Cupid, God of Love – Roman
TYPE: Ranged, Physical
An arrow from the bow of Cupid, chubby little God of Love, will make anyone give in to passion and desire.
Cupid, as he was called by the Romans, is the son of Venus and Mars, or Aphrodite and Ares as they were known by the Greeks. He is the God of love and desire, flying about on feathery wings, shooting passion-tipped arrows at all the creatures of the earth. When struck with one of his arrows, man and beast alike fall in love with the next thing they see. Without Cupid’s steady aim, there would be no love in this world, which is precisely what happened when Cupid fell in love himself.
Psyche was a mortal of astounding beauty, which made Venus venomously jealous. Venus ordered Cupid to sting her with an arrow, then arranged for Psyche to fall in love with a spider. Invisible, Cupid reluctantly went to Psyche as she slept, yet, she woke suddenly and saw right through Cupid’s invisibility. Surprised, Cupid cut himself on his own arrow and fell immediately in love with Psyche.
Furious, Venus would not let Cupid marry Psyche, so Cupid stopped shooting arrows, people stopped falling in love and stopped worshipping Venus. Panicked, the Goddess of beauty relented and Cupid went back to work. Psyche was whisked to a secret location. Cupid visited her only at night so she could not see who he was. Fearing him to be a terrible monster, Psyche waited for Cupid to fall asleep and lit a lantern. Surprised at what she found, she accidentally scraped one of Cupid’s arrows and fell in love with him.
Venus was displeased and forbade Psyche to see her son, forcing her to complete a series of impossible challenges that Psyche overcame only with mystical help. Finally, Cupid begged Jupiter (Zeus) to intervene. Casually, he declared Psyche and Cupid could be together. Thus, Cupid fed Psyche the drink of ambrosia that made her immortal and the God of love got to live happily ever after.
Zeus, God of the Sky – Greek
TYPE: Ranged, Magical
King of Gods, Zeus strives for fairness and justice, but will not hesitate to call down the thunder when there’s smiting to be done!
Zeus’ father, the Titan Cronus, immediately swallowed his children after birth so that none could overthrow him as he had his own father. When Zeus was born, Rhea, Zeus’ mother, hid the child from Cronus and gave the Titan a rock in swaddling clothes, which he swallowed instead. In secret, Zeus grew up on the isle of Crete until he was old and strong enough to challenge his father. During their battle, Zeus slit open Cronus’ stomach, allowing his swallowed brothers and sisters to escape, slaying the Titan. Then, Zeus released the Cyclops and other beings Cronus had kept imprisoned. In gratitude, the Cyclops awarded Zeus control over lightning.
With his two brothers, Poseidon and Hades, the three Gods drew lots to decide command of creation. Poseidon became king of the sea, Hades the underworld, and Zeus the sky. From his golden throne atop Mount Olympus, Zeus now rules Gods and Men with his wife Hera, upholding justice, hospitality, oaths, and honesty to all under his domain.
Yet, Zeus is a restless God, and while he holds high expectations for others, he does not keep those standards for himself. Chiefly, Zeus is nearly infamous for several infidelities to his wife which have resulted in dozens of children beget by other women, most famous of which are Hercules, Artemis, and Athena. Such wanton unfaithfulness is the source of great jealousy from Hera, though as King, Zeus can ultimately do as he wishes.
Weather is dictated by the Thunder God’s mood. When in a fair temperament, the sky is clear, bright and warm. When Zeus’ anger flares, black clouds roll in, lightning streaks the sky and thunder shakes the very ground. Lately, Zeus has been furious.
Loki, The Trickster God – Norse
TYPE: Melee, Physical
Villain. It’s a word used to describe those that break the rules, that take what they want, and care nothing for those hurt along the way. Loki, the trickster God, would say villainy is nothing more than a point of view.
The point of view of fools too mindless to seize opportunity.
Of course, with Loki now on the loose, the implications are dire. The end of times may be at hand. The final battle, Ragnarok, possibly on the horizon, for it was foretold that Loki would break free of his prison and herald the horrific final battle that would leave the Gods slain, the heavens sundered, and the world in ashes. None are more eager for that time of chaos than Loki.
Before his confinement, Loki’s malicious mischief managed to affect every God in ways both beneficial and terrible. Yet Loki’s most heinous act was in the death of the God of light, Baldr.
Baldr’s prophetic dreams showcased his own death. Fearful for her son, Frigg, forced all objects of the world to swear never to harm him. All save mistletoe. Cruelly amused, Loki forged a spear from the plant and provided it to Baldr’s brother Hodr. The Gods had a new favorite game, hurling objects at Baldr and laughing as they harmlessly ricocheted. So Hodr threw the spear, but, to everyone’s horror Baldr was impaled. Hel agreed to release Baldr from the underworld if all creatures of the world mourned the God of Light. And all did, save one crone who refused. So Baldr died.
When it was discovered the crone was Loki in disguise, the furious Gods bound him in entrails and hung a venomous serpent overhead. Loki’s wife, Sigyn, collected the dripping venom in a bowl, but when she was forced to empty it, Loki was struck, causing such anguish his thrashing would shake the world.
But now Loki is free and already wreaking havoc. If the prophetic Volva are correct, and they always are, then the end of all things has finally come.
Bacchus, God of Wine – Roman
TYPE: Melee, Magical
Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you may die. None adhere more vigorously to this creed than Bacchus, the Roman God of Wine, lewd behavior, and madness.
After spending much of his formative years with his impressively intoxicated mentor Solinus, whom Bacchus loves like a father, the God of Wine is now a wanderer and teacher. He’s journeyed across all of Asia, through India, and finally back to Rome, spreading the “Mysteries of the Vine,” a ritual involving incredible amounts of wine to lower inhibitions, freeing one from social constraints, oppression of gender, sexual taboos, and the stresses of life. Quite the successful ritual, if ever there was one.
Much of this ritual seems to have come from Solinus, who is widely known to have vast, secret knowledge and the ability to predict the future, though only while completely drunk. The king Midas, covetous of this knowledge, captured Solinus, endeavoring to extract it by providing the scholar the finest food, drink, and entertainment he could muster. Bacchus finally tracked down his mentor in the court of Midas and discovered him well fed and cared for. Quickly, Midas lied, claiming Solinus had been lost and the king had taken him in. Seeing through the ruse, Bacchus offered the monarch a boon. Midas asked that anything he touched be turned to gold. Without hesitation, Bacchus granted this. He tested his new gift on a twig and stone and found them turned completely to gold. Elated, Midas called a feast, but found his food turned to gold in his hands and his daughter solidified at his touch. Starving and crazed, Midas begged Bacchus to remove the “gift.” Bacchus acquiesced, allowing the greedy king to wash his hands in the Pactolus river. As the golden touch left his hands, the river sands transformed to glittering gold.
Of course, the product of continuous overindulgence in alcohol and deviant behavior, Bacchus could simply be insane.
Tyr, The Lawgiver – Norse
TYPE: Melee, Physical
Tyr. The embodiment of mankind’s impossible ideals. Man is a malleable creature, but a God is stone, shaped only by the harsh weather of expectation. And none have a greater burden of expectation than Tyr, for he is Courage. He is Honor. He is Justice.
Courage is not the absence of fear, but the will to face the frightening.
Fenrir, the mighty wolf, was foretold to wreak such devastation on the Gods that they sought to bind him. Tyr, clothed in courage, brought the beast to their prison, where the Gods prepared shackles.
Honor is not a stubborn oath, but the integrity to uphold what is right, even when it is not easy.
Under the guise of a test of strength, twice the Gods bound Fenrir, and twice he broke free. On the third attempt, Fenrir sensed a trick and demanded one of the Gods place their hand into his mouth. If the binding proved magical, Fenrir would take the hand. Tyr agreed.
Justice is not adherence to the law, but a code of fairness and morality.
Bound by the mystical ribbon, Fenrir devoured Tyr’s hand. It was the price to be paid. And Tyr paid it willingly. Even Fenrir deserved justice.
One handed, Tyr is worshipped as a pinnacle of righteousness, called upon for valor in battle, balance in law, and the fortitude to face the impossible. As the cloud of war blackens the world, and fear grips the people, Tyr is stooped by the weight of expectation. With blade in hand, he takes the field. For he is Courage. He is Honor. He is Justice.
