Atlantean Mythology

## Atlantean Pantheon

The Atlantean pantheon can be divided into five generations. The very first beings were the primordial deities Jovian and Asha. Their union gave birth to the cosmos and the Titans. The offspring of the Titans became known as the Firstborn Gods.

According to Atlantean beliefs the Gods draw their powers from the primordial beings of Asha and Jovian. Their children become less powerful with each subsequent generation, as each newborn is further removed from their ancestral sources of power. Although worshipped nonetheless, the children of the firstborn Gods are therefore seen as minor deities. The dilution of their powers causes those minor Gods to focus on a specific domain or area of influence, while their parents, the more powerful firstborn generation, wield power over several domains.

## Importance of Hymns

Atlantean myths are passed down via the recitation of hymns. The following hymns are translated and summarized from the original Atlantean texts.

## The Hymn of Creation

### Creation of the Cosmos

Jovian created the cosmos and all matter within. Satisfied with himself, he withdrew to observe his creation. His wife Asha looked upon his work and found it to be dark and chaotic. She arranged the matter into celestial objects and gave order to the cosmos. After which Asha withdrew to mate with Jovian.

### The Birth of the Gods

Following a long period of labor she gave birth to two sons and two daughters, known as the Titans. Each of them inherited one of the four elemental domains. Okeanus controlled water, Gaea the earth, Photon light, and Celestia the heavens. The birth of Photon gave light to the cosmos while Okeanus covered the world in water. Gaea raised mountains to form lands and Celestia the filled the sky with air.

### Creation of Plants and Animals

Gaea looked at her domain and found it to be bare and cold. Okeanus flattered Gaea and convinced her that they could populate the world with beauty and life if only they mated. She consented and their union gave birth to two daughters. Thalassa, Goddess of the Sea, and Tessa, Goddess of Nature. Thalassa decorated the oceans with algae and reefs while Tessa covered the lands in plants and trees.

Yet the plants withered away in the cold and Tessa cried to her mother with great sadness. Gaea heard her wails and sought out Photon for aid. Photon had taken Celestia in marriage and their offspring included Infernos, God of Fire, Luna, Goddess of the Moon, and Bakku, God of Poetry and Celebrations.

Photon agreed to help Gaea, but only if she would sleep with him. She obliged for the sake of her daughter and gave birth to a son, Eko, God of Volcanoes, Metal, and Crafts. Eko labored tirelessly to forge volcanoes to spew lava and heat up the world. Yet the thick plumes of ash covered the world in darkness and now also the algae of the sea started dying. Thalassa wept into the sea until the oceans turned saline.

Again, Gaea turned to Photon for help, who put forth the same demand. While they mated Gaea felt both great compassion for her wailing daughters and aversion for Photon, which manifested into two twin daughters. Leah, Goddess of warmth, benevolence, and fertility, and Sekaria, Goddess of winter, hate, and death. The twin sisters were polar opposites.

Leah’s pure love caused the plants to spring back to life and Asha smiled upon her. Although Asha loved all of her grandchildren, Leah was her favorite. Leah felt great compassion for Eko, who felt like he had failed his mother and sisters. To cheer him up she made Thalassa fall in love with Eko, and their numerous offspring became the smaller deities of rivers, lakes, and hot springs.

As a thank you Eko formed creatures out of clay to give to Leah as gifts, which she loved very much. Asha, seeing how much joy they brought her favorite grandchild, breathed life into the creatures and they proliferated across the world. The other Gods looked upon Leah and grew jealous, so Asha had Eko craft one creature for each of the Gods to serve them as companions and gifted them life.

## The War of the Titans

### Celestia's Dismay

Dismayed by the actions of her husband Photon, Celestia sought out Okeanus for comfort. He used the opportunity to trick her into sleeping with him. From this Celestia bore Okeanus Reok, God of rain and mist, and Akadema, Goddess of wisdom and deceit. Reok courted Tessa, who initially refused him. He used his rainfalls to cause her flowers to bloom and crafted a garland out of them to gift her every year until she agreed to marry him.

           Akadema courted the beautiful Sekaria. She refused her, as Sekaria was consumed by her hate for her sister Leah. Akadema thought herself smarter than the other Gods and was fond of trickery. So Akadema approached Sekaria and told her of a way to overpower the other Gods and destroy all that Leah holds dear. Yet Akadema would only tell her how if she would agree to lay with her. Sekaria agreed, and they made love.

           Sekaria was beautiful, but also cold and absent of any passion. Akadema did not enjoy herself as much as she had imagined, yet she honored their agreement. Her scheme was to convince the Titaness Celestia to combine her power with Sekaria’s and summon an eternal winter to destroy all that Leah beloved. Sekaria asked how, and Akadema had a plan.