Greek/Roman Deities: Eros/Cupid

The canon Greek mythology tells two different origins for Eros. In the most known, he is the whimsy son of Aphrodite (and probably of her many-times lover, Ares). Depicted as a winged youth or child with bow and arrows, he spreaded love and desire (and hate) among mortals apparently randomly, and caused many prohibited passions. He is sometimes represented as blindfolded, since “Love is blind”; that is, it has nothing to do with reason and you can’t choose who to love based on convenience or class. In a society where love and marriage were distinct businesses, Eros was a force to respect but be wary of.

In Hesiod’s Theogonia Eros is instead seen as a primary cosmic force, born as the same time as the Mother Earth Gaea and necessary for the order of the universe. This double tale later lead the philosopher Plato to say that there were actually two different gods called Eros: one representing “sacred” love and one representing “mundane” love.

The Romans called the god “Amor” (“Love”) or “Cupido” (“Desire”; in English, the same word became “cupidity”), and almost always represented him as a child, except when the novelist Apuleius told the story of Cupid’s love for Psyche.

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Eros/Cupid (CG)

Favored Weapon: shortbow

Sacred Animal: hare

Symbol: bow and arrow

Sacred Color: pink

Domains: Chaos, Charm, Community, [Fertility] Good, Trickery

Subdomains: Azata, Family, Friendship, [Generation], Love, Lust, Revelry

Druidic Domains: Swan

Inquisitions: Conversion, [Emotion], Fervor, Reformation, Zeal

Mysteries/Spirits: Ancestor, Heavens, [Passion], Nature, [Sacred Body]

Witch Patron: Enchantment, [Fertility]

Variant Channeling: Art/Music, Beauty/Love/Lust, Contracts/Oaths, Freedom, Sexuality, Weapons

Clergy: bards, clerics, inquisitors, oracles, shamans, skalds, warpriests, witches

Spells: charm animal (all clergy members can prepare/learn it as a 1st-level spell); charm person (all clergy members can prepare/learn it as a 1st-level spell); matchmaker (witches can prepare it as a 2nd-level spell; clerics, inquisitors, oracles, and warpriests can prepare/learn it as a 3rd-level spell); reckless infatuation (bards and skalds can learn it as a 1st-level spell; witches can prepare it as a 2nd-level spell; clerics, inquisitors, oracles, shamans, and warpriests can prepare/learn it as a 3rd-level spell).

Unique Summon Rules: erotes (summon nature’s ally IV)

Greek/Roman Deities: Hecate

A mysterious goddess, Hecate was an Underworld deity largely worshipped in the Mediterranean area as patron of magic, witchcraft, necromancy, darkness, and the moon, queen of ghosts and demons. She was represented with three faces or bodies, matching the moon phases (hence, maybe, the traditional coven of three witches), and offerings were left for her at the crossing of three roads, since one of her names in Latin was Trivia. The goddesses Selene (“Moon”), Artemis, and Persephone were said to be Hecate’s aspects in the sky, on earth, and in the Underworld. Hecate had not only an evil aspect in ancient times: she is also known to be honored as Soteira (Savior) and an universal goddess. In Europe, witches are said to have still worshipped Hecate in the Middle Ages and even beyond.

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Hecate (CE)

Favored Weapon: dagger

Sacred Animal: dog

Symbol: torch

Sacred Color: black

Domains: Chaos, Darkness, Death, Evil, Magic

Subdomains: Arcane, Demon, Moon, Night, Shadow, Undead [Witchcraft]

Apocryphal Subdomains: Alchemy, Rites

Druidic Domains: Serpent

Inquisitions: Conversion, Damnation, Fate, Heresy, Secrets, Spellkiller, Vengeance

Mysteries/Spirits: Bones, Lunar, Occult, Shadow

Witch Patron: Death, Jynx, Moon, Occult, Portents, Revenge, Shadow, Spirits, Transformation, Vengeance

Variant Channeling: Darkness, Death, Fate, Magic, Revenge/Vengeance, Secrets, Undeath

Clergy: clerics, inquisitors, magi, oracles, shamans, sorcerers, summoners, witches, wizards

Spells: moonbeam (shamans can prepare/learn it as a 1st-level spell; other clergy members can prepare/learn it as a 2nd-level spell); threefold face (sorcerers, witches, and wizards can prepare/learn it as a 2nd-level spell; other clergy members can prepare/learn it as a 3rd-level spell); threefold aspect (witches can prepare it as a 3rd-level spell; other clergy members can prepare/learn it as a 5th-level spell); grim stalker (magi and summoners can prepare it as a 5th-level spell; other clergy members can prepare/learn it as a 6th-level spell); threefold form (witches can prepare it as a 8th-level spell; other clergy members can prepare/learn it as a 9th-level spell)

Unique Summon Rules: orthrus (summon monster IV), cerberi (summon monster V)

Greek/Roman Deities: Psyche

Psyche, “Soul”, was the personification of the human soul and life in the Greek/Roman mythology, seen as a young woman with butterfly wings or as a butterfly that left the human body with the last breath. Since the human soul longs for love above all, Psyche became in later myths the bride of Eros. Apuleius tells her story as a fairy tale in his novel The Metamorphoses. Psyche was a human princess, chosen by Eros to be his wife, under one condition: she would only meet him at night and could never try to see his true appearance. When Psyche broke this prohibition, Eros had to flee from her and the desperate girl had to search for him in the world and pass many painful trials (symbolizing the growth of the soul to wisdom) to regain his trust, lastly dying and being resurrected as a goddess. Their daughter was Hedone/Voluptas, “Pleasure” or “Joy”. 

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Psyche (NG)

Favored Weapon: dagger

Sacred Animal: butterfly

Symbol: butterfly

Sacred Color: white

Domains: Animal, Charm, Good, Healing, Repose

Subdomains: Agathion, [Birth] Love, Redemption, Psychopomp, Resurrection, Souls

Druidic Domains: none 

Inquisitions: Conversion, [Emotion] Persistence, Redemption, Revelation, Zeal

Mysteries/Spirits: Life, [Passion]

Witch Patron: Animals, Devotion, Enchantment, Endurance, Healing, Mercy, Recovery

Variant Channeling: Beauty/Love/Lust, Self-Perfection

Clergy: bards, clerics, inquisitors (few), oracles, psychics, shamans, witches

Spells: charm animal (all clergy members can prepare/learn it as a 1st-level spell); reveal true shape (bards can learn it as a 1st-level spells; other clergy members can prepare/learn it as a 2nd-level spell); joyful rapture (bards can learn it as a 3rd-level spell; clerics and oracles can prepare/learn it as a 5th-level spell; inquisitors, psychics, shamans, and witches can prepare/learn it as a 6th-level spell); resurrection (clerics and oracles can prepare/learn it as a 6th-level spell; shamans, and witches can learn it as a 7th-level spell; psychics can learn it as a 8th-level spell)

Unique Summon Rules: erotes (summon nature’s ally IV) 

Greek/Roman Deities: Artemis/Diana

Very soon on The Bardess’ Library #4!

Apollo’s twin sister, Artemis, was the Triple Goddess: Moon in the Sky (her Latin name, Diana, means “she who brings the light of the day”); Huntress on Earth, with her entourage of nymphs wandering the woodlands; and Witch in the Underworld, patron of obscure magic rites. She was also invoked by women in labor to “bring the child to the light”. Her arrows struck female sinners as surely as those of her brother did with males, and she punished fiercely anyone who would attempt to her chastity and any nymph that had broken her vow of virginity. Pagan and medieval witches were worshipers of Diana.

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Artemis/Diana (NG)

Favored Weapon: shortbow

Symbol: bow in form of crescent

Sacred Animal: Stag

Sacred Color: green and black

Domains: Animal, Darkness, Good, Magic, Protection, [Prophecy]

Subdomains: [Agathion*], Arcane, [Birth] Divine, [Fate] Fur, Moon, [Spell] Night, Purity, [Witchcraft] 

Apocryphal Subdomains: Rites

Druidic Domains: [Bear] [Forest] [Hunting] [Stag]

Inquisitions: Conversion, [Darkness] Fate, [Incarnate] [Nature] Restoration, [Spirit] [Silver]

Mysteries/Spirits: [Arcana] Heavens, Lunar, [Moon] Nature, Occult, [Pythic]

Witch Patron: Agility, Animals, Boundaries, Devotion, Moon, Portents, Spirits

Variant Channeling: Fate, Hunting, Magic, Moonlight, Nature

Clergy: clerics, druids, hunters, inquisitors, mediums, oracles (mostly SeersUM), rangers, sorcerers, shamans, warpriests, witches, wizards. Druids of Artemis can use the shortbow as a druidic weapon, and can’t use the scimitar. All priests of Artemis are women.

Spells: baleful polymorph (clerics and oracles can learn/prepare it as a 5th-level spell), moonrise arrowP134ICfHM (druid, hunters, and rangers can learn/prepare it as a 3rd-level spell), tree shape (all clergy members can learn/prepare it as a 2nd-level spell; druids and hunters can learn/prepare it as a 1st-level spell).

Unique Summon Rules: Nymph (summon nature’s ally V)

Paladin Codes: Apollo

As a lawful good deity (ignoring his many dalliances with women and nymphs), Apollo has his paladins.

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Apollo Paladin Code

• I bring order where chaos is. Excessive displays of emotions are chaos. Violence is chaos. Improper sexual behavior is chaos.

• I heal good people who ask me from wounds or diseases for free.

• I give advice about the future to those who ask me.

• I punish the guilty with both sword and magic, but if requested, I give them instructions to atone their misdeeds and overcome curses.

• I protect the sanctity of holy sites and punish those who would bring violence there or disrespect peaceful priests.

• I reveal the secret misdeeds of evil people and bring their plans to light. 

• I inspire poets and artists and protect them from harm. I reward generously those who create good works of art.

Greek/Roman Deities: Apollo

Very soon on The Bardess’ Library #4!

Apollo has been stated as CG in older editions, but for the Greek and the Athenians in particular, he was the symbol and embodiment of order and good governance, as “master of the skies” and “bringer of light”, keeper of truth and clear vision. He was also one of the patron deities of theater.

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Apollo (LG)

Favored Weapon: Shortbow

Symbol: Lyre on the sun

Sacred Color: Silver

Sacred Animal: Serpent, swan

Domains: Charm, Good, Healing, Law, [Prophecy], [Song] Sun

Subdomains: Archon, Day, [Fate], Judgment, Light, Restoration, Revelation [Warmth]

Apocryphal Subdomains: Alchemy, Captivation* Medicine, Thirst

Druidic Domains: Serpent [Swan] [Rat]

Inquisitions: Conversion, Fate, Fervor, Final Rest, [Guided] [Karmic] Illumination, [Incarnate] Restoration, Revelation, [Song] [Transcendent] Truth

Mysteries/Spirits: [Arcane] Life, Lore, Occult, [Pythic] Solar [Sound] (oracles of Apollo mostly have Blinded, Lame, Tongues or Unbelievable as their curses)

Paladin Oaths: Against Corruption, Against Fiends, Against Grotesquery, Against the Wyrm

Witch Patron: Devotion, Enchantment, Fate, Healing, Light, Occult, Portents

Variant Channeling:  Art/Music, Fate, Knowledge, Magic, Self-Perfection, Sun

Clergy: bards, clerics (many Evangelists), druids, inquisitors, mediums, oracles (mostly Seers), paladins (rare), shamans, sorcerers, warpriests, witches, wizards

Spells: daybreak arrow (bards add it to their list as a 3rd-level spell), sunbeam (clerics and oracles add it to their list as a 7th-level spell), sunburst (clerics and oracles add it to their list as a 8th-level spell), power word, kill (clerics and oracles add it to their list as a 8th-level spell)

Greek/Roman Deities: Poseidon/Neptune

Very soon on The Bardess’ Library #4!

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Poseidon (CN)

Favored Weapon: trident

Sacred Color: blue

Sacred Animal: horse

Symbol: wave and trident

Domains/Blessings: Animal, Chaos, Destruction, Earthquake, Flood, Water, Weather

Subdomains: Catastrophe, [Fish], Flotsam, Oceans, Protean, Rage, Storms

Apocryphal Subdomains: Riot

Druidic Domains: Aquatic, Serpent

Inquisitions: Conversion, Vengeance

Mysteries/Spirits: Nature, Waves

Witch Patron: Animals, Devotion, Revenge, Storms, Water

Variant Channeling: Destruction, Monsters, Ocean/Sea/Water, Revenge/Vengeance, Weather

Clergy: Clerics, druids, inquisitors (rare), oracles, warpriests, witches

Spells: aquatic cavalry (all clergy members add it to their list as a 2nd-level spell)

Unique Summon Rules: hippocampus (summon nature’s ally II), cyclops (summon monster V)

Neptune (N)

Favored Weapon: trident

Sacred Color: blue

Sacred Animal: dolphin

Symbol: wave and trident

Domains/Blessings: Animal, Destruction, Earthquake, Flood, Travel, Water, Weather

Subdomains: Catastrophe, Exploration, [Fish], Flotsam, Oceans, Storms, Trade

Apocryphal Subdomains: none

Druidic Domains: Aquatic, Serpent

Inquisitions: Conversion

Mysteries/Spirits: Nature, Waves

Witch Patron: Animals, Devotion, Storms, Water

Variant Channeling: Destruction, Monsters, Ocean/Sea/Water, Weather

Clergy: Clerics, druids, inquisitors (rare), oracles, warpriests, witches

Spells: aquatic cavalry (all clergy members add it to their list as a 2nd-level spell)

Unique Summon Rules: hippocampus (summon nature’s ally II), cyclops (summon monster V)