Jason of Iolcus: Captain of the Argo and Herald of Olympus

Bio

Heracles is the champion of the goddess-queen of Olympus, as well as the half-mortal son of Zeus; he was born under the name ‘Alcaeus’ to the mortal woman Alcmene, who was the wife of Amphitryon, the king of Thebes. Alcaeus was conceived when Alcmene’s husband was away at war; when Zeus learned that Amphitryon and his army were returning to Thebes in victory, Zeus appeared before Alcmene in her chamber the night before her husband was to return and deceived his way into her bed. When Amphitryon returned, the distraught Alcmene told her husband what had happened, and both quickly realized who it was that had entered Alcmene’s chamber. Alcmene then visited an oracle who told her that she was carrying, “a true son of Olympus,” and that the child would be a champion of both mortals and gods.

At first, Zeus intended for Alcaeus to be his own mortal champion, for even as a youth Alcaeus was blessed with incredible strength; but when Alcaeus proved too stubborn and resentful of the nature of his conception, Zeus abandoned his son and withdrew his favor. Free of the burden of being his father’s representative, Alcaeus struck out on his own to make a name for himself as a man, not as the son of Zeus.

Not long into his journey, Alcaeus encountered an old woman at the bank of a large river. The old woman told Alcaeus that she needed to cross to the other side, but the bridge across was broken and the current was far too strong for her to survive. Alcaeus gladly agreed to help and carried the old woman on his back as he swam across the river, his inhuman strength more than enough to accomplish the task. When they reached the other side of the river, Alcaeus knelt to allow the old woman to climb from his back; but when his knee touched the ground the old woman disappeared, and the goddess Hera revealed herself to her husband’s son in her true form: that of a cow-headed queen seated on a throne in front of a giant hearth and wearing a polis crown. It was then the goddess spoke to her unfaithful husband’s wayward son:

Bio

As the Champion of Artemis, the huntress Atalanta almost rivals Heracles in strength and is renowned as the best hunter with bow or spear in the known world, not to mention a skilled rider, a proud warrior, and a frequent abductor of her hosts’ daughters. Atalanta was born a princess in the prosperous Greek kingdom of Arcadia, but from a young age she knew that she had no desire to live the life of a noblewoman; instead, she yearned for adventure, glory, and the women that come with those things.

During her 12th year, Atalanta disguised herself as a boy to accompany her father and brothers on a hunting trip; pretending to be a young squire, Atalanta stole a bow and quiver from a careless lord and snuck into the forest to join the hunt. Atalanta soon came upon her father and brothers, who were tracking a great bear that was attacking the local flocks; but the men now found themselves cornered by the beast they had meant to slay. The bear was half-again as large as any bear seen before in those woods, and its pelt was so thick that arrows and spears could not pierce it. Atalanta acted quickly and climbed a nearby tree, then leapt from branch to branch to bring herself closer to her prey; so graceful and skilled were her movements, neither men nor beast heard her approach. Once Atalanta had drawn close enough to ensure her aim, she fired an arrow into the bear’s eye, killing it instantly.

When Atalanta’s father and brothers realized who had saved them, they grew angry with Atalanta for stealing their kill and taking away their honor as men, and Atalanta’s father, King Iasus of Arcadia, demanded that Atalanta never reveal what had happened lest the honor of his noble house be lost forever. Atalanta refused, but before her father and brothers could strike her down the goddess Artemis appeared, for the bear that Atalanta had slain was sacred to the hunter-goddess. The virgin huntress had come to look upon the mortal foolish enough to desecrate her sacred grove before meting out her divine punishment; but the goddess was so impressed by Atalanta’s bravery, both in slaying the bear and standing up to her father and brothers, that Atalanta was given the blessing of Artemis and appointed her champion instead.

Acastus – The reigning prince of Iolcus, whose father Pelias usurped the throne of Iolcus from Jason’s father. Despite Acastus’ unswerving loyalty to his father and his family, Acastus joined the Argonauts without complaint after Heracles arrived in Iolcus and announced that the journey to Colchis and back had been blessed by Hera, much to Jason’s surprise and Pelias’ dismay. Since joining the crew, Acastus has not wavered from his oath of loyalty to Jason as his captain, and over the course of the journey to Colchis has almost come to believe that he and Jason will be able to resolve the dispute between their families peacefully and respectfully once the Argonauts return to Iolcus with the Golden Fleece.

Ancaeus – wears a Maenalian bear skin and wields a giant two-edged battleax (labrys).

Argus – the builder of the Argo, for whom the ship is named.

Erginus – son of Poseidon who became helmsman of the Argo after Tiphys’ death on the journey to Colchis.

Bio

Aeetes is the aging king of Colchis, the son of the sun god Helios and the Oceanic nymph Persea, as well as the brother of the infamous demigoddess and witch, Circe. Aeetes was given the Golden Fleece by his great-nephew, Phrixus, as a sign of peace and good fortune. But ever since the fleece arrived in Colchis, Aeetes has been haunted by prophecies of doom for himself and his family; for not long after Aeetes received the Golden Fleece from Phrixus, an oracle predicted that if the fleece were ever to leave Colchis, “the sons of Aeetes” would never rule again; the oracle also predicted Aeetes’ downfall would come at the hands of his own kin.

At first, Aeetes believed the prophecy referred to his brother, Perses, whom he exiled for scheming to usurp the throne. But Aeetes soon grew wary of Phrixus, for the youth showed no desire to return to Boeotia or claim his father’s crown, and Aeetes began to fear that Phrixus intended to usurp the throne of Colchis, or else was scheming to involve Aeetes and his realm in a costly and destructive war with Boeotia that would threaten the futures of both kingdoms. Aeetes resisted the urge to eliminate Phrixus, for he feared what the gods would do if he slew his own kin while a guest in his home. On the eve of a festival to honor the goddess Artemis, however, Aeetes’ eldest child, Medea, sacrificed a bull and read the signs in its entrails, which foretold that Aeetes would be forever haunted by his decision to give Phrixus shelter. Certain that this was a warning from the gods that Phrixus was indeed scheming his downfall, on the day of the festival Aeetes took Phrixus on a hunt from which the latter never returned.

Revelation of Medea

CAST

Bio

Jason is the rightful prince of the city-state of Iolcus; before Jason was born, his father King Aeson was overthrown by the usurper Pelias, Aeson’s own half-brother. Aeson’s wife, fearing for her child’s life, conspired with her handmaidens to convince Pelias that her newborn son was stillborn, so that he could be smuggled out of the city.

After being sent away from Iolcus, Jason was raised by the wise centaur Chiron, who fostered the young exile’s natural talent for athletics and strategy and taught Jason how to use his natural charisma to lead and inspire. Before Jason had reached manhood, he was well-known among the oracles and champions of the Olympian gods for his abilities as an athlete, warrior, and leader, and was beloved by the common people he encountered for his charm, his sense of honor, and his modest personal ambitions.

Unlike most youths of similar talent and reputation, Jason never put much effort into spreading his legend or seeking out the favor of one god or another; instead, he traveled the wilder and more remote lands of Mycenae, taking on whatever challenges came his way and protecting the populace from the many dangers present in their barely civilized lands, whether bandits, shades, or centaurs. Despite his lack of ambition in building his reputation, Jason’s name soon became famous across the lands of the Myceneans, as did his reputation for fairness, honor, and respect for those he protected. It was these qualities that brought Jason to the goddess Hera’s attention; after observing Jason for some time, the Queen of Olympus appeared before him and commanded Jason to travel to the city of Iolcus. Following Hera’s instructions, Jason soon discovered his true parentage and took up the quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece as a peaceful way to resolve the leadership dispute between his uncle Pelias and his father Aeson.

“Do not fear me, Alcaeus: your father has been as cruel to you as he has been to me, and you have proven yourself worthy of my favor. You shall achieve greatness in the eyes of mortals and gods alike as a man, not the son of Zeus; for you will be my champion, chosen and not destined.”

Not long after the goddess Hera appeared before Alcaeus, a wandering stranger claiming to be “a son of Olympus” appeared in the court of Eurystheus, the king of Tiryns. When the king asked the stranger why he had come, the stranger informed the king that he had been sent by his divine patroness to perform twelve great feats that would bring renown to his name: Heracles, “the Glory of Hera.”

Heracles was the first of the Argonauts to arrive in Iolcus, and it was Heracles who brought word to Jason that his voyage to Colchis and back had been blessed by Hera; it was also Heracles who gave to the shipwright, Argus, the design that Hera had chosen for the ship that would carry her messengers across the sea; in acknowledgement for Argus’ masterful construction of her herald’s vessel, Heracles beseeched Hera to show Argus her favor, and the goddess gave the ship the name Argo, after its builder.Heracles was the first of the Argonauts to arrive in Iolcus, and it was Heracles who brought word to Jason that his voyage to Colchis and back had been blessed by Hera; it was also Heracles who gave to the shipwright, Argus, the design that Hera had chosen for the ship that would carry her messengers across the sea; in acknowledgement for Argus’ masterful construction of her herald’s vessel, Heracles beseeched Hera to show Argus her favor, and the goddess gave the ship the name Argo, after its builder.

Original Design Notes

Age: 25
Height: 6’0”
Body type: Muscular, athletic
Hair color: Brown, long
Skin tone: Mediterranean tan
Eye color: Green

Jason has the well-built physique of a career soldier, sailor, and adventurer, but his round face and narrow jaw soften his sharp features and prominent brow without diminishing the strong, square shape of his head. He’s masculine and physically intimidating, but his relaxed expression and easy smile make him seem trustworthy and charming at first glance; put the two of those things together, and he’s the center of attention in every room he enters, both for his looks and his obvious natural charisma.

In battle, Jason wears a full panoply of the well-crafted Iron Age weapons and armor, including a muscle cuirass, a round shield painted with the Twelve Stars of the Dodeka, and an officer’s helmet with a crown of peacock feathers in honor of Hera. He wields a dory given to him by the centaur Chiron, and a xiphos that once belonged to his father and was gifted to him by the usurper Pelias before Jason departed for Colchis.

Bio

Medea is the eldest child of King Aeetes of Colchis and the High Priestess of Hecate, the goddess of the primal moon and the liminal feminine, the underworld, witchcraft, entranceways, crossroads, night, light, magic/sorcery, knowledge in poisons and herbs, necromancy, graves, and ghosts.

As the High Priestess of Hecate’s shrine in Colchis, Medea is Hecate’s highest-ranking and most-beloved priestess. When Medea was born, her aunt, the demigoddess Circe, proclaimed that Medea was fated to serve Hecate; from her first breath, Medea was bound to the most ephemeral and unknowable of goddesses. Medea has served as High Priestess of Hecate’s temple since she was five and has been initiated into the deepest mysteries of Hecate’s cult; her skill in magic and haruspicy are already local legend, and many rumors of her terrible powers and blood-fueled witchcraft abound throughout Colchis.

Despite Medea’s high-ranking position and obvious favor with her goddess, she has spent her entire life feeling isolated and stifled by the role she has been forced to play: her father and brother ignore her and diminish her abilities for being a woman, and her association with Hecate makes her as much a pariah as it makes her a figure of respect and awe. Yet, since Medea reached adulthood in her 14th year, she has begun to find freedom and inspiration in her role as Hecate’s mortal embodiment and sovereign of the goddess’ temple; for outside her temple, Medea lives a cloistered and boring life imposed on her by her increasingly paranoid father, and struggles for acknowledgement in the shadow of her arrogant brother, Absyrtus, who sees Medea as a meddler and a dreamer who imagines herself to be more intelligent and powerful than she truly is – a mistake for which the Hyperion Nova will pay dearly, if Medea has her way.

Original Design Notes

Male(?)
Age: ???
Height: 5’10”
Body type: Slender
Hair color: Chestnut brown
Skin tone: Unsettlingly pale
Eye color: Pale green, occasionally an even paler blue

Orpheus has the fresh, young features of a man in his early 20s, but his reserved personality and confident bearing make his youthful appearance seem like a disguise worn by someone – or something – much older than that. Unlike the other Argonauts, Orpheus rarely takes part in the fighting directly and frequently does not even carry a weapon or wear armor; instead, he carries his lyre with him almost everywhere, and is usually seen wearing simple-looking but richly colored garments that sometimes appear to briefly change color when the light shines on him from the right angles.

Iphitus – the youngest prince of Oechalia and lover of Heracles, who abandoned his family to travel with The Glory of Hera, Iphitus was the second of the future Argonauts after Heracles to pledge his loyalty to Jason and his mission. Iphitus is popular with the crew, with the notable exception of Atalanta, with whom Iphitus holds a mutual grudge from before their time on the Argo, after Atalanta won Iphitus’ sister Iole in an archery contest and absconded with her before she could be stopped.Iolaus – Heracles’ cousin and helper, who joined Heracles during his Twelve Labors, most famously by burning the Hydra’s severed necks to prevent the monster from growing new heads.

Eurymedon, Phanus, and Staphylus – the sons of the god Dionysus by the mortal woman Ariadne. Their mother was a princess of Crete, until she betrayed her family to help the hero Theseus navigate The Labyrinth and slay the Minotaur. Not long after she and Theseus escaped from Crete, Theseus abandoned Ariadne on a deserted island as she lay sleeping. Ariadne awoke to find herself alone without food or shelter and would have surely died there had the god Dionysus not fallen in love with her; Dionysus appeared before Ariadne and confessed his love, and she agreed to become his wife. The sons of Dionysus and Ariadne are now grown and have joined the crew of the Argo, after receiving a vision during a Bacchic ritual that they would find Theseus on the journey to Colchis and back, allowing them to finally have their revenge on the man who dishonored and abandoned their mother.

Idmon – a seer of dubious abilities who claims to be the son of Apollo.

Now, years after the murder of Phrixus, Aeetes regrets his actions and fears that the prophecy of his downfall is punishment from the gods for the murder of his kin. Aeetes is now paralyzed by fear of his entire family, especially his only son, Absyrtus, who has grown into an arrogant and temperamental man who feels no responsibility to atone for his family’s actions or justify their rulership in the eyes of the gods, old or new. After alienating the rest of his family and staining his hands with the blood of his kin, Aeetes is now convinced that his only son will doom the family, and Colchis, with his pride and his refusal to acknowledge any responsibilities of rulership other than strengthening his own personal cult of The Hyperion Nova.

Just before the Argonauts arrive, Aeetes receives word that his brother, Perses, has returned to Colchis at the head of a Scythian army much larger than Aeetes’ own. When Jason presents himself before the Colchian court, Aeetes sees a potential hope that can save Colchis from the Scythians, but also another potential threat sent by the gods to fulfill the prophecy of Aeetes’ doom.

“I seek justice, but not just for myself. I seek justice for Iolcus and its people because that is what the gods of Olympus have told me I must do. We are but two men, and I will not condemn my city to burn for the pride of mere men. Let the gods decide; and in return, the one who gives up the throne shall have the protection of the victor, as will his family and descendants. Let the victor face the judgment of Olympus if he fails to protect them and treat them with honor and respect.” – Jason, to the usurper King Pelias

Original Design Notes

Female
Age: 17
Height: 5’3”
Body type: Slender
Hair color: Black, straight, shoulder-length, bangs
Skin tone: Very light brown
Eye color: Hazel

Medea has light brown skin, somewhere between northern and southern Mediterranean, and her ancestry from the gods of the sun gives her skin an unnatural radiance that is always there but too subtle to be noticed on a conscious level by most people. Her eyes are a light hazel that becomes tinted yellow when the sun catches them from a certain angle, or when she performs magic rituals beyond the standard sacrifices and prayers of any normal priest. She has thick, straight black hair down to her shoulders with bangs across her brow, and her narrow face, thin mouth, tapered chin, and prominent nose only draw attention to her large eyes and round cheeks.

Medea carries herself with confidence and certainty when she is in her element serving as priestess and an unofficial advisor to her father, but even at her most comfortable Medea has the air of alienated detachment of someone who belongs but does not fit in, and who sees everything that happens around her from the perspective of an outsider with access to places only an insider can go.

Despite her role in court as the eldest child of the king and first princess of Colchis, Medea is only ever seen dressed in a regal or overly opulent manner during official functions in which she does not play a role as Hecate’s mortal embodiment; she prefers the simpler robes of a priestess, though her garments are made from the finest and most expensive linens and sewn by the court tailor. When acting as Hecate’s priestess, she wears a full panoply of charms, crowns, sigils, rings, and bracelets, all of them some of the most finely crafted jewelry and religious accoutrements in the world, many of them gifts from the old gods to Medea’s ancestors.

To most observers, Absyrtus is the perfect prince: strong, handsome, bold, and well-proven in battle, and out of all his family Abyrtus bears the strongest resemblance to the Sun Kings of old Colchis, with golden-brown skin and golden-yellow eyes. Yet the people who know Absyrtus personally know that beneath his charming and charismatic appearance, the prince of Colchis is a monstrously arrogant young man who believes himself superior to all others – especially his father and his sister Medea, whom Absyrtus believes to be the biggest obstacles in his path to his destined ascension to become Hyperion Nova, “The New Hyperion.” After years of growing arrogance and violent temper, Absyrtus’ own father, Aeetes, now fears that Absyrtus’ pride and arrogance will doom his line, as Absyrtus believes himself above supplication and the laws of mortal men.

 Original Design Notes

Age: 17
Height: 6’3”
Body type: Muscular
Hair color: Brown
Skin tone: Light brown, darkened by the sun.
Eye color: Gold

At 6’3”, Absyrtus is much taller than average; out of all the Argonauts, only Heracles is taller, and Absyrtus’ natural strength gives him physical prowess and resistance that matches Atalanta’s. He’s classically handsome, with strong masculine features to his face and an imposing physical bearing amplified by his obvious self-confidence and arrogance.

In battle, Absyrtus dons the golden Armor of Hyperion and the flaming Spear of Helios, two ancient artifacts of the old gods that have been passed down the royal line since the founding of Colchis. When dressed in full panoply, Absyrtus’ natural strength is boosted by the enchantments that bring out the godly power in his veins, making him capable of battling Jason, Heracles, and Atalanta simultaneously.

Original Design Notes

Male
Age: 30
Height: 6’7”
Body type: Schwarzenegger
Hair: Dark brown, curly, short; large beard
Skin tone: Pale but tanned by the suns of many lands.
Eye color: Brown

Heracles is over six-and-a-half feet tall and is rumored to weigh over 300 pounds – all of it muscle and sinew, giving him the strength to knock down city gates with his fists and crush men’s bones with a single blow. Like all the children of Zeus, Heracles’ natural skin tone is surprisingly pale compared to other Myceneans, but spending his life laboring under the sun has tanned his skin and given it a hard texture that matches his burly physique. Heracles’ personality is just as big as his physical appearance – he has an impossibly wide smile that makes him seem friendly and comforting to be around despite his size and aggressive personality, and he is constantly laughing to keep the mood light and keep the other Argonauts focused on their goals.

Heracles is one of the most experienced and skilled fighters among the Argonauts and was trained with every weapon in the known world even before he became Hera’s champion. He wears a leather cape and a helmet made from a bull’s skull, the symbols of a champion of Hera, but he prefers to wear as little armor as possible and often grows bored of using weapons before the battle has ended; by the time the enemy flees the field, Heracles has almost always long since resorted to fighting with his bare hands after “accidentally” breaking his weapons while striking down his enemies with his incredible strength.

Despite her oath of chastity and her disinterest in men, Atalanta has become notorious for the retinue of women who accompany her, all of them beautiful enough to inspire a bold admirer to climb in their windows in the evening and then carry them away with her before the sun rises. It is rumored that at least one of the women who accompanies Atalanta was once a princess of Egypt, until Atalanta stole her from her chamber and carried her to the nearest grove, where Artemis bound the princess to Atalanta forever. Some versions of the story claim that when the father and brothers of Atalanta’s newest conquest entered the grove and attempted to violate Artemis’ divine decree by stealing the princess back, the goddess turned the men into deer and then set her hounds loose upon them, ripping all of them to shreds.

Original Design Notes

Female
Age: 22
Height: 6’0
Body type: Lean but fit
Hair color: Red-brown
Skin tone: Tanned brown
Eye color: Green

Atalanta has a slender, wiry frame, but her athlete’s physique and well-toned muscle definition give her an intimidating aura. At 6’0, she is taller than most of the Argonauts, not to mention most other women, and her long topknot of red-brown hair makes her even more noticeable in every room she enters. Her round face, pointed chin, and precocious smile make her disarming and surprisingly charming; but her loud voice and arrogant posturing can also make her come off as abrasive and inconsiderate, and her sharp nose and forward-set eyes can make her seem as mischievous and untrustworthy as her other features make her feel like your best friend.

As a huntress and warrior in service to one of the most primal Olympian deities, Atalanta is loath to use metal armor and weapons unless absolutely necessary, as she prefers the mobility of leather, hide, and wood over cumbersome metal.

Lynceus and Idas – the twin princes of Messene; Lynceus serves as the lookout for the Argo and is rumored to be able to see in the dark, making him one of the few Argonauts whose skill in archery comes close to matching Atalanta’s. Lynceus and Idas have a pre-existing feud with Dioscuri over a joint cattle rustling adventure gone wrong before the Argo set sail.Meleager – the prince of Calydon and one of the most skilled hunters in the world, second only to Artemis’ Champion Atalanta. Meleager displayed his bravery to all the Argonauts immediately upon his arrival in Iolcus when he proposed to Atalanta upon meeting her. Even more surprisingly, Atalanta was so amused by Meleager’s innocent and straightforward nature that the Champion of Artemis did not retaliate against Meleager for his words, as she had against previous men who made it known in her presence that they wished to claim the maidenhood of the champion of the Virgin Huntress.

“Nestor” – the premier hero of the previous generation, now old and without a home. A hero in his youth, “Nestor” is now hated for the casualties and political turmoil caused by the heroic feats that made him famous, forcing him to use an assumed name on his sofar unsuccessful ten-year quest to redeem his reputation. When Theseus heard of the journey of the Argo, he joined the crew not long after its departure from Iolcus, yearning to secure his legacy while still avoiding the attention of the younger warriors who want to humiliate and kill him for the offenses he has caused… three of whom are currently serving alongside “Nestor” on the Argo.

Autolycus, Phlogius, Deileon, Phronius (sons of Deimachus, prince of Thessaly)

Peleus, Laertes, and Telamon – young adventurers and the fathers of Achilles, Odysseus, and Ajax the Great, respectively.

Demoleon of Troy, Polyphemus of Thessaly, Butes

Original Design Notes

Age: 53
Height: 5’10”, but shorter from his hunched, defeated posture.
Body type: Slender, slightly withered
Hair color: Black
Skin tone: Light brown
Eye color: Hazel

Just like his children, Aeetes has light brown skin, somewhere between northern and southern Mediterranean, and his direct descent from the sun god Helios gives his skin the unnatural radiance; but decades of worry and despair have dulled that radiance, and his respectable height of 5’10 is hidden by his hunched posture and depressed attitude towards life, especially his family.

As the king of Colchis, Aeetes wears some of the finest robes, jewelry, and other clothing ever crafted, even compared to the already legendary quality of Colchian fabrics and the Colchians’ unsurpassed skills in forging metals. But where he once appeared proud and opulent before the arrival of the Golden Fleece, Aeetes’s regal garments now overwhelm the man wearing them and make the Colchian king seem even more impotent and out of place.

Bio

The youngest child of Aeetes, Chalciope is as innocent as her older siblings are cynical and disenchanted. She was once in love with her second cousin, Phrixus, who secretly proposed to her when they were too young to marry; after Phrixus’ mysterious death during a hunting incident two years before the Argonauts arrival in Colchis, Chalciope is just starting to move on from her grief and is excited to find love again with a handsome, strong, and dashing Argonaut who will protect her from her tyrannical brother and love her like Phrixus did. Unfortunately, Chalciope has not yet figured out that her chaste, puppy-love relationship with Phrixus is not what the adult men pursuing her are looking for.

“Sun, moon, mortal. Daughter, witch, wife.”

Bio

Absyrtus, the prince of Colchis and “The New Hyperion,” is the middle child and only son of Aeetes. Unlike his sisters Medea and Chalciope, who were born of Aeetes’ mortal wife, Absyrtus was born of the Caucasian nymph Asterodia, the daughter of the Titan Oceanus. Absyrtus was conceived at the command of the old gods, who sought to combine the lineages of “the sun and the sea” to create a mortal heir to the original Titan of the sun, Hyperion, who was overthrown by the Dodeka after the gods of Olympus rebelled against their parents.

Before Absyrtus was even conceived, Aeetes had a golden palace built for his demigod son, larger than even Aeetes’ own keep; on the day the new Temple of Hyperion Nova was consecrated, Aeetes and Asterodia conceived Absyrtus in the shrine of Hyperion built atop the palace. The birth of Absyrtus also took place in the shrine, and was overseen by Aeetes’ sister, the witch and demigoddess Circe, who bathed her nephew in the blood of a sacrificial lamb to grant him long life and vitality, and to purify him of the guilt of all the sins he may commit carrying out the will of the gods.

On the day Absyrtus was first presented to the court, a ship carrying three priests in golden robes arrived in Colchis. The priests were escorted to the palace, and before the assembled demigods they gifted the newborn prince The Armor of Hyperion and The Spear of Helios. The leader of the priests then anointed Absyrtus’ forehead with sacred oils and proclaimed him to be The Hyperion Nova, a god among men blessed with strength and resilience no ordinary mortal can overcome. The Titans who survived the Titanomachy against the Dodeka made it known that day Absyrtus was their champion and the mortal successor of the old gods of Colchis: “Even in the shadow of Olympus, he will shine bright and strong.”