Athena Parthenos

Mun Post: Tough Decision

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:43:30 GMT

Well, after a really, really long debate and much internal angsting, I've decided to retire Athena here. Or at least retire her from prompt writing. You may still see her around in random comments and posts, but really she seems to have run her course through my head.

If I feel like picking her up again, I will. I do love Athena very much and really enjoyed my time writing her. She may come back at some point, but for now she's going back to Olympus to hang out and enjoy retirement.

OOC: Better Late Than Never

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 21:12:05 GMT

♥THE RP LOVE MEME♥
V2 ELECTRIC BOOGALOO

Mind The Muse: Steady Rhythm

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:13:10 GMT

Tranquility

There’s a rhythm to weaving that is much like fighting. On the battlefield, the rhythm is much faster, more chaotic but it is there, making her heart pound with the force of an army. When she sits down at her loom and she begins the steady, patient work of treadles, slide the tread through, then release the treadle and push the tread into place with the beater. Then, she would start again, treadle, thread, release, beater. Over and over, the ancient floor loom clanking like a sword against a shield.

She had all sorts of looms, spinning wheels, and spindles. Her weaving room was one of the largest in her estate. If not for all the animals she had to care for, it would have been the room she spent the most time in. She gave this art to man, after all, starting with the simple hand looms, strung from trees and weighted to the ground. The principle in her floor loom – treadle, thread, release, beater – was essentially a refined version of that. Over the years, through her own tinkering and man’s own innovations her art had flourished.

Weaving was now more an industrial endeavor, mass produced and done by machines but there were places around the world where the fine art of hand weaving was still practiced. She loved to disguise herself and visit those people. There were so many things she could learn from the people who still practiced her art by hand, as she did. There were thread dying techniques, patterns and more efficient movements she did not know. She wanted to know, though. So she found small girls in remote villages and sat by the sides of grandmothers while they weaved and told stories. She watched aged fingers handle delicate, almost spider web thin strings with more confidence and art than she could ever manage. She tried, but she knew, those old women – and sometimes old men – would have more skill than she would ever manage.

Many in her family would fine the concept of mortals teaching a Goddess about the art she gave them ridiculous. She should be responsible for teaching them everything. There was a time when she had thought that way. No mortal should have been able to be better than a Goddess at anything. Yet, after so many lifetimes trying to restrain people, she realized it crippled the gift she gave mortals. The olive, her other gift, had spread across the world and become thousands of types and thousands of dishes. Yet, she had held weaving back from an arrogant need to be the best. Well, when she realized how foolish that was, she stopped and let man weave what they wished and how they wished.

And with the same timeless rhythm – treadle, thread, release, beater – man had gone forward and cultivated weaving much like the olive. From the Andes mountains, to Navajo deserts, to China’s mountains, weaving became part of every culture. Athena saw success in this. Her art, her gift, was everywhere, still going strong when so many of her family had lost everything when they fell from power. She continued, as steady as treadle, thread, release, beater.

[ooc: Dedicated to my mother who has filled our house with baskets of fiber, drop spindles of every kind, two spinning wheels and a loud, clanking loom than she insists on using whenever I try to nap. Love ya Mom, though I'll never understand your hobbies.]

Mun Post: Homeless. Still.

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:50:03 GMT

So, I've posted about this in my other muse journals, but not here specifically. As of now, Athena is homeless. The community she was in changed and I don't like what it's become. That's not meant to bash that community, it's just not my style. So Athena, along with my other muses, are homeless and looking for a new home.

I've applied to a few places, but I haven't heard anything back. Athena's not gone. I'm not retiring her, she's not on hiatus, we're just homeless. When she has a place again, I'll start writing again. I love my Greek Goddess too much to let her go just from a little hang up.

Mun Post: The Tammys Red Carpet

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 00:36:58 GMT

Anyone looking to talk to Athena on the Red Carpet can find her here.

The Big Show: A Lack Of Respect

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 20:10:00 GMT

Callous Indifference

Boredom never sat well with Athena and lately she had become increasingly restless. This was not from her family, but from within herself. Off centered, she would find her temper and her patience much shorter than normal. Her neutrality was even harder to maintain than normal. She had thought collection followers would perhaps settle this urge. Gods wanted followers and worshipers to spread their name and strengthen their power. She had her warriors, and a few that owed her favors yet the urge did not dissipate. Her thoughts, her steps, her being was dogged by this restless need in her gut.

Inspiration came from idle observation of mortal television. She occasionally used the device to keep up with mortal popular culture, but rarely watched anything by historical documentaries. It was one on archeology that eventually caught her attention. She had spent many years as a historian and archeologist, going all over the world on digs to study cultures she had seen rise and fall. Mortal interpretations of the past amused her greatly. She made sure anything dealing with her or her family was correct however. She hadn’t gone on a dig in ages though.

The more she thought about it, the more the idea appealed to her. She had heard rumors of a dig in the Aegean of a coastal fishing village. It would be no trouble for her to find another site or buy her way onto the dig. She had spent time contemplating then angles, turning the idea over and over in her head, when the last part of the puzzle fell into place for her. The black market for antiquities was quite active in the Aegean, though it had toned down slightly now that Iranian goods were more popular. Yet, there were always collectors out there that were looking for black market goods. They simply loved owning something illegal. It disgusted Athena.

Artifacts were meant for museums, to educate the public. Though she had kept a few pieces for herself, they all had sentimental value and she had given reproductions to the museums that housed the collections the pieces had come from. Closing down one of these black market rings would certainly cure her restless feeling. She would get to dig and have a little adventure while she was at it. That idea pleased her greatly. She would give this plan of hers a try and if she was still restless afterwards well she would have to come up with something else, wouldn’t she?

The Big Show: Wedding Bells

Thu, 29 May 2008 14:18:39 GMT

If you absolutely, positively HAD to marry someone, today, who would it be, and why?

That’s a very interesting question for me to contemplate. After all, I have never taken a consort and have never experienced the sort of love that inspires marriage. In this case I do not think love is what I would use in my decision any way. I am marrying in haste after all. I would look for someone with my own interests so we would at least get along and have things to discuss. Though I am not as vain as some of the others in my family, I would prefer someone who was at least handsome. I have no concerns about age, considering technically every mortal on the planet is younger than I am, much younger.

And yes, I would prefer to marry a mortal than another God. Marriages between divine beings rarely seem to work out well for either party. Of course, marriages to mortals do not have better outcomes either. That is part of the reason why I have avoided this whole foolish love game in the past. I have no interested in the tangles and complications it brings into a person’s life. I would have no time for my studies or my hobbies if I was in love. Yet, none of this enters into this question. I have to marry, no matter what my personal preferences are.

I do not have a specific man in mind, sadly. I do not know many men who I think are worthy of marrying, though I respect a great deal of them. The man I marry would have to be like myself, a warrior but an intellect as well. One who finds as much excitement in intellectual debates as they find in the battlefield. They would also have to tolerate my rather… eccentric family. That is asking a lot of many men. My family is quite… tiring at times. And as I said, I would prefer someone who is at least handsome, though I could easily forget this criteria if a man was intelligent enough. It is a shame Odysseus is dead. He was one of my greatest warriors. I would marry him if I was forced. I guess I must find myself a modern day Odysseus if I ever want to wed.

Meme: Because My Mun Is Often Very Strange and Very Bored

Thu, 22 May 2008 15:01:12 GMT

If you woke up one morning and found me in your bed, what's the first thing you'd think or say?

The Big Show: A Scale of Measure

Wed, 21 May 2008 14:37:30 GMT

On a scale of one to ten, with one being not so good and ten being very good, how well do you:

a) Kick ass?
    As I am the Goddess of War, I would give myself a 10 here. My skill is far beyond very good, but since that was the measure given, it is the one I will use.

b) Make love?
    I would give myself a 1. After all, I am a virgin and have never made love before. I would guess my skills in that area would be lacking, severely.

c) Dance?
    I am quite an accomplished dancer, but like all arts I cannot capture the spirit of it. I would give myself a 7 here. If I could find the passion and heart true dancers bring to their art, I would give myself a higher score.

d) Sing?
    Again, while I am pleasant to listen to and have a passable voice, I do not have the heart and soul of a true singer. Another 7 here.

e) Argue?
    I argue for fun and sport as well as intellectual stimulation and I have spent centuries doing so. A 10 here, though with a bigger scale I would give myself a higher number.

f) Drive?
    I rarely drive anywhere. I am a Goddess, what do I need a car for when I can just appear wherever I need to be? Yet, since I conduct business in the mortal world, I do drive and feel I am decent at it. I would give myself an 8 here.

g) Plan parties?
    I am organized, I plan ahead, and I have impeccable manners. I can plan a party or event with ease. 10 here.

h) Dress?
    I am not as fashionable as some other members of my family, Aphrodite especially, but I do manage well enough on my own. I would give myself an 8 here.

I) Take criticism?
    As a Goddess, it has taken my centuries to overcome my natural arrogance. It’s a train common in my family. I would have to be one of the most humble of my family, but I still find criticism hard to take. I would give myself a 5 here.

j) Cook?
    I enjoy cooking. It is among one of my many hobbies. I often cook for myself instead of having my handmaids do it for me. I would give myself a 10 here. If you want to argue, I will cook for you and prove it.

Fanfiction: War & Serenity

Wed, 21 May 2008 14:21:31 GMT

Dawn had barely touched the sky, but Athena was already up. Her family was in such turmoil these days and the serenity she prided herself on was harder and harder to find. These waves of chaos came and went in her family, as they had for centuries, but they had been coming more frequently these days. She found it unsettling to have her family in such a state. Rationality, cold logic, that was what drove the Goddess of War. It set her apart from the rest of her family who were passionate and often times overly emotional. She was the voice of reason but these days she felt as if no matter how loudly she spoke no one heard her. Yet, she was working on accepting this fact. It was what drove her to Athens in the first place when the Christians destroyed their temples and followers. She wanted peace, yet she could find none unless she occupied her mind with a task.

The sun was slowly climbing higher, but the great sand arena was still dark. She touched a hand to one of the massive bowls of oil and lit a fire. The dozen spread around the area followed suit and soon the sand was cast in firelight. She breathed in the smell of burning oil deeply and exhaled slowly. She turned her mind towards battle, her morning exercises. She would most certainly fail if she did not put her mind to the task at hand. Cold detachment came in an instant. She lost her compassion, her mercy, and became like the warriors she patroned, cold, calculating and ruthless. She was not like Ares; there would be no wild reverie and bloodlust in her. She fought; she killed because she was tasked to do so. It was a duty; the enjoyment of it came second when she could step back and see what she had accomplished. She would feel a sense of pride at job well done and that would be her joy.

She wanted a challenge this morning, something that would hold her focus and keep her mind from wandering. While an aspect of War, she was also Wisdom and her mind could very easily work on more than one task at a time. So she made her armor light black leather with chainmail underneath. The rings were small and tightly woven and though metal, the mail was still light and easy to move in. She did not pick up a shield. She wanted to be fast and fluid, a shield would only slow her down. Even her weapons were not her normal choice. She summoned two kopis, a weapon better made for slaughtering meat than enemies, but it could accomplish both goals with little trouble. The weapons were also light, much lighter than the spear or spatha she was used to. Yet, she held the weapons comfortably in her hands. If it could kill, she knew how to use it. It was another duty of hers, to understand and master all aspects of wars. Guns, missiles, modern war or the old ways, with sword and shield, she knew them all. As was her purpose.

She walked to the middle of the field and reached into the sand with her powers. Opponents rose, light, quick. She made their skill equal to hers, gave them free will and the desire to slaughter her. They would be wild, driven by the darker horrors that lived within the souls of warriors. They had no honor and no fear. Even though they were made of sand, the sand would act like flesh and bone. She would have to kill them as she would a mortal opponent. It would not be an easy fight, even for her. She preferred it that way. Her frustrations with her family’s antics, her own unsettled feelings that stemmed from theirs and all the things she buried deep would be released in this battle. She would, she hoped, by the end find the serenity that eluded her.

They attacked en mass, as she anticipated. They would work best in a mob against a single opponent. The soft light and quiet peace of dawn was broken as she cried out, fierce, terrible, the cry that she had given when she sprung from her father’s head. She did not hesitate and dove forward, both blades raised high above her head. Her first opponent raised his weapon to block but Athena shifted her hold on one blade, pointing the tip down and drove it through his shoulder. The kopis was not meant to stab, but slice and hack. The blade was stuck, yet she had known what the move would do and planned accordingly.

She stepped around behind the man, keeping barely an inch between them and used her second blade to deftly hack the man’s arm from his body. She shoved the first casualty forward, her weapon coming free of his body. The horde simply stepped out of the way of the body, which dissolved back into the sand where it came from, and surged forward.

Athena stayed low, hacking at legs, knees and hips. She crippled her opponents, using the kopis ability to break joints and bones. The curved blade was suited for deflecting weapons away from her and together, crossed in an X, they served as a good catch. Though her heart raced and she breathed faster and faster, her mind stayed calm. The battle was fast paced, she had to keep moving to avoid getting hit, but she found peace in this. She thought only of victory, of winning, and gave no mind to any of the troubles she had or her family had. She had found serenity; she had found peace, in the most hectic and unsettled moments as was often the case. It was such a wonderful feeling, she was relieved. There were times recently when she had thought she had lost the ability to find her center. With its return, her confidence doubled and she dispatched the last few opponents with quick, easy kills.

Dawn finally broke into morning as she stood near the middle of the arena, covered in sweat dust and a little of her own blood. In such a battle it was only appropriate she bleed a little. Her handmaids would tend to the wounds when she was done. She stayed still for a moment though, waiting. She was not fighting any longer, would her peace vanish? Would it take battles to make her calm now? The last of the tension drained from her shoulders when she found it would not. Serenity stayed with her, even though she could feel her family’s pain and discord. She was ready to advise them all again. She had accomplished her task, now, she could feel the pleasure victory brought her.

Mun Post: Returned!

Sun, 18 May 2008 22:25:40 GMT

So, I'm back from vacation. That's all.

If you need me or my muse for anything, just let me know.

Mun Note: Vacation Time!

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:10:39 GMT

Well, this weekend I'll be taking off for Virginia for the Team America Rocket Competition. I'll be leaving early tomorrow morning and be back Sunday night some time. I'm unsure of the internet situation so I could be completely gone or I could be around in the morning and the evenings. I'm not sure. Best to just count me out for awhile. When I get back, I'll play catch up.

The Big Show: Sing the Angels

Mon, 05 May 2008 16:03:40 GMT

You're alone, and suddenly there is a bright light, and a voice. The voice tells you that you are the Messiah. What next?

On her knees, Athena plunged her hands into the warm, moist dirt and pried another weed out of the ground. She was having a lot of trouble with them this summer. She didn’t know why either. She had made all the appropriate offerings to Demeter and the other Gods of the Earth. Yet, the weeds continued to appear. It was a tad frustrating, but it was nothing the Goddess couldn’t find a solution for. She reached for another weed when something flashed before her eyes. She brought an arm up immediately, trying to keep most of the light out of her eyes and figure out what was going on.

“Athena….” A deep voice said, seeming to come from everywhere at once. “Athena, I have come to announce that you are the savior of man!”

“Apollo!” Athena snapped, “Stop it. You’re going to dry the soil out.”

The light suddenly dropped away and before her stood Apollo. The Sun God was pouting at her. “You always ruin my fun, Athena.”

She scowled at him for a moment before returning to her weeding, “You impersonating the Christian God is not fun nor is it funny.”

“Oh, lighten up, sister,” Apollo dropped down to sit with his legs crossed in front of her. He was smart enough not to sit in her flowers. “I’ve been watching you work all day. You need to get out, have some fun or get a hobby or something.”

“Gardening is a hobby.” She pointed out, yanking yet another weed out. “So is chariot racing, so is metal forging, and so is training horses.”

“Yeah, but the other Gods can do that stuff for you.” Apollo cocked his head to the side and leaned over, trying to get her to look him in the eyes. She huffed out and breath and stopped working, giving him her full attention like he wanted. “There we go. Now, come on, I can call up Dionysus, maybe even Ares, we can go to Vegas. Have you ever been?”

“To Las Vegas?” Athena raised an eyebrow, “Why would I go there?”

“To have fun!” Apollo gave her a look like the answer was obvious, “We can cheat the casinos out of their money, laugh at Caesar’s Palace and pick up hookers!”

She gave him a droll look, “I don’t need more money. Caesar’s Palace is Roman, not Greek, we have no rights to laugh at it and what would I do with a hooker?”

“Well, that all depends on how much you want to pay for.” Apollo waggled his eyebrows and she indulged him with a small smile. Her family’s repeated attempts to “corrupt” her always were amusing. Of course, none of them succeeded. Her will power was much stronger than their attention spans. As long as she kept saying no, Apollo would eventually get bored and go to Vegas without her. He always did.

“You don’t know what you’re missing, sis!”

“As the Messiah, I’m forbidden to commit such sins.” She drawled, then shooed him with her hands, “Now go, I wanted to get this done before Eric shows up for lunch.”

Apollo laughed and stood up, “All right, all right, but if you keep saying no I’m going to go with Hades’ playbook and just kidnap you.”

“You’re welcome to try, brother, I have bested you more than once in battle and I will again.”

[ooc: This prompt is not mentioning any specific Apollo.]

Mun Post: State of the Mun Address

Fri, 02 May 2008 16:00:14 GMT

So, here’s my first official State of the Mun Address. It’s about time I got around to doing one of these.

My Junior year of college has come to a close. I finished my last final today and after I pack everything up I’ll be moving back home. This really doesn’t change much. I have internet access at home, so I’ll still be around. For now, I don’t have any major summer plans. I’m waiting to hear about an internship with a police department and until I hear from them, I can’t make any other summer plans. The only thing that is on my calendar right now is the Team American Rocket Competition, or TARC. I’ll be bringing my laptop with me and the hotel should have internet access. I’ll mostly check in during the mornings and the evenings. I won’t vanish, but I won’t be around constantly like I normally am.

Now, if I get this internship things will be a little more complicated. I will spend most of my days at the police station, helping out various departments. I also have to keep a journal of my day to day activities and write a paper on it. I will be very busy, in other words. I’ll be able to check in every morning and will most likely reply to things in the evening. Like I said, I will not be dropping off the face of the Earth, but I will be busy. I may also be doing some things with a local horse farm in what spare time I have and that will take up more time but I have to talk to the barn manager about that. If I don’t get this internship, I will have to look for a job and who knows what that’ll do to my schedule. I usually take farm jobs and work outdoors instead of the standard 9 to 5 retail jobs. That means my schedule works with the weather, but basically the point I’m trying to make is I will mostly reply to things in the morning and in the evenings.

Now, for what I plan to do with my muse here:

I don't have any plans for Athena. She just short of hangs out and does Goddess-y things. I will be doing more with her son however. If anyone who has interacted with Athena would like to do a storyline or RP, please leave a comment and we can work something out. She's a very friendly and very sane Goddess.

If we've talked about a storyline or RP, could you please comment here also and remind me? It probably got crushed underneath all the studying I had to do. I've got a terrible memory sometimes and forget things. If there's something I need to tag, please let me know and I'll get right on that.

RP Moment: Meeting the King

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 23:11:24 GMT

for _call_me_snake_ & sky_father

As always, her father's concern amused Athena. She had sprung from his head fully grown and armored, after all. She was quite capable of taking care of herself and choosing her own warriors. Yet, he was her father and she humored him. She had summoned Snake and brought him to Olympus, the mount itself. She abandoned her mortal look, returning to her ancient attire of toga and armor. She made sure Snake was in armor she made for him, with her symbol on the chest plate.

Standing in the center, she smiled as she looked around her home. It had been awhile since she had spent time here. Her father would have sensed their presence immediately. She hoped she did not encounter Hera, who had never liked her and her favored position as her father's right hand. She hoped to avoid most of her family in this visit. She feared they would play with her chosen warrior, as her family was want to do. Meeting her father would be nerve racking enough for most people, though she suspected Snake would fare better than most.

"He'll appear soon." Athena said to Snake with a smile. "Don't worry."

The Big Show: The Blessings of Fools

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:37:07 GMT

Even the gods love their jokes. - Plato

One of the wisest things Plato ever said, and he said many wise things. We Gods love a good joke, especially when played on a mortal. Generally, that is the one time we can all laugh about the same things. Mortal are quite amusing to all of us. Except Hades, he’s more often annoyed by them than amused. Still, jokes about mortals always make us laugh. Even I get a good chuckle out of them.

The funniest Gods are the most fun loving. My father, for example, does love a good joke and loves to tell them. As I am often by his right hand, I have heard a lot of jokes from him. Being Zeus, he likes raunchier humor and sex jokes. Still, if you really want dirty jokes you must ask Aphrodite. She’s very good with lewd humor. I think part of it comes from Ares, who knows very crude jokes. I do not like Ares’ jokes. I think they’re in very bad taste, but I do not like much about Ares.

Oddly enough, the God whose sense of humor I most enjoy is my uncle Hades’. There is a real wit to Hades jokes and a biting sarcasm that you must be clever to catch. Though many find Hades jokes terrible, I am very amused by them. While I am not overly fond of my uncle, I will concede he is one of the more clever Gods, especially when it comes to jokes. My sense of humor is more in line with his, clever and slightly sarcastic.

It is Dionysus that makes me laugh the most, however. His personality is so overwhelming and entertaining that I often find myself swept up in it enough to laugh. Many do not think I am even capable of laughter, I’m so stern. Dionysus, however, has never let this stop him. He is quite capable of entertaining me and it is why I so enjoy his company when we are two different types of Gods.

We Gods are most known for cruel jokes and temper tantrums, but that is not all we are capable of. We Gods love our jokes, do not fault us if you cannot understand them.

The Big Show: Family Dynamics

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 19:52:53 GMT

“If I really wanted your advice, I would have… well I wouldn’t want your advice any way.” Poseidon snapped, glaring hard at Athena.

Athena smiled, enjoying this just a little more than she should. Really though, she had beaten her uncle fair and square, she should get to gloat a little in her victory. “Salt water? Honestly, why would you think that was a good choice? Clearly they don’t need salt water, they’re a coastal city.”

She watched with delight as Poseidon’s eye started to twitch. He was really taking the loss of Athens very hard. Well, at the time it was an unnamed city, but now it was Athens and it was hers. Already, they were working on constructing her a temple, grander and more impressive than any temple anywhere else in the isles. Well, except for her father’s temple. She would never want to out shine her father. Out shining her uncle, however, that she could do.

“You must think smarter, not bigger.” She continued in the same slightly bored tone she’d been using since she started this conversation. Cornering her uncle on the Mount had taken a little more work that she had expected. He had spent months in Atlantis, sulking about the loss of the great city, now the great city of Athens. When he did finally make an appearance, to harass Zeus, Athena had waited patiently until she could corner him and inquire as to how his city was doing. It was cruel, it was petty and Athena was enjoying it immensely.

“Had you given them something useful,” she stressed the word useful, “They may have chosen you. After all, it is right on the sea.”

“Athena…” Poseidon’s voice rumbled out like a large wave about to crash on some rocks. Athena was not afraid though. She was the greatest warrior of all the Gods, what did she have to fear from her uncle? A trident? It would do nothing compared to the thunderbolts her father let her wield.

“Yes, uncle?” She asked sweetly, as if she was Aphrodite, asking for a favor from one of her lovers.

“For the most intelligent of us all, you sure are acting like a fool.” He said, making Athena narrow her eyes. “You may have won the city, but the sea is still mine and you will see how your city’s ships fair when they leave your safe harbors.”

With that her uncle vanished in a splash of water, leaving Athena with a deep frown on her lips. She understood her uncle’s threat was a promise. Any ship from Athens would now suffer the worst her uncle could bring to bear. That could destroy her city, which relied heavily on sea trade and the sea’s bounty. However, she could not apologize. That would be admitting defeat. Her uncle would use force, Athena would use smarts. She would have to make stronger, better boats for her people and deliver the plans in the mind of a ship builder. Her uncle would not win so easily.

Fanfiction: Sui Generis

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:41:01 GMT

Five years ago the largest terrorist act on American soil took place, dwarfing 9/11 by five thousand deaths. Through a crop spray hundreds of crops and various food stuffs were infected with an engineered virus. Millions of Americans and thousands overseas ate the infected food and soon many became sick. With no obvious connection between symptoms no one connected the dots until it was too late to recall the majority of the infected food or even trace it back to the source. Symptoms progressed quickly for those who were infected. Within two weeks of the first symptoms they fell into comas. 15% of those patients died. Those who woke up found themselves with strange powers and abilities, some even physically transformed into something else. The virus became known as the Transfiguration Virus and its survivors became known as Others.

Five years later, the world has almost gotten used to the change but uneasy tensions still run deep between the human population and Others. Efforts have been made to bridge the gap between the two, including an in-depth research project into the virus and its effects. The Bainbridge Project has gathered together the greatest medical minds in the country and put them to work figuring out how the Transfiguration Virus works and where it came from. A privately funded project the government came up with another solution.

It created the Paranormal Investigations Department, a faction of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The PID, as it is known, consists of two teams which investigates crimes against Others or perpetrated by them. With full investigative and arrest powers, agents of the PID travel the country helping other law enforcement officers investigate Others and crimes related to them. However, many Others are claiming the government is biased against them. So they created their own answer.

Others Investigations is a private investigation agency run solely by Others with the express purpose of helping those who have been ignored by the government or the PID. Based in the city with the highest Others population in the world, New York, Others Investigations works to help Others as well as strengthen the relationship between the government, the public and Others. Many on both sides of the issue are suspicious of the little agency just as many are suspicious of PID and the research project. But everyone can agree on one thing:

The Others have emerged and the world has changed.
---

Author’s Note: The Others is a rewrite of the original Transfiguration Virus storyline I wrote in early 2007. Since characters from the old story are no longer characters I RP/interact with, I’ve decided to redo the series and create a whole new canon for it. I’ve taken a lot of the characters from the various muse communities I’ve spent time in and some old familiar favorites as well as completely new characters. In other words, it’s a panfandom explosion of epic proportions.

If you'd like to read: Click here.

The Big Show: Ruins of the Past

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:16:54 GMT

Standing in what remained of the Coliseum, Athena gripped the rail and looked over it with a sad smile. Oh, how she remembered this place in its full glory. If she closed her eyes, she could even hear the crowds as they cheered. While her tastes for entertainment ran more towards philosophical debates and plays, she had gone to gladiator fights more than once. There had been a great feel in the air then, like a battlefield the whole building had seemed alive.

She could reach out with her power, if she so desired, and touch the emotions that still lived in the stones and earth of the Coliseum. That much emotion, that much blood, the building and the Earth it stood upon would not forgot that. Still, she refrained from using her abilities in that way. She wanted only the power of her mind to bring back the past. She didn’t have the greatest imagination as her mind leaned more towards logic, but she had a fantastic memory.

Carefully, piece by piece, she began to reconstruct the building as it was the first time she went there. Yes, it was a Roman building and she had not been worshiped there, but battle was battle and she had been curious. One visit and she had gotten caught up in the passion there. She had been younger then, and less disciplined. She had easily given into the verve of the place. Of course, later she had admired the architecture, which she was now rebuilding in her head.

When she had it constructed, she filled in the crowds, the roar of them, the collective life and movement of them. She separated them as they would have been back then, by class. The poor were in the cheapest seats, high above the center arena and then the riches patrons at the bottom with the best seats. She even included the Emperor in his own private box. She picked one of her favorite Roman Emperor’s, Cesar.

She herself was the gladiator, in her armor with her spear and shield. She was the current favorite, of course. Her skill and prowess was legendary. Everyone here today was there to see her and praise her for her skill. She would defeat all challengers, all the tests they gave her she would best and that adoration and praise would be the truth.

There was a small smile on her face as she opened her eyes and saw what remained of the one great Coliseum. There was a slightly pang of longing, but she would never forget and so the great building would live on. She let go of the railing and turned to walk out to leave the past where it belonged in the minds of those who lived it.

The Big Show: A Lesson In Humility

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 01:41:31 GMT

Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils. Louis Hector Berlioz

This may be true for mortals, but for myself, I am exempt. At least, from the killing part. I am not exempt from learning, nor would I want to be. I love all that I have learned over the eons I have existed. There is so much knowledge in the world, if only people would sit down and take the time to appreciate it. Yet, the most valuable lessons I have learned are not about technical or the inventions that have come in time. The lessons I value most from time are humility and acceptance.

I have always been more understanding than the rest of my family, but that did not make me a good Goddess. I have torture mortals, killed them, transformed them. I was not a nice Goddess when I first came into being. When the Greek Gods fell out of power and were "replaced" I was angry. I wanted to lead a war against the Christians, I wanted to destroy them as they destroyed my temples and my followers. I was so angry, so hurt. I needed someone to pay.

The feeling has lessened over the years. In fact, it is gone now. I have come to accept that what happened to me and my family was the natural progression of things. I could not stop it nor change it. Fighting it would have done me no good either. Instead of raging, whining or complaining about it, I have made the best of it and I have found benefits to it. After all, I have so much free time now that I can learn all that I wish. I have no followers who are constantly begging for attention. Best of all, no one I need to punish. It is a relief to have time to myself and do all the things I wish to do. Including time to think about what has happened to me and become as accepting as I have become.

The Big Show: Testing The Limits

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:39:01 GMT

How far can you be pushed, before you push back?

I am more than willing to argue I am more patient that the other Gods. My rational nature does help me maintain a calm and collected state of mind even in the face of some rather annoying and challenging situations. I am not quick to anger or other strong emotions. I am, essential, my family’s mediator.

This does not mean, however, that things do not inspire my ire. I have done irrational things when I have been swept up in emotion. The sure fire way of angering me would be to desecrate my temples or my name. I would not recommend this course of action as the last time someone did was Medusa. You all have probably heard the story by now. My temples are sacred spaces, holier to me than even schools or battlefields. When you attack one of them or dirty them, you have attacked me and I will not stand for it. I will not kill you outright, that is too easy. I will make you suffer for what you have done for awhile and then I will kill you. Or I will send one of my favored warriors to do it. It does not matter much to me as long as you have paid the price by hurting and then paid with your blood.

On the battlefield, however, I am much quicker to anger. I am a different woman when armored and fighting. I do keep my wits about me, but that may be worse. I do what is best to win and ethics does not enter into that sort of situation. I am not the mass slaughter like my half-brother, but I will kill without hesitation if you face me on the battlefield. It is much easier to anger me on the battlefield, especially if you prove to be a challenging opponent. I have never done well with frustration, sadly. It is a character flaw I cannot seem to overcome completely. It is much easier to push me on the battlefield than it is anywhere else.

But, I must say again that I am not often led to such drastic measures. Not only do I lack the temples I once had, but I have calmed considerably over the centuries. I will not be turning anyone into a gorgon any time soon, nor a spider either. I would not recommend testing my patience though. I am a Goddess after all, slightly unpredictable comes with the territory. You may catch me on an off day and you could find yourself with something worse than a stony gaze.

Meme: Characterization

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 23:00:24 GMT

from _call_me_snake_
What are five ideas/concepts/etc you keep in mind while writing your character that you believe are essential to accurately depicting them? Why did you choose them? How do they relate to the character’s over all persona?

1. Athena speaks very formally.
    I love conjunctions and slang and all sorts of horrible grammar mutilating phrases. Athena does not speak like that and never will. She has to sound old fashioned, education and just a little arrogant. If I don’t include that, I’m not writing Athena. That’s her voice and that’s vitally important to her writing that she has that voice, otherwise she’s just like any other muse out there. The style of Athena’s writing and her posts separates her from the other Athena’s out there and even the other Gods. It’s incredibly distinctive to her as a muse.

2. Athena has no interest in sex and romance.
    This is hard for me to remember because I am a shipper at heart. I like romances for muses, and I can’t ship Athena. She doesn’t care for sex or romance, it would complicated her structured life and she would no longer be the Athena Parthenos, Virgin Goddess. There are a lot of male muses she’s interacting with and I think a lot of them would make great partners for her, but that’s not Athena’s prerogative. She doesn’t care about that stuff, it distracts from her intellectual pursuits. It also kicks out a lot of prompts and role playing opportunities that I could enjoy.

3. Athena can understand or come to understand anything.
    This means I have to do a lot of research into things. I’m not kidding when I say Athena can understand anything. She’s the Goddess of Wisdom, so she knows everything, so I have to know everything if I want to write on it. This has been made a lot easier by my Philosophy classes, but holy cow there are things I’ve got to look up I never thought about or realized I had to when I picked up Athena. Weapons and fighting styles are the one I’ve been dealing with more recently, but honestly Wikipedia is becoming my best friend. I’m also using a lot of my History major skills. And my parents were worried I’d never have a use for that.

4. Athena is incredibly logical.
    Athena does not make decisions based on emotion. Though she can get annoyed, or frustrated, or angry at things, she does not let this cloud her decision making. So, when things stir her up, she can’t act rashly. She always makes the most logical, calm, and rational choice, no matter the situation. It’s a hard thing to do because a lot of things stir the emotion, but she can’t act on them. It also means she works things out step by step calmly. Things are logically decided, all the options considered. I have to consider all the options, I have to stay logical, and I am not the most logical person ever.

5. Athena has a huge family and a lot of back story with them.
    Do you know how many stories there are about Athena and the other Gods that I have to keep straight? Lots and lots of them. All muses have back stories, but the mythological ones are insanely complicated. Greek mythology is filled with people cheating on each other, competitions between Gods, and just enough stuff to make me have to stop and think, okay, who am I talking about here? Athena’s interactions with her family are also touched by these stories. She can barely be civil to Poseidon, for example, but she’s always amused by Dionysus. It also colors how she deals with mortals because of biases built into her from her family.

The Big Show: A Disciplined Life

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 17:30:55 GMT

'Cause when we get behind closed doors
And she lets her hair hang down
- Behind Closed Doors – Charlie Rich

On days when she has no plans to explore the mortal world, Athena rises early, right as the sun breaks over the horizon. She wastes little time on her appearance, dresses simply and then proceeds out to her stables and aviary. Though she has the power to take care of all her pets needs with the simple wave of a hand, she does it by hand every morning. When her horses are fed and she sees they are all in good health, she checks on her owls. She has one of every kind and then her own special breed, the part divine Athenian owls. She has cared for them since she chose the owl to be her symbol. She makes sure the latest hatchlings are being fed by their mother, then checks to see that everyone has their feathers after a night of exploring. They are all well and whole, but she could care of them if they were not.

With her animals tended to, she starts her morning training regiment. She spends at least two hours battling sand soldiers in full armor with her sword and shield. She only uses her powers to create them, not to defeat them. This is only training after all. When that is finished, she studiously cleans her armor of sand and sweat and hones the edge of her blade back to its perfect edge. Only when she is completely pleased with her work does she head back to her villa to clean herself and dress in more formal clothes. Her handmaids leave breakfast out for her and she brings it with her to her weaving room.

She spends the majority of her morning with her loom, creating yet another masterpiece in fiber and wool. Her current project is a tapestry of the New York skyline inspired by her recent trip. Every detail must be to scale, even though thread is not meant to show the same detail as a picture. Athena coaxes those hidden bits out through her patience and talent. She stops at lunch, when her son appears. He is filled with stories of his travels around the mortal world and as they share a meal she listens intently. They spend hours debating back and forth over trivial things such as which country has the best food to more important matters of foreign policy and economics.

When Erichthonius departs to teach his classes at a mortal Univerisity, Athena changes again into her chariot gear. She heads back to her stables and hitches up her latest pair of chariot horses. They are still green and need a lot more training to smooth them into a well practiced pair and fine racing team. She is thrown twice, but does not scold the horses for this. She calms them and tries again until they are comfortable with the maneuver. When they have settled, she washed them, again by hand, and lets them back into the pasture.

She tends her gardens, paying special attention to the health of her olive trees, and collects the fruit. When the sun begins to set, she washes one final time and settles down into her favorite arm chair with a book. She is still working through the Canterbury Tales in the original Middle English, teasing out the details and jokes within Chaucer’s writing. She sometimes gets lost in the worlds she reads of and can stay up until the sunrise, but tonight she marks her place promptly at eleven and gets ready for bed. Before she sleeps, she opens the doors and windows in the aviary for her owls, watching the majority of them fly off into the night. When the last one has said its goodbye to her, Athena returns to her home and sleeps until sunrise the next morning when she will begin again as she has for millennia and how she will continue forever.

Mightier Than The Sword

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 23:11:10 GMT

For rose_isnt_red & anyone interested

Athena stood in the center of a large open sandy circle, about thirty yards in diameter. The arena was part of her large estate in Athens and in the distance her villa could be seen. The nearest building was a large stable, with multiple paddocks for horses and one large aviary for her owls. The arena was normally used to train her chariot horses, but she had a different purpose in mind for today. She was not in her chariot gear, but simple black leather armor, the Aegis draped over her shoulders and her helmet sitting on top of her hair. Her shield rested against one leg and next to her was a stand of practice swords, and a rack of practice shields. All were made of wood, as her student wouldn’t be ready for real metal weapons for awhile. When she was confident the wooden weapons were mastered, she would move to metal.

A clicking made Athena glance down at the stand, where one of her owls perched. He clicked at her again and then tilted his head to the side. She smiled and offered him a hand. He quickly stepped up and settled as she lifted him up to they were eye level. “Yes, yes, you are always so eager to work. Go and tell them I am ready.” She said when he clicked at her again. “Do not dawdle. This is important.”

She held him away from her and gave a little toss to release the owl. His wings snapped open with barely a sound and with a few driving strokes he was away. As one of her special owls, he was gone in a matter of seconds, traversing the world with his master’s message.

The Big Show: How Dare You

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 16:02:00 GMT

Military intelligence

Is this an oxymoron? Why? I believe there is a lot of intelligence within the military. I represent that side of war and I have more than enough intelligence. People believe this phrase because of Ares and his violence. Not that my wars are not violent, but mine are directed, focused, and well thought out. Ares charges in and lays waste. It's such unnecessary violence and leaves the civilian population with the idea that the military has no idea what it is doing.

There is a very simple truth to this. A military that does not know what it is doing, that lacks intelligence, will not last in the long run. A stupid army will run out of supplies, attack when it is better to defend or over estimate its strength and attack the wrong opponent. This sort of army is not an army at all, but a horde of barbarians. They are uncultured fools with a desire to ravage and kill. They have no concern for establishing civilizations and cities. There's no concern for their troops. Foot soldiers are nothing more than cannon fodder to generals with their eyes too big for their sword.

I have no love for horde armies. I lay waste to them when they come to my cities. The armies I support are quite intelligent. I would never support an army that did not think as well as it fought. Mortals should not assume that the military lacks intelligence simply because they do not understand why they have done something. These people make war for a living, they should have faith they know what they're doing. If the military is acting foolishly, it will be revealed in time. Mistakes always are. Military intelligence should not be counted as an oxymoron, no matter how amusing the idea might be. It's offending to me, Goddess of Wisdom and War, that people think that it is.