Khathos

# Khathos, Olympian God of the Elements

An Olympian artist's rendition of Khathos

Khathos was the primary God in Olympian mythology. The creator of the world and crafter of the elements, Khathos was worshipped often with daily grain offerings at the start of each morning. This gesture was meant to be a sign of thankfulness for fertile soil, frequent rainstorms, and fair weather conditions.

The God of the Elements is most notable for his marriage to Vanera, whom he delighted in while collaborating with her to provide Olympians good harvests when they sacrificed favorable offerings to each of them in separate ceremonies.

He is also the father of Zydreus, the God of Vengeance and Victory, Melene, the Goddess of Health and Medicine, and Udes, the God of Music and Culture.

Khathos lives atop the mountain called 'Ypsilós,' (meaning 'high one') in the northern part of Olympia where the state borders Sereine.

## Name

The name 'Khathos,' is derived from the ancient Calderian word for chaos. Ironically, Khathos was a god of order to the ancient Calderians and chaos was only associated with him because of his power.

## Mythology

### Birth of the World

Khathos was the only living deity in existence in the beginning of the universe. Olympian mythology states he created the world by molding it out of mud and sand. He created the sun through squeezing iron between his hands, creating intense pressure and heat that made it become molten magma. He shaped this substance into the sun by fusing it around a small iron core. Khathos continued to shape this world's needs by creating minerals, soil, and hard rock. He gathered these materials together and crafted the land on which man would walk. The oceans were brought into existence by digging gorges and deep valleys in between the land formations and letting a flood of water enter them. The seasons were introduced and changed based on Khathos's breath. Winter was a product of Khathos blowing on cold precipitation. Summer came as a result of Khathos exhaling. Spring and Fall are the result of slight variations in Khathos and how he breathes and how hard he exhales.

Khathos made man and animals much later after he created the basic features of the world. At first, Khathos left the first humans alone to explore the new world he had created. However, he found them lacking guidance and the ability to sustain themselves sufficiently. This situation led to Khathos' only physical appearance to man. Once early man obtained the knowledge of how to farm, they participated in primitive offerings to Khathos to thank him for his help and future support.

### Creation of Vanera

Khathos discovered he was lonely as he watched early man collaborate and associate with each other. He decided he could not be solely responsible for the world's continued development. He shaped a figure of a woman out of clay and gave her the name Vanera. Instantly, he fell in love with her and deemed her his wife. Khathos peered down at man and the world that changed with him over time. After much observation, Khathos named Vanera the Goddess of the Harvest. Vanera initially distrusted Khathos because he was the only other deity in existence. However, she grew to appreciate his care for man and began to love him as much as he loved her.

### Creation of Inemis

Khathos periodically became angry with man when they became too arrogant and ceased offerings for a lengthy period of time. In response to the pridefulness of man, Khathos shaped Inemis out of magma that hardened into basalt rock. Khathos instructed Inemis that he could only cause destruction if man had become arrogant and boasted about their position as the most powerful creatures in the world. Khathos himself would inflict pain on them if they limited the daily offerings they brought him. Inemis initially agreed with Khathos's commands and did as he was ordered for a number of years.

### Creation of Kashena

Khathos periodically watched man's attempts to hunt wild game in the early years of man's existence. Often amused by how unskilled and unsuccessful they were, Khathos took pity on them and decided to create a deity who would aid them if they were respectful enough to her. He took an oak tree and removed part of the trunk to craft the wooden figure of a woman. He then breathed life into it and Kashena became a living deity. Khathos handed her a quiver of arrows and a bow. Without her role even needing to be explained, she understood her purpose and set out to become a nomadic goddess who hunted legendary big game while recruiting a number of ancient female Olympians to be her huntresses.

### Creation of Udes

After creating deities who helped man survive and kept them in check, Khathos solely observed man for a time. He soon grew bored by their progress as their sole purpose was survival and they had very little camaraderie within their efforts. Khathos soon created Udes out of a finely made stone sculpture and breathed life into him like he did with Kashena. Udes was the only deity who had an exuberant personality after his creation. Every other deity developed their demeanor and character over time as they fulfilled their purposes and experienced certain events. Khathos gifted Udes a lyre and instructed him to teach man cultural traditions and musical innovations. Udes mainly stayed within Khathos's court while periodically appearing to ancient Olympians when their culture sputtered.

## Inemis' Rebellion

After some time of listening to Khathos's orders, Inemis grew frustrated at Khathos's commands to strike down ancient Calderians. Although he continued to respectfully adhere to Khathos's commands, Inemis secretly began plotting to incite a rebellion against Khathos with some of the minor deities. These individuals included Itysus, Arus, and Yaldir. Itysus and Arus planned to lure Khathos into the chamber hall of his open-air palace on Ypsilós. Yaldir was to provide Inemis with a blade forged from Valerian steel, the only resource that could wound a god. After half a year of waiting, Yaldir presented the blade to Inemis, who instructed Arus and Itysus to do as they had planned.

Itysus and Arus successfully lured Khathos into the chamber hall to discuss man's development. As they walked through the hallway, Inemis hid behind a marble pillar and closely followed Khathos. He successfully pierced Khathos's chest. The God of the Elements collapsed as the three deities ran out of the chamber hall and escaped the palace.

Khathos discovered he was losing a fair amount of Icherian blood, the life source of the gods. He was able to limp back to his throne, where Vanera found him slumping on his throne when she returned from an outdoor walk. She quickly called for Kashena with a blow of a horn made from a thick piece of wood. Kashena arrived at the palace a couple of days later, finding Vanera tending to Khathos by feeding him the best crops she had grown herself and bandaged him with various herbs. Kashena made him a light fur overcoat that kept him relatively warm. She patrolled the area for a week as a promise to protect Khathos. Udes, who spent some time in solitude after the event, played soothing music to Khathos in order to keep him somewhat calm in light of the grievance.

#### Creation of Melene

Once he recovered from the deep wound he received from Inemis, Khathos became enraged with Inemis' betrayal. He sought to become healed more quickly after future ordeals and created Melene out of the branches and trunk of a weeping willow. He breathed life into her and gifted her a medicine pouch and walking staff. Khathos explained his experience with Inemis and commanded Melene to monitor ancient Olympian medicinal advancements and their overall health. Melene quickly agreed and began making an herbal mixture that began to soothe Khathos's body aches which were the result of his wound.

### Inemis' Banishment to Purgatory

Khathos's rage never fully subsided even after the long term effects of his sword wound completely healed. Seeking personal revenge and vengeance, Khathos himself hunted down Inemis for several years. After 3 years, Khathos discovered Inemis hiding with Itysus, Arus, and Yaldir in a cave. Specifically, they were taking refuge in the Kaldir Pass, a narrow valley that connects Chuukango and Olympia within the Olympus Mountain Range. Khathos spared no time bringing his form of justice unto the four fugitives who had violated his law. He took out his Valerian-steel tipped spear and plunged it into Itysus's throat. He similarly thrusted his spear into the throats of Inemis's other two companions as well. After disposing of the three accomplices to attempted murder, Khathos stepped forward, pulling his spear back to destroy Inemis as well. However, Inemis yelled for Khathos to stop and eagerly declared he would bargain with Khathos. Khathos drove the spear into the ground with rage and asked Inemis what his proposal was. Inemis proposed that he would live in Purgatory, which would solely become his realm. In return, he would never return to the surface world. Khathos begrudgingly agreed to this idea because he would never see Inemis again. At his word, Khathos created a stone door and rocky stairway down to Purgatory within that cave. Inemis stepped through the doorway eagerly and Khathos sealed the portal off.

After his encounter with Inemis, Khathos returned to Ypsilós fulfilled. He declared to the other deities what he had done and they quickly agreed with him as Purgatory was specifically made for the worst deities and members of humanity.

### The Birth of Zydreus

A week after he had banished Inemis from the surface world, Khathos became enamored with Vanera. This circumstance occurred as he drank too much one night, calling it a personal celebration for vanquishing his foe. He proceeded to have sexual relations with Vanera that night and showered love upon her, which was heard through the palace walls quite easily. Months later, Vanera privately told Khathos that she was pregnant. Eventually, she gave birth to a son in her palace bedroom. Khathos named him Zydreus. He deemed him the God of Victory and Vengeance, as he was the result of a celebratory event declaring victory over a wrongful action.

### Personality

In most situations, Khathos has an even temperament and tends to be patient and discerning in even the most frustrating circumstances. However, he reacts furiously as rage consumes him when he is egregiously wronged. He tends not to think before he acts in such situations, but the consequences rarely make him regret his choices. He usually acts stoically around the other deities, but lightens up whenever a celebration takes place.

### Appearance

Khathos is the only deity who has not appeared to man multiple times. In fact he has had only one such occurrence, which was in the early days of man's development. He appears to have a muscular build and has light skin. Khathos likes to maintain his facial hair, growing out a beard and rarely shaves it. His brown hair is kept long and is sometimes braided in strands for decoration. His dark brown eyes usually remain steely or expressionless, as he tends to be stoic around other deities and humans.