Mythological Masters

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Mythological Masters: Atlas

Pantheon of Origin: Greek Deity of: Endurance, Strength Design: Were-Elephant wearing a toga and holding a great, multicolored sphere tied to his back by iron chains. Deity Story: Atlas is a rather unfortunate figure; a highly cultured Titan, standing at ends of the far west, who happened to have the misfortune of siding with his fellow Titans in the Titanomachy. Unlike his brother Menoetius and father Iapetus, Atlas was not forced into Tartarus. Instead, Zeus forced him to hold up the heavens themselves (not the Earth itself as is the misconception). He has had some influence in the mythos, his most notable being his encounter with Heracles and his attempt to NOT be the one holding up the sky anymore. Monster Info: Thankfully, the monster equivalent to Atlas is nowhere near as tragic, though the chains speak of the contrary. His strength is involved with his back-attached sphere, which influences the weather itself upon his will. However, if unchained, the power would be magnified to an insane degree. As such, Atlas feels it's his duty to refrain from overwhelming the world he protects. He'll usually be seen talking with the equally smart Prometheus.

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Mythological Masters: Iapetus

Pantheon of Origin: Greek Deity of: Pain, Mortality Design: Large Deathwatch Beetle with two extra limbs ending in scythes; he wears a top hat and a red waistcoat. Deity Story: While there isn't much lore on Iapetus, his primarily known for fathering what the mythos considers the ancestors of mankind. These include Prometheus, Epimetheus and Atlas. Monster Info: Like a rather round grim reaper, Iapetus uses his scythes in conjunction with Cronus' soul-devouring ability in order to gain sustenance. The mortality monster is also surprisingly swift, able to dodge enemy fire and even reflect it with some well-placed rolling hops.

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Mythological Masters: Proteus

Pantheon of Origin: Greek Deity of: The Ocean, Knowledge Design: Robotic California Sea Lion capable of withstanding great underwater pressures that most vessels cannot. Deity Story: Also known as the Old Man of the Sea, Proteus is as wise as he is wily. Capable of transforming at will, he is considered near-impossible to catch without some sort of plan. Or in some cases, just plain dumb luck. Those who can catch him, similarly to a leprechaun, you can ask him any question you desire an answer to. On a final note, his parentage is Tethys and Poseidon (not sure how that went down without anger from Oceanus, but I suppose he never was the type to fight his nephews outside that Rick Riordan series). Monster Info: Proteus here is given a slight reworking from his original counterpart; instead of just espousing knowledge, he explores to gain knowledge! Lora gave the local scientific community this robotic sea lion to explore the depths of the sea not even modern submersibles could. However, to avoid Proteus being used for evil, she gave Proteus the same free will as her other creations, and even state-of-the-art body language readers so as to better understand the commands of those he works for. He even has a dry, British voice, to invoke an English butler.

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Mythological Masters: Nerites

Pantheon of Origin: Greek Deity of: The Sea, Youth (presumably) Design: Cute Harp Seal Selkie, whose human form has blue hair, bluish skin, and cute green eyes. Deity Story: Nerites is considered a very young deity, even compared to young gods such as Hermes and Dionysus. However, he's also rather pretty, and is considered a well-loved figure not just by his family, but also by gods such as Poseidon and Aphrodite. That said, he also has a bit of rotten luck; when he didn't want to leave his family to join Aphrodite, she turned Nerites into a shrimp. Thankfully, he was turned back to normal after being discovered by his sister Nerea. An alternate myth had a similar result; but instead of not joining Aphrodite, Helios is the one who turned him into a shrimp for no reason yet discerned. As for the lover, this time it was Poseidon, and said loving bond became a whole new being named Anteros, the god of unrequited love. So, maybe Helios was jealous of their bromance, it's hard to say. Turned into a shrimp, Nerites was turned back to normal by Poseidon both times after being found by Nerea. For comedy points, I like to think that this just happens by accident whenever something wrong happens in Olympus. Monster Info: Nerites is somewhat unique compared to his family; while yes, he is a Selkie, and a rather good one at that, he also has the ability to turn into ocean life should he be discovered as a human or a seal. In his case, he can become a peacock mantis shrimp, a crown-of-thorns starfish, and even a leopard shark! He's also perhaps the most famous of the Selkies, having his seal form's face plastered on conservation posters throughout his existence.

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Mythological Masters: Doris

Pantheon of Origin: Greek Deity of: The Sea Design: Blue and green Ribbon Seal Selkie whose human form has green hair, blue eyes, and greenish skin. Deity Story: When someone has a name whose meaning is abundance, it should be no surprise that Doris here has done well in the going forth and multiplying angle of living. She's the mother of the Nereids along with her husband, Nereus, and several of them went on to do great things for the mythology. The most notable ones include Nerites, who, like, turns into a shrimp every other week thanks to other gods (though don't worry, he turns back nearly every time); and Amphitrite, who's the official wife of Poseidon. Monster Info: Being the matriarch of the Selkies, Doris primarily handles the more southern waters near Spain, Portugal and North Africa. She has the power to control ice, and is thus also privy to the council of the North along with Boreas, many of the Norse gods, and Khione. Said ice control includes a special diamond necklace that channels her skills into her hands.

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Mythological Masters: Nereus

Pantheon of Origin: Greek Deity of: The Sea Design: Walrus Selkie, whose human form is rather robust, with white hair and a white beard, purplish skin and gold eyes. Deity Story: Confusingly enough, Nereus has also been called the Old Man of the Sea, and even more confusing, he can shapeshift too! We're not 100% sure who is the real deal, but to avoid mistakes, Nereus has been counted as a prophetic god in his own right. We can presume that due to him being actually at home in the sea rather than a shapeshifting drifter, he was probably the being that would eventually give rise to the Nereids along with his wife, Doris. Eventually, some of these children will include Thetis, mother of Achilles, and Amphitrite, the soon-to-be wife of Poseidon himself. Monster Info: Nereus and his family are known as the Selkies; shapeshifting pinnipeds who act as a semi-covert espionage unit who usually live fairly peaceful lives in the sea. Nereus is the first-made and the patriarch, speaking in a deep, bellowing voice almost like Brian Blessed. He carries a special scepter made of gold and sapphire, which can transform into a trident, a club, and even a pair of gauntlets!

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Mythological Masters: Pontus

Pantheon of Origin: Greek Deity of: The Sea Design: Dark Blue and silver Koolasuchus with coral attached to his back and sides; the latter are used as makeshift crab legs that can impale targets. He's armed with two crab claws that crab and crush prey. Deity Story: Poseidon may rule the seas, but he has some big name deities living down with him or at least within his watery domain as well. We've already met a few of them such as Oceanus, Tethys, Thetis, and Styx, but Pontus is almost as old as Oceanus. He was birthed from Gaia, presumably after the whole Titanomachy thing. And soon, his fellow oceanic deities followed suit, such as Doris, Nereus, and Thaumas. Monster Info: Looking like a cross between a sea scorpion and an overgrown newt, this bizarre beast is kind of a bouncer for Oceanus and Tethys. Put simply, he and Doris guard the two so as to avoid potential attacks. Pontus handles the ground level, while his partner, Thaumus, is an aerial unit who handles more outside borders.

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Mythological Masters: Styx

Pantheon of Origin: Greek Deity of: Oaths, Hatred Design: Part Spirit, part zombie, part skeleton, part woman, all terrifying! She has obsidian holes for eyes, a sinister smile on blue lips, greenish water for the body and hair, with decaying flesh over a skeletal bone structure for much of her inner body. Deity Story: Despite being a deity with hatred attached to her, she's actually a fairly loyal, well-respected being. She's a staunch ally of Zeus, and helped him with the Titanomachy. In fact, the river for which she is named is often swore to for this very reason. 

Her heritage is, unsurprisingly one of water deities; in this case, one of the many, many, MANY Oceanid Nymphs born from Tethys and Oceanus. Admittedly, her husband, Pallas was a part of Cronus' army, but Styx was thankfully not part of the Titan side of the war effort. She also made the deities Kratos, Nike, Zelus, Bia, and apparently Eos, though accounts vary. Monster Info: Where Thanatos was on the same level as an album cover, Styx would feel right at home in a horror movie! Born from combining the essence of the Greek death god and the beauty of the Egyptian goddess Nut, this terrifying combination is as seductive as she is foreboding. She's one of the more unstable creations, usually found deep in the bowels of the expanded temple, within a deep well. 

The reason why is out of both necessity and protecting Lora's allies. See, Styx is a being of both honor and terror, and while she refuses to hurt Lora, she isn't above attacking anything or anyone else. In exchange for not decimated Lora's hard work, Styx gave her and the other monsters the ability to invoke her power so long as a mission is carried out to the letter. Put simply, she provides protection or a great power so long as Lora's ordered are followed. And there's a good reason that Styx is only used as a last resort: Her water kills all it touches; plants, animals, other monsters, it will even render fertile soil an inorganic mush of poison and sulfur.

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Mythological Masters: Metis

Pantheon of Origin: Greek Deity of: Wisdom Design: Blue, vaporous Clouded Leopard with the wings of a blue-winged teal, eyes the color of the harvest moon. Deity Story: Behind every great god (the polytheistic ones, anyway), there's a greater goddess. And in this case, it's an Oceanid Nymph named Metis! She's one of the many daughters of Oceanus and Tethys, and much like them was spared the impending wrath of Zeus when he finally beat his dad Cronus into the ground. This was helped by the fact that she formulated a plan to get Cronus sick and spit up Zeus' siblings. The two were wed, and things seemed to be going great! ...That is, until a prophecy was foretold about Zeus being overthrown and he absorbed Metis into himself. ...Yeah, these myths can be pretty weird. Still, while this is a tough break for Metis herself, her child Athena would be an instrumental player on the Greek stage! Monster Info: Because of Metis' fate in mythology, and also wanting to give said Metis a break from being the victim of paranoia, Lora made her into a wild cat made from water vapor, and able to vanish and reappear in an instant. This makes her perfect for stealth missions, and her attacks leave a lasting due to her 'Recompensing Slash' ability.

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Mythological Masters: Tethys

Pantheon of Origin: Greek Deity of: The Sea Design: Blue, black and white Basilosaurus, with clawed fins and telekinesis. Deity Story: Tethys is another primarily neutral character, and we like to picture her as a caring, doting mother who convinced Oceanus to not go to war against the Olympians. Her biggest success story involves her children, the River Gods and the Oceanids. And much like her husband, Tethys was one of the few to not be sent to Tartarus because of their disinterest in the Titanomachy. Monster Info: Tethys' monster counterpart is a bit more autonomous than the real deal; she was made to be Oceanus' wife, but their relationship was stable enough to make the waters between Lora's home and the ocean calm. However, should they be called to arms, the two are an unstoppable force, using their combined power over the waves to flood great areas! Because of their great strength, though, the two prefer to make river gods as collaborations with Lora.

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Mythological Masters: Oceanus

Pantheon of Origin: Greek Deity of: The River of Oceanos Design: Blue, green and yellow Oceanic Dragon resembling a mix between a lizard and a shark. Deity Story: Oceanus is a rather neutral character in the Titan family; unwilling to fight in the Titanomachy, and in doing so was exempt from the banishment into Tartarus that Zeus brought upon Cronus and much of his kin. Married to his sister, Tethys, the two made two kinds of deities; the innumerable river gods, and the nymphs called the Oceanids. It's pretty self-explanatory of their role in the pantheon, we think. Oceanus, from what we can discern, is primarily a family man, as while he does occasionally combat others, such as the time he challenged Heracles while in Helios golden cup, he doesn't seem to do much outside his domain. Said domain is the world-river dubbed Oceanos in his honor. However, it's unclear just where this river is, so we can also discern that Oceanos is probably the great oceans that cover our planet surface. Monster Info: Because of how vast the ocean is, and how many river-gods Oceanus made, Lora created this mighty counterpart after the likes of the biblical Leviathan or Cetus. He is a master of the waves, but prefers to relax in the sea itself rather than engaging in battle. However, to avoid coming off as slothful, this Oceanus collaborates with Lora in making water-related gods, and she in turn made him a wife in the form of Tethys.

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Mythological Masters: Mnemosyne

Pantheon of Origin: Greek Deity of: Memory Design: Spitting Cobra Naga spirit within a living portrait of a savannah landscape. Deity Story: Mnemosyne is considered the creator of the concept of art and memory; and because on its usefulness (along with her being beautiful), this attracted Zeus to her. Needless to say, after a night of splendor and various unmentionable thrusts, Mnemosyne gave birth to 9 daughters. These Muses would become the talk of many a myth, and Mnemosyne herself probably facepalmed when she discovered that Zeus is hornier than twelve rhinos put together. Monster Info: Much like the real deal, this serpentine Mnemosyne has a strong memory and a passion for the arts. Though mainly a ghost, she's cleverly disguised by her portrait-like shelter. She's not much of a fighter, but she can distract enemies with her paint-laces bites and the 'Color Confusion' ability. The latter's pretty self-explanatory.

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Mythological Masters: Astraeus

Pantheon of Origin: Greek Deity of: The Wind, Dusk Design: Purple and Dark Blue Barn Owl with white, glowing eyes, and white stars on his wings and back. Deity Story: Not a whole lot to say compared to his wife, but as an upside to Eos' tragic life, their sons are the four Cardinal Winds, or the Anemoi. For those who haven't read their entries, they are Boreas, Notus, Zephyrus and Eurus. Monster Info: Astraeus here is known as the Twilight Oracle; and no, while he does sparkle at night, he is not a vampire. His powers involve the power of prophecy, and therefore is sought after by mortals regarding their fates. And to do so isn't easy, as he changes hemispheres every few weeks so as to hear the wishes of all of man. He and Eos are messengers as well, though Astraeus' clientele include those beyond the sky.

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Mythological Masters: Eos

Pantheon of Origin: Greek Deity of: The Sky, Dawn Design: Blue, yellow and white House Sparrow with a cloud and sun symbol on her chest. Deity Story: Now here's a somewhat tragic case; Eos is also known as a weeping goddess whose life has, let's politely call it crapped on. She started out well enough, born from the Titans Theia and Hyperion, but then she got the hots for Ares. Aphrodite took this about as well as she does most things that mess with her love life, and cursed her to be forever hypersexual. For the uninitiated, that's code for 'Eternally horny'. She then fell in love with and married the mortal Tithonus. Although made immortal by Zeus after Eos begged him to do so, Tithonus aged rapidly, and at his worst, was turned into a cicada to avoid eternal senility. As for her children, named Memnon and Emathion, both ended up dead. The former was killed during the Trojan War by Achilles, while Emathion was killed by Hercules (presumably during one of his famous wrestling matches). Needless to say, Eos is now one to weep continuously, even after being wed to the wind/dusk god Astraeus. And they say that to this day, her tears become the dawn's morning dew. Monster Info: Eos here retains her tears, but they're not of sadness. A rapid flier, this monster version has three jobs: water crops, heal allies, and be a messenger to the sky gods. Almost all of these are done via her Teardrop Dew ability, which she summons via the cloud and sun symbol on her chest. Said dew tastes of sweet water, and can keep one hydrated for 4 hours at a time. As for her final job, her wings are as swift as Huitzilopochtli's, and can dodge projectile attacks just as fast.

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Mythological Masters: Theia

Pantheon of Origin: Greek Deity of: Splendor Design: Scarlet Macaw Griffin wearing a gemstone encrusted collar, and the body of a puma. Deity Story: Although not one for big stories (a growing theme with some of these entries), Theia makes up for it with her offspring; including Eos, Selene and Helios. Sources vary on this one, however, so take this with a grain of salt. Monster Info: Theia is surprisingly not a fighter like most of her Titan cousins; she makes up for this with a sharp financial mind, and has helped Lora gain the funding necessary to keep up her hard work in finding good places to put her growing family of monsters when not in battle. This responsibility is shared among several deities, but we shall get to them soon enough.

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Mythological Masters: Hyperion

Pantheon of Origin: Greek Deity of: Heavenly Light Design: Blue Mallard Duck mixed with a supersonic jet. Deity Story: Hyperion has no major stories attached to him, besides the decade-long war between the Olympians and the Titans. He sired Eos, Selene and Helios with his wife Theia, and is the Titan of light. His very name means to go above and beyond, for Tethys sake! On a final note, Hyperion is one of the four heavenly pillars, specifically of the East. His fellow Titans Iapetus, Crius and Coeus are the pillars of the west, south and north respectively. Each pillar holds up the boundary between heaven and Earth, and are spaced out to the four corners of the world. Monster Info: Much like Hyperion's name goes above and beyond, so too does this mighty mallard go above and beyond the call of duty! He can reach ludicrous speeds (optical confusion has caused mortals to believe they see the cloud streaks as plaid colored), and fires heat-seeking missiles from launchers beneath his metal wings!

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Mythological Masters: Crius

Pantheon of Origin: Greek Deity of: Constellations Design: Three-Eyed, purple and black Bighorn Sheep with cold blue for two eyes, bright red for the top eye, and silver hooves on all six legs. Deity Story: Associated with the constellation Aries, Crius is the Titan of the stars and constellations in general as well. He joined many of his brothers in the Titanomachy, and joined many of them in the pits of Tartarus. However, he's more than just a mindless warrior. Crius' most noteworthy attribute is being philosophical, and is one of the directional lords, in his case the south. Monster Info: Crius may not look like much, but he makes up for it with his abilities; capable of running on air, and becoming a flaming comet when charging towards enemies. He can also summon a storm of star-shaped rocks to stun opponents.