Post by The Pantheon on Aug 24, 2017 13:26:09 GMT -5
The story of New Olympus takes place on the planet of Alpha, an analog of Earth from the Bronze age. Though there are very clear references to Greek mythology and history, there have been adjustments made to allow for a unique setting and fantasy elements. New Olympus is not intended to be historically accurate.
***
The gods of Mount Olympus, at one time, had been content in their home above Greece, Zeus watching from his throne at his supplicants meandering below. Everything was as it should be. It wasn't until one day when Hermes arrived on Mount Olympus that things began to change.
Hermes delivered a parchment from Greece that brought disturbing news. Followers of the Gorgons, typically choosing not to harass the Grecian people, had begun to assault temples, sanctuaries, and even the homes of devout followers of the Olympians. These Gorgonians were usually not more than a trivial annoyance from time to time, but the priests were struggling to keep them at bay, and a priest of Ares had been murdered. Zeus and Ares quickly went to investigate the incident and upon arrival, discovered that parts of Greece were being ravaged by ancient creatures of lore, monsters, and there were sightings of Titans.
The Olympians quickly took up arms to defend Greece, finding these well-known foes were much more powerful than they had ever been, especially for servants of the Gorgons. However, as the war waged on in Greece, Mount Olympus itself was under siege. The moment notice came by way of Hermes that a simultaneous attack on Mount Olympus was happening, the gods split their forces to try to protect their home, as well as the home of the mortals. Just as they arrived, a harbinger of things to come resonated in their ears.
The sound of the crack of Mount Olympus' golden threshold was enough to turn the eye of mortal and god alike to the heavens in wonder of what caused such a cacophonous sound. The battle in Greece paused for a moment, and a victory cry could be heard from Olympus.
The Titans had breached the gates of Mount Olympus and begun to flood in, laying waste to the few mortals and demigods that stayed behind. The Olympians who had stayed behind found themselves under the full weight of the Titan's assault, and were quickly overwhelmed. With no place to turn, the defeated gods returned to their allies in Greece to assist with what they could, but found there was little left to do. Though the gods fighting in Greece were successful in quelling the rally by gorgon followers, much of Greece had been leveled in the war, and most of the populous had been left to die on the battlefield. This was clearly a red herring for the real fight, the siege of Mount Olympus.
Greece had been devastated. Most mortals were dead, dying, or had turned their backs on Olympus, preferring to serve under the Gorgons, or no longer serve anyone. Discouraged and confused, the gods went to each other to discuss the situation. Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hermes, Demeter, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus and Dionysus gathered together to discuss the situation.
There was no option, The Titans had taken their homes, and if they were not defeated quickly, they would take the rest of Alpha.
And so, war was waged yet again, this time with the Olympians being the aggressors, desperate to take back their home on Mount Olympus. Armed with all of their might and every living mortal and demigod available, the war for Mount Olympus began.
The war lasted years, the Titans were powerful and numerous, but the combined forces of the gods were too strong, and the Titans were defeated, once again being sealed away. Despite being successful in reclaiming Mount Olympus, there was very little left to celebrate. There were no humans or demigods left to celebrate, and the gods were weak. They needed time to recover, and time to rebuild.
When the Olympians came back together after decades of solitude, they met in the Ruins of Greece, and discussed similar matters as they did before the War of the Titans. What point was there in rebuilding, if there were no mortals? Before they could rebuild, they needed someone to rebuild for.
Creating new mortal races seemed like a daunting task, but something they were willing to do. However, not all of the gods agreed on how to approach this incredible endeavor. Further, they disagreed on how to rule this new world. Many of the Olympians preferred to rebuild Mount Olympus separately, and restore Greece exactly as it was. Others felt that doing so only result in its inevitable destruction again.
Gaia then approached the gods, offering to assist. She would help to re-create Greece, but not a facsimile. She would place this new empire where Greece ad fallen, and the land would be divided among the pantheon. Zeus, agreeing that this would be the best course of action, imparted his own ideas.
Each land would an effigy to a prominent city-state of Greece, and the Olympian who ruled it would reside their to protect it. There would be no separation between god and mortal any longer. This new empire would be named New Olympus, and the name would honor the memory of Mount Olympus, and warn their enemies that the gods reside there.
Many of the pantheon wanted no part in sharing their sanctuaries, homes and temples with mortals, and chose to step away, if only temporarily. The remaining gods began their work, and soon, New Olympus was forged.
The pantheon named Zeus as the rightful Emperor-King, and New Olympus was favored by Gaia. Soon, the Olympians began to work to populate their new empire, first creating Humans, Siren and Kobaloi, the original races of the world.
New races were considered and began to appear in New Olympus, and it became a concern that these new races would appear foreign and strange to the rest of Alpha, so it was decided that none of these races would be allowed to leave New Olympus until such a time that the gods deemed it safe. Many nations were unhappy about the destruction of the lands around Greece, and would find the new races, the Kairos, Lya's Own (the Wildern) and the Carved of Stone nothing but monstrosities. Gaia, again, imparted her wisdom.
She created her own race, the Gaian, who were the sworn protectors of New Olympus, she made the vicious and took inspiration from mortal nightmares and stories, so that any who entered New Olympus unfavorably would believe they were seeing only monsters and never return.
Though the Kairos, Lya's Own and Carved of Stone were unhappy with their lack of ability to travel outside of New Olympus, they were promised to be given freedom eventually. They trusted and believed in their gods, and obediently chose to wait.
With everything else in place, the gods took up residence in their individual city states, the other gods dispersing throughout Alpha. Soon New Olympus would be the crown of Alpha, and all other nations would bow.
***
The gods of Mount Olympus, at one time, had been content in their home above Greece, Zeus watching from his throne at his supplicants meandering below. Everything was as it should be. It wasn't until one day when Hermes arrived on Mount Olympus that things began to change.
Hermes delivered a parchment from Greece that brought disturbing news. Followers of the Gorgons, typically choosing not to harass the Grecian people, had begun to assault temples, sanctuaries, and even the homes of devout followers of the Olympians. These Gorgonians were usually not more than a trivial annoyance from time to time, but the priests were struggling to keep them at bay, and a priest of Ares had been murdered. Zeus and Ares quickly went to investigate the incident and upon arrival, discovered that parts of Greece were being ravaged by ancient creatures of lore, monsters, and there were sightings of Titans.
The Olympians quickly took up arms to defend Greece, finding these well-known foes were much more powerful than they had ever been, especially for servants of the Gorgons. However, as the war waged on in Greece, Mount Olympus itself was under siege. The moment notice came by way of Hermes that a simultaneous attack on Mount Olympus was happening, the gods split their forces to try to protect their home, as well as the home of the mortals. Just as they arrived, a harbinger of things to come resonated in their ears.
The sound of the crack of Mount Olympus' golden threshold was enough to turn the eye of mortal and god alike to the heavens in wonder of what caused such a cacophonous sound. The battle in Greece paused for a moment, and a victory cry could be heard from Olympus.
The Titans had breached the gates of Mount Olympus and begun to flood in, laying waste to the few mortals and demigods that stayed behind. The Olympians who had stayed behind found themselves under the full weight of the Titan's assault, and were quickly overwhelmed. With no place to turn, the defeated gods returned to their allies in Greece to assist with what they could, but found there was little left to do. Though the gods fighting in Greece were successful in quelling the rally by gorgon followers, much of Greece had been leveled in the war, and most of the populous had been left to die on the battlefield. This was clearly a red herring for the real fight, the siege of Mount Olympus.
Greece had been devastated. Most mortals were dead, dying, or had turned their backs on Olympus, preferring to serve under the Gorgons, or no longer serve anyone. Discouraged and confused, the gods went to each other to discuss the situation. Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hermes, Demeter, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus and Dionysus gathered together to discuss the situation.
There was no option, The Titans had taken their homes, and if they were not defeated quickly, they would take the rest of Alpha.
And so, war was waged yet again, this time with the Olympians being the aggressors, desperate to take back their home on Mount Olympus. Armed with all of their might and every living mortal and demigod available, the war for Mount Olympus began.
The war lasted years, the Titans were powerful and numerous, but the combined forces of the gods were too strong, and the Titans were defeated, once again being sealed away. Despite being successful in reclaiming Mount Olympus, there was very little left to celebrate. There were no humans or demigods left to celebrate, and the gods were weak. They needed time to recover, and time to rebuild.
When the Olympians came back together after decades of solitude, they met in the Ruins of Greece, and discussed similar matters as they did before the War of the Titans. What point was there in rebuilding, if there were no mortals? Before they could rebuild, they needed someone to rebuild for.
Creating new mortal races seemed like a daunting task, but something they were willing to do. However, not all of the gods agreed on how to approach this incredible endeavor. Further, they disagreed on how to rule this new world. Many of the Olympians preferred to rebuild Mount Olympus separately, and restore Greece exactly as it was. Others felt that doing so only result in its inevitable destruction again.
Gaia then approached the gods, offering to assist. She would help to re-create Greece, but not a facsimile. She would place this new empire where Greece ad fallen, and the land would be divided among the pantheon. Zeus, agreeing that this would be the best course of action, imparted his own ideas.
Each land would an effigy to a prominent city-state of Greece, and the Olympian who ruled it would reside their to protect it. There would be no separation between god and mortal any longer. This new empire would be named New Olympus, and the name would honor the memory of Mount Olympus, and warn their enemies that the gods reside there.
Many of the pantheon wanted no part in sharing their sanctuaries, homes and temples with mortals, and chose to step away, if only temporarily. The remaining gods began their work, and soon, New Olympus was forged.
The pantheon named Zeus as the rightful Emperor-King, and New Olympus was favored by Gaia. Soon, the Olympians began to work to populate their new empire, first creating Humans, Siren and Kobaloi, the original races of the world.
New races were considered and began to appear in New Olympus, and it became a concern that these new races would appear foreign and strange to the rest of Alpha, so it was decided that none of these races would be allowed to leave New Olympus until such a time that the gods deemed it safe. Many nations were unhappy about the destruction of the lands around Greece, and would find the new races, the Kairos, Lya's Own (the Wildern) and the Carved of Stone nothing but monstrosities. Gaia, again, imparted her wisdom.
She created her own race, the Gaian, who were the sworn protectors of New Olympus, she made the vicious and took inspiration from mortal nightmares and stories, so that any who entered New Olympus unfavorably would believe they were seeing only monsters and never return.
Though the Kairos, Lya's Own and Carved of Stone were unhappy with their lack of ability to travel outside of New Olympus, they were promised to be given freedom eventually. They trusted and believed in their gods, and obediently chose to wait.
With everything else in place, the gods took up residence in their individual city states, the other gods dispersing throughout Alpha. Soon New Olympus would be the crown of Alpha, and all other nations would bow.