#eidyia

[grondds-and-roses]

Eid tiktok, you are always going to be iconic

[feathersnek]

May I introduce her majesty, Haze Cesario Idafield

The sincere ruler of humanity's last remaining safe-haven, the kingdom of Neo-Eidyia.

Our fearless leader in Tales of the Rays new arc: Recollection. It would be my pleasure to tell you more about her. At least that we know of so far in our 3 short chapters.

On the surface:

Haze is a truly kindhearted ruler who wants nothing more than the destruction of the wraiths that brought mankind to its current desperate state. She strives to understand, bring happiness to, and deliver salvation to her people. She loves her people dearly and bears her weight as ruler with diligence.

Once you get to know her more personally you will find her to be not only earnest and caring, but also somewhat oblivious to simpler aspects of life that only commoners know of. She approaches such new things in a very headstrong manner that sometimes leads her to actions quite unexpected of her royal status.

But Haze has more to her than this. Let's delve deeper under the cut:

Haze leads not only her country and her army but also research on the wraiths and how to eradicate them once and for all. During said research, generations ago, she one day ceased to age. She knows not how or why, but views it as god's will for her to wipe out the wraiths. As such, she has lived for many lifetimes now, and her desire to save her people grows each passing day. To her, all of her citizens are like her beloved children.

Immortality has its side effects. Haze's memory is decidedly too full. She must focus intently to remember things at times, even if they happened just yesterday. It's unknown just how deeply this affects her besides momentary times of heavy thought to recall the past.

Haze is also very fond of open affection and contact. She is not shy about stating her love for her people or her friends. Neither will she hesitate to give headpats or hugs. She is confused when others get embarrassed by her doting on them in these ways, but notes when she has made someone uncomfortable and tries to give them space.

Haze has long lived to see wraiths' blight upon mankind erased.

Her constant years of research and battle are about to pay off, though in ways entirely unexpected...

[geneticshuffle]

Eidyia and Bangles, Olivvy’s parents

[sailornilsdraws]

Fantroll talksprites! We got Aluula, Eidyia ( @winterdusted ) Elrana ( @echos-bizarre-adventure ) and Krosix!

[fantroll-purgatory]

Eidyia Ethrae - didn't meme to hurt your feelings

@maeve-avrae

Alternia or Beforus?

Beforus. I have an alternian descendant (nurse, sylph of rage) and ancestor (alternate adult self) for this character as well. I might send them in at a later date? 

Name: Eidyia Ethrae 

“Eidyia’s name was derived from the Greek word eidô meaning “to see” or “to know.” She probably personified the power of the eye which in Greek superstition was the source of a witch’s supernatural powers. As an Okeanid-nymph she was presumably also the Naiad of the main well or fountain of Kolkhis–the marriage of founding-king and local Naiad is a common motif in Greek myth.“

Ethraee is a lesser deity from D&D, with control over both the sun and the moon. It seemed fitting, because she’s struggling to find a balance between her daytime and nighttime activities, or sun and moon. It’s also a nod to her interest in flarping. 

Hm… Why do you have her named after an Oceanid if she’s a landdweller? I guess if you themed her around witches or something of that sort it could work… Hmmmm. …You know what, with her umbrella and her look and her rage theme and that witch name, I might want to make her like a… more chaotic-neutral Mary Poppins? Not that Mary Poppins isn’t chaotic but I’m sure you get what I mean. …Hm. 

Okay okay Eidyia Etharee stays.

Age: approaching maturity/ adult depending on the setting.

Title: mage of rage or seer of rage, not exactly sure on this one yet 

Witch of Rage, because she actively attempts to change the rage-state of people. It makes her a more chaotic element. She’s able to manipulate and change the negative emotions experienced… her inverse is seer of hope, which means through other mediums she can come to understand the nature of optimism around her…. 

Blood color: jade, but I’ve been thinking of making her a cuspblood with olive, because when she’s being mischievous she takes on some more feline-like personality traits. 

Being a cusp would make her a mutant/might knock her out of the jade range, realistically. Honestly if I was going to bump her anywhere outside of Jade, I’d actually bump her to Teal. …She might even make a pretty good purple. I guess we’ll keep addressing that possibility as we go! 

Symbol and meaning:

viricorn, sign of the lethal. I like how this one looks like a heart; it captures her emphatic nature. ‘’the lethal’’ captures her more sadistic nature. Plus it’s also a rage sign!

If you were to bump her to purple, her sign would be Capricorn, which isn’t necessarily ideal… Hmmm.

Dream Planet: Prospit 

I do think this is fitting for her. She seems capricious and likely to let her feelings at the moment control how she engages with other people. She also doesn’t seem like the kind to fixate on the past/future, but to live in the moment, and to be adaptive… So, yes. Good.

Trolltag: attentionAsunder , curiousCantrip, compellingCatnap, calescentCruisader 

I have several ideas, but haven’t been able to decide yet. I like alliteration though, like you might be able to tell lol.

If you don’t mind breaking the GCAT rule, how about diurnalDragoon, referencing her ability to walk around in the daytime. Dragoon references kind of a goading nature, her trying to bait people into being mad. 

Quirk: no clue yet, but she likes using complicated words to sound smart and elegant.maybe also something pun-based because of her mischievous nature?

As a reference to the Mary Poppins thing I said earlier, I’d kind of like the idea of her having a habit of rhyming/turning things into little songs, as well as having a habit of making up her own complicated words and portmanteaus for funsies.  

Fetch Modus: Haven’t thought of this yet ;@_@

Suoicodilaipxecitsiligarfilacrepus Modus. Or more reasonably, Reverse Modus. She has to figure out how to say the name of an object backwards in order to access it. That’s easy for something like a Hat (Tah), but not quite as much for something like a Chimney Brush (Hsurb Yenmihc). 

Special Abilities (if any): sunlight resistance, and can sense emotions. She gets better at sensing small changes in someone’s disposition if she’s close (both physically and emotionally) to the person she is trying to read.  She’s better at sensing negative emotions like anger, discomfort, frustration and pain.

I do like that even if I still have a problem with Jades being given additional abilities… hrm… I guess being an empath is something that can happen naturally anyways. A purple could have a stronger sense of this, probably, and maybe even be able to manipulate emotions a little bit.

Strife Specibus: parasolkind 

However resistant to sunlight she may be, some protection from the deadly lazer is more than welcome. When in a pinch, it makes for a decent clobbering tool too!

If you theoretically moved her away from jade up to purple, this parasol would be slightly more necessary.

Lusus: (spiny flower) mantis, with antennae shaped like a deer’s antlers

Since mantis are known for killing their spouse I thought it would make a fitting connection with the ’‘lethal” title. Their claws are sharp and dangerous, but at the same time they are patient and calm creatures.

Other animals I considered were a musk deer, because it is also known as the vampire deer for its iconic fangs, and a saber tooth tiger to connect her more to cats for the cuspblood route.

The mantis probably works well for either her being a jade. If I DID make her purple, I might recommend a leech, cue me preemptively referencing your emotional vampire joke.

Personality: She’s kind of a scatterbrain! She thinks a lot, and tends to forget what she’s doing because she gets so lost in her thoughts. She’s very calm, collected and easygoing, but tends to isolate herself. Knowing what others are feeling gets quite overwhelming at times, so she really values her private time.

She also has a colder, more analytical and manipulative side, because she knows just how to press someone’s buttons. She finds it interesting to see how people react to her teasing, and likes to joke around. So instead of a rainbowdrinker like jades are known for I guess you could describe her as more of a social/emotional vampire! She cares more about her appearance than she would like to admit, having a lowkey gothic/ aristocratic aesthetic, and tends to be quite flirty with her quadrants. 

She’s also very dutiful, and doesn’t like asking for help. She takes her tasks in the brooding caverns very seriously, even if she’s not actually fond of the job. She would rather over-exert herself than deliver bad work. She would probably be more interested in a counseling or mediation kind of job rather than that of a caretaker. 

Her being easygoing and dutiful to the point of over-exertion might be a bit of a contradiction? I think if you want to have both coexist you’ll have to have it be that she’s very committed to doing a good job and thinks it’s necessary, but that she doesn’t beat herself up over any mistakes and knows that no one can do Everything. It fits better with her tendency to neglect her sleep in favor of strolling around, too. If she were so strictly concerned with her work, she probably would take more steps to avoid something that could disrupt her work capabilities? 

I do like the idea of her being somewhat manipulative. An empath but not a sympath. Maybe have her struggle to genuinely care about people. She’s capable of recognizing emotions, but feeling sympathy is something she just doesn’t have enough practice in. 

Definitely have her be the type that just kind of breezes in and out as she pleases, who is fine just walking up to someone she barely knows and messing with them and then continuing on her way. And maybe make her not mind the idea of draining the people around her, to make your emotional vampire joke connect more? 

Her mischievous and chaotic nature as well as her commitment to doing a good job is what made me consider her being purple. And if you wanted her to still be in charge of a bunch of little ones, maybe she could be a Clown Church Wriggler Nanny. 

Interests: She likes taking strolls in the sunlight, but often neglects her sleep schedule in favor of this interest. As a result she often oversleeps, and is often tired. She likes indulging in creative hobbies like character creation, writing stories, and casual flarping. Her job gets priority though! 

Might I recommend her also being into a little song and dance? Catch this girl humming and twirling around while working.

Land: The land of Thorns and Fervor (LOTAF)

Thorns and all sorts of spiky protrusions block your path at every step. They seem to pop up out of nowhere, but disappear just as easily. The landscape, aside from the thriving thickets of thorny bushes, is barren. There is black sand and rock everywhere, with some cacti and small flowers sprinkled in here and there.

The rock faces are decorated with intricate designs, and hold deep caves within. You presume them to be the remains of a long gone civilization. Speaking of civilization, this planet is not completely deserted yet. You can spot a small village on the horizon. You know it to be the home of the vipers, as you’ve been to one of their settlements before. Some of them seem to hold you in high regard for some reason.

The viper houses are made from rock, making you wonder how they could have possibly constructed the dens themselves, seeing as they don’t have arms. You feel sorry for them. The houses are equipped with metal rods on top of the roofs to harness power from the frequent lightning storms that plague the region. 

Despite the fact that it storms regularly there is little to no water. All the rain from the storms evaporates before it has the chance to touch the ground. Most of the water you will find here is gathered in fruit, or wells. (Or, you know, those thunderheads looming over your head.) The biggest settlement in this thorny desert houses a ginormous well. The snakes treat it as a sacred oasis, and it is said to be the home of The denizen Apophis, Egyptian god of chaos.

This planet description is GREAT. I love the idea and concept behind it… I presume that she’s gotta get down there in that well to fight Apophis and also try to bring hope back to the tiny little viper settlements? Good, good stuff.

Thank you so much in advance for taking the time to read this! I would appreciate any and all input!

Thank me? Thank YOU! I love her a whole lot. Now let’s do some design!:

JADE:

Horns: I edited the horn to involve a hook. That’s about all. 

Hair: I decided to keep it relatively flat and smooth. I liked the style she had going, just had to give it more volume. 

Face: Would you believe that those eyes were Nepeta’s when I started? I tried to utilize the shape you provided. I also had to give her the defined lips typical of all jades (though I kept it with the purple too because it looked good). 

Jacket: I gave her a flared jacket like Mary Poppins, along with the buttons and red bowtie. 

Legs: I kept the broomstick skirt and some heels from fan-troll. 

PURPLE: 

Horns: I gave her some simple horns to reflect the symbol I provided. 

Makeup: I gave her grease paint that looks a bit like chimney soot smeared on her cheeks. 

Jacket: I dotted the jacket with lots of little grey spots. 

Symbol: It’s meant to look like a heart, too, but keeps the purple sign language. 

Thank you for sharing her! She’s really interesting. 

-CD

[raikoohaven]

@ask-alphamon

(Off char I can’t help but see this in our RP right now with Virus! Jesmon and Eidyia. XD )

[lhyvra]

[eucanthos]

Medea: The Magical Woman Since Antiquity

_

Photo: Maria Callas (US-GR, 1923-1977) in Medea (1969) by Pier Paolo Pasolini (IT, 1922-1975)

Medea in the Greek mind is not human but a grandchild of the god Helios and daughter of King Aeëtes and his nymph-wife Eidyia: Hesiod in his Theogony (956-7) writes that Aeëtes and his sister Circe were born to Helios by the ocean nymph Pereis and that Eidyia is the child of the ‘god Ocean’. Additionally, Medea is a witch, a female practitioner of magic, who could not only turn old men young but also cunningly dispatch her enemies.

Medea will always be the horrific Medea. However, it must be remembered that all of the texts and artwork, ancient and modern, are the creation of men. It is men who craft the character of Medea and it is men that then set the model that is used when working with the myth...

Pindar (Pythian 4.211-9) attributes the love of Medea for Jason to Aphrodite, who teaches the hero spells and incantations that he then uses to bewitch Medea into turning herself against her father and homeland, and to showing Jason how to get the Golden Fleece. Glimpses into the character of Medea appear in the Kolchides, in which scholars speculate Medea killed her brother Apsyrtus. We also read of this fratricide in the literary work that probably has had the greatest Nachleben, Euripides’ Medea, where we hear Jason say:

A great curse / you were even then, betrayer of your father and of the land that / nourished you. But the gods have visited on me the avenging spirit / meant for you. For you killed your / own brother at the hearth and then stepped aboard the fair-prowed Argo. It was with acts like these that you began. (1334-6)

It seems that Medea had a reputation for killing small children even before she committed that act of killing her own children. This act labelled her as a terrible being, whom one would not cross without suffering dire consequences. From accounts such as these come the “accepted” characterisation of Medea as a child-destroyer and the modern, filmic representations of Medea.

This view of Medea has a deep and far-ranging influence. For example, Nina Billone has written on the work of Rhodessa Jones and Sean Reynolds, who have directed since 2009 the “Medea Project: Theater for Incarcerated Women.” The goal of the project is to guide the:

Incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women to turn stories on their heads, and in so doing to place themselves at the centre of cultural and political narratives… By staging mythical journeys through multiple underworlds, the group works to transform such concepts as death, descent, violence, and loss into life, love, power, and hope. The company’s work is founded on the belief that when women tell their stories on the public stage, they are empowered to change – even to save – their lives.

This noble initiative – that is meant to rehabilitate and restore lives broken by crime – turns the “ideology of the prison on its head” and also reinterprets Medea as a source of a possible change to a better life. This is something that was denied to Medea by her own actions, which she may or may not have been forced to perform.

Full text by Dr. Edmund Cueva:

https://framescinemajournal.com/article/medea-the-magical-woman-since-antiquity/

[hekateanwitchcraft]

An Introduction to Worshipping Medeia

As a Hellenic witch, the worship of Medeia is an important part of my practice. She was a witch and priestess of Hekate, possessing nearly unparalleled knowledge of magic and poisons. I wanted to write this post to give some background on who Medeia is, her role as a witch and a priestess, and how I have come to honor her in my practice.

Who is Medeia?

Parentage

Medeia (Μήδεια) is given mainly two parentages, either Aeetes, son of Helios, and Eidyia, daughter of Oceanus, or Hekate and Aeetes. Hesiod offers us a description of the first, writing:

“To the tireless Sun the renowned Oceanid Perseïs bore Circe and King Aeetes. Aeetes, son of the Sun who makes light for mortals, married by the gods’ design another daughter of Oceanus the unending river, fair-cheeked Idyia; and she bore him the trim-ankled Medea, surrendering in intimacy through golden Aphrodite” (Hesiod 31)

Alternatively, Diodorus names Hekate and Aeetes as her parents, explaining:

“Perses had a daughter, Hecate, and she excelled her father in her brazen lawlessness...She was a keen contriver of mixtures of deadly drugs [pharmaka], and she discovered the so-called aconite. She tested the powers of each drug by mixing it into the food given to strangers...After this she married Aeetes and gave birth to two daughters, Circe and Medea, and also a son Aigialeus” (qtd. in Ogden 78)

Either of these parentages could make sense, but I personally observe the first.

(Art: Medea by Frederick Sandys)

Medeia as the Witch Priestess of Hekate

One of Medeia’s most important roles in literature and myth is that she is a priestess of Hekate and a witch, being called “Medea of the many spells” (Apollonius of Rhodes 109). In most literature there is no way to separate these roles. 

She was extremely devoted to Hekate, Apollonius of Rhodes stating that “as a rule she did not spend her time at home, but was busy all day in the temple of Hecate, of whom she was priestess” (116). Euripides also writes that Medea says “I swear it by her, my mistress, whom most I honor and have chosen as partner, Hecate, who dwells in the recesses of my hearth” (Euripides 13). Clearly, the relationship between her and Hekate was very close, and it was said on occasion that she even learned magic from Hekate, Herself. Apollonius of Rhodes writes that “[t]here is a girl living in Aeetes’ palace whom the goddess Hecate has taught to handle with extraordinary skill all the magic herbs that grow on dry land or in running water” (123). Diodorus also claims this, but adds an interesting addendum that attributes to the character of Medeia:

“They report that Medea learned all the powers of drugs from her mother [Hekate] and her sister [Kirke], but her own inclination was the opposite. For she continually saved the strangers that put in from dangers” (qtd. in Ogden 79)

(Art: Medea the Sorceress by Valentine Cameron Prinsep)

Regardless of the origins of her powers, they were no doubt incredible. Apollonius of Rhodes explains that “she can put out a raging fire, she can stop rivers as they roar in spate, arrest a star, and check the movement of the sacred moon” (123). In one instance Apollonius states that “the beautiful Medea spell through the palace, and for her the very doors responding to her hasty incantations swung open of their own accord...From there she meant to reach the temple. She knew the road well enough, having often roamed in that direction searching for corpses and noxious roots, as witches do” (148). This is clearly an indicator that her powers are incredible, but what is even more awe-inspiring is what Apollonius says happens next:

“Rising from the distant east, the Lady Moon [Selene], Titanian goddess, saw the girl wandering distraught, and in wicked glee said to herself: ’So I am not the only one to go astray for love, I that burn for beautiful Endymion and seek him in the Latmian cave. How many times, when I was bent on love, have you disorbed me with your incantations, making the night moonless so that you may practice your beloved witchcraft undisturbed!” (148).

Medeia is said to be able to actually banish the moon Herself from the sky, an unimaginable feat. This is indicative of the degree of power she possesses, having sway over nature itself.

She is most known to have used her knowledge and powers repeatedly to help Jason, her husband, on his quest for the Golden Fleece. The first instance of this was that she made Jason an ointment which would make him invincible. Apollonius describes this in length, writing that:

“She had twelve maids, young as herself and all unmarried...She called them now and told them to yoke the mules to her carriage at once, as she wished them to drive to the spending Temple of Hecate; and while they were getting the carriage ready she took a magic ointment form her box. This salve was named after Prometheus. A man had only to smear it on his body, after procreating the only-begotten Maiden [Hekate] with a midnight offering, to become invulnerable by sword or fire” (131-2)

He continues, detailing the ritual of how she obtained the plant she used to make this ointment:

“Medea, clothed in black, in the gloom of night, had drawn off this juice in a Caspian shell after bathing in seven perennial streams and calling seven times on Brimo, nurse of youth, Brimo, night-wanderer of the underworld, Queen of the dead. The dark earth shook and rumbled underneath the Titan root when it was cute, and Prometheus himself groaned in the anguish of his soul” (132). 

Here we see a process that is depicted often, the bathing of Medeia and her ritualistic harvesting of herbs. We also see her here call on Brimo (Βριμω), an epithet of Hekate, in Her role as nurse of the young (Kourotrophos/Κουροτρόφος), night-wanderer (Νυκτιπολος/Nyktipolos), of the Underworld (Χθονιη/Kthonia), and Queen of the Dead (Ανασσα ενεροι/Anassa Eneroi), indicating the importance of Hekate to her witchcraft. 

(Art: Jason and Medea by John William Waterhouse)

A similar harvesting of herbs and roots is seen in fragments of Sophocles’ play The Root-Cutters. What we have of the play states that “She [Medea] covers her eyes with her hand and collects up the white-clouded juice that drips from the cut in bronze jars...the covered chests conceal the roots, which this woman reaped, naked, with bronze sickles, while crying out and howling” (qtd. in Ogden 83). Hekate is then said to be “crowned with oak branches and snakes” (qtd. in Ogden 83). Then the women chant “Lord of the sun and holy fire [Helios], sword of Hecate of the roads, which she carries over Olympus as she attends and as she traverses the sacred crossroads of the land, crowned with oak and the woven coils of snakes, falling on her shoulders” (qtd. in Ogden 83). In this short but incredible fragment we see that Medeia calls on both Hekate and Helios, her grandfather, to bless their ritual. We also see a repeat of incantations to harvest magical herbs, and an introduction of her association with bronze. 

Another one of Medea’s feats was charming the snake that guarded the Golden Fleece into a slumber. In the Argonautica, Apollonius of Rhodes writes:

“The monster in his sheath of horny scares rolled forward his interminable coils, like the eddies of black smoke that spring from smoldering logs...But as he writhed he saw the maiden take her stand, and heard her in sweet voices invoking Sleep [Hypnos], the conqueror of the gods, to charm him. She also called on the night-wandering queen of the world below [Hekate] to countenance her efforts...the giant snake, enchanted by her song, was soon relaxing the whole length of his serrated spine and smoothing out his multitudinous undulations...Yet his grim head still hovered over them and the cruel jaws threatened to snap them up. But Medea, chanting a spell, dipped a fresh sprig of juniper in her brew and sprinkled his eyes with her most potent drugs and as the all-pervading magic scent spread around his head, sleep fell on him.” (150-1). 

(Medea and the Dragon by Maxwell Ashby Armfield)

She was also said to have killed the giant Talos, a gift given to Zeus from Hephaistos, with her witchcraft, specifically the Evil Eye. In this more horrifying passage, it is said that:

“[W]ith incantations, she invoked the Sprits of Death [Keres], the swift hounds of Hades who feed on souls and haunt the lower air to pounce on living men. She sank to her knees and called upon them three times in song, three times with spoken prayers. She steeled herself with their malignity and bewitched the eyes of Talos with the evil in her own. She flung at him the full force of her malevolence, and in an ecstasy of rage she plied him with images of death” (Apollonius of Rhodes 192). 

In this passage, she calls on the Keres, and with them is able to use the evil eye to bring immediate death to a direct creation of the gods. This is a horrifying feat, not only for the power it must require, but for her ability to kill in an instant. 

Finally, she also is said to have rejuvenated Jason’s father Aeson. In Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Jason pleads with Medea to take years of his own life to give more to his father, but she rejects him saying that Hekate will not allow such a thing to take place. Instead, she offers that through her witchcraft, instead, if Hekate is willing to help her, she may rejuvenate him. Under the full moon, Medeia performs the ritual. She calls on Hekate, Night, the Moon, and Helios to aid her in her task (126-7). A chariot drawn by dragons appears to her and she takes it to gather herbs harvested with her bronze scythe. After nine days and nights, she returns to Jason to perform the ritual. The ritual is extensive and is essentially repeated in full. She builds two altars, one to Hecate and one to Hebe. She also digs two ditches on sacrifices a black sheep into the ditches, also pouring wine and milk into them. She also calls on the “deities of the earth” which may mean deities of the land or chthonic deities, and Hades. Once she appeases these gods and goddesses, she spells Aeson to sleep on a bed of herbs and tells Jason to leave her to perform her magic. She then dips sticks into pools of blood and lights them with the flames on the altars, then purifying the man once with fire, three times with water, and three times with sulfur. 

She then adds many herbs, roots, and flowers to her bronze cauldron as well as “hoar frost gathered under the full moon, the wings of the uncanny screech owl with the flesh as well, and the entrails of a werewolf which has the power of changing its wild-beast features into a man’s. There also in the pot is the scaly skin of a slender Cinyphian water-snake, the liver of a long-lived stag, to which she also adds eggs and the head of a crow nine generations old” (Ovid 129). Then, she slits the throat of Aeson and replaced his blood with her potion, finally rejuvenating him. 

There is more descriptions of Medeia’s magical feats throughout literature, but these are simply some of the most detailed and famous. She is clearly a very powerful witch and a significant figure within the history of Hekate worship. With her bronze cauldron and chariot of dragons, she is quite awe-inspiring.

(Art: The Sorceress by R. Willis Maddox)

Medeia’s Character

One of the issues we run into with Medeia’s mythos is her defamation and portrayal as a child-murdering and vengeful woman. She is indeed vengeful against Jason, and rightfully so, for he bade her to leave her homeland, murder her brother, and constantly had her aid him with her witchcraft, only to abandon her for another. However, Euripides’ tale of her brutally murdering her children has some criticisms from scholars who note that there are other versions of the tale. 

One such tale is that from Apollodorus who writes that “Another tradition is that on her flight she left behind her children, who were still infants, setting them as suppliants on the altar of Hera of the Height; but the Corinthians removed them and wounded them to death” (1.9.28). In the modern era, a scholar named Sarah Illes Johnston, author of Restless Dead and Hekate Soteira, also writes that Medea prays to Hera Akraia to make her children immortal, and Hera either declines or breaks her promise to fulfill this task, leaving the children to die (62-3). Johnston denies the implication of Medea in her children’s death, instead attributing it to circumstances outside her control or by the hand of another.

These different tellings of Medeia’s story fits with the Colchian princess who aids Jason in a much more believable way than the suddenly spiteful women who murders her children. This variation is less popular, the other being popularized perhaps to demonize magic and women of power.

(Art: Medea by Eve De Morgan)

Worshipping Medeia

Now that Medeia’s character and mythological status has been discussed, I think it’s important to talk about how I actually go about worshipping Medeia. I worship Medeia in both divine and ancestral ways, which I suppose could be attributed to methods of hero worship in Ancient Greece. Worshipping Medeia can be done alongside Hekate and/or Helios, as well as alongside Kirke. If you observe the Mighty Dead or Witch Ancestors, she could also be worshipped alongside them.

Offerings

Offerings for Medeia can include wine, frankincense, milk, honey, food, poisons, sacred plants, bronze artifacts, candles, snake parts or figurines and dragon figurines, artifacts of witchcraft, and even Hekate iconography. One could also offer her blood, but that is up to your personal discretion. 

Names and Epithets

Names/epithets I call Medeia include ‘Of the Many Spells,’ ‘Vengeful Maiden,’ ‘Witch Priestess of Hekate,’ ‘Medea of Poisons,’ ’She Who Knows All Herbs,’ ‘Giant-Slayer,’ one that could also be said of Hekate, ‘Princess of Colchis,’ ‘Granddaughter of Helios,’ ’Daughter of Sun and Moon,’ one I use to indicate her relationship to Helios and her devotion to Hekate, and Medea Pharmakeia, or Medeia of Witchcraft/Magic. 

Sacred Objects

Sacred plants of Medeia could include any poisons, juniper, olive, and aconite specifically. Sacred animals include dragons and snakes. Bronze is also sacred to Medea, as are cauldrons of any kind. 

Specializations

Medeia can be called upon for justice and vengeance, especially for spells of justice and vengeance, witchcraft of any kind, to bless herbs, for gardening, for aid in Hekate worship, for the downfall of your enemies, for protection from harm, for protection from snakes, and for guidance in magic.

Prayers to Medeia

Prayer for Medea’s Aid in Witchcraft

Prayer to Medea for Vengeance

Conclusion

In conclusion, while Medeia may not be a part of the usual canon of hero worship, or worship in general, if you are a devotee of Hekate or Helios, worshipping Medeia might be right for you. Likewise, any witch who observes the Hellenic pantheon should give serious thought to venerating Medeia in their practice. 

Works Cited:

Medea by Euripides

Magic, Witchcraft, and Ghosts in the Ancient Greek and Roman Worlds by Daniel Ogden

The Voyage of Argo by Apollonius of Rhodes

Theogony by Hesiod

The Library by Apollodorus

The Metamorphoses by Ovid

“Corinthian Medea and the Cult of Hera Akraia” by Sarah Illes Johnston

(Art: Medea Casting Spells by Henry Ferguson)

[bloodyxshores]

── IN THE NAME OF THE MOTHER the high council is prepared to welcome Medea “Mads” Eidyia (she/her) to the harvest. however, in myth they were once known as Medea, Princess of Colchis, as a Godyr. we might have mistaken them as Olivia Munn. appearances may be deceiving, with immortality being so common among supernatural community. this being has walked the earth for 3,320 years, and their face reflects an age of 40. as we prepare for the harvest they have found refuge in Fellcrest and are noted as a resident. they’re known for being an apothecary owner.

Profile

TW: murder, violence, poison, child death, dismemberment

Princess of Colchis, The Lioness, Bride of Jason, former Queen of Athens, Protector of the Colchian Throne, Barbarian Sorceress, and murderer of family and kings alike. Born to an Oceanid nymph and King Aeetes, granddaughter of the sun god Helios and niece of the sorceress Circe--it was no wonder that Medea would be destined for fame and magical prowess, but only the Fates might have predicted what a heavy hand the gods would play in making her the infamous ‘woman most loathsome’.

Jason, son of Aeson and rightful heir of Iolus, sought to take the throne from King Pelias, and so he embarked with the Argonauts on his famed quest for the golden fleece. His journey brought him to Colchis, where King Aeetes refused to give him the fleece unless he performed a series of impossible tasks. Having earned the favor of Hera, Jason was able to enlist the help of Aphrodite and Eros to bewitch Medea into an irrevocable love and devotion to Jason. With her guidance and knowledge, Jason was able to acquire the fleece and flee from Colchis with Medea in tow to ensure safe passage.

King Aeetes sent the Colchian fleet to pursue the fleece and his traitorous daughter, but Medea was compelled to outsmart them once more. She advised Jason to let her brother’s ship catch up to the Argo, allowing Apsyrtus to board. Medea then sliced her brother into pieces and threw the pieces into the sea, forcing Aeetes and his men to gather the remnants of Apsyrtus so that he might have a proper burial. The Argo then continued the long journey back to Iolcus, stopping by the island of Aeaea so that Circe could absolve them of the murder of Apsyrtus and regain the favor of the gods.

Jason and Medea were then married and returned to Iolcus to bring the golden fleece to Pelias, who had no intentions of relinquishing the throne to Jason. However, Pelias had made enemies of the gods, and so Medea’s fabricated love for Jason was weaponized once more. Medea convinced the daughters of Pelias that she could restore their father’s youth, cutting up an elderly sheep and placing it into a cauldron where she was able to use her sorcery to turn the sheep into a young lamb. Amazed by this sorcery, Pelias’ daughters murdered their father, cutting him into pieces and placing them into a cauldron under the impression that Medea would bring their father back to life, younger and more powerful than ever. However, Medea’s plan to see her husband take the throne was thwarted when Pelias’ son Acastus succeeded the throne instead and exiled Jason and Medea from Iolcus.

The pair fled to Corinth, where Medea bore Jason two sons--Mermerus and Pheres. However, Medea was a foreigner and thus her presence was not warmly welcomed in Corinth, and it was not long before Jason strayed to better his status. Jason became engaged to the daughter of King Creon, the princess of Corinth, claiming that it would make all of their lives more prosperous. Medea would not accept his excuses, professing that she had earned his respect and her place by his side after all she had done. Jason then trivialized her actions and devotion, attributing his success to the gods and sealing his own fate by the very weapon the gods had created for him.

In her anger, Medea enraged King Creon, who demanded both Medea and her children be banished from Corinth. Medea was able to buy herself time to develop a plan--one which came to her swiftly with the fortunate arrival of the traveling King Aegeus. King Aegeus of Athens had been desperately seeking a male heir. Taking pity on Medea in her devastation, Aegeus agreed to shelter Medea in exchange for her assistance with matters of his fertility. Aware of the violent choices she would soon make, Medea made Aegus swear an oath on the gods to protect her.

Medea knew she would not be allowed near the princess, as Creon himself feared her power, and so she sent her sons with gifts laced with the strongest poisons to bestow upon King Creon and the princess as a peace offering--a plight for the safety of her sons within the walls of Corinth if Medea herself fled in exile. The princess donned the gown and golden wreath delivered by the two boys, though her delight was short-lived. The poison worked rapidly, causing the princess to drop to the floor and foam at the mouth. She then burst into flames, flesh melting down to the bones, and Creon soon faced a similar fate as he attempted to put the fire out. 

Knowing her sons would no longer be safe in Corinth due to her violent actions, Medea decided there was only one way she could ensure the safety of her children from the people of Corinth and her final revenge on the man who had betrayed her. She murdered her own children, remaining in Corinth just long enough for Jason to see the aftermath of his betrayal before flying away with their corpses in a golden chariot pulled by two dragons, said to be a gift from her grandfather Helios. 

Medea retreated to Athens, where Aegeus was obligated to shelter her due to the oath he had sworn on the gods. However, Medea was true to her word and helped the King produce a male heir, carrying the child herself and shortly after marrying Aegeus to become Queen of Athens. Their son Medus would have been the only heir to the throne, but Medea soon discovered that Aegeus had fathered another son in his early travels--Theseus. 

Hoping to protect her son’s status as the next in line to succeed the throne, Medea attempted to get rid of Theseus before Aegeus realized the truth, sending him on what she had hoped to be an impossible quest (not unlike the one Pelias had sent Jason on to get the fleece). When that failed to deter him, Medea planned to use one of her poisons to get rid of him for good. However, Aegeus recognized Theseus’ sword as his own and thwarted Medea’s plan, banishing Medea and Medus from Athens.

Having nowhere in Greece left to turn, Medea returned to the very first home she had betrayed--Colchis. Once there, she learned that her father had lost the throne to his brother Perse due to his failure to return the golden fleece to its home. In a final act of revenge and familial loyalty, Medea used her sorcery to kill Perse, effectively restoring her father to the throne and ensuring that her son Medus would one day become king. Having come full circle, Medea was granted the gift of divine immortality from her grandfather Helios for restoring their family’s status.

The sorceress was infuriated by her newfound godyr status--her peace and happiness meddled with by the gods once more. Even death would not come to free her from their grasps, and so she was forced to become one of them. Medea remained by her family’s side for centuries, offering sorcery and guidance to the leaders of Colchis until the kingdom dissolved into the Persian Empire following the turn of the 6th century BC. After this, Medea took to the wind once more, traveling across Europe and Asia for decades at a time until her immortality could no longer remain inconspicuous. 

Often appearing under the guise of an apothecary owner, Medea has used her skills to finally acquire her life of peace and pleasure--lingering just beyond the reach and influence of others and avoiding matters of fate or the gods. Her tenure in Fellcrest marks one of the longest periods of time that she has stayed in one place for centuries, especially in a community surrounded by other immortals. While her apothecary keeps her afloat, she has also been known to make more illicit business agreements from time to time to keep her skills sharp and mind entertained.

[bekahdoesnerdshit]

Amnesia Campaign Notes!

HEY folks what’s up it’s me, back at it again, thinking I’m so funny and good at notetaking. Anyway, in honor of this campaign wrapping up, here’s the highlights from my campaign notes!! Split up by session, and with as little context as possible. Enjoy!

First session: “It’s so fucking hot” and “We’re beat to hell” GREAT start folks

“Holy shit I have a lot of gold and platinum”

Altar made of light wood, top stained w/ blood (oh, good)

OUCH my magic hurts (36 fucking ouchies)

Oh Zize’s gun talks

“(But I had to shit)” I GUESS i ran to the bathroom mid game???

A list of characteristics we noticed about Iris, including “sleepy”, followed by “our friend!”

Soul Coins????

That’s fucked

Oh god big fight w/ Iris

She sweared @ us :(

Amaunator Amulet

Fuck that guy

Our house is SO cute y’all

Family photo :)

sdfjsdjfhdjf and then Ecstasy shows up and my handwriting quickly goes to shit

Ecstasy

Oh god it’s happening

“hey angel” holy SHIT

oh god

oh my god

Next Session Title is “Session: I Get Laid”

“Oh shit she’s tall”

“Rainivere is me” kjsfsdkf uh YEAH bitch i’d hope we knew that at this point

Gift????? A bunch of diamonds???? 5000GP??????

Oh She Punched Zize

Oh cool E sold brain bits

Session Title: Okay I Didn’t Get Laid Last Session But! Second Time’s the Charm

Demon head (something something pussy blah blah blah)

(Ecstasy always gives demon head?)

jhfsjkdfhsdf “This isn’t related to anything but Ecstasy is still so fucking hot, just thought I’d make note of it”

Oh god we’re gonna talk about our feelings

Session Title: No Coochie :(

(Off screen coochie?)

Oh some birds!!!

......oh Big birds uh oh

COOL so we fucking die trying to teleport and then we end up in his bedroom. Great.

Zize put me on blast in front of EVERYONE thanks Zize!!!!

fsjdfs “Lent hits up her totally nice legit god”

About meeting Craving: “Slutty dress. Good for her!!!!”

“Hey!” Raini says, “maybe this is a bad idea?”

“Nah!” Everyone else replies, jumping in”

“You think some dumbshit river is gonna undo my Wish? Get FUCKED!”

Fight the? Hook? Stilt? Boys???

Then. Magic Mansion time! sexy sexy sexy

Give Cylthia and Yocheved memories back because I’m the best

Oh the town is made of skin and goop

cool cool cool very cool

Mystra! Bitch! What’s up! get her ass

Session Title: Raini Threatens to Nuke Hell. Oh No.

Aka! Somebody gave the wizard a Gun......

Followed by the first line of session notes: “Zize gives the wizard a gun”

We made a fucking black hole

And I almost died! 

BAD!!!

Session Title: Session: I get Laid-- Two!!

Sorc: Arvest (Dragonborn, stinky)

Restated again later on, for emphasis: “Sorc stinky”

My notes on Drow Town are as follows:

We’re immoral nasty boys => whore

Selfishness and paranoia > being cool and nice

Get paid or you’re a heretic

No context: “We fixed Lent! Thank god”

“This fucking sorc is undermining me I hate her so much bitch”

skjhfshkdfjshdf “Zier doesn’t know shit I hate him”

Also there’s cave shadows that took my strength

I hate them too

I apologized to my friends and they’re proud of me! ......disgusting

Session Title: Uh....We Might be Fucked

Session Title: We Fight a Kraken

First line of notes: Well, we do! It goes great

He has some friends. It’s fine. 

Cylthia almost dies? It’s also fine

Alright Octavia, you old purple weirdo. Square up

Session Title: Other Shit Happened But. Zaani.

Most important notes from last session:

All the fish babies are missing!!!!!

Cylthia and Iris are engaged!!!!!

Red can say fuck!!!!!

“Eidyia ’Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!’ OH I love him he’s the worst”

“Lent HATES him it’s so funny”

“Holy fucking altitude sickness batman” hello???

Bonk my head :(

jskhgkdjfg called Timeless a “store brand gilmore who runs a 7/11″ which seems a little mean

All Caps: L O R P U S

“Esk (Fuck you)”

“Shape the fuck up. Fuck you”

“Give us soldiers. Fuck you again”

“NO lich stuff”

“...................yet”

“Lent attacked me ahhhh >:(”

“OH I feel in a hole >:(”

“Nasty nasty glowing eel and friends”

“No magic bubble gets zize but like........okay.”

“Shoot shoot, bang bang, gun, etc. Blam”

Session Title: “Raini Chokes Out A Whale”

“The Goop Factory is WACK” which is just a very fun sentence to say out loud

“Sit there and die. Love, Raini”

Session Title: “Anti-Wizard Propaganda”

jkhgdkfjgdf “one guy peed on the floor that was pretty funny”

Follow up session title: “Wizard Rights......Restored”

“Uhhh nothing else important happened”

“Morgan killed my bird!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

“Tentacles and core, 120′ square room, abeast coochie in center. Avoid, please!”

“Raini becomes a support caster! ahaha”

Haste for the gunslinger! Haste for the paladin!!!!”

“Motherfucker killed my bird! Bastard”

“How about: bird two! Fire edition! FUCK you”

“Oh, what time is it? That’s right! Wish time”

[ask-alphamon]

Eidyia struggled towards the castle she spotted some distance ago, clutching her bleeding right arm as her flight path showed instability. Bruises and oily black liquid covered most of her body as she made it on the roof of the structure, crash-landing and letting her body lay in a wrecked heap, too exhausted to even flinch a fiber of muscle.

Only two knights had seen and hear Eidyia just as she crashed onto the roof of the castle, lucky for her the very structure she happened to land on belonged to the Royal Knights, and Jesmon, and well as Gankoomon, immediately made their way to the roof to help.

“Eidyia!? What happened!?”

[mermaidenmystic]

Eidyia by Emily Balivet                                     http://www.emilybalivet.com/emilybalivet.html

Artist note: A portrait of a Goddess in rich blues, greens and golds. In Greek mythology, Eidyia is an Oceanid, one of the three thousand daughters of the Titans, Oceanus and Tethys. Her name was derived from the Greek word eidô, "to see" or "know." In the familial sense she probably personified the magical power of the eye, which in Greek superstition was the source of the witch's supernatural power.

[blueblood]

Blue Blood VIP (NSFW) has just posted Eidyia on Cam

[puckliminal]

It was a couple of hours after Puck had heard Eidyia calling him and excused himself to Night Vale that he returned to his manor. He was brimming with nervous energy and completely unable to hide the eagerness in his grin as he came to find Allie. “Wonderful news!” he announced. “I’m going home!”

@historicallieaccurate

[nightvalelibrary]

Promise to Keep

Eidyia couldn’t hold it off any longer. She had to keep her word, especially now that she had her all memories back now. Pacing back and forth in the library, she finally made her decision.

Picking up the cipín she kept nearby at all times, she held it close, closing her eyes. “Puck...we need to talk.” She said, quietly. She waited, hoping the cipín would lead her true.

@puckliminal