#it’s about Odysseus being viewed as a wolf

[wolfatemybaby]

Only posting these on here because I want to redo their sheets sometime in the future

CW: OLD ART EWWWW

Eurylochus - 6'5

Odysseus - 5'5

Polites - 6'3

Ctimene - 5'6

Telemachus - 5'8

Penelope - 6'1

————— EURYLOCHUS ODYSSEUS POLITES —————

The EuryOdyPoli were designed by Saxon (TWINN!) I just added a few twists here and there.

I struggled a lot with Eurylochus' pose. It was originally going to be him unsheathing his sword from his back but it would’ve been out of place for only him to have a weapon. I much prefer this shy-ish pose anyways. Also the usual hand on hip was not working so he’s cunty w it.

Odysseus is a small man. He’s below everyone he faces in the musical in some way.

Polites has a sleeper build made for scouting. He absolutely abuses his natural strength for suffocating hugs.

—— Hair headcanons

Eurylochus buzzes it all off over the summer after everyone gets used to it

Odysseus' hair is as soft as feathers

No one knows how Polites dyed/bleached his hair ginger, he just did one day and never stopped

—— Scars

Odysseus was the one to give Eurylochus the eye scar. When they were younger, they were having a heated battle and Athena offered Odysseus some power, (similar to in Little Wolf) but it nearly caused Odysseus to fatally injure Eurylochus. Since then Odysseus has been trying his hardest to make amends for it (not really), but all Eurylochus can see is the boy who nearly killed him.

About Eury’s top scars + Mini BG: Eury’s family kept trying for a son but gave up after five daughters. But in still wanting a son they made Eury take responsibility as one, and it helped him figure out who he was. Coming out in his mid teens then transitioning when he was of age.

Odysseus' thigh scar is as faded as the ones from the war. That’s how long it’s been. A scar that cut so deep when he was young, couldn’t be differentiated from war.

—— Clothing

Like most transmen, Eury prefers the baggiest of clothes known to man. He and Ctimene have a matching set of earrings that he fiddles with them when nervous. It was a wedding gift from Ody and Pen.

Ody's clothes have an inverted colour pattern, to tell apart the king from the rest of the crew. He was given a red cape and owl pin by Athena before going off to war. He also shared his ankle strap with Polites because Poli uses his as sleeve garters.

My clone told me to give Polites a green headband instead of the red, but do not worry! It’ll be stained red right after I make some panacakes. When Polites’ glasses are hit at the right angle his hazel eyes look red

————— CTIMENE TELEMACHUS PENELOPE —————

Ctimene’s feathers usually grow at the base of her head. She used to have more but they were clipped, literally, from the drawing and in the story. She had to clip her feathers so she doesn't get outcasted + they're itchy.

Telemachus got his vitiligo from Penelope and she got it from her dad. I made Telemachus’ vitiligo go around his chin to look like a beard because, (if I remember correctly) I heard in the Odyssey, Odysseus said that Telemachus will become king when he gets his beard. Tele's vitiligo is reminiscent of a wolf's spotted fur. Telemachus has luscious hair for no reason, all he uses is coconut oil. He’s also trans because we say so. It took me ages to find a good pose for him.

Penelope's skin is very translucent at some parts to showing off the blue undertones. Her vitiligo is supposed to represent fish scales. AND HER FUCKING POSE OH MY DAYS I CANT DRAW STAGNANT FRONT VIEW CHARACTERS FOR THE LIFE OF ME

—— Clothes

Ctimene has the matching earrings and a red shawl given to her by Ares. She’s barefoot because she doesn't like shoes since her feathers get caught in the straps. Also she has a toe ring like Zeus. She gave one her bangles to Telemachus and even pierced his ears.

Penelope is elegant as always and her outfit drops to the floor. You’d imagine the white being on the lower half would turn muddy from being dragged along but she’s not going anywhere. She’s cooped up in her room, weaving.

Ctimene’s and Penelope’s head wraps are the blue the soldiers wore to war, to honour them in some way.

[seaglassdinosaur]

Poseidon calling Odysseus and his men a ‘pack of wolves’ (swimming with the sharks, now).

Telemachus being called ‘little wolf’ because he is his father’s son.

[aleksiej]

random thought regarding ares in epic the musical

especially the moment when he says "really, athena? these old tricks?", but the entirety of his appearance will be talked about

technically, it's still a part of aphrodite's part, because ares comes in before his announcement by the choir

the phrase is a response to athena's plea for aphrodite to change her mind, the plea itself is very heartfelt

is seems like athena tries to appeal to aphrodite's emotions and soften her stance on odysseus's case

then, ares comes in with a rebuttal

some animatic artists have depicted his entrance as being in order to protect aphrodite and to not allow athena to shaken aphrodite's conviction

which i believe to be correct. ares believes in aphrodite and her opinion on things, which is coincidentally the same (fuck odysseus) but for different reasons that are all her own

back to "these old tricks"

ares and athena are both gods of war, although ares is more of the violence and bloodshed, while athena is more strategy and calculated movements

both are war in their very beings, but one (ares) is specifically motivated to bring as many people to their doom as possible, while athena just does not consider the loss of life, just the best strategy for accomplishing a goal

ergo, one could say athena's way of "doing war" could be viewed as softer and weaker by a being like ares, who's goal is to cause pain and death in as large quantities as possible

athena's plea of emotion is, in ares's eyes, a trick, meant to make aphrodite question herself and her conviction, a strategy to win

(which it is, to be clear)

to end it all, let's look at ares's part really quick

he accuses odysseus of not fighting scylla, of deceiving troy (which he favored in the trojan war), he calls him a coward

in the general mythos, or at least one i am familiar with most, ares is a god of war without rules, he values injustice in the same way athena values justice, and that is the main difference between the two

in epic, ares seems to have a code of honor, so to speak

he deems the trojan horse cowardly, he speaks as if he expected odysseus to fight scylla and die doing so, rather than sacrifice his man and make sure the others survive

ares in epic believes, it seems, in fighting a losing battle in name of dying with glory, rather than taking a "cowardly" way out using a more advanced strategy or sacrificing a part of a whole (like six crewmen)

what is most interesting to me, besides the different interpretation of ares than the one i'm used to, is his mention of telemachus

"pathetic and weak like his son" were his exact words

we know from "we'll be fine" that telemachus has never been in a fight before "little wolf", and with the suitors in the palace and much stronger than him, it's not a surprise.

ares's words seem to, again, reflect his "better die fighting for what is right than live in shame" mentality. he sees the suitors in ithaca and a prince that's doing nothing, rather than fight and kill (or more possibly die) to protect his land and more importantly, his mother

the influence of aphrodite shows up here again, as she did speak up for odysseus's mother, and now ares scolds telemachus (long-distance, of course) for failing his own mother

anyway, that's it for ares, he is my favorite and a little (lot) fucked up lol

[progamer27]

EPIC: The Musical - Character Growth

I like it when characters aren't one-dimensional, especially main characters.

Sure, it's fine and fun to have characters who are solely evil or solely good from time to time.

But I vastly prefer characters that go thru some sort of development - that takes its time -, and then come out changed by the experience.

Enter: Odysseus and Athena (and also Eurylychous)

I think it's pretty safe to say that, at least at the start of the musical, a lot of people didn't like Athena and Eurylychous too much - and were quick to label them as, at the very least, "villain-adjecent".

But now that we have had 6 out of 8 Sagas released, we can understand them better. And same for Odysseus.

Eurylychous: In the Odyssey, he is a minor character whose only role is to be a plot device (killing and eating Helios's cattle). In EPIC, Eurylychous is shown as someone more focused on the crew than anything else. Brash and Hot-headed, he is the opposite of Odysseus.

So, why is he interesting? Because we SEE (or HEAR) how he grows from just; a soldier whose first instinct is to murder (Lotus Eaters) or flee (After blinding Polypheamus), to a desperate man who wants to get back home as fast as possible - even if it means leaving his comrades behind (Circe), to a man who needs to confess his guilt (Scylla, as a follow up to Keep Your Friends Close and Puppeteer), to someone who's desperate and has given up entirely (Mutiny and Thunder Bringer).

In conclusion: Eury isn't a villain, but Just a Man. He made mistakes and was abrasive, but so would many people in his place.

ATHENA: In Greek Mythology, Athena is one of the most Hubris-Filled (Prideful) Goddesses out there. In EPIC, she is much of the same... at the Start.

Because Remember, prior to the Wisdom Saga, we only really saw/heard Athena 3 times. And in those 3 times, we get presented with who she is at the moment; A Goddess who views Odysseus as a "project/creation" (Warrior of the Mind and Remember Them), and as the less rose-tinted Goddess who lost her friend because of the circumstances (My Goodbye).

Now, at this point in time, most people would simply label Athena as a "typical greek goddess" - that is to say, a deity who doesn't really view humans as equal to her, and who lacks Humanity.

....until she meets Telemachus.

Then, the characterization... matures; she becomes less closed-off (We'll Be Fine), admits that she was pushing too hard (Little Wolf), realizes that what she did to Ody was HORRIBLE - and, if I may interject, she will probably be a bit shocked/traumatized at seeing Ody trying to kill himself (Love in Paradise), and finally as someone who realized they STILL CARE for their friend, and that tried to do everything to save them (God Games)

In Short: Athena went from being an unlikable cold goddess - one who refused to comprehend human emotions -, to being much more "human".

(And please, if you are a fanfic writer, try to write a story where Athena just... realizes how shitty her life was, and how badly she treated others, and let her have an home with the Itachan Family. She needs her friends, and she probably needs to express her emotions in an healtier way)

ODYSSEUS:....

....

....

What is there to say? The musical is ABOUT HIM, and about how the line between man and monster (good and evil) is incredibly thin... but also about how you CAN come back from the brink, how you can "Become Yourself" again.

In the Odyssey - even if the story is a banger -, I didn't get the impression that Odysseus changed too much. Sure, he may have some trauma and suicidial thoughts, but he didn't do a 180°, then another one, and finally got a better understanding of life. He was still just... Odysseus, the King of Itacha and Father of Telemachus. Odysseus, the Silver-Tounged Liar. Odysseus the sacker of cities.

In Epic....

...Well, I think you know where I'm going with this..

In Conclusion: The EPIC versions of the characters feel like Actual Characters - almost actual humans - who make mistakes and aren't wholly "pure villainy" or "goodie two-shoes".

Sure, we have example of both of these things (Goodie = Polites, Penelope, Astynax; Villains = Poseidon, Polyphemus, Scylla, Zeus, The Suitors), as well as some morally-grey ones (Dark Grey/Leaning toward Evil = Calypso; Light Gray/Leaning towards Good= Circee, Aeolus, Tiresias)

But i think that I've said enough.

[kateweathermachine2]

My thoughts on the Wisdom Saga

Legendary

TELEMACHUS MY BOY!!!

Honestly most of the stuff I have to say about him deals with the next two songs instead of this one…

Okay, but the more I listen to Antonius the more his voice is just ✨✨✨? Like Calypso’s voice being gorgeous was on SIGHT (on… hear? Heard? Audio?), but Antonius keeps getting better the more I listen to him. Don’t get me wrong he’s a bad dude, but his voice acting? Beautiful

I love the setup in this song, you don’t even notice because it’s so catchy

ARGUS CRUSHED MY HEART IN THE ANIMATIC (like I knew he would) poor dog boi… if Jorge doesn’t have Odysseus say hello to him in a song I will be heartbroken.

Little Wolf

This song… the appearance of Athena in this song brought my prospective ranking of it from likely low to battling it out with Love in Paradise for top spot (I’m STILL not sure which one I like more).

When Athena first appeared in the livestream I (mentally) SCREAMED- MY FAV IS BACK SHE’S BACK AND I LOVE HER (very platonically)

I love the little interlude with her and Telemachus- speaking of which-

I’ve seen some people mention how Telemachus seems much younger than 20/21. Something about the portrayal of Telemachus as this naïve inexperienced child? I’m not sure. But I have my own thoughts to share on this, because as someone who’s close to that young adult age, I think it’s actually pretty accurate for Telemachus’s character. He’s lived in the palace all his life, he’s longing to adventure in the world beyond, but he doesn’t know how to fight… I mean, I don’t specifically relate to Telemachus but I can see aspects of this in my own life. I’ve taken my first baby steps into the big adult world, and it’s intimidating and scary, and I don’t know how anything works, but I’m trying anyways. Point being, I don’t understand how people think that Telemachus has to be younger just because he doesn’t have certain life experiences or knowledge yet. I think it’s a very good portrayal of a young adult being unsure of his coming into the world but excited for it anyways.

Anyways back to ATHENA MY GIRL

I love that we get an in-musical explanation of Quick Thought!! I think it’s really important for a musical to be self-contained with its important lore/information and Jorge does such a great job with that.

Athena’s entire speech about the suitors and bullies and inspiring Telemachus and reframing his “Little Wolf” title CHUCKED THIS SONG SO HIGH IN MY BOOK I need to find a character of mine to associate this part to

The little “ooohhhh, maybe I pushed him a bit to hard” is hilarious

Interesting thing we’re doing with transitions into the next songs with this saga. I do agree with some of the people who said it sounds kind of off in this song; I think it might’ve flowed better if it introduced the next one, but honestly, I’m entirely willing to ignore that because this song is *so* good

We’ll be Fine

I have one glaring complaint about this song…. WHY ISNT IT LONGER?!?! I NEED MORE OF THIS

I can honestly see this becoming a comfort song for me, it holds such great messages to remember

“Cause I got in a fight, and I didn’t die!” The bar is on the FLOOR with Telemachus

The voice actors are rocking their respective high notes! Jorge pushed them and they owned it!!

Speaking of those good encouraging messages- I absolutely adore Telemachus’s chorus. Every time I listen to it, my brain auto-fills the lyrics ahead, and I hear, “maybe it’s all gonna be okay,” but then Telemachus actually sings the verse and it’s “maybe it’s all gonna turn out great!” And that’s just… such a good thing to think about. Yeah, it’s gonna be okay in the end, but what if it was better than okay? What if it turned out to be absolutely amazing?? That’s… such a positive way to view things and I need it more in my life. Of course it could get toxic but for me, it’s a great reminder of how good things can become

Love in Paradise

I read a post that mentioned how the happiest song in the Thunder Saga is called Suffering, and the saddest song in the Wisdom Saga is called Love in Paradise, and I hate how accurate that is T^T

THE TIME DIVE MONTAGE WAS SO GOOOD- such a fun mini mash-up of the rest of the songs! I wish I had more to say about it because I want to keep gushing over it but I’m just gonna end up repeating myself saying it’s so good

The little replay of the “Captain?” “I have to see her” ;-;

WANGUI’S VOCALS— I CAN’T— THEY’RE SO GORGEOUS *unintelligible squealing*

“She’s my wife”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“Anyways-“

Her voice is so pretty help I don’t approve of her actions but her VOICE HER VOICE

Can I also just say the animatic/visuals for this section were also gorgeous, such a great compliment to the audio

The way it goes from all sweet and bouncy to “oh ****” and right back to sweet was so good

“Last I checked goddesses can’t die!!” *cue the Wisdom Saga stream crash of 2024*

The cliff scene… oh my goodness it’s so *good* it’s all so *good* Jorge how are you so good at writing

He pays such close attention to characters and motifs and lines too- you can hear how Calypso triggers Odysseus’s flashback.

NOT TO MENTION- when Odysseus yells his line “All I hear are SCREAMS”, it’s in response to Calypso’s line “I’ll stay inside your heart”- which is Odysseus’s mom’s lyric from the underworld!! I literally just noticed the connection between the line and his reaction and I haven’t seen anyone else mention it before so-

And Athena’s little “he needs my help”- aaaaaa we all feel the pain

God Games

Oh *boy howdy* this one is a doozy

The intro is great, I adore Zeus’s voice- this cast is just FULL of talented voice actors man

“… Hera!…. Or me” …. A-wha-huh? I’m sorry didn’t you used to be “and”???

I was intrigued what Apollo’s grievance would be based on the whole “who’s cows” debacle- the sirens kinda threw me off guard xD

His voice is ✨✨✨ though, I love listening to him

JORGE’S DAD HEPHAESTUS!!!!! Aghhh his voice was so good for the part! And I loved the commentary on trust too

Aphrodite’s and Ares’s parts are still amazing even after all this time- I LOVE the details of Ares’s musical motif! He has the same melody as Athena, but played on this raw-sounding violin/cello? And he *also* has quick thought- but it still all feels different from Athena’s too! Because they’re both gods of war but with different domains and attributes AAAA so good!

And Athena’s lyrics in response- I love the re-do and the little extra quirks in it, like the extra growl on “ARES!!!” And the little riff(?) on “his son’s my FRIIIIEND”

Hera’s part was amazing. 100/10. Her voice was a lot… smoother than I was expecting honestly. It took a bit of getting used to but now I love it. And I am HERE for the dance battle

“Never once has he cheated on his wife”

“Release him.”

10/10 ✨✨✨

I was… really excited for an Athena/Zeus debate in this song when listening to all the snippets. I couldn’t wait to see how Athena would try and persuade Zeus, what arguments he would use specifically, how it would all go down… instead I got uh-

“I played your game and won! Release him.”

Oh so, no Zeus round? Ohh this is why it got changed to “or” isn’t it-

“You DARE to defy me?”

Huh-

“To make me feel shame?”

What’s happeni-

“No one beats me, NO ONE WINS MY GAME!!”

Oh boy howdy-

“THUNDER BRING HER THROUGH THE WRINGER, SHOW HER I’M THE JUDGEMENT CALL, THE ONE WHO MAKES HER KINGDOM FAAAAALL—“

I’M SORRY THIS WENT FROM 10 TO 100 SO FAST WHAT IS HAPPENING?!—

Athena in the flashback scene- holding baby Telemachus- the music- my HEART

And the end instrumental is so triumphant aaaaaa

“Let him gooooo! Please-“ JORGE WHEN I GET YOU JORGE—

Uh, so

My thoughts on God Games right after it came out were

Mixed

At first I was so absolutely frazzled from the livestream I could barely put thoughts together outside of incoherent screaming

But then I read a few tumblr posts about how some others were disappointed in how God Games ended and Zeus’s character- and I found myself agreeing :/

I do have a propensity for latching onto different opinions because I think they’re the “expected” one for me to have- and I totally think a bit of that was going on here- so I took some time off of tumblr/limiting my scrolling (which needed to be stopped anyways-) to really sort out how I felt on this

And I think I feel a bit stilted by God Games from its ending. The ending was… underwhelming? Which sounds INSANE considering the end of the stream but it’s underwhelming less because of actual shock factor and more because of what specifically happens versus my expectations.

Zeus just kind of… blasts Athena in the face??? Without provocation?? Athena DID win his game, she passed the terms he set out, she did all of that… and he shocks her anyways. It just. Doesn’t really sit right with me.

But I love Epic, and want to enjoy every song I come across, and I REALLY didn’t want this view of the ending of God Games to taint the rest of the song or the rest of the musical. So in my next big post, I’m going to do a mini “rewrite”/reworking of God Games that I’ve been toying around with in my mind for a little while now!!

I’ll explain more about why and what and the details in that post but for now, just know that it’s been a helpful exercise in enjoying God Games as it is too, and I’ll get to posting that the next time school isn’t absolutely crushing me with long homework assignments

Anyways, those are my kinda-in-depth thoughts about the Wisdom Saga!! I’ve been so excited to write this out and I’m happy to be posting it finally

[aphrobeesiacs]

Idk if someone has made this but heres my take of the hogwarts house of EPIC characters and the reasoning:

•Odysseus: Ravenclaw /Slytherin

Reason: Odysseus being Athena’s would ofc be in the house where they're main values would be intelligence, knowledge and wit. Odysseus is known for his intelligence, wit, and clever strategies but I also can see him in Slytherin due to his cunningness (example: not giving his name to Polyphemus for the first half atleast ) He’s also incredibly ambitious and resourceful sometimes willing to bend morals to achieve his goals and survive. His cunning and knack for survival make Slytherin a good fit as well.

•Penelope: Ravenclaw / Hufflepuff

Reason: Penelope is known for her wisdom and resourcefulness. Her ruse of weaving and unweaving her father in law shroud to delay the suitors is a brilliant act of cleverness matching Ravenclaw’s qualities but also her loyalty to Odysseus is unwavering even when she’s uncertain of his fate. Her perseverance and dedication to both her husband and Ithaca would align her with Hufflepuff as well.

•Telemachus: Ravenclaw /Gyrffindor

Reason: no surprise he would be in Ravenclaw again being Athena’s so ill make a reason why he's a Gryffindor. Telemachus shows bravery and a strong sense of justice especially as he matures and stands up to the suitors. His journey to find his father and reclaim his household is marked by courage and a desire to protect his family and kingdom.

•Eurylochus: Slytherin / Ravenclaw

Reason: Eurylochus is skeptical, cautious, and independent-minded which sometimes leads him to go against Odysseus's orders. (example:he convinces the crew to kill Helios's cattle even though they know it will bring disaster) His self-preservation and tendency to challenge authority align him with Slytherin Alternatively, Eurylochus could fit in Ravenclaw because of his skeptical questioning nature. He often questions Odysseus’s decisions showing an analytical side and a strong sense of caution which can be viewed as a kind of wisdom though he sometimes takes it too far.

•Polites: Hufflepuff

Reason:Polites is one of Odysseus's most loyal men known for his kindness and gentleness. During their travels he often plays a supportive role standing by Odysseus and helping keep the crew united. This loyalty, patience, and dedication make Hufflepuff a fitting house for him.

•Circe: Slytherin

Reason: the queen herself circe’s magical abilities and her initial manipulation of Odysseus’s men fit well with Slytherin. Her self-reliance and willingness to use her powers for her own ends are aligned with Slytherin’s ambitious and resourceful traits.

•Calypso: Slytherin / Hufflepuff

As a nymph who keeps Odysseus captive, Calypso shows possessiveness and a self-centered desire to control. Her determination to keep Odysseus at any cost is very Slytherin. However, there’s also a certain loyalty in her desire to protect and care for him, even if it’s misguided, showing a hint of Hufflepuff’s qualities.

•Antinous: Slytherin

Reasoning: Mr big bad wolf himself As the leader of the suitors, Antinous is ambitious, cunning, and manipulative, traits often associated with Slytherin. He uses any means necessary to gain control of Odysseus’s household and has no moral qualms about doing so.

[sora-of-uranus]

I love how you went straight to Greek mythology because originally I was itching to talk about it but I held back since…well I always go to Greek mythology. BUT! you have given me reason.

Focusing on how you connected werewolves into this (I love it) I'm thinking of the myth of Lycaon where he sacrificed a child on an altar/ tried to feed Zeus human flesh (strangely common occurrence I'll add) and was punished by being turned into a wolf. This myth also then was MAYBE used to explain a festival/ceremony that involved sacrificing a wolf that was maybe thought to be a werwolf. What I'm saying is that theres defo a basis for the idea of werewolves steming from atleast a goddly curse whether that is a greek god or not.

Linking to that: I THINK its at that same festival I mentioned but it's written that people would turn into wolves after performing sacrifices towards Zeus. If the wolf managed to not consume human flesh whilst living as a wolf they would return to human form 9 years later, if not they'd remain that way forever. I think this idea of consuming other people being what keeps this beastly form is (yes symbolic of the idea of stepping beyond the lines of civilisation and into the 'barbaric' act of canibalism) very intresting when we view it as a link to vampires and how when they first taste human blood they shift from fledgling to propper vampire. Even though the wolves in mbav don't have that same "bite a man and your a wolf forever" it would make perfect sense for that to have been a sure thing somewhere within their genetic history. Alternatively maybe the wolves DO still have that ability but we just never saw it cuss Ethan was cured within days and the other guy…well he bit Ethan so it isn't looking good in terms of healing.

moving away from werewolves and focusing on Apollo (kind of) I think it's really interesting to see the vampires ability to wolf in sunlight as a blessing from Apollo. I haven't currently got any thoughts to add to that beyond its a great idea I just wanted you to know I loved it.

You also mentioned how if Ethan would take on the role as an Apollo 'child' (or follower) then Benny would be the Hermes/Dionysus pairing. I offer you this: Ethan as Apollo, Benny as Hermes, Rory as Dionysus. I put Rory with Dionysus since Dionysus is twice born, he's heavily linked with the idea of walking beyond the line of society which as a vampire works pretty well with Rory. Also wine and blood. Benny as Hermes is a slightly awkward fit (like putting a square into a rectangle hole on a baby toy. yes it works, but is the BEST choice?) but I think it works well from the idea that Hermes is like Apollo in how people just went "ahh shit we got another territory…let's just slap it on hermes and carry on with our day" so as such he has a collection of kinda random things, which I think works pretty well with how unorganised Bennys magic is and how random the spells he uses. Like theres no rhyme or reason as to what Benny learns he just goes "yeah I wanna do that today" and he does it. Also as a trickster (thinking of the myth were he steals cows by turning their hoves backwards) Hermes and benny work well. This paragraph has no reason to exist I just love rambling.

ANYWAY onto what I was actually going to add: I always have a bad habit of linking seers to Tiresias specifically (which….actually kind of sucks cuss the main Tiresias myth I see is his origin where it's ZEUS who gives him prophecy in response to Hera blinding him). This linkage for me always added to that vampire seer mixed genetic makeup since my introduction to him was through Oedipus and the Odyssey (I'm not gonna expand to much but Oedipus is actually usefull here aswell since it's Apollo who sent the plauge and also the prophecy and both Tiresius and Delphi. Plague, healing, society, prophecy, it all blends well and shows that shared connection). The odyssey is always the fun one cuss we meet him when he's already dead. Odysseus sacrifces a lamb when he's in Hades to allow the souls to drink the blood and for a moment regain both their human memorys and their feelings. WIthout that blood the ghosts walk as shadows of their formers selves, barely recognisable as human beyond their forms. This idea of humanity being regained through the consumption of blood is SO intresting and tricky from a symbolic pov but for this theory I'm just gonna say that this is where I link vampires in specifically since its perfect.

BUT! You mentioned Apollo, which to me my mind goes straight to Delphi. This addition isn't going to expand the genetic family tree but it is going to explain a bit on Seers specifically. Historically it's been understood that the oracles in Delphi were all experiencing brain damage and hallucinations from the volcanic gas under the area and also a nearby lake which released hallucinogenic vapour (they'd most likely wash in the lake either their whole bodies or their hands and feat as a religious cleansing. Some would also sleep outside near the lake to get dream visions). For the my babysiters a vampire universe I'll say that the Oracles were both real AND experiencing this damage since we know the supernatural exists. This idea of prophecy being directly linked to bodily harm from the outside world is brain itching when we assume that the seers of Ethans day have seem to evolved beyond having to evoke a God directly, almost as if they have evolved to do it off their own power OR the act of prophecy is the direct worship and evokation. Either way, it's evolved beyond Delphi, but if we watch Ethans reaction he almost seizes up and his eyes white out, it's a physical reaction. I would almost bet that as the visions became stronger or if Ethan found other powers the reaction of his body would worsen or even deteriorate. Which would then link to my earler thing of Seers functioning of the blood they create themselves which then leads to shorter lifespans than other supernatrual creatures or potential dysabilitys.

Also I love how mythology can be treated as an accurate source within mbav because of the mummy episode and the sun god episode. Though both those religions existing implies all religions potentially exist which makes for a very interesting and messy accurate religion which I will NEVER try to understand.

Even if we draw from Ancient Egyptian mythology (must admit, I am weaker in this than Greek since I'm not doing a degree in it so some of this might be a bit washy but we power through) theres a very interesting idea with Vampires (not as in literal vampires, just the thematic connections). Osiris is the god of death (after his own…not so peaceful death) with his son (who may have been conceived post-mortem….this has no baring to the theory I just need people to suffer this knowledge with me) Horus being seen as a god of healing, sun, and sky. You also then have Isis who was Osiris's wife and Horus's mother who was like…THE Goddess of healing. That connection just creates a very intresting cycle of life and death which vampires seem to be stuck in the middle off

This is gonna be a mish mash of cultures and ideas so bare with me. In eastern Europe (specificly slavic countrys) the vampire was an almost ghostly spirit rather than our common undead sexy friend. They were trixters to some extent, spread disease but in the way rats do rather than the specific bite we know. They also didn't consume blood. So this is the technical truth aspect of this idk 'theory' (but more headcannon I suppose). From this, I headcannon, it evolved into two specific paths: the vampire as we know and the seer. Both evolved to revolve around blood since blood is commonly seen as a holder of the human spirit and life force making it a very powerful energy source. Vampires evolved specifically as almost undead creatures, focusing on that ghostly aspect and almost making the souls haunt the dead body in such a way that it becomes 'imortal'. The sucking of blood is to create a constant source of energy to power the 'possession' and inturn their existence- like food for us. The 'infectious bite' then becomes a combination of corpse germs and supernatual infliction that continues to create vampires- something their ancestor obviously did not have due to the lack of biting and corperal form. on the otherhand, seers found their powersource in blood by creating their own. Specifically in having a functioning human body. The living body acts as a conduit for the supernatural power wich is displayed by divination and prophecy, what which ghosts being conected to the past and human life being seen as something of the future. This ghostly ancestor also explains why Ethan can see ghosts when touching their objects, he's channeling that energy. Of course if having a living body was such an easy way to have blood the vampire would have done it too, the problem with using your own body as a conduit continuously is that it starts to degrade over time either with natural circumstance like being old as shit and dying, or your body contracting ilnesses. It's has it's ups and downs. anyway the idea of a common ancestor is so intresting to me, especially since in the few mythologys I research prophecy and disease are strangely commonly linked. And I mean blood has ALWAYS been apart of seeing the future, think of literally any form of animal sacrifice amongst religions. Or how in some underworld storys the souls must consume the blood of a sacrifice (not necessarily human!) to be able to comunicate.

[fan-clan-fun]

So you want to build a clan? Chapter 5: Mythos

So we have somewhat covered formation and beginnings, but what about other clan history? By this I mean, what stories do kits hear from the elders? What great events happened in the history of a certain clan? What heroes and Villains are kits taught to be like or admonished not to become?

Each clan culture will have its own understanding of knowledge and virtue, and each clan will thus have positive and negative examples of these. It is important to have some role models which can increase character and clan development.

Canon Examples in this regard would likely include stories in Thunderclan of Firestar, who might be seen as a great hero, and Villains would include Tigerstar and other Dark Forest cats.

But for non-canon  clans you have the opportunity to create these stories yourself.

Two quick examples:

Everyone in Ripple clan knows the story of Whiteface. A handsome charismatic tom, he fathered several litters of kits. But there was always one she-cat who had caught his eye, and who he had been frustrated not to call his conquest. Oriolestar was a beautiful shecat, and a capable leader, and he had spent many moons trying to woo her. But she had always been dedicated to her mate, Piketail, and although Whitefaces advances amused her, she always turned him down. One day Whiteface grew enraged, and attempted to attack Oriolestar, but she was too quick, and savage. She subdued him, and charged him with treason. By attacking his own leader, Whiteface had betrayed his clan, and attempted to force himself on another and cause them harm. As a result, he was brought before the clan and punished, forced to run a gauntlet of warriors should he wish to escape alive into exile. While he made it through the gauntlet, he succumbed to his wounds before he escaped the territory. Any kit knows the dire consequences of attacking another clan mate,  no matter the cause.

On the other hand, every kit also knows the story of Olive heart, the first code keeper. As a young she cat she was a fiery apprentice, filled with the desire to fulfill the code. However after she was framed for a crime she did not commit, she learned compassion and studied the law of the clan to defend herself before her leader and prove her innocence. She defended herself so well, solving the mystery and implicating the true culprit, that the leader made her a warrior. They granted her the name Oliveheart, for her steadfast devotion to the code, to the clan, and to prove herself. With her extensive knowledge of clan law and code, she became an advocate for justice in the clan, the first codekeeper. In this position she assisted the leader to make accurate judgements of punishment, as well as helped the deputy investigate each situation accordingly, to try and prevent what had once happened to her. The story reminds all kits that with persistence and loyalty, anyone can achieve anything, it is in giving up that the true problem lies.

Alright now with those two you have a good general understanding of personal stories told of cats. Of course these aren't the only ones, but most myths fall into these categories:

Creation Myths:

Every culture has a creation myth, a story of how the world began. In many ways these creation myths are both culturally specific yet often very similar. A creation myth is both the origin and the sum of that clans culture, because it defines the very essence and beginning of it. It affects how Starclan is viewed and even where they believe Starclan originated and why.  These can be anywhere from creation by a deity or deities, to an explanation of the seasons, the sun, the moon, the stars, the tides.

Coveclan believes that in the very beginning the world was in darkness, which is why cats have such good night vision. This darkness was a darkness of death and conflict. However one cat, the greatest warrior of their time, fought the darkness, fought death and won. Once they won they ascended into the heavens, and their eyes, filled with the breath and power of life, became the moon and sun, and gave birth to the tides and seasons. In the process, one of their eyes was injured, and although they can hold it open for a time, they must close it to protect it from further harm, this is how the phases of the moon came to be. Cats, the creature from whom the Great One came to be, are their favoured creatures, and those who follow them are also saved from death, and brought to the sky to become the Stars/Starclan.

For inspiration it's helpful to look at creation myths from different religions.  While larger religions are useful, smaller, more scattered religions, or sects of larger religions can also offer interesting possibilities.

Hero Myths

As mentioned before, these are the myths which involve the heroes of the clan, the role models of history. Each one will have very specific connotations to each clan, and usually each clan has a different interpretation based on what morals and behaviors are most valued. This can range from aspects of the code which the clans prefer, to how certain suffixes began in the clan.

One of these names which is remembered by Ridgeclan is that of Foxstep. They were the first to ever be given the step suffix, and their story is one that is told to every kit with an animal name. Foxpaw was an apprentice when they saw a fox one day from their perch in the trees. They became fascinated by the fox, but particularly from the fresh prey dangling from its jaws. So Foxpaw began to follow it, learned it's routine, watched it hunt, saw it's den. Then they waited for their opportunity, shadowing the fox one day as it hunted. When the fox caught it's prey, Foxpaw shot out from hiding and stole it from the fox, just as they had seen the fox do before to a wolf. Foxpaw was confident his speed would be enough, except he took a wrong turn and ended up muzzle to muzzle with the fox’s mate. Rookie mistake. They escaped, but lost a muzzle full of whiskers. When they returned to camp, triumphant, with both prey and the location of a fox family’s den, the leader decided that the ordeal could be considered the apprentices last assessment. After Foxpaw helped several warriors drive the foxes out, they were given their warrior ceremony. At the ceremony, the leader spoke:

“Your actions, patience, and skill would normally lead me to name you -whisker, for your exceptional hunting skills. However, seeing as you lost your whiskers to this brazen action, I think you deserve a fitting name. So from this day on, you shall be known as Foxstep. For you walked in the footsteps of the fox itself and survived, and brought glory and prey to the clan in the process.”

From then on, it has been said that those who are named for animals, and study them diligently through their life will take on some of the aspects of the animal itself, and be able to use them to better serve their clan, just as Foxstep did.

Finding examples in our own cultures, is easy as well, and can offer insight in how to incorporate hero myths onto culture. Just look at heroes like Achilles, or Odysseus, or writers like Shakespeare whose names and characters last throughout the ages. These are all names, heroes, characters which all show the culture of the time, and even get adapted as time goes by. It might help to 

Mystery Myths:

These are the myths told to explain what cannot be explained,or used as aids to educate young kits to dangers and include them in clan culture. These can be deities, or simply monsters and cryptids.

One example is the creature which the clans call Rot. While the story of its origin is different from clan to clan, ultimately what it is is the same. A malevolent force who is associated with poison and decay. It oozes across the ground in a stinky black mass or a fuzz like clouds, infecting mushrooms and eating dead creatures, and poisoning water and food. Rot holds a grudge against living beings because it can only destroy, not create, and the cats of the clans especially work to create life and happiness. Kits are taught how to scent and identify instances where Rot has touched the world, so that they can avoid it's tricks. Because cats who eat things touched by Rot, or their wounds are touched by Rot itself, risk death.

These stories are sometimes the most fun to write. I mean who doesn't love a good cryptid story? Or a mystery? What these do for a clan, is they address the curiosities which exist in life and in the clans specific territory. So a water clan might have some kind of fish, or an origin story for the pebbles and shells of an inland waterway, or a snake known for snatching kits, or a story explaining why bees sting, or a story about fire, or lightning, or storms. Stories about other predators who are less common, or creatures explaining things like death, disease, cold, pain, growth, birth, etc. So many possibilities to build on!

The most important thing to remember about building the mythos for your clans, is how it will impact your clans. Myths are essentially the main way to educate kits and bring them up in the culture of the clan. Without this mythos, outsiders or cats from other clan will never understand the clan, it's attitudes, or many of the small insinuations or inside jokes, and will have lost serious tools to survive in their environment.

[hereticaloracles]

Asteroid Files: Achilles

Helios– Okay, I couldn’t just NOT do Achilles. He is the quintessential Aries, and leaving him off of the roster would have only been an affront to all things good and decent. Except Achilles rarely cares about what is good and decent, he’s just in it for the glory.

The Astronomy– 588 Achilles is a large and dark asteroid, classified as Jupiter trojan, the first and 6th-largest of its kind ever confirmed by astronomers. It was discovered on 22 February 1906, by the German astronomer Max Wolf at Heidelberg Observatory in southern Germany. It measures about 135 kilometers in diameter.

The D-type asteroid, classified as a DU-subtype in the Tholen taxonomic scheme, orbits the Sun at a distance of 4.4–6.0 AU in the L4 Lagrangian point of the Sun–Jupiter System once every 11 years and 10 months (4,337 days). Its orbit shows an eccentricity of 0.15 and an inclination of 10 degrees from the plane of the ecliptic. The asteroid is the first known example of the stable solution of the three-body problem worked out by French mathematician Joseph Lagrange in 1772, after whom the minor planet 1006 Lagrangea is named. After the discovery of other asteroids with similar orbital characteristics, which were also named after heroes from the Trojan War (see below), the term “Trojan asteroids” or “Jupiter trojans” became commonly used. In addition, a rule was established that the L4 point was the “Greek camp”, whereas the L5 point was the “Trojan camp”, though not before each camp had acquired a “spy” (624 Hektor in the Greek camp and 617 Patroclus in the Trojan camp).

The Mythology– In Greek mythology, Achilles was a Greek hero of the Trojan War and the central character and greatest warrior of Homer’s Iliad. His mother was the immortal nymph Thetis, and his father, the mortal Peleus, was the king of the Myrmidons. Achilles’ most notable feat during the Trojan War was the slaying of the Trojan hero Hector outside the gates of Troy. Although the death of Achilles is not presented in the Iliad, other sources concur that he was killed near the end of the Trojan War by Paris, who shot him in the heel with an arrow. Later legends  state that Achilles was invulnerable in all of his body except for his heel. Alluding to these legends, the term “Achilles heel” has come to mean a point of weakness, especially in someone or something with a strong constitution.

Achilles’ name can be analyzed as a combination of ἄχος (akhos) “grief” and λαός (laos) “a people, tribe, nation.” In other words, Achilles is an embodiment of the grief of the people, grief being a theme raised numerous times in the Iliad (frequently by Achilles). Achilles’ role as the hero of grief forms an ironic juxtaposition with the conventional view of Achilles as the hero of κλέος kleos (“glory”, usually glory in war). According to the Achilleid, when Achilles was born Thetis tried to make him immortal, by dipping him in the river Styx. However, he was left vulnerable at the part of the body by which she held him, his heel. It is not clear if this version of events was known earlier. In another version of this story, Thetis anointed the boy in ambrosia and put him on top of a fire, to burn away the mortal parts of his body. She was interrupted by Peleus and abandoned both father and son in a rage. After, Peleus entrusted Achilles to Chiron the Centaur, on Mt. Pelion, to be reared.

The first two lines of the Iliad read:

μῆνιν ἄειδε θεὰ Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος

οὐλομένην, ἣ μυρί’ Ἀχαιοῖς ἄλγε’ ἔθηκεν,

Sing, Goddess, of the rage of Peleus’ son Achilles,

the accursed rage that brought great suffering to the Achaeans (the Greeks).

Achilles’ consuming rage is at times wavering, but at other times he cannot be cooled. Thetis foretold that her son’s fate was either to gain glory and die young, or to live a long but uneventful life in obscurity. Achilles chose the former, and decided to take part in the Trojan war. Homer’s Iliad is the most famous narrative of Achilles’ deeds in the Trojan War. Achilles’ wrath is the central theme of the poem. The Homeric epic only covers a few weeks of the decade-long war, and does not narrate Achilles’ death. It begins with Achilles’ withdrawal from battle after he is dishonored by Agamemnon, the commander of the Achaean forces. Agamemnon had taken a woman named Chryseis as his slave. Her father Chryses, a priest of Apollo, begs Agamemnon to return her to him. Agamemnon refuses and Apollo sends a plague amongst the Greeks. The prophet Calchas correctly determines the source of the troubles but will not speak unless Achilles vows to protect him. Achilles does so and Calchas declares Chryseis must be returned to her father. Agamemnon consents, but then commands that Achilles’ battle prize Briseis be brought to him to replace Chryseis. Angry at the dishonor of having his plunder and glory taken away (and as he says later, because he loved Briseis), with the urging of his mother Thetis, Achilles refuses to fight or lead his troops alongside the other Greek forces. At this same time, burning with rage over Agamemnon’s theft, Achilles prays to Thetis to convince Zeus to help the Trojans gain ground in the war, so that he may regain his honor.

As the battle turns against the Greeks, thanks to the influence of Zeus, Nestor declares that the Trojans are winning because Agamemnon has angered Achilles, and urges the king to appease the warrior. Agamemnon agrees and sends Odysseus and two other chieftains, Ajax and Phoenix, to Achilles with the offer of the return of Briseis and other gifts. Achilles rejects all Agamemnon offers him, and simply urges the Greeks to sail home as he was planning to do. The Trojans, led by Hector, subsequently push the Greek army back toward the beaches and assault the Greek ships. With the Greek forces on the verge of absolute destruction, Patroclus leads the Myrmidons into battle wearing Achilles’ armor, though Achilles remains at his camp. Patroclus succeeds in pushing the Trojans back from the beaches, but is killed by Hector before he can lead a proper assault on the city of Troy. Triumphant Achilles dragging Hector’s lifeless body in front of the Gates of Troy.

After receiving the news of the death of Patroclus, Achilles grieves over his beloved companion’s death. His mother Thetis comes to comfort the distraught Achilles. She persuades Hephaestus to make new armor for him, in place of the armor that Patroclus had been wearing which was taken by Hector. Enraged over the death of Patroclus, Achilles ends his refusal to fight and takes the field killing many men in his rage but always seeking out Hector. Achilles even engages in battle with the river god Scamander who becomes angry that Achilles is choking his waters with all the men he has killed. The god tries to drown Achilles but is stopped by Hera and Hephaestus. Zeus himself takes note of Achilles’ rage and sends the gods to restrain him so that he will not go on to sack Troy itself before the time allotted for its destruction, seeming to show that the unhindered rage of Achilles can defy fate itself. Finally, Achilles finds his prey. Achilles chases Hector around the wall of Troy three times before Athena, in the form of Hector’s favorite and dearest brother, Deiphobus, persuades Hector to stop running and fight Achilles face to face. After Hector realizes the trick, he knows the battle is inevitable. Wanting to go down fighting, he charges at Achilles with his only weapon, his sword, but misses. Accepting his fate, Hector begs Achilles, not to spare his life, but to treat his body with respect after killing him. Achilles tells Hector it is hopeless to expect that of him, declaring that “my rage, my fury would drive me now to hack your flesh away and eat you raw – such agonies you have caused me”. Achilles then kills Hector and drags his corpse by its heels behind his chariot. After having a dream where Patroclus begs Achilles hold his funeral, Achilles hosts a series of funeral games in his honor.With the assistance of the god Hermes, Hector’s father, Priam, goes to Achilles’ tent to plead with Achilles for the return of Hector’s body so that he can be buried. Achilles relents and promises a truce for the duration of the funeral. The poem ends with a description of Hector’s funeral, with the doom of Troy and Achilles himself still to come.

Why He Matters– Okay, so there’s a lot of great stuff that I didn’t get to put in the myth section because of brevity, but Achilles’ hijinks are legendary. He is very much a point of great rage, but he is more than that. He is in service to his people, he is a leader, and their greatest hero. Unfortunately his rage and his passions are his undoing. Achilles lacks restraint, and that carries over to his position in your chart. His placement indicates where there was a lot of pressure placed on you, a mantle that was impossible to truly live up to. He is where you seek out glory, where you chase your fame.

To find out where he shows up in your chart, go to astro.com, put in your birth details and in the extended options, all the way at the bottom of the next page, there will be a menu of additional objects. Under that is a blank space where you can enter the number 588, for Achilles. Once you have it entered, generate the chart! Where does Achilles affect your life? Let us know in the comments below!

Asteroid Files: Achilles was originally published on Heretical Oracles

[spicynbachili1]

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey travelogue | Rock Paper Shotgun

Very similar to its predecessor, Murderer’s Creed Odyssey has snared me with its marvellous digital camera. With it, I’ve been exploring and snapping Greece, all the way in which from the Ionian Islands within the west to the Cyclades within the east. I do know I must be worrying about wars and oldsters and magical spears, however that’s all ancillary to the scenes and vignettes taking part in out on the paved streets and grime paths that weave throughout the Hellenic world.

Greece is stuffed with unbelievable views, epic monuments and, right away, an enormous statue of Zeus dominating the panorama, huge willy hanging out for the world to see. There’s no dearth of issues to climb and, extra importantly, , however my screenshot folder has much more snapshots of standard life, of individuals working and partying, or of little bits of putting structure, particularly of the ruined selection.

It’s very tempting to hurry by Kephallonia. It’s the ‘starter island’ holding you again from the great things, like Athens! That’s what you actually need to see, proper? Kephallonia is a fairly occurring place, although. It is best to stick round. Other than having that massive ol’ Zeus statue that may be seen even throughout the ocean, there’s additionally Ithaka, the house of Odysseus. Ah-ha! Odysseus, Odyssey, all of it is smart!

The island of Ithaka has been related to Homer’s Ithaka since antiquity, although there’s at all times been some debate about which of the islands within the space really relate to those talked about by Homer in The Odyssey. Ithaka has been utilizing the identify for thus lengthy, although, that it appears a bit impolite to rock the boat now. Ubisoft’s fairly assured that it’s the appropriate one; a lot in order that Odysseus’ palace, or at the least its ruins, are proper there ready to be explored.

Kephallonia additionally hosts Greece’s saddest musician. This gloomy fella stood at a muddy, empty crossroads and began mournfully strumming away. I like him. He appears like a drained conman who’s determined to go straight and fall again on his past love: music. There’s positively a TV present on this, and it completely writes itself. We may name it ‘Lyre, Lyre’. That is pure gold.

I needed to depart finally. “Present me Athens,” I stated. “No,” replied Odyssey. As an alternative, I used to be dragged to Megaris, below siege by the Spartans, adopted by Phokis, which is even additional away from Athens than Megaris. I’m a giant metropolis boy, what can I say? Stepping off the ship, my first impressions of Phokis have been… not nice.

He’s daring, I’ll give him that. Proper out within the open, no wall, not a care on this planet. And who am I to guage? I’m standing proper behind him taking images, which is at the least as impolite, if no more. He’s not consultant of Phokis, although, and it’s really fairly good. It’s finest generally known as the area that contained Delphi, residence to Apollo’s oracle. The ruins of the Temple of Apollo persist in the present day and have a pleasant view of the valley. Even right here, within the fifth century BC, the temple is a sizzling vacationer vacation spot, and it’s a bit on the busy facet. I searched round for someplace extra serene.

Down the hill from Delphi, there’s a beautiful amphitheatre. I wandered into it one morning whereas it was principally empty. There have been no performs, no speeches, simply a few folks having fun with a morning stroll, like myself, and a few brightly-coloured birds chirping away. Being the birthplace of theatre, they’re a dime a dozen in Greece, however this amphitheatre had a way more memorable environment, virtually contemplative. I give it 5 stars on Hellenic Tripadvisor.

It was time, lastly, to move to Athens. Moderately than crusing into the harbour at Piraeus, Odyssey directed me behind Athens, touchdown on the east coast after which making the remainder of the journey on horseback. It’s all for the large reveal, which Ubisoft has turn out to be fairly good at pulling off. Arriving this manner offers one of the best views of town, with the Acropolis and Parthenon looming over town.

It’s a bustling place, is Athens. It’s not crowded, not in the way in which that outdated Murderer’s Creed cities have been, which implies it’s simpler to get round in your horse, nevertheless it nonetheless feels very busy. Each nook of it’s stuffed with one thing: a surprising piece of artwork, a store, somebody simply working – flip a nook or pop into somebody’s residence and also you’re sure to seek out an eye catching distraction. The statuary specifically is a spotlight, and it simply retains on giving.

Odyssey has nice statues. One of the best statues, frankly. You’ll find them in every single place, however clearly the best focus is within the massive cities like Athens. And one of the best half: most of them are painted. The white marble statue is synonymous with the traditional world, significantly Greece and Rome, however we’ve identified for some time that the majority of those statues would have been extraordinarily vibrant, like this gesticulating fella. They have been gaudy and vibrant, and I’ve at all times questioned what it should have been wish to stroll by a metropolis filled with them. Plenty of enjoyable, it seems!

Whereas the paint has been worn away by time, tiny particles have continued and will be revealed below UV gentle. Extra methods can then provide up additional further particulars about what it as soon as regarded like. Discovering out what color the paints have been, as an example, will be accomplished by figuring out the substances of the paint. Should you’re up for some additional studying, take a look at this extra detailed clarification of the method.

They aren’t all painted, thoughts. Right here’s Theseus battering the Minotaur, immortalised in bronze. Theseus was an Athenian hero, so after all he will get a pleasant statue in his hometown. The positioning of his well-known brawl with the bull is way to the south, nonetheless, in Crete.

I got here throughout a number of workshops, too, the place they have been being dropped at life with chisel and paint, although the most important isn’t in Athens, it’s on the island of Paros. Big blocks of marble take up many of the docks, whereas the city is stuffed with half-finished gods, animals and heroes. Proper subsequent to the works-in-progress are loads of completed items, able to be shipped throughout the ocean. It’s fascinating to observe folks working away. Their loops and schedules are easy, however there are simply so a lot of them. Alice captured a bunch of them when she went on a tour of Delphi.

Listed below are some early birds hitting the clay pits simply after daybreak. The Greek starvation for pottery can’t be sated. I really feel a bit of bit responsible as a result of my splashing round disrupted their work. Sorry!

I spent a very long time wandering round Athens and the encompassing space, however the remainder of the world was calling to me. To the east have been numerous islands, and to the south was the Peloponnese, residence of the Peloponnesian League and its chief, Sparta. Driving or crusing from Athens, you’ll be able to hit Korinth, Argo, Sparta and Olympia one after the opposite, like a grand tour of traditionally well-known Greek city-states.

Greece’s cities are much less various than ones present in Origins. Ptolemaic Egypt was a melting pot the place Roman, Greek and Egyptian tradition clashed and mingled. Greek temples confronted enormous pyramids, whereas Roman mansions sat simply up the street from Egyptian huts. Many of the city-states have a definite aesthetic, nonetheless, and a tone that units them other than their allies and foes.

Korinth is especially beautiful, in nice half because of all of the blossoming cherry timber that line the streets. Most cities have a color that they favour, together with the purple and blue that exhibits whether or not they assist Sparta or Athens within the warfare. Korinth additionally has an intimidating acropolis that takes ages to clamber up. Akrokorinth is an intimidating rock and the right place for a fortress, and whereas it is going to be become a fort within the years following, at this level it’s the positioning of temple devoted to Aphrodite.

These revellers have been very into Aphrodite. Have a look at them go. It’s additionally barely tragic, nonetheless, for I couldn’t be part of them. I needed to, however all I may do was awkwardly shuffle a bit. And duck. That’s not a dance.

In a park on the sting of town, I got here throughout this pair engaged on a masterpiece. The sunshine was clearly dying, making it a horrible time for portray, however what do I do know? I’m not a painter. I’m certain it can end up simply high-quality.

Pastimes in Sparta are a bit of bit totally different. Its main business is producing buff dudes who don’t like garments, so there’s an actual health focus. These guys are so decided to work on their muscular tissues that they’re fully ignoring the truth that, simply behind them, two males have already been devoured by a wolf. You may simply make out the blood and a limb or two. Sparta’s a troublesome place. There’s a warfare to win, and solely the most important muscular tissues will do.

The Peloponnesian Battle was one of many defining moments of antiquity and heralded the tip of the Golden Age of Greece. Odyssey depicts the warfare as one between Athens and Sparta, with the remainder of the islands and city-states loosely supporting one or the opposite till a battle makes them change arms. It’s true that the pair led their respective alliances, the Delian League and Peloponnesian League, however that’s the place the similarities finish. Many of the mainland really supported Sparta, together with the likes of Megaris and Argo, each of that are Athenian in Odyssey. Athens’ energy was in its naval empire and its fleet. It wasn’t a neat, symmetrical warfare, which might just about undo Odyssey’s warfare system.

The results of the warfare, and the earlier one with Persia, are scattered across the map. Ruined villages, corpses, patrols duking it out by the facet of the street – Greece is fairly, however it may be fairly violent, too. This settlement was destroyed by the Persians, and even after their defeat at Salamis and Plataea, ending the Persian Battle, the empire continued to meddle. They supported Sparta through the Peloponnesian Battle, then aided Sparta’s ex-allies after they teamed up with Athens to take Sparta down a peg or two a decade later.

Heaped on high of the warfare are plagues, famines and frontier justice, abandoning loads of mourners crying by graves and tombs.

It’s all getting a bit gloomy, so let’s transfer onto extra nice issues. Like animals! Odyssey has an abundance of critters, and they’re all very, superb. Have a look at this bear, utilizing a street like an individual. Isn’t it lovable? Positive, it’s really chasing me and, 5 seconds after taking this image, it knocks me off my horse and kills me. I’ve no regrets.

I discovered this good boy operating up and down this one stretch of street, splashing within the puddles. That is likely to be all its programmed to do, however I’ve seen canine fortunately do that for ages, so I’m satisfied that is an correct simulation of doggy behaviour.

The partitions of the Makedonian metropolis of Amphipolis mix my two favorite issues: rad statues and funky animals. In 100 years, Alexander the Nice will stride out of this kingdom and carve out an enormous empire, nevertheless it was fairly quiet after I popped over to snap these screenshots. There are many actual lions, as nicely, however I stored forgetting to take an image as I ran for my life.

Odyssey’s model of mainland Greece takes a very long time to discover, nevertheless it’s solely half of the map. There are islands dotted far and wide, however most of them are within the Aegean. Every of them is that this little enigma ready to be unravelled, spinning tales by quests and obsessively detailed environments.

The very first thing you see if you sail into Naxos, an island within the Cyclades, is the Temple of Apollo, which nonetheless appears out over the boats in the present day. The temple wasn’t accomplished earlier than the tyrant who commissioned it was overthrown, however for some purpose these guys nonetheless appear to be making an attempt 70 years after work on it stopped. That’s dedication! It’s a fairly good match for the actual temple, as well.

I took an image final yr, and actually the one massive distinction is all of the vacationers.

Regardless of the outstanding location of the temple, Dionysus was Naxos’ patron deity, not Apollo, which is fairly apparent after spending solely 5 minutes on the boozy island. I ought to have taken a video of this fella as a result of no person has ever pressed grapes so self-consciously earlier than, I’m certain of it. He was so delicate about it, too, making these little hops, adopted by furtive glances. It was very odd, but in addition totally fascinating.

Dionysus was the god of wine, however he was additionally the god of being a complete dick. Our Minotaur-murdering pal Theseus ended up on the island after escaping Crete with Ariadne. In some variations of the parable, Theseus, being a complete dick himself, merely abandons Ariadne, whereas others say Dionysus compelled him to depart with out her. Both means, this bushy, drunk god finds this heartbroken lady and promptly marries her. Gods are shady. Then there was the time when he killed his cousin who, in equity, was additionally a dick. It’s a theme. Pentheus was spying on one in every of Dionysus’ events when the god appeared, drove his followers mad after which watched as they ripped him limb from limb, believing him to be a lion. His personal mom ripped his head proper off. Crikey.

It’s the center of the day after I begin exploring Naxos, however individuals are already knocking again the bowls of wine. Beneath a tree I see some tipsy canoodling, but in addition this solitary hunk. If it wasn’t for the man about to throw up behind him, this could be attractive calendar materials. You’ll discover somebody to canoodle with sooner or later, man!

Every island has one thing that makes it particular. Even when it’s only a man tenting along with his finest good friend, a goat.

Or this haunted Minoan smash that appears to be protected by scary cats. You may’t see them, however they’re lurking within the shadows, ready to chase me off once more.

Given the scale of the factor, it’s ridiculous that there so many discrete, thoughtfully crafted areas that you just may solely spend 5 minutes in, if any time in any respect. On the north coast of the Peloponnese are numerous shipwrecks. I sailed by and it piqued my curiosity, so I dropped anchor and swam over. There have been some quests there, however I hadn’t been directed to the spot. It’s an enormous ship graveyard that’s been reworked right into a city. Houses have been constructed out of the wrecks, whereas scavengers work up and down the seashore, prying wooden from the lifeless ships. I may fill an entire album simply with the screenshots I took there alone.

I’m not fairly accomplished with it. Odyssey is a lot greater than its story, and there are such a lot of locations the place I rushed by on my means some other place or haven’t visited in any respect. Like Origins, a Discovery Mode is within the works, taking you on guided excursions on Greece, however there’s one thing to be stated for simply aimlessly wandering throughout the map. It’s one of the vital spectacular areas Ubisoft’s ever created, and even with out the historic context or narration, it’s simply an incredible factor to have a look at.

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