#chthonian camp

[yonemurishiroku]

You know. I really fancy the idea of a Chthonian Camp but instead of a Camp it’s more like. a mansion.

Not necessarily luxury, per se, just. decent housing for multiple people. And i mean modern houses.

C.Half-Blood is, yes, the summer camp. C.Jupiter is a military training ground. And the Chthonian Camp is just straight-up a mansion. villa. apartment complex. I don’t know kahdkwhdja—— in the middle of no where just because Nico said ‘fuck it’ and went all out.

And who said it’s not allowed anyway? His father is rich. It’s possible. As long as the internet is out, what’s harm in not sticking to your ancient (wkhdajhs) Greek style anyway? If Sally’s apartment can have special shields to protect it, Hades can damn well offer the same thing to Nico.

Yeah maybe the TVs and Internet would still be out of the question but I can take a functional heating system and a jacuzzi bath anytime. A decent kitchen for the kids to go all out bc I’m pretty sure the nymphs aren’t available. And the last time I checked, the Underworld has its own internet btw Nico texts all the time omfg

They’re chthonic children. They’re forsaken. If they’re forced to build a life on their own, they can choose whatever they want. And Hades’ rich. Who cares——

[gutsybitsies]

Based on this post about a separate camp for Chthonian demigods

Jason mumbled to himself the words of the prophecy that led to him and Katie Gardner following Connor Stoll deeper and deeper into the woods. Piper and Leo were back at camp, waiting for them to come back from this pre-quest to begin their actual quest.

"Don't freak out when we get there," Connor told her and Jason. "It will just make them want to scare you more." He looked excited though, almost bouncing off the walls despite the heaviness of the two prophecies they had received. The backpack that he carried held cartons and cartons of box mix brownies, blondies, and lemon squares. Lou Ellen's favorite, Katie Gardner said through tears as she stuffed them in.

"So all we need to do is to ask for forgiveness?" Jason asked. "And this Nico, you're sure he will do that?"

"It wasn't our choice," Jason remembered their explanation before they left. "The gods, they refused to listen to us. After Nico and the the demigods who rebelled came back from the quest, their siblings and the rest of the Underworld demigods were cast away from the camp. We begged our parents for them to be able to stay, but the borders were closed, and they were shut off from Camp Halfblood since then."

"Nico is all talk and no bite," Connor said. "It's not him I'm worried about. It's getting to his council that I'm worried about." He made a surprise left turn and jumped over some hedges. "I can feel the pull of their council more and more these days. It means that they've erected a shrine in my father's name recently. They're settling down."

"Demeter as well," Katie said. "I feel her influence."

They came to a clearing in the woods, Jason looked around for an entrance to this other demigod "hideaway" that the rest of the campers talked about.

"It's not here, this is a red herring." Connor said. He closed his eyes and sensed the path underneath their feet. "That way."

They walked into the woods for an hour more, there were strangely no monsters around.

Connor stopped and lifted his finger up to his lips, he pointed at a somber poplar tree on the side of the road. He closed his eyes again and felt the mist around him, and he sensed for the tug of the destination he had in his mind.

"I am Connor Stoll, son of Hermes, god of travelers, merchants, messengers. Son of Hermes, psychopomp of the Underworld, the guide that leads souls from the plane of living to the plane of the dead. And I request an audience with the Ghost King."

"We brought you guys cookies and brownies!" Katie supplied helpfully. "And cereal as well."

The tree shook, and slowly wilted away. The Mist around the area faded as well, and Jason was treated to the sight of a huge, ghastly solid black iron gate. It was ghastly because on the door hung rows of the heads of very much dead monsters. Their jaws were slack in death, but their eyes betrayed horror of a violent end.

The gates creaked open, and the three of them walked in gingerly.

"I'm glad they're able to-to stay safe," Katie remarked.

"You won't stay safe, not for long!" Suddenly arrows fired at them. Jason blasted the projectiles away with a gust of wind, but the distraction was enough. A net blew up from under them and caught the three of them in a trap. Teenagers and children rushed in to surround them, leading the charge was Ethan Nakamura, his one eye squinting in triumph at the capture.

"Good job, everyone." He said. "Now where should we put them?"

A skinny kid with way too many freckles in an oversized armor raised his arm. "We should put them in a jar and throw them to the fishes!"

"No," another one glared at Connor Stoll. "We should just let them rot in that cage with no food or water."

"Is this because I spiked your food with ghost pepper one time?" Connor asked. "Because it tasted delicious either way."

"Also because you stabbed me during the war," the kid said. "But mostly because of the ghost pepper, yes. Fuck your hazing!"

"Language!" gasped Katie.

"Hi Katie, hi Connor!" Lou Ellen popped in from behind Ethan Nakamura. "It's so nice to see you again! I got your care package from my dad, everyone loved it."

Jason could see that Lou Ellen looked really happy to see the two campers next to him. Along with her, some of their other ambushers smiled and waved at both Connor and Katie. She had an ugly scar that ran from under her chin down to her collarbones. She smiled brightly at them nonetheless.

"You mentioned brownies, right?" Another kid said. "I want brownies. Ethan, if we let them out the cage we get brownies, don't we?"

"We are not letting INTRUDERS into our camp for brownies," the apparent leader, Ethan, said.

Five minutes later, Jason finds his arms tied up as he trots down a beaten path to this camp's version of the Big House while their guards on either side munch down on the Betty Crocker brownies that Katie had brought.

There were shrines in this camp. Many, many shrines. Many more than the ones in Camp Halfblood. Off in the distance Jason could see and hear construction of some cabins being built. The builders shimmered, some looked like stone, some looked like...bones.

The three of them were marched toward the entrance of a cave, blocked by a boulder. Ethan marched through like it was nothing, it turned out to be just an illusion. Another Mist creation. Katie and Lou Ellen were quietly conversing, as was Connor and a sandy blond boy who had similar dimples.

They were led down the cavern. Torches lit up as they walked past as if they were motion sensitive. The dark, somberness of it pushed down on Jason, who felt constricted and hard to breathe. Connor and Katie looked fine however, something about their essence seemed to shift when they walked into the camp and down underground.

There were symbols etched on the cavern walls, mysterious Greek glyphs that Jason couldn't read. They passed by a mosaic of poplar trees and a wailing woman beside a river. Mosaics of courts of law, judgement, swords, battlefields. Punishment.

Eventually they made their way into a large clearing in the cave. It became warm, and the decor changed. It was a round room. There were tall Greek columns around a beautiful indoor veranda. On the outskirts of the room were a bunch of sofas, ping pong tables, two TVs, and an array of video games scattered across the floor.

"You guys have a flatscreen?? Two of them??" Connor said excitedly.

"And the latest Super Mario," the kid Jason assumed was his brother grinned. "And we have a computer room! With a bunch of apple laptops! And look at this." He holds up a pager. "We can use pagers here." It was at this moment that Jason noticed that this kid had two fingers missing on his left hand.

Jason noticed that it seemed like all of the members of this place had some sort of physical sign, a mark. A punishment, a warning, his mind supplied. He felt sick at the thought.

"Enough talk. We convene," Ethan said. "Bring them to the room."

The room was connected to the activities center. It was a rectangular space, supported by columns, with a hearth in the center. It felt like a throne room, accentuated by a large gloomy throne at the head. The jagged throne was made from melted swords, knives, arrows, and other presumably Greek weapons that Jason couldn't recognize. It was empty, it was looked to be the only chair there. Looked to be, Jason realized as the other campers convened and sat on seats of their own that materialized as they made themselves comfortable, was a made assumption to make in this place.

The throne was still empty, but Ethan and a stringy looking brunet with freckles took their place next to it.

The air shifted again from the warm hominess of the activities room. This place felt more potent in magic than Camp Halfblood. There was more intent, more pressure. The kids in the room gazed at them with heavy eyes.

"So what brings visitors of Camp Half Blood here?" The skinny brunet asked. "Are we to embark on another quest to be punished for our crimes, or to prove our loyalty? Is this camp too blasphemous?"

"It's good news, Alabaster, I promise!" Katie said. "Where's Nico?"

"He is not here at the moment. We will inform him when he is ready to hear from you," the teenager, Alabaster, said. "We make the decisions here as a council."

"Nico can veto, though," A sleepy looking boy supplied helpfully. "He vetoed Alabaster's last vote to burn down Camp Halfblood. He also vetoed the chocolate fountain in the agora."

"Shut. Up," hissed Alabaster. Maybe he was mad because he really wanted the chocolate fountain, Jason thought halfheartedly.

"Did you not call Nico?" Someone asked, her seat was emblazoned with the symbol of Thanatos.

"We're not calling him until we know what they want," Alabaster argued. "That's what they want. We can't give them what they want yet!"

Jason glanced at Connor, who was about to speak.

"Katie's right. It's good news. Well, also bad news. More bad new than good news. We've lost contact with the gods, and Annabeth is missing."

"Nico's little crush," said Ethan. "That's why you wanted him here, because he'll do anything to help find Annabeth."

Alabaster looked like he was about to say something, then stopped.

Katie and Connor both looked surprised, but moved forward.

"We don't need you guys to do anything, I-I would hate to request anything from any of you, I'm so glad to see that you are all doing great." Katie said. "Jason here will be going on a quest soon, we think it's related to Annabeth's disappearance and the gods' lack of contact. But the oracle sent us here first."

Connor stood up straight and spoke the prophecy that poured out of Rachel's mouth.

"Before the quest proper, bring the Betty Crocker.

Seek the angel and ask for his blessing and pardon,

Confront the Olympians' choice with might,

Right their wrongs and restore balance and light.

As a family we began,

As a family we shall end."

"I think the oracle is saying that the Fates-they're saying that you can come home. That you can come back to Camp Halfblood now," Katie said. "The gods- the Olympians were wrong. We've always known that, but now we can make amends."

"You weren't there, when this happened," snarled Alabaster as he ripped away his shirt to show a ugly, piercing burn that covered half his torso. "When our parents are dishonored. When our siblings, our family, our brothers and sisters in arms, were refused proper burial at that Camp of yours. When I had to drag Luke's body away from the border of the camp because that king ASSHOLE decided he wanted no rites, no rest, no HONOR, for him! For any of us!"

"I'm sorry that I was busy burying my own sisters and brothers! Busy burying Percy Jackson who stayed dead for you! For this!" Katie snapped back.

"Hey, hey let's calm down," Connor said. "You know that we fought for the people in this room. Katie and I, the rest of the head counselors. You know that. You know what happened."

The room quieted. Jason apparently was the only one who didn't know what happened when Katie and Connor fought for the campers here, but he wasn't about to ruin to somber atmosphere.

Suddenly the light dimmed, the torches in the chamber flickered. The throne of swords seemed to glow with inky darkness.

Shadows moved around the room, they didn't obey the laws of physics. They curled around Jason's feet as if they had physical form. The temperature dropped lower, and lower, until he could see a figure forming out of the darkness on the throne.

Two gloved hands gripped the sides of the throne as the figure leaned forward slightly. His face, Jason could see flickers of it now in the whimpering torchlight, seemed to glower without glaring at them. He was gaunt, with a sickly pale sheen to his cheeks. His eyes stared deep into Jason's soul. Power emanated from his small form, even as he himself was almost drowning in an oversized aviator jacket. Jason didn't fear a lot of things, but he felt fear then.

"I smell the blood of Zeus," he said quietly, his dark, handsome and mysterious eyes still boring into Jason's soul, pinning him to his station. "Connor, Katie, why have you brought the scion of Olympus to this camp, to this safe haven for us outcasts?"

Lights flashed again, but this time it's the sudden glint of weapons appearing in the hands of the all the demigods that surrounded them. The room glinted of celestial bronze and- and Alabaster holding an Imperial Gold sword in the direction of Jason's neck.

"Hold your horses," Nico raised a hand, and most the weapons that were drawn lowered. "I said, hold your horses."

Alabaster and Ethan reluctantly stood down and lowered their swords.

"Now, what did you say happened?"

_____________________________________________________________

"Jason must go on a quest, but we need your blessing, and your forgiveness," explained Connor. "That's why we're here, this is a sort of pre-quest."

Nico was silent, before speaking in a somber tone. "There's nothing to forgive. Not from me." He glanced at Clovis. "I volunteered to lead our past quest and exile. Ethan and the rest of the followers of Kronos had to pay their toll for their peace right now. That is balance. But there are others who didn't deserve it at all."

"Ask for their forgiveness, and I will give you mine," Nico paused, then stood up from his throne. The shadows fell from him as he stepped into the light.

He was shorter than Jason expected, especially for someone who legitimately scared him a lot. His cheeks have an olive undertone now, in the torchlight. He made his way in front of Jason, staring down at him.

"But my blessing is freely given." Nico looked unsure for a moment, as if to say how does a child of the king of death give blessings? He awkwardly placed two hands Jason's shoulders and bent down to give him a light kiss on the forehead. "I bless you, go forth on your quest with the blessing of Nico di Angelo, however helpful this might be."

He looked up to the council that convened, and out into the room where the rest of the camp waited to hear what was going on.

"I think we should have lunch. And maybe Connor and Katie can have some conversations."

Lunch was a crowded affair again. This camp had a similar setup to Camp Halfblood. Each parent god had a table of their own, but Jason saw that the campers here freely mingled during lunchtime with each other. Katie and Conner were surrounded by a bunch of campers, happily speaking with each other. Some of them were crying and jumping with joy at the prospect of being "able to go home." Others looked unsure and suspicious.

As lunch ended, Jason saw groups of them go up to Nico to have a short talk. All Nico did was nod and listen, occasionally glancing at Connor and Katie.

As the invisible nymphs (they had invisible nymphs here as well, but nymphs from the Underworld), swept away the plates, Jason saw Connor and Katie head towards Nico for a talk. They gestured for him to stay put.

Eventually, after a long talk, the three of them came back. Katie and Connor made a beeline to the group that was waiting for them, Katie threw her arms around one of the girls and started sobbing. The girl began sobbing as well, and soon all those campers were crying.

"You shouldn't be here."

Jason jumped. Nico had materialized behind him.

"I-I'm glad I'm here. It was nice to see other demigods," Jason said. "I heard so much about you guys from Camp Halfblood."

"All bad things, I'm guessing."

Jason admits he did hear the word "traitors" being thrown around. But not just that. "They miss you guys. A lot."

"Lou Ellen and Clovis and the rest of them miss Camp Halfblood, too." Nico said.

"Were you..."

"No. I fought on the side of the Olympians. So did Lou Ellen, so did Clovis, Damien, they all fought for your father and the safety of Olympus. They were spared the quest, but they couldn't go back. At least we have this place," Nico said. "Here, it's hard for the Olympian gods to reach us, it's dedicated to the Chthonian Pantheon instead. For the ones who never got recognition. To bring balance back."

"Even you were banished? But aren't you the son of Hades?"

"I-" Nico's somber face hardened with grief. "I need to protect this place. Too much has been sacrificed for this, for peace and balance."

"I think you're doing a great job, by the way," Jason said. "Just so you know."

Nico looked surprised. "Oh, thanks."

"The way you commanded them to stand down was impressive, I thought I was about to be kebab," Jason joked.

"Half my job now is just to keep Alabaster from trying to burn down Camp Halfblood," Nico said with a tight grin. "And from installing a chocolate fountain in the agora."

"Maybe he has a point. Why not a chocolate fountain? People can have chocolate dipped food anytime with that."

"Jason, your name's Jason right?" A little color comes back to Nico's face as he whirls on Jason, more animated than he's ever been in the short time that Jason has seen him. "You know how you get ants? That's how you get ants!!!"

"Not if we enchant it!!!!!!!!" Alabaster's voice is heard from across the clearing.

The three of them were about to leave, after having given away all the Betty Crocker desserts to the ravenous demigods of this camp, but Nico stopped them.

"Jason's quest sounds urgent. Let me shadow travel you back to Camp Halfblood," He looked at some of the other campers. "Is there anyone else who'd like to come with?"

Lou Ellen jumped out immediately, and two other kids as well.

Before Jason could ask what shadow travelling was, his hands were grabbed on either side by Connor and Katie, and experienced one of the most sickening and nauseating experience of his life. When they reappeared underneath the shade of a tree (not Thalia's tree) in front of Camp Halfblood, he almost fell to the ground puking. Instead, he stood up while puking.

There was a pregnant silence, with the Chthonian campers afraid to make the first move past the boundaries of Thalia's tree.

"The last time I tried," Lou Ellen said, "I got this." She pointed at her scar.

A tall demigod put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, then marched straight through the border, and beyond. He disappeared, but the rest of the campers gasped and rushed in after him.

Nico stayed behind. He had a quiet smile on his face as Lou Ellen popped her head out of the boundary and yelled "I'M BACKKKKK!!!"

"I forgive you," he said. "A wrong has been righted."

"You should join us for campfire sing a longs tonight," said Connor. "We can have a party!"

"No, I'm going to make a few more trips to bring some other people back," Nico said. "I'll be staying at my camp. Good luck though," he nodded to Jason before melting into the darkness.

"See, what did I tell you? All bark and no bite," Connor said, smiling as he jogged back in camp. "Come on, let's get you prepared for your quest!"

Jason followed behind, with the vision of the other camp, and Nico as well, haunting him. Not in a bad way though. All bark and no bite.

[gutsybitsies]

WORDS CANNOT EXPRESS HOW AMAZED AND HAPPY I AM BUT IT IS LATE FOR ME AND I AM TRYING NOT TO SCREAM IN REAL LIFE

A scene from @gutsybitsies fanfic “Tia famiglia, Mia famiglia” where-in Alabaster wants to install a chocolate fountain in the agora and Jason was being supportive of his dreams…Nico, not so much. This made me laugh way too much!

HTTPS://archiveofourown.org/works/45183892

[drksanctuary]

More Chthonian AU sketchies!!

Cthonian Jasico~~

And Al being a lil shit bc he’s jealous of Jason.

Al saves Jason, after a time period of Al being bitchy to him for a reason Jason doesn’t understand:

Jason: you…you just saved my life

Alabaster: ugh, yes. My mistake

Jason: thank you

Al: um…I suppose I could say your welcome but, but that might give off the impression that-

Jason: *puts a hand on Al’s shoulder and with a voice so genuine it makes Al wanna cringe* really, I’m very grateful

Al: /….shit he’s so….nice ;:/ no wonder nico likes him… / you’re welcome *also genuine*

I like this AU a normal amount ok

@gutsybitsies ‘s Chthonian Camp Au

[alatismeni-theitsa]

The Children of Hades and Persephone

I received an ask about this so I thought I might concentrate some sources on a post here. Thanks to @coloricioso who guided me on this (and has done extensive research on the matter)!

Here is a big post from @coloricioso (Link) It is a post on Melinoe that is private for now (I think) so I will quote:

The first we must say is that Melinoe is an obsecure figure and the Orphic Hymn 71 is the sole literary testimony of her existence and the only other appearance of her name is found inscribed on a magical device (Athanassakis and Wolkow, The Orphic Hymns, 195). The magical device is a tablet where she is called along with other chthonic deities like Persephone and Hecate.

There are some sources on her which I have no access to:  Études sur les Hymnes OrphiquesBy Anne-France Morand; Pauly-Wissowa Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft XV, 1978, pages 133-134.

Despite some people want to argue that Melinoe is Hades and Persephone’s daughter I don’t think we can agree on that, and even if we wanted to believe that, the Hymn 71 is not the best source to state Hades’ paternity.

I call upon Melinoe, safron-cloacked nymph of the earth, to whom august Persephone gave birth by the mouth of the Kokytos, upon the sacred bed of Kronian Zeus. He lied to Plouton and through treachery mated with Persepone, whose skin when she was pregnant he mangled in anger. (Athanassakis, 1977 edition)

I call upon Melinoe, saffron-cloacked nymph of the earth, whom revered Persephone bore by the mouth of the Kokytos river upon the sacred bed of Kronian Zeus. In the guise of Plouton Zeus tricked Persephone and through wily plots bedded her; a two-bodied specter sprang forth from Persephone’s fury. –> no skin tearing mention. (Athanassakis, 2013)

Invoco a Melínoe, doncella infernal de azafranado peplo, a la que dio a luz, en la desembocadura del Cocito, la venerable Perséfone en el sagrado lecho del crónida Zeus. Engañó éste a Plutón y se unió a ella con perfidia falaz y en su furor desgarró la piel de dos colores de Perséfone, que empuja a los mortales a la locura con sus fantasmas aéreos... –> He tricked Plouton and mated Persephone and in his rage he teared Persephone’s double colored skin. (Miguel Periago Lorente, 1987, Editorial Gredos). (comment from this version translator: “this verse is not clear, specially when it comes to the double skin color (disomaton, literally double body).. GESNER says it’s due her realtion with both divinities. For one part, with Plouton, her abductor, gives her black color; for other, Zeus, her own father, givves her white color. About the skin tearing we must think it’s due erotic rage of the father with the daughter (…) Some wrongly assume that Melinoe is Hades and Persephone’s daughter.”.

And I was told by my Greek friends that the Greek texts they found,say it’s Zeus who tears Persephone’s flesh.

So… we have rape by trickery and skin tearing; we really don’t want to use Orphic Hymn 71 as a source to try to claim Hades’ paternity, not at all.

If we say “well, Zeus Kronion is Hades and not Zeus”, the Hymn would make no sense by speaking of tricks and everything if Hades was Persephone’s legitimate husband anyway. Some say “why didn’t Zeus just rape the unwilling Persephone and period? why bothering into changing himself into Hades’ shape?”, remember that most of the times Zeus and other gods use seduction instead of raping by force (see LEFKKOWITZ book on this) Just as Zeus changed himself into rain, snakes, swans,*** etc., turning himself into Hades would make the union easier because he could charm and seduce Persephone in that way (and here we coud speculate that Persephone would be willing to have sex if Hades came in because she loved him, and not only slept with him to fulfill wife’s duties or whatever).

(btw, someone in Tumblr said it’s Hades who tears Persephone’s skin out of anger-jealousy of her pregnancy; but I fail to see what source they used to state such thing; from the translations I have read, I understand it’s Zeus the one who does that).

Anyway, if anyone has more information on this Melinoe topic I would be super thankful! ***edit: as a-gnosis said, to deceive Alcmena Zeus changed himself into her husband shape!

______________________________________________________________

Here is another post from @coloricioso with @a-gnosis adding on the matter (Link). I will quote it as well in case it dissapears in the future:

Two things I’m a bit tired of reading around here in Tumblr and why:

1) “Hades was an infertile god because he was the god of death” : Hades is the god who RULES on the world of dead, and here, again, if you didn’t get it already….. HADES IS NOT DEATH. HADES IS NOT THE PERSONIFICATION OF DEATH. NO, no, and NOOOoO.  THANATOS = DEATH. Okay… Hades is the son of Cronus just like Zeus, Demeter and the other gods who were fertile. And Hades was not born as “the king of the dead realm” so is not possible that he was “infertile by nature” associated to his ruler role. The only logic that I could follow is that after living for aeons in a land that is portrayed as sterile (dark, sunless, full of shadows as Homer portrays it in the Odyssey and the Iliad) his body lost the hability to generate any offspring or something similar. But we also have the portrayal of Hades as a god of wealth, richness and fertility, so the “infertile god” imagery is not necessarily a “canon”.

2) “Hades and Persephone had cute children!!”: NO. No. and NO. Get over it, they did not. And here is something for you:

Zagreus: is the child of Persephone and ZEUS in orphic tradition.

Melinoe: is the child of Persephone and ZEUS again in orphic tradition.

And NO, none of the above is “oh but maybe they refer to Hades bcz Hades was called Zeus Chthonion” because in first myth we have Hera’s jealousy on Zagreus -and seriously, why would that happen if it was Hades’ child- and in second myth it is clearly stated that Zeus took Plouton(Hades)’s semblance to trick Persephone. So. no.

Makaria: the only source on her is the Suda Lexicon, that is an encyclopedic lexicon (a dictionary-encyclopedia thing). Makaria’s meaning is “blessedness”. What the Suda Lexicon tell us is this: [A way of referring to] death. [Makaria was] a daughter of Hades. And [there is] a proverb: “be gone into blessedness”, meaning into misery and utter destruction. Or “begone into blessedness” [is said] by euphemism. Since even the dead are called blessed ones. [Makaria was] also a daughter of Herakles, whom the Athenians buried with very expensive funeral rites when she had died on their behalf.[1]

It doesn’t say she was a daughter of “Hades and Persephone” together, it only says of Hades. And since Hades can be used to refer not only to the god, but also his realm, it is most than likely that as a personifcation of death, she is someone who belongs to the Underworld as Thanatos, Hypnos, Erinyes and other chthonian deities.

The Erinyes: the orphic hymns (69, To the Furies) say they are daughters of Zeus Khthonios and Persephone (Holy and pure, from Jove terrestrial [Zeus Khthonios] born and Proserpine [Phersephone], whom lovely locks adorn). This is orphic tradition, because the Erinyes are either Gaia’s or Nyx’ offspring according to “classic” sources (as Hesiod). We could also suppose that despite the “born”, Hades and Persephone are the parents of the Erinyes because they ruled on them and whenever someone wanted to curse and invoked, they had to ask it to Hades and Persephone.

The other source mentioned is Statius’s Thebaid that never says “Hades and Persephone”, neither says “Hades”. Also remember he is a roman poet, so is not greek ancient source. Thebaid, XII, 557:  Of their race and famous sires I speak not; they were men, renowned Theseus, and of the seed of men, born to the selfsame stars to the same human lot, the same food and drink as ye are; yet Creon denies them fire, and like the father of the Furies or the ferryman of Lethe’s stream debars them from the Stygian gate and keeps them hovering doubtfully between the worlds of heaven and hell.

SO…. THE CONCLUSION: if you are making Hades-Persephone fan art/fan fiction and you want to get inspired, sure, you can imagine that Macaria and Melinoe are Hades-Persephone’s little cute babies or whatever. But do not state or assume that Hades and Persephone were portrayed and worshipped by ancient greek/roman people as a couple that had tons of little babies because it did not happen. :) thank you.  

a-gnosis adds:

I agree. I don’t mind at all when people interpret Zagreus, Melinoe and Makaria as children of Hades and Persephone, but it gets a bit annoying when people believe it’s canon.

There is only one ancient source I know of which seems to suggest that Zagreus was Hades’ son. A fragment from Sisyphus, a lost play by Aeschylus: “Now [I came] to bid farewell to Zagreus and to his sire, the hospitaler.” (source: theoi.com) But since it’s only a fragment it’s hard to say anything for sure.

About Zagreus’ identification with Dionysos in the Orphic tradition… I’ve been reading Ritual Texts for the Afterlife: Orpheus and the Bacchic Gold Tablets by Fritz Graf and Sarah Iles Johnston, and they believe that this myth and cult was created in the early fifth or late sixth century BCE, inspired by the mystery cult at Eleusis. Dionysos’ role in the Orphic cult was to be a mediator between the world of the living and the world of the dead. Therefor he could not be the son of BOTH Hades and Persephone, because that would have made his link to the Underworld too strong:  "It would have jarred with other aspects of his mythic and cultic persona and diminished his appropiateness as a mediator between the two worlds, the very role that the new cult demanded from him. He needed a foot in each camp, and Zeus’ paternity ensured him of this".

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coloricioso also told me that Zagreus is son of Zeus and Persephone. Makaria is only named in the Suda Lexicon and it only says "a daughter of Haides".

So the only deities who could be "daughters" to HxP are the Erinyes. Not Makaria-Melinoe-Zagreus as is repeated on Tumblr. Makaria = Hades (1 source only) Melinoe = Persephone x Zeus (1 source only) Zagreus = Persephone x Zeus (orphic cosmology, not panhellenic cult)

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I really appreciate coloricioso and a-gnosis and that’s why I wanted to keep their text on my own post. In case they leave Tumblr or delete the posts I would still like to have those sources somewhere in an archive. I hope that’s ok!

[yonemurishiroku]

I vote the snakes. I like snakes.

Also. If I may suggest: All of these creatures are extremely friendly with the underworld children but would bite everyone else’s head off if they so much as set one unallowed foot in the camp. You would not want a spider on your face.

And flowers. Persephone would be very displeased if there’s nothing to honor the Queen. I vote asphodels. Asphodels are actually the underworld’s flower btw like. i think i read somewhere about the shining flowers that lead you to afterlife or st like that.

And do you know that there’re mushrooms that glow in the dark? Bc they do. It’s called ‘bioluminescent’ or some sort. Absolutely stunning.

Imagine the Chthonic Camp has this. entire hallway decorated with glowing mushrooms and tall, beautiful asphodels. Yes some are toxic. But who cares. Imma jump into it so fast yall would have whiplash.

So at the Cthonic Camp place can we agree that there are plants and animals everywhere?

Not like, daisies or tulips or anything like that, but all kinds of mushrooms and lichen growing over the walls. Pitcher plants and Venus fly traps growing through cracks in the sidewalk. Sundew plants growing in windowsills

Spiders and beetles and scavenger butterflies and flies and dragonflies and moths! Foxes and vultures and ravens and raccoons roaming all over the place. Massive black rams grazing in the fields. Owls and bats making their homes on cabin roofs. Jackals and hyenas cuddling with the demigods

Worms and snakes everywhere! And maggots crawling around certain areas (that are quickly avoided by most campers)

I just really like the idea of the ‘death camp’ being full of life that intermingles with death

[stygian-omadas-epic-chronicles]

Death Doesn’t Bargain (Deadman’s Cross #2) extended excerpt

Kalder was stunned by Thorn’s unexpected confession. How could the demon bastard have set him free into the world again, if he really knew who and what Kalder was? What he was capable of doing? It made no sense. . “You knew?” Savitar accused.             “Of course, I knew.” Thorn was indignant. “I’m not stupid. I leave that precarious state up to you, surf-for-brains.” Savitar sent a blast of fire straight at Thorn. Thorn returned it in full measure. “Don’t you even start with me, Chthonian. Or I’ll wedge your surfboard sideways into a piece of your anatomy you won’t ever forget.” “You traitorous bastard!” That sobered Thorn who stalked Savitar like a savage predator after the beast who’d wounded it. Rage bled out from every part of his body. “How dare you of all creatures accuse me of that!” Now it was Savitar’s turn to be indignant. “I beg your pardon?” “Beg all you want, but you won’t get it. And you heard me. As if your hands are any cleaner in this fight than mine, or that you’d be any less likely to switch sides. If you ever think for one heartbeat that I’d shift loyalties to my father, then you’d best think again, and remember that the day I do, I’d kill my son and wife in the process. So fuck you, Chthonian! And your suspicions! You can take them both and shove them up your ass and down your throat! My ties to the right side of this fight are a whole lot stronger than yours will ever be!” “Wife?” The captain gaped. Thorn froze instantly. Then took a step back as if suddenly remembering that he and Savitar weren’t the only two on the island. His features paled as he glanced about, and he became acutely aware of just how many had borne witness to his slip of the tongue.     Savitar gave him an evil smirk. “Yes, punkin’ we all heard what you said. Want to keep going? What other interesting tidbits are you planning to let out in the midst of your verbal spewage?” Thorn narrowed his gaze. “Careful, punkin’, you know what they say about those who live in glass houses.” “They get a lot of sunshine?” Thorn sneered at his sarcasm. “I was thinking they get covered in a lot of bug shit, myself. But tomato, tamahto.” Savitar twisted his jaw in a way that said he was barely restraining the urge to punch him. “You really make it hard not to gut you some days.” “Ditto.” “Well, I should have known . . .” Cameron gaped as a man appeared next to her and Kalder who was equal in height to Savitar. Which was to say, he was gigantic. Only instead of muscular, he was lean, yet every bit as lethal and powerful. There was no mistaking his power that said he could easily match the rest of them. And then some. The only difference was that he had exceptionally long black hair and eyes of mercury silver that swirled like the sea during a storm. Aged eyes that said he’d seen more than his fair share of trouble and misery. And he wore a plain black woolen coat more akin to the captain’s than an ornate one that was favored by Thorn, Bart or Will. At his approach, Thorn and Savitar stepped apart like two errant children who’d been caught squabbling by their parents, and wanted to hide their misbehavior before a grand spanking ensued. “He started it.” Savitar jerked his chin at Thorn. “Acheron!” Janice shouted in happiness. “Get me away from these idiots!” Cameron’s eyes widened as she realized that this was the mysterious Acheron Parthenopaeus who led the Dark-Hunters— the group of warriors charged with protecting mankind from the Daimons who preyed on them and their souls. Unlike Thorn’s Hellchasers who sent demons back to their dimensions after they escaped or broke whatever rule had allowed them a temporary reprieve, or the Necrodemians such as her brother who killed the dark demons who refused to go, or were too dangerous to be corralled without risking danger to the world or to humanity. Pausing in front of Savitar, Acheron arched a quizzical brow. “Question. Who locked my Huntress in a cave?” Kalder raised his hand. “That would me, but she’s free to leave at any time. I only did it to protect her from the sunlight.” “Then I won’t kill you.” Acheron made a sharp turn back toward Savitar and Thorn. “And you two idiots. . . . Seriously? We have a major demon infestation, buckling gates, and a Malachai on the loose, and you two are fighting like infants right in the middle of it all?” With a perturbed sneer, Savitar crossed his arms over his chest. “You know, you’re not so old, or so big, that I can’t spank you.” Sancha raised her hand to volunteer. “Might I have the honor of it? Or I could hold him down if you’d like. If he struggles, all the better, I say.” Acheron scoffed at her offer. “Careful, love. My bite is much worse than my bark.” She flashed an inviting grin. “Counting on that, love. Definitely, counting on that.” She gave him an inviting wink.

Now it was Thorn’s turn to smirk. “What can I say, old Ack? They were damned for a reason. And some, more so than others.”

Acheron shook his head. “Makes me glad I just have to wrangle Dark-Hunters. And a few stray Dream-Hunters and Weres.” “And I have to wrangle morons.” Savitar gestured at Thorn. “With the Lord King of them all standing right there in front of us. So I dare you to ask him about (parts removed for SPOILERS ). Go ahead. I dare you.” Acheron went still for about a heartbeat and a half. His eyes rippled red as his black hair fanned out. Yet unlike Savitar, he didn’t react. Instead, he pressed one finger to his temple as if suppressing a migraine. “Thorn . . . tell me you had a good reason for what you did.” (parts removed for SPOILERS ) Sadly, I miscalculated how long it’d take me to get to him, and Vine’s resourcefulness (parts removed for SPOILERS ) For that, I apologize.” Thorn cleared his throat pointedly. “To you, Ash. Not to surf-bum.” Thorn sighed heavily. “Hindsight, stupid plan. But given that I was in battle at the time, with Michael and Gabriel breathing down my throat and all manner of hell breaking loose, it was the best I could come up with.” Savitar finally calmed down. “Why didn’t you say that earlier?” “You didn’t give me a chance, psycho-douche.” Acheron held his hand up. “Enough, children! With Adarian running loose in the Caribbean, we have enough problems without you two going at each other. Now play nicely, or I’m feeding you both to she who won’t be named.” Thorn rolled his eyes, then turned to curse at Kalder. “Of all the islands in all the worlds. You had to land on this one? Really?” Kalder shrugged. “I’ve always had bad aim.” Zumari laughed at that. Unlike him, the Maasai warrior was renowned for his skills at throwing knives and spears. “No lie to that. You should see him at a spear toss.” Growling low in the back of his throat, Thorn faced Mara and Devyl. “How long will it take for you to make a new ship?” Mara bit her lip as she considered it. “From scratch? Months. But I could bond with one quickly.” Her amber eyes danced with amusement. “You wouldn’t happen to have a spare one just lying about, would you?” They all turned toward Acheron. At first he appeared irritated by the fact that they deferred to him, but with a sigh, he resigned himself to it. “Frigate or sloop?” he asked the captain. Devyl grinned. “First-rate, man-o’-war. I’ve always been partial. Besides, me aeromages need the room to maneuver in battle. And me lady doesn’t like to be cramped.” Acheron nodded slowly. “All right. I’ll have one docked and ready by dusk.” He jerked his chin at Savitar. “Can you manage to be hospitable until then?” “I’d rather be disemboweled. Or better yet, disembowel them.” “Sav . . .” He sneered at Acheron. “Don’t give me no lip, twerp. How’d you come by that wonderful pirate coat you’re wearing again?” Acheron gave him a droll stare. “Moral of the story isn’t to draw first blood. It’s to draw last.” Savitar rolled his eyes. “Fine. But remember you owe me. And Thorn owes me twice.” “Me?” Thorn groused. “Why do I owe you?” “I didn’t eat your little Thornkateers when they showed up on my beach without an invitation.” Thorn sputtered in indignation. “Need I remind you that you personally recommended about half of them for my crew? Doesn’t that make them Saviteers?” “Or would that be saboteurs?” Belle asked with a wicked gleam in her eye. In complete synchronicity with one another, Savitar and Thorn turned their heads to glare at her. And with the same, exact grimace of disdain. An impressive feat, indeed. Bart laughed while William grimaced. “Do those two always argue like an old married couple?” “They do,” Acheron said with a sigh. “Be grateful, you’ve only had to listen to them for a few minutes. I’ve had this shite ringing in my ears for over ten thousand years.” Bart scratched at his beard. “And you’re still sane?” Acheron shrugged. “That’s a matter of opinion. Besides, sanity’s overrated.” “But silence isn’t. So let there be silence on my island. And peace, boys and girls. You can camp in the Omegrion chambers since I doubt the Were-Hunters will be visiting— and they better not be visiting ‘cause I can’t take any more creatures here today. There’s a reason I live in seclusion! Means I tend to eat anything that intrudes on it!” Savitar growled again. “Acheron, since he apparently has nothing better to do with his immortality than stick his skinny little nose in where it doesn’t belong, can show you where that is, then see about your ship so that you’ll be gone before I finish with my siesta. Thorn will watch you while you’re there, and make sure none of you piss on my rugs.” Thorn sputtered. “Excuse me?” “I tried to make an excuse for you once and this is what happened. I got stuck with you being a pain in my eternity. So be a good parent and mind your children while I nap. Keep them out of my underwear drawers and off my furniture for the duration of their stay.” And with that, Savitar vanished into thin air. Thorn ground his teeth. “Is it too late to summon an angry sea deity and sink this place?” Acheron gave him a cocky grin. “I can think of a vicious goddess of destruction who would love to help you out in that department. Especially since she’s not overly fond of him. However, there is one serious downside to releasing her.” Will cocked his head. “That is?” “End of the world,” the captain answered. “Hence the whole goddess of destruction moniker, lad. Goes with the territory.” “Mmm,” Acheron concurred. “Much like Sallie’s soul, once she comes out of her container, she’s a little hard to put back in it.” “Aye, but the last time she came out, she sank Atlantis.” Thorn glanced about the island. “This is considerably smaller than that. I’m thinking . . .” A bolt of lightning flew at his head. Thorn deflected it. “You missed me, Savitar.” A coconut hit him in the back so hard that it left him face down in the sand. “No, I didn’t.” The disembodied voice was plain and clearly Savitar’s. “I seriously hate you, Chthonian.”

[yonemurishiroku]

hiiii :D

i've been thinking of making that string of hc that you had about the chthonic camp au?? i kind of wanted to make a fic out of it w/ a friend of mine on quotev!!

i just wanted to ask if you had any other bits of information about that au that's important, and if you're okay with me making a fic out of it! tysm if you respond 💖

Omg of course a thousand times yes!!! 💖💖💖 it feels like an accomplishment to have enticed someone enough to pull them in the same hole as me, please make yourself at home!! 🥰🥰

Tbh there has been more versions of the chthonic camp AU than more than I can count and I honestly can’t tell which you’re referring to. I’m not ever sure I can remember them all. You can probably search for them in the tag #chthonian camp or #underworld camp or #camp underworld or #chthonic camp. 😅

I don’t quite see the importance of any particular detail bc tbh I’m just building it on the go, so feel free to extrapolate as you’d like I guess? 🤣🤣 I’ll surely like it all the same, and a surprise is nice too as well!!

Don’t forget to hit me up when you’re done! Would love to see what I have inspired!! 🥰🥰

[thomas-life]

A scene from @gutsybitsies fanfic “Tia famiglia, Mia famiglia” where-in Alabaster wants to install a chocolate fountain in the agora and Jason was being supportive of his dreams…Nico, not so much. This made me laugh way too much!

HTTPS://archiveofourown.org/works/45183892

[drksanctuary]

@aroaceleovaldez ngl I love how we are all kind of on the same wavelength with the chthonian camp/underworld camp concept. I’m not sure if its because your discord has the same people but its kinda similar to the tumblr string on this post:

my notifs recently got me thinking about the very random concept of "what if there is a second, secret CHB. directly below normal CHB." and i ended up brainstorming it in the discord.

context for how this originated: one was just a random notif on my post talking about the tunnels under the Hephaestus cabin, and the other was some tags from @drksanctuary on my fake readriordan article mentioning the idea of a chthonic demigod camp.

so. my brilliant (read: "smashing my 2 brain cells together") idea: the elaborate and seemingly infinite tunnels under cabin 9 are remnants of an abandoned underground CHB that exists directly underneath camp. It's basically just normal CHB except in a big cave system, probably connected to the labyrinth somewhere and has the separate tunnels, and instead of the Olympian cabins it has chthonic cabins. there's probably also some infernal nymphs and etc down there too. since all chthonic demigods can learn to shadow-travel they probably used that to get down there, and a lot of chthonic demigods probably have geokinesis just by nature, ergo the tunnels (for when they don't want to shadow-travel, or can't).

in brainstorming with the discord we decided it could be cool if some of the cabins lined up with the above-ground cabins, either for thematic purposes or associations or whatever. Like there's maybe a Hermes and maybe Poseidon cabin in the chthonic CHB too that just link to the above-ground ones, but also like Persephone cabin lines up to Demeter cabin because of course it does. and maybe Hecate cabin lines up to Cabin 8 cause Artemis is sometimes 1/3rd of Hecate. Maybe Angelos cabin is beneath Cabin 1, and Zagreus cabin is beneath Cabin 12. Things like that.

The other ones i thought of were either Hypnos or Thanatos cabin lines up with Apollo, because twins, and the other is just right beside it (because twins). And Charon's cabin is beneath Cabin 9, ergo why the tunnel system connects to it (because Charon. Ferryman. Surface access. It makes sense in my brain).

[yonemurishiroku]

We are missing the delicious Nicobaster angst that is the gods being displeased with the fact that Nico is making friends with Alabaster - an exiled, who’s supposed to be cut off from all kinds of support from the Camps.

They see Nico helping a traitor is an act of betrayal, too. It must be - why else would he help a former lieutenant of the Titan Army? To build a new Camp, no less? It’s a seed of a threat.

So what do they do?

Eliminate it before it blooms, of course.

[yonemurishiroku]

A chthonic camp with Alabaster as the leader is funny tho like. Should the day comes that the camp is revealed and people are growing concerned - i mean, "an underworld camp?? and the exiled?? old enemies???" - whereas Nico's just, "Ah, I know them"

and then it turns out that the leader is his boyfriend.

everyone's belike "Nico??? Since when??? And how???"

[yonemurishiroku]

We are talking about a Chthonian Camp as if the troglodytes didn’t just construct a civilization in the Underworld under Hades’ nose. With a council and all. The Lars could never.

[drksanctuary]

I think the original or at least the first idea was from @gutsybitsies chthonian camp au. But yes I am referring to @yonemurishiroku’s version bc nicobaster

But thank you for the input. I think we agree on most of them. I absolutely love Mother Nico that’s so sweet. Also so in character.

Give it to me (alright)

I haven't done rants n stuff for a while. Give me some (can be reblogs, can be asks, I don't care). Very passionate about Anti Lore Olympus and Nico (everything with nico. Can be ships, can be Nion, can be me analyzing the fuck out of NicoBaster, I don't give a shit)

[yonemurishiroku]

Have I ever told you about how I see Nico in the chthonian camp the same way Octavian is to Camp Jupiter? Because I do, btw.

As in, politically powerful with the clout to boost, but ultimately ineligible to make a decision because it's Alabaster's - the leader's - job.

And while he has the right and the influence to refute Alabaster, as it turns out, he cannot be the one to call the shots. Alabaster is a little infatuated with Nico tho so there's that

Furthermore, I suppose it would be even more thrilling if it was Nico who put Alabaster in as the leader. He built the camp. He gathered the chthonic demigods/legacies, but he didn't think he could be the leader so he promoted Alabaster instead, trusting him to not make the same mistake twice.

Nico is the camp's hero - the son of Hades, an unsung hero amongst Olympius' hounds. He supports and protects them, but it should be Alabaster who leads them.

Now, the question is what they would do in the unfortunate event that their ideas clash.

[drksanctuary]

So I…also wrote fanfic for @gutsybitsies chthonian camp fanfic hahah…fanfic-ception?

Nico bursts out of the shadows with a grunt, in his non-Stygian hand is the head of a chimera. He stumbles and falls to the floor with a cough and the head in his hand falls to the floor with a wet plop.

Alabaster and Ethan who have been sitting in the council room, spring into action. They help him up and get him to his chair. Alabaster takes off Nico’s shirt, his healing rune card at the ready as Ethan detaches the Stygian arm and begins inspecting it.

Alabaster places the healing card against Nico’s shoulder stump, watching as the blackened veins across his skin of his upper body retreat. The blackness had almost reached the elbow on Nico’s other arm. That’s the farthest Alabaster has ever seen them go.

Nico lets out a pained gasp and then grits his teeth.

“Almost” Alabaster says softly. Eyes hard with concentration as the last of the black disappears from Nico’s skin.

Nico lets out a final keening groan. And then leans forward, his elbow on his knee. When his breaths even out Ethan is the first to speak. “The mechanics are solid, nothing out of balance…except perhaps some of the extra weight it puts in comparison to your human arm”

Nico reaches out to take the arm back.

“But, you should probably keep it off for a bit” Ethan says

“But what if-“

“You let the absorption spill into you a little too much today, you should allow yourself to recover” Alabaster says, trying to keep the calm on his voice

“I’m fine”

“I know” Alabaster says “and I want you to stay that way”

“I-“

“The camp can’t afford to lose you too”

Nico looks into Alabasters eyes. They were usually filled with a reckless intensity that made Nico, in all his chaotic glory, seem like a calm, collected individual. But Al’s expression , although not less intense is serious. Ethan, at his side, wears a similar expression.

Nico knows he’s being unreasonable if Alabaster “Can we burn down Camp Half-Blood” Torrington is coming off as the sensible one.

“Fine” Nico surrenders, shaking his head “I’ll leave it off…for a little”

Alabasters expression softens ever so slightly and he holds Nico’s hand, stroking the skin of Nico’s knuckles lightly with his thumb. He seems like he wants to say something but he doesn’t.

Alabaster lets go of his hand. “Good, I’ll ah- go get you some elixir”

“Hey,” Nico says, “thank you…for looking after me”

Alabaster smiles at him.

“Both of you” Nico adds, looking at Ethan who responds with a nod.

Alabaster lets out a quiet but audible sigh, and heads out to get the elixir.

Nico assumes the sigh is for relief. He can understand that after all, when he knows all of the people he cares for are safe he can breathe easier, the weight lifted from his chest. That’s probably what Ethan and Al were feeling now. It’s nice, Nico thinks, to have people looking after him, to worry about his well being while not stifling his freedom. It’s his turn to sigh, with the adrenaline subsiding and Ethan and Al close by, he too is relieved. He relaxes back into his chair, a smile crossing his lips. He feels…safe.