Olympia

Olympia is a divine Fae superhero and member of the Paragons.

## Biography

According to the accepted story of the Titanomachy, the gods of Olympus waged war upon their Titanic forebears and, after ten years of battle, the Titans were cast into Tartarus. But the myth fails to mention that many of the Titans were spared, and they continued to live on in the far corners of the Blazing World. Occasionally they would meet with the younger generation of gods, typically to continue old feuds, and at one such meeting a drunken brawl broke out between Dionysus and the Titan Astraeus. The cause of the fight was never known, as the two shamefaced Gods never spoke of it afterward, but when their divine blood mixed with spilled ambrosia on the ground a generation of newborn Titanic demigods sprang up from the soil.

Dubbed the *Krasites*, or 'children of wine,' most of these young Titans shared Dionysus' love of celebration and left to join his retinue. But the smallest and weakest of the siblings, a young woman who had inherited more of Astraeus' ambition and temper than Dionysus' joviality, instead journeyed to Olympus and began hammering on the gates until the Horae had to restrain her. Zeus emerged to investigate the commotion and was surprised at the child's audacity in demanding entry. He informed her that Olympus had no place for weaklings; she could gain access to Olympus only when she had grown so powerful that none would dare bar the gates against her. She responded by swearing that one day Zeus himself would open the gate for her, and the elder god was so amused by her oath that he dubbed her Olympia, after the prize she was determined to obtain, before he cast her back into the Blazing World.

Olympia was indeed a very weak godling at the time, but thanks to the myths of her ancestors she knew exactly how to grow stronger. Like the heroes of old, she began embarking on a series of great quests throughout the Blazing World, taking on divine tasks from any god who would indulge her. She assisted Astraeus in forging new constellations, fought giants at Ares' command, gathered adamantine ore for Hephaestus, and reveled with Dionysus nonstop for a year. For centuries she sought out new trials, growing in strength and accumulating powerful treasures all the while. Eventually she returned to the gates of Olympus, but still they would not open. Zeus' messenger informed Olympia that, until her deeds echoed in the myths of the mortal world, she was still not worthy to join the great pantheon. Incensed but undaunted, she descended the golden stair until she emerged on Earth and immediately set about building her legend among mankind.

Greece was never blessed with an abundance of superheroes, and those that called the country home tended to be of the weaker sort. As such the proud, alluring, and very powerful Olympia quickly became the most popular and lauded Greek hero since Hercules. But although her victories were celebrated in every corner of the country, she knew that she needed to perform greater deeds and achieve even more notoriety to gain truly mythical status. When the Paragons were formed, Olympia personally volunteered in spite of the protests of the Greek government. Knowing they couldn't stop the mercurial demigod from doing as she pleased, the Greek parliament relented and put her name forward for the team. Ever since, Olympia has been the vanguard of the Paragons, totally relentless in her drive to punish evil and prove herself to Olympus once and for all.

## Personality

Olympia, despite her cultured demeanor, is ferocious both on and off the battlefield. She believes in a more primitive system of justice that hasn't been practiced since mankind's dark ages. She favors direct action, swift justice, and damning proclamations that brook no appeal. She may grudgingly let a defeated enemy off the hook once, but if they fail to mend their ways she won't make the same offer again.

Beneath her reserved and haughty exterior, Olympia is still the daughter of two hedonistic gods. She indulges freely in all her passions, and when the mood strikes her she is utterly shameless in her pursuit of fun and romance. Conversely, her age and experience have given her great wisdom and insight when she chooses to use them.

Olympia is proud and independent. She is mostly content to follow orders, but she never thinks of herself as subordinate to anyone else. If she feels her leaders are being foolish or overly lenient she will often ignore them. She is utterly fearless and has little patience for those who would retreat just because a battle seems hopeless.

## Powers

Olympia is a demigod, which grants her stature far beyond that of mere mortals. She is immortal, physically tireless, and has a divine presence that makes her commands difficult for mortals to resist. Her strength, cunning, and stamina are truly legendary, even in a world crowded by superheroes. She has further augmented her natural prowess with an arsenal of divine artifacts she won through a series of grueling heroic trials. She typically fights with her fists, but when necessary she freely calls upon these magical accoutrements to resolve all sorts of challenges.

Olympia guards her secrets well. Not even her teammates know her full inventory of relics, but those she wields most often are common knowledge:

* A cloak which grants her the power of flight and invisibility, with both powers growing stronger at night
* A short, wide-bladed sword that seems capable of cutting through any material
* An unbreakable iron chain that grows in length (and weight) upon command. The chain weighs much more than it seemingly should, and only a Titan can utilize it fully
* A mirrored bauble that reflects mental attacks and allows its wearer to dispel illusions
* A ring of briars which makes its wearer invulnerable to arrows (or any other physical ranged attack)
* A goblet that flows with whatever liquid Olympia commands it to produce
* A charm which allows the wielder to summon, communicate with, and command furred animals, from common vermin to mythical beasts

Olympia's comely appearance is a recent disguise she has assumed to better walk among mortals. She has a second form, her natural state as a Titan, which is far less mundane. In this state, into which she can transform at any time, she becomes a true primeval beast. She grows to immense size, her strength and stamina increase exponentially, increasing to match whatever task she sets herself. Her skin takes on the brownish appearance of the earth, her back becomes stooped, and her features become primitive, almost Neanderthal. In her Titanic form she enjoys a mystical connection to the Earth, and can command dirt and rocks to move as she pleases. But despite the great powers it bestows, Olympia rarely uses this form unless truly mythical strength is called for. While transformed, her mind changes along with her body, and when it does it instantly becomes difficult for her to relate to mortal problems or even remember her own teammates.

Olympia is well-known throughout the Blazing World, and even distant pantheons have heard of her exploits. She can call on occasional favors from her friends among the Greek gods, and she can at least expect cordial treatment from foreign deities.

## Weaknesses

Olympia relies on her magic items for much of her powers, without which she is just a standard (albeit formidable) divine brick. More important than the powers they grant, if these items are stolen it would risk causing a falling out with the Gods, a possibility which drives Olympia to worry continuously about their security. This concern borders on paranoia, and she won't even lend her belongings to her mortal friends for fear they will be lost forever.

In the course of her heroic deeds, Olympia has made almost as many enemies as friends. These include such deadly entities as the Furies, who hunt Olympia relentlessly to avenge some long-forgotten humiliation. Although few divine beings would openly attack Olympia while she has the favor of the gods, there is always at least one scheming for her downfall at any given time.

Lastly, Olympia occasionally risks involuntarily transforming into her Titanic form when she returns to the Blazing World or is exposed to powerful earth magic. This is not a huge drawback, as Olympia is arguably more powerful in this form, but she finds it highly embarrassing to be "outed" against her will.