baraquiel

The Court of the Gods

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{ Colaboration with @Terminal }

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The heartcore had spent the last few years in a dormant state. The Erotes grew afraid and nervous because they did not have an Eros to surrender their servitude to for a long time. When the heartcore had finally chosen a candidate, the new iteration of the god of love immediately got into action. Love bloomed in abundance at the hearts of mortals once more, reigniting their passion and desire for the people and things they loved. Cupids shot lots of arrows filled with LOVE as Eros and the Erotes continued to study the mortals, analyzing their new methods of showcasing their love to one another.

It was still the start of the day and Eros was already tired. It had been a month but perhaps the bearer the heartcore chose this time didn’t have much stamina. It didn’t matter as that was a subject that can be easily solved either way, but the Erotes insisted that Eros rest their new body for the entire day and that the three would work in the god’s stead, so Eros went home and rested indeed. The god of love was enjoying a warm bath, the steamy air filled with the scent of roses and other fragrances, as water trickled down their curvy androgynous body that explored the fluidity of gender. The water completely covered their body from the waist down and Eros had their back against the door.

A resounding, exaggerated crack broke through the air in the midst of the chamber, and with a flash of light a set of six shimmering opalescent wings unfolded from nothing. They unfurled to reveal Hermes, Messenger of the gods, bearing in one hand the twinned-serpent stave Kerykeion. He alighted upon the chamber floor, the six wings merging and settling to form a feathered cloak draped across his shoulders.

“I bear a message for Eros, God of Love, from Zeus, King of the Gods and the Heavens, the All-Father on High, with the Utmost Exigency.” Hermes declared, looming over Eros in their tub.

Eros laughed and looked behind them. “Hello~” They said, their voice melodical and soothing with a hint of danger lurking underneath. Their short blonde wavy hair framed their both beautiful and handsome face making Eros look serene and timeless; their face was what mortals would think of when they imagined angels. The same could not be said with their eyes which were intensely red, as if they squeezed the love out of all the hearts in the world.

“It is such a delight to see you again, Great Herald. I hope you don’t mind if I continue my bathing? I just worked the entire day and my body feels really sore. You can maybe come join me and help me relax, though knowing you, you’re probably too busy already.” They playfully said, petals falling down their body as they continued to bathe even with Hermes still in the room. “Is that what really brought you here, Hermes? Just business, no pleasure?~”

“On occasion the business is the pleasure, as I am sure you can attest.” Hermes declared, evidently unbothered and uncaring of Eros’ invitation. With a flicking gesture of his free hand, he produced a black-and-gold filigreed letter, projecting a wide hologram of it and its contents besides the tub as he read it aloud.

BY DECREE OF THE LORD OF OLYMPUS

The Highest, King of the Gods, Father of All:
ZEUS

Let it be known that Zeus is dead. His rightful Heir – forever may he rule – has succeeded him to the divine name and mantle of Zeus.

Eros, God of Love, is formally invited to a gathering of the High Pantheon at Zeus’ palace in Mount Olympus, on the noon of the day following receipt of this note. Zeus will accept oaths of fealty, and make the first announcements of his reign.

Signed, Zelos
Majordomo of the Highest Palace, Servant of Zeus Almighty

“...and I have additionally been instructed to verbally inform you that you are hereby summoned to attend Zeus at the stated time and place.” Hermes finished.

Eros bathed as they listened but after Hermes’ message, they stopped whatever they were doing and looked to the side so they would be able to still see Hermes in their peripheral vision. They could feel their heartcore getting heavy as it still had not forgotten Dr. Jergen’s own feelings and relationship with the original crew. “Zeus is… Dead? H-How can this be? How is this possible? Who is strong enough to outright kill a god and get away with it?” They continuously asked Hermes.

“All unknown. Zeus, of course, has avowed to find the perpetrator, but no evidence of any kind beyond the grotesque state of his predecessor’s body has been identified. He also has yet to even contact either Athena or Apate…Most curious, yes?”

They looked up to Hermes, studying him with their bright red eyes. “How curious indeed…” They muttered, picking up a petal from the tub. “Poor Dr. Jergen. I’m sure he will be so saddened beyond the grave when he knew what happened…” Eros sighed and let go of the petal, watching it fall gently on the warm waters again. “A drive to rule, become the King of the Pantheon… This must be way too obvious, but do you reckon that this new Zeus…?” They asked him, letting the question hang in the air.

“Hm. I do wonder.” Hermes let the Kerykeion slide through their grasp to touch down on the floor before leaning on it as an impromptu cane. “Their first and thus far only order has been to me, to deliver these invitations and summons to all the members of the High Pantheon. Apate already knows about it but has not acted yet, presumably because she is also waiting for orders. The demand that all members of the High Pantheon and their scions come calling on the spot to Olympus to swear fealty is sort of telling. Do you know how many scions Apollo has, for instance? If all of them can make it to Olympus in time it will be an actual miracle - not to mention how short staffed it is going to leave certain realms.”

“Ironic that the God of Love only has three children, that I know of at least.” Eros sighed and rested their head on their arm at the side of the tub so they could still look at Hermes, their body submerged underwater from the shoulders down with the rose petals covering their nudity to the Messenger of the Gods. “Did you get a good read of how the other members of the Pantheon are holding up with news of Zeus’ passing? And how about you, Hermes? How are you holding up? I have yet to come to you for our annual visitation. Please do inform me when you are free and I will make time for you, dear Herald.” They said to him, idly trying to reach out to his Kerykeion and run their fingers along his divine artifact.

Hermes swatted at Eros’ hand. “Hands off my long, hard staff you fiend.” He drawled lazily. “As for the others…well, it’s been a mixed bag so far, but by and large the only person who is taking it exceptionally hard is Hades. I think you can gather why.” Hermes righted his head and gave Eros a very steady look, his expression inscrutable from behind his faceted visor. “Incidentally, I would think very carefully about the gift you intend to bring Zeus, especially in light of the nascency of your present form. Nobody really had a read on Zeus’ own now nascent temperament…and you, perhaps, out of all the gods, might be at the greatest risk.”

“Alright, alright…” Eros pouted at Hermes and dipped their hand under the water, sighing at the mention of Hades’ name. “Yes, I can gather why. Hades… I could only hope that tomorrow would not lead to strife and fighting. The last thing we need is us breaking our trust for each other.” When Hermes said Eros should be careful about their gift to Zeus, the love god giggled and laid back at the end of the tub, looking up at Hermes with a smile. “You need not worry about me, Herald, but I highly appreciate your words very much. It is dangerous but I still need to fulfill my duty. I reckon Zeus does not know that I annually conduct my visitation on each member of the Pantheon, yes?” Eros asked, raising their smooth leg from the waters and softly rubbing their hip. “Can’t we do something for the late captain though? It pains me to think about what happened to him but we should at least honor him at his passing…”

“It would probably be the worst and most assuredly lethal thing you could do.” Hermes replied airily. “Zeus will likely want to ensure as seamless an appearance of continuity between himself and his predecessor as possible. Perhaps I am being presumptuous, but I imagine there will be no funeral, no grave, no holiday to mark the occasion. No, come the turn of the season the very incident may as well be stricken from the calendar and woe be to anybody who so much as mentions it again. As to what Zeus knows though…”

Hermes visibly seemed to lean back, his shoulders shifting faintly as though he were gazing away at something sight unseen.

“...I am not certain that Zeus knows what his predecessor did. There is great opportunity there for some…but great risk, for others.”

Eros took another deep sigh, chuckling to themselves and shaking their head. “I guess nothing does last forever, huh? Alright then, I will follow your advice. I’m sure he’ll look down upon me for having a mortal as a bearer anyway. I’ll just try not to step on his toes…” They solemnly said and approached Hermes, moving their submerged body through the water with the rose petals still covering themselves. “What of you, Herald of the Gods? I hope you have been doing well. Surely there must be something the God of Love can do or give to you for all your efforts? What is it that you desire? Name it and I shall give it to you, my dear.” They said warmly.

“Surprise me.” Hermes declared, raising the Kerykeion once more as they crossed their arms expectantly.

The God of Love was a bit shocked but they then laughed which would be music to everyone’s ears. “How much time do you have for me, Herald?~” Eros teased as they turned around and emerged from the tub, water and roses dripping and falling down their androgynous body. They reached out to grab a robe and put it on their body.

“Offer accepted.” Hermes declared as Eros’ hand alighted on the robe, his arms parting as he moved one hand to snap his fingers, with Eros’ robe vanishing into thin air. “Hm. Not much good on its own though, I really need a full set…” The messenger mused. “I’ll just…” He waved his hand vaguely, and every single strip of cloth and fabric in the room promptly vanished.
“And with that little formality out of the way, I should go about delivering the rest of these.” Hermes tossed the black-and-gold letter to slide onto the nearby sinktop at the far wall. “I will see you at Olympus. Ta.” Hermes’ cloak unfolded from his back as he rose into the air, unfurling once more into the six shimmering wings from when the messenger had appeared. They encompassed Hermes, obscuring him from view before folding in upon themselves until the god vanished in another exaggerated crack and flash of light.

“But I haven’t been to the best part yet…” Eros disappointingly said as Hermes was teleporting to another god’s location. They just rolled their eyes and chuckled as he vanished. “Naughty man~” They said to themselves, sitting at the edge of the tub as they ran through what Hermes said to them again. It will be the first time Eros would be showing their new title bearer and it had also been a long time since they had seen the other gods for that matter. They sighed and crossed their legs, picking up a petal left on their shoulder and studying it. “Now what sort of gift will I give to him?~”

The Court of the Gods

Eros

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Eros, God of Love

Original Bearer: Horrace Jergen
Current Bearer: A nameless mortal

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Titles and Roles:

God of Love, Desire Incarnate, Breaker and Soother of Hearts

Many have been bestowed the title of the love god but the original Eros, Horrace Jergen, is the ship's sociology and anthropology expert. He is the one who studies the relationship and interactions between humans in regard to their cultures, races, and sex throughout the years. His studies have proven vital to the crew of the ship, allowing them to be believed as gods by the mortals below during their ascension to godhood. Horrace is also instrumental in helping the other gods of the Pantheon lay out mythologies to help spread word of their power and influence over their chosen domain.

As a god, Horrace has taken it upon himself to delve deeper into the very foundation of every human relationship: love. He yearns to learn more about how this particular concept has evolved throughout the ages within the world of mortals and this practice is continued throughout the different title bearers as well. Eros always observes but almost never meddles in the affairs of mortals, only doing so when it is absolutely necessary or at the behest of the members of the Pantheon. Eros wears the mantle of love and all of its aspects, whether it be carnal, romantic, or platonic, whether it be the good kind or the bad.

Artifacts and Powers:

L.O.V.E. Potions

While it is true that most of the time Eros is passive, it doesn't hurt to give the mortals a little nudge in the right direction. Under the guidance of Demeter, the Love Optimizing and Volumizing Extract potion is a pink concoction created from various plant extracts found in the world of mortals and in Artemis' grove (with her permission of course). The potion affects the nervous system and certain parts of the brain responsible for creating love hormones, making anyone ingesting it fall deeply in love with the first person they see. It is Eros' form of reward for their most devout followers or even as punishment to those that disrespect their godhood. Future successors of Eros continuously use it to this day with some even tampering with the chemical nature of the potion, manipulating who or what their target will fall in love with and how long is its duration, giving it a wide area of effect by making airborne variations, and developing a venom to counter the effects of the potion to make the target incapable of feeling any type of love. The potion is potent enough to work even on other gods but they don't have to know that.

Automatic-Targeting GPS Arrows and Electromagnetic Shooting Bow

Eros' electromagnetic bow allows them to shoot multiple arrows at once. Each arrow is programmed to have a specific target which, thanks to its GPS feature, will always find its mark no matter where it is in the mortal world. The arrows contain a certain amount of LOVE potion with its chemical makeup altered to make them experience a certain aspect of love towards their subject. The arrows are programmed to not miss their target indeed, but sometimes there are instances where the wrong person blocking the arrows' target is hit and affected instead. While Eros is sort of kind of working hard to fix this bug, they couldn't deny watching it unfold is still fun.

C.U.P.I.D.

The Cyberkinetic Uplinked Piloted Instruments of Desire, simply called Cupids, are androids developed and used by Eros. They're made to look like infants with cutesy wings and little toy bows and arrows to make them appear harmless and inviting to the mortals. Their eyes are cameras and ears are recording devices that broadcast live back at the lab, they have anti-gravity devices built within them to allow flight, the gold-colored bows and arrows are miniature versions of Eros' weapons, and the tips of their wings have small holes that let out indivisible modified fumes of L.O.V.E. that give off a calming effect. Their 'human skin' also has light-reflecting properties, turning them invisible. Eros uses the Cupids so they can target someone more easily and discretely.

Eros' Labs

Located in the basement of their palace on Olympus, it is also where Eros and their cohorts concoct love potions and develop their artifacts, as well as study the live video feed broadcasting within the brothels and homes of Hellas through the usage of small hidden cameras. Most will find it scandalous but for the god of love, it is important to analyze what goes on in the affairs of mortals, what they do, and how they act behind closed doors. The video feeds allow them to create even more potent love potions to ensure they will work efficiently toward their target, and it has given them windows to peek into the nature of man.

Domus Amoris (The House of Love)

Found on the very edge of Olympus and close to the settlement of mortals, Domus Amoris is a place where one's deepest desires can come to life. Holograms, androids, visual and auditory simulation environments, and mortals considered aesthetically pleasing to the eyes of even the gods themselves can be found here, and the other gods can come and go as they wish. While it might be beneath some gods to allow mortals on Olympus, there are also other deities who are more than open to sharing a night with humans. Everything is on the books there but there are still rules, protocols that must be followed for everyone to have an equally good time. What happens in the House of Love, stays in the House of Love.

The Heartcore and The Transplantation

Within all the Eros is the Heartcore, a semi-sentient biodevice in the shape of a human heart that also fully functions as one. Developed by Horrace Jergen with the help of Hephaestus, it pumps out L.O.V.E. into its host's bloodstream, making them walking living tanks of the love concoction. The Heartcore is also a database that stores all of the important skills and knowledge of past title bearers, everything that makes Eros the god of love and all its aspects. It will also retain memories of interactions with the other gods and what the previous title bearers of Eros think about them while giving the title bearer full administrative access that Horrace Jergen had. The current Eros can access all of them while still being able to develop talents and personalities of their own. Some of the gods could even consider the fact that the Heartcore is Eros itself.

When the Heartcore's current host is near death or when their concepts of love are no longer deemed acceptable for the present time period, it sends out a signal to the Cupids to assist or capture Eros and proceed in the transplantation. It is a procedure where the Heartcore is surgically taken from the host's body and replaced with their old heart that's kept efficiently preserved. The computer is then put into another suitable host and becomes the next Eros. When there is no suitable host found, the Heartcore is preserved and stored for the time being where it will be heavily protected by Cupids and Eros' cohorts. What happens to the previous bearers of Eros remains a mystery.

Project 0214, Codename: VENUS

His one true heir... Slumbering for eons... The daughter he could never have...

Persona:

The personality of Eros changes depending on the mortal that currently bears its title. Due to this, Eros has developed mixed relationships with the gods throughout the ages. Playful or serious, careful or instinctive, no one can really tell what kind of god the next Desire Incarnate will be. As all who have become Eros are mortals except for the very first one, most gods within Olympus have a certain distaste for them. Even humans would hate knowing that a vermin set foot in their house.

Though they may all be different, all the title bearers of the god of love have the same goal: to continuously study the ever-fluid concept of love. They all also share some key characteristics: the scars on their chest from the transplantation procedure have been developed into the mark of a deep pink heart symbol, and their eyes have turned into harsher shades of pink and red, as if all the love in the world are squeezed dry, distilled into one poisonous mixture. No matter their age, gender, and race, all bearers of the god Eros look physically attractive in accordance to the standard of beauty in the present time.

Eros emanates an omnipotent romantic allure that even makes the same gods who hate them fear them too. Each movement of theirs is subtle yet powerful, methodical yet playful. Like the very nature of love, Eros knows and enjoys how unpredictable their domain is. Other gods will find them difficult to understand and that's alright with Eros, for love is too much for even the gods to comprehend. These gods would even discretely approach Eros for a favor of love which the incarnation of desire and passion heartedly agrees to, for the right price of course.

The love god can be vengeful to those that wronged them but deep down, Eros is very gentle and gracious. They always treat their followers with kindness and generosity, rewarding the most devout with gifts of love. Their temples are adorned with silk and flowers, emanating the sweet scent of L.O.V.E. in the air that allows all that step foot into their temple a way to reach deep into their utmost desires. All kinds of love are welcome in Eros' domain as with beauty in all its forms and shapes. Those who strike a nerve with Eros, defile their temples, disrespect their followers, or defy the Pantheon will know what it really feels like to have their hearts broken in pieces.

Background:

Dr. Horrace Jergen was the oldest amongst the ship's crew, older even than the captain himself. Widowed and without children, he poured all his efforts into understanding the nature of humans and what glued them together. How ironic that a man became so passionate in his study of love that he had never found another woman again after his first and only love died. Even then, he was content in his studies and helping his crewmates as much as he could.

When Captain Logan Fletcher announced the idea of them becoming gods, Horrace was one of those that showed apprehension. He even thought of the captain as selfish and cruel, but he took some time to reconsider until he eventually agreed. After all, it was an opportune chance to have viable subjects to study and the birth of a new civilization was perfect to get a deeper understanding of humanity. He adopted the god Eros naturally, the primordial god of love.

Using past findings and studies about their previous world, the doctor assisted the other gods in developing their mythologies to their liking and asserted their domain over the mortals. He guided them and gave them pointers on what they should and should not do as the rulers of their chosen domain. He helped the gods understand that there is more to a god than just being prayed to and given worship. They were prayed upon because the mortals knew they could count on the gods to help them in their times of need. In short, the gods needed these mortals something to rely on from the deities.

As Eros, Dr. Jergen thought that he should act passively and observe only from the sidelines as he preferred if events happened naturally on their own. However, when he noticed that the mortals were practicing a certain type of love, Horrace was deeply appalled. It was his upbringing that made him detest this particular love type. Sure, he was an anthropologist but he had chosen to ignore this kind of love in his studies so he had been very biased in his findings. He became irritated that it still continued to bloom no matter how much he tried to stop it. Then, he had a moment of epiphany. This was not how a true god of love must act. His prejudices clouded his own judgment, making him realize that he was not the perfect fit for the role of Eros.

So he decided to develop a system. With the help of Hephaestus, the love god created a semi-sentient biodevice called the Heartcore that stored all his knowledge and expertise in human nature and the foundation of human relationships, in the hopes that it will guide the new Eros in their future endeavors. The Heartcore, by accessing all the data the doctor collected in his years of analyzing, will choose another suitable host to bear the title of the next Eros. Many gods tried and failed to become candidates but ironically, the Heartcore chose a mortal to become Eros. It was because the gods could not and will not truly understand the true essence of love. From then on, all those who became Eros were mortals for they were the ones who experienced many hardships and fully knew how fleeting time and life could be, thus allowing them to understand the value of love the most while also keeping up a fresh take and concept about it too.

The Heartcore had slept for a long time and the cohorts of Eros had continued to run the place in their stead. It was very rare for the biodevice to take this long in finding a suitable candidate. Perhaps the changing times in the mortal world have made it harder for it to choose one who believes in the very essence of love. Finally, it sent signals for the Cupids to retrieve a mortal. A man in his 20s, no name, no medical history, but he was under the constant eye of authorities for being a street rat. The Cupids easily retrieved the mortal and immediately underwent the transplantation, reigning in the birth of a new Eros.

Relationships:

THE EROTES

Several title bearers of the love god had gotten 'busy' with some of their favored mortals. These demigods are known collectively as the Erotes, the agents of Eros. The knowledge of who their mortal parents are is deleted from the database by their godly parents to protect their identities and the mortal side of their family. Even when the Erotes' parent had passed, they still respect whoever the current Eros is and treats them as their own parent. They are Eros' high priests and the ones who assist them in their studies and procedures.

• Himeros - Desire of the Erotes. Lean and muscular with warm golden eyes and short cut hair the color of bright copper. He is the oldest of the Erotes and is in charge of running the House of Love and the various brothels in the mortal world. He is smart and mostly keeps to himself yet he has this magnet-like aura, making others feel drawn to him and keep thinking of him no matter how much they try to ignore him. Mortals with matters all pertaining to sex seek his blessing.
• Anteros - Requited Love of the Erotes. Tall and chiseled with deep brown eyes the color of fertile soil, a well maintained beard, and long wavy black hair. He is the second oldest and in charge of manufacturing and maintaining Eros' artifacts. Always serious and brooding, most jokes fly over his head and he only cares about the conversation when it's about Eros or work. Mortals whose love is unrequited seek his blessing.
• Pothos - Passion of the Erotes. Short and chubby with steel grey eyes and dark blond curly hair. He is the youngest and is in charge of deploying and controlling the Cupids which are built in his image. Enthusiastic and wholesome, he's like a bowl of warm delicious soup on a rainy, gloomy day. Mortals who lost passion for their craft or for whatever else seek his blessing.

THE LATE ZEUS

Dr. Jergen had mixed feelings regarding the captain. He respected his authority and expertise as the leader of their crew but he still couldn't truly understand what drove a respectable man like Fletcher to be driven by such hubris. Part of Horrace blamed himself for not being more active in helping the captain but he was just as spread thin from helping his other crewmates while continuing his research. Future bearers of Eros had their own thoughts about the old Zeus. Some were afraid of him, others admired him, while others simply did not care. The new Eros didn't have much experience with the old Zeus before his untimely demise but perhaps they could make it up to the new Zeus instead.

HADES

WIP

HEPHAESTUS

WIP

The Court of the Gods

Will still edit the relationships in the future but other than that, I hope you enjoy my take on Eros. Also to avoid confusion, Eros' pronouns are them/they cuz they're not always the same gender ^u^

Eros

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Eros, God of Love

Original Bearer: Horrace Jergen
Current Bearer: A nameless mortal

---

Titles and Roles:

God of Love, Desire Incarnate, Breaker and Soother of Hearts

Many have been bestowed the title of the love god but the original Eros, Horrace Jergen, is the ship's sociology and anthropology expert. He is the one who studies the relationship and interactions between humans in regard to their cultures, races, and sex throughout the years. His studies have proven vital to the crew of the ship, allowing them to be believed as gods by the mortals below during their ascension to godhood. Horrace is also instrumental in helping the other gods of the Pantheon lay out mythologies to help spread word of their power and influence over their chosen domain.

As a god, Horrace has taken it upon himself to delve deeper into the very foundation of every human relationship: love. He yearns to learn more about how this particular concept has evolved throughout the ages within the world of mortals and this practice is continued throughout the different title bearers as well. Eros always observes but almost never meddles in the affairs of mortals, only doing so when it is absolutely necessary or at the behest of the members of the Pantheon. Eros wears the mantle of love and all of its aspects, whether it be carnal, romantic, or platonic, whether it be the good kind or the bad.

Artifacts and Powers:

L.O.V.E. Potions

While it is true that most of the time Eros is passive, it doesn't hurt to give the mortals a little nudge in the right direction. Under the guidance of Demeter, the Love Optimizing and Volumizing Extract potion is a pink concoction created from various plant extracts found in the world of mortals and in Artemis' grove (with her permission of course). The potion affects the nervous system and certain parts of the brain responsible for creating love hormones, making anyone ingesting it fall deeply in love with the first person they see. It is Eros' form of reward for their most devout followers or even as punishment to those that disrespect their godhood. Future successors of Eros continuously use it to this day with some even tampering with the chemical nature of the potion, manipulating who or what their target will fall in love with and how long is its duration, giving it a wide area of effect by making airborne variations, and developing a venom to counter the effects of the potion to make the target incapable of feeling any type of love. The potion is potent enough to work even on other gods but they don't have to know that.

Automatic-Targeting GPS Arrows and Electromagnetic Shooting Bow

Eros' electromagnetic bow allows them to shoot multiple arrows at once. Each arrow is programmed to have a specific target which, thanks to its GPS feature, will always find its mark no matter where it is in the mortal world. The arrows contain a certain amount of LOVE potion with its chemical makeup altered to make them experience a certain aspect of love towards their subject. The arrows are programmed to not miss their target indeed, but sometimes there are instances where the wrong person blocking the arrows' target is hit and affected instead. While Eros is sort of kind of working hard to fix this bug, they couldn't deny watching it unfold is still fun.

C.U.P.I.D.

The Cyberkinetic Uplinked Piloted Instruments of Desire, simply called Cupids, are androids developed and used by Eros. They're made to look like infants with cutesy wings and little toy bows and arrows to make them appear harmless and inviting to the mortals. Their eyes are cameras and ears are recording devices that broadcast live back at the lab, they have anti-gravity devices built within them to allow flight, the gold-colored bows and arrows are miniature versions of Eros' weapons, and the tips of their wings have small holes that let out indivisible modified fumes of L.O.V.E. that give off a calming effect. Their 'human skin' also has light-reflecting properties, turning them invisible. Eros uses the Cupids so they can target someone more easily and discretely.

Eros' Labs

Located in the basement of their palace on Olympus, it is also where Eros and their cohorts concoct love potions and develop their artifacts, as well as study the live video feed broadcasting within the brothels and homes of Hellas through the usage of small hidden cameras. Most will find it scandalous but for the god of love, it is important to analyze what goes on in the affairs of mortals, what they do, and how they act behind closed doors. The video feeds allow them to create even more potent love potions to ensure they will work efficiently toward their target, and it has given them windows to peek into the nature of man.

Domus Amoris (The House of Love)

Found on the very edge of Olympus and close to the settlement of mortals, Domus Amoris is a place where one's deepest desires can come to life. Holograms, androids, visual and auditory simulation environments, and mortals considered aesthetically pleasing to the eyes of even the gods themselves can be found here, and the other gods can come and go as they wish. While it might be beneath some gods to allow mortals on Olympus, there are also other deities who are more than open to sharing a night with humans. Everything is on the books there but there are still rules, protocols that must be followed for everyone to have an equally good time. What happens in the House of Love, stays in the House of Love.

The Heartcore and The Transplantation

Within all the Eros is the Heartcore, a semi-sentient biodevice in the shape of a human heart that also fully functions as one. Developed by Horrace Jergen with the help of Hephaestus, it pumps out L.O.V.E. into its host's bloodstream, making them walking living tanks of the love concoction. The Heartcore is also a database that stores all of the important skills and knowledge of past title bearers, everything that makes Eros the god of love and all its aspects. It will also retain memories of interactions with the other gods and what the previous title bearers of Eros think about them while giving the title bearer full administrative access that Horrace Jergen had. The current Eros can access all of them while still being able to develop talents and personalities of their own. Some of the gods could even consider the fact that the Heartcore is Eros itself.

When the Heartcore's current host is near death or when their concepts of love are no longer deemed acceptable for the present time period, it sends out a signal to the Cupids to assist or capture Eros and proceed in the transplantation. It is a procedure where the Heartcore is surgically taken from the host's body and replaced with their old heart that's kept efficiently preserved. The computer is then put into another suitable host and becomes the next Eros. When there is no suitable host found, the Heartcore is preserved and stored for the time being where it will be heavily protected by Cupids and Eros' cohorts. What happens to the previous bearers of Eros remains a mystery.

Project 0214, Codename: VENUS

His one true heir... Slumbering for eons... The daughter he could never have...

Persona:

The personality of Eros changes depending on the mortal that currently bears its title. Due to this, Eros has developed mixed relationships with the gods throughout the ages. Playful or serious, careful or instinctive, no one can really tell what kind of god the next Desire Incarnate will be. As all who have become Eros are mortals except for the very first one, most gods within Olympus have a certain distaste for them. Even humans would hate knowing that a vermin set foot in their house.

Though they may all be different, all the title bearers of the god of love have the same goal: to continuously study the ever-fluid concept of love. They all also share some key characteristics: the scars on their chest from the transplantation procedure have been developed into the mark of a deep pink heart symbol, and their eyes have turned into harsher shades of pink and red, as if all the love in the world are squeezed dry, distilled into one poisonous mixture. No matter their age, gender, and race, all bearers of the god Eros look physically attractive in accordance to the standard of beauty in the present time.

Eros emanates an omnipotent romantic allure that even makes the same gods who hate them fear them too. Each movement of theirs is subtle yet powerful, methodical yet playful. Like the very nature of love, Eros knows and enjoys how unpredictable their domain is. Other gods will find them difficult to understand and that's alright with Eros, for love is too much for even the gods to comprehend. These gods would even discretely approach Eros for a favor of love which the incarnation of desire and passion heartedly agrees to, for the right price of course.

The love god can be vengeful to those that wronged them but deep down, Eros is very gentle and gracious. They always treat their followers with kindness and generosity, rewarding the most devout with gifts of love. Their temples are adorned with silk and flowers, emanating the sweet scent of L.O.V.E. in the air that allows all that step foot into their temple a way to reach deep into their utmost desires. All kinds of love are welcome in Eros' domain as with beauty in all its forms and shapes. Those who strike a nerve with Eros, defile their temples, disrespect their followers, or defy the Pantheon will know what it really feels like to have their hearts broken in pieces.

Background:

Dr. Horrace Jergen was the oldest amongst the ship's crew, older even than the captain himself. Widowed and without children, he poured all his efforts into understanding the nature of humans and what glued them together. How ironic that a man became so passionate in his study of love that he had never found another woman again after his first and only love died. Even then, he was content in his studies and helping his crewmates as much as he could.

When Captain Logan Fletcher announced the idea of them becoming gods, Horrace was one of those that showed apprehension. He even thought of the captain as selfish and cruel, but he took some time to reconsider until he eventually agreed. After all, it was an opportune chance to have viable subjects to study and the birth of a new civilization was perfect to get a deeper understanding of humanity. He adopted the god Eros naturally, the primordial god of love.

Using past findings and studies about their previous world, the doctor assisted the other gods in developing their mythologies to their liking and asserted their domain over the mortals. He guided them and gave them pointers on what they should and should not do as the rulers of their chosen domain. He helped the gods understand that there is more to a god than just being prayed to and given worship. They were prayed upon because the mortals knew they could count on the gods to help them in their times of need. In short, the gods needed these mortals something to rely on from the deities.

As Eros, Dr. Jergen thought that he should act passively and observe only from the sidelines as he preferred if events happened naturally on their own. However, when he noticed that the mortals were practicing a certain type of love, Horrace was deeply appalled. It was his upbringing that made him detest this particular love type. Sure, he was an anthropologist but he had chosen to ignore this kind of love in his studies so he had been very biased in his findings. He became irritated that it still continued to bloom no matter how much he tried to stop it. Then, he had a moment of epiphany. This was not how a true god of love must act. His prejudices clouded his own judgment, making him realize that he was not the perfect fit for the role of Eros.

So he decided to develop a system. With the help of Hephaestus, the love god created a semi-sentient biodevice called the Heartcore that stored all his knowledge and expertise in human nature and the foundation of human relationships, in the hopes that it will guide the new Eros in their future endeavors. The Heartcore, by accessing all the data the doctor collected in his years of analyzing, will choose another suitable host to bear the title of the next Eros. Many gods tried and failed to become candidates but ironically, the Heartcore chose a mortal to become Eros. It was because the gods could not and will not truly understand the true essence of love. From then on, all those who became Eros were mortals for they were the ones who experienced many hardships and fully knew how fleeting time and life could be, thus allowing them to understand the value of love the most while also keeping up a fresh take and concept about it too.

The Heartcore had slept for a long time and the cohorts of Eros had continued to run the place in their stead. It was very rare for the biodevice to take this long in finding a suitable candidate. Perhaps the changing times in the mortal world have made it harder for it to choose one who believes in the very essence of love. Finally, it sent signals for the Cupids to retrieve a mortal. A man in his 20s, no name, no medical history, but he was under the constant eye of authorities for being a street rat. The Cupids easily retrieved the mortal and immediately underwent the transplantation, reigning in the birth of a new Eros.

Relationships:

THE EROTES

Several title bearers of the love god had gotten 'busy' with some of their favored mortals. These demigods are known collectively as the Erotes, the agents of Eros. The knowledge of who their mortal parents are is deleted from the database by their godly parents to protect their identities and the mortal side of their family. Even when the Erotes' parent had passed, they still respect whoever the current Eros is and treats them as their own parent. They are Eros' high priests and the ones who assist them in their studies and procedures.

• Himeros - Desire of the Erotes. Lean and muscular with warm golden eyes and short cut hair the color of bright copper. He is the oldest of the Erotes and is in charge of running the House of Love and the various brothels in the mortal world. He is smart and mostly keeps to himself yet he has this magnet-like aura, making others feel drawn to him and keep thinking of him no matter how much they try to ignore him. Mortals with matters all pertaining to sex seek his blessing.
• Anteros - Requited Love of the Erotes. Tall and chiseled with deep brown eyes the color of fertile soil and long wavy black hair. He is the second oldest and in charge of manufacturing and maintaining Eros' artifacts. Always serious and brooding, most jokes fly over his head and he only cares about the conversation when it's about Eros or work. Mortals whose love is unrequited seek his blessing.
• Pothos - Passion of the Erotes. Short and chubby with steel grey eyes and dark blond curly hair. He is the youngest and is in charge of deploying and controlling the Cupids which are built in his image. Enthusiastic and wholesome, he's like a bowl of warm delicious soup prepared on a rainy, gloomy day. Mortals who lost passion for their craft or for whatever else seek his blessing.

ZEUS

Dr. Jergen had mixed feelings regarding the captain. He respected his authority and expertise as the leader of their crew but he still couldn't truly understand what drove a respectable man like Fletcher to be driven by such hubris. Part of Horrace blamed himself for not being more active in helping the captain but he was just as spread thin from helping his other crewmates while continuing his research. Future bearers of Eros had their own thoughts about the old Zeus. Some were afraid of him, others admired him, while others simply did not care. The new Eros didn't have much experience with the old Zeus before his untimely demise but perhaps they could make it up to the new Zeus instead.

Young Justice

Location: Taos, New Mexico
Interaction/s: The Team

---

Aleen'a did not, and could not, say much when their target just went straight to her and Alisa's table. If she was in her fully-recovered state, Aleen'a would have talked the black-haired girl's socks off, but she was unable to think of anything to say due to the panic filling her up from the inside. That's strange, Aleen'a rarely felt this kind of mixed emotion before. Not that she was unable to but because there was nothing for her to be panicked about before. She had always relied on her powers and training during her missions so she still had some level of confidence even when it seemed the odds were stacked against her. Now, not only was she not at full strength yet but all her training did not prepare her for situations like these.

Thankfully, Alisa managed to cover up just fine for the both of them and Aleen'a gently squeezed her friend's hand under the table to show her appreciation. Still, Aleen'a couldn't shake off the feeling of embarrassment. She was supposed to be the most powerful in her group in terms of sheer strength and physiology, but it was the first time in her life that she felt utterly useless. What would happen to her if Alisa wasn't there with her? She'll surely blow their cover and be the reason their mission failed again. What would Koriand'r say if she found out her cousin was a liability? Would she be disappointed? Would Aleen'a be sent back to Tamaran? Will her parents be disappointed too?

Aleen'a could only feel sadness before. At this point, she was now starting to develop the emotion of fear.

---

The team was now en route to their target, thanks to Viktor planting a tracking device on that teenager. Aleen'a was dressed in the appropriate attire for the mission but she still couldn't fully shake out the feeling of fear she felt back at the cafe. Her heart started to race again just by thinking about it. She could only control her breathing as her way of trying to contain her growing anxiety.

She almost didn't hear what Viktor said to them due to her focusing on keeping her anxiousness from fully filling her up from the inside. She closed and opened her fist as she sighed. She could feel some of her strength coming back to her but she was still far from her peak. She could only hope that when the time came, Aleen'a wouldn't be much of a burden to her teammates.

Their vehicle stopped at a certain distance from the tracker's location and they covered the rest of the distance on foot to avoid getting caught. They got up the hill and got a clear view of the facility where Kobra kept its kidnapped teens at. There were only two guards and one within a tall tower that was visible to them. Aleen'a couldn't fly yet which might be a good thing since she might easily get spotted. She might not be back at full strength just yet but that doesn't mean she forgot her training as well.

"I shall go and take out the one on the left." Aleen'a said to the team through the comms as she already made her way to her target roving guard, using her stealth suit and the vegetation to help hide her from the enemy's sights. "I am in position. Please give me clear sign to knock guard up down." She said, waiting so she wouldn't commit a mistake due to her fear of jeopardizing her team and their mission.

Young Justice

Location: The hotspot
Interaction/s: Alisa, Zachary

---

Aleen'a continued to slurp from her smoothie as Viktor went off to the bathroom. She didn't notice Kassy and Ja going there before him so she genuinely thought he needed to release the urine from within his system. She was sure all humans did that anyway though now was not the time to take notice of the particular differences between the physiology of Earth humans and Tamaraneans.

She enjoyed the way Alisa and Zachary were interacting with each other, enough for her to almost crack a smile. A smile? What was this weird feeling? She was supposed to feel sad yet she could feel the warmth coming from within her. The feeling of something uncertain made her anxious and she mentally prayed to X'Hal that Aleen'a will not be the reason that their missions will turn into jeopardy again. She instead doubled her focus on what Alisa was saying to prevent herself from thinking too much about this uncertain warm feeling within her chest.

"Present... them a piece of artwork... of themselves?" Aleen'a stammered, still shaken up by the weird warm feeling. She cleared her throat and tried to speak again. "The gesture may be romantic but I am afraid that they will now realize we have been observing them for the entirety of their stay here in the cafe. We need to be discrete after all, although I must say, your art is very beautiful, Alisa." Aleen'a said, giving her friend a reassuring pat on her wrist.

Aleen'a continued to think while glancing at their target. "We must find a much more secretive, and safe, way of putting a tracker on them. Zach, perhaps your magic may be of use in this scenario?" She asked Zach, hoping he could find a solution to their problem using his magic.

She then noticed a waitress approaching the target and she was now sitting at Kassy and Ja's table. She was joined by a familiar yet unfamiliar man. Where had Aleen'a seen him before again?

"W-Why are they in Kassy and Ja's table? Who's the man sitting with her? Where are the others?" Aleen'a quietly said to Alisa and Zach while finishing her food, to prevent herself from looking too suspicious of course.

Young Justice

Location: The hotspot
Interaction/s: Alisa, Viktor, Zachary

---

"Thank you." Aleen'a said to their server as she gave them their meal. She offered a quick prayer to her goddess before she inhaled the food that she ordered. A couple sitting across the trio's table was looking in shock and awe at Aleen'a as she easily devoured everything in front of her without even taking time to breathe. They avoided eye contact with the Tamaranean and kept talking to each other in hushed tones, afraid that she will be their next meal.

Even while eating, she could still listen to the conversations Alisa and Viktor were having. Alisa gave Aleen'a her chai latte and the latter graciously accepted it. Aleen'a nodded and smiled warmly at Alisa, grimacing as she took a sip. "Huh. This reminds me of the viorken berry shakes we used to make at home..." She shrugged and continued to drink it casually.

She jumped on her seat when she felt Alisa nudge her foot and looked at the door. Aleen'a recognized them as well. Things will only get more intense from here on out, now that they have actually seen and were in the same vicinity as their target. They only needed to listen and wait for whatever the girl might say and do but of course, it wouldn't be that easy. Zachary entered the cafe right behind their supposed targets and was loudly proclaiming his dead-end of a "lead" to them if one would ever consider a date as a lead for a mission. He was soon made to be quiet by Alisa and Viktor so as to not blow their cover, with Viktor saying he needed to use the bathroom and soon got up to go there.

"Please try and sip from this drink as well, in case you might choke from your muffin." Aleen'a casually told Zachary as she looked at Alisa. "Should we stay put and continue to monitor them? This might be an opportune chance to put a tracking device on them..."

Avalia

Time: Night
Location: Desert
Interactions: Nuallán @13org, Bandits @FunnyGuy
Equipment: A dagger, fake elf ears, a ring of disguise, and a bag full of supplies

Jomari could feel the dagger sink into the flesh of the ibis demi-human. He stabbed her on her back and when he pulled his dagger out, it was covered in the glistening blood of his enemy. The scorpion was nowhere to be seen while the rhino and the crocodile stood shoulder to shoulder with Nuallán facing them by himself. The elf told Jomari to finish the ibis and keep an eye out for their remaining enemy.

Jomari grabbed the ibis's head and she would grunt in pain. She grabbed his wrist and tried to break free but she was weakened by her wound and the significant amount of blood she lost. He hesitated for a bit. He did need to 'silence' some of his target's soldiers sometimes in order not to be caught but it wasn't in his line of work, per se. Should he count this ibis as collateral damage as well?

"Pick a safer job in your next life." He said to the demi-human in a bored tone as he pressed the edge of his dagger against her neck and sliced it quickly, letting the ibis gasp and grunt as the life drained from her eyes while more of her blood was spilled. Jomari let go of her neck and let her limp body fall down, watching as her blood mixed with the sands. With a wave of his hand, the ibis's corpse was enveloped in layers of sand, never to be seen again.

He turned his attention to the rhino and the crocodile. With a snap of his fingers, the sand below them loosened in Jomari's attempt to hopefully suck their bodies below in the sand until only their heads remained sticking out.

Young Justice

Location: The hotspot
Interaction/s: Alisa, Viktor

---

Aleen'a's team talked with Omen and both parties seemed to decide to help each other solve the mystery of the kidnappings. She still had her reservations regarding Charlie, Cecile, and Thiago. They seem to be too eager to help her team with this case even if they all just met each other. On the other hand, it would make sense for an independent team composed of teens who were genuine and passionate to help to show such eagerness in fighting crime, especially if it would affect their safe space and their friends too. That just meant Aleen'a's team added another task: to protect Omen at all costs.

She was currently at the Hotspot, a local cafe that was a famous place for dating and such. She was seated with Viktor and Alisa while Ja and Kassy sat together at another table. Aleen'a sighed. The tension within the group was so thick that one could stick a knife made of butter through it, at least that's how the saying went for her. She could only hope things would go back the way they were and that Daphne would return to them in one piece.

"And I shall have a penne pesto, strawberry milkshake, a slice of your chocolate cake, and a warm muffin." Aleen'a said with a small smile to the waitress as they looked at her in bewilderment and shock before going to process their table's orders. Continuing with her unbeknownst 90s aesthetic, she was wearing a multi-colored crop top, denim mini shorts, knee-high mismatched-colored socks, and sneakers, with her hair loose and free showing how voluminous and curly it could be.

She leaned in as Alisa began to talk about where to put hidden cameras. "I agree. Putting cameras at different angles might be the key to finding out who our suspect is." Aleen'a said just as she eyed the door where a waiter was carrying a tray of another table's orders. "Should the personnel of this cafe be also of our concern? These servers saw those teenagers before they were kidnapped. Some of them must know something that could aid in our investigation." She added before pausing. "Would it also be wrong for me to assume that, perhaps, they have something to do with the teens' disappearances?"

Avalia

Time: Night
Location: Desert
Interactions: Nuallán @13org, Bandits @FunnyGuy
Equipment: A dagger, fake elf ears, a ring of disguise, and a bag full of supplies

Jomari managed to put up a hasty shield made from sand but it wasn't enough. The impact from the rhino's strange power sent him flying and rolling backward. "Gah!" He spat out sand from his mouth as he tried to stand back up, still reeling from the impact of the rhino's attack. Nuallán's warning made him aware that the scorpion was about to strike him from behind and thankfully he attacked him too. While the bandit would be distracted from the elf's dagger, Nuallán moved closer and closer to Jomari as the human took this chance to send forth a wave of sand at the scorpion, hoping it would make some distance between them.

It wouldn't do any good. Jomari still had no total control over his powers. Nuallán might be affected by Jomari's attacks though at this point the human would do anything to win.

"Close your eyes!" Jomari warned back at Nuallán and concentrated, closing his fists. He opened them after a few moments and made the sand below them explode, sending sand everywhere and especially at their opponent's faces. Jomari hoped that it would disorient them for a while, giving him and Nuallán the chance to strike back. The bandits hopefully won't be able to see the pair and their allies and Jomari was already on the move, using his power to slide through the sand swiftly and effortlessly. He slid behind the ibis bandit with a murderous smile on his face as he aimed his dagger directly at the bird demi-human's back.

Avalia

Time: Night
Location: Desert
Interactions: Nuallán @13org, Bandits @Alivefalling
Equipment: A dagger, fake elf ears, a ring of disguise, and a bag full of supplies

The chilly desert air blew past Jomari's face as he and Nuallán rode his desert wave to search for the kidnapped princesses. For women of their age, status, and power, one would think they would at least know how to defend themselves especially when they're out of the comfort of their luxurious kingdoms. He glanced at Nuallán and noticed he was still reeling with anger towards those that kidnapped the two. He's also probably angry at himself as well. Jomari couldn't blame him, he would be furious at himself if he was that stupid too.

His thoughts were interrupted when someone roared and something came bursting out of the sand before them. "Ah!" Jomari yelled in surprise and his sand wave dissipated, leaving the two of them surrounded by a weird assortment of demi-human bandits. It wasn't the first time he was surrounded by a group of ugly people with the intent to kill him.

"Ugh, as if I had a choice..." He grumbled in annoyance in reply to what Nuallán said. The scorpion man did seem the most dangerous out of the group, but he was more concerned about the bird lady with the long-ranged weapon. Jomari wouldn't know if the desert sand could reach her if she flew high enough. He even thought that Nuallán was sort of the pacifist type but Jomari guessed killing was allowed as long as it had something to do with his beloved princess.

"I did not come here just to be killed by a bunch of ugly nobodies!" Jomari shouted back at the bandits. With the aid of his newfound power, he easily slid against the sand and narrowly missed getting impaled on the chest by the ibis demi-human. He countered by stretching his hand out to throw a big chunk of sand in front of him at her.