#Polyphemus answers asks

[my-baseballs-are-humans]

Hey I'm nobody :]

whack

[cjbolan]

I always find it hilarious when Polyphemus is depicted as having two empty eye sockets and then his one eye is on his forehead, instead of just...having his eye be in the middle of where a human's eyes would be?

I’ve seen that too in some paintings. The empty eye sockets do seem unnecessary. Clearly there just for aesthetic 👁️🤣

[peachyprophets-blog]

DROWNED LOVE - BACK TO THE SURFACE

MY FRIEND IN THE CLOUDS

EPIC the Musical x F!Reader

Part 1

Summary: After making your way back to Ithaca, you get caught in a storm, but suddenly you are in the clouds.

Characters: F!Reader , Aeolus , Winions, Poseidon, Penelope (?) , Odysseus (?)

A/N: I'm sorry you had to wait, I'm very stressed with my training right now but I'm trying my best to post actively ♡

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

The waves gently rock against the small Ship that carried her over the wet surface, the sun shone brightly in the sky and you could see birds flying past every now and then. Her (E/C) eyes glittered in the sun, her (H/C) hair was all messed up by the wind, so she ran her fingers through her hair to remove small knots. The Cyclops she was helping turned out to be Polyphemus. He gave her a description of how to return to Ithaca, but in the same breath warned her of a violent storm that lay in her path. The storm, caused by his father Poseidon, was dangerous, if not deadly. But he also told her that a god along the way could help her, a god whose realm lies in the clouds. Then he let her go on her way, the waves carried the ship away from his island with ease, but he was sure that she would make it, she was strong, brave and had a pure heart which made even the gods jealous. Days, weeks, and months passed, and suddenly a strong wind blew up, the clouds gathered, and the waves grew rougher. Suddenly, a strong panic swept through her, sudden glimpses of a time she had forgotten. Tears ran down her cheeks and her body slumped onto the ship, her vision blurred and the rain soaked her clothes completely, her previously dry hair, blowing in the wind, stuck to her face. Before she lost consciousness she heard a gentle melody before she could no longer keep her eyes open.

Reader POV:

I lay on a soft surface and opened my eyes. Several pairs of eyes were looking at me; they were creatures that looked like the Lotus Eaters. And then, then, I heard a quiet laugh, and a person leaned toward me from the air. A grumpy figure, his blond hair perfectly framing his beautiful face, his eyes as blue as the sky, and his smile mysterious. "Finally, you're awake!" he cried happily, and a breeze pulled me up, one of these creatures now lying in my arms. "Who are you?" I asked cautiously, it was on the tip of my tongue, but I wanted confirmation. "I am the wind god Aeolus," he answered, flying around me. I became a little nervous. Was he the god who was supposed to help me? I was about to say something, but he put his index finger to my lips as a sign that I should be silent and listen to him. "You were deliberately led to me. I once helped a man you knew, and now I'm helping you, my dear," he grinned happily. The creatures, which turned out to be Winions, were now sitting with me on a small cloud. "Without me you will not survive this storm, nor the encounter with Poseidon." He looked at me seriously and at the name of the God of the seas, I turned pale and felt sick again. Aeolus seemed to notice and sat down next to me on the cloud, putting an arm around my shoulders and holding a bag in his free hand. "This is the wind bag, keep it closed until you reach Poseidon," he said, staring into my eyes and I became a little nervous. "It will be dangerous for you, yes, he holds a great grudge against Odysseus, but I'm sure you'll make it," he grinned. "But don't worry," he continued, "many years ago I thought you had drowned in the first storm, but NO!" he cried, lifting me into the air, "you are alive and that is why I am helping you." Aeolus brought me back to the ship, and I thanked him. "Lord Aeolus, thank you," I said, now a little more courageously. "Not for that. Keep your wonderful ways, and you'll make it to your loved ones." And with these words, a wind pushed me forward and I continued on my way into the storm.

The wind became stronger and wilder, the Jubge woman tied her hair back and did everything not to give in to the storm, the bag with the wind that the wind god Aeolus gave her was tied to her hip, one of the Winions was still at her side when it happened. The waves grew larger and the water trembled incessantly and shortly afterwards eyes beneath the surface of the water looked into those of the young woman as she briefly looked at the water. She was so frightened that she fell backwards, and when she tried to get up, a large figure slowly emerged from the water; it was as big as the mountains in the distance. A muscular body adorned with golden jewelry, long dark hair that fell like waves from his shoulders into the water and decorated with a golden laurel wreath and finally, deep blue eyes in which a storm rages that no one can control. The divine figure stared down at her, a great anger reflected in his eyes. "Y/N," he growled deeply. "Poseidon..." a shaky breath left her lips, the temperature dropped rapidly and you could slowly see her breath in the air. "I've waited for you for a long time," he said deeply. "I thought you would have drowned back then, but when Polyphemus told me about it..." he continued. Wait, Polyphemus? Did he bring us here on purpose? The feeling of betrayal sank deep into her soul, she flinched slightly at the sound of thunder rolling across the sky, for whatever reason she was brutally afraid of thunder. The god leaned down against the ship and she could feel his breath. "It's time for you to die, too," he finished. "Lord Poseidon." She began slowly, "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but" the god stood up, raised an eyebrow, and watched the young woman with amusement. "But I have to go home to Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus," she whispered melancholically. The god had to laugh but before he could answer she saw the loot that Igr had given Aeolus "all I have to do is open this bag!" With these words, she opened the bag. "WHAT!?" Poseidon yelled angrily. She had tricked him just like Odysseus did back then, you disgusting pack of mortals. The wind that shot out of the bag was so strong that it carried the small ship out of the storm at high speed and back into peaceful, calm seas. A cave was visible nearby, and the young woman narrowed her eyes. Were there torches floating in front of this cave, and severed arms...? She didn't have time to think about it, she heard a voice, a male and a female "My love? Is that really you?" When you switched to the direction of the voices your heart sank, Odysseus and Penelope were in the water and smiling lovingly at you.

-Peachyprophet

[onegianthotmess]

Telemachus and Eurydice asking Odysseus to tell them the stories of his scars a while after he returns home.

Ody is a bit confused, but when he sees both of his children looking up at him with big, wondering doe eyes, he can’t really say no. He lets them pick one out to start with, one on his face that goes across his nose and just under his right eye. Ody goes into detail about how it was during the war in Troy, how he came face to face with a stray enemy soldier while he was trying to be stealthy. It was a quick altercation that almost ended in Ody being blinded, but his reflexes allowed him to only get away with a mildly deep wound before he killed the soldier.

The twins continue to beg for more stories, pointing at different scars and curiously asking how he got them. And Ody answers to the best of his ability while he restrains himself from just smothering his adorable children with love.

He tells them about the bite scar on his ankle from one of the sirens, where some debris slashed at his left shoulder during the first encounter with Poseidon, the little dent in his back where Circe’s dagger cut him before he pushed her off him, the small scars littered about his body that he got while he was training under Athena as her protege, the scars on his shins from running through brambles in an attempt to get away from Calypso, the battle scars from Troy and Polyphemus, and the tiny scars on his hands where they’d bitten him when they started teething before he left for war.

Both Tele and Eury listen patiently, sitting in front of their father like giddy children as Ody waves and gestured with his hands while telling his stories. And a pregnant Penelope watches the scene from afar with an amused and fond expression on her face.

These stories take up days and both the Prince and Princess pout like toddlers being denied a special treat when their mother comes over and tells them that they can listen to more scar stories in the morning. And Tele and Eury both attempt to use puppy eyes on Ody to get just one more story out of him—it almost works until he sees Pen look at him with an arched brow and a “fucking try me, I dare you and don’t care that I’m pregnant” look gleaming in her eye. Ody does eventually side with his wife, patting his children’s heads and telling them that he’d tell them an even more exciting story tomorrow, making them perk up and go to bed almost instantly. But not before receiving pats and kisses on the forehead from their parents.

And as Ody watches his children tiredly but giddily go to their rooms, he can’t help but feel warm. He thought he’d never get to see those childish sides of his beloved little ones, the sides that came with shiny doe eyes and excitement over simple pleasures and complete enthusiasm while listening to stories and playing games. But, he’d managed to get a small golden sliver of them, somehow. And when he fell asleep next to Penelope, hand resting on her now swollen baby bump, Ody had all the proof he needed for his final thought of the day…

…he truly was the luckiest man to ever live.

[oddyseye]

Odysseus does not become a monster by the end of EPIC.

Every single act of violence Odysseus commits is justified. He doesn’t lash out for no reason or lose control of himself like a so-called monster.

First off, let’s talk about Astyanax. Yes, Odysseus feels guilt when he kills him because Astyanax was just a baby. But guess what? It wasn’t Odysseus just deciding to be cruel — it was an order from the gods. Divine will, Jorge. Odysseus doesn’t kill for fun; he does what’s necessary, even when it weighs on him. So no, this doesn’t make him a monster. It makes him a servant of fate.

Now, let’s move to Polyphemus. Odysseus blinds the Cyclops because Polyphemus kills his men. That’s not monstrous, that’s survival. And no, Odysseus doesn’t feel guilt afterward. The only regret he shows is when Poseidon’s wrath makes his life harder. Otherwise, he’s out there flaunting his cleverness, shouting his name, and basically trolling Polyphemus because, guess what? It was justified. Polyphemus attacked first.

Then there’s Circe. Odysseus immediately fights her, beats her, and doesn’t feel bad about it at all. He doesn’t even dwell on it, he just tells her she lost and demands his men back because she turned them into pigs. Again, he’s not out here being needlessly cruel. His actions are justified because Circe started it. End of story.

And let’s not forget the Sirens. Odysseus cuts off their tails and lets them drown without mercy. Harsh? Sure. But they tried to lure his crew to their deaths, so again, justified. He’s not going to waste time mourning monsters that attacked first.

Now, I’ll give you this: the only moment where we can even speculate about guilt is when Odysseus sacrifices six men to Scylla. But let’s be real, what choice did he have? It was either lose six men or lose everyone. That’s not a choice; that’s a tragic necessity. It’s justified because the alternative was total annihilation.

Then there’s Zeus demanding the rest of the crew’s lives because they angered Helios. This is another case where Odysseus doesn’t really have a choice. It’s not like he could fight Zeus. He sacrifices them because the gods demanded it, and as cruel as it is, it’s not on him. Blame the gods, not Odysseus.

And now we get to the suitors. People love to act like this is the moment where Odysseus becomes the monster, but let’s not forget: the suitors planned to kill his son, rape his wife, and steal his kingdom. Killing them was not just justified, it was necessary. He was reclaiming what was his and protecting his family. If he showed no mercy, it’s because they didn’t deserve any. People point out that he uses darkness like Polyphemus in his own palace, traps his enemies like Circe, aims for the torches like Scylla, fights from afar like Poseidon, and denies mercy like all of them. But here’s the thing: even those monsters had justified reasons for what they did. Polyphemus was avenging his sheep, Circe was protecting her nymphs, Scylla and the Sirens attacked to survive, Poseidon was avenging his son, and even Zeus was punishing a wrong against Helios. Another monster who gets justified is Calypso. Calypso has been alone for one hundred years, so it is entirely justifiable that she is incapable of taking no for an answer. And even then, Odysseus does not become a monster. Because when he asks Penelope if she’d fall in love with him again, he’s willing to take no for an answer. That’s the exact opposite of Calypso’s behavior. The whole time, his “he’s becoming a monster” angle is undermined. Like, you wrote a world where every so-called “monster” has a reason for their actions, and suddenly Odysseus is a different beast now? Puh-lease. If Odysseus really became a monster, then he had to be stripped away of all these justifications that force him into morally indefensible actions. I hear most of you will say that him becoming a monster is not really about his actions, and it is all moreso related to the fact he no longer feels guilt. But like, hun, the thing is...Odysseus never even feels guilt for most of the wrongs he does, except like once or twice. That’s...not a shift at the end. It’s always been his way. May I remind everyone that 99% of the atrocities committed during the Trojan War were thought of, planned, and executed by Odysseus without a shred of remorse? That’s who he is. Calculating, strategic, and utterly ruthless when he needs to be.

[eggcats]

I've been listening to the Thunder Saga, and I wonder if Zeus is also asking a question with a right and wrong answer in Thunder Bringer like I think Poseidon did in Ruthlessness. (I have a post for that, but I think Odysseus wasn't supposed to apologize, but to instead acknowledge that he should have killed Polyphemus).

Poseidon had to teach him to be ruthless.

Zeus needs to teach him to stop being so prideful.

Like, yes - Eurylochus did stage the mutiny and killed the cow. But! That was because Odysseus decided not to tell any of his men that they would need to accept 6 deaths to get home and allow them to make the choice themselves - because Odysseus couldn't handle the idea that they might refuse going past Scylla and keep him from going home.

This is even present in the song Scylla. Eurylochus is moved to confess that it was him who opened the bag of winds, but Odysseus keeps his own secrets and guilt to himself. I think none of the men even knew they were going past Scylla at all until it happened, since all Eurylochus says is "something approaches," implying he doesn't know what that something even IS.

Scylla even compares Odysseus to themselves, with his full transformation from man to monster now completed.

You hide a reason for shame You know that we are the same Leaving them feeling betrayed Breaking the bonds that you've made There is no price we won't pay We both know what it takes to survive

But if you notice, once they kill the cow, they start following Odysseus again. Hell, Eurylochus calls him captain! They follow his orders to escape! This shows that their real desire wasn't to overthrow Odysseus, but rather their anger and betrayal at not even having the option to choose to fight over sacrifice.

And honestly, this happened because Odysseus has demonstrated time and again that he will not discuss anything with his men and instead makes decisions without their input (too much pride to ever consider anyone's opinion other than his own).

In Storm, he tries to force the fleets to keep going despite Eurylochus saying that continuing would sink them all. In the same song, Odysseus also decides to go to the wind god without any discussion beforehand, and completely ignores Eurylochus's advice in Luck Runs Out about the inherent danger of going to the gods for help. In this same song, Odysseus also completely ignores the deaths of his men by Polyphemus, and instead brags about none of them dying in the war. (Once again, the pride Zeus mentions, and that Eurylochus criticizes in both Luck Runs Out and Puppeteer).

This is why Eurylochus opens the bag of winds, because Odysseus has proven he can't be trusted to tell him anything that could be important or put their lives in danger. Despite Eurylochus being his second in command, he's never treated as such. Odysseus has never once discussed something with him, taken his concerns into account, made a decision with him together, or even taken his advice. (Even cutting him off as far back as Full Speed Ahead without even considering his opinion).

Odysseus continues to ignore what Eurylochus tries to talk to him about in Puppeteer, and instead unintentionally gets all his men trapped by Circe. He then goes against Eurylochus again in the same song to confront her despite neither of them knowing if she can be defeated. All of this comes to a head when Odysseus does the same thing again in Scylla, except his decision was to intentionally let their men die for his own desires - and Eurylochus had no idea until it had already happened.

And that's why Eurylochus mutinies. He does it because he cares about his men, seemingly more than Odysseus has demonstrated he ever has.

(I'm not saying that Eurylochus has been right this whole time, and honestly I doubt Eurylochus would say the same - but Odysseus won't even listen to what he has to say, is the problem. He has too much pride).

And then Zeus arrives and proves Eurylochus right.

Zeus gives Odysseus a choice - him or his men. Forcing him to come to terms with the very same decision he made during Scylla and expose him for only caring for himself and not the men under his command.

Zeus is criticizing Odysseus and claiming that he's too full of pride to sacrifice himself to save his men. His men of which he is their captain. Of which he is their king. Zeus points this out to him explicitly, leading me to believe that he wasn't supposed to choose himself here.

I think that by taking back command after they killed the cow, Odysseus had taken responsibility for his men's actions. Except, when confronted with those same actions, he refuses to. Much like how a boss gets in trouble when their subordinates do something wrong, a captain should do the same for his crew.

Except. Odysseus doesn't. He fails the test.

And now he must have his pride taken from him again and again until he learns the lesson Zeus was teaching him. Just like he did with learning ruthlessness from Poseidon.

I think the next saga will involve him being confronted with this decision he makes here, and how it was the wrong one, and then the saga after that (perhaps with the suitors? I'm unsure how many more are planned) is when Odysseus will reprise Thunder Bringer and finally be able to return home.

[hoeforsirius]

Amphitrite's Agony

This is my version of if Amphitrite was more in love with Poseidon especially when Odysseus was attacking him.

______________________________________

She felt the strike echo through the ocean floor.

It rattled through coral and bone, reverberated through the bones of whales and the shells of sea creatures. The current itself tensed, trembling under the weight of something not mortal—something ancient and raw and breaking.

The fury.

The pain.

His pain.

Poseidon’s roar echoed through every current. She knew his voice in every form—laughter, command, the heavy quiet of his moods—but this…

This was agony.

She surged upward before she could think. The sea parted for her, obedient, fearful. It had known her soft and loyal and quiet for too long. But now it knew her afraid.

She broke the surface, salt clinging to her skin.

And she saw him—her husband, her king, the god of all tides—brought low. Blood, his ichor, pooled in the waves like spilled gold. He was on his knees. His trident had fallen. And standing over him, spear raised, was a mortal.

Odysseus.

His eyes were wild, his arm raised for one final strike.

She didn’t think. She couldn’t.

“NO!” She cried. Her voice tore through the storm Poseidon had summoned. “Please—stop!”

Time stilled.

The mortal froze. His arm faltered. She stepped between them, the waves quieting around her. Her hands trembled—not from fear of Odysseus, but from the sight of her husband bloodied and broken behind her.

“Please,” She said again, softer now. “He is the man I chose, the god I vowed myself to. I love him.”

The words were salt on an open wound. She loved him. Even now. Even when he was reckless and cruel and burning with spite. Even when his fury swallowed islands whole. Her love for him had never once wavered. Not even in his darkest storms.

“You love Penelope,” She told Odysseus. “Would you stand by and watch someone do this to her?”

He flinched.

And slowly, the rage in his eyes flickered. His grip on his weapon loosened.

But then he said—voice raw, bitter, full of exhaustion and truth:

“He’s hunted me for years. This storm wasn’t a slight punishment—it was meant to kill me, to stop me from reaching her.”

Her expression changed into a mixture of confusion, disappointment and hurt.

Odysseus understood, he asked, his eyebrows furrowed, "Did you know?"

And she— 

She couldn’t answer.

Because no. She hadn’t known. She hadn’t wanted to know.

She had known only fragments: Polyphemus. That was all she let herself hear. A son blinded. A god’s pride wounded. The rest? She had shut her eyes to it. 

She trusted him. She had let herself believe that Poseidon’s revenge would be swift and just.

But this— this was no justice.

This was a man with nothing left to lose, tormented and hunted and forced to crawl through death to reach the one woman who still waited for him.

And it was her husband who had done this.

She turned to him, her heart cold.

“Call it off.”

His brows drew low, the god still thundering in his bones. “You would order me?”

“Yes.”

No hesitation. “Because I stood by you while you became this. Because I trusted you. Because I loved you.”

Her voice rose—not in volume, but in finality.

“Call. It. Off.”

He held her gaze for a long moment—then flicked his fingers. Poseidon had released the storm. The clouds began to thin. The sea gentled.

And as Odysseus turned to leave, Poseidon—still bleeding, still furious—spoke through his teeth.

“After everything you’ve done, how will you sleep at night?”

Odysseus did not pause. Did not flinch.

He simply said, “Next to my wife.”

And then he was gone.

The sea was still. Not calm. Just still.

The silence that followed was not peace. It was the hush that comes after something has been broken too violently to ever be made whole again.

She moved to Poseidon’s side. He did not look at her.

She knelt and her hands reached for his wounds as they always had. She bathed the blood from his skin, wrapped the torn muscle. Ritual. Habit. Love.

It was not forgiveness.

It was love. Quiet. Steady. Unyielding.

But something had changed.

Later, in the quiet of their palace, she sat beside him and began dressing his wounds again. The salt of the sea could not wash away the ache in her chest.

“You didn’t tell me,” She whispered. “That you wanted him dead.”

Still, silence.

“You could have let him go home. To his wife. After everything.”

“He blinded my son.”

“And you drowned his crew,” She met his eyes. Her voice did not shake. “Hundreds of them.”

Silence, again.

“You hunted him. You condemned him for a wound he gave your son, after your son devoured his men.”

She looked up at him.

“I stood by you. For centuries. Through all your storms. Through all your silences. I never once raised my voice.”

A pause.

“But today, I saw you bleeding. And I realized it wasn't just Odysseus who brought you to your knees. It was everything you’ve become.”

His jaw clenched. He still refused to meet her gaze.

“You took his side.” He said finally.

“I took a side.” She leaned back, the ache sitting sharp in my chest. “Because I was tired. Because I was ashamed. Because I didn’t want to lie to myself again.”

She paused.

Then, quieter, “I cleaned your wounds today not because you were right… but because I love you,” She said. “Even when I no longer understand you. Even when I do not like you.”

He looked at her like she was a stranger.

Maybe she was.

Maybe she had become someone different the moment she chose to speak.

She stood, the weight of grief curling in her spine.

“I will never stop loving you, Poseidon. But do not ever ask me to be silent again.”

She walked away then, leaving him in the quiet.

The sea did not stir. 

The storm had ended.

But the damage had been done. 

And even in the deepest part of the ocean, silence could sound like heartbreak.

[life-kinda-sucks-alot]

A scene I think would happen in my little mermaid au were Odysseus is Poseidons son

Odysseus who is visiting Polyphemus, throws down a crap ton of seashells on the sand.

Odysseus: Dads a whore!

Polyphemus: I asked you if you had the seashells I asked you for, and this is your answer!

Odysseus: Yes! This is my only source of outside time! I have no one else to talk to except for Athena or Hermes! Or Amphitrite

Odysseus: Or worst I have to talk to dad!

[blueraven0]

Welcome! Been waiting for your account! Meant to ask, Have you listened to the Ithaca saga yet? If so, are you still alive mentally?

I'm gonna be honest, I've asked if you guys want a Tumblr account from me BECAUSE I wanted to yap about the Ithaca Saga lol

@pomiidorii and I stayed up to watch the live, and it was SO much fun. I laughed so hard at the joystick infant, on Polyphemus with Luke being the Cyclops, Luck runs out with the macarena and the face slap, No longer you when Mason just decided to randomly dance with Jorge, or when Talya and Jay swapped roles during their songs. When they brought the ghost of Polites it was a great idea too, and LOL when Jay pointed at Luke during God Games for Zeus cheating on his wife, and his face completely dropped LMAO

But about the Ithaca Saga, I managed to not cry during it but it was really hard, considering the topics of families reuniting (or positive family dynamics) is one of the very few things that make me emotional. (Don't be fooled, I've cried after the live when I listened to the two last songs again...)

What I didn't expect was the vocals of Ayron in Hold them down, that was AMAZING. I fully thought I'd be skipping that song because I personally cannot handle the topic of SA very well in media, but the song itself was so good that I completely detached the meaning and now cannot stop singing it. During the animatic however, it was really hard to watch the part where Antinous sang about Penelope, it was truly sickening.

Odysseus was SO GOOD my jaw completely DROPPED. I LOVE when characters go completely apeshit after being wronged and (rightfully) take revenge (coming from an Ares devotee, this isn't that surprising). The appearance of Telemachus as the new Warrior of the mind?! And the way Ody just straight up refused to listen to any of the suitors, with his little sassy "No 🫶", I was SOLD.

Do NOT let me start about Anna completely SERVING vocals in The Challenge and Would you fall in love with me again, OH. MY. GOD. Her voice is such a beautiful mix of powerful and delicate, I don't get how she's doing it! And the part when Pen and Ody embrace and Just a man starts playing?? ARGHH!! Such an amazing use of literacy, Jorge has outdone himself.

Another little thing, the switch from Ody growling at the suitors and the second his boy asks for him, his voice softens to answer. STOP THIS MADNESS JORGE!! And when Mico and Jay hugged?? Oh my heart...

The interlude of Steven saying he couldn't come to Ithaca because of the beating he got LMAO and the singing in the shower LOL Neal Illustrator already made a great animatic with that part!

I cannot believe that EPIC is done now, it feels so weird. I remember randomly finding Jorge with the blue eye filter on TikTok and thinking, who is this weirdo? And immediately skipping him LMAO I had no idea that weirdo would come back months later with a full musical that I'd love so much! All in all, it was a great experience, even though I joined only around a month before the Vengeance Saga.

[altis-of-olympia]

hi! i have a question: when people are like “i feel like *insert god* is angry at me” / “i angered the gods” / “i’m afraid i accidentally made *insert god* angry” more experienced helpols often say that they’re not, that they don’t get angry that easily from just silly mistakes and that basically someone would notice if the gods are angered. but HOW do people notice when they actually ARE angry. like what are the signs and would they forgive the person who angered them? because from looking at the heroes, the answer is mostly “it depends”

Hello, Anon!

If a God was truly angered with someone, the way they make this known could be through a myriad of ways.

They could outright tell you in a reading, meditation, or dream. They can be straightforward and express their anger with you. They can send you signs - dead things, storms, perhaps aggressive imagery, or terrible news. Sometimes the signs can come suddenly. Maybe suddenly your social circle has started excluding you for reasons you can't quite place. After ruling out the mundane, approach the Gods and ask if you have done anything to anger them. If they are not angry, the answer should be simple reassurance. If you have, they may outline what has angered them in a reading, meditation, dream, etc.

If you struggle to communicate with them clearly, find a third party who has built substantial Kharis with the God and explain the situation to them. See what the answer is. This can be especially helpful if you tend to be biased in readings.

I would err on the side of caution if someone randomly approaches you telling you that the Gods are angry. Before you feel anxious or scared, take a step back and question what the Gods would be angry with you for. What have you done that could have angered them, and have they shown you any signs that they are upset or unhappy with you or your actions? Always approach situations like this with caution, and never be afraid to tell someone that you suspect that they are incorrect, or ask for further information. And never be afraid to do your own readings, as well. It is always better to double-check than freak out over potentially false information. This is especially true if you have built kharis with the God in question and they have shown you zero signs of anger or upset.

The examples we are given in Epics like The Iliad and The Odyssey are rather dramatic examples - grandiose displays of anger between mortal and Theoi, ones that should be taken with a grain of salt. You can absolutely examine these texts for examples of what a God may do if they are angry. We can see that King Poseidon is very direct and confrontational with Odysseus for his display of blatant hubris (announcing his name to Polyphemus after blinding him), for instance. I personally have never angered King Poseidon, and I certainly hope this never occurs. But I would imagine that He would be just as forward and direct as He is here.

In the case of King Zeus and I, He has specifically told me that, should He be angry at me, He will come to me Himself and never through a third party. He emphasized this point in my oath to Him. You could set this boundary with the Gods, as well - this is especially helpful to me as someone with autism who may struggle to read into signs and signals.

I hope this answers your question and clears things up. Thank you for the question, of course.

Xaire, Altis.

[my-baseballs-are-humans]

Your dad sucks

@cloak-of-ares

How?

[elithesia-autem-danguarde]

Arcane x EPIC Crossover

Hello there, curious peeps. So me and a couple friends in a Jayvik Discord server were talking about some cool ideas about blending Arcane with Epic the Musical, and it ended up turning into a whole thing where we cast every major role:

Main Cast

Odysseus: Jayce

Penelope: Viktor

Telemachus: Ekko

Eurylochus: Caitlyn

Polites: Heimerdinger

Gods

Athena: Mel

Zeus: Ambessa

Poseidon: Silco

Hermes: Vi

Aeolus: Isha

Apollo: Mylo (+ Claggor in the background)

Hephaestus: Vander

Aphrodite: Sky (Astral form specifically)

Ares: Rictus

Hera: Felicia

Others

Polyphemus: Sevika (Losing her arm instead of her eye)

Circe: LeBlanc

Scylla: Jinx

Tiresias (The Prophet): Mage Viktor

Calypso: The Hexcore

Charybdis: Warwick (Separate Entity)

Antonius: Salo

Anticlea (Odysseus's Mother): Ximena

If you have any questions about why a certain character was cast in a certain role, feel free to ask! We have an answer for everything lol.

Big thanks to @sparrow-in-boots, @thetroubledmedic, and @arya-skywalker for all of their contributions to the discussion. We were all in this together!

[frogwiththephatahh]

I really like the Leveling System in God Games

I think it's really interesting how Athena's trial is written. She's the goddess of wisdom, so everyone, including Zeus, knew she was going to use her wits to convince each of them. And Zeus seems to have set up each God in the order of easier to hardest.

Only for it to backfire in his face.

Apollo's up first. And honestly, I don't think he wanted to be here for the sake of arguing against Odysseus. He literally opens up his first with, "you all know I'm a fan of catchy songs." Which is a very fitting thing for the god of music to say. I think, no matter what Athena said, Apollo was going to agree just for the sake of being included in a catchy song. But I don't think Zeus knew this.

Obviously, he would know Apollo's intentions- being part of a song. But Apollo says a "catchy" song. Not just a song. I think Zeus believed he'd come up with an argument in order to get more time in the song. But Apollo, as a true enjoyer of music, would know there's only so long he can stretch his time before the song lost it's catchiness. And he's right. His part is an earworm, even if it's short.

Then there's disciplined, strict Hephaestus. Who has a very solid argument against Ody. "Why should I give him my support? He sacrificed his own cohorts." Odysseus doesn't deserve mercy because he showed no mercy to his own men. This is a good case, and one Zeus probably agrees with. But the thing about Hephaestus is that I don't think he was EVER on Zeus' side to begin with. Instead, he seems more like he was waiting for Athena to give an answer, daring her to prove him wrong. And she gave him a satisfying enough answer for him. Yes, Odysseus sacrificed his crew, but they also disobeyed him multiple times, and then literally stabbed him in the back. And that's also a valid argument. Hephaestus isn't hard to please.

Now the levels are getting harder. We're at Aphrodite. Leaning more into the mythology itself rather than the characterizations we're given in Epic, Aphrodite is notoriously a very vain, very prideful goddess. Just like Zeus, she wouldn't want to change her mind so easily. And, famously, she was also one of the only gods to sit out on the Trojan War, seemingly because of a disdain for conflict. Which is why Athena mentioning the war and fighting doesn't do anything to pierce Aphrodite's shield.

Aphrodite is the goddess of love. So of course her argument mentions Odysseus hurting the people he loves. It's interesting, however, that she specifically mentions his mother and not any of his crew, friends, or his wife and son. I think this actually says a lot of Anticlea. "Claimed to love his mother, but let her die of a broken heart." None of the rest of Ody's family is "heart broken." Penelope and Telemachus still have hope that Odysseus will return. They're still alive, fighting every day to keep his place as king, even in the face of adversaries who want to hurt them. But Anticlea can no longer do that. Her disappointed that she waited so long to see her son, only for him to never make it home, must be immeasurable. And according to Aphrodite, Odysseus did this on purpose by antagonizing Polyphemus.

Is this a good argument on Aphrodite's part? No, not really. Obviously, it was stupid of Odysseus to reveal his name, but he wasn't doing it to purposefully spite the cyclops. We know this. He was doing it as a warning, so that Polyphemus would always remember what happens when he chooses not to have mercy. It's a good sentiment, on Odysseus' part.

What's interesting about Aphrodite is that we never see Athena truly convince her. There is that moment right before Ares enters where Athena asks her to reconsider her decision. I, personally, think that Athena was going to mention Odysseus' other loves- his wife and son. And Ares choosing this exact moment to interject is most certainly planned.

It's not that Athena was using "old tricks." It's that Aphrodite was about to start agreeing with her.

Ares' part is by far the most interesting to me- because he's the most right! "What kind of sick coward holds back his powers while his friends get devoured?" We've seen Odysseus think his way out of tight spots before. We know he could have spent longer trying to find a way around Scylla. Ares knows this, too.

And the way Athena goes about convincing him otherwise is fascinating to me. She could mention that Ody is "just a man." He can't possibly be expected to have the energy to think his way out of every situation. By the time he gets to Scylla, he's exhausted after three years at sea. Of course he wouldn't be thinking clearly. But Athena knows Ares wouldn't care about this.

Instead, she appeals to Ares' on a more human level. "You want more bloodshed? Then set him free!" Ares, as the literal god of bloodshed, would love that shit. Now, I've seen Ares be called a hypocrite over this, as he was literally just talking about how Ody let blood shed when it didn't need to be.

But it's actually fitting. Ares isn't just the god of bloodshed and violence, but the god of war. Odysseus standing by and letting his ALLIES die is shameful to Ares. That's not how you win a war. You don't sacrifice the many for the good of the few. Odysseus instead killing enemies as a means to get home is a much more honorable act than letting his comrades die. It's the message Ares has probably been wanting to scream in Odysseus' face for three years.

I think this is why Ares is so far up. Because honestly, it doesn't take MUCH for him to agree with Athena. But that "much" takes a lot to get to. Because anyone who didn't know Ares would try to be actually reasonable, and point out Odysseus' circumstances and why he came to make the decisions he did. Ares is Athena's brother. And her rival god of war. She knows him. And Zeus underestimated that.

Then we come to Hera. This is speculation, but I think Hera is in the same boat as Hephaestus. She was always willing to agree with Athena, she just wanted to see what kind of argument Athena could come up with. But unlike Hephaestus, she's hard to please. Athena's first tactic is going all in, giving the reason why she, personally, is drawn to Odysseus. "He's got the mind of a genius." To which Hera answers with, "Try Harder." She immediately sees through Athena, and knows she just named the first good trait that came to her mind. Throughout her verse, Hera is waiting for Athena to give her "one good reason." One good trait, is what she's looking for.

This one is also interesting because it takes a moment for Athena to appeal to Hera specifically, like what she did with Ares. "Never once has he cheated on his wife." Which is a hilarious dig! For those out of loop, Hera is the wife of Zeus, a serial adulterer. Zeus has more children with mortal women than he does with Hera herself. So of course she'd be against cheating. But THEN you remember that Hera is also the goddess of marriage. So of course she's won over by the mention of Odysseus' faithfulness to his wife and family.

I don't remember who said it, but I do recall a post mentioning that it's strange Athena didn't immediately mention Odysseus' family and his need to get back to them. I think this was actually smart on her part. Hera could have easily shot back with, "okay, but what about all the men he let die who also had families and wives waiting for them?" So I don't really think that argument would have worked anyway.

Zeus is technically the final level, but I don't think he thought of himself like that. At the beginning of God Games, Zeus names all the other gods then says, "OR me." That doesn't mean, Apollo OR Hephaestus Or Aphrodite Or Ares Or Hera Or Zeus. It means Apollo, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Ares, and Hera OR Zeus. As in, convince the other gods, or just try to convince me.

Zeus sees himself as just as hard to convince as all the other gods combined. And he's pretty much right. Considering he denies Athena's wishes, even when she won the game.

[inahandful-of-dust]

EPIC: The Musical - Act I and II

THE TROY SAGA

(Originally released December 25th, 2022 - Officially released July 4th, 2024)

1. The Horse and the Infant

Find that inner strength now Use that well of pride Fight through every pain now Ask yourself inside What do you live for? What do you try for? What do you wish for? What do you fight for?

2. Just a Man

But when does a comet become a meteor? When does a candle become a blaze? When does a man become a monster? When does a ripple become a tidal wave? When does the reason become the blame? When does a man become a monster?

3. Full Speed Ahead

We're up, we're off, and away we go We're up, we're off, and away we go Full speed ahead

4. Open Arms

This life is amazing when you greet it with open arms Whatever we face, we'll be fine if we're leading from the heart No matter the place, we can light up the world Here's how to start Greet the world with open arms

5. Warrior of the Mind

Maybe one day we'll reach them And we can build their skills as we teach them If there's a problem, we'll have the answer We are the warriors of the mind

THE CYCLOPS SAGA

(Originally released January 27th, 2023 - Officially released July 4th, 2024)

6. Polyphemus

Don't you know that pain you sow is pain you rеap? Time to drink your blood over where you stand Your life now is in my hand Before I'm done, you will learn that it's not so fun to take

7. Survive

Six hundred lives at stake, it's just one life to take And when we kill him, then our journey's over No dying on me now, defeat is not allowed We must live through this day

8. Remember Them

Remember them When the fire begins to fade For the fallen and afraid We are not to let them die in vain Remember them We're the ones who carry on The flames of those who've gonе And our comrades will not die in vain

9. My Goodbye

Unlike you, every time someone dies I'm left to deal with the strain What's a title that a goddess could lend if I'll never sleep at night?

THE OCEAN SAGA

(Released December 25th, 2023)

10. Storm

These waves and tides Have grown in strength and size Is it nature or divine Or a blessing in disguise? Our home's in sight This storm's our final fight There's no time to die

11. Luck Runs Out

How much longer 'til your luck runs out? How much longer 'til the show goes south? How much longer 'til we all fall down? You rely on wit, and people die on it

12. Keep your Friends Close

'Cause the end always justifies the means Friends turn into foes and rivalries So keep your friends close and your enemies closer Never really know who you can trust

13. Ruthlessness

The line between naïveté and Hopefulness is almost invisible So close your heart The world is dark and Ruthlessness is mercy-

THE CIRCE SAGA

(Released February 14th, 2024)

14. Puppeteer

Since we left home we've faced a variety of foes from a wide range of places Gods, monsters, you know the roster, hostile creatures that we could resist But this was a hell of a twist, 'cause we are weak to a power like this

15. Wouldn't You Like

Wouldn't you like a taste of the power? Wouldn't you like to use more than words?

16. Done For

My nymphs are like my daughters I protect them at all costs The last time we let strangers live We faced a heavy loss You've given me no reason to Bestow you with my trust

17. There Are Other Ways

Maybe showing one act of kindness Leads to kinder souls down the road I remember actions of passion I have been in love once before Maybe one day the world will need a puppeteer no more

THE UNDERWORLD SAGA

(Released April 26th, 2024)

18. The Underworld

All I hear are screams (All I hear are screams) Every time I dare to close my eyes I no longer dream (I no longer dream) Only nightmares of those who've died Nothing's what it seems (Nothing's what it seems)

19. No Longer You

I see a song of past romance I see the sacrifice of man I see portrayals of betrayal And a brother's final stand I see you on the brink of death I see you draw your final breath I see a man who gets to make it home alive But it's no longer you

20. Monster

Then I'll become the monster I will deal the blow And I'll become the monster Like none they've ever known So what if I'm the monster Lurking deep below? I must become the monster

THE THUNDER SAGA

(July 4th, 2024)

21. Suffering

How am I to evade him? How am I to get home? Which route should I take? Where am I supposed to go?

22. Different Beast

He is the man-made monster He is the one who conquers You are a threat no longer He won't take more suffering from you

23. Scylla

Give up your honor and faith Live up your life as a wraith Die in the blood where you bathe We must do what it takes to survive

24. Mutiny

How are we supposed to trust you now? Now your time has come, your luck's run out

25. Thunder Bringer

Thunder bringer, here to ring your Ears until you're deaf with fear And spear you while your death is near Lightning wielder, here to yield your Time, for you have passed your prime Sublime you for your act of crime

THE WISDOM SAGA

(August 30TH, 2024)

26. Legendary

It's just me, myself, and I Stuck in my bedroom, livin' in this world you left behind Dreamin' of all these monsters that I'll never get to fight But boy, I wish I could, so I could bring the world some light

27. Little Wolf

Let's teach this dog a lesson In front of all his kind One young wolf has a larger heart Than all these men combined

28. We'll Be Fine

And so I thought Maybe if I'd made a different call Maybe if I hadn't missed it all Maybe he'd be fine Maybe we'd unwind Maybe if I help another soul Maybe if I helped you reach your goal Life could be that bright I could sleep at night

29. Love in Paradise

You don't know what I've gone through You don't know what I've sacrificed Every comrade I long knew Every friend, I saw them die And all I hear are screams

30. God Games

Trust is not given, it's forged Why should I give him my support? He sacrificed his own cohort

THE VENGEANCE SAGA

(October 31st, 2024)

31. Not Sorry For Loving You

I'm angry and tired and restless and sad I'm stuck in the moments I swore that we had

32. Dangerous

I have to get home, put it all on the line I'm gonna use ruthlessness Every trick, every skill put to use for this I plan to put an end to all the foolishness I have to get home, put it all on the line I'll be dangerous

33. Charybdis

There, I see it The island I'vе been searching for Home, I've rеached it My wife and son are past these shores Holding on I am almost there

34. Get in the Water

Aren't you tired, Poseidon? It's been ten years, how long will this go? We're both hurting from losses So why not leave this here and just go home?

35. Six Hundred Strike

How does it feel to be helpless? How does it feel to know pain? I watched my friends die in horror Crying as they were all slain I heard their final moments Calling their captain in vain Look what you turned me into Look what we've become

THE ITHACA SAGA

(Released December 25th, 2024)

36. The Challange

But I don't know how much longer I'll last Since we saw that storm And though it was so close to our kingdom It was far from the norm Unless Oh, could it be some kind of sign That my world is all about to change?

37. Hold Them Down

Hold him down 'til the boy stops shaking Hold him down while I slit his throat Hold him down while I slowly break his pride, his trust, his faith, and his bones Cut him down into tiny pieces Throw him down in the great below When the crown wonders where the prince is Only the ocean and I will know

38. Odysseus

[SUITOR] Old king, our leader is dead You've destroyed the serpent's head Now the rest of us are no longer a threat Old king, forgive us instead So that no more blood is shed Let's have open arms instead [ODYSSEUS] No

39. I Can't Help But Wonder

I can only wonder What your world has been Things you've had to suffer And the strength you hold within All I've ever wanted Was to reunite with my own Twenty years, we've wandered But today you're not alone My son, I'm finally home!

40. Would You Fall In Love With Me Again

I will fall in love with you Over and over again I don’t care how, where, or when No matter how long it’s been You’re mine Don’t tell me you’re not the same person You’re always my husband And I’ve been waiting, waiting

[rubysephi]

This is my take on the Ithica saga, feel free to tell me your thoughts

The challenge: the song starts with the viola, which is Penelope motif. The challenge she prepared is a display of her annoyance to the suitors because she knows only ODYSSEUS can succeed, this challenge is to show the suitors they can never compare to Odysseus, to the true man of the house. Speaking of man of the house, it was a cut song from the musicals, in the original Homer Odyssey, Telemachus called himself the man of the house, however here, he is not, the suitors took too much space in the house. The suitors only want the power that comes with being the man of the house, the challenge is to buy time for Odysseus to come back because she saw the storm, the abnormal behavior of the sea, she knows or at least hope Odysseus is coming. “ I'd rather die then grow old without the best of you” oh she ain't talking to the suitors, she is talking about Odysseus, knowing the suitors won't succeed in stringing the bow and shooting through the axes. Waiting, waiting she was waiting for years and yet she still have to wait for a few moments, she is longing for her husband

Hold em down : ‘ thrown back to the end of legendary with the “ where is he “. The suitors not being able to string the bow, and antinous releasing penelope tricked them, to forever delay them. we can hear Odysseus in the background, he is hearing the suitors plan, ready to kill them. We can also hear the viola in the background when antinous speak about what he will do to Penelope, perhaps showing her lack of say in the matter because only her instrument is there and not her voice

Odysseus: Odysseus chorus being the same as Polyphemus showing he is no longer a man during this, he is the monster. Also he said enough just before killing the suitor, Jusy like how polyphemus said enough before killing his man .All he has been through as shown him mercy isn't the solution anymore. Normally through the other saga the “ open arms “ melody shows that Odysseus still hung on to his friend, polities, view on the world but now he abandoned it . The danger motif keep showing up cause Odysseus is the danger, nother suitors, the electric guitar is always present. He is aiming for the torches, just like Scylla did when she killed his man, taking another inspiration from another monster. He is not letting them threaten his family after Fighting so hard to get back to his island, his loves one. The Legendary motif and Athena motif mixing omg , Athena taking in Telemachus like she did to Odysseus, full circle moment. “ Hold him down “ thrown back to the previous song , but all to the end of legendary “ where is he “. “ Mercy ? Mercy!” His mercy has long since drowned, perhaps like how he nearly drowned in “ get into the water” ; it stayed underneath the way, only ruthlessness remained. Also Eurymachus's askinf for forgiveness just like how Odysseus asked for forgiveness to Poseidon, getting the same answer “not” he truly took something form every foe he fought. Unlike the suitors, his aim is true, the arrows flying right to the target without fail. The end of the song mimicking the end of “ Survive” with Polyphemus, the chorus singing Odysseus, showing how much he embraced the monster, also the screams of the suitors omg, perfect . Perhaps as well the Chorus saying “ ody sseus” is the the same as the chorus at the end of no longer you

I can't help but wonder: nylon or acoustic guitar playing at the beginning , this isn't the monster, this is Odysseus, he softened for his son, once the threat was dealt with. The reunion between Telemachus and Odysseus is so heartwarming, Telemachus kept hearing tales and stories about his father, making up his vision of Odysseus based on those. However Odysseus only saw Telemachus as an infant, he didn't have anything to imagine what he son would be like, other the image of the infant Telemachus once was ( also the infant imagine of Telemachus could be tainted by the fact that Odysseus had to kill infant astanyax). They only could wonder about each other for years, and now that they are faced with each other, they can answer those questions. Also as they start to sing together, we can hear Athena motif, showing she is there watching over them both. I think I can hear a chunk of “ I'm just a man “ guitar before Odysseus says “ show yourself” also a huge throwback to warrior of the mind, them finally meeting back after all these years. The character development of Athena is so massive, going from no feelings to wanting to have a better world where people could be more kind. When she speaks we can hear the piano notes from the end of “ my goodbye”. The clock from the deep dive in the hour Glass, mixing with the guitar, both theirs opinion co existing

Would you fall in love with me again: the viola and the guitar finally together. “ I'm not the man you fell in love with” he truly thinks he became the monster, that the prophecy Tiresias told was true “ I see your wife with a man who is hunting”. When Penelope asked what he did , the ruthlessness motif okay, then thunder wringer motif and then the Scylla motif, showing his journey of sacrifice, the man he lost. The guilt heavy to Carry for a man that wanted to make it home. Penelope didn't ask Odysseus to move the olive tree bed because she thought Odysseus wasn't her husband but because she knew he wouldn't do it, she asked him to make him realize he was still the same man who carved that bed from the tree they first met at. This was Penelope making him know that , no matter what he did, the trouble he went through, it's still him , the man she decided to love and cherish , the man she married and waited for . Perhaps it was also to reassure herself that her wait is finally over, that her husband is truly standing there, in arm reach. ( The olive tree is also a cut song ). Penelope says “ waiting” 8 times because she waited 8 sagas for her husband to come home, this section also last 20 seconds for the 20 years she waited for him . She is so faithful to him, no matter if he did horrible things to survive, he was just a man who tried to survive and make it home to his wife and son. The instrumental of “ just a man “ playing soon after Penelope said you, "Is so genius, because at the end of the day, he was not the monster he made himself to be, he is just a man, who traded the world ( his crew ) for his son and wife.

Perhaps I can also hear in the Instrumental “ just a man, who Finally made it home, after all the years away from what he knows, he's just a man , who has fought for his life, deep down , he traded the world for his Son and wife” also him not singing the lyrics over the instrumental because he made it home, he don't have to sing about going home anymore, just like dangerous where the crew didn't sing “ making back Alive to our homeland” because they died,

And the musicals ending with” I love you “ ,omg , it's was a journey about love and lost, a man doing everything for love and losing a lot during his journey

Also the constant acoustic guitar playing while Odysseus talk showing he is the man and not the monster

Edit : I just realized between challenge and wyfilwma, Penelope sings waiting 13 times (6 in challenge, 7 in wyfilwma) and Ody faced 13 obstacles to get home (cyclops, storm, giants, circe, Underworld, sirens, scylla, mutiny, zeus, calypso, charybdis, poseidon, suitors)

[brainrotroulette]

"Remember Them" reads sibling relationships for filth with one line

There's a lot of amazing, beautifully artistic and pretty realistic depictions of having a brother in musical theater. However, respectfully, NOTHING is more realistic and relatable than Polyphemus crying for help after being wounded, the other cyclopses asking who hurt him, and then promptly telling him to shut the fuck up when he finally answers.