#apollos favorite priestess

[fruggin-bitch]

Procrastinating by way of making an hour long playlist of songs that make me think of Rachel Elizabeth Dare so I can think about her all the time is my new hobby

I love her

[theoi-crow]

The humans in Greek Mythology are the mega rich and powerful:

In my college classes people are often shocked when I tell them my favorite part of Greek mythology is the gods themselves and I'm not a big fan of the humans.

99% of my classmates prefer the humans in mythos, especially the ones that stick it to the gods like Sisyphus and feel bad for humans like Kassandra and Helen who have been wronged by the gods because "they're just like us." My classmates and teachers hate the gods and don't understand why anyone in modern times would want to worship such violent and selfish beings whenever I point out there are still people who worship them. They hold onto the idea that people in mythology embody the human experience of being oppressed by terrible gods and fate and we should feel bad for them because "they're human just like us" but they forget that the people in Greek Mythology are NOT just like us. They are more relatable to medieval royalty, colonizers and ultra rich politicians who make laws and decisions on wars and the fates of others, especially the poor and the very vulnerable.

Every hero or important human in Greek Mythology is either some form of royalty or mega rich politician/priest-priestess (of course this is with the exception of people who are explicitly stated to be poor like the old married couple in the myth where Zeus and Hermes pretend to be panhandlers). All of them have an ancient Greek lifestyle more relatable to Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, and especially to British royalty during the British empire, than the average person.

All of them.

Odysseus, Patroclus, Theseus, Helen of Troy, Kassandra, Diomedes, Agamemnon, Perseus, Hercules, Aeneas, Paris, Any human who has a divine parent or is related to one, etc. Although sometimes the story omits it, it is heavily implied that these are people who own hundreds or even thousands of slaves, very poor farmers and the tiny barely there working class as royal subjects.

They are the ones who make laws and whose decisions massively affect the fates of so many people. So no, they can't just be forgiven for some little whim, because that little whim affects the literal lives of everyone under their rule. By being spoiled they've just risked the lives of thousands of people and possibly even gotten them killed like when Odysseus' audacity got every single slave and soldier in his ships killed or when Patroclus as a kid got upset and killed another kid for beating him at a game. (A normal person wouldn't kill another person just for winning a game but royalty and those who think they're above the law do it all the time, plus the class status of the child wasn't mentioned but the way he didn't think he'd get in trouble implies the kid was of lower class, possibly the child of a slave or a foreign merchant.)

The gods get a bad reputation for punishing the humans in mythology but, if not them, who else is going to keep them accountable when they are the law?

And whose to say the humans beneath them weren't praying to the gods in order to keep their masters in check?

Apollo is the god in charge of freeing slaves, Zeus is the god of refugees, immigrants and homeless people, Ares is the protector of women, Artemis protects children, Aphrodite is the goddess of the LGBT community, Hephaestus takes care of the disabled, etc. It wouldn't be surprising if the gods are punishing the ultra rich and powerful in these myths because the humans under their rulership prayed and sent them as they did historically.

Every time someone asks me if I feel bad for a human character in a myth, I think about the many lives affected by the decision that one human character made and if I'm being completely honest, I too would pray to the gods and ask them to please punish them so they can make more careful decisions in the future because:

They are not just like us.

We are the farmers, a lot of our ancestors were slaves, we are the vulnerable being eaten by capitalism and destroyed by the violence colonialism created. We are the poor subjects that can only pray and hope the gods will come and correct whatever selfish behavior the royal house and mega rich politicians are doing above us.

And that's why I pray to the gods, because in modern times I'm dealing with modern Agamemnons who would kill whatever family members they have to in order to reach their end goal, I'm dealing with everyday modern Achilles who would rather see their own side die because they couldn't keep their favorite toy and would gladly watch their subjects die if it means they eventually get their way. The ones that let capitalism eat their country and it's citizens alive so long as it makes them more money. These are our modern "demigods," politicians who swear they are so close to God that they know what he wants and so they pass laws that benefit only them and claim these laws are ordained by God due to their close connection just like how Achilles can speak to the gods because of his demigod status via his mother.

Look at the news, these are humans that would be mythical characters getting punished by Greek gods which is why anything Greco-Roman is jealousy guarded by the rich and powerful and is inaccessible to modern worshippers because Ivy League schools like Harvard and Cambridge make sure to keep it that way. That's what we're dealing with. These are the humans these mythical beings would be because:

In our modern times the humans in mythos would be the politicians and mega rich that are currently ruining our society and trying to turn it into a world where only the rich can manipulate wars and laws, just like they do in mythology.

Fuck them.

I literally have so much more to add about my disdain for them and I didn't even touch on the obvious ancient Greek propaganda.

[blueiscoool]

Breathtaking New Frescoes Found at Pompeii

Stunning Roman frescoes have been uncovered by archeologists in Pompeii, the ancient city destroyed by an eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius in the year 79 AD. Experts say the newly discovered frescoes are among the finest ever to emerge at the renowned archeological site.

The works of art line the high walls of what was once a large banquet hall. The walls themselves were painted mostly black, and the figures on the frescoes appear to emerge from the shadows. Site director Dr. Gabriel Zuchtriegel told CBS News partner network BBC News that the dark color was likely used to hide stains from the lamps that lit the hall after the sun went down.

"In the shimmering light, the paintings would have almost come to life," Zuchtriegel said.

Two pieces dominate the hall; one depicts the Greek god Apollo trying to seduce the priestess Cassandra. The second piece shows Prince Paris meeting Helen of Troy.

About a third of the "lost city" of Pompeii remains obscured by volcanic debris from the eruption almost two millennia ago. As scientists make new finds, they quickly move them to a storeroom to protect them from the elements.

The newly discovered frescoes, however, cannot be moved, so they have been protected with temporary roofing. Plaster glue is also being injected into the walls behind the artwork to stop them from falling down.

"We have a passion and a deep love for what we're doing, because what we're uncovering and protecting is for the joy also of the generations that come after us," chief restorer Dr. Roberta Prisco told the BBC, adding that the work was very stressful.

The dig site is much bigger than just the banquet hall.

Another fresco recovered from what was once one of Pompeii's grand properties had been on a ceiling, but it was smashed by the eruption that destroyed the city. Archeologists were able to lay out the pieces like a puzzle and recreate landscapes, theatrical masks, and Egyptian characters.

"This is my favorite discovery in this excavation because it is complex and rare," Dr. Alessandro Russo, co-lead archeologist on the dig, told the BBC. "It is high-quality, for a high-status individual."

In a bakery next to the grand property, the skeletons of two adults and a child were discovered.

Archeologists believe they may have been slaves who were trapped and couldn't flee the eruption, and were killed by falling stones.

"When we excavate, we wonder what we're looking at," co-lead archeologist Dr. Gennaro Iovino told the BBC. "Much like a theater stage, you have the scenery, the backdrop, and the culprit, which is Mount Vesuvius. The archeologist has to be good at filling in the gaps — telling the story of the missing cast, the families and children, the people who are not there anymore."

The team's discovery was just one of a number of recent revelations from the site, after they found other mythological-themed frescoes in early March and then, just weeks later, a construction site that was being worked on right up until the eruption.

The archeologists said near the end of March that they'd found a home construction project that was frozen in time by the eruption, with materials such as bricks and tools still piled up in the reception area of the home.

By Haley Ott.

[literallyjusttoa]

My top 7 Apollo exes from Ancient Greece

DISCLAIMER: Though I have done a lot of research of mythology for this, it is based off of the riordanverse version of Apollo. I won't be acknowledging any awful implications in versions of these myths, not because I don't think they're important, but because it simply isn't a part of riordanverse Apollo's characterization in the books. Also I'm not going to mention Copollo. I love Copollo like the rest of you, but sadly that is a Rick Riordan exclusive, and also technically Commodus is an ex from Ancient Rome, not Ancient Greece :3

Ok with that out of the way lets talk obscure and non-obscure Apollo relationships

7. Apollo & Thyia

This one clocks in at number 7 because I love the idea behind it, but it is the most bare bones relationship myth wise. All we really know is Thyia is a priestess of Dionysus and she and Apollo maybe had a kid once. But like, the idea of Apollo dating his brother's priest? Hilarious, A+ stuff. Also, Thyia isn't just one of Dionysus' priests, she is THE priest of Dionysus. She runs his temple in central greece, is thought to have offered the first sacrifice to him, and might have been the first Maenad? Either way this relationship must have been insane. Also she's a nymph so she's definitely still kicking out there, would love for these two to meet again.

6. Apollo & Hyacinthus

Ok ok I know what y'all are thinking. Number 6?? This is like Apollo's number 1 most tragic relationship of all time!!! And yes as an angst lover I do enjoy the pain this relationship brings our boy, but I just feel like there's not many places to go with this relationship besides what we already have. Like Apollo and Hyacinthus were kind of the perfect couple. Which, like, great for them, but it doesn't give me much space to add anything? I guess, great ship, no notes.

5. Apollo & Hypermnestra (& Oikles)

Ok, half the reason this is here is because her name is Hypermnestra. Slay. But also this is a great place to bring up my favorite little headcanon. In a lot of Apollo's relationships, there will be a child, and myths will have different versions with different fathers. Some say it's Apollo, while other's say it's whoever he dated's husband. In this case, myths disagree on whether Amphiaraus was Apollo's son or the son of Hypermnestra's husband, king Oikles (Oikles??? I love these names). The implication here is infidelity, but I disagree. No, I think every time there's confusion over who parentage it's because Apollo was dating both the woman he's said to be with and her husband, and therefore no one knows who ended up, y'know, fathering the child. Anyways Apollo dated both Hypermnestra and Oikles and you can't convince me otherwise.

4. Apollo & Branchus

I like this relationship because in my mind, I always thought it was Apollo's first. In one version of their myth, it is said that Apollo met Branchus after leaving Delos as a dolphin, which I always thought implied this was soon after he established Delphi, which was really early on. Idk something about a young Apollo accidentally revealing his godliness to this boy he really likes is just so sweet to me. And he makes Branchus into a prophet, which is so cool! These two are cutie-patooties is what I'm saying.

3. Apollo & Kyparissos

C'mon, the man died of grief because his deer died. Throughout ToA we learn that deep down Apollo is a mushy ball of emotions and compassion, and that convinced me that these two spent 75% of their relationship crying over baby animals and pretty people. I love the idea of Apollo dating someone who's honestly just as much of a loser as he is. And while it is sad that Kyparissos is another lover Apollo had to turn into a plant, I have to emphasize again that he died of heartbreak, because his pet deer died.

2. Apollo & Cyrene

Listen, these two are boss bitches and you cannot convince me otherwise. In the same way I like Kyparissos bc I feel like he and Apollo are so similar, I like Cyrene bc I feel like, in a lot of ways, these two are very different. Like, don't get me wrong, Apollo can be strong and wild when he wants to be, but Cyrene wrestles lions. I like to think the time these two spent together really helped each of them grow in their own way, which makes for a really fun and interesting relationship. Also, just like Thyia, Cyrene is sometimes referred to as a nymph, so she could still be out there!

1. Apollo & Admetus

The more I think about these two, the more I love them. Admetus meeting Apollo at his lowest and helping him through it. Apollo falling head over heels as a result and doing everything in his power to repay the man. The two of them still holding such strong affection for each other even decades after the time they had together, to the point that Apollo would mess with fate to extend Admetus' life. Apollo's life is full of turmoil, and this period of it was probably the worst, but despite that, his relationship with Admetus seems so steady. The other gods are said to be embarrassed of Apollo's love of Admetus, and I think it's because Apollo loved him in a way that went directly against the values of the gods. Apollo and Admetus' relationship was defined by service and care, filled with selfless intent and genuine love. While many gods give their lovers gifts and special favors, the idea of actually going into servitude for someone you love is as ungodly as you can get. Apollo spent time with Admetus, and he wasn't possessive of him, helping him to find a wife after their time together was through. I think this relationship is a great example of how Apollo, even in his lowest moments, is a genuine and caring person, and how that often separates him from the rest of his family. Also these two are just cute and they both love cows and they're cows in love.

[cynthiav06]

The biggest concern of all Perachel shippers and the most used argument used by anti Perachel shippers is that Rachel is an oracle and she took a vow of celibacy so no dating. That's not exactly how it works.

The reason they are made to make such a vow is to put serving their God Apollo first and foremost.

May Castellan had already had a child when she went to bond with the Oracle, and her not being celibate has nothing to do with that as we know .

Now, even in Ancient Greece, older women have been vessels for Oracles. They just had to put their family aside.

So, in conclusion, the vow of celibacy isn't an obligate condition.

Now for a bit of an history lesson The Oracle of Delphi is extremely unique as she has existed long before the Gods did as a spirit in Lake of Delphi and was often initially referred to as the Oracle of Gaia.

The titaness Phoebe used the powers given by the lake to divine futures. That was how Rhea knew where to hide and how to trick Kronos as she had gone to Phoebe for advice.

Now, for an even more interesting piece of fact after the Gods took control, the Lake of Delphi remained for millenias under the jurisdiction of Poseidon himself.

Priestesses used to come there to seek the power to be able to divine the futures. Only when it was attacked by Python himself and then saved by Apollo who killed the Python did the Spirit of Delphi choose to host itself in Apollos Priestesses thus abandoning the Lake.

The spirit of Delphi has no clear allegiances being able to change who she serves, and we know the Oracle spirit has some fondness for Percy given his own exceptionally prophetic dreams which is a power akin to an Oracle.

This means Rachel can probably choose to serve another God, maybe Poseidon himself, again, so he would revoke the no dating condition.

Or or this is my absolute favorite headcanon about Perachel, that given how many times Percy has managed to save her when Percy eventually ascends to Godhood Rachel and the Oracle spirit, swear fealty to him.

Take that Percabeth shippers. Your only viable argument against Perachel is no longer an argument.

[death-before-ilion]

Life of Paris (Alexander)

1231 (age 0) Queen Hecabe of Troy dreams that she is about to give birth to a flaming torch that sets her city aflame. Aesacus, son of Priam by his previous wife, interprets the dream and declares the child will bring the downfall of Troy. On the day of Paris's birth, Aesacus further prophetizes that any royal child born that day would have to be killed to save Troy. Paris is born that same day before nightfall. Priam spares the child, unable to kill his own son. Herophile, priestess of Apollo, insists the child must be killed. Priam asks his chief herdsman Agelaus to kill Paris. Agelaus cannot kill the child and exposes him on Mount Ida, where he is suckled by a female bear. Five days later, Agelaus finds Paris alive and adopts him and tells Priam the child is dead.

1216 (age 15) Paris routs a gang of cattle thieves and returns the stolen animals to the herd, thus earning the nickname Alexander. Soon afterwards, Paris becomes the lover of Oenone, daughter of the river god Cebren and oread nymph of Mount Ida.

1214 (age 17) Paris and Oenone get married.

1212 (age 19) birth of their son Corythus on Mount Ida.

1211 (age 20) Paris starts organizing bull fights on Mount Ida, which he wins almost every time.

1209 (age 22) Paris offers a golden crown as a prize for his next bull fight. Ares chooses to participate, transforms into a bull and wins the contest. Paris gives the crown to Ares without hesitation, the honesty of which catches Zeus's attention and leads him to decide that Paris will award the golden apple he has been keeping since the marriage of Thetis and Peleus to the fairest goddess. Judgment of Paris: Paris attributes the golden apple to Aphrodite, earning Hera's and Athena's enmity, but winning the promise of Helen's love, most beautiful of all mortal women.

1208 (age 23) To atone for the supposed murder of his own son, Priam has been organizing expiatory games. Paris's favorite bull is taken to be the prize of this year's games. He decides to participate to win it back. Paris wins all the games, which angers his brother Deiphobus, but his sister Cassandra recognizes him with her seeress powers and Priam welcomes him back to Troy.

1207 (age 24) Paris hires Phereclus to build a fleet, as advised by Aphrodite.

1204 (age 27) Paris and his cousin Aeneas and a contingent of warriors leave for Greece, pretexting to visit and enquire about Hesione, Priam's elder sister. They travel through Greece, and when they reach Sparta, they are welcomed and entertained by Menelaus, husband of Helen who is immediately smitten with love for Paris, as promised by Aphrodite. Menelaus must leave for Crete, for the funeral of king Catreus, his grandfather. As soon as he is gone, Helen embarks with Paris for Troy. However, to avoid being pursued, they detour south of Crete, to Cyprus and Phoenicia. Paris and Aeneas sack Sidon.

1203 (age 28) The fleet reaches Troy. Paris and Helen marry.

1202 (age 29) Birth of Bunomus, their son.

1194 (age 37) Birth of Aganus, their second son.

1193 (age 38) The siege of Troy begins.

1192 (age 39) Birth of Idaeus, their third son.

1191 (age 40) Oenone sends their now adult son Corythus to Paris to participate in the war against the Greeks. He is welcomed by Helen and is stricken by her beauty. Paris does not recognize his son and kills him out of jealousy before he is informed of his identity.

1188 (age 43) Troy is struck by a minor earthquake, but the three sons of Paris and Helen are killed by the collapsing roof of their house.

1184 (age 47) Paris duels Menelaus and is saved by Aphrodite. He wounds Diomedes and later kills Achilles with an arrow guided by Apollo. Philoctetes wounds Paris with an arrow bearing the poison of the Lernaean Hydra. Helen rushes to Mount Ida to beg for Oenone's healing skills. She refuses and Paris soon dies. Oenone commits suicide.

[colaghost]

I think I could go on for HOURS about how Hestia is one of the, if not THE, most important Olympian(s). She was the first to be born, though last to be regurgitated by Kronos, and is SO heavily underestimated just because she doesn’t appear in many myths. If anything, I think, that speaks volumes to her power, because she didn’t bother herself in getting mixed up in both Godly and human affairs alike. When Apollo and Poseidon attempt to marry her, she goes to Zeus and requests to remain a maiden, he grants her this and both Posideon and Apollo respect this decision, which is shocking, at least in terms of Greek mythos, because normally the male Gods do whatever they want. But in Hestia’s case, she’s either so well respected and/or so extremely powerful that they back off.

Another testament to her importance is the fact that she receives a percentage, for lack of a better term, of each sacrifice that is made to the Gods. It doesn’t matter who it is, she always gets a piece of whatever is given. Think about that, that’s a ton of offerings. Not to mention all the sacrifices that were made to her as the goddess of the hearth, home, and state.

Hestia’s demeanor and personality also say a lot about her. She’s known to be one of the kindest and most benevolent of the Greek Gods/Goddesses. She doesn’t act angrily or in vengeance, but does her best to maintain peace amongst the Olympians, even giving up her throne to Dionysus to do so. She is perfectly content by the fire, not bothering with fame or fortune. Because she doesn’t need to.

In Greek culture, in contrast to what a lot of people believe, she is factually known as one of the most important deities, as the Greeks had hearths in their homes, places of business, and government buildings. In Ancient Greece, if a new city were being established, it would require a hearth to be official. They would actually take fire from an already burning hearth, transport it to the new city, and light the hearth in the new town with one from the old. Extending into Roman mythos, which took ALOT of inspiration from the Greek myths, Hestia, or as they called her, Vesta, was described as the being the preservation of the Roman State. The Vestal Virgins, priestesses of Vesta, were given the duty of keeping her sacred flame alight, which was incredibly important to the vitality of the Roman Empire. The flame was believed to represent the life force of Rome, so if it went out, that force was essentially extinguished and Rome’s progression was in danger.

In today’s world, peacefulness and humbleness are regarded as signs of being a pushover or a doormat, but I think these traits are some of the most undervalued virtues, especially in the political atmosphere. It is not weak or insignificant to hold out for diplomacy, to be kind, to not be power hungry, to simply think of other people. Force and violence have been the norm for gaining power for years, but it truly doesn’t require that. Kindness and goodwill can accomplish all that and more. Unfortunately, I think, as of now, some things have reached past simple diplomacy and require some type of shock value to become known and recognized, which is extremely unfortunate as it typically happens at the expense of innocent people. Though, if we held these aforementioned morals and attitudes in higher importance, we wouldn’t have to implement such measures.

To conclude all of this, Hestia is not only important as a deity, but as a symbol of life itself, in both today’s world and ancient times. And I think we could stand to learn a lot, both from her and about her. While she may not be the most famous or the most heroic, she is certainly, at least in my opinion, the most significant and undervalued. And the latter needs to change IMMEDIATELY.

⬆️ (Some of my favorite depictions of Hestia (Top left) Percy Jackson and the Olympians; (Top right) Blood of Zeus; (Bottom left) DC's Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed; (Bottom right) GOD's School)

<<Also wanted to say, I am in NO WAY an expert in any sort of mythology. I started out reading PJO and my interest kind of soared from there, as I started reading and analyzing the actual mythology behind the beloved book series. I probably got something wrong, so if you catch a mistake, please let me know, I’m always trying to learn!!! Anyways thanks for reading this, if you did, I appreciate it. >>

[ari-shipping-stuff]

TWGOK x Percy Jackson where Keima Katsuragi and the girls were demigods? How would their intertraction with their parents going to be like? Basically the Jupiter Sisters' hosts are going to be the children of the Greek Gods (except for Artemis, of course). Kanon = Apollo's daughter, Yui = Mars' daughter, Ayumi = Hermes' daughter, Tenri = Nike's daughter (but she's also a Hunter of Artemis), Shiori = Athena's daughter (that would make her Annabeth's half-sister), and Tsukiyo = Hephaestus' daughter but her mother is the daughter of Selene (IDK about the others maybe Chihiro as an Aphrodite child?). Keima himself is the son of Zeus. Elsie, Haqua and the other demons were descendants of the Titans. (Sorry for this long post)

no need to apologize at all!! i adore demigod aus it is one of my favorite things to do with my media <333 AND kaminomi??? girl(gn) that's my Favorite Manga Of All Time?????? sign me up???

i put this under the cut because. yes this did get long hfsfjjgsdgj

i assume in this au there aren't any of the "goddesses" themselves? 🤔 or perhaps they Are there, but more like priestesses than the actual gods. i am curious as to how they'd get their names though,,

okay! first, main three: keima, elsie, chihiro

at first glance, i thought of keima being a mist-seeing mortal with comical levels of luck and plot armor (how is this bitch alive lmao) but keima as a son of zeus is so fucking funny to me

pov you're a regular camper and a big 3 kid came to camp! holy shit! amazing! aaand then you meet him. and. yeah

he's perfectly mastered all his abilities, he just. uses them for dating sims 😭 on one hand, bro. are you kidding me. on the other hand, due to his attitude with dating sims, he's surprisingly so similar to his father it's hilarious. let's keep this idea HDSHKGDH

(side note: of course zeus banged keima's mom. have you SEEN her-)

elsie i'd immediately say is a descendant/child of gaea 🤔 mostly because of her role in the later arcs, but also! her natural (arguable: motherly) caregiving personality, her general appreciation for the world around her, and. i just think that elsie being the most powerful thing in the universe is awesome <3

chihiro as an aphrodite kid is so personal to me actually 🥺 as a person who used to go around bragging about being an aphrodite kid. and on account of her being my favorite ever hfsgjgddfjj i can see it actually! either aphrodite or eros. i can also see a possibility of her being unclaimed, and that adds to her drive of trying to prove that she can actually do something and commit to it, but those things don't have to be mutually exclusive 🤔

goddess hosts! :DD

tenri: i am much more loose with my characterizations of the gods, and i don't stick much to canon, so i can see tenri working out just fine as artemis/diana's daughter. like how athena's children aren't born, but created. nike is an interesting idea though, and i'm curious about your thought process on that one! maybe diana's physical prowess? 🤔 another one i'd consider for tenri is hecate or another magic goddess due to her little magic trick hobby. maybe even hermes just the for sleight of hand

kanon: definitely apollo, for the music and the fact that the goddess apollo had powers related to healing, if i remember correctly

yui: yui as an ares kid is hilarious to me. why is the shoujo prince butch in the cabin with the roughhousers jgsfjkgddgj 😭 okay but listen. hear me out okay: yui as a child of aphrodite inheriting the qualities of aphrodite areia (her warlike epithet). she, in that epithet, is the goddess of beauty and war, making yui the perfect shoujo prince /hj hfsfjkhdsfg

shiori: athena kid shiori is enticing, but it feels almost too easy of a placement to me,, i'd personally put her as a child/legacy of mnemosyne, the titan of memory. i'd want to give her a god of knowledge rather than wisdom, because although she is quite booksmart, she doesn't always seem to think everything through due to the sheer amount of her thoughts 😭 not to mention, memory fits pretty well with how she memorized every book in the school library hdsgjkhddgj

tsukiyo: i cannot see her being anyone's kid but selene's. selene is purely about the moon, which gives a lot of flexibility on how the moon relates to tsukiyo in particular

ayumi: hermes also feels so easy but. i can't think of anyone else who runs lmao 😭 okay maybe athena, due to the athletic nature and fighting spirit. or maybe nike, goddess of victory

other characters 🤔

for haqua i want to do thanatos for vibes. like the scythe and the focus on her ties to hell

nora, i think it'd be funny if she was daughter of thalia, the muse of comedy hfdgkgddfh mostly for her unpredictable personality. but this is subject to change because i don't know her very well

i can see lune as a child of eris, goddess of discord. maybe kaori too? 🤔 in kaori's case i think a muse might be fitting as well because of her motif about acting and the whole play part of the arc

akari, i'd like to think is a child of athena? she just gives me the vibes

okay rapidfire for the other heroines: (feel free to argue with me on these i didn't put much thought into these ones)

mio: hera

kusunoki: ares/one of the hysmanai

jun: nike

minami: pallas/electra (it reminded me of her hair, mostly)

sumire: hestia?

nanaka: athena/ioke

hinoki: i think she'd have to be the same as kusunoki 🤔

urara: hebe

[netherfeildren]

what do the gods' names in chapters mean? i've been trying to think but it's been hard to make out a connection between the chapter's content and the particular deity

they're kind of vague and not entirely accurate I suppose and to be honest, but I will try and provide my own convoluted explanations for why I chose them!

apollo: the cassandra was a priestess in the greek myths dedicated to the god Apollo and fated by him to utter true prophecies but never believed. in tcc our mc harps a lot on her belief that she always knows how a thing will end, most especially in reference to her relationship with din, leading to the implication that she believes the relationship is meant to end in disaster. din is a little bit like her Apollo in her mind, this figure she meets who she sees as like the end all be all of goodness, a man with a whole sun inside of him (Apollo being the god of the sun, wasn't I clever with that? :] ) who she feels she knows she'll never be able to keep. choosing Apollo for the first chapter just seemed obvious to me when thinking of his connection to the Cassandra.

prometheus: I kind of saw her as giving din a gift when she heals him in chapter 2. prometheus gave humans the gift of fire, she gave him the gift of life. prometheus is later punished by zeus for his theft and as the story progresses you'll see that her story follows a similar pattern. but that's ALL I'LL SAY ABOUT THAT!

psyche: goddess of the soul - I felt like they kind of bared their souls to each other a little bit in this chapter. he gives her his name, she tells him about the force, about her inability to have children, they share a lot with each other and connect intimately in a way they'd not connected during their previous encounter. also also, in metamorphoses, psyche's given a series of trials she must face to be with eros, a little bit like our mc will have to face as well, even if those tribulations are of her own making :)

aite: my favorite choice thus far!!!!!! actually, and fyi, it's origin is supposed to be simply 'ate' but I didn't like the way that looked aesthetically and felt it might be confusing or something and that people would think it was like "to eat" bc that's probably what I would have thought without prior research but whatever anyways. goddess of mischief - our girl is very mischievous, that's pretty much it lol their sparring and chasing in that chapter was so funny to me, so provoking. it seemed apt. also aite was known to lead men to their ruin sooooooo will she lead din to his ruin? who knows

morpheus: god of dreams (shoutout dream of the endless) simply chosen for the dream sequence at the start of the chapter. I have nothing but horny excuses on my mind that's it

sisyphus: he cheated death and was punished by hades for it, forced to push a boulder up a hill only to fail once he neared the end, repeating the action for all eternity. I'm trying to instill a sense of the same mistakes repeated over and over again and trying to break free of that pattern. she's attacked, cheats death - or capture, and what's going to happen now? is she going to repeat the same actions - mistakes - that she's always made before din? she's very sisyphus-like over all I think

and... spoiler alert! the next chapter is titled hysminai - the personification of battle

so yes :) that's all! thank you so much for the question, I have so been waiting to share all my thoughts and reasonings on this actually hehe :)

[sparkliest-bard-bracket]

cough cough

is this a response to that meme? Perhaps. Not meant as an attack btw, just want to bring some things to...light. (hehe, see what i did there? ....i'll see myself out)

Apollo Propoganda:

Contrary to popular belief, Apollo's love life is not as tragic or awful as people think. There's a whole post talking about it in fact. I would give a summary of it but it is looooong. Long story short, over 60% of his relationships end quite well and on good terms. 11% died, but 2% were apotheosized - meaning they were resurrected and made immortal.

Here's the link: https://www.tumblr.com/apollosgiftofprophecy/729992770117353472?source=share

Secondly, while he may not be the OG god of the sun, he is still the god of light no matter what :) In Greece, he brought the light of the sun to earth while Helios drives the sun chariot across the sky. When Rome came knocking and started conflating their gods with Greece's, Helios and Apollo got conflated with each other.

Also, Apollo eventually became The Most Important god in Rome - so important infact, that emperors claimed they were him incarnate.

Thirdly, he's bisexual as fuck. or pansexual. either/or, doesn't matter what label or even if he would use a label, all that matters is that he crushes on any and all genders.

Also contrary to popular belief, Apollo does not smite people on the regular. That's more Zeus's thing, tbh.

His songs do not make people sad, otherwise he wouldn't be playing in the halls of Olympus itself, nor would he jam out with the Nine Muses and his twin. Orpheus was the one playing sad songs after his wife died (rip).

Python was a deadly, horrifying earth-dragon that took over the Oracle of Delphi, Apollo's grandmother's sacred place, and Python also proceeded to chase Apollo's mother across the earth. At four days old he challenged the serpent and slaughtered it.

Like a boss.

Apollo may be the god of prophecy, but that does not mean he brings tragedy upon everyone who seeks the counsel of Delphi. All his priestess does is warn them of what's to come, and lo and behold, the idiots create their doom themselves. He's a guardian of prophecy, not its creator/controller.

Also, Apollo doesn't have a lot of enemies??? IDK where that came from, because he's The Most Popular god. Greece loved him, Troy loved him, he's Zeus's favorite son, ect ect. Culturally speaking, Apollo was very integral in the life of Greece because he's the god of freaking civilization itself. He's pretty darn important and loved.

really his only confirmed enemy is Python. He has animosity with Eros, but that's really it. He's BFFs with Hermes, he and Artemis jam out at Delphi, he trusts Dionysus with the care of Delphi during the winter season, need I go on?

And finally...the hair? Uh...just read any classical myth that mentions Apollo's hair. Poets rave about how splendid, how gorgeous it is. He kept his hair unshorn. It was golden, making it sparkly. What more do you want?

anyway. that concludes my propaganda :)

thank you for coming to my tedtalk. #ApolloSweep

OKAY AMAZING ✨✨✨✨

[abominable-space-they]

I think alot about Will Graham & The Moon, Artemis really.

Artemis was the Greek goddess of the moon, & the hunt, birth, accidental death... But especially the hunt. Her sacred animal was the stag, she was often pictured with whole packs of hunting hounds. She was an excellent marksman. She rescued young girls sometimes, was close to the Amazons.

She fell in love with Orion, the greatest mortal hunter of his generation, in many variations of the stories they stayed in the wild places hunting monsters together for a very long time.

Apollo was jealous of Orion & sent a giant scorpion to kill him, Artemis arrived to late to save him so she threw him into the sky, made him a constellation, eternal in the heavens.

Or maybe it was Callisto, her priestess, whom she turned into a bear either to protect her from further violations from Zeus, or to punish her for being fooled by him posing as Artemis to seduce her.

Artemis had a furious temper and would kill mortals for invading her privacy, for disrespecting her, or that which she considered hers.

The full moon is part of Will's Mo

Apollo was the God of the sun, music, art, seers, the lyre, civilized city living, birds generally but most specifically, the raven was his representative animal. He was the other half of Artemis in the literal mythological sense.

One of my favorite parts of the way Hannibal the show is structured, is the fairy tale aspect of it, the story built for us and the FBI always has a feeling of unreality, deja vu, or uncanny valley.

We serve as proxy for the FBI, the rules of the show follow the rules of Will's design, his great and beautiful 5 year plan

It's intentionally difficult to know what's real and what isn't, both in universe and in the show itself. Maybe all of it's real, maybe none of it is.

The best trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.

But that's a different post

In the beginning of the story and our role as witness in this Greek tragedy/fairy tale they've built us, Hannibal seems almost deified, to powerful to be real, to good or to bad to be true, to powerful to be simply human.

Then we find out, that he was literally to good or bad to be entirely true, that the FBI mythologized the monster rather then see the truth right in front of them. The Chesapeake Ripper had someone on the inside, he had Will Graham... and he'd had Will Graham for a very long time.

Hannibal was never smoke, he was never the devil incarnate, Will just made sure no relevant evidence ever saw the light of day.

Together though, together they were something more then the sum of their pieces, and they both knew it, something powerful, something strong, something to good or bad to be true. They were the push-pull of the sun and the moon on the tides. They were smoke... or the devil himself.

So Will was the man behind the curtain, but then we begin to wonder how does Will make all this happen? How does he get all these completely unlikely and detail oriented results? The five year fake their death plan has so many moving parts, yet things always go their way in the end. How? That is god tier manipulation.

We let it slide, not questioning it to hard because of that unreality energy, and so does the FBI in universe.

Who knows, we're just glad to be here. Maybe Hannigram just wish it into existence, maybe they will it into existence... Will it. 😈

After all it's supposed to leave you wondering, and it's effective, I do wonder...

So many possible answers. But I can't let go of that god tier manipulation. You know what would be fantastic? What would be a perfect end cap to the starting supposition that Hannibal was like unto a god? What would be such a perfect narrative flip that it would be kinda funny? Funny in the autistic, we're just over here subverting expectations kind of way...

If Hannibal was being literal when he called Will his personal God in defiance of Society.

If Will was not just fixated on the concept of Artemis, but was literally Artemis, deity of the hunt. That would make Hannibal's jokes about christian churches collapsing a little different wouldn't it? All the conversations about prayers and beliefs would read just a bit more important.

Wouldn't that just be grand? Wouldn't it explain so much? If Will was literally Hannibal's God of the hunt? If all their convoluted plans worked out simply bc Will wished it to be so, and Hannibal's faith was strong enough. Strong enough to make the two of them nearly invincible & inscrutable with their combined power. Will, love, imagination, and devotion... Power

The idea was so fun for me I accidentally wrote a dark fairytale/ghost origin story about it. Oops?

You can see this weird and wonderful story baby of mine here if you'd like:

Artemis Will is beautiful, dangerous, & furious

[itsthatswordlesbian]

Whether it’s greek or Coronan or whatever have you, what myth do you think is Cassandra’s favorite?

Well, I like to think that the myth of the Trojan priestess Cassandra is her favourite. The woman who shares her name and was cursed to see the future but never have her prophecies believed simply because she didn’t want to marry Apollo. I think that she’d relate to that myth very much.

[f0xgl0v3]

While I’m writing my Chapter map plan for a Son Of Neptune re-imagining I’d like to drop one of my favorite character interactions.

For context I’ve made a powers post on my hc on how Camp/Romans in Pjo in general view powers (one day I shall make a master post(?) linking too everything) and like yeah.

But there’s one scene after the storming of the war games and stuff. Like fresh victory where Dakota gets to rush Percy and grab his face and like jumping while shaking Percy a little and being like, “you idiot! You crazy genius idiot! That was amazing” (not actual dialogue) while the cohorts are celebrating. Of course then Gwen’s just like dying in the background but I really liked that character interaction.

Along with that if I remember correctly there’s one in the re-imagining after Mars’s whole spiel where Octavian and Reyna are bickering because Octavian needs to get the prophecy Mars delivered them (because the like connection cut off and Mars aidiaofnwjaiaons and was like ‘augur do the thing’ so Octavian can like have a purpose and it like- does stuff-? Idk) and it’s both of them like arguing to each other between the stuffed animal because Reyna needs this quest to be viable so the senate can authorize it while Octavian’s yelling about how he can’t just magically get the prophecy.

Also this is my part to slide in and. I’m reading burning maze! It’s… fun. I don’t like Piper’s writing (I never did, I always found her slightly obnoxious or annoying and that’s just my opinion. I like Piper as a like concept and character but just not how’s she’s implemented) but I was reading and remembered Katropis and it brought something up in my head. It was Helen of Troy’s knife apparently, so she could like see the outside world while she was locked in Troy. Now, this obviously isn’t myth accurate (I don’t expect it to be) but it also like? Helen got full wanderings to just kinda vibe, she points people out from the walls to Priam in the beginning; she’s not like Rapunzel. Or at least in all of the versions I’ve read/heard. So, this is my Katropisreallyannoysmesoimreimaginingkatropis concept.

Katropis was Cassandra’s knife. Cassandra is the silly little priestess of Apollo princess of Troy I believe who like future powers and stuff and stuff. Idk the point is, it’d make more sense for Cassandra; a powerful priestess and someone who can see the future and interpret omen, prophecy, etc. to have the ceremonial dagger that can show you stuff? That’s just my thought. Also like Trials of Apollo that’d be interesting or fun or whatever.

Okay I just kinda ranted :3

[scarlet-sky4]

Sunshine [Apollo!Baekhyun]

Characters: Apollo!Baekhyun and OC Genres: Angst, Fluff, Fantasy AU: Greek mythology and reincarnation Word count: ~4k

Masterlist  | Read on AFF

- 460 B.C., Greek Empire -

Thousands of years ago, the twelve Olympians were the major deities of Greek society. These Gods and Goddesses were powerful beings, each of them possessing unique abilities and the power to cause miracles and disasters. Humans respected and feared them, praying to them for strength and wisdom.

At the time, the people of Greece believed the center of the world to be in Delphi, a town housing the sanctuary of Apollo, the God of the Sun. The citizens had built a majestic temple in his honor, throning on a mountaintop. It was the most beautiful part of town, a sight to behold and a place many humans wished to see in their lifetime.

However, the town’s impressive architecture wasn’t the only reason for its popularity. The most famous priestess of Greece resided in Delphi, known as the Oracle of Delphi. She was the only human able to communicate with Apollo, delivering prophecies to the people of Greece. Since it was a very honorable position, many women aspired to become the Oracle of Delphi one day, but few were suited for the role, and in the end, only one would be chosen by Apollo himself. This happened whenever the former Oracle had grown too old to fulfill her duties—it was an endless cycle.

One of the women interested in this duty was a young peasant from a neighboring town. Apollo was her favorite Olympian God because he represented everything she held dear. He was the God of the sun, music, knowledge, and healing. She admired him and his dazzling powers and therefore, it was her greatest wish to become the next Oracle. Many scoffed at the poor woman’s aspiration, believing that a mere peasant wasn’t suited for this, but she was determined and did not give up. When the current Oracle eventually retired from her duties, she traveled to Delphi just like countless other women, hoping to become Apollo’s next chosen.

She attended the ceremony inside Apollo’s imposing temple, a place so beautiful that she couldn’t stop admiring the intricate ornaments and tall columns rising up toward the sky. Wearing her most prized possession, a simple white garment with a sash tied around her waist, she prayed to be accepted by Apollo regardless of her low standing in society.

Against all odds, he selected her to become the next Oracle, allowing her to hear his voice. After she pledged her loyalty to him, he granted her the power to See, providing her with his guiding light to perceive what other humans couldn’t. From that moment on, she was able to see the future.

In the following years, her prophecies aided the people of Greece, preventing conflicts and foreseeing disasters. Countless leaders of ancient empires sought her out to hear her premonitions. Her unique ability saved many human lives. She became a well-respected citizen and her hard work and caring nature earned her Apollo’s admiration. Thus, she was the only human he ever allowed to lay eyes on him. He frequently visited her until a tender love blossomed between them. The Oracle was captivated by Apollo’s charming personality, his mischievous smirks, and his enthralling power to make the sun set and rise again every night and every morning. Their fates had become intertwined. Although she used to be a mere peasant, Apollo gifted her soul the ability to be reincarnated as if she was a Goddess herself.

Whenever she and Apollo died and were reborn, they searched for each other. This cycle continued until modern times when the Greek Empire was nothing but a chapter in history books and the existence of the Olympian Gods and Goddesses had faded into the shadows.  

- 2023, South Korea -

Many lifetimes later, the Oracle was reborn in South Korea, bearing the name Kim Hayoon. The young woman’s life had been difficult from the very beginning. She had never met her parents, growing up without a family in an orphanage. Starting from a young age, she had begun to remember bits and pieces of her former lives, reaching back to Ancient Greece. It had been a heavy burden to carry since her young self had struggled to make sense of the pictures in her head. As a child, she had often scared her teachers when she spoke of Greek customs and historic details a little girl couldn’t possibly know. As she had grown older, she had learned to hide this side of hers and realized that other humans could not remember their past lives nor did they realize that the Olympian Gods were real.

At the age of 24, Hayoon was well aware of her inherent role as the Oracle, but she had yet to regain the ability to See—her divine powers would be awakened after she was reunited with her love, Apollo. She missed the God of the Sun dearly and often watched the sunset because it reminded her of him. When the sun rose and set, she felt an undeniable connection to him, and she loved observing the play of colors in the sky, the way his powers dyed it a fiery red, a warm orange, and an ethereal blue as the sun reclaimed its spot high up in the sky. Apollo worked tirelessly every day, and he seemed so close yet unreachable. Years had passed without a sign of his reincarnation, and the worry in her kept growing. What if she wouldn’t find him in this lifetime? What if they wouldn’t meet?

Unfortunately, her current life hadn’t provided her with many opportunities to search for him. Since she had grown up in an orphanage, money had always been a problem. Hayoon could barely afford her monthly rent, much less a plane ticket to travel the world and search for Apollo. He could be anywhere, but she was stuck in South Korea, working a job as a waitress at a restaurant. Needless to say, her salary wasn’t sufficient to travel, not even when she worked overtime. Otherwise, she would have taken a plane to Greece and visited Delphi—the place where everything had begun. Maybe she would have found Apollo’s reincarnation there, or at least discovered a hint about his whereabouts. They had often reunited in Greece during previous lives.

Hayoon sighed in defeat and glanced at her wristwatch. It was almost 8 pm and her shift at the restaurant was far from over. She would work overtime tonight as well, thus missing the sunset again. It saddened her, but she had no choice if she wanted to pay her rent this month.

She rolled up the sleeves of her blouse before she picked up several plates, carrying them from the kitchen to the tables in the other room. Loud chattering filled the restaurant along with the delightful smell of food. Hayoon wasn’t particularly fond of her job because her boss was rather strict and often gave her more work than she could handle—they were in dire need of more employees but her boss refused to hire anyone else, so Hayoon was forced to shoulder the extra work.

When her shift finally ended, she was exhausted and left the restaurant, saying goodbye to the kitchen staff before she braved the terrible weather outside. It had begun to rain about an hour ago, so she pulled up the hood of her jacket and buried her cold hands in its pockets. Rain poured down on her without mercy, drenching her pants and making her shiver. Luckily, the bus stop wasn’t far away. It was late and the city was darker than usual, fog wafting through the streets and clinging to buildings.

Hayoon ran through the puddles, shielding her face with her hand but the rain was unforgiving, drenching her in seconds. She had no time to waste; if she missed this bus, the next option to reach her remote apartment building wouldn’t arrive until an hour later… Breathing heavily, she reached the stop at the same time the bus arrived and searched her purse for her public transport ticket. The doors opened and someone got off, opening an umbrella and moving on. Hayoon’s hands were clammy and trembling from the cold when she got ahold of the ticket. She was about to enter the bus, but the slippery card fell from her hands and landed in a puddle. It was washed away by the rain. Gasping in alarm, she chased after it but was too slow—the ticket vanished straight into a drain.

Hayoon didn’t hear the bus leaving—her attention was focused on the spot where her ticket had disappeared. Shock and horror befell her when she realized what this meant. Monthly tickets were expensive; she could barely afford one. Replacing this would be next to impossible. Desperation gripped her. As if her situation hadn’t been difficult enough already… This made everything worse.

For a being with an immortal soul, Hayoon felt rather pathetic. Without her gift to see the future, she was no different from a regular human and bound to all the restrictions that came with being a poor orphan. The frustration that had been building within her over many months and years came crashing down on her. She felt incredibly small and lonely in the jungle of buildings that was Seoul. The rainwater soaked her to the bones, but she couldn’t bring herself to seek shelter—what did it even matter now? The rest of the month would be a scramble to save enough money in order to pay for public transport and food items. She direly needed a day off, but she could forget about that now. Lowering her head, she looked at her wet sneakers, arms hugging her shivering self to retain a little bit of warmth.

It was pointless. She always felt cold before she reunited with him. Nothing could replace his wonderful warmth—he was radiant and dazzling, and without him, her life was like a faded polaroid. How many more years would she have to wait? Sorrow prompted her to choke up. Her eyes burned as tears gathered in them and ran over her cheeks. They mixed with the rain and dripped down her chin. She sniffled, sobbed. Hayoon considered walking home, but she didn’t have any strength left. Her situation seemed utterly hopeless at this point.

“Where are you?” she called out and gazed at the sky, raindrops landing on her cheeks. “I miss you.”

Unbeknownst to Hayoon, the sheer desperation filling her heart did not remain unnoticed. The person she yearned for heard its call. Although her divine gift lacked its full potential without him by her side, her voice mustered up the strength to reach him. It was the first time Apollo could hear it in this lifetime, and it scared him. The mighty God of the Sun felt a deep and unsettling sense of fear at the sorrowful sound of her voice. He had often worried about his love, wondering where she might have ended up in this lifetime and if she was happy or perhaps felt lonely.

Apollo had searched far and wide for her. He had even traveled to Delphi in hopes of finding her in the place where they had first fallen in love and usually reunited, but this time, she had not been there. He had found no trace of her whereabouts and he couldn’t rely on his powers to locate her either. Even an Olympian God was bound to the whims of fate—Apollo’s divine power of premonition included every human being except for her. Since her soul was immortal, she was not like them. She was an exception. Apollo had to be patient and wait until fate reunited them—this was the price he paid for granting her the ability to be reborn.

Golden light enveloped his form as he gazed at the cloudy night sky. Perhaps if he followed her voice, he would finally find her.

Hayoon trudged in the direction of her home, eyes red and puffy. She had a lump in her throat from crying and didn’t pay much attention to her surroundings—had she looked up at least once, she would have seen a peculiar phenomenon in the night sky. A strange golden glow lit up the dark void beyond the clouds, rays of light reaching through them. As soon as it had appeared, the odd shimmer disappeared, and the sky was as dark as it had been before. Oblivious to this, the young woman rubbed her eyes, her thoughts still circling Apollo’s reincarnation. What if she wouldn’t find him this time? Caught up in her desperation, Hayoon didn’t even consider the other option; him finding her.

When a pair of shoes appeared in her field of vision, Hayoon stopped abruptly, but still almost collided with the stranger who had appeared out of thin air. She mumbled an apology and was about to move on, but changed her mind once she realized that someone was holding an umbrella over her head. The rain no longer poured down on her.

Her brown eyes widened, and she looked up. Hayoon felt as if she had been hit by Zeus’ lightning. She knew exactly who the man in front of her was. Even though his appearance differed slightly in every life they shared, the alluring shape of his lips never changed and his eyes were always of the same ethereal shade, golden like the sun itself. Even his high cheekbones and the sharp line of his jaw were all too familiar. Light blond, almost white hair framed his beautiful features. Hayoon’s heart lept, only to continue beating twice as fast. She bit her lip, cheeks glowing a soft pink under his adoring yet worried gaze.

“What are you doing out here so late, and in the pouring rain no less?” His tone held sternness and concern for her well-being since she wasn’t as resilient as him. “Come here, my sunshine.”

The old nickname prompted her to smile and she allowed him to wrap his arms around her shivering form. Apollo’s natural warmth felt wonderful, blocking out the cold night air. They shared his umbrella, shielding themselves from the rain. She relished their reunion. Burying her teary face in his chest, she inhaled his scent, convincing herself that she wasn’t imagining this, that he was really here. His elegant hands stroked her hair, arms holding her protectively.

“I missed you so much,” she whispered. “Y-You have no idea! It was so hard to find you this time.”

“You must have been lonely,” he answered, voice drenched with sorrow. Now that he had met her, he realized her life had been a struggle up to this point—when he had first laid eyes on her moments ago, she had been a picture of sadness. The pain in her eyes had struck him right in his chest like an arrow.

Thankfully, her demeanor had changed completely after recognizing him. She glowed with happiness, beaming up at him as if she was the sun. The tears glistening in her eyes didn’t stem from sadness but sheer joy. When she looked at him like this, she did her nickname justice.

“I was but it’s okay, I won’t be lonely anymore,” she answered and inclined her head. “What’s your name?”

His features softened, and he chuckled lightly. “It’s Baekhyun. And yours?”

“I’m Hayoon.”

“Hayoon—how fitting for the Oracle,” he hummed, prompting her to blush. “Will you allow me to take you to a safer and warmer place?”

“Please.”

“Close your eyes, sunshine,” he whispered and leaned his forehead against hers. She did as he said, but even with closed eyes, she noticed the incredibly bright light enveloping them. It was so vivid it would have surely blinded her, had she kept them open. When it faded, the atmosphere around her had changed. The pitter-patter of the rain was gone and the cold night air had disappeared.

“Now open your eyes.” She blinked and found herself in a spacious apartment with a large window front. Outside, the scenery of a city was illuminated by countless small lights. They looked like fairy lights from above. She stepped closer to the glass and took in the amazing view, her jaw dropping. The apartment must have cost a fortune. Hayoon turned around and inspected the rest of the room, a modern living area with a crème-colored couch and a coffee table made of glass.

“We’re in my home in Bucheon,” Baekhyun explained. His eyes had not left her since they had arrived. She was drenched in rainwater, and although she no longer shivered, she should change her clothes and take a hot shower before she ended up sick... He was worried about her.

In the meantime, Hayoon was too preoccupied with her surroundings to take note of her wet clothes. She padded from the window to the TV stand, admiring the beautiful lyre next to it before the piano in the opposite corner caught her attention—obviously, Apollo still had a passion for music, just like in all of his former lives.

“This is so like you,” she smiled and pressed a piano key, creating a soft sound.

“Do you like it here?” he asked, causing her to nod. “Then, do you want to move in now?”

“Wait, right now?”

“Of course. I want to spend as much time with you as I can.”

“But I need to resign from my job in Seoul before I can move to Bucheon! And I also have to get all of my belongings from my flat, and—”

Baekhyun bridged the distance between them with two quick strides and cupped her rosy cheeks with his hands, ending her rambling. She looked at him with wide eyes, prompting his lips to twitch in amusement.

“Leave it to me and don’t worry so much. What matters is that you’re with me now. I will take care of you,” he smiled and winked. “We have to make sure you don’t catch a cold. You should take a hot shower, and I will lend you some of my clothes.”

He showed her his bathroom, provided everything she needed, and while she was in the shower, he went to the kitchen and prepared tea for her. Baekhyun made her favorite kind; lavender. When Hayoon returned, her hair dried and her body clothed in one of his soft pajamas, he placed the tea on the coffee table and got a warm blanket for her.

“Sit,” he said and nodded at the sofa, inviting her to make herself at home. The spacious, soft couch welcomed her tired self, and Baekhyun covered her with the blanket. She sighed in contentment and closed her eyes for a moment when he sat next to her, slipping under the blanket as well. His arm wrapped around her lower back and pulled her in, coaxing her to lay on his chest. Then he dimmed the light in the room with a snap of his fingers, creating a cozier atmosphere. A golden glow shimmered in the air, brought to life by his divine powers.  

This was the moment Hayoon experienced true happiness. All the burdens of her human life were gone in a blink. She didn’t waste a thought about her horrible job or how she would pay her rent this month. None of these things mattered now that she had reunited with him. Hayoon’s hand emerged from beneath the blanket and reached for his, eager to touch him, eager to feel the warmth of the sun. It was the kind of sensation that tingled under your skin and left you craving more.

He watched in amusement as she held his hand and interlaced their fingers, gazing at their intertwined hands as if they were a miracle. Baekhyun enjoyed their proximity just as much as she did. There was nothing more satisfying than finding her and being rewarded with her presence. She really was a sunshine, lighting up his life and bringing him joy. Thus, he guarded her beautiful soul for eternity, so that it would always be reborn just like his.

Unaware of his thoughts, Hayoon studied him, admired his profile and sighed softly. Her gaze wandered to his lips and back up to his golden eyes. She did this so often that he couldn’t hold in a smirk—she had become predictable after so many years spent together. “What’s wrong, sunshine? Do I have something on my face?” he teased.

“How long do I have to wait, Baekhyun?”

“For what?” he smirked, just as mischievous as usual. His personality would never change—she knew that already, and she loved him the way he was even if he sometimes got a little cheeky…

“When will you kiss me?”

“Oh, is my sunshine asking for attention? Does she want a kiss?” His eyes twinkled like the stars, but a hundred times more enthralling.

She pouted and crossed her arms. “Baekhyun, come on, I know you want it too. I can see it in your eyes!”

“Can’t hide anything from the Oracle, hm? Well, since it’s our first kiss in this lifetime, we ought to make it special.” The velvet timbre of his voice darkened, and he placed his finger below her chin to tilt it up. “Don’t you agree, love?”

Gold flashed in his eyes as they longingly drifted to her lips. The air grew warmer as if she was basking in the sunlight. He leaned in until his breath ghosted over her lips. Hayoon’s eyes closed as he kissed her. The gentle touch set off sparks of joy and an indescribable warmth that flooded her. It was as beautiful as she had imagined. His hand wandered from her chin to her cheek, thumb caressing her with slow motions. Hayoon embraced him, deepening the kiss. There was something so peaceful about this moment—she wished to remember it for a long time. After the struggles she had endured, Hayoon had finally reached the happy ending she had yearned for.

When they separated, a beam spread over her face. She met his eyes, and the sweet desire gleaming within them prompted her to blush. With rosy cheeks, she whispered, “I can’t believe how lucky I am to be here with you. You’re amazing, do you know that?”

“Yeah, someone has been reminding me ever so often,” he winked at her and chuckled. “I wouldn’t call it luck though, after all, I had good reasons for choosing you to become the Oracle, sunshine.”

Hayoon’s curiosity was sparked since he had never actually told her why he had picked her for this sacred duty. “Why is it that you chose me? Why not one of the other women? There were so many, what makes me special?”

“You were the only one who truly appreciated the beauty of music and art, and you seemed genuinely interested in everything I represent. Your curiosity was adorable too. I kept an eye on the temple when everyone arrived, and you stood out because you were admiring even the smallest detail of your surroundings. I wanted someone humble to become the next Oracle; not someone who is greedy and only interested in wealth and fame,” he explained while he brushed his fingers through her silky black hair. “My choice was immaculate. You ended up being the most suitable human for this duty. It’s like you were born for it.”

“Maybe I was,” she shrugged and smiled. “Thank you, that sounds very sweet.” She snuggled up to him and closed her eyes.

“Someone’s tired,” he whispered and planted a kiss on her cheek. “You had a long day, sunshine. Rest now.”

“Will you sing for me?” she mumbled without opening her eyes.

“Your favorite lullaby?”

“Mhm.”

Baekhyun smiled. He had composed this song a long time ago, and it had prevailed throughout several lifetimes, accompanying them. It had been meant to comfort her and reassure her that they would always find each other in the end. Hayoon relaxed when his beautiful voice enveloped her, sweet like honey.

“When you’re about to be sad,

close your eyes and think of me.

This melody is for you.

This melody is about you.

My beautiful and eternal heart

will always answer that it’s you

no matter who asks.

The only one in the world,

it’s you.”

The wonderful feeling of peace overcame her. The last she heard before she fell asleep in his arms was him whispering, “I love you.”

As she was embraced by sleep, her dormant gift was reawakened, and she experienced her first vision in this lifetime—a small glimpse into the future filled with vivid colors, warm feelings and a profound sense of belonging.

Author’s note: The lyrics are from the song Happy by Baekhyun. I hope you liked this short story! It was a spontaneous idea, but I had to do some research on Apollo and the Oracle of Delphi before I wrote this. 🥺 

Masterlist

[mercy-mercie-mercymorn]

agro's oc master list (1/?)

☆ star people ☆

i'll be adding links when/if i remember, as well as finishing this list.....eventually. just ask if u want some reference images for characters i don't have on artfight or need additional info! anyways, the whole character vomit is under the cut :)

angel 

name: angel (formerly, delta) virgo

human?: nope, asteriai (star nymph) 

bday: sep 15

deal: after being born without magic, she became the asteriai vessel of her long-dead titan ancestor, Astraea (Virgo). works as a TA for her friend, an anthropology professor. has more plushies than space on her bed. a pacifist at heart. 

powers: can summon a spear and a pair of golden light wings. can also heal, which she does considerably more. 

likes: animals, sweets, and sleeping. dislikes: bugs, the heat, and christmas music.

songs: Sleep (Conrad Hillis Remix) - Soul Push, Colder Parts - HUNNY, All Will Be Well - Gabe Dixon

rose

name: rose (that’s it) (formerly, demon—not like 😈 but Δήμων, meaning “the people”. it’s important to me that you know that.) 

human?: nope, kimmerian (void spirit) (she’s just here because i couldn’t think of a better place to put her. it makes sense with the lore) 

bday: dec 23

deal: angel’s girlfriend. the last descendant of a long-dead race who spurned fate. an emo shit and a mean lesbian (affectionate). takes no shit. unless it’s from angel. has a dry sense of humor. doesn’t like authority. 

powers: hydromancy! can do a bunch of fuck you magic with water. has weird dream-controlling magic. it’s a long story. 

likes: video games, music, and bodies of water. dislikes: her past, angel’s sister, and rules. 

songs: Ocean’s Deep - Born Ruffians, Talk To Myself - Avicii, Heaven Is Under The Sun - Beta Play 

spica

name: spica virgo

human?: nope, asteriai

bday: sep 23

deal: angel’s older sister/her guardian for the most of her life. impulsive and hot-tempered. loves the people she cares about by being a lil angry about their life choices. a part of the amica ignis—a guild of female pyromancers. would fight you. eltanin’s fiancee! 

powers: pyromancy!!! yeah!!! can also summon a special spear. 

likes: shoes, autumn, and hitting the snooze button. dislikes: paperwork, her alarms, and rose.  

songs: I Don’t Need A Hero - Concrete Blonde, Fake Out - Fall Out Boy, Color Green - New Politics

caph

name: caph cassiopeia

human?: asteriai. 

bday: feb 12

deal: one of apollo’s priestesses. the only surviving cassiopeia clan member. she was a terrible person and now she’s trying to be better. a manic pixie dream girl except she’s just Like That. voted most likely to eat a plant by me. vega and apollo are her best friends. cole’s mom, married to tore. 

powers: has magic henna on her hand (the hand changes because i keep forgetting) that can do some doc ock-esque shit and some other assorted magic. was granted the power of foresight by apollo. 

likes: houseplants, singing, and chai lattes. dislikes: black coffee, snow, and talking about her deep-seated issues.

songs: She’s A Rainbow - The Rolling Stones, Monsters of the North - The National Parks, Riptide - Vance Joy

cole

name: cole cassiopeia

human?: half-human, half-asteriai. descended from a kimmerian on his father’s side.

bday: march 3

deal: cole and tore’s son. genuinely the nicest guy ever. his biggest fault is he thinks swords are cool and owns multiple. a surfer guy majoring in engineering at UCLA. he goes to the beach as much as he can. was taught to swordfight by tore and rose. also rents a room in cynthia’s house. 

powers: inherited his mom’s henna powers and his dad’s dream powers. 

likes: surfing, tea, and being bullied by annoying queers (affectionate). dislikes: having to draw, people who forget sunscreen, and close-toed shoes.

songs: West Coast - Yam Haus, Safe In L.A. - Gold Motel, Verge - Owl City

vega

name: vega lyra

human?: you guessed it, asteriai.

bday: nov 29

deal: one of apollo’s priestesses. her favorite composer is shostakovich. she’s very mean but i think it’s funny. dating apollo, which is definitely a choice. generally has an “overworked and underpaid public servant who has run out of fucks to give” vibe. 

powers: musical magic! the songs she plays/sings can basically do whatever as long as she has the energy and/or an okay instrument. can also pick up instruments in little to no time. 

likes: playing violin, card games, and spicy foods. dislikes: sweets, hot weather, and dogs (nothing personal). 

songs: Nascence - Austin Wintory, Waiting For Love - Avicii, Tender Strength - Yu-Peng Chen

eltanin

name: eltanin draco

human?: asteriai

bday: june 30

deal: i’ll be real…spica’s everything. he’s just ken. he’s very nice, loves his family, and just wants to grill. he has a soft spot for angel because they’re both relatively chill people with intense s/os…who just so happen to hate each other. 

powers: can turn into a (relatively small) dragon. 

likes: DIY projects, weighted blankets, and trying new foods. dislikes: drama, action movies, and wearing shoes in the house.

songs: 3’s - Nodaway, Dance With Me - Ra Ra Riot, Crystal Clear - Opus Orange

sirius

name: sirius canis major

human?: asteriai

bday: april 1 (yes he makes jokes about this) 

deal: a former member of the asteriai island guard who left for earth to find bigger and better things. formed a group of vigilante magic-adjacent people 

powers: can turn into a dog. he has some heightened senses (dog-compliant). 

likes: fast food (the trashier the better), lame puns, and haircare. dislikes: chocolate, reading maps, and rain. 

songs: Wolfdance - The Ceremonies, Don’t Send The Searchlights - Gold Motel, Everyone’s A Guru Now - Saint Motel

virgo

name: astraea (more often known as virgo, the maiden of the zodiac)

human?: a Titan/goddess

bday: she just piggybacks off angel’s

deal: the currently semi-dead deity sharing angel’s body. she’s sleeping rn (always). was kind of seeing apollo. is like 9 ft tall. the former leader of the Zodiac, but everyone else is dead. sees warfare as a necessary evil. 

powers: healing! spears! light constructs! fuck you.

likes: sleeping, sweets, and sightseeing. dislikes: fighting, humanity, and doorways. 

songs: i don’t feel like thinking of any for her rn

[cilis-readings]

Hi can I play the deity game if it's still open?

My favorite color is green, and I'm open to any pantheon but esp Greek. Thank you for doing these btw

hello! here’s what i got for you

decks used: tarot of the divine by yoshi yoshitani and the wisdom of avalon oracle by colette baron reid

cards pulled: the sun and the high priestess

okay so the sun immediately turned out to be apollo! he’s always very eager when he shows up in readings for me but he is the greek god of the sun, truth, prophecy, healing, and more!

the high priestess card coming out just made this all the more obvious that it was apollo because one of the key words on the card is prophecy! that along with discernment, prescience, and vision feels like apollo wants you to be open to understanding the spiritual world around you and the presence of supernatural beings!