One of two children born to Zeus and the Titan, Leto, Apollo was born to be an upstart. Nursed on ambrosia and nectar, the food and drink of the gods, Apollo and his sister grew fast. When Hera found out about the children, she sent the serpent, Python, to put an end to their lives. Apollo slayed the serpent, and as he began his journey amongst the Greek pantheon, he became a patron of healers and oracles alike. His favorite story to tell however, is about the time he and Artemis challenged the twins Helios and Selene, for control of the Sun and the Moon. They agreed on an archery contest, which Apollo has always claimed was won with pure skill. Whatever happened that day, Apollo walked away with Helios' golden chariot, and Artemis with a silver one to match.

At first, being tied to the Colossus was an adventure. Apollo had always had a softer spot for mortals than most deities, and Apollo embraced the new way of life. This curiosity did not last long, and after a few decades he began to reject his extended vacation. Unfortunately, he was just as stuck as everybody else, trailing after the Colossus like dogs, begging for the scraps of their former lives. What followed was Apollo's exploration of the worst parts of humanity.

He would spend a few centuries moping about like that, waking up in different taverns and getting mixed up in whatever debauchery he could fine. Finally, Artemis arrived, just as weak as him, but certainly better equipped to talk some sense into him. The talk did something, that much is for certain. Apollo took up music again, as easily as the day he'd first strummed a lyre. Gradually, Apollo accepted that being free of the Colossus would take time, and he became enjoyable to be around once more.

Leaving D.C. had been a pain. There'd been a mortal who worked on Capitol Hill that he'd taken a bit of a liking to, and then he was forced to hit the road again. A hot mortal wasn't about to keep him from shriveling into a powerless husk, after all.

Seattle turned out to be a less than ideal spot for Apollo. For starters, the sun seems to spend more time behind clouds than in front of them, and the constant rain wasn't a very welcome addition. Despite his misgivings about the location, he made the most of it. Being alive for a couple centuries meant that money wasn't too much of an issue. He got a penthouse apartment overlooking the city. If you're lucky, you'll get to hear him play the instrument of the night at one of his parties, or catch one of his songs at an open mic.

Artemis, like the moon, wore many different faces as a goddess. She had a caring, nurturing side that was known to peek through for her brother and, some said, her lover Orion. Her vengeance was often overlooked by others, distracted by her soft and calming demeanor. Adonis underestimated her and he paid the price. Niobe taunted her, and her children died. At her peak, Artemis was a multifaceted deity, who's mood ebbed and flowed, like the tides. Her blessings were generous, and her curses were cruel.

Unlike her brother, Artemis embraced her new life at first. She'd always been known for the devotion of her followers, but in her new state, she found herself so much more able to help them. As a goddess, she'd been free from the fears of pain and injury. She developed an appreciation for suffering, for the strength that came after. For many centuries, she did her best to remain secluded, often in the outskirts of whatever city the Colossus was based in, spreading her teachings to the young women who cared to learn.

As the world grew more secular, Artemis' following began to wane. Being in harmony with nature simply became less important to the mortals than survival. She moved on, finding other ways to fit into the world while still protecting the young women in it. It was hard at first. The world had gotten crueler as the mortals erected new cities. These years reinforced a truth that Artemis had always known: power corrupts. Even among mortals, power corrupted. It was then that she decided, the gods were better in their new forms.

By the time the gods were forced to move to Seattle, the world had undergone many and more changes. There were girls, ready to hear her message once more. In DC, she'd already begun building a name for her new alias, Selena O'Ryan. She was a blogger who championed the powers of holistic medicine, spiritual reconnection, and most importantly, the moon. She announced online that she was moving to Seattle to open a wellness retreat. She purchased a large plot of land, in a secluded area just outside Seattle, and it was there that she placed her newest "temple."

Moon River Retreat started as a month-long women's only retreat, staffed by women who'd become truly devoted to the teachings there. On the first anniversary of it's opening, Apollo affectionately congratulated her. "Why is it, everywhere we go, you always seem to form a cult?"

Soon, the land had a compound, for her followers to live and produce products that could be sold to keep Moon River flowing. Of course, Artemis took lessons from her fellow gods, and found other ways to make money. Her land provided plenty of room for other businesses, and some of her Maidens were better suited to discovering secrets than gardening. Life in Seattle has treated her well, better than anywhere else has in quite some time. She'd very much like to stay.

Hathor has always been there, emerging from the primordial waters at the beginning of time. She has helped mortals with love and fertility, leading them to the creation of life. She is the one that has protected mothers as they carry and breathes life into every child born so they can take their first breath. It is said that her protection can even reach beyond those of mothers and in the past she was called upon by soldiers for her strength and concentration during battle but she will not confirm or deny these facts. Her protection does however extend beyond the living as she welcomes souls into the land of the dead, helping and protecting them on their journey into the afterlife.

Due to her being feminine in nature, Hathor’s sphere of influence included music, dance, and sexuality. Those features of hers has also made her the consort/mother of several Egyptian Gods. Another very important point worth mentioning is that she was one of the numerous deities that was seen as the Eye of Ra, i.e. the feminine component of Ra. In that state, Hathor was the deity that kept Ra safe from his enemies. It also brought out the other side of her, one dark, vicious, and blood-thristy. She did not only punish and bring destruction to those that had threatened Ra but went on a rampage which needed to be stopped by her fellow Gods and Goddesses. There are two sides to every kind and she is very much the holder of this truth.

When Colossus happened, zapping her of her powers, it was no surprise that she was enraged at the very insult of it all. She had been there since the world first began and now she was reduced to that of almost a mere mortal! It made her blood boil and she wanted to take her frustration out on them, on Colossus, and just make a war path. Fortunately, she knew this would not be a possibility. She had witnessed every change, every moment, every growth, and every fall back of the humans....at least those within her realm. She knew them, knew their ways, and what she wished for could not be accomplished, especially if it was the same in lands beyond her previous reach. The real question was, what to do now? She couldn’t stay here. She needed answers, a way to stop all this.

It was that drive that had her wandering aimlessly from place to place. She tried to search, research, fight, and push back but all seemed fruitless. It had Hathor falling back into old habits such as partying and booze. She was on a downward spiral, her life just becoming a mess and a blur of days as she tried to figure out where to even start. She had no past, a horrible present, and a not so bright future. It all felt hopeless. Waking up in an alley with no memory as to how she had gotten there had been her wake up call. She was better than this. If she was forced to live a mortal life then by damn she wasn’t going to waste it laying in filth. She worked hard to build a convincing life for herself, never having been one to frolic with humans before this unless you count joining the occasional festival or being a mass of destruction in search for more blood to sate a never ending thirst which she did not.

Once everything looked in order and no one would question her, she started to settle down in a place near the Colossus, still determined to find a way out of its hold. She took up a job as a bartender at one of the clubs in Seattle, wanting to still be a part of the party, booze, and lust but maybe not go over the top. She DJs now and then to really get the place jumping, draw in more people. It had been a rush to find a new creative outlet and try something she had never done or heard before. It was a new and exciting type of sound that she wanted to be a part of for every moment. She won’t say things are perfect in the world she has created for herself but she is finding it at least a little more enjoyable of a cage.

Dionysus was the first child of Hades, King of the Underworld, and his wife Persephone, Goddess of Spring. When he was born the Oracle of Delphi prophesized he would be the next king of the gods, which troubled a few of the current Olympians. The one most angered by this was Hera, and she decided this couldn't be allowed. One night she snuck into the palace of the underworld and stole the baby god from its bed, and took him to the pit of Tartarus. She threw the baby to the Titans and monsters below and watched as he was torn to shreds. Hearing the commotion from the pit Hades went to silence the prisoners. Instead, he found the bloody remains of his child. Before falling into despair he noticed that the heart of his son had somehow remained intact. Hades took the remaining heart to his mother Rhea and asked if she could do something for his child. With the help of Athena, Rhea made a new body and placed the heart inside of it. The soul of Dionysus returned to the heart and took home inside its new vessel shaping it for its own needs. The eyes of the body turned to a bright color similar to the color of grapes, and horns sprouted from the vessel's head. These mutations slowly faded away, but if someone ever truly was driven insane they would be able to see Dionysus' true form. After that disaster, his parents were very protective of him and kept him away from the other Olympians. He learned to tend to plants from his mother and her garden, while his father taught him about humans and how they worked. Eventually, the young god became tired of the underworld and left to go adventure the world outside of Greece and the Olympians.

Dionysus returned back to the greek world a few decades later with a small army of crazed forest nymphs having changed greatly. The first place he visited to enforce his worship was a small kingdom who refused to recognize his godhood. On the way there he stopped at Thebes to rest and throw a festival. They refused to let him into the city, so in his anger, he turned the people of the city mad and made them join his army. Eventually, he and his army made it to the kingdom who had forsaken his worship. He proceeded to warp the king's sanity, eventually breaking his mind and then killing him. Dionysus spent the next few decades roaming earth not yet willing to take his place amongst the Olympians. While stranded on an island after turning slavers who had captured him into dolphins he met his future wife. He found Ariadne crying on the beach after Theseus had abandoned her on their way back to Athens. The young god immediately fell in love with her beauty and went down to speak to her. Eventually, he ascended to Olympus with Ariadne and fashioned her a crown made out of stars. Now married he made the decision to retire from human affairs except for a few rare occasions to visit his followers.

The loss of his powers barely registered when the obelisk was created, for he had a much greater priority. When the gods had been banished from Olympos Dionysus and Ariadne had been in the mortal realm enjoying a festival for the harvest. While Dionysus was a god and had no fear of death, even having brought souls back to life from the underworld before, his wife still had a mortal soul. He could no longer keep her ageless with him and now was powerless to help her. For the next fifty years, he had to watch his love slowly age while he stayed perpetually youthful. When she died he promised to go and get her once he had gotten his powers back. He turned her crown of stars into a ring that he wears on his finger and set out to break the obelisk.

Without his powers, Dionysus has had to bide his time and live a mortal life. Thankfully drink and parties never truly go out of fashion, so has struggled very little in fitting in. Being the only Olympian had actually spent a lifetime on the surface he settled into his old life before ascending to Olympus. In the renaissance, he happened to luck into a profitable venture with a few mortals in the wine industry. Being the god of wine helped him make some of the best in the world, which he then sold to Italian bankers. When the obelisk was moved to the Smithsonian he sold a majority of his company, so he would still profit from it, but no longer run it. In America Dionysus has become very active in the film industry, seeing it as the natural progression of his realm of theater. Every few decades he even goes to a different film school in order to keep up with film making, as well as the excitement of college parties.

Where there is a place for the living there must also be a place for the dead to rest. This is the domain in which Hades Resides over. While his brother Zeus and Posiden were placed in charge of the Sky and Ocean respectively, Hades was left with the all-important task of overseeing the souls of the dead find their final resting place. Not to be confused with what many may think, Hades was not angry with his job, in fact, he quite enjoyed it. He was away from the other gods for a start, but ruling over the underworld was also an extremely important task that Hades took pride in.

Few things could be done or said that could cause Hades to lose his normally stoic features and calculated look in favor of wrath that easily rivaled that of Zeus. The only things that could cause such a switch in him to flip was reserved for the threatening of his realm or his beloved wife. Both of these occurred the day the Colossus was created trapping not just himself but the other gods on earth stripping them of their status as gods. Worst of all was the fact that his once beloved wife had lost all memory of him and the underworld she once shared with him. With no memory and a mother who already despised him Hades knew his time with Persephone was over, at least for the time.

Ever the crafty one however Hades set out to build himself an empire to serve as his for the time he was forced to stay on earth. Of course, he intended to do things far differently than his brother Zeus had done. Having dealt with the souls of every mortal good and bad, Hades knew full well the secrets of man and the ways to quickly get what one needed. This truly boomed when the gods were forced to move a large new country by the name of America that seemed to be the breeding ground of lost people simply lacking guidance.

Cu Chulainn or Sentante as he was once called was an impressive individual and famous for his many feats even in his youth. The most notable of these early achievements was the slaying of the beast of Chulainn. Having arrived late to dinner of which he had been invited to, hosted by the esteemed smith of king Conchobar, Sentante was attacked by the massive guard dog. Mistaking the hound for a wild Beast Sentante wrestled the great creature to the ground killing it in the process. Feeling sorry for the death of the smith's guard dog Sentante swore servitude to both the smith and king until a replacement could be found earning him the name Cu Chulainn, The Hound of Chulainn.

As a gift for Chulainn's bravery and service, the smith offered Cu Chulainn his choice of any weapon in the kingdom that could withstand his great power. After great searching and testing only one weapon proved up to the task of being wielded by Cu Chualinn. A beautiful spear crafted long before his or the king's time known as Gáe Bulg. hastily Cu Chulainn grabbed the weapon and left insearch of glory and battle before he could hear of the curse bestowed onto the weapon, That any Man or Woman capable of wielding the weapon would live on in glory but would suffer an early grave.

While his fame and reputation grew and spread far and wide nothing was close to his final days as a mortal on earth. While traveling to the border of Ulster CuChulainn was created by three beautiful women who had offered to shelter and feed him for the night before he continued his journey. Under obligation to accept Cu Chulainn joined them for dinner before continuing on his travels. It was here that Cu Chulainn could see his fate before him. Standing in the river he was meant to cross was a beautiful woman washing something in the river. Upon closer inspection, Cu Chulainn realized the clothing in question looked exactly like his armor. Knowing this was punishment for breaking his sacred Gessa, Cu Chulainn accepted his imbedding doom and charged headfirst into battle.

Just as the omen had foretold, Cu Chulainn was mortally wounded the next day in combat against the invaders of his country. Still possessing the strength of a thousand men nonetheless, Cu Chulainn held off the army forcing them to retreat before clasping against a stone looking over his beloved country. As his final command, Cu Chulainn ordered his men to tie him standing up to the stone so that he may die on his feet a warrior should and so that he may look over his land even in death. As he took his final breaths nether side of the battle, daring to move for fear that the great Cu Chulainn may still draw breath, it wasn't until a single crow rested on his shoulder that it was clear of his passing.

Life after the colossus was an interesting one for Cu Chulainn. Unlike most other gods Cu Chulainn himself had once lived as a mortal and so took it slightly better than most. However, this small advantage did not stop him from being consumed by a blinding rage at his current situation. He had little anger for the fact of once again being a mortal but what he did feel anger for was the fact he was no longer able to watch over his beloved land or fill the hearts of warriors with the courage needed for battle.

For many years Cu Chulainn was unsure of what to do with his time on the earth. For the most part, he simply wondered as far as he could before the colossus began to drain his strength away, hoping to find answers. Unfortunately unlike most of the gods, Cu Chulainn found nothing but more unanswerable questions.

As time furthered however Cu Chulainn grew to accept the fact that he was trapped for the time being and focused on doing what he could for those around him. Turning to the one thing Cu Chulainn had always known, He found his home in fighting. Lucky for him the one thing humans were good at no matter the region or people, it was fighting. Dedicating himself to whatever was that form of combat, Cu Chulainn made an effort to perfect every style he came across meeting many great fighters he would have easily called his friends and mentors.

Outside of that, however, Cu Chulainn did find one more aspect that filled his life with purpose. Since his first time in the grand country of America, Cu Chulainn had found a love of law enforcement like many of his Irish brothers. Cu Chulainn found joy in being able to defend people even if it wasn't those from his own land.

When Rome was founded, Discordia was one of the many gods looked to during times of war. Riding along side Mars and Bellona, Discordia was put in charge of causing mass confusion against the enemies of Rome. While not heavily worshiped, Discordia found comfort in causing chaos among both mortals and gods alike.

Most legends have her down for being against the gods in times of their own wars - most notably the war against the Titans. Rather she despises the other gods or simply does this for fun is unknown.

To say that Discordia was angry upon becoming a mortal would be the understatement of all time. She spent hundreds of years trying to find ways to seek and destroy the colossus. In Rome she was honored and could cause as much chaos as possible. As a mortal, she was just another face on the street. Not being worshiped anymore made quite the dent in the goddesses ego.

Fast forward a little, and Discordia finally got over the initial shock. While she couldn't mess with as many mortals as she used to, the goddess could still cause bloody bar fights. With this new revelation, Discordia had a new outlook on life as a mortal.

As a goddess, Hera embodied the best and worst aspects of motherhood. Loyal to her family, compassionate and nurturing with her children, and a protector of those who worshipped her properly. Those who crossed her were treated to the wrath of a woman scorned. It was in these times that she became the worst of mothers, unleashing a vengeance that was oftentimes unwarranted. Even when her children were safe and sound, she responded to enemies like they held a dagger to her baby's throat.

Hera is likely known best for the many curses she bestowed, both on her husband's lovers, and his illegitimate children. Most famous are the Twelve Labours, twelve tasks renowned for their difficulty, which Hercules conquered. Despite the many demigods and mortals whose lives were ruined by the Queen of the Gods, none knows more of Hera's bitter wrath than Paris. When he gave the golden apple to Aphrodite instead of Hera, Paris thought himself a winner, but later, when he watched Troy burn around him, he knew that Hera had been the true victor.

The first thing Hera did, upon being trapped by the magic of the Colossus, was weep for the life of splendor she had lost. The second thing she did, was leave Zeus. It was a no brainer, really. In his new state, he wasn't fit to provide her anything. With so many enemies, and so few friends, it seemed the role of provider would be hers to fill now, and fill it she did.

For a long while, Hera could be found married to a wealthy and influential man, the stunning beauty that supported him on his way to power. Her many lives were often reminiscent of the luxury she'd enjoyed on Mount Olympus, though truly, no mortal pleasures could compare. These relationships, Hera found, would almost always end with infidelity, and the ones she did truly come to love, she was forced to watch die of old age. Eventually, she tired of her reliance on men.

Over the next few centuries, Hera traded in powerful marriages for positions of power. She lived as an advisor to Queen Mary, and later to Catherine the Great. She planned parties for Marie Antoinette, and was in the room at both Treaties of Versailles. She was rarely in the spotlight, but trading in whispers was hardly a foreign language. Some might've thought that time amongst mortals, trapped living many mundane lives, might've humbled the Queen of Olympus. They would be wrong. If anything, Hera only became more proud, and determined to regain a respect she felt had been lost.

In Seattle, Hera is known as Dr. Karen Bailey, an OB-GYN who transferred to Seattle from Washington D.C. It's a busy life, but Hera enjoys looking after expecting mothers, guiding them on their journey. She's been keeping tabs on Zeus, well aware of his mission to civilize himself. It hasn't changed her opinion on him, and despite all that she's learned on Earth, she has not forgotten the slights she suffered on Mount Olympus.

Legends differ in regards to Pan's birth. Understandable, as the God of Nature was a god with many a trick up his sleeve. He delighted in keeping his origins a secret, much to the chagrin of the Olympians. Some myths call Hermes his father, other's, Dionysus. In truth, Pan existed long before either, a primordial being bound to the world as an ageless deity. When Zeus declared his war on the Titans, Pan fought alongside the Olympians, his fearsome cries sending enemies running for the hills.

When the war ended, Pan kept to his forests, rarely joining in the other gods' trivial conflicts. He preferred to roam the woods with his satyrs, playing the reeds and luring travelers off the beaten path for legendary festivals in the woods. A trickster at heart, Pan would sometimes enchant the lost mortals with his music, forcing them to join his parties until the end of their days. Like his domain, Pan was tempestuous, his good-nature quickly souring upon any perceived sign of disrespect.

Pan awoke in Istanbul as a man, which was quite strange, considering he'd been half-goat the last time he checked. That was hardly his biggest adjustment though. Navigating his newly mortal life proved difficult. He was hanged as a pagan more than once. Don't ask about what happened when the townspeople saw him wake up, just know that he doesn't recommend death by fire, at all.

After more deaths than he'd have liked, Pan started to get a hang of mortal life. In the beginning, he found himself working as a shepherd or a farm hand, often presenting himself to a couple in need of a son to help them scrape by. He rarely stayed in one place for very long, his eternal youth proving to be a hinderance more often than he'd have liked. Some lives he'd lead entirely in the forest, living amongst traders and nomads. The world however, was not wholly resistant to the passage of time.

Soon, Pan was faced with a choice; adapt or die. The simple life of a wanderer was not enough any more. The mortals erected factories to spew smoke into the sky and declared war on his forests, and he was powerless to stop any of it. Industrialization took it's toll on Pan's already questionable sanity. What had once been harmless tricks became more malicious. Wherever Pan stayed long, the humans learned to fear the haunting sound of his reeds.

Modernity arrived swiftly, and Pan was forcefully dragged along with it once again. This time however, it seemed there might be a place for him. His lands were dying, but now, there were people who cared. Few albeit, but some. As the years dragged on, environmentalism took hold. A young man with a fierce devotion to the natural world became an urban legend, a tale that activists spread amongst each other.

The move to Seattle provided Pan some new opportunities. Following the lead of some of his fellow deities, Pan founded Syrinx, a green energy company committed to restoring the natural splendor of the world. In the last five years, Syrinx has made a name for itself in the Seattle area, beating out some bigger, older energy companies for a number of important contracts. Peter Oakley became the face of the company, one of the youngest CEOs in business, and a fucking ruthless one at that. He's done his best to stay out of godly affairs, avoiding the Conclaves, though his newly public persona has made it harder to hide.

Baldr, despite his many virtues, is best known for his death. It started with the dreams, heralding his sudden and unexpected demise. Fearing for his life, he went to Freya and confided in her about his visions. His mother went to every living thing, and made them swear never to harm the best loved god. And so, Baldr became invincible, protected against all things. Or so he believed.

Freya had thought that mistletoe was too unimportant to ask, and neglected to collect their oath. Loki, knowing this, tricked Baldr's twin brother, Hodr, into striking the god of purity with a mistletoe dart. The dart pierced his heart, and Baldr was slain, cursed to remain in Helheim until Ragnarok came and went. Odin begged Hel to grant Baldr a new life, but she refused, on account of a single giantess who would not weep for his passing. Some whisper that this was only Loki in disguise, but whether or not this holds any truth, Baldr stayed, his only company the icy conversation of the goddess of the dead.

The fall caught Baldr by surprise. He had given up hope of ever walking Midgard again, but suddenly, there he was. It was strange at first, but a welcome surprise nonetheless. Even as a mortal, he retained the love of the people, and a certain resistance to injury and death. In many lives he was a king, or a lord of some sort, always renowned for his generosity and good nature. In others, he was simply a man of faith, dedicated to providing services to those who needed them.

He did his best not to interfere with lives of the other gods. He was always happy to spend time with his family, those he'd once thought were forever lost to him, but he would not entertain talk of any schemes. If Ragnarok were to come, who was he to stand in it's way? For a time, his former jailer pursued him, but even she grew to accept his implausible return.

Baldr found himself happiest when he was helping, and the mortals were always in need of aid, no matter where he was. Other gods were often fluid in their lives among the mortals, but Baldr stuck to what he did best; providing hope. As the world shunned nobility, Baldr turned his talents to politics, and later, community organization and charity work. Founding the Seattle Redistribution Foundation was second nature to him, a charity that focused on raising money and pumping it back into low income communities, in the form of youth programs, job opportunities and food drives.

The union of Mars and Venus brought forth plenty of children, but none more awe inspiring than the twins Timor and Metus. Metus, the elder, brought dread to the hearts of enemy soldiers, those who fought and died by the sword, and Timor fought behind enemy lines, bringing the fear of war to those toiling in the fields. His job was by his father's side, and so it was there he stayed, obedient to Rome until the end. In peace, Timor was there to alleviate the fears of his people, an ear to hold the whispers that plagued his subjects. Confidant to some, demon to others, where Timor walked, mortals trembled.

Before the rise of civilization, a god of fear had a whole lot places he could go for fun. His new state of existence might've scrubbed some of the better features of godhood but he still loved the taste of fear. It wasn't hard, in a time without laws, to get his usual fix. Shit, walking down the streets of Istanbul, everyone was afraid of something. Fear wafted off of the mortals like they were trapped animals. He trotted along happily, reveling in the debauchery that his subjects had loved. At times he was a mercenary, or a warlord, raiding villages that had once stood against Rome, often times by his brother's side.

The world progressed, and with it came new protections. His unrefined appetite would not survive forever, not in a world that was slowly being reigned in by law and order. Timor grew tired of the life of crime his brother enjoyed so much. As mortals developed a taste for culture, Timor was forced to become a purveyor of fear himself, a master of the macabre. In some lives he was a novelist, known for harrowing tales that left readers pulling their hair out. Others saw him as collector of occult oddities and fascinations, those curious objects that humans love to buy, in the perverted, secret hope that they might be the subject of a fantastic, horrific adventure.

In Seattle, Timor has become Luca Salvius, a recently graduated college student and the son of Marcus Salvius. He's taken a job at his father's business at his request. Wheels are beginning to turn, and he'll be by his family's side as Rome rises anew.

Janus knows no parents, he sprung from the void self-formed. A god of two faces who looks to both the past and the future. The god of transitions traditionally presided over the beginning and end of conflict (or peace and war as the Romans denoted.) But truly his scope was the beginning and the ending of all things. The Romans worshipped Janus as the start of their day, during wedding ceremonies and even gave him tribute before worshipping other gods in the pantheon. Janus is but one part of the archaic-trio that included his brother in arms Jupiter and Mars. They were pillars in Ancient Roman society, Mars who's blood and bravery runs through them all, Janus whose wisdom and wit encouraged them and Jupiter whose immenese strength and superior leadership fortified and guided them. As long as these three stood, then Rome has not yet fallen.

If you were to question the God of Beginnings and Ends, the seer of past and future, how he ended up wandering the mortal plane you'd receive a backhanded compliment on your 'wit'--"ah you are far more perceptive than at first glace." And nothing else past that.

The simple answer is arrogance. Janus in all his glory did not deem humans mighty enough to command the likes of gods nor vindictive enough to try to do so. So he simply did not see it. There were wars raging around Rome, conquerors building new empires and governments being toppled, in hindsight perhaps paying heed to those left behind and scorned by the other pantheons could have presented their fall, but what is it they say about hindsight?

Unlike his brothers Janus finds comfort in transitions, he's a god that cannot be made uncomfortable by change because he once presided over that very thing. What he does become restless in is stagnation, the colossus offered him a life of travel and cultural experience among humans. Though it also required them to often stay in one place for decades at a time, Janus would have much preferred to continue his explorations, going to and fro, returning to check-in with his beloved Romans, and then set forth to see new places.

An idle Janus is a dangerous one, a meddlesome force able to see into the future and has fine-tuned the ability for accuracy on things he's familiar with. Throughout history, Janus pulled strings here and there behind the scenes to set transitionary periods in place. The timing of a show for a presidential assassination, the perfect arrival of a car for the spark of World War One, the letters of a confidant to embolden Herbert Hoover. Never a direct hand in starting the conflict and neither one ending it, but somehow always coming out as a beneficiary. Janus kept his distance from the other pantheons, turned off by their uncouth practices, and unbridled gluttony for frivolous things.

A summons for the conclave following World War II was promptly turned down by him, it was an obvious ploy to round up the Romans and stake blame on them. What because Italy was an axis power? Rome may be in Italy but no Romans occupy that land, Janus wouldn't submit himself to that line of insulting questioning. So Mars was sent on their behalf with a gift basket for the "Herald" and Janus devoted himself to building something anew from the destruction of the Second World War.

Intitium inc. has surpassed every expectation it was given at its conception. With a tangled history of its origins and a delayed start on the modern medicine game, no one expected the company to take off in the 70s. And yet 50 years later at the very top of the world in the bioengineering and pharmaceutical industry sits Intitium, with its heartthrob CEO Westin Rex gracing the covers of medical magazines, published studies and patent after patent for drugs and mechanics to propel society into a future once thought out of reach.

Venus was born from the union of the sky and the sea, from the foam she arose, fully formed and the most beautiful among the gods. Venus was a goddess of many names, accounting for her many feats and expansive domain. Venus can give military victory, sexual success, good fortune and prosperity. In one context she is a goddess of prostitutes, in another she sows the seeds for success for warriors and strengthens the love between Romans.

Venus is considered the Mother of Rome through traditional Roman tales. Aeneas was a warrior born to Venus and Anchises who survived the fall of Troy and set out to follow his ambitions. With the aid of his mother, Aeneas achieved impossible feats and eventually built Rome. Through this, and many more instances of Venus shielding Rome and its people from harm and awarding them victory did she earn her many nicknames.

Venus Obsequens and Venus Victrix are epithets for her greatest accomplishments as a goddess. Venus whose love and protection led to Rome's creation and her fortune and ferocity which awarded Romans their many victories.

Rome was not built in a day, nor was it rebuilt in a handful of centuries. Venus, Mother of Rome fell from the heavens as the other gods did, but her fall did not end there. Unshakeable despair plagued Venus as she was forced to wander the earth removed from her beloved country and helpless to aid them. Despite the pain it caused her, she obsessively watched the rise and fall of Rome, watched as her people turned their backs on the gods that stopped answering their prayers and built anew in the name of the Catholic Church.

For a long time Venus wandered the earth with unbridled anger leading her forward. To and fro, lagging behind as the colossus demanded her submission and dictated her place in the world. Though she could not be in the thick of battle she found herself wandering as close as possible, aiding in hospitals, outposts and factories that contributed to the efforts. Those small jobs helped her wade through her worthless existence.

After a long shift at an inner city hospital in London, Venus came to really look at herself. What she appraised was a shell of her previous self. Obviously she was missing her full godly presence, but the fire in her eyes that burned bright for Rome had extinguished to lifeless voids. That was a turning point for Venus, she quit the Hospital and disappeared for some time, she needed to search for that fire again, rebuild herself so she could then focus on rebuilding Rome.

When Venus returned to her spot among the Roman she was glowing, commanding and intimidating. The Goddess that had guided and protected Rome was back. With new business ventures in the fashion industry and meticulously detailed 5, 7 and 10 year goal plans, she was ready to bring her vision to life, all while making her ex-husbands life all the more vibrant and exciting.

The halls of Asgard bubbled with a convivial spirit. Celebrating, the many gods drank from the free flowing mead and ate luxurious roasted beasts while their foe, the jötunn Þjazi, lay defeated and stolen of life nearby. For decades their conflict raged on, and at its end did Odin and his ilk boast of their achievements, jesting and sloshing their spirit about.

And then she appeared, skin, porcelain pal, eyes as blue as glacier ice but ablaze with a fiery rage, snow dusted in her silky tresses and the furs of her battle dress, and spear in hand. Skaði, the jötunn’s daughter, had arrived.

Transfixed by her beauty, the gathered gods worked together to turn her eyes from vengeance. Odin cast the eyes of her father in the heavens to twinkle as stars for eternity, the honor as appreciated but it was not enough for the huntress, who demanded life for a life.

But it was Loki that softened her heart with his humor and wit. A small cracked her icy features at his jovial display and Odin issued a declaration.

A marriage was to happen, Skadi would marry a God and become a Goddess in turn. This would be her payment from them for the life of her father, warmed to them she agreed. Skadi was only able to see the feet of her husband, and believed the most attractive feet to be Baldr’s and chose them. To her disappointment the God Baldr had not been her choice, instead she married Njörðr.

The marriage did not last, Njörðr was a god of summer and she a Goddess of Winter. After a few years of trying to make things work they amicably parted ways. Skadi returned to the snow-capped mountains of her youth, but without her father, or husband or any children she was faced with a lonely existence. Or so she thought.

Landing at the center of the earth was a jarring sensation for the winter goddess. From comfortable snow-cap to the hot humid climate of Istanbul made her physically sick.

When that feeling subsided confusion was next. Skadi had not frequented the realm of the humans like the other gods she had found a makeshift family in. To be walking among them, and hearing their rich languages and experiencing life as something little more than a human as well was interesting.

Save for the usual high temperature of the places they moved to, Skadi adapted well. The loneliness of the cold mountains melted by the warmth humans were inclined to show her. The goddess strayed from her pantheon and the other gods, befriending all the humans she could, twisting tales for them about her past lives, hearing of their achievements and crying with them over their woes. Through the years she bore no children but often found family in community and had been a wife to a few kings and other rulers here and there. For the most part she followed her heart, pursuing new ideas and seeking adrenaline inducing thrills.

In London she became a gold Medalist Figure Skater. Then in DC an activist and professor on Conservation and the Environment. Now in Seattle she teaches under the Name of Soren Kaldr at Seattle University and is a private Skating instructor for aspiring athletes.

It is not through might and strategy alone that Rome defeated and conquered those that stood in opposition. Alongside Discordia, Timor and Metus rode into battle in the shadow of their father. Fear and Terror spread across many battlefields ripping into the hearts of men and brutalizing their will to fight, and often times their will to live.

The twins were born to the Mother and Father of Rome, the personification of the fear and terror of war that lived inside all men. Metus had always been a touch crueler than his brother, but his deeds benefitted the country his parents loved more than they had ever worried them. Metus was seldom a being that abided to a moral code, but he had never turned that sadistic hand to his fellow gods nor the Romans that celebrated him.

Thankful might seem like an inappropriate adjective to describe Metus' feelings towards "The Fall" considering how many of the other gods felt. But in reality, the young god had steadily grown bored of his godhood. With omnipotent powers and all-encompassing knowledge at his fingertips, spreading terror was an effortless feat that had started to feel more like a chore. There was no excitement to be had when you were born an infallible being.

Finding himself merely as an image of what he had been, more mortal than he had ever experienced, and unaware of the circumstances that landed him in his position, excitement grew in his belly. Navigating Istanbul was a challenge for him, but one he conquered and learned much from. Then on Metus took up many names and roles; he strayed from his family to pursue a life of crime, only to return as a conniving noble married to a princess or queen. The only constant variables in his life were the words of wisdom from his father and his desire to revel in the terror of the humans among him.

With these two things he's found himself settled into a nice position within the Seattle Police Department and a fun side gig of cleaning up the wicked from the streets of Seattle that slip through the cracks.