#demigod culture

[several-breathing-eyes]

Do you think nicknames are a big thing in demigod culture?

There are lots of cultures where nicknames hold a lot of importance, like your family has a specific nickname they call you and your friends have a different specific thing they call you.

And in the world of pjo names/titles have power.

So maybe even more names/titles you have the more powerful you are. Like Poseidon also being known as Earth shaker and stormbringer, Nico being the ghost king, and Hylla earning the name Hylla twice kill.

So in demigod culture nicknames are a way to show you love someone but also a way to try to imbue them with power so that they'll be more likely to survive.

So for a demigod maybe there would be a specific nickname that demigod is called by their siblings (I'm pretty sure Luke calls Annabeth "Annie" at one point so maybe that's what her siblings call her?), a few nicknames used by friends (like when Piper and Leo called Jason Golden boy or sparky), and a nickname reserved for a demigod's significant other (seaweed brain and wise girl).

There's also the whole "don't name it or you'll get attached" concept that could factor in, considering how often demigods die.

So giving someone a nickname in demigod culture is a way of saying "I care about you, I want you to survive, so I'm going to run the risk of getting attached"

It would also explain why every time a new friend is made in pjo a nickname is one of the first things they get.

@fairytalepsuedonym

[incorrect-riordanverse]

piper mclean is def the type of person to specifically go to taylor sheesh instad of taylor swift

[ilikepjo24]

Heroes of Olympus AU - Octavian is some sort of semi-famous social media influencer, that either obsessively makes content for a fandom he's been hyperfixated on (like Harry Potter or Star Wars or something) or he makes content with memes, tips and hacks to help neurodivergent ppl (like those "Global undiagnosed autism experience" or "use this study method if you have ADHD").

He started doing this bc he had a lot of things to say about his special interests and no one to talk to bc everyone around him found him annoying, so he started a secret social media account and worked his way up to a well known influencer.

Leo is his biggest fan and has watched all of his videos, with bc he's also hyperfixated on the same fandom or because the tips help him a lot to function. And he immediately recognizes him and his eyes turn into little hearts. He's been obsessed with that dude bc Leo is 100% a pop culture minion and he's been trying to convince his friends to watch his content as well but they just don't get it like he does.

So during the first Greek/Roman meeting, Leo's sitting there, amongst his friends, that are mocking and interrupting his idol, that is only a few feet away from Leo himself, and he has to contain his excitement and not seem weird and scare him off. And then he actually gets to be alone with this man that he's been hyperfixated on for at least two to three years and he thinks he'll explode!!

[marchlione]

i think the reason i find jason so interesting is because the lore surrounding him is so interesting but he comes across so straightlaced which suggests to me that he does this on purpose. he forces himself into this persona of perfection and "conceal don't feel" and it fascinates me. like there's the whole thing where there are expectations for jason, as the son of jupiter and juno's champion, add to that the fact that it is implied that the romans have far less contact with the gods and especially major gods than even the greeks, and that up until very recently, jason was the only child of the big three *chef's kiss* then when you think about the emphasis on hierarchy and obedience in the roman camp and jupiter being more associated with aspects of governance than zeus, and imagine feral 'i was raised by wolves' toddler!jason being molded to fit in and groomed to lead. and consider the history of the children of jupiter, and jupiter's own history with patricide, and his father's history with patricide, and how jason is already under scrutiny for the circumstances he was born under, an oath sworn on the Styx being broken by the god of oaths who was the only one to break it on the roman side, so jason must be under a lot of pressure. he can't mess up, he doesn't get that luxury. not only does he have to be perfect, he also has to be obedient and subservient to the gods, but also a great leader to his people, and also be as inoffensive and unobtrusive as possible, but also mediocrity is not an option and he has to stand out and be tuly great but also not too great and become a threat to the gods. he is so fascinating

[tagthescullion]

*percy setting the table at 18.30*

nico: oh, right, tea time!

[yujateaandpi]

I have a new idea it’s called:

Stay with me here: Sharkboy and Lavagirl but they’re Percy Jackson-style Polynesian demigods working to save the islands from corporate pollution, culture appropriation, and rancid tourists. 

[miirshroom]

A perspective for contextualizing Elden Ring: Marika does not exist

Consider what gods are, in the anthropological sense. Gods do not exist except in the minds and artefacts of people who define them. Marika is a god, therefore, Marika does not exist. Paradoxically, Marika exists because Radagon believed in her.

"The modern gods right now are the things we give our attention to, the things we give our time to, because time is precious, time is what we use to worship." - Neil Gaiman, on the New Gods (American Gods)

A question asked about 4 months ago on Reddit, and which has come up a few times since then:

"What do you make of the nominal primacy of Marika but the de facto centralith of Radagon in the Golden Order? Did Radagon exist at the founding of the GO?"

What I make of it is that Radagon/the Elden Beast/the avatar of the Sun in the Lands Between devoted his time to crafting a dream woman. Attaining this is the Golden Order decreed by the Greater Will. Because that's how it's supposed to work - the ideal masculine man hasn't achieved golden perfection without marrying the perfect beautiful wife - the silver moon reflecting the light of the sun. But Marika gained a life beyond her sculptor's expectations, in becoming a woman crafted not as an ideal partner, but as an ideal self.

Radagon is Marika and has always been the Marika whose echoes are relayed by Melina. Because both Radagon and Marika are personas in the end - both are fabrications of the Elden Beast that was once sent as Envoy of the Greater Will.

"Other dimensional beings are undoubtedly amazed at what human beings will accept as human beings too. 'But it's just a stick with a person on it.'" - Also Neil Gaiman, about bees believing that painted sticks are other bees

And the Elden Beast is itself representative of the order decreed by the Greater Will. The command to become golden. The Golden Order. Something to which so much time was dedicated to following that it grew to become a god of a different magnitude itself.

Therefore, in sequence: the Elden Beast - or "Radagon" for simplicity - created Marika (with her basic characteristics copied and refined from a particular woman who did exist at some point - see Roderika for example). Radagon governed the Lands Between as Marika, for a time (see Mimic Tears, Marika's Mischief, etc for the mechanism, specifics are unimportant. Someday I'll release my queued post comparing Radagon and Loki), because a majority of the population needed to believe in Marika for her to become accepted as a god consort. Then priorities changed when Radagon realized that he liked being Marika more than being "himself", self-image began to crumble, and Radagon went to study at Liurnia how to be Marika permanently. Its all very transgender, although through a strange route that makes sense in the context of gods who do not conform to the grounded limitations of the real world.

To truely become Marika, Radagon had to be destroyed. Because being another person means not being Radagon. But in the end Marika needed to be shattered too, because she had been modelled on a Numen from outside the Lands Between and becoming her could not be anything more than shallow imitation (see Melina being used as kindling to burn the Erdtree as a metaphor for letting go of the dream maiden). So, the status of avatar of the Greater Will in the Lands Between was handed off to someone else, while the discarded shell of Radagon and Marika wait at the Erdtree to be put to rest by the Tarnished.

The revelation that "Marika is Radagon" from using Law of Regression on the statue led Goldmask to conclude that Marika should remain the Inner Order to Radagon's Outer Order. Not a persona to be worn outwardly, but something to be hidden. Jungian psuedopsychology concept of anima. The gods are no better than men. Corhyn either is or represents the monk who wanted to be a maiden so of course he's broken about it when Goldmask concludes that it is impossible and the Elden Ring should be put back exactly as it was (except now not able to be broken). It's a regression that undoes all of the progress that Radagon made studying in Liurnia where he had concluded that for the sake of becoming Marika the ring should be deconstructed and reformed into a new shape.

From a certain point of view, Radagon was at odds not with the original Marika, but with what the idea of Marika grew to become over time while he was the part of the personality that stagnated.

...and that was generally where the original response ended. But now there's DLC on the way that invites us into a dream world to learn about the origins of Marika. And there's Messmer all done up like what I'd expect from a younger Radagon. From what we know of the framing device he won't be - not literally - but this does seem to be circling around more Jungian ideas. Basically, the idea that the 'Shadow' is a part of the unconsciousness where repressed thoughts are shoved, and it is a place accessible to the anima/animus but not the persona. So, the past self of Radagon/Marika envisioned as one of their offspring and buried in the Shadowlands.

And with all the Madonna/pregnant woman imagery I have just this feeling of dread of having to untangle the Freudian pseudo-psychology mother complex stuff that's tied up in this theatrical recreation of Marika's origin.

But anyways this all is what I think about whenever Marika is called a bitch or a tyrant or etc. It's shadowboxing against an imaginary woman whose physical presence is never seen - Marika does not exist.

[qwerty-between-the-lines]

The rubble was probably very impressive, but, ever since Olympia, Leo had been on ancient ruins overload. He was so done with white marble columns.

He wanted to get back to the U.S., where the oldest buildings were the public schools and Ye Olde McDonald’s.

[demitheshine]

✨Plural culture is having so many god headmates and trying to act like it makes any sense that I'm atheistic/silly

[atlantic-riona]

big fan of things ending. for good, even.

[tiphyrow]

Day 13: That outfit looks cool in theory (actually turned out cuter than I thought it would lol)

I, like many other gays, went through a massive Percy Jackson/Greek myths phase. I had those giant Greek gods and heros books Rick Riordan put out and read each of them like 14 times (they told greek myths in the voice of Percy and I was obsessed). I shipped solangelo so hard dude. These types of cabin outfit pics were my JAM. Loved any godly parent personality quiz especially if it gave me an outfit I’d never wear. Always cheated my way into getting Athena or Artemis obvi. Big not-like-other-girls energy. Was 100% the girl in your class info dumping about Greek myths but getting the details a little wrong the whole time

I still hold a great fondness for the series but can’t say I interact with it much anymore. I love it though <33333

[meistoshim]

i played hades for only an hour yday but i am mentally glaring at my coworkers to get their shit together so we get to liepaja in a timely fashion so i can lock myself in amidst the heatwave & keep playing it

[doublyamusing]

You ever see those diagrams that are like here's the square, and around it, is what is a rectangle, a square is a square, but also a rectangle. That's what reading heroes of Olympus feels like.

[nicegaai]

i need to write a series of mundane canonverse oneshots about random people interacting with nations. i have so many thoughts i love you canonverse........................................ (mini plot under cut)

new guy at the (insert country) nation rep office has a prior academic interest in nations and is starstruck to meet his own country. the first time he runs into the nation, its in the hallway and they say some like "yeah welcome to the office. hope youll like it here." and then rushes some vaguely cryptic sounding "well i need to go now" (or maybe new guy is just reading into it a lot). and walks away around a corner and the guy walks after him and turns and. he just isnt there. this guy is like holy shit he vanished. this is one of those uncanny inhuman abilities. so cool. how mysterious ... and then 10 minutes later they run into each other again. and the guy is like. whoa...i thought he'd left, teleported across the land or something. and works up the confidence to ask if he went far? and (nation) is like what. no. sorry i didnt stay to talk longer i was on my 3rd cup of coffee today and about to shit myself. i ran to the bathroom.

i like to think this guy takes a long time to get used to being around a nonhuman but after maybe a year has figured out how to treat him like a normal guy. and they become proper colleagues and get along and go drinking after work w some other ppl in the office

[finalgirlmoment]

Noteworthy details about the first two PJOTV episodes (spoilers)

First of all, every single of them ATE DOWN. just wanted to throw that out there, i'm so so impressed with the cast, everyone was perfect and gorgeous and i'm completely sat for any and all future installments. A fine piece of media. Let's begin.

Percy's confusion and bewilderment finding out that he's a demigod. "You fell in love with God.... like, Jesus????" LMFAO but seriously his frustration in this moment, thinking there's something actually wrong with his brain, feeling lost and confused and hurt and BROKEN. the struggle in that moment is so relatable to people discovering they have some sort of mental illness or neurodivergence, especially when they weren't believed/listened to etc and i think walker played this part beautifully

GROVER AND PERCY PLAYING MYTHOMAGIC TOGETHER. GROVER AND PERCY PLAYING MYTHOMAGIC TO TRAIN PERCY. I AM LITERALLY SCREAMING OFF ROOFTOPS THE IMPLICATIONS THAT THIS HAS???? ARE YOU ACTUALLY JOKING??????? IMAGINE SEASON 3 PERCY FINDS NICO AND THEY HAVE THIS IN COMMON???????????!?!?!?!?!? FEELING SEVERELY FRANTIC AND MASSIVELY UNWELL ABOUT THIS

luke's empathy towards Percy throughout-- his apologies for what happened to his mother at the bottom of Half Blood Hill, him telling P that he relates to the nightmares, the restlessness, the ADHD..... so fucking sick and fucking twisted, I will be sobbing at the ending, gorgeous job on both ends on making this relationship feel very warm and authentic and the trust starting to build. this will H U R T.

CLARISSE. she's so gorgeous and vindictive. Her beauty took me off guard initially, but she's such a spiteful little badass that I completely fell in love with her. I CANNOT WAIT to see more of her characterization, especially into season two. perfection.

Percy burning the blue jelly beans- the thing he'd miss most- out in the middle of the woods at night in a damn can, just to pray to his MOTHER. *sobbing intensifies* i couldn't ask for a more sweet, heartfelt, honest moment. the perfect addition. 10s across the board

Percy's ANGER. OH BOY this was one of my most favorite parts. I feel like we see Percy as a very happy-go-lucky kid altogether but I loved, LOVED to see his frustration and agitation from the very beginning. Everything is so confusing and foreign and all he knows is that 1. he's been betrayed or left behind by everyone he knows and 2. he's been ignored his whole life by his godly parent. His mission is to MAKE HIS DAD SEE PERCY, at ANY COST. Before he even knows who his dad is. He is entitled to feel ALL of this anger and hurt and resentment!!!!!!!

Annabeth calling Percy "sunshine". TOTAL CULTURAL RESET. I gasped. The dawn of a new age of Percabeth. I will be screaming into my pillow about this for the foreseeable future.

The entire characterization of Percy throughout the capture the flag scene. His contrast of being just a kid- flossing (lol), peeing the woods, petting a gecko, just vibing and hanging out VS. being thrown suddenly into attack from his peers that don't care about the rules, surprising himself and everyone around him with his finesse in battle, quick instincts, swordsmanship..... i'm weak fr. I can't wait to see him grow, train, become stronger and more confident.

Overall, I'm entirely floored and beyond happy. I can't wait to see more. 10/10