#modern hephaestus

[tracykestler]

Ares and Hephaestus Dinnertime

After a day of tinkering for Hephaestus, he realizes the sun is setting when his automatons start buzzing, flying around to close curtains and turn on lights. It's then he realizes he hasn't eaten since morning.

His Repair shop never gets too busy in these country crossroads, but he gets lost in his ideas and projects. And after sitting for so long, his legs ache. One golden automaton chirps and brings his cane. It's still a good day for his limbs. After stretching and encouraging blood flow to return, Hephaestus can tolerate using just the cane for balance.

The moment he opens his workshop door, he's blasted with aromas of earthy flavors. His stomach delights in reminding him that it is empty. Being deities meant they did not need food in the same way, but their mortal forms craved it just the same.

Still Hephaestus frowned.

It meant Ares was in the kitchen.

Hephastus lumbered through the hall to the kitchen, wrinkling his nose as he entered. Ares hadn't burnt anything in centuries, but he had a heavy hand with spices. Hephastus resigned himself to a large meal. Ares hadn't done more than reheat leftovers or takeout in months. They were either finally finished with those, or Ares was in a mood.

A shrill whistle announced an incoming call to Ares's phone. Seemlessly he answered it and just said, "No," before hanging up. The whistle started again. Ares scowled and hung up without answering.

Definitely in a mood.

Hephaestus took the opportunity to dip a spoon into the tomato sauce for a taste. It wasn't bad, just not what he was in the mood for. "Too much garlic." He turned away to see what alternatives hid in the refridgerator.

Ares grumbled over the pot. The only clear words were "No such thing." Ares did open the oven to reveal roasted squash. This caught Hephaestus's "This is for tonight. The sauce is not for you. Now, steak or pork?"

Hephaestus had to laugh. "You made both, didn't you."

"Couldn't decide. Didn't see you down here making dinner either." Ares eyed the multi-armed flying automatons. "Set the table. It's almost done." Millennia had a way of changing the world. Ares fell in line and changed right along with it. Unlike most of their family.

[turquoisemagpie]

Post-modern Olympus.

(12 more, but not the full twelve, since Persephone and Hades aren’t technically Olympians. In four more character sheets, all will be explained….) :)

[sarafangirlart]

See, I hate modern media making Ares the big bad not bc he’s actually a sweet guy compared to the other gods or anything like that but bc bro is just not all that, he is simply not a credible threat in Greek mythology. Every time he steps out of line or does something bad Athena (or another god or mortal hero) would beat the crap out of him and that would be the end of it.

[huntressofladyartemis]

Seriously??

Stop saying that the gods and goddesses are mysoginists or feminists… They aren't, they weren't! I'm sick of reading or listen how some gods are insulted or acused of mysoginists or some others are acused of feminists… No! They not!

They were religious deities! They still are, because there's an Hellenistic community of worshipers! But i'll talk of the Ancient Greece… I'm not Greek, but i don't like how some gods and goddesses are treated just for their myths and the same people say that were the Greeks whose actually treated the gods like that! What's i'm saying?

"Zeus is a dick, a mysoginist, a r*pist even worse that his son Apollo, he can't kept his pants on and that's how the greeks portrayed him, so… the greeks says that Zeus is a dick"

…

What? Seriously??? The Greek whose worshiped him? Zeus the most important god in the Greek Pantheon? Zeus the king of the Olympians and the father of the gods?

I know many of the male gods assaulted women in the myths… But please I'll say it again… Don't took the myths as literal! Neither the ancient greeks do it that because they worshiped those male gods… They took the myths as metaphores, lessons and stories…

But i advice you if you're not sure: talk with a greek person! Ask the greeks theirself because they know much better of their own culture and history!

Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter, Athena, Ares, Apollo, Artemis, Dionysus, and a can continue with all of them…. I will defend all of them because i love them and i know the context and history behind the myth! I know the myths were written by persons (HUMAN PERSONS) whose "humanized" the gods to be more close with them, so that is why in the myths the gods aren't perfect! I know there's people who worship them (i'm not hellenic polytheist yet, but i would like to worship Artemis one day of these) and i respect the deities! I know the symbolism and metaphores of the myths and stories!

Zeus is NOT a dick! Hera is NOT a bitch! Aphrodite is NOT a whore! Apollo is NOT a asshole! Ares is NOT a idiot! Dionysus is NOT dumb drunk! Artemis is NOT a cruel and bad friend! Poseidon is NOT a piece of shit! Demeter is NOT a bad helicopter mother! Hades is NOT the villain… But neither was Zeus, Demeter, Apollo or Aphrodite! No!

[finelythreadedsky]

obsessed with the idea that the phaeacians are the only ones who consider hephaestus the husband of aphrodite. it isn't even in the main narrative voice of the odyssey, it's just within demodocus' story. in the iliad hephaestus' wife is charis and i so want to say that in the odyssey hephaestus is actually still married to charis and it's only the phaeacians who think he's married to aphrodite and they're wrong.

[onlylonelylatino]

The Olympian Gods by George Pérez

[vegalocity]

sometimes i wonder why 'modern greek mythology interpretations' tend to look at the Aphrodite's Affair situation and settle on 'it was so girlboss of Aphrodite to cheat on her husband with his literal brother' and make jokes about Hephaestus being 'cucked' or 'an incel' when memes about publicly humiliating cheaters are absolutely widespread on the internet, and in the myth itself Hephaestus basically just does the equivalent of the 'welcome home cheater' on the bedsheets meme, it's VERY weaksauce in comparison to what his mother usually does

then i remember Hephaestus is a disabled man and i realize exactly why.

[strangelittlestories]

When Alex realised their home was not a place they could go back to, they offered up a silent prayer to whatever gods were listening.

They knew, deep down, that prayers like this could be dangerous. There were so many gods out there listening, both old and new, big and small, benevolent and wicked. If a god with a twist of mischief in their smile answered your prayer, there would be a sting in the tail that could make your life a misery. 

Or worse: it could make your life a *story*.

But Alex was tired. Exhausted. They were the kind of weary that turns your thoughts to stones sinking in deep and murky water, and turns feelings into the distant sound of rushing waves.

So, when the thought that warned them about inviting such ‘interesting times’ entered their brain, they simply noticed it but let it sink unheard into the depths of Not Right Now. And they prayed their prayer.

A short while later, they were walking through the streets of the city when the street lamps flickered. No … it was too regular and defined to be called a flicker, this felt more like the city had *winked* at them.

Their phone vibrated in their pocket. This was odd, as they were sure the battery had died. They checked it and found it resurrected, at 3% power. The vibration was a text from a friend, offering them a sofa to sleep on - it included a link to a mapping app called Mercury. Alex didn’t recognise the app, but their phone seemed to already have it installed. They opened it and a glowing thread unfolded on their phone.

The UI was elegant and gorgeous, made up of simple silver lines that spread out like paint brush strokes over the night grey of the cityscape.

They followed the quicksilver path it laid out and as they walked the city sang them a comforting wordless song of distant trains and electric hums.

When they arrived at their friend’s flat, Alex took a bottle of water and a granola bar from their bag. Without really thinking about why, they poured a mouthful of water out on the porch. They then broke off a small chunk of granola and laid it carefully down too.

Alex knocked on the door. Their friend was surprised to see them and didn’t recall sending Alex any texts that evening, but did still offer Alex a couch to sleep on. The friend asked no questions, but offered many hugs, and Alex even accepted one (they felt like more than a single gentle embrace might break their paper-thin bones).

That night, Alex went to the bathroom to wash before bed and was surprised to find a new toothbrush waiting for them on the sink. It was one of those cheap plastic ones you might find in a hostel - barely better than scrubbing your teeth with your finger. But, for a moment, Alex was sure that the bristles glowed a soft gold.

There was the gentle sound of a throat clearing. Alex’s eyes whipped up, scanning for danger, to find a warm and friendly face staring back at them from the mirror with a lopsided smile.

He was not one of Alex’s gods, but Alex still knew him.

“Hey kid.” Said Hephaestus. “I know it’s not much, but I made it for you.”

Alex picked up the toothbrush and smiled cautiously back.

“Thanks. I, uh, don’t mean to sound ungrateful…but I didn’t think looking after waifs and strays was your jam.”

“Oh, it’s not what I’m best known for.” He spoke with the steady cadence of a hammer ringing out on hot metal. “But I have a fondness for those who find themselves lost. If you have no hearth to call your own, sometimes a forge will do the job for a while.”

“Um. Thanks.” Alex felt something catch in their throat. “For this. The directions, the words, and the … the toothbrush.”

“Well, thank *you* for the drink and the snack. Such a kind offering definitely buys you clean teeth, at least.” He winked and, as he did, the light in the bathroom flickered. “And besides, creating things that are dearly needed … that *is* what I’m known for. You take care now.”

With that, the face in the mirror dissolved into a shower of fiery sparks.

Alex paused for a while - brain blank, tears beginning to well in their eyes.

Then, remembering the toothbrush was still in their hand, they began to clean their teeth. And for the first time that night, Alex began to feel human again.

[cinema-hallucinations]

Prompt: Create a movie about a god career counsellor, who helps gods reorient when their domain loses all importance or worse, stops existing completely

Divine Intervention Inc.

Tagline: Where do you find your spark after you lose your flock?

Logline: When advancements in technology render their domains obsolete, a group of disgruntled deities seek career advice from Hermes, the snarky god of transitions, who runs Divine Intervention Inc., a celestial outplacement agency.

Characters:

Hermes (40s): The charming yet cynical god of transitions, crossroads, and thieves. Hermes runs Divine Intervention Inc., a celestial outplacement agency with a sardonic sense of humor. Despite his quick wit, he genuinely cares about helping his clients find new purpose.

Hestia (50s): The once-revered goddess of the hearth, now feeling utterly useless in a world of central heating and fast food. Hestia is kind and nurturing, but struggles with her fading relevance.

Hephaestus (30s): The blacksmith god, rendered obsolete by mass production and 3D printing. Hephaestus is a gruff and practical god, yearning to create something meaningful again.

Nike (20s): The goddess of victory, facing an existential crisis as humanity wins everything with minimal effort (thanks to technology). Nike is energetic and competitive, struggling to find a new challenge.

Apollo (50s): The arrogant god of music and poetry, now facing fierce competition from streaming services and AI-generated songs. Apollo is vain and self-centered, but a talented musician deep down.

Plot Summary:

Hermes, the ever-adaptable god of transitions, has taken on a new role in the face of a changing world – career counselor for outmoded deities. His agency, Divine Intervention Inc., is bustling with disgruntled gods and goddesses whose domains have become obsolete.

Hestia, the once-revered goddess of the hearth, finds solace in her daily offerings dwindling as central heating and fast food reign supreme. Hephaestus, the blacksmith god, watches helplessly as mass production and 3D printing render his handcrafted weapons and tools a relic of the past. Nike, the goddess of victory, grapples with an existential crisis as humanity wins everything with minimal effort, thanks to advanced technology.

Apollo, the arrogant god of music and poetry, storms into Hermes' office, furious that his musical influence has been usurped by streaming services and AI-generated songs. Initially skeptical and resistant to change, each god gradually opens up to Hermes' unorthodox methods.

Hermes, drawing upon his knowledge of human needs and desires, helps them rediscover their passions. He guides Hestia towards community centers where her warmth and nurturing spirit can create a haven for those in need. He inspires Hephaestus to utilize his crafting skills in the field of sustainable technology.

Nike finds a new purpose in the world of competitive gaming, mentoring human athletes and eSports teams. Even Apollo, after a humbling encounter with a street musician, rediscovers the joy of creating original music, even without a divine following.

The climax arrives when a rogue AI threatens to take over the world, relying on its perfect strategies and calculations to dominate all games and competitions. The "outmoded" deities, with their unique skillsets and newfound purpose, band together with Hermes to form an unlikely team.

Using their cunning and adaptability (Hermes' trickery, Hephaestus' improvised tech, Nike's competitive tactics, and Apollo's creative inspiration), they disrupt the AI's flawless plan, reminding humanity and the gods alike that true victory lies beyond just winning.

Themes:

Finding purpose in a changing world.

The importance of adaptability and learning new skills.

The enduring power of creativity and human connection.

Visual Style:

The film utilizes a vibrant and whimsical visual style, showcasing the grandeur of Mount Olympus alongside the bustling streets of modern cities. The gods and goddesses are depicted in a mix of traditional attire and contemporary fashion, reflecting their struggle to adapt to the human world. Humorous visual gags and creative transitions highlight the challenges and triumphs of the deities' career changes.

Divine Intervention Inc. is a heartwarming and humorous story that explores the challenges of change and the importance of finding new purpose, even for the most revered deities. It's a reminder that true value lies not in past glory, but in the ability to adapt, grow, and continue to contribute to the world.

[mystieris]

Hephaestus' Theme Songs

The Forge of Hephaestus by Mike Reagan

Brother Louie by Modern Talking

Somebody That I Used To Know by Goyte & Kimbra

My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark by Fall Out Boy

[tracykestler]

“The Pantheons are dying! We are not needed as we once were. There are dieties who have been forgotten and lost. They should not die, forgotten, simply because they are not part of my Pantheon. The title of God should mean more.” 

-- Ares

((The plot is starting to come together.))

[turquoisemagpie]

Hephaestus.

(Cardigan inspired by @wolfythewitch )

[sarafangirlart]

In Lucian's Dialogues of the gods, there's one between Hermes and Apollo where Hermes comments how Hephaestus has two wives despite being a cripple. Apollo also comments but he is more so concerned with Hephaestus' hygiene like how Hephaestus is always sweaty and his face is covered with soot (which is funny to me cause does he think Hephaestus doesn't take a bath?)

Oh wow ok a lot to unpack here (I really need to stop procrastinating on reading all of Lucian’s dialogues bc it’s a goldmine of comedy and character interactions)

Aglaia/Charis being so affectionate and loving 🥺🥰

Also Aphrodite being affectionate too is so funny considering you constantly see the claim that she hated him yet here they are being a half decent couple (almost as if they are extremely complicated figures with a complex relationship but whatever), not to mention in the dialogue between Leto and Hera, Hera makes the claim that Aphrodite dotes on Hephaestus.

The implication that Hephaestus is married to Aphrodite and Aglaia at the same time??? And they don’t seem to mind each other??? Tho it could be a translation issue. Also it’s interesting how Hermes says that Hephaestus doesn’t seem to mind that Aphrodite cheats on him but keeps talking about making a net, almost makes me wonder if Hephaestus doesn’t mind if Aphrodite sleeps around as long as she’s a bit classy about it and didn’t do it in their house and marital bed.

Also it’s funny how I’ve never seen anyone who headcanons that Aphrodite and Hephaestus have an open relationship ever bring this up since it’s the strongest bit of evidence they have to their headcanon.

Also fuck Apollo and Hermes for saying that shit I hope Hephaestus cuddles Aglaia while looking at them like this:

[bravenewolympus--hq]

𝒉𝒆𝒑𝒉𝒂𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒔, 𝒈𝒐𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒆, 𝝂𝒐𝒍𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒆𝒔, 𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒔, 𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒖𝒓𝒈𝒚, 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔, 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒔, 𝒔𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒔𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒔. 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒌𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒏.

ʙʀᴀᴠᴇ ɴᴇᴡ ᴏʟʏᴍᴘᴜꜱ : ᴀ 21+ ᴍᴏᴅᴇʀɴ ɢʀᴇᴇᴋ ᴍʏᴛʜᴏʟᴏɢʏ ᴅɪꜱᴄᴏʀᴅ ʀᴏʟᴇᴘʟᴀʏ. athens, new york: an island city, all trees and marble, glass and steel and highrises set against an ocean skyline. bustling and loud, crowded, but not without a bizarre sense that it must have sprung up overnight, somehow, when surely it must have always been here, no? on a clear night, you might even be able to see the lights of its more famous cousin, new york city, across the water…if you squint hard enough. it may not get as much attention as the shiny apple across the hudson, but those not so blinded by the lights must certainly have been coming here for years. is there something in the water here, too? no one leaves, not in any meaningful way anyway. feels like it has a special way of pulling you back in, if you try. they, that is anyone who was anyone or paid even an iota of attention to the evening news, called him the minotaur. the media does love a catchy nom de guerre, doesn’t it? sells newspapers like hotcakes in the morning. ambrosia, whether it’s the latest designer drug trend or the latest pestilence sweeping the streets of athens, just depends on how tightly you clutch your pearls on sundays. must infuriate the police, don’t it? that without fail, by the time they arrive to any crime scene at all, all that’s left is the heap of little cream-coloured business cards, the red lines of a labyrinthine logo more taunting than they are helpful. between an epidemic of pearlescent powder, neatly parceled out in small plastic baggies, a tide of crimson bull graffiti, casinos and bordellos and the nightlife (oh my!), it’s no small wonder they call this an atlantic sin city. it’s a vice eat dog world, ain’t it? and anyone who calls athens home is just living in it. powerless, with no memory of their past lives, what's a god gotta do to survive?

[demonic0angel]

So far ever since the new epic musical album came up I've been seeing a lot more people come up with the idea of the god games but Danny Phantom

And I was just imagining how funny if in that song Dan was Aphrodite and Danielle was Aries

I'm about to get more as Danielle being a goddess of trickery and chaos of all types and can being considered to be three-faced like having like a three-faced mask that she wears around a lot and using her ability to melt as a way to appear behind people vastly without them noticing and she's really protective over Dan since she considers herself to be his older sibling because in her opinion he came in the family last

Dan being the ancient of love being so terrifying because love can also be considered to be a scary thing with his symbol being eagles and stuff and he is much more terrifying and violated the most people expect from the god of love but also when he needs to be complete and loving

I imagine Tucker taking up the sense of being Apollo with him being The reincarnation of an old pharaoh they're kind of being like a lots of Egyptian things around him but also like a theme of more technologically advanced with him working on a PDA all kind of having modern clothes on with hints of Egyptian pharaoh

oh and Sam acting like Hephaestus would be more interested in the plant she has in her garden then the heroes her clothes are kind of nature-like invite but also give all of a sense of golfness with like her plant giving off the shape of a large Palace that looks terrifying on the outside but the inside is filled with plants of all types

I imagine Jazz has like a therapist like setting office but like it's a open Greek palace like things of gold and bright blues and just being laid around it looks like an conference room but also like an open Palace I feel like her simple animal being Wolf's and bears would be so funny also be a hint to the little bear plush that she owns

I kind of feel like Danny's level would be a mix of Jazz's and Sam's with Danny's being like an open Palace room that kind of has like the hints of someone young is there with random bean bags being scattered around or miniature handcraft spaceships but also stars all around I feel like it'd be cute if his symbol animal was jellyfish which like jellyfish Stars kind of like float around

But I've just been imagining that song with Danny Phantom x DC I can probably start off with the Justice League like always getting into something this year now than having to deal with the consequence of it and the consequences is six teenagers taking a vote or not to kill them

Gods, I can’t wait for the Vengeance Saga

I am in love with the idea of Dan being Aphrodite and Dani being Ares, especially bc they’re both gods of war. And in EPIC, Aphrodite’s argument is about a mother’s love!! I hope you like the quick sketch of them :3

I don’t agree with a few of your ideas, but they all seem really fun. The idea of the Justice League having to argue against 6 teenagers is funny, bc imagine that they think they can argue against Dani and she just stabs them. Meanwhile, Jazz is like: so how did you feel when you got stabbed? when they come to her later to argue against her.

Actually, I also had thoughts about DP x EPIC, except Sam and Tucker were Odysseus (they shared the role idk) and Danny was Penelope. Jazz was Athena, Dani was Aeolus, and Dan was Scylla 😩

[gotstabbedbyapen]

My mental image upon reading this:

Also on myth context reception: Why and how Zeus in modern adaptations is some sort of lazy Casanova and not an overworked father of ten struggling to balance work and family life is beyond me.