#Thanatos is the god of death. but he resides over peaceful and natural deaths

[silverdragon889]

Two people stop dead in their tracks as they process that information. The room temperature skyrockets to near boiling, and the sound of mechanics hits a fever pitch of whirring and buzzing. The source of this bloodlust?

Bluenix and Oriae.

For the first time in literal years, they have the same goal. And they talk at the same time.

Eustace Jay shall Die.

Concerningly, Nix's wings are turning RED. Someone... May wanna calm him down.

Before Ares decides to play.

A Little Party Never Killed Nobody | Attack on Zoraxis RP

Here's the Party RP! @blueorchid-95 @agent--shadow @agentwraith @phoenix-and-found-family @eod-agent-13-12

____________________________________

The lights, glitz, and glamour were just as Eustace planned. As guests milled about the lavish ballroom, he made plans for the Jay Weapons Company's biggest reveal yet. All he had to do was wait...

And pray Gideon didn't do anything stupid, of course.

[aliciavance4228]

So... Did Hades Have Any Children At All?

It's very hard to tell wheter or not Hades indeed had any kids. The main reason for this is that Hades is believed to be impotent or at least infertile (though this is never specified in ancient sources) in about 90% of the myths. Which makes sense, considering the fact that he's the God of the Dead and rules over a realm where 99% of its residents are mortal souls.

But what about the other 10%? Well, he has less children than his brothers, that's for sure, and their number varies depending on the myths.

In some myths the Erinyes are considered to be his daughters, whom he conceived either with Nyx or Persephone. But both of these possibilities are labeled as weird by Greek Mythology Nerds because a) Nyx usually conceives her children either asexually or with Erebus, and b) it's very likeable that by the time when Persephone was kidnapped the Erinyes already existed. So people stick to the version where they are the daughters of Nyx and Erebus, and them being reffered to as the daughters of Hades is rather related to the way he treated them.

Another strange case is Plutus. Sometimes he's the son of Demeter and Iasion, sometimes the son of Tyche and Iasion, and sometimes he's the son of Demeter and Hades. Which would be cringe on many levels. Even weirder, Plutus is depicted both in the company of Demeter and Persephone, as well as in the company of Hades, and he's considered the younger brother of Melinoe and Zagreus even when they have completely different parents. My personal theory is that Plutus, being the God of Riches, was basically adopted by his uncle Hades (who's called The Rich One as Pluto) and he's currently treated like his son because they share some attributes. Also, Iasion was killed by Zeus, so he probably needed a new father figure (or someone who rules over the realm where the soul of his father lies now). Furthermore, Plutus is usually depicted either as a young boy or even as a child, so he's literally a babe.

And now, we will talk about the three divinities that are labeled as their children by the majority of this fandom: Macaria, Melinoe and Zagreus.

Macaria

Macaria is the one we know few to no things about. She is a daughter of Hades (who was basically mentioned only once in the Suda and that's how we know about her existence), and she's generally associated with a Blessed Death, being a softer counterpart of Thanatos. To make things a little bit complicated now, Heracles also named his daughter Macaria, so it's pretty hard to separate them both when you try to talk about any of them. Her mother is never mentioned, but technically it should be Persephone.

While specific descriptions of Macaria’s appearance are rare, she is often imagined as a serene and comforting presence, embodying the peace that comes with a blessed death. Unlike the fearsome depictions of other death-related deities, like Thanatos and Hecate, Macaria’s visage would likely be gentle, reflecting her role in easing the transition of the souls to the afterlife.

Since there are no recorded myths about Macaria, we can only guess about her personality based on the few mentions of her name and role. As the goddess of Blessed Death, Macaria would be compassionate and understanding. She represents the aspect of death that should not be feared. Instead it should be accepted as a natural and potentially beautiful part of the life cycle. Her demeanor would be calming, reassuring those on the verge of death.

Also, just as a little Fun Fact, some people ship her with Thanatos and consider them to be a natural pair, considering the fact that their attributes are making them complement each other. It's probably one of the most famous non-canon couples from Greek Mythology at this point.

Melinoe

Melinoe is the Goddess of Ghosts, and is also associated with Nightmares and Madness.

Now, about her parentage... *sighs*

The earliest versions of her story appear in Orphic Greek Mythology, which is completely different and complicated compared to your typical Vanilla Greek Mythology. So depending on the versions, her mother is Persephone, whereas her father is either Zeus or Hades (or both).

The most common version of her myth is that Zeus took the appearance of Hades and impregnated Persephone on the banks of the River Cocytus. Some people are arguing though, claiming that a) Hades was sometimes reffered to as Zeus of the Underworld due to the fact that people were too scared to say his name, and b) In Orphism Hades and Zeus are sometimes believed to be one and the same deity (I've told you that it’s complicated, guys!). What we know for sure though is that Persephone gave birth to her on the banks of the River Cocytus as well, while Hermes was acting like some sort of a bodyguard. One can hope that he got a raise after that...

There's also another version of her myth, though this one was transmitted orally rather than written. In this one Persephone remained pregnant with her after a midnight tryst with Hades on the Nysion Island (Ooo...).

Melinoe is described as being half dark and half pale (though this description might be metaphorical rather than literal, but at least Hel has a twin sister now), representing her dual nature, and is considered both a daughter of the Underworld and of Mount Olympus whoever her parents are.

It is believed that there's a strong connection between her and Hecate. Both preside over realms that are shrouded in mystery, and their domains often intersect in the world of spirits, night, and the unknown. Despite her eerie domain, Melinoe wasn’t inherently malevolent. She was a guardian of spirits, guiding them through the night. However, her association with nightmares and madness meant that she was often perceived with a mix of fear and reverence by the Ancient Greeks.

Melinoe’s primary role was to guide the spirits of the dead during the night. She would roam the earth, accompanied by a host of ghosts, ensuring they did not harm the living. It was believed that the reason why dogs bark at night is because they would see her and her ghosts and get scared. Additionally, she was the embodiment of nightmares, bringing forth visions and dreams that could both terrify and enlighten mortals. Her responsibilities also included maintaining the balance between the world of the living and the realm of the dead, ensuring that neither was disrupted by the other.

Zagreus

Ah, Zagreus... Where the hell should I begin?

Zagreus is firstly mentioned in Mycenaean Mythology, and it seems that he had a great importance thousands of years ago, but for some reason he lost it in time. In the earliest mention of Zagreus, he is paired with Gaia and called the highest god, though perhaps only in reference to the gods of the underworld. Aeschylus, however, links Zagreus with Hades, possibly as Hades' son, or as Hades himself.

In the most famous version of his myth, which appears in the Orphic Hymns, Zeus raped Persephone in the form of a snake/dragon when she was FUCKING FOURTEEN and hidden in a cave, due to the fact that her mother decided to keep her there so that no god would take advantage of her (Spoiler Alert: it didn't work.). Later, when Zagreus was born, Hera found out about him and threw him into Tartarus, where he was dismembered by the Titans. Athena, however, managed to find his heart and gave it to Zeus. Zeus then asked Semele to eat that heart, which she did and soon after that she got pregnant with Dionysus. This is why Zagreus is sometimes called The Orphic Dionysus, why he is associated with rebirth and reincarnation, and why in some versions of the birth of Dionysus it is Persephone the one who raised him.

There are also people who claim that Zagreus is in fact the son of Hades and Persephone that later got merged/syncretized with the Orphic Dionysus, who is the son of Zeus and Persephone.

And last but not least, in the later versions of his myth he is simply the son of Hades and Persephone, and the God of Orphic Mysteries. In this version he is generally depicted as a skilled hunter who hunts during nighttime and sometimes even eats his prey raw. Also, he and Dionysus share a lot of attributes in common, because yes.

Now, it should be ALSO pointed out the fact that in the Orphic Greek Mythology Hades, Zeus and Dionysus are sometimes believed to be one and the same deity. A small hint that many people use as an argument in order to prove the connection between these three gods, more specifically between Hades and Dionysus, is that during the time when Demeter was searching for Persephone she refused to drink wine even when it was offered to her. But that's an idea and a concept that would take me hours to unpack and explain, and I'm already tired.

*Fanarts by Arbetta*

[hymnblood]

𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐀, 𝐆𝐎𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐁𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇

THE ELDEST DAUGHTER OF HADES AND PERSEPHONE

sweet dutiful makaria, the first born of hades and persephone’s union. she was raised with a firm hand but naturally found herself with the drive to succeed and pursue her duties to the best of her abilities. as a result, she had garnered hades’ favor more than the troubled prince. residing in the temple of styx, she ventures out, often with thanatos, peaceful death, to gather the souls of the dead ushering them to their psychopomp colleagues. for many moons she travels, granting old, worn heroes their well deserved rest when their time has come in the silence of their abodes. she is seen as gentle like a breeze, with mystifying grace, there are stories from housewives that speak of her : live a good life, a fulfilling life and blessed death shall find you.

𝐌𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐎𝐄, 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐌𝐀𝐃𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒

SECOND DAUGHTER OF HADES AND PERSEPHONE

twin to plutus, god of abundance, little melinoe is that of a whirlwind. a harbinger of madness and nightmares, they speak of her with fear thick in their throats and often offer prayer and objects to her liking in hopes of keeping her at bay. they often say that should you hear the cacophony of giggling maidens, she is near, watching ever so closely ready to sink her razor sharp teeth into the fragile mind and drink deep upon the fears and tragedies within mortal heart. they curse her name hundredfold, many have laid talismans above their sick to ward off the harbinger’s influence and often outside their door during times of war or famine. the stories of driving men to insanity are often tied to her name, when she runs over the hills and glades they say ghosts follow and chase in her wake, her laughter the voice of thousands.

𝐏𝐋𝐔𝐓𝐔𝐒, 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐎𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐀𝐁𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐖𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐇

SECOND SON OF HADES AND PERSEPHONE

twin to melinoe, harbinger of nightmares and madness, cryptic little plutus is the silent child of hades and persephone. often times when they pray for wealth and abundance of all things, they call upon his name. when they offer tokens of worship to him, they believe their wealth will last for generations. gilded and shining as bright as the sun, plutus is the milder god of the four, with his siblings most active in their domains. he journeys, blessing households that call upon his name with good health, wealth, happiness, life  -  they say that should you damn his blessings, a curse follows in their wake till the end of their days and into the next life, so speak gently of plutus, for he hears all and enacts equal damning measures.

[sellyoursoulforagoodfic]

Fated Epilogue

Epilogue

Ares x reader

Word Count: 2041

Summary: Time skip to Zag running around trying to fix everything; then he gets a weird message from Ares.

The affair known to most of the Underworld’s population as The Confusion of Zagreus started as most things in his life did, on a run through the place as he tested the defenses against an escaping entity for what felt like the thousandth time. He’d had Ares’ vial with him, so naturally he’d gotten a fair few of the war god’s boons. Nothing too unusual, right? That’s what he thought right up until Ares said the most curious thing.

“When next you see Thanatos, tell him that his sister wants him to visit more.”

Sister? Zagreus wondered. Than doesn’t speak to his . . . Wait, Nemesis . . . But why would Lord Ares have messages from her?

When he mentioned it to his lover, Thanatos just chuckled. “I suppose it has been a while since I last saw her,” was all he had to say on the matter.

And that set the trend that continued for a while. He’d get a message from Ares to Than, pass it on, and get some cryptic non-answer in return. It was absolutely maddening. Even when he asked others, all they had to say was that it wasn’t any of his business, which was fair, but that didn’t aid his curiosity.

Finally, all that started changing when he managed to squeeze a drop of information out of Than when he asked, “So why does Ares see your sister more than you?” while they were dining together one evening.

And without really thinking, Death Incarnate reflexively replied, “Because she lives with him in Thrace instead of here.” Of course, immediately after that, Thanatos realized what he’d just admitted and promptly clammed up, but it was something at least.

Then Demeter let slip something else in one of her messages after he’d accepted several of Ares’ boons yet again. “Ares is aiding you when you get injured, is he? I’d be surprised if Nemesis didn’t have a hand in that sort of attack.”

And that set him thinking. Revenge was her area of expertise, after all. And many of Ares’ such boons were noticeably more powerful in dealing direct damage instead of causing various other effects. Could Than’s sister have been indirectly aiding him through Ares all this time?

Then came another piece of knowledge, this one from his mother upon inquiring why Thanatos and Lord Ares seemed to be so close. 

“Well War and Death were always bound to meet frequently just from their natures, I suppose, but it could also have been because of that mess where he saved poor Thanatos from being chained in a box. I’d wager that was a big help to making their friendship grow.” Before he could ask just what that was about, she continued, “Though it could have also started back when Lord Ares almost passed away, too. I remember Thanatos being quite concerned for both him and Nemesis during all that.”

“What do you mean Lord Ares almost died? He’s an Olympian!”

“He is, but the day Hermes found him was a day that stoked fear in the heart of every Olympian,” Persephone said gravely. “They all worried about Ares’ fate despite how they regularly ridicule the man, because if he could die that meant any of them could.”

Zagreus suddenly found his mouth extremely dry and couldn’t form a response.

“Yes, that was definitely the start of their friendship now that I think on it. It was very kind of Thanatos to linger without threatening the poor dears. From what I heard, he was very calm during the whole affair even in the face of such shocking news.”

“Yes, I suppose learning even the great Olympians might die would be quite dramatic,” he murmured, shoulders sagging.

“No, that’s not--ah! You don’t know, do you?”

He perked back up. “Know what, Mother?” he prompted innocently.

She smiled kindly as she patted his forearm. “It’s not my place to tell you if they haven’t already; I’d forgotten how much they value their privacy when they can get it.”

Who is ‘they’? Zagreus wanted to scream while yanking his hair out. Thanatos and his sister? Her and Ares? Thanatos and Ares?? But he didn’t. Instead, he just smiled stiffly and nodded.

It wasn’t until he managed to broker a peace between the Chthonic gods and the Olympians that he finally got answers.

~

There was a party you were supposed to be preparing for, but you were having a hard time working up the gumption to move from your current position. Because of said celebration, you and your husband--how you’d never tire of calling him that--had arranged your schedules so that they aligned, which of course was the reason you found yourself lying in bed perpendicular to the man, using one arm as a pillow under your head on his chest while the other hand played with his hair.

His gleaming red eyes flicked over to the open, brightly illuminated window where sheer white curtains swayed softly in the breeze. “We really should be dressing; I have a feeling your brother-in-law wants to meet us sooner rather than later.”

“Yes, but it’s so rare that we get time like this to ourselves.”

His hand found the one you’d been carding through his hair and brought it to his lips to kiss. “You and I have an eternity full of moments like this ahead of us; we can spare an evening for the boy.”

You huffed dramatically. “Let it never be said that you’re not a man of your word.” A sigh left your lips, but still you pried yourself out of bed without further complaint. “Are we doing full regalia or casual?” When there was no answer, you glanced back to see that he was transfixed by the sight of your naked form heading towards the shared closet. “Ares!” you laughed, snapping his attention back to reality.

“Darling, I take it all back; you must come back to bed at once. There’s a rather pressing matter that needs your attention at once.”

Now, you rolled your eyes. “Well that pressing matter can wait until we return. Are we doing armor or not?”

From there, there were a lot of kisses, gropes, and laughter between that moment and being fully clothed--in light leather greaves and cloth chitons rather than the usual full armor, after all, Ares so hated to be unprotected or unarmed--but neither of you were really complaining.

“Boys!” Ares called down the hallway with you tucked under his arm.

Two heads of wild silver hair just like their father’s appeared from the same doorway. “Yes, Father?” they chorused.

“We’re leaving. I trust you can manage things until our return?”

“Of course, Father.” And then they were gone from sight, their snickering still echoing in their absence.

Ares chuckled as he shook his head. “Little terrors, the both of them.”

Though they weren’t yours, you’d grown to love both of the twins the moment you met them. With Aphrodite being so absent in their lives, you’d taken up the role of ‘mother figure’ quickly, and the two were practically your own by now. “Well, to be fair, one of them is Panic.” 

~

You were unsurprised at the Olympian turnout at the party; most arrived near the time when you did, but none stayed particularly long. As fond as they were of Zagreus in theory, their detest of the Underworld would always be greater. Only Ares and Demeter attended from the mountain and stayed past the pleasantries and feast. Otherwise, it was entirely the subjects of the House of Hades that were present. Fortunately, they seemed to be enjoying themselves nonetheless judging from the way Meg and Dusa had quickly roped you and Ares into conversation.

Zagreus hadn’t seemed to notice your arrival yet--too wrapped up in getting to know his mother and grandmother, you assumed--but you caught sight of Hades glaring at Ares every now and then. Every time you caught him, the harsh threat he’d delivered to Ares rang through your ears once more. 

“Set foot outside this house, boy, and you shall find yourself in a fate worse than death.” Neither of you were surprised by the warning. He was, after all, still angry about the whole ‘bursting into the Underworld without permission to save Thanatos’ fiasco.

Eventually, you and Ares found yourselves alone for a moment once Achilles and Patroclus excused themselves. You tugged the glass from his fingers to steal a sip of his ambrosia, something that’d been quite hard to find the last time you’d visited. You didn’t want a full glass, and Ares never complained about sharing.

He pressed a kiss to your temple, clearly worried about you partaking in a drink you’d never really managed to develop a taste for. “Are you alright?” he asked quietly. The drinking coupled with the knowledge of how much you hated being dragged to these things had likely set him on edge.

“I’m fine,” you assured him with a genuine smile. “These are my family, remember? Much nicer to be around than yours.”

“That’s quite true,” he murmured. No doubt, he was remembering when he and Aphrodite had been paraded around and humiliated as the entertainment at one of his family’s gatherings. His gaze flickered up as he noticed something before you did: Zagreus approaching at last. “And there’s the man of the hour!” he greeted warmly. It was hard to mistake the boy for any other given his attire was his family’s colors and the way he absolutely looked like a mix of his parents.

“Lord Ares!” Zag’s face was alight with happiness. “I’m glad you were able to make it; it’s an honor to meet you properly.” His eyes shifted to you. “You must be Than’s lovely sister I’ve heard very little about.”

You laughed lightly. You like this kid already. “I suppose that’s me, yes.”

“Frankly, I’m amazed I haven’t seen you around the House before now,” he probed curiously.

You decided to indulge him; it was a celebration in his honor after all. “I pop by to visit Mother and Hypnos from time to time, but I see Than enough that lingering isn’t worth it. I’ve gathered that you’re usually gone from the House as much as he is.”

“Yeah, that’s true,” he chuckled. “Makes sense you wouldn’t just lurk around when you put it like that.”

“Have to budget that precious time off somehow.””

“Plus, it’s sort of my fault that she resides in Thrace since I stole her all those years ago,” Ares teased.

“Stole her, sir?” Oh, how the poor boy looked so confused at those words. You were willing to bet his mind was just running back over Persephone’s situation and comparing it to yours.

Your brows furrowed. “Zag, has no one told you about Ares and I?”

“No!” his voice was laughing but had a manic edge to it. “Everyone keeps hinting at there being something going on with you two, but no one wants to clue me in! I’ve tried to respect your privacy by not asking directly, but it’s driving me crazy!”

“Oh, for Father’s sake.” Ares rolled his eyes. “I’m going to have a word with your brother about this,” he announced as he started pulling away from you.

“Wait! You’re not mad at Than are you?” Zagreus fretted. “Because I’d hate to cause strife between you because of my own curiosity, and--”

“Relax, Zag,” you soothed.

“Thanatos is the only being I would ever call my friend outside of her,” he gestured toward you. “I thought it went without saying that he didn’t have to keep secrets from you for my benefit, but apparently that isn’t the case. I’m simply going to tell him that. I’ll be right back, my darling.” With a kiss to your temple, he stalked over to where Than was loitering with his sleeping brother at the edge of the room.

When you looked back at Zagreus, he was staring at you absolutely slack-jawed, probably at Ares’ display of affection. “Blood and darkness, my Lady,” he managed to wheeze, “what is going on?”

You snorted a little, amused slightly by his turmoil. “Zagreus, Ares is my Fated. He’s my husband.”

His eyes went a little crossed as he realized it was just that simple. “Oh, is that all?!”

[phantomdelver]

pillars of chaos

00.

In the beginning before the beginning, the poets say, there was naught but Khaos. But even the most astute of minds, sharp like ravenous war-blades, could not put into words precisely what Khaos is. How could mortals grasp the primordial, if they could scarcely understand divinity? It was not for them to know. But even Khaos, all-encompassing, reaching and gaping, eventually birthed something else. Something new. How else could Khaos stand eternity, one might ask, if not as a creator of creation incarnate?

Through them alone, Gaea sprang forth. And many children more, shapers in their own rights. Yet as thriving and giving as Earth was, Khaos knew there had to be duality in everything. Even the most fertile soil, the most beautiful flowers would mean naught if they were not, one day, to be barren, and to wither. So out of their own soul, they formed Nyx, the Night, and Erebus, the Darkness. 

Their children, as distant as they would be throughout the centuries, honored their credo, and brought forth lingering, shadowy children of their own who would bring strife and discord and ruin. They birthed Eros as well, aeons later, though whether to ease the pains of their children or to drive the blade in even deeper, was a conundrum best left to playwrights, dramatists, and poets.

Khaos, timeless, shapeless, and undefined as they were, was always swelling with pride for their children.

As Nyx grew and swelled, enveloping everything so wholly, so irrevocably, her revelry for her creator withdrew. Gradually, slowly; but by then, their daughter, their encompassing Night, had shaped a realm of her own. It was where she was residing now. Time did not mean much to them. They could not measure how long it had been since they had seen Nyx, or felt their presence. It was certain to them, however, no more supplications would tumble from her lips in devoted revelry anymore. And so, in their hilted silence, Nyx birthed Sleep, Death, Strife and Pain. 

01. 

Eros

Eros was nestled quietly in a corner of Khaos’s realm, his eyes transfixed on his mother. In her endlessly dark hair, charlets of stars scintillated, and her golden gaze narrowed ever slightly. Through her long, fine fingers, she was running her own essence. Black, gaping, eternal. Gradually, however, what looked to Eros like a plume of smoke was beginning to take form.

“I know you are watching. Come forth, my child.” 

Of course he knew that she knew; but still, he flinched just so at his detection. He had hoped he could remain a spectator just a moment longer. Slowly, though not tentatively, Eros stepped forth, draped in opulent robes woven of wine-red wool. 

“Is it done?” 

Nyx did not answer him immediately. She rarely ever did. Instead, her fingers spun and formed for another beat, not unlike his weaving sisters, before her hands fell gracefully to her side once more. 

“They will not take shape as you and I are able to yet, my child; but in time, you and Charon shall meet your siblings.”

Eros raised a brow at her words. Mother Nyx always spoke with the certainty of those blessed with the gift of prophecy, or mortal oracles. Except she required no Olympian to give their blessings; she was the mother of the Fates. So he would never doubt her. Looking at what she had molded, however, made him doubt. Where a while before, there was something resembling a form, there was now a spectral light with stars like her own, pale and cold; yet there was a golden aura also, intermingling with her darkness. 

“They are not yet gods. What you are seeing, for now, is the essence of a spirit.”

He listened silently, turning her explanation in his mind with careful consideration. Then, he asked,” As in...the opposite of when a thread is cut?” 

Nyx smiled. 

“If such terms are more agreeable to you, then yes, my child. It is so.”

It had been a surprise to Eros and Charon to stumble across two toddlers when their mother called them into the hall where both he and Charon were allowed. There they were, sat on a spread-out blanket heavied by toys, so similar in their appearances. Both had golden eyes and silvery locks to match their ashen skin. Where one had short, cropped curls, however, the other had long locks, undulating across the back like little waves. 

“Charon, Eros, meet your brothers Thanatos and Hypnos.”

While Charon gave an affirmative groan, Eros took a step forth, his brows knit together in confusion. 

“But, Mother, why are there two? There was only one spirit when you…,” he began, then trailed off, remembering Charon’s presence. Mother cradled her secrets as she had once cradled them; that Eros had witnessed their conception at all had been an accident, as it were.

“Yes, the spirit split, for they are two halves of a whole. Sleep is the brother of Death.”

His lips parted and his eyes widened at the impetus of such a declaration. It was unbecoming of a god to show his emotions this plainly, though, so Eros gritted his teeth, tightened his jaw, and turned his gaze from his mother to his brothers. Sleep and Death, he thought. What a burden those two will have to bear once their sweet childhood and halcyon tumbles towards godhood could no longer shield them from their duties. Such was the curse of immortality, Eros knew. What was infancy to a god? It was barely more than a blink to a mortal. Gone before they could’ve drawn any comfort from it. But, glimpsing at Hypnos beside Thanatos, he was glad they would at least have each other. 

Eros crouched down before the two, smiling, and reached out gingerly to comb through Hypnos’ wild curls, which earned him a scowl from Thanatos. Already, it seemed, the older twin understood instinctively he had to watch over him. 

“Oooh, I cannot wait until you two are grown up so I can play matchmaker!” 

This earned him a disapproving, exasperated growl from Charon. 

<Eros, please.> 

But he only laughed.

02.

Thanatos

Thanatos didn’t remember when he first awoke. Such terminology was usually reserved for Hypnos’ domain. Before, he had been wandering the halls of the House as if tangled up in a somnolent spell. A web of his brother’s. It hadn’t been his brother’s influence, or indeed a spell at all. He only remembered this: 

A scream forcing his firmly closed mouth open. A scream, piercing through stillness and permeating his own consciousness. A wail, in between hot tears and pleas to make it stop, please --- Thanatos clawing at his own skin, digging his sharp nails into his scalp. The cries, the prayers, the terror in his head soon intermingled with his own. He didn’t know where he ended and they began. He just knew he wanted, needed, to get them out. So he kept on clawing and shouting and sobbing.

His eyes, too, were burning, his vision a blazing white. Thanatos squeezed them shut, hoping for soothing darkness. The pain did not ebb away. 

By the stories of that day or night, he had quickly been encircled by his mother’s arms and scooped up from the cold, hard marble floor. Nyx had then instructed Hypnos to pull him into deep slumber. There had been no voices roiling up against his skull after. There had been...peace. For a while. 

Later, once he had woken guarded by Mother Night, he understood what had happened. The childhood of a god passed by rapidly. To mortals, it was centuries. Yet to him, his childhood days had been no more or less fleeting than the beating of a firefly or a butterfly’s wings. It was in their nature. 

“My child,” Nyx had whispered in the charcoal dark of his chambers, her icy fingers in his silvery hair,” you must learn to listen.” 

Thanatos could still taste the bile on his tongue from that night, the dread twisting in his guts. Listen, he thought. I never want to hear them again. 

As much as he had meant to tell her no, this was not the son he was. He would rather be cast into the deepest pits of Tartarus than shame his mother. Much less the Lord himself. Thanatos loved her, unconditionally, even if his mother’s love was not so. 

“How?”

There was a glint in her golden eyes then, the faintest hint that she would always know more than Eros, than Charon ---- even Lord Hades. 

“Charon will take you with him to the surface once you’re well-rested enough.”

His brother took him not long after. Nothing had been the same since then. Where before the House and everyone in it had not had any impact on him, they now did. No longer did they blur together into one, central presence altogether dreary and dull. He could distinguish everyone who had not also come from the womb of Night now. He could take them in, see their faces, watch their expressions. And with it remained the uneasiness. 

Thanatos climbed into Charon’s boat. He sat in the back, huddled closely in one corner. Keeping his distance from his brother at the helm. In his hands clenched tightly to his chest was Mort. His little squeaks comforted him, had comforted him for as long as his memory would reach. He was, in this moment, once again the only reprieve. Thanatos sighed and slumped further back. Slowly, the tension in his shoulders loosened its grip. He was able to exhale. Together with Charon’s judgmentless quietude, he almost wasn’t afraid of the Surface anymore.

[thvndring]

Thanatos is the God & embodiment of Non-Violent Death. His touch is gentle, likened to that of his twin brother Hypnos (Sleep). Violent death is the domain of Thanatos’ blood-craving sisters, the Keres, spirits of slaughter and disease. In addition to ushering souls from the realm of the living to the dead, Thanatos is a warden of the Keres, tasked with assuring they do not massacre humanity. After angering Zeus, Thanatos was sent to chain King Sisyphus down below in Tartarus. Sisyphus asked Thanatos to demonstrate how the chains worked. As Thanatos was granting him his wish, Sisyphus seized the opportunity and trapped Thanatos in the chains instead. Once he was bound by the strong chains, no one died on earth. This caused an uproar especially for Ares (who was annoyed that his battles had lost their fun because his opponents would not die), and so he intervened. The exasperated Ares freed Thanatos and turned King Sisyphus over to Thanatos. Furious, Thanatos delivered Sisyphus to Tartarus & sentenced to push a boulder up a steep hill. Each time Sisyphus nearly reached the top, the boulder would roll back to the bottom.

In the present day Thanatos, now known as Tanner, has entrusted his duties to his loyal retinue of Shades & daemons so that he may rest, something he needs to do every few centuries. By leaving death behind for a short while, Tanner has chosen to surround himself with the people most full of life- college students.

LINKS

INSPO // STARTERS // FACE

GENERAL

CURRENT ALIAS: Tanner Ross GREEK NAME: Θανατος ENGLISH TRANSLATION: Thanatos MEANING: Death TITLE: God of Peaceful Death GENDER: Cis-Male ORIENTATION: Pansexual SACRED PLACE: Thebes, Greece

PHYSICAL

SPECIES: Embodiment GENERATION: Primordial NATURAL FORM: Divine ALTERATIONS: None FACECLAIM: Michael Johnston

BIOGRAPHICAL

OCCUPATION: Student HOME: The Underworld CURRENT RESIDENCE: Los Angeles, CA, USA + TRAITS: Eloquent, Intelligent, Empathetic - TRAITS: Pessimistic, Sardonic, Taciturn LIKES: Lana Del Rey, Cigarettes, Pomegranate DISLIKES: The Keres, War, Tartarian Clemency MBTI: ISFJ - The Defender

[swipestream]

New Release Roundup, 19 January 2019: Fantasy and Adventure

This week’s roundup of the newest releases in fantasy and adventure features a raygun past that should have been, a privateer out to rescue his fiancee, monstergirl madness, and the escape of a rogue superhero.

Accidental Assassin (Sellswords #2) – T. L. Branson

A light shines in the darkness.

The earnings from their last heist have dried up. Now, Ocken and Riley are once again in need of a job.

Ocken doesn’t dare work for the mysterious Viper again, but Riley wants to use the stranger to take down the crime lord, Edward Ziken. Except Viper is nowhere to be found.

But Viper isn’t the only one looking for hired hands. Soon, Ocken and Riley find themselves as pawns in yet another plot for power.

The job seems simple enough, but there’s more at stake than they could possibly know.

Bert Henderson Double Adventure – Spencer Hart

DEATH RAYS & DAMES are all in a day’s work for company troubleshooter Bert Henderson.

Bert’s boss runs Phillips’ Atomics, builder of atomic-powered planes, spaceships, and industrial tools. These high-tech inventions are revolutionizing the world of 1949. So when Mr. Phillips’ interests are threatened, Bert can find himself traveling anywhere on Earth – or beyond.

Criminals and foreign agents are in for more than they bargained for, when Henderson is on the case.

And if there’s a gorgeous dame involved along the way, that can bring its own sort of trouble…”

Contains Bert Henderson’s first and second adventures:

DEATH ON THE MOON: The first ever murder on the Moon brings Bert to Roosevelt Base to find the killer. Mr. Phillips is financing an observatory on the Moon, and construction is halted while the murderer is loose. Can Bert find the killer and prevent more death on the Moon?

FIRE IN THE ANDES: One of Mr. Phillips top engineers has gone missing in Argentina, and Bert is sent to find him. But the investigation leads to the discovery of a greater threat. Complications ensue from encountering a lovely senorita. Can Bert deal with both the case and the dame?

Breaker (Monster Tamer #1) – Isaac Hooke

Three women. 

One man. 

A whole lot of monsters.

Malem is a Breaker. He breaks the minds of beasts, exerting the steel vise of his will over their own, bending them to his wishes.

His ability is severely limited in terms of the types of creatures he can control, and how many. Most monsters have always been beyond him.

And then one day he accidentally breaks a monster girl. Doors begin to open for him faster than he thought possible…

Also available: Conqueror

Heroes Fall (Heroes Unleashed: Serenity City #1) – Morgon Newquist

He wanted to be a good man. Instead he became a hero.

Twenty years ago, Serenity City’s great Triumvirate of heroes – Achilles, the Banshee, and Pendragon – maintained a golden age of peace and prosperity. Then, in an instant, it all went wrong. The city’s mightiest champion, Achilles, lost his mind during a showdown with the enigmatic supervillain Thanatos and went on a rampage across the city, leaving the Banshee dead and a swath of destruction in his wake before Pendragon could stop him.

Today, as Achilles rots in solitary confinement, Victoria Westerdale investigates a new mystery. Why are young and forgotten heroes disappearing off the streets? Why doesn’t anybody else care? And how is it tied in to those infamous events that brought the city’s greatest heroes to ruin?

And what’s going to happen to them all after Achilles escapes?

Infinite Dendrogram #8 – Sakon Kaidou

In the year 2043, Infinite Dendrogram, the world’s first successful full-dive VRMMO was released. In addition to its ability to perfectly simulate the five senses, along with its many other amazing features, the game promised to offer players a world full of infinite possibilities

Having maxed out his Paladin rank, Ray considers what job to take and level next. As he does so, he hears of a job that was newly excavated alongside an ancient ruin in Altar’s Quartierlatin County — an area bordering the Dryfe Imperium.

As it happens, Ray already meets the conditions for the job, and it suits him well, so he wastes no time going out to make the switch. But of course things are never quite so simple…

Along the way, he encounters Azurite — a mysterious masked swordswoman. There was simply no way Ray could’ve known the far-reaching political implications of his venture to the ruins…

The Starry Sky Chessboard (Starchild Escapes Arranged Marriage #6) – Fat Bread

The vast sky contains thousands of God’s domains.

Yun Xi was born in the Sword Domain, more specifically, the White Lotus Sword Domain. He has a female childhood friend who tends to become jealous very easily, while running an ordinary bakery for a living. At the age of eighteen, he was to marry his arranged bride, with the wish of living his days normally and peacefully.

But on his sixteenth birthday, the shined down on him with three different choices for him to make. These three choices came in the form of three fairies which suddenly appeared in front of him. The boy then learned a terrible truth, that his life was at stake. A bad ending, which was supposed to happen to him, was coming soon.

In order to survive, the youth had to set foot on the battlefields of many deaths trails, all while learning how to love as well as struggling to become stronger.

The Steel Hounds (The Artar Chronicles #1) – Vladimir Vasilenko

Stan, also known as Mongoose, is an extreme traceur and a freerunner, whose real-life talents attracted the attention of The Steel Hounds, the most notorious and private clan of the virtual world of Artar, famous for serving the grey cardinal. While the political landscape for this new world is yet to form, intrigues, conspiracy, daring raids, and sabotage are the main weapons of the Hounds, and his evaluation has just begun.

To complete it successfully and become a full-fledged member of the clan, Stan will have to adapt to working side-by-side with the most unique people with shady backgrounds — even if he is not a team player by nature and has already failed at the very beginning by choosing the least suitable class for teamwork: Battle Monk.

Stan is rebellious, free-spirited, and daring. He risks his life every day just to avoid getting bored of the daily grind. Normally, an expelled student has no hope of entering the virtual world of Artar, an expensive online VR project, but when a suspicious organization offers to pay all expenses to let Stan in for a special purpose, Mongoose gets his chance to become one of the select few. However, to successfully complete his trial, Stan will have to face his main enemy — himself, while finding peace and mastering all five styles of the Battle Monks of Artar.

Voyage of the Lanternfish – C. S. Boyack

An honorable man is mistaken for his disreputable father. Now he’s pushed into a political scheme to start a war that will spread across multiple kingdoms. James Cuttler’s fiancé is being held captive to ensure he goes through with the plan.

He soon decides his skills are at sea and procures a ship to wage war upon those who disrupted his simple life. He can’t do it alone, so he recruits a band of cutthroats to help him. But first, they need guns and munitions to outfit the ship properly. Deception and trickery will only get them so far. Eventually, they’re going to have to engage the enemy.

James’ goals aren’t necessarily the same as his crew. It’s a delicate balancing act to collect enough loot to keep his crew happy, while guiding them back to rescue the girl.

Warhammer Chronicles: Warriors of the Chaos Wastes – C. L. Werner

Many horrors stalk the blasted wastes at the top of the world. Mortals and daemons alike wage war – and in this volume are three tales of such monstrous, god-touched warriors.

The Chaos Wastes are an unspeakable region of magic and madness. In this hellish tundra, the Dark Gods wrestle for supremacy and champions war in their name. Death comes for any who traverse these plains in swift and savage form. Yet there are those who dare brave the wastelands, burdened by their own dark purposes. Wulfrik the Wanderer, cursed by the Ruinous Powers, seeks a prize to appease the forces of Chaos; the Skulltaker, champion of Khorne, hungers for fresh blood; and the last warrior of a Norse tribe sets out to steal the treasure of a god. But in this monstrous arena, there are no winners. Dark forces plot, daemons feed, and even the landscape itself takes sides. This omnibus contains three novels by one of Black Library’s popular authors.

READ IT BECAUSE: These three classic novels exploring the nature of Chaos are from the master of dark fantasy, C L Werner – if you’ve not experienced them, you owe it to yourself.

Will of Fire (Buried Goddess Saga #3) – Rhett C. Bruno and Jaime Castle

A Kingdom held hostage. A thief lost in time. The battle to seal Elsewhere has begun.

The villainous Drad Redstar has won the favor of king and country after leading a decisive victory over the rebels at Winde Port. Now with a seat on the royal council, he condemns Torsten to a lifetime in the dungeon and invites his militant people to take up residence in the capital. But not all light has been squelched. There is one disgraced King’s Shieldsman left who remains loyal to Torsten, and only he can help free the Glass Kingdom from Redstar and his dark desires to revive the Buried Goddess.

Across the known world, Sora deals with the loss of her one and only friend. She seeks out a Mystic of the Panping; someone who can help her figure out what really happened to Whitney in a journey that illuminates her past and present. With the true nature of magic revealed to her, she finds that Whitney is lost in Elsewhere, the world between worlds, and she’ll stop at nothing to bring him back.

As magic and war collide in Will of Fire, the third installment in the Buried Goddess Saga, the fate of the entire world will change.

New Release Roundup, 19 January 2019: Fantasy and Adventure published first on https://medium.com/@ReloadedPCGames