Ch.6: "Bob Oracle's Inferno" / The Underworld

[Legendary Sidekick]

"Oh," Icarus replies. "I thought you could speak into your crown and ask… but I mean, you don't have to."



((He's referring to the circlet Artemis gave Sigrlinn, which lets her communicate with Artemis telepathically. The boy may not understand how it works.))

 

[tbgg]

Kell studies Icarus closely for a moment. "I'm afraid I don't know Hephaestus well enough to know how he'd feel about having children around, but I do know that one of the metal maidens who lives there in the mansion with him likes them very well. I actually had someplace different in mind for you to stay, but my instincts aren't always right. Why do you WANT to stay with Heph?"


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[Legendary Sidekick]

"He invents stuff, and I like his metal mai…"

Icarus is speechless for a moment.

"—whoah. Wait. Are you saying one of them—the metal maidens would give me a place to stay? Um… if that's what you have in mind, your instincts sound pretty good to me!"

 

[Ireth]

((to be honest, I wasn't entirely sure how it worked either. Arty just mentioned it would let Sigrlinn hear her thoughts, and I assumed both IC and OOC that Arty could already hear Sig's thoughts, being a goddess and all. But this makes things easier.))

Sigrlinn smiles. "You have a point."

Still a little unsure of how the circlet works, she tries to focus on sending a thought to Artemis. Icarus wants to know if Heph would let him stay at the mansion for a while.

((Ack, I got ninja'd! Well, we'll see how this goes, I guess.))

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Artemis replies,

If this is the first topic you call to my attention, I take this to mean you are safe and Hades is sincere?

After some silence, Artemis adds,

Hephaestus would put the boy to work. The mansion is a mess, so whether the boy stays depends on how willing he is to help rebuild. I doubt Heph intends hard labor for the boy, given that there are at least six tall women made of metal here.

 

[Ireth]

Sigrlinn replies to Artemis, Yes, we're all fine. We've mostly been talking to several Amazons so far.

To Icarus she says, "Given the state the mansion is in right now, Heph would expect you to help rebuild it. I don't think he'd make you do anything too hard, since you're so young and small, but it is something you should keep in mind."

 

[tbgg]

Kell tells Icarus, "Well as far as I know the metal maiden I am thinking of - Kell-Pi, the silver maiden - lives at the mansion with Heph, though she does also have a place near Fairy Springs where she writes stories and tells them to some of the fairies who come to the springs. I don't know if she considers that her 'home', though."

Listening to Sigrlinn's response, she adds, "Ah, and it seems Heph would expect you to do some work for your keep."


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[Legendary Sidekick]

Icarus replies, "Hey! Maybe I can to both! Like, I can live at Kell-Pi's place where she tells stories, and I can also help out Heph! I mean, if he built Kell-Pi, I should still do something to repay him. Plus, my dad killed him, so I kinda want to do something nice for Heph."

Daedalus has an awkward look. "Hmm… I wonder if I should go find Naucrate?"

Icarus says, "Yeah! I can lead you to her!" The boy tells you, "That's my real mom. When I died, I got to meet her for the first time. She died giving birth, so I never knew her in life. She used to work for a king!"

"Technically true," Daedalus says.

Icarus says, "Hey, if you don't mind, I want to reunite my mom and dad. Um… that'll probably be boring for you. How about we catch up after you talk to Hades and Apollo about replacing the sun or whatever important stuff you're all up to."

The boy waits to see if you need him for anything else.



Meanwhile, Sigrlinn gets a reply from Artemis. Heracles' doing, if they died recently. Athena might be looking for some brave women to fend off the next attack, though Heracles' men got their butts kicked. It may be a while before he has an army that stands a chance against Queen Hippo.

Maybe a few days of darkness would do the world some good… put things in perspective. Be sure to keep me in the loop when you meet my brother. Until then, take care of yourself. Thank you for letting me know you're in a safe place. Penni is also thankful. She was really worried about you! I'd say 'worried sick,' but I don't think Heph's tiny robots can get sick.

Oh.

Penni says there is a kind of virus that can affect her. In case you're wondering, I'm speaking to you aloud so the others know what we're saying—though I also need to voice your thoughts, since they can't hear you.

You can do the same when you meet Apollo. Just think your words to me. The circlet lets you control which thoughts you transfer to me. I can't read your thoughts with this device unless you allow me to.

 

[tbgg]

Kell smiles and waves at Icarus and Daedalus, calling, "I think that sounds like a great plan!"

She then thinks to Helix, 'Would you please have Aphrodite ask Kell-Pi if Icarus could stay with her during the rebuilding? I told him she likes children and he was interested in staying at her place in Fairy Springs if that's possible and Kell-Pi is willing. Please note Sigrlinn has been speaking to Artemis about these same arrangements, so there will need to be communication between them."

She tells Sigrlinn, "I just asked Helix to ask Aphrodite to ask Kell-Pi if Icarus can stay at her place."

Finally she turns to Hades. "I think we're about ready to talk to you and Apollo, as soon as we confirm arrangements for Icarus in the Overworld."


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[Ireth]

Sigrlinn smiles at Artemis' response. They mentioned Heracles specifically as being behind the attack. A few of the Amazons have befriended and hooked up with Heracles' men, too, so maybe we'll have even more fighters on our side.

I'll definitely keep you informed when we meet Apollo. Hades says death has humbled him, so I'm cautiously optimistic about it.

When Kell speaks to her, she says, "Good idea. Let's hope the message doesn't get muddled between people."

She thinks to Artemis, Kell had an idea for Icarus' living arrangement; she's sending a message to Aphrodite for Kell-Pi via Helix.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Icarus' arrangements having been taken care of, the winged boy hanks both of you and runs to his dad and mom. Bob wants to capture this moment on Graeae-eye. This leaves the two of you alone with Hades.


((Time-skipping to meeting with Hades and Apollo, unless you think there's something worth looking into on the way...))


As you tour the underworld, you notice that only the upper portion is sunny. The next layer is a dark cavern. Some glowing lights zip over to you. It turns out that they're fairies! All of them are young and pretty, and none are children. This is not a foreign concept to Kell, though neither of you knows where fairies come from. You've never seen a fairy graveyard either, but it is evident that fairies pass on like everyone else.

As the fairies guide you through the cavern, lighting it with their luminous glows, you notice tiny scaffolds that lead to the ceiling (which is so low you need to duck on occasion). On the scaffolds are tiny bearded men with pick-axes and hand drills. They seem to be digging littles holes in the ceiling.

Further ahead is a spring where nymphs, naiads, fairies and women of all ages are bathing. There are young girls as well. Given that you met a young mother and unborn child, both with adult bodies, there's no telling whether the human woman died young or chose youthful forms.

Hades tells you that he will pass through the men's bath and meet you on the other side.

The next layer is full of people with animals. A sunbeam leads to an uphill exit where a boy is walking his dog. The people and animals are friendly, with the exception of a grumpy woman surrounded by dozens of cats. One runs over and puts a long scratch across Kell's leg. Kell's influence over animals prevents any other cat from joining. All of the cats back away in unison.

The lady tells Kell, "You can't handle a little imperfection, revive yerself." (The Departed can do this; you can't!) She clams up when she see Hades beckon for you to continue.

There is no light in the next tunnel, except for a flame that emanates from Hades' palm. There are men here being held in place by roots of trees. Some are enclosed within the tree trunks, which leave a hole for their faces. "Let me out!" one demands.

"Why are you here?" Hades asks calmly.

The man spits in Hades' face.

"When my wife returns, ask her to add some blossoms to your cell. When every branch is bare, we will chat again."

Another man calls out to Hades, but Hades allows him to whisper in his ear. He nods, then continues to move forward.

As you walk on, the man whispers, "Thank him for me." When you turn to face the tree, the man's face is no longer there.

You then descend a long stairwell. At the bottom is a plush office. Hades takes a seat behind his desk. There are three more chairs inside.

"Make yourselves comfortable."

 

[Ireth]

Sigrlinn is quiet throughout the tour, though she returns any greetings from the departed that they pass. She shivers slightly at the sight of the men encased in tree trunks, and passes them by quickly.

In Hades' office, she settles gingerly in one of the plush chairs, her hands folded in her lap. She hopes it won't be too long before Apollo gets here. For now, though, she asks Hades, "Why are some of the departed trapped in trees?"

 

[tbgg]

Ch.6: "Bob Oracle's Inferno" / The Underworld

Gazing about curiously during the walk to Hades' office, Kell keeps her mouth shut around the grouchy woman. It's not like they have time to stop and chat, not with all the chatting they've already done.

Kell tells Hades, "The man who just disappeared from the tree back there - he was either asking me to thank you, or asking you to thank someone else - another man. I'll confess I'm rather curious - which was it? And were those trees some form of solitary confinement? When those imprisoned there get over their need to be nasty to everyone, they're let out?"

Since Apollo hasn't arrived yet, Kell hopes it's okay to chat a bit about what they saw on their walk.


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[Legendary Sidekick]

"The one who vanished is thanking me for releasing him. He has accepted responsibility for what he has done in life, and those who suffered because of his wrongdoings have forgiven him. I see no reason to confine him."

Hades goes on, "It is my attempt at bringing justice into the afterlife. This is part of why I need to involve myself in the rebellion. I would like Athena's council in this matter. I trust her judgment more than my own.

"My current system demands forgiveness and acceptance of responsibility, but... some victims are more forgiving than others. And Iolanthe has no memory of her final hour. She and Khloris are such joyful souls, I prefer they remain blissfully ignorant. On this, I may defer to Athena's judgment as well."

The light level begins to brighten, gradually, but quite noticeably. The temperature rises slightly, edging its way from tolerable to pleasant to perfect-beach-day.

"Before Apollo arrives, I would like to clarify why we are meeting. It is not about where my loyalty lies. My brother exiled me. I had only remained neutral for the reasons Artemis did. I failed to see the point. Remaining neutral was... safe. I have my domain, and I quite like it here. Artemis has her forest and her animals and her nymphs...

"And that is how Zeus hurt her. He used Callisto to hurt Artemis. He came after my wife as well.

"You saw Demeter face him, did you not? You may not have known the connection at the time, but that colossal beast was meant for Persephone. It would have left her alive, and too broken to find any joy in living. I am sure of that, since killing my wife would allow us to be together for the entire year. Zeus would have had me begging for her death."

For the first time, Hades appears to be angry. His words were spoken calmly, and the anger is clearly not directed at you.

 

[tbgg]

Kell asks Hades, "Do you know why Zeus is so angry that he feels the need to punish and control people? I keep hearing that it's because he CAN, and maybe I just have this need to make it make more sense than that. Was he ever made to feel weak and powerless when he was young, to the point he would vow never to be made to feel like that again? Has he always been an angry raging bully?"

Of Persephone, Kell places a sympathetic hand on Hades' arm and says simply, "Then I am glad we - and I include Demeter in my definition of 'we' - were able to intervene when we did."


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[Legendary Sidekick]

Hades thanks Kell for her empathy. Regarding Zeus...

"I don't recall my brother ever being on the receiving end of his cruelty. I wish I could offer an explanation, but I fear he is like many mortals who find themselves in positions of power. Some see themselves as having greater responsibilities. Some lead by example. And then there are the conquerors.

"There may have been a time that Zeus suspected Odin would wage war, Asgardian against Olympian. Preparing for war might have explained, if not excused, some of his harshness. But I met with Baldur--long ago, before I was murdered--and Baldur assured me this was not the case. Yet, my own brother treated me much differently after I delivered what should have been seen as good news.

"Hermes became his messenger after that, and... I discovered a lovely demigoddess bringing beauty to spring. I'm not proud to note that, by the time we were engaged, it was brought to my attention that Persephone is my niece. But there are few of our kind, so Demeter approved. At the wedding banquet, Zeus delivered a speech. His words were kinder than any I ever heard him speak. I grew suspicious, but said nothing. When he had us raise our goblets, I had Persephone drink from mine and I from hers.

"The poison was meant for her, not me. I arrived here on my wedding night, and Zeus decided to make this my post. Demeter and I worked put a way for Persephone and I to consummate our marriage. Since she is alive, I asked her to live her springs and summers in the overworld.

"If you have read of my relationship, I am surely presented as a devil who forcefully deflowered a maiden and condemned her to wander the caverns of the dead. And Zeus is a great king."

He pauses for a moment. In the silence, you can hear slow footsteps in the hall--those of a man--and a sound, as if something is being dragged.

"Is Apollo dragging his feet?" Hades asks.

The approaching footfalls are much slower than one would normally walk.

 

[tbgg]

Kell decides to let the figure arrive when they arrive.

She continues to Hades, "By whose authority was Zeus made chief Immortal - his own? Is there anything allowing for the removal of a chief deity who abuses his power?"


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[Ireth]

Sigrlinn winces in sympathy at Hades' story of his ill-fated wedding to Persephone, and offers her sympathies for his murder.

At Kell's question, she says, "I've heard stories in the North of Odin the Allfather overthrowing Tyr to become king of the gods, but I can't say for sure how true they are."

((seriously, I could've sworn that was part of the myths, but I can't seem to find any sources about it. ^^; ))

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

((It doesn't get in the way of any Asgardian stuff I have planned. Let's just say you're right.))


Zeus replies, "Baldur did mention his brother losing his arm in a civil war. Your understanding is accurate, so Zeus' concern about Odin was not entirely baseless. It happened that Odin did not have interest in the west at the time.

"As for Olympians…

"Gaia was the first queen; she married Uranus. They ruled until Chronos was named the next king. He and Rhea married and ruled until the time came to turn over Mount Olympus to one of their children. Hestia was the eldest among us, but she said she would never marry. That would have put me next, but Zeus was rather outspoken, and he managed to persuade his parents to decide another way: power.

"I was not interested in this contest. Hera, the third of us, said that even if I did not object to being passed over, she did. Zeus, as you know, worked it out so she would be queen. Poseidon was the only one who challenged Zeus on his terms. Poseidon was the stronger of the two, and the better warrior. But lightning and water don't mix well. Zeus knew he would be able to turn the tide, so to speak. Even with his elemental advantage, it was a close match. Though given Poseidon's lack of empathy, I wonder how different his rule would have been.

"No matter. Zeus has already mentioned his desire for an heir. He has been deciding between Ares and Apollo. Though now that Apollo is here…"

Hades listens for a moment. It literally sounds like a man dragging his feet.

Hades mutters, "…eventually."

 

[Ireth]

"What is Ares' domain?" Sigrlinn asks. "What would he be like as ruler?"