Greek Mythology

Though it flourished 2,500 years ago, no other civilization has had as much influence on the spirit of the western world ancient Greece. Our most basic and dearly held convictions, such as a man’s right to liberty, to be ruled by a democratic government, and the inherent worth of the individual, are directly descended from Greek thought.

Geographically, ancient Greece was very much the same as modern Greece. Located at the southern tip of the Balkan mass, it is a region of hard, limestone mountains separated by deep valleys, and cut almost in two by the narrow Strait of Corinth. To the east, hundreds of isles dot the clear Aegean sea, and the mighty island of Crete marks its southern edge in the Mediterranean. It is a small country, no larger than the state of Florida (even at the height of its expansion). Yet it also sits at the hinge of the European and Asian continents, and its shores once touched the waters of six separate seas.

Considering its central location, it is no surprise that a sophisticated culture developed at these crossroads. The ancient Greeks believed they were descended from a legendary of heroes who would sail to the ends of the earth in search of the golden fleece, who would gladly fight a bitter ten-year war over a single beautiful woman, and who lived in a society of splendor and luxury. There is more than a kernel of truth to this legend. However, Greece was not the first civilization to rise in the Eastern Mediterranean.

From 1700 to 1400 BC, the ancient and little-known civilization of the Minoans flourished on the island of Crete and the waters of the Aegean sea. From what little is known of them, they were a vibrant and pleasure-loving people with a highly developed trading system that linked the islands of the Aegean sea together. Their civilization came to an abrupt end around 1400 BC, probably when the volcano at Thera (modern Santorini) erupted with a force three times as great as that of the explosion of Krakatoa. Thera was buried under blanket of pumice as much as 130 feet deep, cities on nearby lands were showered with fire and ash, and ships, harbors, even entire cities were washed away by tidal waves.

The Minoan society never recovered. But a new culture arose on the shores of the mainland. Building on the heritage left by the Minoans, a new sort of man established a spectacular civilization centered at the city of Mycenae that united many other early Greek cities under its influence. The Mycenaeans were great builders who erected citadels with walls ten feet thick, and who buried their leaders in enormous beehive tombs made of stones weighing as much as 120 tons. They were immensely wealthy, especially when it came to gold —a great deal of which they earned through piracy and brigandage. Unlike the Minoans, the Mycenaeans were a warlike people who wandered far on adventurous missions undertaken in the search for gold, and it was their exploits that the famous poet Homer portrayed.

Their lust for warfare seems to have been the downfall of the Mycenaeans. It was one of their kings, Agamemnon, who led them into the long war with Troy. This bitter war left Mycenae weak and shattered by civil strife, with disrupted trade routes and no political allies to help them rebuild.

While Mycenae crumbled, it was infiltrated and finally obliterated by waves of less civilized Greeks from the north, the Dorians. They eventually succeeded in destroying it altogether, and Greece fell into a Dark Age that lasted from 1200 to 750 BC. Citadels fell into ruins, record-keeping vanished, the art of writing disappeared, and the secrets of fine craftsmanship were lost.

After the fall of the Mycenaean civilization, each city, with its surrounding hamlets and farms, was a separate social unit. In chaos of the Dark Ages, they became little more than garrisons ruled by a commander and his captains. Military governments evolved into hereditary monarchies, and the king became the religious as well as secular head of the community.

The many city-states developed along different lines, giving rise to a wide variety of ideas that would later serve as the basis for the intellectual and political freedom so crucial to the development of Greek culture. Yet the Greeks still shared the same language and many other common characteristics. Despite the many different patterns along which the city-states developed, the Greeks shaped a national character that encompassed all of the individual variations of the city-states.

As the Dark Ages stabilized, the Greeks began sharing the discoveries and insights of their individual cities. They relearned and improved upon the arts that had fallen into decay with Dorian migrations. Trade began to flourish again and, in 776 BC, the first Olympic games were held in honor of Zeus.

Perhaps the most important rediscovery, however, was the revitalization of the written word with the appearance of a Greek alphabet well-suited to literature and other needs. The reappearance of writing allowed the precise and widespread communication of new ideas, and increased the cohesion of Greek society.

As the economic revival spread through Greece, the military role of the kings began to decline (though it did not disappear entirely). In city after city, the kings were deposed or reduced to figureheads. They were replaced by a council of local aristocrats who shared the power formerly held by one man, laying the foundations for what would later become the world’s first true democracy.

The New Age

As Greece emerged from the Dark Ages, each of the city-states (known as polises) developed a unique character and culture. The extremes of this diversity are best illustrated by two of the most famous polises, Athens and Sparta.

Sparta was established by the same uncivilized Dorian invaders that plunged Greece into the Dark Age, and remained essentially Dorian until the collapse of ancient Greece itself.

It was always organized as a stern, military camp, ruled by two kings from its earliest days to its last. Citizens of Sparta were pawns of the polis, rigidly controlled from birth to death. From the age of seven onward, children were trained for war, learning to use weapons, accept harsh discipline, and endure physical hardship without complaint. The average citizen’s home life was also extremely limited and controlled. The men ate in a common mess, could not live with their wives until the age of 30, and children were considered property of the polis to do with as it pleased.

At the other extreme was Athens, which had resisted the Dorian invasions by virtue of its location. Sitting atop the rocky acropolis, it repulsed the invaders and served as Greece’s repository of ancient knowledge through the Dark Ages. The Athenians established the world’s first true democracy, in which all free adult males met 40 times a year to vote upon questions important to the polis. Its small population was extremely civic-minded, and every man cheerfully volunteered to do his part to keep Athens and its democratic government strong.

The Athenians felt they had an exalted duty to spread liberty and democracy to all parts of Greece. Toward this end, in 478 - 477 BC, they established the Delian League, a confederation of over 250 polises allied in the name of mutual defense. In addition to their mutual military needs, however, the members of the Delian League were bound together by a far stronger force: cultural affinity.

Although each polis was (at least in theory) a free and independent state, the ancient Greeks recognized that they shared a common heritage. They spoke some form of the same language, worshipped the same gods, and followed the same customs. Despite the constant bickering between city-states, each man recognized that, after his own polis, he owed his loyalty to the diverse conglomeration of cities that made up the Greek nation.

More importantly, however, each man held a well-defined philosophy of life that marked him as being distinctly Greek. The Greeks believed that a man must be honored for his individual worth and treated with respect just because he was himself. They believed that a man’s talents were a gift from the gods, and, therefore, that he should make the most of them. They viewed death as a dismal state that could not be avoided, and believed the only escape from death lay in carving an imperishable legend through magnificent accomplishments. Therefore, they lived their lives to the fullest, and pursued fame with astonishing energy. Each of these cultural threads, all vital in their own right, was woven together to form the fabric of the vibrant Greek culture.

The Greek quest for excellence in all things led to the development of many principles that remain the foundation of free societies today. The Greeks were the first to establish laws that could not be changed at the personal whim of a ruler, and designed their legal systems to secure life and property for all their citizens. They learned to diagnose diseases through the careful observation of its symptoms, laying foundations for modern medicine. They were the first people to carefully and truthfully record history in the form of verifiable facts, establishing the basic premise for all historical study that has followed.

Despite their idealistic lifestyle, the Greeks were more keenly aware of the shortcomings of humanity than other ancient civilization. In the ancient world, the Greeks were famous for their churlish tempers, especially where honor or reputation was concerned. In legend and drama, their heroes always suffered from serious failings that often led to their downfall. Even the greatest of their idols had flaws such as overweening pride, rashness, cruelty, vengefulness, stubbornness, and every form of foible known to man.

The Greek Pantheon

To the Greeks, man was the measure of all things, and gods mirrored them faithfully. Like men, the gods were noble and proud, but they were also quarrelsome, scheming, lecherous. These deities appeared in more or less human form, though they were always more beautiful than any mortal could hope to be. Invariably, the gods suffered from human faults and engaged in very human behavior, such as falling in love, resorting to treachery to win a cherished goal and hungering for power. Unlike the gods of many ancient civilizations, the deities of the Greeks were far from remote or mysterious. Their motives could almost always be understood in human terms.

There were two important differences between the gods and men, however. Although the gods were moved by the same emotional forces that ruled the lives of men, they were not expected to follow the rules of human behavior. Were free to engage in all sorts of conduct that would not be tolerated in human society: thievery, lechery, gluttony, adultery, and so on.

The second important difference between gods and men was power. The Greek gods were all, to some degree, embodiments of power, whether in the physical world or in the minds of men. They controlled literally everything, from storms that ravaged the seas to the love that bound men and women together. It was because of this power that the Greeks sought the favor of the gods through prayers and sacrifice. When the Greeks honored excellence in any domain, it was the gift of some of this godly power that they were praising.

The Greek gods, who were thought to live atop the heights of Mount Olympus, were ruled by the mighty Zeus. But this was not always so, for the Mycenean gods were older than the Greek gods, and the Minoan gods were older still. Thus, the Greek gods had a history of their own, just as Greek culture did.

In the beginning, there was only Chaos, from which formed Gaea (the earth), Tarterus (beneath the earth), many other primeval gods such as Eros, Night, and Day. Gaea created Uranus, the Mountains, and the Sea, then married Uranus and gave birth to the Titans, the Cyclopes, and the Hecatoncheires.

Uranus turned out to be a harsh and jealous husband who cruelly kept the Hecatoncheires prisoner inside their mother. In retaliation, she called upon her other children to avenge her, and the Titan Cronus wounded his father so severely that the cruel Uranus was vanquished. The Furies, the Ash Tree Nymphs, and the Giants were created when the deposed ruler’s blood fell to earth.

After assuming his father’s reign, Cronus married Rhea.. But, fearing that one of his offspring (who were the gods) would usurp his throne as he had his father’s, he swallowed all of his children as Rhea gave birth to them. The furious Rhea managed to hide her sixth born child, Zeus. After growing to manhood on the island of Crete, he returned to his father disguised as a cupbearer. Zeus served Cronus a potion that caused the Titan to vomit up the young god’s siblings and the gods united to overthrow their despotic father.

The task was far from over, however. After their victory over Cronus, Zeus and the other gods had to battle the rest of the Titans. After more than a decade of cosmos-shaking warfare, in which the elements of nature raged unchecked, the gods finally managed to confine the Titans to Tartarus, the Greek underworld. Next, the gods had to fight a similar battle against Typhoeus, a hundred-headed dragon that Gaea had created to attack the gods after the defeat of her Titans. The gods had no sooner buried the monster beneath Mt. Etna than the Giants challenged their rule. It required all of their prowess and the assistance of the mortal Heracles to kill the giants. Finally, after vanquishing the Titans, Typhoeus, and the Giants, the gods were at last the unchallenged rulers of Olympus and the earth.

Their domain was far different than the world we know today, however. The home of the gods, Mount Olympus, stood at the center of the earth. Around the earth ran a limitless river called Ocean. On the far shore of this river lived the Hyperboreans, a race of blessed men who did not know care, toil, illness, or old age. Their home was isolated from the rest of the world, being completely unapproachable by land or sea.

To the West was Hesperia, populated by such monstrous beings as the Cyclops, the cannibalistic Laestrygonians, Scylla, Charybdis, and the Sirens. Beyond Hesperia lay the Elysian Fields, where certain favored heroes went when they died.

To the South were the Ethiopians, the lucky, virtuous people with whom the gods banqueted. In the East were the barbarians, fierce peoples who could not speak Greek and did not know the blessings of civilization.

Directly beneath the earth was the kingdom of Hades, where the dead went to fade into nothingness. Below Hades was Tartarus, the vast realm of nebulous darkness where the gods had confined the Titans.

New Spells

Enhance

(Alteration)

Eighth Level Wizard

Range: Touch

Components: V, S, M

Duration: Permanent

Casting Time: 1 Hour

Area of Effect: One person

Saving Throw: None

Although many high-level wizards know the enhance spell, it is one they rarely use. It is powerful, dangerous, and exhausting, so it is employed only in the most dire circumstances, or as a reward for deeds truly worthy of heroic status.

By means of an enhance spell, the wizard can permanently increase one Attribute score of his choice. The caster can never cast this spell upon himself, and casting it upon another character is so fatiguing that he must rest in bed for a full week (or lose one point of Strength permanently).

On those rare occasions when a wizard does cast this spell, he names the Attribute score he is modifying (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma). He rolls 1d4 and adds the indicated number of points to the desired attribute. The target gains all of the appropriate bonuses and special abilities associated with his new attribute score.

Following the casting of this spell, however, the wizard loses a number of Constitution points equal to one greater than the number of points he bestowed upon his subject. Thus, if a wizard uses this spell to increase a hero’s Strength by 3 points, the wizard himself loses 4 Constitution points. This loss is permanent.

No attribute may ever be increased above 22 by this spell. If the target’s Strength attribute is modified to 18 and he happens to be a warrior, the target rolls percentile dice normally to determine exceptional strength.

Any time this spell is cast, there is a basic 30% chance that it will backfire. This chance is modified by -1% for each level of the caster. A 16th level wizard, for example, would stand only a 14% chance of backfire (30-16 = 14). When the spell backfires, the wizard loses 1d4 points in the Attribute score he named.

The material component of the enhance spell depends upon the attribute score that is being modified:

Strength The horn of a black bull

Wisdom Two wing feathers from an owl

Intelligence The tusks of a boar

Dexterity The whiskers of a cat

Constitution The claws of a bear

Charisma A lock of hair from a woman with a Charisma of 16 or more

Favor

(Invocation/Evocation)

Fifth Level Priest

Sphere: Protection

Range: Touch

Components: V, S

Duration: 1 week per level of caster

Casting Time: 1 hour

Area of Effect: one individual

Saving Throw: none

By casting a favor spell, the priest is asking his deity to watch over the target (which may be himself). Usually, the favor spell is cast upon a great hero, such as Odysseus or Jason, lust before he undertakes a magnificent deed.

The effectiveness of the spell depends upon how the priest’s god views the glory of the deed to be undertaken. Usually, as the god’s favor is somewhat arbitrary, this is determined by rolling 1d6. For the duration of the spell, the target’s saving throws are modified (in the positive direction) by the result. In cases of especially glorious undertakings, the DM may assign a saving throw modifier that he feels is appropriate.

In addition, the target is blessed by a pledge of one godly intervention. In practical terms, this means that, during the duration of the spell, the player character may reroll any single die roll that affects him personally. The player character may ask the god to honor his pledge of intervention only once, even if the second roll was unsuccessful.

The gods will never grant more than one favor spell to a single group of adventurers or a single adventurer, and usually insist that the spell be cast upon the group’s leader. If a second favor spell is attempted, both it and the first are lost.

New Magic Items

Aegis

This magical shield +5 is made from a goatskin with golden fleece. Bearing a depiction of the head of a beautiful woman with snakes for hair, it has two magical powers. If the bearer shakes it, anyone looking upon it must save versus fear or flee in panic for 1d10 turns. At the bearer’s command, it also acts as a cloak of displacement.

Aegis is usually carried by Zeus, but he sometimes loans it to Athena or a favorite mortal hero.

Gaea (Greater god)

Gaea is the mother and sustainer of all life. She married Uranus and thus gave birth to the Titans and two broods of terrible monsters, the Cyclopes and the Hecatoncheires. Even after the rise to supremacy of the Olympians, Gaea continues to be widely worshipped. She presides over marriages, nursing the sick, and is foremost among the oracles (before Apollo took it over, the great oracle at Delphi belonged to her). In her true form, Gaea is the earth itself.

Role-playing Notes:

Although she is widely worshipped, Gaea is one of the most aloof of Greek gods — which is to say she does not spend all of her time meddling in the affairs of mortals. Still, if the proper sacrifices of fruits and animals are made to her, Gaea has been known to lend her aid to those in dire need. She has an affinity for hideous monsters, however, and will never aid anyone in fighting them. In fact, she may well aid the monster if the battle is brought to her attention.

Omens from Gaea can take any form associated with nature, such as foul weather, plagues, abundant crops, etc.

Statistics:

AL n; WAL any; AoC fertility, health, prophesy; SY basket of fruit.

Gaea’s Avatar

(druid 24)

Gaea’s avatar takes the form of a mature, buxom beauty. She can call upon the all, animal, charm, elemental, healing, plant, and weather spheres for her spells.

Str 20 Dex 20 Con 22

Int 20 Wis 20 Cha 24

MV 24 SZ 10’ MR 60%

AC -3 HD 24 HP 192

#AT 1 THAC0 -3 Dmg 1d4 +1 (sickle) +8

Special Att/Def:

Gaea’s avatar wields a black sickle that forces all those hit by it to save versus death or be instantly slain. In addition, any being that looks uninvited upon Gaea’s avatar must save versus petrification or be blinded for 1d10 days.

Duties of the Priesthood:

The primary duty of priests of Gaea is overseeing planting and animal husbandry. They must also minister to the sick, and often serve as oracles for their communities. All of Gaea’s priests are druids.

Requirements:

AB as druid; AL n; WP club, sickle, quarterstaff, other agricultural implements; AR b; SP all, animal, divination, elemental, healing, plant, and weather; PW 5) cure disease; 15) divination; TU turn.

Uranus (greater god)

Uranus was the early god of the sky heavens, and Gaea’s husband. He was horrified by the hideousness of his offspring with Gaea - the Titans, Cyclopes and Hecatoncheires. He shut them up inside their mother Gaea, which both pained and angered her. To avenge herself and her children, she persuaded one of the children, the Titan Cronus, to attack Uranus. The Furies and the Giants were born when Uranus’ blood fell on the earth, and the goddess of beauty, Aphrodite, rose out the sea-foam where it mixed with his blood. What happen to Uranus after the attack is unclear, but he may still be watching the earth from a secret hiding place.

Role-playing Notes:

Uranus is a bitter old god in hiding from his progeny, who do not even realize that he is alive. He delights in causing harm to Gaea and spoiling machinations of the Olympian gods. He will always send his avatar to hinder any attempt to free the Titans or reach site of their imprisonment (see Titans).

Omens and portents from Uranus are so subtle as to go almost unnoticed, for he is quite fearful of revealing his presence. Still, the especially wise or astute may detect his in unusual events in the heavens.

Statistics:

AL ce; WAL any non-good; AoC sky; stars.

Uranus’ Avatar

(fighter t4)

Uranus’ avatar is an old, grizzled warrior. His dark eyes burn with the unspoken desire for revenge.

Str 22 Dex 18 Con 18

Int 18 Wis 15 Cha 15

MV 24 SZ 6’ MR 60%

AC -6 HD 24 HP 192

#AT 2 THAC0 -3 Dmg ld8 (sword) +10

Special Att/Def:

Uranus’ avatar wields a sword that cuts through any non-magical material as if it were cloth. Thus his enemy’s AC is never better than 5 (unless due strictly to Dexterity). Uranus’ avatar also regenerates 5 hit points at the end of each combat round, and cannot be harmed by non-magical weapon or attack.

Duties of the Priesthood:

Uranus’ priests are members of a secret sect. They hire themselves out as fighters, then secretly employ their divine powers to further their true master’s ends.

Requirements:

AB standard plus Str 13+; AL any good; WP any; AR a; SP astral, combat, divination, healing , protection; PW 10) cast spells without verbal, somatic or material components; TU turn.

Cronus (greater god)

The youngest of the Titans born to Uranus and Gaea, Cronus was the ambitious one who attacked his father and then assumed the throne to become ruler of the universe. However, when his mother Gaea prophesied that one of his children would overthrow him as he had his father, Cronus proved just as despotic as Uranus. As his wife, Rhea, gave birth to the Olympian gods, he seized them and swallowed them up. His plan might have worked, had Rhea not tricked him into swallowing a stone instead of her sixth child. This god, Zeus, eventually returned to lead the successful revolt against him. Because of his past actions, Cronus was imprisoned in Tartarus.

Role-playing Notes:

Because Cronus remains penned in Tartarus, he is unable to influence events on earth except through his avatars. Therefore, at least one avatar is constantly moving about Greece, promising men great rewards in return for worshipping Cronus and turning their backs on the Olympian gods. On occasion, these avatars rise to a position of power in a polis, and the result is invariably war as the avatar attacks the power bases of Cronus’ rivals. Because of his imprisonment, Cronus cannot send omens or portents.

Statistics:

AL le; WAL any evil; AoC sinister ambition; SY sickle.

Cronus’ Avatar

(fighter 20)

Cronus’ avatar is an evil looking fighter with a gleam in his otherwise dark eyes. He often passes himself off as a human warrior with no claim to his divine status.

Str 21 Dex 18 Con 18

Int 18 Wis 15 Cha 14

MV 20 SZ 6’ MR 40%

AC -3 HD 20 HP 160

#AT 2 THAC0 1 Dmg 1d4 +1 (sickle) +9

Special Att/Def:

Although it is not magic, Cronus’ adamant sickle cuts through any material it touches, effectively lowering his opponents’ AC to a maximum of 5 (unless due strictly to Dexterity). Beings hit by the sickle must save versus death or lose whatever appendage it hits (DMs should determine this randomly or by decree based on the situation).

Duties of the Priesthood:

Cronus is no longer worshipped actively by the people of Greece. Nevertheless, there are small sects of priests dedicated to him in Athens, Rhodes, and Thebes who are constantly trying to recruit worshipers through the promise of power or money. In these three cities, the priests organize large harvest-time festivals in which class distinctions are abolished. Their intention is to use the festival as a recruiting tool.

Requirements:

AB standard; AL any non-good; WP sickle; AR a; SP none (Cronus cannot grant spells); PW none; TU nil.

Rhea (greater god)

Rhea was originally worshipped as the Great Goddess of Minoan Crate, and is an example of the Great Mother goddess who took many names and shapes throughout the ancient Middle East. Above all, she symbolized fertility, in which her influence extended over plants, animals, and humans. She also controlled the varying seasons, caused products of the soil to flourish, and even protected men in battle.

Eventually, she became the wife of Cronus and gave birth to the Olympian gods. After Cronus swallowed Hestia, Hera, Demeter, Hades, and Poseidon, she saved Zeus by substituting a rock in swaddling clothes. Rhea’s anguish over the loss of her first five children was ended when Zeus grew to manhood and led a revolt against Cronus. In her true form, Rhea is a beautiful woman with a generous figure.

Role-playing Notes:

Since Zeus seized his father’s throne, Rhea has yielded much of her power and many of her responsibilities to her godly children. Nevertheless, she is still revered as the mother of the gods, and sometimes answers appeals concerning fertility or motherhood. Omens from Rhea generally take the form of dreams.

Statistics:

AL ng; WAL any; AoC fertility, life; SY female face.

Rhea’s Avatar

(druid 22)

Rhea’s avatar appears as an immodestly dressed young woman of great beauty with a voluptuous figure.

Str 19 Dex 18 Con 18

Int 19 Wis 18 Cha 18

MV 18 SZ 6’ MR 45%

AC 0 HD 22 HP 176

#AT 1 THAC0 -1 Dmg 1d6 (club) +7

Special Att/Def:

No non-intelligent creature will attack Rhea’s avatar under any circumstances. She cannot be harmed by weapons made of unforged natural materials such as stone or wood.

Duties of the Priesthood:

Priests devoted to Rhea must ensure that she is forever honored for her part in installing the Olympian gods. They also perform ceremonies related to the fertility of both man and beast, and will go to any length to aid a mother in need of assistance. Their temples often serve as temporary shelters for orphans, whom they place with loving families that have no children of their own.

Requirements:

AB standard; AL any non-evil; WP club, blunt instruments; AR a; SP all, animal, charm, creation, guardian, healing, plant, protection; PW 8) summon rain (over a two mile area); TU turn.

Zeus (greater god)

The son of the Titans Cronus and Rhea, Zeus is the god who led his siblings in revolt against their despotic father and established the Olympians as the supreme rulers of the heavens. He is the king of the gods, though his command over them is far from absolute and his decisions are often challenged. Zeus is the god of the sky, the ruler of all high things, including the clouds, rain, wind, thunder, and mountain summits. He is the protector of laws, friend of the weak, and dispenser of justice. Although he can take any form he wishes, and often assumes that of a powerful, bearded man with regal bearing, in his true form he is a ball of fiery light so intense that no mortal can look upon him without bursting into flames.

Role-playing Notes:

Zeus is an efficient leader, but he is something of a despot. He is moved by anger more often than mercy, and makes his decisions on the basis of politics rather than justice. A confirmed lecher, he will go to any length to woo a beautiful woman (even a mortal) — despite the jealous anger of his wife, Hera. Zeus is not above toying with men’s lives just to entertain himself and the other gods. Omens from Zeus take many forms, including thunder, animals acting in peculiar ways, and unusual celestial events.

Statistics:

AL n; WAL any; AoC heavens, law; SY fist filled with lightning bolts.

Zeus’ Avatar

(fighter 20)

Zeus’ avatar usually appears as a robust man with a full white beard and a regal bearing. However, the avatar has also been known to appear as a swan, a bull, a cloud, and in many other forms.

Str 22 Dex 18 Con 18

Int 18 Wis 18 Cha 18

MV 18 SZ 7’ MR 30%

AC -2 HD 20 HP 160

#AT 2 THAC0 1 Dmg ld8 +9 (spear) + 10

Special Att/Def:

The avatar of Zeus can only be hit by magical weapons. When his blood spills on the ground, it forms a 6 HD monster of the DM’s choice, that is under the avatar’s control. Once per round, he can throw a lightning bolt spell that does 4d10 damage.

Duties of the Priesthood:

Priests devoted to Zeus must maintain a temple of suitable grandeur, and are responsible for organizing the Olympic games held every four years to honor Zeus. At least once during his life, every priest must visit the sacred oak tree at Dodona in Epirus, where Zeus speaks to his oracles in the rustling leaves.

Requirements:

AB standard plus Str 14+; AL any; WP spear; AR a; SP all, animal, combat, divination, elemental, healing, protection, weather; PW 1) lightning bolt (1d4 damage per level); 15) polymorph self; TU nil.

Hera (greater god)

As the wife of Zeus, Hera is not only goddess of marriage and women, but the queen of the heavens. Further, she has some minor control over the weather and fertility, though these are not central aspects of her character. Because of her jealous nature and the amorous exploits of her husband, she has developed the power to spy upon anybody in any place at will. In her true form, Hera is tall, noble, and beautiful woman, but, like Zeus, she can assume any form she wants.

Role-playing Notes:

Above all, Hera is a jealous wife. She spies upon her husband almost constantly, and makes a habit of looking in on any woman with a Charisma of 18 or more. If her husband pays too much attention to another woman, she sends her avatar to kill, disfigure, or otherwise punish the woman. If a wife complains to Hera about an unfaithful husband, there is 5% chance that Hera will respond by making the luckless fellow so hideously ugly that no woman would want him (reduce his Charisma to 1).

Hera is also jealous in regards to her beauty; for if she was responsible for wiping out the Trojan race because one of its members, Paris, thought Aphrodite was more beautiful than she. Omens from Hera include visits from peacocks and other beautiful birds, a harsh voice audible only to one person, or a message carried by a married woman.

Statistics:

AL cn; WAL any; AoC marriage; SY fan peacock feathers.

Hera’s Avatar

(wizard 15, fighter 12)

Hera’s avatar appears as a tall woman of stunning beauty. She can call upon the alteration and enchantment/charm schools of magic for her spells.

Str 17 Dex 18 Con 18

Int 19 Wis 18 Cha 19

MV 16 SZ 6’ MR 30%

AC 0 HD 15 HP 120

#AT 3/2 THAC0 5 Dmg 1d10 (rod) +1

Special Att/Def:

Hera’s avatar can speak in an angry voice, causing 2d8 points of damage to all within 50 yards. Victims of this voice attack must also save versus petrification or flee in terror (as the fear spell).

Duties of the Priesthood:

Because of Hera’s vengefulness, her priests must avenge the slightest insult to their goddess by arranging the of offender’s death through direct action, trickery, or deception.

Requirements:

AB standard; AL any except lawful good; WP club, cudgel, staff; AR a; SP all, charm, combat, divination, healing, protection; PW 5) detect lie; 12) clairvoyance (centered on any acquaintance of the priest; TU nil.

Aphrodite (intermediate god)

The beautiful Aphrodite was created from a mixture of sea foam and the blood of Uranus. She is the goddess of beauty and love. As befits the goddess her position, she was an enthusiastic companion of the male gods. She was also married to Hephaestus, but this did not stop her from consorting with Ares, Poseidon, Dionysus, and others. Aphrodite can charm any male, either god or mortal, and can generate any strong emotion (such as love, hate, anger, sorrow, etc.) in any intelligent being. Although she can assume any form (all of them beautiful), in her true form she is a woman of astonishing beauty.

Role-playing Notes:

Aphrodite is extremely vain. There is a 10% chance she will overhear any unfavorable comparison of her beauty. In such cases, she will avenge herself by making the transgressor fall in love with a statue, turning him into a shell, or having bees sting his eyes. Omens from Aphrodite are often associated with the sea.

Statistics:

AL cg; WAL any; AoC love, beauty; SY seashell.

Aphrodite’s Avatar

(wizard 15, bard 10)

Aphrodite’s avatar is a scantily clad woman of incredible beauty. She can call upon the illusion and enchantment/charm schools for her magic.

Str 15 Dex 18 Con 18

Int 18 Wis 18 Cha 20

MV 15 SZ 5’ MR 30%

AC 0 HD 15 HP 120

#AT 1 THAC0 5 Dmg 1d4 + (dagger)

Special Att/Def:

Aphrodite’s avatar carries a dagger that causes anyone struck by it to save versus spells or be instantly charmed. In addition, upon first seeing the avatar, all men must save versus paralyzation or find themselves unable to attack her — ever. Finally, Aphrodite’s avatar can cause 1d10 points of damage (and a great deal of physical pain) to anybody trying to harm her simply by waving her hand.

Duties of the Priesthood:

Every ten days, her priests must release white doves, and every new moon they must throw objects of art and beautiful jewelry into the sea. They must also do what they can to aid anyone who is in trouble because of a forbidden love.

Requirements:

AB standard plus Charisma 16+; AL any non-evil; WP bow and arrow, net, staff; AR a; SP all, charm, creation, guardian, healing; PW 5) charm person (opposite sex only); 10) Charisma increases to 18; 15) arouse feelings of love (as the enamoring effects of a philter of love) in any intelligent being; TU nil.

Ares (intermediate god)

Ares is the god of battle, killing, and fighting. As the personification of the savage side of war, he is fond of strife, anger, and unrestrained bloodletting. As such, he is not a very popular god, and is only worshipped (at least by a large number of people) in the polis of Sparta. He has the power to inspire terror, hatred, and fear in the heart of any intelligent being (save versus spells to negate).

Although he can change shapes at will, in his true form Ares is a large man with burning, hateful eyes and a permanent scowl etched across his mouth.

Role-playing Notes:

Ares is obstinate, hateful, quarrelsome, wicked, untrustworthy, jealous of his fellow gods, and easily offended. Because he has so few worshipers, Ares is always looking for more. If called upon in battle, there is a 5% per level chance that he will send his avatar to aid the beseecher. His help does not come without a price, however. After the battle, the individual that asked for help must become a worshiper of Ares — or face the avatar himself. Transgressions against Ares are generally punished by swift death.

Statistics:

AL ce; WAL any evil; AoC war, killing, strife; SY spear.

Ares’ Avatar

(fighter 20)

Ares’ avatar appears to be a huge fighter with bloodthirsty red eyes. He is powerfully built and carries a deadly looking spear.

Str 21 Dex 18 Con 18

Int 17 Wis 16 Cha 12

MV 15 SZ 7’ MR 25%

AC -3 HD 20 HP 160

#AT 2 THAC0 1 Dmg ld8 +8 (spear) +9

Special Att/Def:

After the spear of Ares’ avatar hits, it opens a wound that will not stop bleeding until both a remove curse and a heal spell have been cast upon it in the same round. This bleeding causes 6 hp of damage per round.

Duties of the Priesthood:

Strictly speaking, Ares has no priests, for his worshipers must be soldiers and fighters. However, he grants his most devoted followers the ability to use priest spells and advance as multi-class characters. Although humans are normally not allowed to become multi-classed characters, Ares bestows this ability upon those who worship him. In return, they are expected to do all they can to create strife and warfare. There is also a great rivalry between Ares and Athena. Whenever his worshipers meet hers, he expects bloodshed to follow.

Requirements:

AB as fighters; AL any non-good; WP any; AR a; SP combat, elemental, healing, weather; PW 12) raise dead; TU nil.

Artemis (intermediate god)

An illegitimate daughter of Zeus, the huntress Artemis is the patroness of young girls, and the mistress of beasts and all wild things. She will have nothing to do with men, perhaps because she has often helped women in childbirth and blames men for all the pain involved. Although renowned as a huntress, Artemis kills only to feed herself and others, never for sport. In her true form, she is a slim young girl.

Unlike the other Olympian gods, she dwells in the forests of Arcadia, surrounded by a band of chaste and hardy nymphs. She has complete control over any non-magical animal while it is in the forests of Arcadia.

Role-playing Notes:

Artemis loves the rugged life of a huntress. Except for helping women during childbirth, she avoids involving herself in any other human matters. She values her privacy, and will severely punish any man violating it. Omens from Artemis are always delivered by wild beasts.

Statistics:

AL ng; WAL any non-evil; AoC hunting, wild beasts, childbirth; SY bow and arrow on a lunar disk.

Artemis’ Avatar

(druid 16, ranger 16)

Artemis’ avatar appears to be a slim young girl resembling Artemis herself. She can draw upon the all, animal, divination, elemental, healing, plant, and weather spheres for her spells.

Str 17 Dex 18 Con 18

Int 18 Wis 18 Cha 18

MV 18 SZ 5’ MR nil

AC 0 HD 16 HP 128

#AT 2 THAC0 5 Dmg 1d10 (arrow) +1

Special Att/Def:

No magic spell affects Artemis’ avatar, and any attack rebounds against the caster. Up to a distance of 1,000 yards, range does not affect the avatar when shooting her arrows. In melee combat, she uses a common dagger that has been poisoned. Anyone hit by this weapon must save versus poison or suffer an extra 1d10 points of damage per round until a neutralize poison can be cast upon them.

Duties of the Priesthood:

Only women may become druids of Artemis. They must live in the forests, tending the animals, avoiding men, and, above all, remaining chaste. Artemis punishes any violation of the rules concerning chastity by the permanent withdrawal of all powers and standing in her church.

Requirements:

AB as druid; AL n; WP as druid; AR b; SP all, animal, divination, elemental, healing, plant, and weather; PW 7) ignore range modifiers in archery to a distance of 500 yards; 14) complete control over all animals within 1,000 yards; TU nil.

Athena (intermediate god)

One day Zeus developed a terrible headache. To relieve it, Hephaestus used his axe to split the mighty god’s head open. Out came Athena, full grown and fully armed. She quickly became Zeus’ favorite daughter, and is the goddess of noble combat, architecture, sculpture, spinning, weaving, horses, ox olives, prudence, and wise counsel. As a warrior goddess she is the protectress of Athens, but she is no less skilled in the arts of peace, inventing the potter’s wheel, teaching men to tame horses, and helping them build the great ship Argos. In her true form, Athena is a helmeted, statuesque woman of great beauty. She is often seen bearing her father’s shield, Aegis, or with an owl perched on her shoulder.

Role-playing Notes:

Athena is a chaste warrior who resists any attempts on her honor with force. Even seeing Athena without her clothes will be punished by blindness (no save allowed). She is the protectress of Athens, and will always send her avatar to help if that metropolis is threatened. Omens from Athena are usually delivered by owls.

Statistics:

AL lg; WAL any good; AoC Wisdom, crafts, war; SY owl.

Athena’s Avatar

(fighter 16, priest 16)

Athena’s avatar is a helmeted, statuesque woman of extreme grace and beauty. She can draw upon any sphere for her spells.

Str 20 Dex 18 Con 17

Int 19 Wis 21 Cha 18

MV 15 SZ 6’ MR 30%

AC -2 HD 16 HP 128

#AT 2 THAC0 5 Dmg ld8 +5 (spear) +8

Special Att/Def:

Athena’s avatar is armed with several special items. The most important of these are a helm that creates an anti-magic shell within 10’ of her, a shield bearing a medusa’s head that causes anyone looking at it to save versus petrification or be turned to stone, and a spear that never misses when she thrusts with it.

Duties of the Priesthood:

Like Athena herself, her priests must remain chaste. They must also dedicate themselves to learning the arts of combat and the crafts of peace, and be ready to fight whenever they encounter worshipers of Ares.

Requirements:

AB standard; AL lg; WP spear, sword; SP all, charm, combat, divination, healing, protection; PW 5) regenerate 1 hp/turn; 15) commune with Athena once per week (one question only); TU nil.

Demeter (intermediate god)

Demeter is the queen of the fruitful earth and the goddess of agriculture. Without her blessing, no crops may grow on the earth. Demeter will not hesitate to use this fact to blackmail men and other gods if the need exists. In gratitude for help she once received while for searching for her lost daughter Persephone (who had been abducted by Hades), she also taught the men of Eleusis the secrets of making the earth fertile. The exact nature of these secrets, called the Eleusinian Mysteries, remains unknown to this day. In her true form, Demeter is a beautiful woman, but she can change her own shape and that of others at will. She also has complete control over the weather.

Role-playing Notes:

Generally, Demeter is a benevolent goddess. However, if her worshipers ignore their duties, she does not hesitate to destroy their crops and send famine upon them.

Statistics:

AL ng; WAL any non-evil; AoC agriculture; SY mare’s head.

Demeter’s Avatar

(Wizard 15, Druid 14)

Demeter’s avatar is usually a beautiful woman, though she sometimes takes the form of a female horse. Demeter’s avatar can cast spells from the illusion school of magic, and the all, animal, elemental, healing, and weather spheres.

Str 18/00 Dex 18 Con 18

Int 18 Wis 18 Cha 18

MV 15 SZ 6’ MR 25%

AC 0 HD 15 HP 120

#AT 1 THAC0 5 Dmg ld8 +5 (spear) +6

Special Att/Def:

Demeter’s avatar can only be injured by magical weapons and spells. In five rounds, a tree sprouts from any wound made by her spear. Two rounds after it sprouts, the tree becomes so large that the victim must lie on the ground until the roots are torn from his body (doing an additional 1d10 damage).

Duties of the Priesthood:

Priests devoted to Demeter must spend a year on Eleusis being initiated into the Eleusinian Mysteries. After that, they must return to Eleusis every February to help with the ceremonies surrounding the Lesser Mysteries, and every five years in September to help with the Greater Mysteries. Though it might be permissible to miss the Lesser Mysteries for a good reason, any priest missing the Greater Mysteries loses his clerical benefits until he attends the next set of Greater Mysteries in five years.

Requirements:

AB standard; AL any non-evil; WP sickle, club, flail; AR b; SP all, animal, divination, elemental, healing, plant, weather; PW 1) plant growth; 10) control weather; 20) ability to create a potion of longevity (for the priest only); TU turn (upon attaining 5th level).

Dionysus (intermediate god)

As the god of wine, Dionysus has a dual nature. On one hand, he is the embodiment of joy, pleasure, and camaraderie. On the other, he embodies brutality, idiocy, and madness. His twin nature is a reflection of the dual properties of wine in the eyes of the Greeks: imbibed in moderation, it brings pleasure and comfort, but in excess, it brings nothing but depraved misery. He has the power to turn an unlimited amount of water to wine, to make any vine grow anywhere, and to inflict madness upon any intelligent being (save at - 4).

Although he can change shape into any living creature, his true form is that of a handsome young man.

Role-playing Notes:

Dionysus is a raucous, unruly deity who likes nothing better than drinking to excess and wild uninhibited behavior. If left alone, he and his boisterous worshipers are usually no more than a minor annoyance. But if someone tries to inhibit his worshipers fun, or to drive them away, Dionysus is quick to mock them. If that doesn’t work, he won’t hesitate to use his powers against the intruders. Omens from Dionysus often take the form of hallucinations, especially while drinking wine.

Statistics:

AL cn; WAL any; AoC mirth, madness; SY staff tipped with pine cone and twined with a vine.

Dionysus’ Avatar

(bard 17, wizard 12)

Dionysus’ avatar usually appears as a handsome young man carrying plenty of wine, a lyre, and a thyrsus (staff twined with vines). He can call upon any school of magic for his spells.

Str 19 Dex 18 Con 18

Int 15 Wis 13 Cha 18

MV 16 SZ 6’ MR 30%

AC -2 HD 17 HP 136

#AT 1 THAC0 3 Dmg 1d6 (staff) +7

Special Att/Def:

Anyone who is touched by the staff of Dionysus’ avatar must save versus spell or suffer from confusion as the priest spell.

Duties of the Priesthood:

People usually become priests of Dionysus because they like to carouse and engage in wild parties. If so, they have decided to worship the right deity, for Dionysus expects them to view life as one long celebration. Their only true duty is to cultivate grapevines and make wine, which they sell to earn money to support their temple. As a reflection of this, all priests of Dionysus are required to take the non-weapon proficiency of brewing (if those rules are used in the campaign).

Requirements:

AB standard; AL any except lg; WP poison, staff, whip, net; AR a; SP all, charm, creation, healing, plant, weather; PW 1) neutralize poison; 10) Constitution raised to 18; TU nil.

Hephaestus (intermediate god)

Hephaestus is the god of blacksmithing and the patron of artisans, craftsmen, and mechanics. Unlike most gods, he is slightly deformed, resembling a tall, bearded hill giant with a club foot and a hunchback.

His mother, Hera, was embarrassed by her son’s deformities and kept him out of sight. In order to win the respect of the other gods, he fashioned a golden throne for her. When she sat in it, she was trapped, and he would not release her until she and the other gods accepted him as their equal. Since then, he has proven one of Olympus’ most valuable residents, fashioning golden palaces, intricate machines, and beautiful armor for his fellows.

Role-playing Notes:

Hephaestus is generally a benevolent god, though he is extremely touchy about his deformity. Although he is married to Aphrodite, he is in love with Athena, who will have nothing to do with him. Because he has so few worshipers, he treats them well, often making gifts of adamant weapons, shields, and armor to those that serve him especially well. Such objects have a magical +5 bonus. Omens from Hephaestus often appear in the flames of forges.

Statistics:

AL ng; WAL any; AoC blacksmithing, crafts; SY hammer and anvil.

Hephaestus’ Avatar

(fighter 15, wizard 12)

Hephaestus’ avatar usually takes the form of a dark man with some sort of deformity. He can call upon the alteration school of magic for his spells.

Str 22 Dex 14 Con 19

Int 18 Wis 16 Cha 10

MV 12 SZ 6’ MR 25%

AC 0 HD 15 HP 120

#AT 2 THAC0 5 Dmg 1d6 (hammer) +10

Special Att/Def:

Any being struck by the avatar’s hammer must save versus paralyzation or be knocked unconscious for 1d10 minutes.

Duties of the Priesthood:

Before accepting any person as a priest, Hephaestus sends his avatar to see how the person reacts to a deformed person. If they are kind, they are accepted. Priests of Hephaestus must have the blacksmithing proficiency (if these rules used in the campaign).

Requirements:

AB standard plus Str l5+; AL any non-evil; WP hammer; AR f; SP all, combat, creation, divination, elemental, guarding, healing, sun, weather; PW 1) +1 per level ability scores when making a blacksmithing check; 5) able to repair magic weapons and armor (proficiency check required); 10) able to create magical weapons or armors with a bonus up to +1 per 3 levels of experience (maximum of +5).

Hermes (intermediate god)

Hermes is the god of travelers, merchants, thieves, gamblers, athletes, and eloquent speech. He also serves the gods as a messenger and an arbitrator of disputes. He executed his first robbery when he was only one day old, stealing a herd of cattle from Apollo. In his true form, Hermes is a handsome youth who carries a white caduceus (winged rod entwined by two serpents). He can move from place to place almost instantaneously. Hermes also wears a pair of winged sandals that allow him to fly and a helm that allows him to turn invisible at will.

Role-playing Notes:

Although an accomplished thief almost from the moment of his birth, Hermes has many other aspects as well. He has a keen sense of fairness that other gods often call upon in order to resolve disputes, and willingly uses his great speed to serve as a messenger to the gods (though he sends an avatar when dealing with humans or others on the Prime Material Plane). Omens from Hermes include an unusually good or bad run of luck or a sudden gust of wind as he or his avatar rushes past.

Statistics:

AL cg; WAL any non-evil; AoC travel, trade, thievery, gambling, running; SY caduceus.

Hermes’ Avatar

(thief 15, bard 12)

Hermes’ avatar appears as a handsome youth carrying a white rod that he uses as a weapon. He can call upon any school of magic for his spells.

Str 18/02 Dex 20 Con 18

Int 18 Wis 18 Cha 18

MV 36 SZ 6’ MR 20%

AC 0 HD 15 HP 120

#AT 1 THAC0 5 Dmg 1d6 (rod) +3

Special Att/Def:

If Hermes’ avatar has a chance to speak before a combat, anyone wishing to attack him must save versus spells. Failure indicates the fast-talking avatar has talked them out of attacking him (treat this as a charm spell).

Duties of the Priesthood:

All of Hermes priests must keep physically fit and be able to run long distances (they must always select the running proficiency but need allocate only 1 slot to do so). They often serve as professional arbiters, since it is well known that Hermes sends his avatar to punish any priest he catches taking any form of bribe (15% chance per occurrence).

Requirements:

AB standard plus Con 15+ and Wis 15+; AL any non-evil; WP club, staff, bludgeon; AR g; SP all, charm, divination healing, protection, summoning; PW 1) +1 to AC for every level up to tenth; 5) detect lie (no save); 10) always move as if under the influence of a haste spell; TU nil.

Apollo (intermediate god)

Apollo is the god of light, prophecy, music, shepherds, and medicine. He helps ripen crops, destroys pests, cures illnesses, and protects shepherds and their flocks. There are many oracular shrines dedicated to Apollo, the chief one being at Delphi (taken over from Gaea). The master of the lyre and song, Apollo is especially vain about his musical prowess and keeps the Muses as part of his retinue. Apollo is not entirely beneficent, however. He carries a bow with terrible arrows that visit plague and disease upon the targets he fires them at. In his true form, Apollo is a beardless young man who rarely wears clothes.

Role-playing Notes:

Apollo is a tolerant, if not forgiving, god. He disdains vengeance, especially killing for vengeance. On the other hand, he encourages strict laws with harsh penalties in order to keep unscrupulous criminals in check. Generally speaking, he is a beneficent god, and there is a 5% chance that he will send his avatar to aid any beseecher of good alignment who truly needs divine help. On the other hand, he will not hesitate to fire his arrows of plague and disease at any polis that has fallen into evil and lawless ways. Omens from Apollo are generally delivered through his oracles.

Statistics:

AL cg; WAL any good; AoC light, prophecy, music, healing; SY lyre.

Apollo’s Avatar

(bard 17, priest 15)

Apollo’s avatar is well-muscled, handsome youth. He can draw upon any school of magic for his spells.

Str 18/27 Dex 19 Con 18

Int 18 Wis 18 Cha 19

MV 18 SZ 6’ MR 25%

AC 1 HD 17 HP 136

#AT 1 THAC0 3 Dmg ld8 (arrow)

Special Att/Def:

Anyone struck by an arrow of Apollo’s avatar must save versus death or become instantly ill and suffer a loss of 1d10 points per round until a cure disease is cast upon them.

Duties of the Priesthood:

Priests of Apollo generally serve as oracles and healers. They are also expected to promote the lawful administration of their polis, and to serve as teachers of music and song.

Requirements:

AB standard; AL any good; WP staff, net, bow and arrow; SP all, charm, divination, healing, sun; PW 5) cure disease; 10) heal; TU turn.

Poseidon (intermediate god)

An older brother of Zeus, Poseidon is the god of the seas, oceans, rivers, lakes, and earthquakes. Poseidon has the power to create new life forms, and is the creator of bulls and horses. This power often brings him into conflict with Athena. He can also summon and control any non-divine form of sea life, and change his own shape into that of any living being at will. In his true form, he is a man standing a hundred feet tall.

Role-playing Notes:

Poseidon is a possessive god, his waves constantly lapping at the land belonging to his fellow gods, breaking off a bit here and a bit there. Poseidon also has a terrible temper, and vents his rage in the form of storms or earthquakes. His churlish disposition causes his fellow gods to consider him a foolish old fellow, but only the mighty Zeus would dare say so to his face. If any coastal polis neglects his worship, he is quick to flood it with a tidal wave or smash it with an earthquake. Omens from Poseidon take the form of storms, trembling ground, or visits from hideous, newly created monsters. When especially pleased with a priest, Poseidon rewards him with a paladin-quality warhorse, or by creating a spring in a place of the priest’s choosing.

Statistics:

AL ce; WAL any; AoC water, earthquakes, creation; SY trident.

Poseidon’s Avatar

(druid 14, fighter 10)

Poseidon’s avatar is a huge, bearded man. He can draw upon the all, animal, divination, elemental, healing, plant, and weather spheres for his spells.

Str 20 Dex 18 Con 18

Int 13 Wis 15 Cha 18

MV 15 SZ 30’ MR 15%

AC 0 HD 14 HP 112

#AT 3/2 THAC0 7 Dmg 1d6 +1 (trident) +8

Special Att/Def:

Poseidon’s avatar can move through water with complete freedom, just as if it were air. Any being hit by his trident must save versus paralyzation or be stuck on its prongs. They will remain there until removed by another character (inflicting 1d10 additional points of damage) or released by the avatar himself.

Duties of the Priesthood:

Poseidon’s priests must throw a bull into the sea as a sacrifice at least once a month. They are also expected to bless the boats of fishermen, and at least one priest is usually taken along on any long sea voyage.

Requirements:

AB standard; AL any non-good; WP trident; AR b; SP all, animal, divination, elemental (water only), healing, plant, weather; PW 5) water freedom (as a ring of swimming that also bestows water breathing); 10); control winds (direction but not intensity) for up to eight hours; 15) earthquake; TU nil.

Hades (intermediate god)

Hades is a two-sided deity, the god of death on one hand and the god of wealth on the other. He is a son of Rhea and Cronus, and thus one of Zeus’ older brothers. He rarely leaves his kingdom in the underworld, where the dead go to fade into nothingness. Hades has the power to bring death or wealth to any mortal. The right to restore life to the dead belongs to him alone, and he guards it jealously. He wears a helmet which can render him invisible at will. In his true form, he is a large, dark-skinned man with fiery eyes.

Role-playing Notes:

Hades is not particularly cruel or vengeful, and his kingdom is not a retributive one. The dead pass through the groves of Persephone. Then they come upon the gates of Hades, which are guarded by Cerberus, who will let the dead enter the shadowy realm but not leave. Upon passing through the gates, the dead meet the divine ferryman Charon and pay him a coin. They are then ferried across the river of woe, Acheron. Later, the valiant dead might be permitted to cross the river of forgetfulness, Lethe, and emerge in the Elysian Fields. More unfortunate souls will cross the river Styx into Tartarus, a region of eternal pain and torment. The rest will simply fade away into nothingness. Omens from Hades are rare, and usually involve some form of unexpected death or wealth.

Statistics:

AL ln; WAL any; AoC death, wealth; SY black ram.

Hades’ Avatar

(fighter 18)

Hades’ avatar usually takes the form of a large, dark-skinned man with a black beard and black eyes.

Str 20 Dex 18 Con 19

Int 18 Wis 18 Cha 18

MV 15 SZ 6’ MR 30%

AC -2 HD 18 HP 144

#AT 2 THAC0 3 Dmg ld8 (sword) +8

Special Att/Def:

Opponents of Hades’ avatar must save versus death or die when any of the following occur: they are struck by his sword, when the avatar intentionally casts a death gaze on them (once per round, range 100 yards, can’t be used in melee combat), or if the avatar is reduced to zero HP (where upon it explodes, flinging death rays in all directions).

Duties of the Priesthood:

Hades’ priests must live in dark, dreary caverns. They hoard large amounts of gold, which they collect as fees for raising the dead.

Requirements:

AB standard; AL any evil; WP any; AR a; SP all, charm, creation, divination, healing, necromantic, protection, summoning; PW 3) see in darkness; 5) darkness in 10’ radius; 10) death touch (save versus death or die); 15) raise dead; 20) regenerate 5 hp per round; TU turn.

Hecate (intermediate god)

Hecate is the goddess of the moon, magic, and plenty. She often visits her friend Persephone (Hades’ wife) in the underworld, and has learned to control the undead. Hecate is the defender of children and the provider of abundance in food, riches, and other desirable things. She also wanders the night with a pack of hell-hounds, which she sets on those foolish enough to travel at night. Those who cast spells draw upon her power, as she is the source of all non-clerical magic. At night, she can cast any two spells she wishes per round, but this, ability is reduced to only one spell per round during the day. In her true form, Hecate has three female heads and the body of a ravishing woman, but she can appear in the form of any living creature she wishes.

Role-playing Notes:

Hecate is an independent and capricious goddess. She often aids or hinders mortals for no reason other than having nothing better to do. Any being doing injury to a child stands a 10% chance of drawing her notice, in which case she will send her avatar to exact an appropriate vengeance. At night, she sometimes appears in avatar form to lonely shepherds, and has been known to protect their flocks on more than one occasion. Omens from Hecate generally come in the form of some magical communication, and are accompanied by the eerie sound of baying dogs.

Statistics:

AL ce; WAL any; AoC magic, moon, abundance; SY setting moon.

Hecate’s Avatar

(wizard 20)

Hecate’s avatar is a beautiful, dark-haired woman. She is always accompanied by at least one hell-hound of maximum hit points and abilities. She can draw upon any school of magic for her spells.

Str 13 Dex 18 Con 18

Int 20 Wis 17 Cha 18

MV 15 SZ 6’ MR 35%

AC 2 HD 20 HP 160

#AT 1 THAC0 1 Dmg 1d4 (dagger)

Special Att/Def:

Any being hit by Hecate’s dagger must save versus death or fall into a trance and be controlled by the avatar as if they were undead. The avatar has complete control over any undead creature with up to 9 hit dice (the level of a typical vampire).

Duties of the Priesthood:

Hecate has no priests, but all those who use magic (i.e., wizards, illusionists, bards, etc.) worship her. They are expected to sacrifice honey and black ewes to her on nights of the full moon. Failure results in a total loss of magical powers until the proper sacrifice is made on the next night of a full moon.

Titans (greater and lesser gods)

The Titans, sometimes referred to as “the elder gods” were the deities who replaced the primordial gods Gaea and Uranus as rulers of the cosmos.

The first Titans were the children of Gaea and Uranus. Cronus and Rhea, the king and queen of the first Titans, are discussed individually under separate entries. While Cronus sat in the divine throne, he and Rhea produced the Olympian gods. Cronus had been warned that his children might overthrow him, so he swallowed each of his children as they were born. However, Rhea managed to trick Cronus into swallowing a rock instead of her sixth child, Zeus.

After growing to manhood in exile, Zeus returned and tricked Cronus into vomiting up his Olympian siblings. There followed a great war between the Titans and the Olympian gods, eventually resulting in the defeat of the Titans. With the exception of Rhea, the Titans born directly to Gaea and Uranus (Cronus, Oceanus, Tethys, Hyperion, Mnemosyne, Themis, Iapetus, Coeus, Crius, Phebe, and Thea) were locked in Tartarus. They were all greater gods to some extent, and too dangerous for the Olympians to forgive, so they remain locked there to this day.

The children of the original Titans, however, were only lesser gods and not as dangerous as their forebears. Therefore, the Olympians were able to forego binding them in Tartarus, and assigned different fates to them. The most important of these Titans include: Atlas, who led the Titans in their struggle against the Olympians, and was condemned to eternally bear the earth and heavens upon his shoulders. Prometheus, the wise Titan who created man and allied with the Olympians in the war, but who later offended Zeus and was chained to a rock in the Caucasus Mountains, where an eagle feeds on his liver to this day. Epimetheus, the foolish Titan who allowed his wife, Pandora, to unleash all the evils on mankind.

There were, of course, many other children born to the original Titans, and who are (very) rarely encountered wandering about Greece, but they are too numerous to list here.

Generally speaking, Titans which might be encountered in Greece appear to be huge men and women (twenty feet or more in height). They have all the powers of lesser gods, and usually embody one aspect of humanity, such as strength for Atlas, wisdom for Prometheus, foolishness for Epimetheus, etc. They will always have at least one special power connected with this aspect, and the Attribute score most closely associated with it will either be very low (1-3) or high (23-25).

Role-playing Notes:

The personalities and goals of Lesser Titans will be as varied as those of humans, but they will have one thing in common: they either bear the Olympian gods tremendous respect or tremendous fear. Under no circumstances will they tolerate open disrespect to the Olympian gods. Those that favor the Olympian gods will see it as blasphemous, and those who do not will fear a trick or test of some kind. Generally speaking, Titans will be unconcerned with matters such as wealth or power in the human realm, but they may very well be searching for enough to eat, an adventure worthy of them, or be consumed by love.

Statistics:

AL any; WAL any; AoC special; SY as appropriate.

Lesser Titan

(fighter, wizard, thief, hard, priest, etc., at level 20)

Str 15-25 Dex 15-25 Con 15-25

Int 15-25 Wis 15-25 Cha 15

MV 15-21 SZ 20’+ MR 10-20%

AC 4 to -3 HD 17-22 HP 8 per HD

#AT 1-2 THAC0 varies Dmg varies

Special Att/Def:

As appropriate to the nature of the titan and the aspect it embodies. As a rule, all titans can only be hit by magical weapons.

Titans do not have the ability to use avatars, so the statistics above are those of the Titan itself. Titans who are wizards, priests, and other magic users will always be able to draw their spells from at least two schools or four spheres. They will always resemble a huge human being. Almost always they are of extreme beauty, but on rare occasions titans can be hideously ugly.

Duties of the Priesthood:

Fearing retribution from the Olympian gods, the Titans do not make a habit of recruiting worshipers. However, if someone independently begins to worship a Titan, chances are that he or she will be flattered and will accept the worship providing the sect grows no larger than a dozen people or so.

Requirements:

AB standard; AL as appropriate; WP appropriate; AR as appropriate; SP as appropriate; PW none, but at tenth level, Titans usually grant their worshipers the privilege of calling upon them for help once; this privilege is renewed each time the priest goes up an experience level; TU as appropriate.

The Furies (lesser gods)

The Furies, also called Erinyes, were born when the blood of Uranus fell upon the earth. They are angry and avenging deities who hunt down wrongdoers and punish foul deeds.

They are also known by their individual names, Alecto (the persevering anger), Tisiphone (the blood avenger), and Megarea (the jealous). The Furies reside in the underworld and only come forth (always together) to fulfill curses or punish terrible crimes, especially those involving one’s own family. They have the power to fly, and to find their quarry no matter where he hides (as long as he is not hidden by some divine means). In their true forms, the Furies are old, winged crones carrying whips and scourges.

Role-playing Notes:

The Furies only emerge to fulfill a very powerful curse or (50% chance per occurrence) to punish a terrible crime (such as cold-blooded murder, stealing from the elderly, or attacking the defenseless). They are the embodiment of impersonal justice, and take only the crime itself, not the reason for committing it, into consideration in determining their punishment. They always deal out a punishment commensurate with the crime.

Statistics:

AL n; WAL N/A; AoC justice; SY three scourges.

The Furies

(cleric 20, fighter 20, or wizard 20)

Str 16 Dex 18 Con 18

Int 16 Wis 16 Cha 5

MV 20 SZ 6’ MR 20%

AC 0 HD 20 HP 160

#AT 1, 2, or 1 THAC0 1 Dmg 1d2 (whip) +1

Special Att/Def:

The whips of the Furies strip away attribute points: a hit by Alecto (the priest) strips away 1d4 points of Wisdom, a hit by Tisiphone (the warrior) strips away 1d4 points of Strength, and a hit by Megarea (the wizard) strips away 1d4 points of Intelligence. The Furies cannot be permanently destroyed by any means (see below).

The Furies do not send avatars and will always appear themselves. Because they hold a special place in the universe, the prohibition against visiting the Prime Material Plane does not apply to them.

Alecto and Megarea draw their spells from any school or sphere. If someone manages to kill one of them, the others do not stop attacking until that character is dead. If they are all killed, then the character is safe for a time. However, after 1d10 days, the furies return to hunt down and kill their murderer(s).

Duties of the Priesthood:

Nobody worships the Furies, though there are plenty of people who fear them.

Greek Heroes

Heracles (demigod)

The son of Zeus and the mortal woman Alcmene, Heracles was strength personified. While still an infant, he strangled two huge snakes with his bare hands. Of course, Zeus’ wife, Hera, was jealous of the affair that begot Heracles, and she is always conspiring to bring him harm. Heracles is a fearless adventurer whose many escapades are the stuff of legend. A robust, cheerful man, he has an appetite for food and women that almost equals that of his divine father.

Although he visits Olympus from time to time, and has been known to aid the gods in their struggles, Heracles spends most of his time in the world of men. He is a stout man with a long beard, usually wearing a lion’s skin for clothing.

Role-playing Notes:

Heracles is a dangerous fellow to have dealings with, for he will take offense at the slightest insult. Anyone tricking, deceiving, or failing to express the proper gratitude is placing his life in Heracles hands, for the demigod has a violent temper. Heracles will never have anything to do with wizards or priests, as he has a profound distrust of magic.

Statistics:

AL cn; WAL any; AoC strength and adventure; SY lion’s head.

Heracles

Heracles has no avatar, thus we have used the same format employed for heroes to present his statistics. If he should ever be killed, Zeus will arrange for his release from the land of the dead. Rest assured that the first thing he will do is seek vengeance for his death.

fighter 20

Str 25 Dex 17 Con 20

Int 11 Wis 9 Cha 18

AC 4 MR nil MV 15

HP 168 AL cg THAC0 1

#AT 2 Dmg 1d6 (club) +14

Special Att/Def:

Heracles wears the Nemean lion skin which cannot be pierced by anything. Thus, all thrusting weapons do only 1 point of damage to him and all slashing weapons do only half damage. Heracles also has a special bow that has a range of up to 1 mile, and cannot miss at any range of less than half a mile. If Heracles takes more than 84 points in damage, he enters a berserk rage, attacking friend and foe alike. In this state, his damage bonus doubles to +28 points.

THAC0 unmodified by Str or Dex. It becomes -6 in melee, and -2 with missile weapons.

Duties of the Priesthood:

Although Heracles has plenty of admirers, he disdains those who lower themselves enough to worship him. In any event, he does not have the ability to grant clerical powers.

Theseus

Theseus was the first son of King Aegeus of Athens (this was in the pre-democratic days of the golden age), conceived during a stop over he made at Troezen. Although he was not wedded to Theseus’ mother at the time of conception, when Theseus grew into a man and went to Athens, Aegeus nevertheless honored his first son’s claim to Athen’s throne.

Theseus was a clever, strong hero who earned great fame for his many exploits. His most famous adventure was the slaying of the minotaur in the labyrinth of King Minos.

fighter 13, bard 9

Str 18/76 Dex 18 Con 18

Int 18 Wis 17 Cha 18

AC 2 MR nil MV 12

HP 83 AL lg THAC0 6

#AT 2 Dmg ld8 (sword) +4

As a king of Athens, Theseus was a just and wise ruler who laid the foundations for its democratic government. Then are some who say he developed a self-running government just so he would have time to go away on adventures.

Despite his wisdom, however, Theseus was not a faultless ruler. He was the man who kidnapped Helen of Troy, an incident that touched off the terrible Trojan war and plunged Greece into the Dark Ages.

Odysseus

Odysseus was the king of Ithaca, as well as one of the heroes of the Trojan war and the ten-year siege of Troy. A cunning man, he is credited with planning the ruse that finally ended the war: building the wooden horse and hiding soldiers inside. When the Trojans brought the gift into the city, the soldiers leapt out of the horse and opened the gates, allowing the Greek armies to sack the town.

fighter 13, thief 9

Str 18/00 Dex 16 Con 17

Int 18 Wis 10 Cha 18

AC 2 MR nil MV 12

HP 83 AL cg THAC0 5

#AT 2 Dmg ld8 (sword) +6

On his way home after the war, Odysseus offended Poseidon by blinding Polyphemus, a lesser cyclopes who happened to be the sea god’s son. Poseidon was so angry that he kept Odysseus at sea for 10 years. During this time, he had the many great adventures which were the basis of Homer’s, Odyssey. When he finally returned home, he found his poor wife besieged by suitors who assumed that he was dead. He answered this insult in a typically direct fashion by slaying all the suitors.

Greek Monsters

Cyclopes

Both greater and lesser Cyclopes resemble thin hill giants with a single eye located in the middle of their forehead. Despite their similarities, however, they are very different creatures.

Greater

AC -4 No. 1 SZ 21’ XP: 12,000

MV 15 ML 18 AL cg Int high

HD 15 HP 120 MR 15% THAC0 5

#AT 1 Dmg 7d6 (fist)

Special Att/Def:

Greater cyclopes are immune to all fire-based attacks. They usually (90%) bear magical weapons (+2 to + 5 bonus) and/or wear magical armor (+ 2 to + 4 enchantment).

There are only five greater Cyclopes: Arges, Steropes, Brontes, Pyracmon, and Acamas.

Lesser

AC 2 No. 1-4 SZ 20’ XP: 4,000

MV 15 ML 16 AL ce Int low

HD 13 HP 50-100 MR nil THAC0 7

#AT 1 Dmg 6d6 (fist)

Special Att/Def:

Lesser cyclopes can throw boulders up to 150 yards for 4d10 damage.

The more numerous lesser Cyclopes were created by Poseidon. Wild man-eaters, they are usually found in small communities on isolated islands, where they scratch out a meager existence by shepherding their flocks of giant sheep.

Hecatoncheire

The Hecatoncheire was born to Gaea and Uranus. It resembles a huge giant that has fifty heads and a hundred arms. It is a bitter enemy of the Olympian gods and will attack them or their worshippers on sight.

AC 5 No. 1 SZ 100’ XP: 10,000

MV 15 ML 18 AL cn Int low

HD 16 HP 256 MR 35% THAC0 5

#AT 10 Dmg 1d10 (fist)

Special Att/Def:

Any Hecatoncheire can simultaneously attack up to ten man-sized targets with ten fists each. On an attack roll of 20, they are able to grab their opponent, inflicting 2d10 points of damage per round until the victim escapes. Beings with a Str of 18 to 18/50 stand a 10% chance of escaping each round; add 1 percentage point for each 2 percentile points of Strength over 18/50. Beings with a Str of 19 or above stand a 90% chance of escaping. Hecatoncheire can hurl fifty boulders up to a range of 100 yards, doing damage as a meteor swarm spell.

Cerberus

Cerberus is the giant, three-headed mastiff that guards the gates to the underworld. He will always allow dead people to enter the gates, but never permit them to leave. Living people must bribe him with a tasty treat to enter, but he will not permit them to leave, even if another such bribe is offered.

Although his master (Hades) occasionally allows him to roam about the earth free, Cerberus is most often found at the gates of Hades. If met here, nothing, including magic, can trick or force him into leaving his post.

If Cerberus is ever killed, Hades simply allows him to leave the underworld and journey back to the land of the living.

AC 1 No. 1 SZ 30’ XP: 12,000

MV 24 ML 18 AL ne Int high

HD 22 HP 176 MR 15% THAC0 -1

#AT 3 Dmg 1d12 (bite)

Special Att/Def:

Cerberus has three heads, each of which can bite in combat. If the middle head opts not to bite, it spews a stream of poison spittle to a range of 30’, causing death on contact (save versus death to negate). The collective stare of all three heads turns any mortal to stone (save versus petrification to negate). Cerberus regenerates 5 hit points per round.

Gigantes

The Gigantes are a race of giants that Gaea gave birth to when the blood of her-mutilated husband fell upon her earthly form. They are huge, manlike creatures with serpents for feet. Their hatred of the Olympian gods runs deep, and they will never pass up a chance to do one harm.

AC 1 No. 1-2 SZ 15’ XP: varies

MV 15 ML 16 AL ce Int low

HD 16 HP 128 MR nil THAC0 5

#AT 1 Dmg 2d8 (fist)

Special Att/Def:

Varies by individual.

Each Gigante has at least one special power; for example, Antaeus heals all damage he takes each round. In combat, he also increases 2’ in size and does an additional ld8 in damage each round, to a maximum size of 21’ and a maximum of 5d8 in damage. Both of these powers work only as long as his feet are touching the ground. Another gigante, Enceladus, is so terrifying in aspect that any being seeing him must save versus spells or flee as if affected by a fear spell. Any time he saves against a magic spell, Enceladus can grab it out of the air and fling it back at his attackers. If the spell allows no saving throw, he is automatically able to use this power.