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<blockquote data-quote="Sir Elton" data-source="post: 3393170" data-attributes="member: 14486"><p style="text-align: center"><strong>Part II: The Gods, the Cosmos, and the World</strong></p><p></p><p>Flowing from <em>Character Law and Campaign Law</em>'s Outline for Developing a Campaign (also shown in <a href="http://ironcrown.com/IntroRM.htm" target="_blank"><em>Gamemaster Law</em></a>). According to the Outline: "Before constructing the physical world the GM should decide what sort of god, gods, and/or Demigods there will be, if any." So, lets go through the List.</p><p></p><p>Grabbing <em>Deities and Demigods, 1st Edition: 2nd Printing</em> and <em>Deities and Demigods</em> for the 3rd Edition of <em>Dungeons and Dragons</em>, I've decided on the following list:</p><p></p><p><strong>Overdeity</strong></p><p></p><p><em>Fate</em>: There is one overdeity (Fate) called Intelligence, or Zoe, to my mess of American Greeks. Intelligence is acknowledged by the Athenians, while Zoe is acknowledged by the Sybarites, Fate is acknowledged by the Corinthians. However, the result is the same. Fate is the Source of All Life and Abundance. From Fate springs Divine Magic, Arcane Magic, and Psionics (users of this campaign setting may also attribute Fate for the Source of Incarnum and other variant Magic Systems). Fate/Intelligence/Zoe has no stats, although it is definitely sentient. The Elves recognize Fate as the <strong>Great Spirit</strong>, while the Academy of Philosophers in New Athens call Fate <em>the Good</em>.</p><p>Domains: Good, Knowledge, Magic, Mind</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>Primordial Deities and the Titans</strong></p><p></p><p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia_%28mythology%29" target="_blank"><em>GAIA</em></a></p><p><u>Goddess of the Earth</u></p><p><em>Greater Deity</em></p><p>Picture: <a href="http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/fp_gallery/fp1/Chauntea_p19.jpg" target="_blank">http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/fp_gallery/fp1/Chauntea_p19.jpg</a></p><p>Portfolio:fertility, health, prophesy</p><p>Home Plane: Material Plane</p><p>Domains: Druidical Magic</p><p>Symbol: Basket of Fruit</p><p></p><p></p><p><em>From Legends and Lore</em>: "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.</p><p></p><p>"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. 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.</p><p></p><p>"<strong>Role-playing Notes:</strong> 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."</p><p></p><p>Gaea's main places of worship is in Sybaris and Cornith.</p><p></p><p><em>Uranus</em></p><p><u>Lesser Deity</u></p><p>Picture: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:The_Mutiliation_of_Uranus_by_Saturn.jpg" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:The_Mutiliation_of_Uranus_by_Saturn.jpg</a></p><p>Portfolio: Sky, Stars</p><p>Domains: Air, Chaos, Evil, Trickery, War</p><p>Symbol: A pattern of Stars</p><p></p><p>In the Olympian creation myth, as Hesiod tells it in Theogony, Uranus came every single night to cover the earth and mate with Gaia, but he hated the children she bore him. Hesiod names the Titans, six sons and six daughters, the one-hundred-armed giants (Hecatonchires) and the one-eyed giants, the Cyclopes. He imprisoned Gaia's youngest children in Tartarus, deep within Earth, where they caused pain to Gaia. She shaped a great flint-bladed sickle and asked her sons to castrate Uranus. Only Cronus, youngest of the Titans, was willing: he ambushed his father and castrated him, casting the severed testicles into the sea. For this fearful deed, Uranus called his sons Titanes Theoi, or "Straining Gods." 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. 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.</p><p></p><p>Uranus is secretly worshiped throughout the Hellene settlements of Atlantis.</p><p></p><p><em>Cronos, God of Time</em></p><p><u>Lesser Deity</u></p><p>Picture: <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Angelo_Bronzino_001.jpg" target="_blank">http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Angelo_Bronzino_001.jpg</a>, also see <a href="http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/dd_gallery/dd1/Nerull_p86.jpg" target="_blank">http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/dd_gallery/dd1/Nerull_p86.jpg</a></p><p>Portfolio: Time, Ambition</p><p>Domains: Chaos, Evil, Knowledge, Time (see <em>The Crystal Shard</em> by Atlas Games)</p><p>Symbol: Sickle</p><p></p><p>In ancient Greek myths, Cronus envied the power of his father and the ruler of the universe, Uranus. Uranus drew the enmity of Cronus' mother, Gaia, when he hid the gigantic youngest children of Gaia, the hundred-armed Hecatonchires and one-eyed Cyclopes, in Tartarus, so that they would not see the light. Gaia created a great sickle and gathered together Cronus and his brothers to persuade them to kill Uranus. Only Cronus was willing to do the deed, so Gaia gave him the sickle and placed him in ambush. When Uranus met with Gaia, Cronus attacked Uranus with the sickle by cutting off his genitals, castrating him and casting the severed member into the sea. From the blood (or, by a few accounts, semen) that spilled out from Uranus and fell upon the earth, the Gigantes, Erinyes, and Meliae were produced. From the member that was cast into the sea, Aphrodite later emerged. For this, Uranus threatened vengeance and called his sons titenes ("straining ones") for overstepping their boundaries and daring to commit such an act, and this is the source of the name Titan.</p><p></p><p><strong>Role-playing Notes:</strong> 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.</p><p></p><p>Cronos is not actively worshipped by the Greeks of Atlantis. However, the Titan gained the Portfolio over Time and Ambition while imprisoned in Tartaros. His clerics roam New Athens, Rhodes, and Atlantis promising wealth and power if they join his secret sect. Strangely, Cronos is gaining worshipers among the Drow and the Dwarves of the Atlas Mountains [Rocky Mountains].</p><p></p><p>EPIMETHEUS</p><p><em>"Afterthought"</em></p><p><strong>Psion [Shaper] 20/Cleric 10</strong></p><p>Picture: None.</p><p>Portfolio: Metacreativity, Creation</p><p>Domains: Animal, Creation, Good</p><p>Symbol: A rabbit, a raccoon, and a deer in a triangle</p><p></p><p>Epimetheus ("hindsight", literally "hind-thought") was the brother of Prometheus ("foresight", literally "fore-thought"), a pair of Titans who "acted as representatives of mankind" (Kerenyi 1951, p 207). They were the inseparable sons of Iapetus, who in other contexts was the father of Atlas. While Prometheus is characterized as ingenious and clever, Epimetheus is depicted as foolish.</p><p></p><p>According to Plato's use of the old myth in his Protagoras, where he puts it in the mouth of the old philosopher, the twin Titans were entrusted with distributing the traits among the newly-created animals; Epimetheus was responsible for giving a positive trait to every animal, but when it was time to give man a positive trait, lacking foresight he found that there was nothing left.</p><p></p><p><strong>Divine Creation:</strong> Despite having a Divine Rank of 8, Epimetheus can create any animal or monster. Epimetheus is hardly worshipped, except by Druids and some Rangers. Few shapers looking for raw power rather than foresight, seek to worship Epimetheus.</p><p></p><p>PROMETHEUS</p><p><em>"Forethought, or Foresight"</em></p><p><u>Intermediate God</u></p><p><strong>Shaper 30/Wizard 10</strong></p><p>Picture: <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Peter_Paul_Rubens_032.jpg" target="_blank">http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Peter_Paul_Rubens_032.jpg</a></p><p>Portfolio: Foresight, Metacreativity, Science</p><p>Domains: Creation, Good, Knowledge, Protection</p><p>Symbol: Torch</p><p></p><p>Prometheus was a son of Iapetus by Clymene (one of the Oceanids). He was a brother of Atlas, Menoetius, and Epimetheus, but he surpassed all in cunning and deceit. He held no awe for the gods, and he ridiculed Zeus, although he was favored by him for assisting him in his fight against his father Cronos.</p><p></p><p>Prometheus, in Ovid's Metamorphoses, is credited with the creation of man "in godlike image" from clay (in others, this role is assigned to Zeus). When he and his brother Epimetheus set out to make creatures to populate the earth under the orders of Kronos, Prometheus carefully crafted a creature after the shape of the gods: a man. According to the myths, a horrendous headache overcame Zeus and no healer of the realm was able to help the Lord of the Gods. Prometheus came to him and declared that he knew how to heal Zeus. Taking a rock from the ground, Prometheus proceeded to hit Zeus in the head with it. From out of Zeus' head popped the Goddess Athena; with her emergence Zeus' headache disappeared. Some myths attribute Hephaestus or Hera to the splitting of the head rather than Prometheus.</p><p></p><p>Prometheus and Epimetheus journeyed to Earth from Olympus, then ventured to the Greek province of Boitia and made clay figures. Zeus took the figures and breathed life into them. The figures that Prometheus had created became Man and honored him. The figures that his brother Epimetheus had created became the beasts, which turned and attacked him.</p><p></p><p>Zeus was angered by the brothers' actions; he forbade the pair from teaching Man the ways of civilization. Athena chose to cross Zeus and taught Prometheus so that he might teach Man.</p><p></p><p>For their actions, Zeus demanded a sacrifice from Man to the Gods to show that they were obedient and worshipful. The gods and mortal man had arranged a meeting at Mecone where the matter of division of sacrifice was to be settled. Prometheus slew a large ox, and divided it into two piles. In one pile he put all the meat and most of the fat, skillfully covering it with the ox's grotesque stomach, while in the other pile, he dressed up the bones artfully with shining fat. Prometheus then invited Zeus to choose. Zeus, seeing through the trick, realized that in purposefully getting tricked he would have an excuse to vent his anger on mortal man, and thus chose the pile of bones (many sources say that Zeus did not, in fact, see through this trick). This also gives a mythological explanation of the practice of sacrificing only the bones to the gods, while man gets to keep the meat and fat.</p><p></p><p>Zeus in his wrath denied men the secret of fire. Prometheus felt sorry for his creations, and watched as they shivered in the cold and winter's nights. He decided to give his most loved creation a great gift that was a "good servant and bad master". He took fire from the hearth of the gods by stealth and brought it to men in a hollow wand of fennel, or ferule that served him instead of a staff. He brought down the fire coal and gave it to man. He then showed them how to cook and stay warm. To punish Prometheus for this hubris (and all of mankind in the process), Zeus devised "such evil for them that they shall desire death rather than life, and Prometheus shall see their misery and be powerless to succor them. That shall be his keenest pang among the torments I will heap upon him." Zeus could not just take fire back, because a god or goddess could not take away what the other had given.</p><p></p><p>Zeus was enraged because the giving of fire began an era of enlightenment for Man, and had Prometheus carried to Mount Caucasus, where an eagle (Often mistaken as a vulture) by the name of Ethon (offspring of the monsters Typhon and Echidna) would pick at his liver; it would grow back each day and the eagle would eat it again. In the modern context, this legend led scientists [citation needed] to theorize that the ancient Greeks had discovered that the liver is one of the rare human organs to regenerate by itself spontaneously in the case of lesion.</p><p></p><p>Zeus has Prometheus tortured on the mountain because he knows the name of the person who, according to prophecy, will overthrow the king of the gods. This punishment was to last 30,000 years. About 12 generations later, Heracles (known as Hercules in Roman mythology), passing by on his way to find the apples of the Hesperides as part of the Twelve Labours, freed Prometheus. Once free, Prometheus captured the eagle and ate his liver as revenge for his pain and suffering. Zeus did not mind this time that Prometheus had again evaded his punishment, as the act brought more glory to Heracles, who was Zeus's son. However, there was a problem. Zeus had made the decision that Prometheus would be tied in the rock for eternity. According to Greek mythology, this could never change, even if Zeus himself wished it. Finally, a solution was found. Prometheus was invited to return to Olympus and was given a ring by Zeus which contained a piece of the rock to which Prometheus had been bound. Prometheus liked this ring and decided to wear it thereafter for eternity.</p><p></p><p>Prometheus is worshipped in New Athens and Sybaris. Clerics of Prometheus wear an iron ring on their right ring finger, in token of Prometheus' torture at the Caucasus Mountains. They are often self reliant. Prometheus is favored by the majority of Shapers, actually. Once in a while, the clerics will take a young baby who has shaping tendencies and raise him as a Son of Prometheus.</p><p></p><p><strong>Divine Creation</strong>: Prometheus can create any animal or monster out of clay; leaving the creation of human beings to themselves.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Sir Elton, post: 3393170, member: 14486"] [CENTER][B]Part II: The Gods, the Cosmos, and the World[/B][/CENTER] Flowing from [i]Character Law and Campaign Law[/i]'s Outline for Developing a Campaign (also shown in [url=http://ironcrown.com/IntroRM.htm][I]Gamemaster Law[/I][/url]). According to the Outline: "Before constructing the physical world the GM should decide what sort of god, gods, and/or Demigods there will be, if any." So, lets go through the List. Grabbing [i]Deities and Demigods, 1st Edition: 2nd Printing[/i] and [i]Deities and Demigods[/i] for the 3rd Edition of [I]Dungeons and Dragons[/I], I've decided on the following list: [B]Overdeity[/B] [I]Fate[/I]: There is one overdeity (Fate) called Intelligence, or Zoe, to my mess of American Greeks. Intelligence is acknowledged by the Athenians, while Zoe is acknowledged by the Sybarites, Fate is acknowledged by the Corinthians. However, the result is the same. Fate is the Source of All Life and Abundance. From Fate springs Divine Magic, Arcane Magic, and Psionics (users of this campaign setting may also attribute Fate for the Source of Incarnum and other variant Magic Systems). Fate/Intelligence/Zoe has no stats, although it is definitely sentient. The Elves recognize Fate as the [B]Great Spirit[/B], while the Academy of Philosophers in New Athens call Fate [i]the Good[/i]. Domains: Good, Knowledge, Magic, Mind [b]Primordial Deities and the Titans[/b] [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia_%28mythology%29][I]GAIA[/I][/url] [u]Goddess of the Earth[/u] [I]Greater Deity[/I] Picture: [url]http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/fp_gallery/fp1/Chauntea_p19.jpg[/url] Portfolio:fertility, health, prophesy Home Plane: Material Plane Domains: Druidical Magic Symbol: Basket of Fruit [i]From Legends and Lore[/i]: "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. "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. 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. "[B]Role-playing Notes:[/B] 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." Gaea's main places of worship is in Sybaris and Cornith. [i]Uranus[/i] [u]Lesser Deity[/u] Picture: [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:The_Mutiliation_of_Uranus_by_Saturn.jpg[/url] Portfolio: Sky, Stars Domains: Air, Chaos, Evil, Trickery, War Symbol: A pattern of Stars In the Olympian creation myth, as Hesiod tells it in Theogony, Uranus came every single night to cover the earth and mate with Gaia, but he hated the children she bore him. Hesiod names the Titans, six sons and six daughters, the one-hundred-armed giants (Hecatonchires) and the one-eyed giants, the Cyclopes. He imprisoned Gaia's youngest children in Tartarus, deep within Earth, where they caused pain to Gaia. She shaped a great flint-bladed sickle and asked her sons to castrate Uranus. Only Cronus, youngest of the Titans, was willing: he ambushed his father and castrated him, casting the severed testicles into the sea. For this fearful deed, Uranus called his sons Titanes Theoi, or "Straining Gods." 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. 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. Uranus is secretly worshiped throughout the Hellene settlements of Atlantis. [i]Cronos, God of Time[/i] [u]Lesser Deity[/u] Picture: [url]http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Angelo_Bronzino_001.jpg[/url], also see [url]http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/dd_gallery/dd1/Nerull_p86.jpg[/url] Portfolio: Time, Ambition Domains: Chaos, Evil, Knowledge, Time (see [i]The Crystal Shard[/i] by Atlas Games) Symbol: Sickle In ancient Greek myths, Cronus envied the power of his father and the ruler of the universe, Uranus. Uranus drew the enmity of Cronus' mother, Gaia, when he hid the gigantic youngest children of Gaia, the hundred-armed Hecatonchires and one-eyed Cyclopes, in Tartarus, so that they would not see the light. Gaia created a great sickle and gathered together Cronus and his brothers to persuade them to kill Uranus. Only Cronus was willing to do the deed, so Gaia gave him the sickle and placed him in ambush. When Uranus met with Gaia, Cronus attacked Uranus with the sickle by cutting off his genitals, castrating him and casting the severed member into the sea. From the blood (or, by a few accounts, semen) that spilled out from Uranus and fell upon the earth, the Gigantes, Erinyes, and Meliae were produced. From the member that was cast into the sea, Aphrodite later emerged. For this, Uranus threatened vengeance and called his sons titenes ("straining ones") for overstepping their boundaries and daring to commit such an act, and this is the source of the name Titan. [B]Role-playing Notes:[/B] 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. Cronos is not actively worshipped by the Greeks of Atlantis. However, the Titan gained the Portfolio over Time and Ambition while imprisoned in Tartaros. His clerics roam New Athens, Rhodes, and Atlantis promising wealth and power if they join his secret sect. Strangely, Cronos is gaining worshipers among the Drow and the Dwarves of the Atlas Mountains [Rocky Mountains]. EPIMETHEUS [i]"Afterthought"[/i] [b]Psion [Shaper] 20/Cleric 10[/b] Picture: None. Portfolio: Metacreativity, Creation Domains: Animal, Creation, Good Symbol: A rabbit, a raccoon, and a deer in a triangle Epimetheus ("hindsight", literally "hind-thought") was the brother of Prometheus ("foresight", literally "fore-thought"), a pair of Titans who "acted as representatives of mankind" (Kerenyi 1951, p 207). They were the inseparable sons of Iapetus, who in other contexts was the father of Atlas. While Prometheus is characterized as ingenious and clever, Epimetheus is depicted as foolish. According to Plato's use of the old myth in his Protagoras, where he puts it in the mouth of the old philosopher, the twin Titans were entrusted with distributing the traits among the newly-created animals; Epimetheus was responsible for giving a positive trait to every animal, but when it was time to give man a positive trait, lacking foresight he found that there was nothing left. [b]Divine Creation:[/b] Despite having a Divine Rank of 8, Epimetheus can create any animal or monster. Epimetheus is hardly worshipped, except by Druids and some Rangers. Few shapers looking for raw power rather than foresight, seek to worship Epimetheus. PROMETHEUS [I]"Forethought, or Foresight"[/i] [u]Intermediate God[/u] [b]Shaper 30/Wizard 10[/b] Picture: [url]http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Peter_Paul_Rubens_032.jpg[/url] Portfolio: Foresight, Metacreativity, Science Domains: Creation, Good, Knowledge, Protection Symbol: Torch Prometheus was a son of Iapetus by Clymene (one of the Oceanids). He was a brother of Atlas, Menoetius, and Epimetheus, but he surpassed all in cunning and deceit. He held no awe for the gods, and he ridiculed Zeus, although he was favored by him for assisting him in his fight against his father Cronos. Prometheus, in Ovid's Metamorphoses, is credited with the creation of man "in godlike image" from clay (in others, this role is assigned to Zeus). When he and his brother Epimetheus set out to make creatures to populate the earth under the orders of Kronos, Prometheus carefully crafted a creature after the shape of the gods: a man. According to the myths, a horrendous headache overcame Zeus and no healer of the realm was able to help the Lord of the Gods. Prometheus came to him and declared that he knew how to heal Zeus. Taking a rock from the ground, Prometheus proceeded to hit Zeus in the head with it. From out of Zeus' head popped the Goddess Athena; with her emergence Zeus' headache disappeared. Some myths attribute Hephaestus or Hera to the splitting of the head rather than Prometheus. Prometheus and Epimetheus journeyed to Earth from Olympus, then ventured to the Greek province of Boitia and made clay figures. Zeus took the figures and breathed life into them. The figures that Prometheus had created became Man and honored him. The figures that his brother Epimetheus had created became the beasts, which turned and attacked him. Zeus was angered by the brothers' actions; he forbade the pair from teaching Man the ways of civilization. Athena chose to cross Zeus and taught Prometheus so that he might teach Man. For their actions, Zeus demanded a sacrifice from Man to the Gods to show that they were obedient and worshipful. The gods and mortal man had arranged a meeting at Mecone where the matter of division of sacrifice was to be settled. Prometheus slew a large ox, and divided it into two piles. In one pile he put all the meat and most of the fat, skillfully covering it with the ox's grotesque stomach, while in the other pile, he dressed up the bones artfully with shining fat. Prometheus then invited Zeus to choose. Zeus, seeing through the trick, realized that in purposefully getting tricked he would have an excuse to vent his anger on mortal man, and thus chose the pile of bones (many sources say that Zeus did not, in fact, see through this trick). This also gives a mythological explanation of the practice of sacrificing only the bones to the gods, while man gets to keep the meat and fat. Zeus in his wrath denied men the secret of fire. Prometheus felt sorry for his creations, and watched as they shivered in the cold and winter's nights. He decided to give his most loved creation a great gift that was a "good servant and bad master". He took fire from the hearth of the gods by stealth and brought it to men in a hollow wand of fennel, or ferule that served him instead of a staff. He brought down the fire coal and gave it to man. He then showed them how to cook and stay warm. To punish Prometheus for this hubris (and all of mankind in the process), Zeus devised "such evil for them that they shall desire death rather than life, and Prometheus shall see their misery and be powerless to succor them. That shall be his keenest pang among the torments I will heap upon him." Zeus could not just take fire back, because a god or goddess could not take away what the other had given. Zeus was enraged because the giving of fire began an era of enlightenment for Man, and had Prometheus carried to Mount Caucasus, where an eagle (Often mistaken as a vulture) by the name of Ethon (offspring of the monsters Typhon and Echidna) would pick at his liver; it would grow back each day and the eagle would eat it again. In the modern context, this legend led scientists [citation needed] to theorize that the ancient Greeks had discovered that the liver is one of the rare human organs to regenerate by itself spontaneously in the case of lesion. Zeus has Prometheus tortured on the mountain because he knows the name of the person who, according to prophecy, will overthrow the king of the gods. This punishment was to last 30,000 years. About 12 generations later, Heracles (known as Hercules in Roman mythology), passing by on his way to find the apples of the Hesperides as part of the Twelve Labours, freed Prometheus. Once free, Prometheus captured the eagle and ate his liver as revenge for his pain and suffering. Zeus did not mind this time that Prometheus had again evaded his punishment, as the act brought more glory to Heracles, who was Zeus's son. However, there was a problem. Zeus had made the decision that Prometheus would be tied in the rock for eternity. According to Greek mythology, this could never change, even if Zeus himself wished it. Finally, a solution was found. Prometheus was invited to return to Olympus and was given a ring by Zeus which contained a piece of the rock to which Prometheus had been bound. Prometheus liked this ring and decided to wear it thereafter for eternity. Prometheus is worshipped in New Athens and Sybaris. Clerics of Prometheus wear an iron ring on their right ring finger, in token of Prometheus' torture at the Caucasus Mountains. They are often self reliant. Prometheus is favored by the majority of Shapers, actually. Once in a while, the clerics will take a young baby who has shaping tendencies and raise him as a Son of Prometheus. [b]Divine Creation[/b]: Prometheus can create any animal or monster out of clay; leaving the creation of human beings to themselves. [/QUOTE]
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