Jan. 1st, 2018 03:21 pm
Background & History
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warnotloveWorld History: There isn't much of a difference between Orion's world and our own, in fact until recently they would have appeared exactly the same to almost anyone. They had to him until things began to change.
[Please note that due to this reality being so close to our own many of our legends of Greek Mythology and their history are likely the same unless noted otherwise.]
Background: Legend had it for many generations that the Greek gods had been trapped away in a Labyrinth. For countless years hidden beneath the earth, due to return and reclaim their rightful place again. It was sometime in the beginning of the new millennium that it became apparent such a day would likely be coming soon. When the gods did come back, they would need support from their followers, whatever true believers remained, to help them regain their power.
For as long as he'd been alive he knew the stories. He knew that his family had come from a long lines of priests and priestesses, but he'd always dismissed them as ancient history from a time where such things were still believed. He never took his family's practices seriously, considering them to be rooted in superstition and tradition more than anything. Certainly not actual loyalty to gods that hadn't existed for centuries, if they ever had at all.
Orion was a child raised by his mother in Greece, he never met the man that fell in love with her. His father traveled for work and never settled to be with his family, although he did keep in touch, at least initially. An American who never stayed in one place long, paying the bills by being anywhere but home. A man that made his family because of his job, and in the end, chose said job over his family.
When he was little, Orion spent a majority of his time in Athens with his grandparents. His mother was too ill to care for a young child and there had been complications during the pregnancy that took a lasting toll on her overall health. In some misguided hope that he'd find strength in his namesake, she chose the name of a legend for her son. Having idolized the hunter growing up, during her own studies of the gods and unaware of outside influences, at the time.
Her wish had always been for him to be strong. What his mother had forgotten was that although Orion was a name of great strength, his soul had also been cursed in love.
As he got older, Orion no longer felt like a burden during his mother's illness and soon became her sole caretaker. He was not yet 17 when she passed, once again leaving him in the care of his grandparents. It wasn't until then that his grandmother told him the true story, the reality behind myths and legends, and - more importantly - how they pertained to him.
Almost everyone knew the story of Artemis, the pure Goddess who loved Orion. Even though there were different versions of the tale - as with most myths - one thing remained true across every telling. In the end, no matter the degree of any feelings the godess held or didn't, Orion's love for her is what ultimately brought about his demise.
The story that didn't reach everyone, however, was that Orion was said to have been born again. Orion's heart had belonged to Artemis, but he was later born a devoted priest of Athena. His dedication to the Goddess of Wisdom, War and Justice came above all else. This story, his grandmother only shared with him once he was old enough to understand and take on the responsibility that was held within it.
Orion's grandmother told him that this man had met a woman, this man who scorned love all of his life. He eventually fell for a priestess of the erotes. The two, so dedicated to their duties and their families, knew that they could never be together. Despite this, their bond was strong and they felt inseparable, as such they made a promise that some day they would be born again, and when that day came they would finally be free of other burdens and be together.
Now, as interesting as his grandmother's story sounded, Orion saw it as just that. A story, folklore, ancient myths with no bearing in reality, nothing more. He dismissed it without a second thought until his grandmother took him aside one day to reveal more of the story.
They were from a long line of priests of Athena, she explained. Although he'd known that his whole life what he wasn't aware of was how much actually went into their devotion. For generations, for centuries, his family had waited for a sign that their gods would return. What he'd dismissed as tradition and old habits dying hard was in reality an active following of Athena - lying in wait for her return. Telling Orion that the gods had been trapped away in a Labyrinth for countless years and would reclaim their rightful place again once freed.
More importantly, if he truly was the soul reborn, it would likely be soon. And when the gods did come back, they would need support from their followers, whatever believers remained - and he would need to make a decision about where his loyalties would lie.
Orion eventually forgot about this story, time passed and he graduated high school. Getting accepted into the famous art school of Cetanose College, he found a small apartment nearby and a job at the local dog shelter walking and fostering dogs. He tried to make a normal living there, but things began to happen. He met people that were not quite right, others that claimed to be gods, and a beautiful blind girl named Ivy. Who told him about the dreams she had of a lover she lost in a past life, her devotion to the Erotes, and Orion's own role in all of this.
Even Athena did not expect his loyalty, knowing who he was, but Orion took his responsibility seriously. As much as he would have preferred a normal life with no immortals at all, an obligation to Athena was still an obligation. Just when things were starting to get too unreal, Ivy was moved away by her family and Orion never heard from her again.
[Please note that due to this reality being so close to our own many of our legends of Greek Mythology and their history are likely the same unless noted otherwise.]
Background: Legend had it for many generations that the Greek gods had been trapped away in a Labyrinth. For countless years hidden beneath the earth, due to return and reclaim their rightful place again. It was sometime in the beginning of the new millennium that it became apparent such a day would likely be coming soon. When the gods did come back, they would need support from their followers, whatever true believers remained, to help them regain their power.
For as long as he'd been alive he knew the stories. He knew that his family had come from a long lines of priests and priestesses, but he'd always dismissed them as ancient history from a time where such things were still believed. He never took his family's practices seriously, considering them to be rooted in superstition and tradition more than anything. Certainly not actual loyalty to gods that hadn't existed for centuries, if they ever had at all.
Orion was a child raised by his mother in Greece, he never met the man that fell in love with her. His father traveled for work and never settled to be with his family, although he did keep in touch, at least initially. An American who never stayed in one place long, paying the bills by being anywhere but home. A man that made his family because of his job, and in the end, chose said job over his family.
When he was little, Orion spent a majority of his time in Athens with his grandparents. His mother was too ill to care for a young child and there had been complications during the pregnancy that took a lasting toll on her overall health. In some misguided hope that he'd find strength in his namesake, she chose the name of a legend for her son. Having idolized the hunter growing up, during her own studies of the gods and unaware of outside influences, at the time.
Her wish had always been for him to be strong. What his mother had forgotten was that although Orion was a name of great strength, his soul had also been cursed in love.
As he got older, Orion no longer felt like a burden during his mother's illness and soon became her sole caretaker. He was not yet 17 when she passed, once again leaving him in the care of his grandparents. It wasn't until then that his grandmother told him the true story, the reality behind myths and legends, and - more importantly - how they pertained to him.
Almost everyone knew the story of Artemis, the pure Goddess who loved Orion. Even though there were different versions of the tale - as with most myths - one thing remained true across every telling. In the end, no matter the degree of any feelings the godess held or didn't, Orion's love for her is what ultimately brought about his demise.
The story that didn't reach everyone, however, was that Orion was said to have been born again. Orion's heart had belonged to Artemis, but he was later born a devoted priest of Athena. His dedication to the Goddess of Wisdom, War and Justice came above all else. This story, his grandmother only shared with him once he was old enough to understand and take on the responsibility that was held within it.
Orion's grandmother told him that this man had met a woman, this man who scorned love all of his life. He eventually fell for a priestess of the erotes. The two, so dedicated to their duties and their families, knew that they could never be together. Despite this, their bond was strong and they felt inseparable, as such they made a promise that some day they would be born again, and when that day came they would finally be free of other burdens and be together.
Now, as interesting as his grandmother's story sounded, Orion saw it as just that. A story, folklore, ancient myths with no bearing in reality, nothing more. He dismissed it without a second thought until his grandmother took him aside one day to reveal more of the story.
They were from a long line of priests of Athena, she explained. Although he'd known that his whole life what he wasn't aware of was how much actually went into their devotion. For generations, for centuries, his family had waited for a sign that their gods would return. What he'd dismissed as tradition and old habits dying hard was in reality an active following of Athena - lying in wait for her return. Telling Orion that the gods had been trapped away in a Labyrinth for countless years and would reclaim their rightful place again once freed.
More importantly, if he truly was the soul reborn, it would likely be soon. And when the gods did come back, they would need support from their followers, whatever believers remained - and he would need to make a decision about where his loyalties would lie.
Orion eventually forgot about this story, time passed and he graduated high school. Getting accepted into the famous art school of Cetanose College, he found a small apartment nearby and a job at the local dog shelter walking and fostering dogs. He tried to make a normal living there, but things began to happen. He met people that were not quite right, others that claimed to be gods, and a beautiful blind girl named Ivy. Who told him about the dreams she had of a lover she lost in a past life, her devotion to the Erotes, and Orion's own role in all of this.
Even Athena did not expect his loyalty, knowing who he was, but Orion took his responsibility seriously. As much as he would have preferred a normal life with no immortals at all, an obligation to Athena was still an obligation. Just when things were starting to get too unreal, Ivy was moved away by her family and Orion never heard from her again.
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