Cerberus

Siblings: Orthrus, Colchian, Chimera, Hydra, and Sphinx

**Cerberus**, in Greek myth, is the monstrous hound of Hades that guards the gates of the underworld, the realm of Hades and the dead. Cerberus was one of the monsters born from the union of Echidna and Typhone, both as monstrous and hideous as their offspring.

## Description

It is generally depicted as a vicious, gargantuan dog with three heads, although accounts may vary. Cerberus is in fact the Latin transliteration of the Greek name Kerberos. He said to have eyes which emit a smoldering fire and his mane is covered in snakes. In addition, some legends say that should one stare into Cerberus's eyes they would turn to stone much like a Gorgon.

## History

### Background

Cerberus was born from the union between Typhone and Echidna. His activities during his days in the Physical Realm was unknown, but he likely avoided any confrontations with the gods during and after their battle against Typhone. Among his brothers, the most famous are Hydra, Chimera, and Orthrus.

Cerberus was found by Hades after he was appointed as lord of the Underworld by the Fates and instead of smiting him, Hades adopted the young beast and became his closest companion. Cerberus was at the time Hades' only friend during his reign in the Underworld and would grow to become a fierce and terrible creature that no shade or demon would dare to provoke as the guardian of the Underworld, specifically its gates.

Cerberus was also the first creature Persephone had come across when she ventured into the Underworld through one of its entrances. At first Cerberus was somewhat hostile towards her, perceiving her as an intruder, though he grew quite fond of her after she calmed him down and posed no threat to him. He led her to where Hades resides, sparking the relationship that blossomed between Persephone and Hades. When Persephone was coronated as wife of Hades and Queen of the Underworld, Cerberus was just as loyal to her as he is to Hades. Compared to Hades, Persephone was known to pamper Cerberus given that she outwardly adored the beast.

### Final Labor of Hercules

Cerberus' only mythology concerns his capture by Heracles. Heracles was sent by Eurystheus, the king of Tiryns, to bring back Cerberus from Hades the king of the underworld. This was the twelfth and final labor imposed on Heracles. Heracles says that, although Eurystheus commanded him to bring back Cerberus, it was not from any desire to see Cerberus, but only because Eurystheus thought that the task was impossible.

Heracles was aided in his mission by his being an initiate of the Eleusinian Mysteries. Euripides has his initiation being "lucky" for Heracles in capturing Cerberus. And that Heracles was initiated into the Mysteries, in preparation for his descent into the underworld. According to Diodorus, Heracles went to Athens, where Musaeus, the son of Orpheus, was in charge of the initiation rites, while according to Apollodorus, he went to Eumolpus at Eleusis. Heracles also had the help of Hermes, the usual guide of the underworld, as well as Athena.

### Paraded by Hercules

According to Apollodorus, Heracles asked Hades for Cerberus, and Hades told Heracles he would allow him to take Cerberus only if he "mastered him without the use of the weapons which he carried", and so, using his lion-skin as a shield, Heracles squeezed Cerberus around the head until he submitted. Although another account says that, according to Diodorus, Persephone welcomed Heracles "like a brother" and gave Cerberus "in chains" to Heracles with the chains being made of adamant.

After bringing Cerberus up from the underworld, Cerberus was said to have poisoned the aconite. When Heracles dragged forth Cerberus to the Physical Realm from a cave for the first time upon the shores of Scythia, he was dazzled by the unaccustomed daylight. In response, Cerberus thrashed about furiously in his chains, and spewed out a "poison-foam", which made the aconite plants growing there poisonous.

Heracles paraded the captured Cerberus through Greece. Heracles lead Cerberus through Midea in Argolis, as women and children watch in fear, and Diodorus Siculus says of Cerberus, that Heracles "carried him away to the amazement of all and exhibited him to men." Heracles showed Cerberus to Eurystheus, as commanded, though upon seeing the hound, the king was so frightened he hid in a vase and demanded to return Cerberus from whence he was taken. After the ordeal, Heracles returned Cerberus to the underworld.

## Powers and Abilities

**Afterlife Guardian:** Cerberus is or can transform into an afterlife guardian/protector, figure/entity that preserves the balance in the afterlife. Afterlife Guardians are in charge of preserving and keeping the balance between the living and dead such as keeping the dead from bothering or troubling the living, ensuring souls go and stay where they belong in the afterlife and much more.

**Enhanced Bite:** Cerberus has an inhumanly strong bite, either because of sharp fangs/teeth, augmented jaw-muscle structure, etc.

**Fire Vision:** Cerberus can project fire blasts from their eyes.

**Magic:** Cerberus is able to utilize magic, the art of using certain actions such as gestures, rituals and thoughts as well as symbols, language and formulae to utilize mysterious and/or supernatural forces that don't abide by conventional science or laws of reality to achieve any effect or phenomenon imaginable. They can do so to varying degrees, with only their skill, personal power-level, imagination/knowledge, and/or morality to define the borders. Given the flexibility of magic and its ability to transcend logic, laws, and common sense, Cerberus has essentially limitless possibilities for what he can accomplish and achieve, essentially being capable of altering reality through his magic.

**Meta Disaster Manipulation:** Cerberus can create, shape and manipulate the limitless and ultimate disasters. No matter what happens or who tries to "save the day" it is completely and utterly hopeless, absolutely nothing can stop this from happening, just like *real* death, tragedy will strike in the bitter end.

**Multiple Bodies:** Cerberus can create or possesses alternate bodies that they can inhabit. Cerberus may have Multipresence and be able to control more than one body at a time. Cerberus may only be able to control a single body at a given time; such Cerberus may actively switch between bodies to suit their needs, or they may be constrained to only switch upon death of the inhabited body. This is different from Replication, as the bodies can take any form (however, they may be clones of the original as well).

**Plant Emerging:** Cerberus can emerge living plants from their body. It can be from any time period, and they fight for Cerberus and with him.

**Poisonous Saliva:** Cerberus possesses poisonous saliva.

**Snake Den:** Cerberus can project numerous snakes from their body to eject poison into the target, project snakes as projectiles to attack or otherwise send them to the target.

**Super-Condition:** Cerberus possess supernatural capabilities, attributes and aspects that are beyond what is naturally possible. With their condition alone, they can dwarf most beings in their respective universe, being virtually supreme in their existential aspects and attributes. With their superhuman physique, they can move buildings, run at the speed of light, survive nuclear explosions unscathed, and remain active for days to weeks untired. With their mind, they can amass knowledge and information about everything, allowing them to invent and create things beyond the grasps of regular humans. They can master languages and subjects in mere days or even hours too.

**Wing Manifestation:** Cerberus has or is able to manifest wings that grow or are attached to the body allowing flight. They may also protect from rear attacks or detach and re-grow for quick getaways.