Character Type:
Goddess - born after the gods returned

Divine Domain (Source of Magic):
Goddess of Spring and Rebirth

Powers:
Persephone has become most prominently known for her ability to urge life from the earth, even in wastelands that her mother struggled with. Her powers are not absolute, however, and lands that remain heavily irradiated are resistant to her touch. She was integral to the rehabilitation of much of the crop land that now feeds the new cities. Her preference now has been to create vast gardens, crafting artwork out of plants and flowers.

More recently she has discovered the ability to transform things, animals, or people to flowers and plants. It was an accidental discovery, and one that can be reversed. The goddess has mostly just employed this with clothing for her and her friends, causing beautiful flowers to bloom to life on their clothing.

She is ageless, upon reaching the god equivalent of adulthood, which her mother believes has already occurred. Only time will tell completely if that has happened.

There is an untapped power within her, something she can almost feel, as if seeing it from the corner of her eye. When she focuses on it, it is gone, as if it was never there. Thinking on this for too long, searching for it for too long, brings on feelings of dread and illness. She has learned to ignore that itch within her soul that says there is something more.

Assets:
Persephone has few assets that are truly her own. Much of what she has is still directly tied to Demeter and Demeter’s realm. However, the goddess does maintain a lawn and garden business - Lillium. Within the chain of stores offering seeds, fertilizer, anything that could be used to start and maintain a garden, it also offers consultation services. Persephone is rather fond of providing these services herself, although her priestesses, nymphs, and dryads assist and are the primary contacts for their clients.

Primary Location/Areas of Influence:
Persephone is still most strongly tied to her mother’s domain. However, in recent decades she has taken to longer time away from it and her mother’s influence. She has become a regular within the party culture of Old Olympia, where the youngest gods, demi-gods, and rich young mortals spend their time and money beneath a blazing sun and too-warm waters. The goddess has a small but luxurious apartment here, and though she is often spotted at the parties, it has been a rare occasion for there to be pictures of her fully imbibing in all the former-Greek isles have to offer.

Biography:
Her exact origins, other than being born to Demeter after the goddess awoke to a devastated world, are unknown to Persephone. She doesn't know who her father was - if she even had one - and after many times of asking her mother as a child to receive no answer, she gave up on the task.

Her earliest years were spent on her mother’s back as she worked to bring healing to war and nuclear ravaged lands. From the moment the little goddess could crawl, though, she left budding life in her wake. Her ability to bring life from death was concentrated and passively inherent to anything she did. It took time to learn to control it enough to be fully effective in how she repopulated the earth with plants.

These were happy times for the girl, when it was only her and her mother, their nymphs and dryads. Rarely was she allowed to even catch a glimpse of another god, so protective was Demeter. It didn’t bother the girl then. She didn’t need anything else. She had motherly love, close friendships, and they taught her everything she could ever need to know. The goddess barely even knew of the war when it happened, tucked away safely in her mother’s greenhouse, spared the fear and cruelty of her family.

With growth and encroaching maturity though, that protection became stifling and suffocating. She longed to see more of the world, a desire she couldn’t quash no matter the fights it caused with her mother. Persephone’s love turned to resentment for all the rules and coddling. No going out into the world unless Demeter was there had become no going out into the world at all. Even travelling within Demeter’s realm came with restrictions that she always had to be accompanied by an overwhelming entourage of priestesses and nymphs.

Her rebellion began small. A few minutes here and there snuck away from the sight of her minders, late night swims in their rivers. Her mother swore her to a life of chastity, and yet she began to take lovers amongst her friends in the acolytes, the nymphs or dryads. While it caused some reaction from Demeter, it never seemed to be as strong as the daughter expected.

And so, one day, she ran, and didn’t stop. It took a week before her mother finally found her in Old Olympia and dragged her home. Yet, Persephone found new ways to escape until finally, she was gifted the small apartment that was surely surveilled, but allowed the goddess a longer glimpse into what the world was like. And while she maintains her duties out of love for them, she does not dive too deeply into the culture of Old Olympia for fear that her mother will lock her away in the greenhouse for good.

1x Thank Thank
Hidden 21 days ago Post by Vanq
Raw
GM
Avatar of Vanq

Vanq The Chaos Ladder

Member Seen 3 days ago

I’m gonna start working on a Hermes. Who as the God of Merchants, speed, messages and such, is very ingrained in the current internet and probably works for/with a company like Amazon.


Excellent! I look forward to seeing the sheet. And definitely don't feel like you need to hold back on his role within a company. Gods owning and running the corporations that run the world is definitely on point.
Hidden 19 days ago Post by baraquiel
Raw
Avatar of baraquiel

baraquiel Angel of Moe *:・゚✧

Member Seen 14 days ago

Hello! Would love to throw in my interest in this as well. Will post my character when I can ^-^
Hidden 17 days ago 15 days ago Post by baraquiel
Raw
Avatar of baraquiel

baraquiel Angel of Moe *:・゚✧

Member Seen 14 days ago

Posting my cs here. Let me if there's anything I need to edit ^-^


1x Thank Thank
Hidden 13 days ago 13 days ago Post by Framing A Moose
Raw
Avatar of Framing A Moose

Framing A Moose Overshare Extraordinaire

Member Seen 2 days ago

Let me know if I need to change anything - I'm going to add some inspo refs later, but for now, her description will have to do.


1x Thank Thank
Hidden 2 days ago Post by Ezekiel
Raw
coGM
Avatar of Ezekiel

Ezekiel

Member Seen 0-24 hrs ago

Accepted characters feel free to add to the character tab! Hades will be up shortly.
↑ Top
© 2007-2024
BBCode Cheatsheet