True Name: Apollo (Greek); Phoebus (Roman)

Alias: Adam Pascal

Age: 2874 years old, appears 23

Gender: Male

Pantheon/Faith: Greek

Godly Appearance:

Apollo had sandy, blond hair and dark, amber eyes as a god, and he had skin that was soft, immaculate, and tan. His hair is short and reaches just below his ear while his bangs cover his forehead. As the sculptors of antiquity frequently depicted him, Apollo had no facial hair and a taut, statuesque physique, by all means muscular and tall like his fellow gods. Fittingly, he had all manner of features characteristic of a young, handsome athlete: broad shoulders, sinewy arms, and an appealing and strapping torso. He was the pinnacle of youthful vigor and beauty, for his allure drew the attention of many suitors, especially mortals both male and female, in his heyday. He usually wore a light robe of white silk and gold trim, a bay laurel, and wooden sandals, but he never once wore armor.

The god Apollo was most often associated with music and archery, poetry and art, plague and medicine, sun and light, and oracles and knowledge by the Greeks, and in each pursuit, he was well-equipped. His lyre, on which he played harmonies with ease, was golden, and its edges were engraved with laurels and symbols of sacred fire. His bow, with which he shot the truest of arrows, was an ancient longbow for hunting, and it was made of cypress and strung with a golden string. From his bow, he shot fiery arrows that pierced the wind and crackled like thunder.

Earthly Appearance:

In his current form, Apollo has dark brown hair instead and wears round, gold-framed glasses over his still dark, amber eyes. His hair is the same length as it used to be, except that it is styled in an undercut. His skin is instead fair and white, yet soft as always, but his build in the modern era is much thicker and more toned than it was when he was a god. Male, youthful beauty remains his trademark feature, but his godliness is much more subdued and suited for mortal eyes. His clothes are usually in line with the fashion of the day. Never a prude, he wears button-down shirts and fitting jeans, sometimes T-shirts and cargo shorts, all of his clothing an array of bright pastels and vivid darks, and in his closet he has a few outfits for formal dress, some shirts with sleeves that roll up, some hoodies and sweatpants, and some tank tops. Most of his wardrobe, however, suggests that of a common hipster. He has done away with laurels completely, but if the mood strikes him, he will wear a hyacinth flower crown—of course, not in public.

Apollo has transfigured his lyre into a dark brown, acoustic guitar before mortal eyes, and he has some various other musical equipment. His bow wears the disguise of a simple pistol, still shooting fiery arrows of a different sort. And, instead of healing herbs, Apollo keeps some aspirin and ibuprofen around the house.

Personality:

Apollo, per his patronage, enjoys music, poetry, studying at universities, partying, dancing, and human activities. He likes to perform at local venues as a one-man band, a DJ, or a slam poet, and when he isn't taking classes at the university, he's active in the community and attends various social events, namely college parties and dances. Sometimes he will include his say among opinions at public hearings, and he tends to linger around coffee shops and libraries. He wants for law and society to be just, fair, and tolerant, and he seeks an active and energetic lifestyle with never a dull moment. Apollo himself is known to be competitive, and he plays sports like casual ultimate frisbee and basketball, things that he did not exist until after the Greek gods 'retired.'

He has a strong sense of morality and sees the line between good and evil, right and wrong, if it exists. Apollo, who once gifted people with the power of divination and made oracles of men, has an extensive capacity for wisdom and knowledge and excels in scholarly pursuits. On the negative side of things, he has a taste for attractive youths and nymphs, and he feels drawn to them. His romantic pursuits, though charming, can sometimes land him in trouble if he chooses to get involved over his head. He reacts pensively and wrathfully against insults aimed at his mother or at the mentions of past trauma and tragedy, especially the losses of Hyacinthus, Cyparissus, and Daphne.

Apollo pushes a lot of negative thoughts and emotions to the back of his mind, an unhealthy habit that sometimes blows up, and he takes a positive demeanor to replace most negativity. As such, he is a source of joy and views mankind with a happy disposition, thinking mankind one of the most adorable curiosities of the world and seeing humans as invaluable sources of good vibes. Apollo admires just and fairness in law and society, and as said, he pursues a sociable and wild livelihood with numerous friends and lovers and dislikes intolerance, boredom, and crime.

His usual mood is relaxed, and he is typically bubbly and flirtatious, especially around mortals. Apollo speaks with a silvery voice that lilts, and he makes use of modern slang and speech patterns, dropping old modes of conversation in favor of casual, human ones. He is best summed up as a coolheaded, approachable extrovert, and he fears mankind's end and the loss of mortals dear to him. He is motivated by that desire for order, charity, and love in his deep will to protect mankind, especially the youth. The greatest mystery of a god who knows many things, however, is his constant questioning of his purpose.

Immortal Abilities:

Apollo, as a god, represented the confluence of numerous elements, and one could argue that his powers intersected in many places with the domains of other gods. He rules over oracles and knowledge, sun and light, plague and healing, music and poetry, and art and archery. His attunement with sun and light sometimes overlaps with Helios's, his prowess with plague and healing he gave to his son Asclepius. Of course, Apollo's powers are not to be diminished, for in many regards he is still an effective commander of these attributes. He could gift mortals with the powers of divination, he could learn just about anything, and he could spin melodies that rivaled those of the muses themselves. And Apollo, though not as good as his sister Artemis, could shoot an arrow like a skilled woodsman.

Mortal Abilities:

Apollo plays mesmerizing tunes on his guitar and his other musical implements. They can sometimes induce human actions and rouse people to their feet, but that reaction is expected when he plays music with such talent and fervor that easily bests any musician. His ability to make oracles of men and women is nearly diminished, and the most he can predict at this point are the lottery numbers and the outcomes of extremely minor events. His skill as a doctor and a healer never truly faded, and he continues to effectively heal some nasty wounds and bad fevers—but that doesn't necessarily mean he knows how to cure cancer or anything to that effect. This skill normally entails his awareness of modern medicine and botany and is the remnant of his ancient power to heal grievous injuries.

He can read through books with great speed, he has a good understanding of things like law and science, and he knows much about history and art. That too is expected from Apollo, who had much time to learn of those things and lived through the eras in which those things occurred. The general consensus is still that he can learn whatever he puts his mind to. He has a little bit of charm in him and can seduce men and women alike—although men must come easier to him than women do, seeing his history of female rejection and wasted pursuit.

Miscellaneous:

N/A.

History:

In the ages after the tri-faced God seated himself as the ruler of all, Apollo integrated into the world of mankind and hid his identity as a god from mortals, less to avoid garnering support and more to avoid incurring rejection and trouble. From century to century, he took on a great multitude of countless identities in each period of history from the days when God first established his reign until the modern era. Each era became more and more exciting than the one before it, and the one which Apollo most comfortably settled in was the one which was furthest in time from the time of his origin. Since the exodus of the Greek and Roman pantheons, Apollo grew closer to mankind and further from the gods, and he spent more and more time isolated from the gods he once shared Olympus with. He only maintained contact with his sister Artemis and his mother Leto, and the rest of the gods he spoke nothing to because of his favor upon mankind.

During the late 20th century, Apollo took two primary identities. First, he lived as a teenager living in post-World War II Germany and used the name Niklas Holtzer. In that time period he witnessed the reunification of Germany, a land he had known since it was the Holy Roman Empire, in 1991, and he saw the rise of modern Germany, a center of economy and industry in the European Union. After reunification, Apollo left for the Philippines and took the name Ulan Locaylocay. He stayed there briefly from 1991 to 1995, when he lived as a college student and worked as a midwife.

The period of time that he spent in the Philippines was an enlightening experience for Apollo, but he disliked the traditional values of Filipino society and made the decision to leave when he finally grew bored of the land. Finally, in 1995, Apollo moved to the United States with the rise of Filipino immigration to other parts of the world, and he and Artemis shared an apartment in New York, where Apollo made a hobby out of music and came to local fame as a DJ and music artist and where Apollo studied at New York University. In the US, Apollo fell in love with the culture of the young, fresh Millennial generation and built what he intended to be a permanent life there in New York that lasted until 2015 when the call to godhood reached him.

True name: Dionysus/Bacchus

Alias's: Dio, Dion, Big D, Mr. Good times, Senor Morado, Le Tigre, etc. Current: Dynos(Pronounced the same as Dennis.) "Denny" Delavigne.

Age: Chronological: At least 3,000 years, Appearance: around 25.

Gender: Male

Pantheon/Faith: Greek/Roman

Godly Appearance: A lithe, impossibly good looking(if somewhat feminine) olive skinned young man with purple eyes and long dark somewhat curly hair, wearing a dark purple toga with a leopard skin draped over the left shoulder. On his head is a wreath of grape vines, with smaller grape vines around his wrists and ankles. He carries a long staff called a Thyrsus topped with a pine cone.

Earthly Appearance: The same physical features described above but toned down. Wears whatever is currently in style wherever he's at, though has a predilection for things with big cat patterns, usually tiger striped or leopard printed. Currently wearing skinny jeans, purple accented shoes, and a tiger striped silk shirt under a leather jacket.

Personality: Dionysus is one of the kinder Olympians. He has a generally laid back attitude and typically "goes with the flow" wherever it takes him. His outlook on humanity is that they never dropped the torch he passed them. Humans still drink all kinds of alcohol and are continually inventing and refining new drugs and things that expand the consciousness and lower inhibitions. In short, he hasn't minded as much that humans have mostly forgotten him because they haven't forgotten what he gavethem: A love of the party.

That being said, there are a few things that can incite his anger. He hates conservative ideology and prudes, basically anything or anyone that would stop people from partying and having sex with whoever they want to. He especially hates to see woman treated badly and forced to conform to society's rules because woman made up a large percentage of his former worshipers. Unkindness to strangers is another thing that gets on his nerves.

Mortal Skills: He's kept up with human ingenuity and and as a result he knows how to brew, vint, and distill virtually any kind of alcohol. Given the right materials he's also able to whip up most kinds of drugs as well, so it's safe to say he has a working knowledge of both chemistry, and agriculture. He's also not a pushover, he's been in countless bar fights and thus knows well enough how to defend himself.

In his current state he has very few powers, but he's still retained a bit of his godliness. He's functionally immune to hangovers, alcohol poisoning, overdose, addiction, and STDs. Further more, whenever he's somewhere with a party atmosphere, be it a bar, or a club, or a rave, etc. He exudes a kind of Aura on those around him. People in this area of effect find that their drinks taste better and are more potent, that music sounds better, and generally feel a somewhat decreased inhibition to forgetting their worries and enjoying the party.

Immortal Abilities: Invulnerability to mortal weapons. As a Wine god, Dionysus has a specific connection to his sacred plant, thus when he is at full power he's able to summon grape vines from virtually any surface to encircle, restrain, and strangle whatever he wishes. He also has a habit of turning people who displease him into animals, typically big cats or dolphins. Finally, in his godly form, the "Aura" he gives off is turned up to 11. Simply being around him is enough to cause mortals to break out into crazed revels and spontaneous orgies, and when he focuses it, he's able to inspire humans into frenzied rages where they literally tear his targets, or just each other, apart.

History: Dionysus's origins are subject to some speculation, even in myth. However most agree that he was born the son of Zeus and a mortal Princess. After finding out about her husband's indiscretion, Hera sowed the seeds of doubt in the princess's mind that the man she was seeing was actually Zeus. Thus She demanded that Zeus prove his godhood by appearing to him in his true form. Though reluctant, Zeus conceded to her wish, but the splendor of Zeus's godly form was too great and she was killed. Zeus then took the unborn Dionysus and sewed him to his thigh, so that he would survive till birth some months later. It is because of this that Dionysus carries the epithet "Twice Born".

Even with his mother's death Hera was not sated. After growing up and discovering grapes and wine, he was struck with madness by Hera and forced to wander the earth until he was cured by the Titaness Rhea, where upon he continued his wanderings, dwelling for some time in India, before returning to Greece introduce wine and found his sacred cults.

When the great age of the Greeks and Romans was drawing to an end, Dionysus, caught up in his revels, was one of the last to notice. As the power of the Roman Empire waned, their Emperors took solace in more and more decadence. the blessing of which Dionysus, now called Bacchus, was happy to oblige. When Dionysus finally did notice that his powers were nearly depleted he was only momentarily disheartened. Despite the rise of the more conservative Christianity being on the rise, Dionysus, having traveled in his youth, knew that the world was a large place, and that there was always a celebration happening somewhere.

So it went for a millennium after his fall, Dionysus traveled the world, lingering wherever there was a party to be found, and moving on when the culture changed to make it less fun. Now in the modern age he can still be found doing the same. Drawn to America in the 1960s by the socially and sexually liberated hippies, in the 21st century he travels the country appearing at the best parties, brewing his own popular beer and wine, and still having a good time.

True Name: Enki/Ea

Aliases: (During biblical times) Ephraim of Assyria, (Modern/Current) Edgar K. Irving

Age: Over 5000 years old, appears in his late 50s

Gender: Male

Pantheon/Faith: Sumerian/Babylonian

Godly Appearance: An old man even in divine form, though strong of figure. Although his long salt-and-pepper beard is his most distinguishing feature, Enki also bears the wide shoulders of a craftsman, and the kind eyes of a father. Put simply, he looks like nothing short of everybody's Dad. He is muscular and fit, as he must be, and often shirtless, though he would wear scarves or other trailing scraps of cloth from his shoulders. These representated two rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates, which give life to his people much like the Nile in Egypt. Aside from this, he often wore garments made of shimmering fish scales or the like to represent his status as lord of the waters. He carries no weapons, as he much prefers to deal with problems diplomatically, though he is rarely without fishing nets at his side, and is ofted depicted with a crown and the image of a double-helix snake, which would come to be oddly similar to human DNA.

Earthly Appearance: Still quite old, 'Edgar' has made many changes to adapt to the times (and due to the strains of his extraordinarily long life.) His greying beard is shaved short, though he still grows it in full and well-kept, and his eyes have lost some of their strength with age, lined as they are with kindly crow's-feet. He is still quite well-built and still looks fit and healthy, though he hunches over and complains about age-related health problems a lot. His hair is slicked back over a receding hairline and he often covers it with a flat cap since it has come back into style. He wears fashionable clothes, though he knows that what is fashionable for older and younger people is vastly different. In all weather he can be seen in a thick tweed jacket, longer than usual, reaching down to his knees, over top of a neutral button-up shirt and vest. He often pairs this ensemble with dark blue jeans in varying states of wear, as well as brown leather mocassins for a smart yet casual look. He walks with a wooden cane, though he doesn't expressly need one, and tends to wear glasses outdoors, though he doesn't really need those either.

Personality: Doting to those close to him, kindly and inviting to those who aren't, and quick to dispense this or that piece of advice to whoever will stick around to listen. As was his godly drive, he absolutely loves to dispense knowledge to anybody willing to learn, and above all else he respects young people with a passion for learning. Most people see him as a rambling old man who is stuck in the past, or a meddler who sticks his nose in everybody's business, and they might not be wrong to say so. He does have a tendency to be a control freak, and a meddler, and he can't stand people who willfully remain ignorant or refuse to fix their problems. As a god, he freely gave knowledge to humans, but he was also responsible for dividing the one tongue into many different languages.

While he generally loves people and desires to help them wherever he can, he has a strong belief that those who don't pursue knowledge and work hard get what they deserve in life. He is smug about this and likely to lecture people who he perceives as lazy (though he will end up splicing some advice into this lecture in the end anyway.) He also believes that humans should overcome hardship to prove their worth, because every obstacle is a challenge, and every challenge is a lesson. Because of this, he tends to keep his lessons cryptic and hidden, only to be revealed later (probably when it's too late to do any real good.) Aside from his role as a teacher, he is also an avid craftsman and artist, though less so than a dedicated artist deity. His artistry is less a talent and more a passion, pursuing art as an ideal, even if he isn't the best at it.

He tends to play the 'old man' card in any scenario that isn't comfortable for him for whatever reason, and often simply for humour. It's true that he has been around to see the rise and fall of basically everyone, but his health and mental acuity are actually still as good as could be expected, so to those that know him well, his complaints fall mostly on deaf ears (making him complain more.)

Mortal Skills/Abilities: Edgar has picked up a knack for quite a few trade skills over the years, learning everything from carpentry to painting to electrical work to vegetable farming. If it's an art, craft, or labour, he's dabbled in it. He's no expert at anything, however, as once he gets competent in something he tends to leave it behind for something newer and more exciting. If anything has carried over from his time as a deity, it's only his passion for helping others, his pride as a teacher. That is why he amasses skills under his belt, so that he can pass them down to others. Everything he has to his name has been acquired through mortal means - there is nobody left who remembers an old man like him.

Immortal Skills/powers/abilities: As a deity, Enki's powers were varied, as well as somewhat vague. Most strongly connected with the element of water (and thus life) he was responsible for bringing the water of life to his people. Because of this root connection to 'giving life' he was also associated with fertility, knowledge, craftsmanship, all sorts of things. For many, he was the deity who represented masculinity and fatherhood. He was the creator and ruler of all knowledge as well as language, able to bring understanding or chaos to individuals or whole tribes. He is able to pull water from the earth itself, or bring rain to a scorching farm in need. He has no particular abilities that might help him in combat, but his skill at diplomacy is legendary. Of course, all of these powers are lost to him.

History: As old as written history, Enki has witnessed the rise and fall of countless civilizations, including his own people. By the time the Greek pantheon rose to power, he was already walking the earth as Ephraim of Assyria, mostly devoid of his former powers, but still trying to enact his role just the same as he did when he was a primary deity. For an immense span of time, he wandered the Mediterranean and Asia, learning the new languages and cultures he came across, and making a living as a farmer, craftsman or fisherman, as necessity dictated. As the Greeks and Romans rose to power and philosophy became prominent, he moved to the empire and began a philosophical career, spreading knowledge where he could, and leaving little trace of himself behind when he moved on to a different area. He has held conversations with Socrates, Plato, Archimedes, and more, revelling in the deep insight he was able to gain from these free thinkers. He stayed in Rome for much of the life of Jesus Christ, hearing what this man had to say, and watching as the people around him were changed by his words and deeds. Though this interested him greatly, it wasn't his place to get swept up in every new religion that came along, and he would continue to question anybody he came across. However, it soon came to be a heated time in the empire, and there was little tolerance for a free thinker like him to stay around in this time of religious chaos. He resumed his wandering, spending much of his time throughout Asia where philosophy was still strongly valued.

He would wander between Asia and Europe for ages, never staying in one place for long (as his lifespan would become suspicious if he did.) As civilization became more and more refined and culture boomed and grew with the rise of monotheism, and Christianity spread through many of the lands he frequented, he changed his name to Edgar K Irving, officially hailing from Britain (or Britannia, depending on how far back you go.) When the Renaissance came, Edgar was overjoyed. This was a huge cultural boom, a time for artistry and free thought not seen in the west since ancient times. He travelled throughout Europe during this era, observing the growth of art, philosophy, religion, as well as new science and technology. There was never a more fascinating time in his life than this period, as though he had hit a second youth. Until the rise of the modern era, Edgar pursued artists and craftsmen like Leonardo da Vinci, spending as much time as possible picking their brains to see how these interesting people viewed the world.

Then, in the indolent modern era, with technology rising as it did, Edgar found a calling that he never had before, not since ancient times. He found a fascinating woman and fell in love. Everyone was becoming so much smarter so much faster with the rise of the internet, and she was a sly, driven woman. Her name was Marianne, and she had also spent much of her life seeking knowledge. By age 40 she had founded her own archaeological company, and achieved a Master's degree in archaeology, ancient history, philosophy, law, and sociology. "In this age where everybody's getting smarter and the spread of information is free, perhaps it is time to plant roots," thought Edgar, and that is exactly what he did. He got together with Marianne and they bought a house in London, adopting one daughter, named Dawn. For twenty years Edgar focused much of his time to raising his daughter while Marianne went to work or school. Neither of them lacked for money, so living in London was no problem, even if Edgar stayed home and tended the house and family. Now Marianne is 60 and retired, and Dawn is off in college studying graphic design. It should be a happy, peaceful life, but the guilt gnaws at Edgar's soul. He has watched his wife grow old, and his daughter grow into an adult, but he has not changed in twenty years. His family accepts it as a blessing from his genetics, but in another twenty years, what then? What is there to even say? What happens when his family is in the ground, and he is still alive? Can he just continue his lifestyle as a vagrant in times like these?

Filled with mixed feelings of guilt and fulfillment, Edgar feels the pull, the call to go to Athens. It is not strong, but it is constant. Will something happen there? Are those where his answers lie? It is too late to reclaim his lost power, and he's not interested in doing so at this point, but if that is where the so-called 'meaning of life' lies, if that is where his answers can be found, then he must go, no matter the cost. After telling his family he is going on a short vacation (he was known to them as a sort of impulsive and quirky old man, after all,) Edgar packed up his travelling gear and bought a plane ticket to Athens. If what takes place there is not his story, then fine. But surely something can be learned there, even so. He would have a role to play, and he would find his answers, even if he had to squeeze blood from a stone to do so.

Miscellaneous: His family is still very active in various communities. They are his rock, and what currently anchors him to this world. They may be helpful to him in the future for various reasons, but he cares about them almost too deeply. They are his stability, but also the root of his unstable thoughts. It is unclear what role they might play in this journey, but it is clear that whatever Edgar does, he does it with them in mind.