Lesser Gods

The Theoi host an impressive host of Lesser Gods, however, just as with Titans, it is not particularly clear just what figure is which. Technically, only the children of Zeus and his siblings are technically Lesser Gods in the minds of the Theoi, with several other concepts, such as personifications, lurking in the wings and confusing matters. Here, we have presented both Gods, and some personifications (Eros, Nike) for use in games as Divine Parents. If a player wishes to use a personification as a Divine Parent, we suggest investigating the nature of the figure closely to make the judgement call on if they should be a Titan, or a Lesser Deity. It will always be a judgement call, no real organised rules can be created to do this, but just go with that seems most appropriate.

There are more difficult entities, however. Nereids, and other Nymphs, are problematic. One of the greatest Greek Heroes, Achilles, was born from a Nereid and plays the exact role a Divine Parent should through the course of the Iliad. They are not Gods, not quite, and if had to be forced into the hierarchy could be described something like Lesser-Lesser Gods. For simplicity's sake, it would likely be easiest to try to avoid such beings as Divine Parents. But, if a player truly has their heart set on it, don't necessarily dismiss them.

Then, there are the Deified Mortals. Initially, the Grecian ones are quite rare and could each be treated as being Legend Nine or above without difficulty. The problem arises when Rome begins to hand out deification like candy. Flat out ruling that the Romans were mad and lying isn't quite fair as all myths are true, however, incorporating the Deified host of Imperial Rome is tricky. It might be best to have these figures as Legend 3 or 4 beings who now live on Mount Olympus rather than in the depths of Hades, baring them from having any Scions save in really exceptional situations. They could make a nice Guide for Scions, and could be beneficial background characters in a Scene in Zeus' court. Just how the Theoi are deifying Mortals, however, is never particularly clear. If one has to address it, look to the consumption of ambrosia and nectar, or possibly the time Demeter put an infant in an oven to try to make them immortal.

And lastly, there are the Stolen Gods. Rome had a habit of picking up Deities like spare change, and just how to deal with them is tricky. Mithra, for example, was taken from the Persian Pantheon, the Yazata, and as he is paramount to their function should likely be left there. Epona, a Goddess from conquered Gaul, on the other hand, could likely be included in the ranks of Lesser Gods, as her Pantheon is obliterated past the point of reconstruction. She can even serve an interesting plot point in games touching on the Nemetondevos, the lost Gods of Gaul. Why did Epona not get syncronised and fade away, where her fellows did? Then, there are figures like Sol Invictus who is an amalgam of many Solar Deities, and is generally just a mess to try to represent without problems.

Eros

Abilities: Athletics, Empathy, Marksmanship, Politics, Presence, Stealth

Powers: Epic Appearance

Legend: 10

More modernly famed by his Roman name, Cupid, Eros is a tricky figure. This Eros can be described as 'Young Eros', the son of Aphrodite and Ares. There is another Eros, the Elder Eros, a Primordial and one of the first beings to come into existence from Khaos. Undoubtedly a Titan, the Elder Eros is not love, but primal procreation. But, we are not touching on him here, instead discussing the 'Young Eros'. Eros is the God of Love, as many know, bringing both love and an absence of love with his bow. When Eros wishes (or more normally, is told by Aphrodite) to see a pair in love, he shoots them with a golden pointed arrow. Where, on the other hand, he wishes to have a pair driven apart, he shoots them with a lead tipped arrow. Occasionally cruel, Eros will shoot a pair with the opposing arrows. Eros' relationship with his mother Aphrodite is... strange to say the least. When Eros fell in love with Psyche, Aphrodite tortured Psyche the moment she was able to hold any power over her until Eros arrived and secretly helped her spurn his mother.

Heracles

Abilities: Athletics, Brawl, Empathy, Fortitude, Marksmanship, Melee

Powers: Epic Strength

Legend: 10

The most famed Scion of the western world, Heracles was deified and begrudgingly accepted by Hera after being brought to Olympus. The God is most well known for his Twelve Tasks, including such feats as carrying Cerberus away from the gates of Hades, and killing the Lernaean Hydra. The Hero even saved Olympus once, the only one who was able to lay the finishing blow on invading Giants. Now a God, Heracles is married to his half-sister Hebe, Goddess of Youth. However, Heracles has likely not forgotten the wife and children he murdered in a mad rage before his Apotheosis.

Hestia

Abilities: Empathy, Fortitude, Integrity, Occult, Politics, Survival

Powers: Fire

Legend: 11

One of the six children of Cronus and Rhea, Hestia is somewhat obscure compared to her fellows. She was guaranteed her virginity and independence by Zeus when Poseidon saught her hand in marriage, the Goddess gave her throne and place among the Dodekatheon to young Dionysus when he arrived on the mountain. Despite this total absence of actual feats, Hestia did hold the largest number of shrines by technicality in the ancient world, as all hearths were sacred to her. On a larger scale, there were also sacred hearths managed by the Vestal Virgins of Rome who swore their lives to Hestia (as Vesta) rather than a husband and held some degree of social clout for the fact. Now, Hestia tends the hearth of Olympus, watching over her family as they bicker and argue. Hestia, at the center, is the calm in the eye in the storm, the gentle hearth that even the Gods have.

Iris

Abilities: Athletics, Empathy, Control, Integrity, Larceny, Presence

Powers: Travel, Sky

Legend: 9

The messenger of the Gods, though one would be forgiven to immediately responding, "No, that's Hermes". Iris is the second messenger, playing a more minor role than Hermes himself does, but still preforming her duties. Honestly, Iris is more trustworthy than Hermes in the very least, and may be given the more sensitive messages. When the Goddess arrives on the world, there is often description of a rainbow, connecting the sky above and the ground below. However, it is not always as overt as this, and the Goddess sometimes simply dresses in the chromatic colors of the rainbow. While exceptionally minor, Iris is reliable and a reasonable figure compared to most of the Theoi from the little we see of her.

Nike

Abilities: Control, Athletics, Empathy, Politics, Integrity, Occult

Powers: War

Legend: 9

Victory herself, a lasting image the most famed of which still stands in the Louvre in Paris, Nike has quite the presence through icon and index in the modern world. A shoe company took her name, and as the Winged Victory was swept out of Paris and secreted away just before the Nazis annexed the city. The daughter of Styx, Nike is technically a Titan, but Nix was the first to answer Zeus call for allies, bringing her children with her. Now, serving as Zeus' charioteer, Nike still lives on Olympus. While a minor figure, when the Great Gods fled when Zeus was first defeated by Typhon, only Nike went to the defeated side of Zeus and encouraged him to rise up once more, to save Athena from the brute Titan's advance, and overthrow the last resistance to his rule.

Persephone

Abilities: Brawl, Empathy, Occult, Politics, Presence, Survival

Powers: Epic Appearance, Fertility, Mystery

Legend: 11

Queen of the Underworld, Persephone exists in a complicated state. At the very moment of her introduction, her kidnap by Hades, the figure of Persephone becomes confused looking back at her from modernity. Described to as the 'Rape of Persephone', it is important to keep in mind that what we translate as 'rape' could also mean 'kidnap' or similar words. While this only sounds slightly worse, added to the fact that early Greek marriage had a ceremony involving the ritual kidnapping of a bride from her father's house by her new husband casts the entire situation in a far more murky light. Each storyteller should make their own decision on the nature of this event, as it entirely defines just who Persephone is. For example, if you decide that it was a marriage ritual then Demeter may have lashed out due to feeling slighted for not being included in the decision (which, culturally, she would not have been), and may suffer from Divine Empty Nest issues and decided she would take her daughter back by holding the entire planet for ransom. In this representation, Persephone is happy with her husband Hades, and have a rather stable relationship in the context of the Theoi, however there are cases of infidelity on both parts.