With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)

[Vaermina]

Heph is very smart so he may be able to bypass such a thing by either not having children, or by actually treating his kids with respect and dignity so that they don't decide to overthrow him.

I once read a worldbuilding story that expanded the universe if MLP to include things like gods and pantheons.

One of those pantheons was an expy of the Norse pantheon and they even had an expy of Loki who was adopted by the leader of that pantheon.

There were also expy's of those Shadowed Ones from Marvel comics that were behind a cycle of destruction and they used the previous iterations of the Loki expy to bring about destruction.

The previous iterations of the pantheon typically either bound the powers of the Loki expy, killed him, or belittled him, but seeing as that didn't work for them, the newest Odin expy decided that the best way to prevent the death if his family was by actually treating his son with love so that he doesn't decide to cause the apocalypse.

And it worked.

Maybe Heph could do something similar if he has kids.

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Little late for that, Hephaestus has over a dozen children.

Vae... a counterpoint: As you rightly point out, Zeus isn't stupid. Grabbing a power cache and pulling favors might restore some power, but he knows fully well that attempting to retake Olympus by force is going to end very badly for him. This is doubly true if he's only able to reclaim a portion of his power, and pulling favors additionally adds cross-pantheon politics to the problem. (Who's going to want to be on the wrong side of the guy that just overthrew Zeus and crushed Ares?)

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Attempting to retake Olympus by force would end badly, if he tried it alone.

As for who would be willing? A good chunk of the Olympians for sure since things were actually pretty good for them under Zeus. The Roman pantheon also for sure since Jupiter wouldn't want his own people to get idea's, possibly the Norse pantheon since DC comics wise they would jump at the chance to weaken the Greek's via a civil war and wouldn't want them being Hephaestus levels of active.

And of course there's the possibility of the Silver City, since there has to be some reason Zeus didn't push to go active recruiter like Hephaestus is planning to do when Christianity started spreading.

 

[Zig]

And of course there's the possibility of the Silver City, since there has to be some reason Zeus didn't push to go active recruiter like Hephaestus is planning to do when Christianity started spreading.

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That's uhhh actually a really good point.

 

[Stsword]

That's uhhh actually a really good point.

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The over 1 billion Hindus say hi.

As do the over half a billion Buddhists.

 

[Vaermina]

The over 1 billion Hindus say hi.

As do the over half a billion Buddhists.

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Well, in this story Hindu's and Buddhists reincarnate, so even if it takes a bit longer their souls would still end up in the Silver City eventually by simple dint of their reincarnations eventually joining a religion that has them end up there.

Compare that to the Greek's, Roman's, Egyptian's, and all the other Pantheon's that as far as we know hold onto souls eternally after they die. And it's understandable why the Silver City might have taken umbrage to one group but not the other.

 

[Zig]

The over 1 billion Hindus say hi.

As do the over half a billion Buddhists.

Click to shrink...

It's more that the Silver City has positioned itself as the default afterlife and at least part of the reason for that is Zeu's lack of recruiting. He may well have made some sort of deal with the Silver City in the past, or may due so in the future like "hey, the new guy is gonna actively recruit which will decrease your power. Help me out and things will go back to the status quo."

 

[Vaermina]

It's more that the Silver City has positioned itself as the default afterlife and at least part of the reason for that is Zeu's lack of recruiting. He may well have made some sort of deal with the Silver City in the past, or may due so in the future like "hey, the new guy is gonna actively recruit which will decrease your power. Help me out and things will go back to the status quo."

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Thinking about it, who knows what deal's or treaties Zeus has made over the eons.

Many of which Hephaestus might not know about, if Zeus kept things close to the vest and the only thing the rest of the Olympian's know is that occasionally Zeus would put in place a new "nonsensical" rule that he would punish them harshly for violating.

Would be a great way to screw over anyone who might overthrow him now that I think about it...

 

[Prince Charon]

Had a sudden thought: Paul manages to track down Constantine for help with Captain Marvel's problem. Immediately after having that thought, decided that it was a terrible idea. Like, the way Constantine's jobs usually go, he'll succeed, but only at some kind of horrible cost.

 

[Mr Zoat]

28th October 2012
17:37 GMT +3

I watch as Io oversees a small team of Amazons clearing out Baroness Paula von Gunther's workshop. About time really, but I'm a little puzzled as to why they're doing it now. And-.

What's that?

I'm looking at… A large humanoid. Looks a little like Hephaestaean's armour, only the faceplate is a solid piece-. No, the whole helmet is a solid piece without any eye slit. Instead, the eyes are jewels with tiny runes inscribed on their interiors, most likely using tiny flaws in the structure of the crystal. The range of movement seems good… Organic, even. Not like the clumsy tripods that Hephaestus and Vulcan used.

Frowning slightly, I drop down next to Io.

"Io. What's going on?"

"With Lord Hephaestaean's ascension, it seemed appropriate to build him a proper temple. Paula's workshop is in a good location, and it fits his theme."

"Not afraid of tripping over the mysteries of her cult?"

"Why would I be? It's my cult too, now."

I-.

"Yes, I know that I'm barely educated in the artifice of Man's World-."

I frown. "Io. This workshop was built for a woman, remember? Who studied-."

"It's just what we call it."

"Well stop. It sounds ridiculous. You know that Hephaestaean intends to start proselytising, right?"

"Yes." She nods, smiling as she considers it. "Under his command the gods will become involved in the lives of worshippers all across the world. It will be like the old days come again."

"And you're up for the High Priestess position?"

She shrugs. "Maybe. He told me that he would help me learn sciences and technology beyond smithing. What he is now is so different from what he was, I… I wouldn't be able to do it. After thousands of years of just refining what we know…"

I reach over and pat her on the right shoulder with my left hand.

"I know. I've been trying to change that since I got here, so I know how big a deal it is."

"I've been thinking about having a daughter. Children deal with change-."

"Cough cough."

"I know that you could give me a daughter, but it has been some time since I have been in a long term relationship-."

"Not why I was coughing." She shrugs and shakes her head, not understanding. "You said 'daughter'. Through Hephaestaean, you have access to advanced reproductive technologies. When I help two women have a child the child is always a girl, but in your position-."

"A son." She frowns uncertainly, eyes dipping to the ground. "Uh."

"Yeeeeeees?"

She looks up again, her face relaxing as if some part of the world suddenly makes sense in a way it didn't before. "I understand, now. Why you chose Eris to emulate, rather than Hephaestus. He builds on what came before, but you… It's like when we tore down this city so we could rebuild it with a sewer."

"I do like sewers." The ambulatory suit of armour comes out carrying a workbench. "Where did the golem come from?"

Its head rotates about a hundred and twenty degrees so that it can look at me. It regards me for a moment and then sets the workbench down and turns its body to match the direction its face is facing before marching in my direction.

"Orange Lantern."

"One of many. Sorry, I couldn't see a desire network, so I assumed…"

"This body is warded. I am a zontanonaut."

"He found a way to bind a shade to a robotic body? You can leave the underworld like this?"

"Yes, though having been a demigod in life may have made that easier. My name is Erichthonius. With my father's rise in power-"

My ring fills me in on the mythological version of his history. Ah, well, he sounds like an alright guy, though… I don't see the Hephaestus I know doing most of that.

"-he took the opportunity to reach out to me in the underworld."

I scan… What I can of his carapace. "It's an impressive piece of work."

"I know. I tried to keep up to date with the artifice of the living world, but speaking to the shades of the most recently dead… It was beyond me. Until now."

"It makes more sense when you can see it yourself?"

"My father included a device to feed information directly to my mind in this artificial body. My divine heritage causes me to instinctively understand how to apply technology in a useful way. Themyscira will be my first test since I popularised the use of the horse collar."

I smile. "You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that."

"I believe that I do. I've seen your files."

I nod. "I wish you all the best in your mission, then. You haven't seen Gaea recently, have you? Or a cyclopes?"

"Despite what certain chroniclers claimed, I was birthed by Athena in the conventional way and have no special knowledge of Gaea's whereabouts."

He sounds more than a little put out by my asking.

"Sorry, I meant no offence to either of your parents. I just want to talk to her."

"I suggest the forest. Now if you will excuse me, I should get back to work."

He turns away in a motion which doesn't require an owl's neck and marches back inside the workshop. I wince inwardly.

"Is that a sore point with him?"

"That his father was accused of raping his mother, and he was supposedly born from his seed spilling on the ground after dripping off her thigh? Yes, it's a sore point. Why are you looking for the cyclopes?"

"It turns out that Zeus was doing exactly one thing useful with his life: lending a portion of his power to a mortal hero. With Zeus out of the picture, that hero is weakened. Since the cyclopes made his lightning I'm hoping they can bypass the fault."

"Could he just find another sponsor?"

"Probably, but I'd want to vet them so we don't get another Zeus, and they need to have a really particular ability set. I mean, Jupiter put it about just as much as Zeus, right?"

"I know little about the Gods of Rome."

I nod. "Okay. Back to work for both of us."

I transition up to the inner city, where-. Where I'm treated to a view of a royal family hug as Diana is embraced by her mother and sons. Surprisingly, it's Menalippe who makes eye contact with me and angrily gestures to the palace. Okay, let's go and see what she wants.

 

[Handlewithcare]

Damn, Heph is a cool dad. In charge for five minutes and already springing his kid from detention, I mean afterlife, and giving him a cool car, I mean body.

Though how exactly does this cross wth Athena being a virgin goddess?

 

[Darko]

"Yes, though having been a demigod in life may have made that easier. My name is Erichthonius. With my father's rise in power-"

My ring fills me in on the mythological version of his history. Ah, well, he sounds like an alright guy, though… I don't see the Hephaestus I know doing most of that

Click to shrink...

For reference, it was said that Heph tried to rape Athena but some of his seven spilled on her thigh.

When she wiped it off it landed on the ground and Erichthonius emerged.

"I know. I tried to keep up to date with the artifice of the living world, but speaking to the shades of the most recently dead… It was beyond me. Until now

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So much being done can be overwhelming.

Plus the shades may not have know much about tech themselves.

to instinctively understand how to apply technology in useful way

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'in a useful'

 

[Senevri]

If you're talking about the whole pomegranate seeds then that may not be the case here since according to Heph, that may have just been Hades impregnating her rather than her eating food from Erebos.

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While it's a nice metaphor that makes quite a bot of sense, I'm not seeing how that would have forced her to spend three to six months per year in the Underworld.

 

[Darko]

While it's a nice metaphor that makes quite a bot of sense, I'm not seeing how that would have forced her to spend three to six months per year in the Underworld.

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Maybe because the gods decided on that to make sure that Demeter doesn't starve everyone.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Though how exactly does this cross wth Athena being a virgin goddess?

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It doesn't. She's not. Ancient Greek writers were misogynists.

'in a useful'

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Thank you, corrected.

 

[Doccer]

zontanonaut

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Tried looking that up. Google came up blank.

When I help two women have a child the child is always a girl, but in your position-."

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I thought that was by choice. Are you saying you can't make male an option?

 

[HypoSoc]

Tried looking that up. Google came up blank.

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It's a made up word.

Zotanos is Greek for "Life". Naut is "Sailor".

Its essentially an astronaut but instead of space, it's the living world.

 

[Chojin Patriarch]

28th October 2012
17:37 GMT +3

I watch as Io oversees a small team of Amazons clearing out Baroness Paula von Gunther's workshop. About time really, but I'm a little puzzled as to why they're doing it now. And-.

What's that?

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It's a workshop, OL. What better place for a proper temple to a god of technology? I trust there's no potentially nasty surprises to be found, though I have no doubt the baroness cleaned anything like that up long before she passed...

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

I'm looking at… A large humanoid. Looks a little like Hephaestaean's armour, only the faceplate is a solid piece-. No, the whole helmet is a solid piece without any eye slit. Instead, the eyes are jewels with tiny runes inscribed on their interiors, most likely using tiny flaws in the structure of the crystal. The range of movement seems good… Organic, even. Not like the clumsy tripods that Hephaestus and Vulcan used.

Frowning slightly, I drop down next to Io.

Click to shrink...

...And why am I picturing a Kastelan-class Imperial Automata? Clearly Hephaestaean's hand was involved in its making?

"Io. What's going on?"

"With Lord Hephaestaean's ascension, it seemed appropriate to build him a proper temple. Paula's workshop is in a good location, and it fits his theme."

Click to shrink...

Of course it would. Hopefully far enough from town that any mishaps in the learning process won't blow doors in, and are easily cleaned up...

"Not afraid of tripping over the mysteries of her cult?"

"Why would I be? It's my cult too, now."

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...A reminder: Baroness Paula von Gunther was a Nazi. True, a reformed one, but...

I-.

"Yes, I know that I'm barely educated in the artifice of Man's World-."

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Oh, you'll learn. As Hephaestus' chief disciple at the forge, well...

I frown. "Io. This workshop was build for a woman, remember? Who studied-."

"It's just what we call it."

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And yes, that's true. However, Mysteries just sounds cooler.

"Well stop. It sounds ridiculous. You know that Hephaestaean intends to start proselytising, right?"

"Yes." She nods, smiling as she considers it. "Under his command the gods will become involved in the lives of worshippers all across the world. It will be like the old days come again."

Click to shrink...

Hopefully not too much. I rather suspect the Gods won't be able to get into anywhere near half the trouble they did back then.

"And you're up for the High Priestess position?"

She shrugs. "Maybe. He told me that he would help me learn sciences and technology beyond smithing. What he is now is so different from what he was, I… I wouldn't be able to do it. After thousands of years of just refining what we know…"

Click to shrink...

Sometimes, though, a change is a good thing.

I reach over and pat her on the right shoulder with my left hand.

"I know. I've been trying to change that since I got here, so I know how big a deal it is."

Click to shrink...

But now it's kind of in your face, isn't it? Bet some folks aren't happy about hearing about the whole overthrowing the King of Olympus. Oh, not for love of Zeus, no. Just out of a 'bah, why do we have to change anything. It's fine the way it is, isn't it?' traditionalism...

"I've been thinking about having a daughter. Children deal with change-."

"Cough cough."

Click to shrink...

No, OL, that is not an invitation to volunteer. Besides, she and Ted Kord would make a cuter couple.

"I know that you could give me a daughter, but it has been some time since I have been in a long term relationship-."

"Not why I was coughing." She shrugs and shakes her head, not understanding. "You said 'daughter'. Through Hephaestaean, you have access to advanced reproductive technologies. When I help two women have a child the child is always a girl, but in your position-."

Click to shrink...

Well, given some of the more ludicrous super-science things around... Even if Hephaestaean can't work with such artisanal stuff as easily as the common sciences, there's still possibilities.

"A son." She frowns uncertainly, eyes dipping to the ground. "Uh."

"Yeeeeeees?"

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Think about it: the first male child born on Themyscira in three thousand years? I'm sure OL would happily contribute a dose of Danner Formula as a baby-shower gift.

She looks up again, her face relaxing as if some part of the world suddenly makes sense in a way it didn't before. "I understand, now. Why you chose Eris to emulate, rather than Hephaestus. He builds on what came before, but you… It's like when we tore down this city so we could rebuild it with a sewer."

"I do like sewers." The ambulatory suit of armour comes out carrying a workbench. "Where did the golem come from?"

Click to shrink...

Better than some cities. Chicago, for instance, lifted the entire town a few feet. Because why bother tearing down the Downtown district for the sake of cleaner streets, huh?

Its head rotates about a hundred and twenty degrees so that it can look at me. It regards me for a moment and then sets the workbench down and turns its body to match the direction its face is facing before marching in my direction.

"Orange Lantern."

Click to shrink...

...Ah. It's not a simple Golem. Points for not limiting your joint mobility to the human standard.

"One of many. Sorry, I couldn't see a desire network, so I assumed…"

"This body is warded. I am a zontanonaut."

Click to shrink...

From 'zo̱ntanós' - Living. Which apparently means he's a traveller of the Living world. So...

"He found a way to bind a shade to a robotic body? You can leave the underworld like this?"

"Yes, though having been a demigod in life may have made that easier. My name is Erichthonius. With my father's rise in power-"

Click to shrink...

Ah. One of the children Vaermina mentioned in a post above. Also a former King of Athens.

My ring fills me in on the mythological version of his history. Ah, well, he sounds like an alright guy, though… I don't see the Hephaestus I know doing most of that.

"-he took the opportunity to reach out to me in the underworld."

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Evidently some writer was interested in maintaining his vision of Athena as a virgin. Maybe she was his Waifu?

I scan… What I can of his carapace. "It's an impressive piece of work."

"I know. I tried to keep up to date with the artifice of the living world, but speaking to the shades of the most recently dead… It was beyond me. Until now."

Click to shrink...

Thanks to a metaphysical boost from the old man, huh?

"It makes more sense when you can see it yourself?"

"My father included a device to feed information directly to my mind in this artificial body. My divine heritage causes me to instinctively understand how to apply technology in useful way. Themyscira will be my first test since I popularised the use of the horse collar."

Click to shrink...

Man, Hephaestaean's already handing out cyberware like candy. At this rate, his corner of the Pantheon will look like a cyberpunk LARP.

I smile. "You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that."

"I believe that I do. I've seen your files."

Click to shrink...

So, can we expect to see Themyscira become the technologically advanced paradise of some continuities before long?

I nod. "I wish you all the best in your mission, then. You haven't seen Gaea recently, have you? Or a cyclopes?"

"Despite what certain chroniclers claimed, I was birthed by Athena in the conventional way and have no special knowledge of Gaea's whereabouts."

Click to shrink...

...No wonder she encouraged Phaeste to do it. No bitterness there, eh?

He sounds more than a little put out by my asking.

"Sorry, I meant no offence to either of your parents. I just want to talk to her."

Click to shrink...

And when either parent could send an avatar down to slap you one for that insult, the apology is entirely serious.

"I suggest the forest. Now if you will excuse me, I should get back to work."

He turns away in a motion which doesn't require an owl's neck and marches back inside the workshop. I wince inwardly.

Click to shrink...

Lending a hand with some of the more awkward heavy lifting, or identifying devices, I wonder? Or both?

"Is that a sore point with him?"

"That his father was accused of raping his mother, and he was supposedly born from his seed spilling on the ground after dripping off her thigh? Yes, it's a sore point. Why are you looking for the cyclopes?"

Click to shrink...

Still not the weirdest birth amongst the Olympian myths. Early Aphrodite, for example?

"It turns out that Zeus was doing exactly one thing useful with his life: lending a portion of his power to a mortal hero. With Zeus out of the picture, that hero is weakened. Since the cyclopes made his lightning I'm hoping they can bypass the fault."

"Could he just find another sponsor?"

Click to shrink...

That's up to the Wizard, really. It's up to him whether to stay on theme or not. No coincidence that all of the entities involved were roughly contemporaneous in the eastern Mediterranean regions...

"Probably, but I'd want to vet them so we don't get another Zeus, and they need to have a really particular ability set. I mean, Jupiter put it about just as much as Zeus, right?"

"I know little about the Gods of Rome."

Click to shrink...

Sadly, Gods of weather or storm are rarely easy to reach or work with.

I nod. "Okay. Back to work for both of us."

I transition up to the inner city, where-. Where I'm treated to a view of a royal family hug as Diana is embraced by her mother and sons. Surprisingly, it's Menalippe who makes eye contact with me and angrily gestures to the palace. Okay, let's go and see what she wants.

Click to shrink...

Well, good to see some happiness for the person all this was in aid of.

Time for a well-deserved dressing down from his chosen cultural leaders. I wonder how loud the yelling is going to get? And then he'll have to face the music with Batman... Probably an audience with old Jeb, who'll have some choice words on Captain Marvel's behalf... Better get the popcorn or Malteasers ready for the show, folks, this is going to be entertaining.

 

[Ngamer11]

I frown. "Io. This workshop was build for a woman, remember? Who studied-."

Click to shrink...

That should say 'built'.

I thought that was by choice. Are you saying you can't make male an option?

Click to shrink...

Paul knows that the Amazons prefer daughters, so he made sure all the kids would be girls. If Io were to have a child through another method, there's a chance she'll have a boy.

 

[Ganurath]

Though how exactly does this cross wth Athena being a virgin goddess?

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Virgin in the ancient Greek context is synonymous with "maiden" rather than meaning a lack of sexual experience. Athena being a virgin goddess means she looks young.

 

[Darko]

No, OL, that is not an invitation to volunteer. Besides, she and Ted Kord would make a cuter couple.

Click to shrink...

I think Zoat mentioned that she isn't into men.

So, can we expect to see Themyscira become the technologically advanced paradise of some continuities before long?

Click to shrink...

Probably not for a while.

That's up to the Wizard, really. It's up to him whether to stay on theme or not. No coincidence that all of the entities involved were roughly contemporaneous in the eastern Mediterranean regions...

Click to shrink...

He probably came from that region so he'd be more familiar with the local gods.

 

[Z000]

It's a made up word.

Zotanos is Greek for "Life". Naut is "Sailor".

Its essentially an astronaut but instead of space, it's the living world.

Click to shrink...

hahahaha

soul putting on space suit to walk around in the normal world

 

[Mr Zoat]

That should say 'built'.

Click to shrink...

Thank you, corrected.

Paul knows that the Amazons prefer daughters, so he made sure all the kids would be girls.

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No, it's the lack of a 'Y' chromosome.

 

[Vaermina]

For reference, it was said that Heph tried to rape Athena but some of his seven spilled on her thigh.

When she wiped it off it landed on the ground and Erichthonius emerged.

Click to shrink...

You know...

It's getting kind of annoying how Zoat is editing out every bad thing the Greek God's ever did except for the things done by Zeus...

 

[Rafin]

"Despite what certain chroniclers claimed, I was birthed by Athena in the conventional way and have no special knowledge of Gaea's whereabouts."

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I knew you wouldn't stick with the out of character (for both of them) failed rape story, but I didn't expect that you'd decide that Athena is not a virgin anymore. She was one of the few potentially asexuals available.

I guess if she wanted to try it out once with no complications and with no one finding out then Phaestos was a decent choice.

 

[Ngamer11]

You know...

It's getting kind of annoying how Zoat is editing out every bad thing the Greek God's ever did except for the things done by Zeus...

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Pretty sure he kept the bad stuff that Ares did, which is why Heph and the Amazons dislike him.

 

[0zymandias]

You know...

It's getting kind of annoying how Zoat is editing out every bad thing the Greek God's ever did except for the things done by Zeus...

Click to shrink...

I think he kept Apollo's and it's been left ambiguous whether Hades raped Persephone. Paragon values his relationship with the House of Hades more than opening centuries-old wounds. And we know that Paragon is perfectly fine with accepting that a horrible thing can happen so long as it's not his immediate/mid-term problem. That Heph probably raped a few mortals in his time is quietly ignored because he wasn't as bad as Zeus and he is far more useful.

 

[FourthPear]

Damn, Heph is a cool dad. In charge for five minutes and already springing his kid from detention, I mean afterlife, and giving him a cool car, I mean body.

Though how exactly does this cross wth Athena being a virgin goddess?

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I'm more curious about how he qualifies as a 'demi-'god when both his parents were gods in full.

Virgin in the ancient Greek context is synonymous with "maiden" rather than meaning a lack of sexual experience. Athena being a virgin goddess means she looks young.

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Then why are the three goddess specifically described as 'virgins' the only ones that never had children or (arguably) any romantic/sexual relationships whatsoever?

 

[Ngamer11]

I'm more curious about how he qualifies as a 'demi-'god when both his parents were gods in full.

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He never achieved apotheosis, so he remained a mortal. As a mortal, demigod was his limit.

 

[Darko]

I knew you wouldn't stick with the out of character (for both of them) failed rape story, but I didn't expect that you'd decide that Athena is not a virgin anymore. She was one of the few potentially asexuals available.

I guess if she wanted to try it out once with no complications and with no one finding out then Phaestos was a decent choice.

Click to shrink...

She may still be an asexual.

Asexual means that the individual lacks much, or any, sexual attraction to people, but it does not mean that they don't have relationships or even sexual encounters.

Asexuals can form romantic bonds with people and may engage in sexual activity with those people; it's just that sex doesn't really appeal to them.

I think he kept Apollo's and it's been left ambiguous whether Hades raped Persephone

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That thing with Hades is incredibly questionable at best.

He never achieved apotheosis, so he remained a mortal. As a mortal, demigod was his limit.

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It's still kinda weird that the child of two gods would be a demigod.

 

[Stsword]

I think he kept Apollo's and it's been left ambiguous whether Hades raped Persephone. Paragon values his relationship with the House of Hades more than opening centuries-old wounds. And we know that Paragon is perfectly fine with accepting that a horrible thing can happen so long as it's not his immediate/mid-term problem. That Heph probably raped a few mortals in his time is quietly ignored because he wasn't as bad as Zeus and he is far more useful.

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Zoat explained that.

Hades thought that Persephone was a willing knowing participant in their betrothment.

She wasn't, Zeus just told Hades he had the go ahead.

Persephone was therefore too afraid to say no, and when she realized Hades wasn't the type to punish her for saying no, has said no ever since.

So Hades committed rape, but not on purpose.

So whatever possibility for happiness they might have had as a couple was strangled in the crib by Zeus's shenanigans.

 

[FourthPear]

He never achieved apotheosis, so he remained a mortal. As a mortal, demigod was his limit.

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Why was he EVER a mortal when BOTH his parents were GODS? Is the question I am asking.