More History from the world of the Legion

Perseus – Another of Zeus’s offspring, Perseus was different in that his father conceived him while in the form of a shower of gold. Perseus was born with skin as hard as metal, golden brown like a bronze cast. Often an outcast and treated poorly as a child, Perseus eventually faced Medusa. He did not behead her as it was believed, he in fact restored her to her former beauty. During the transformation back to her old self, the snake head was simply shed like old skin. He used this old skin as a weapon to turn his opponents to stone; almost everyone believed it was Medusa’s actual head. Medusa and Perseus had children who also carried aspects of their parents’ curses (snake like skin that was gold and impervious for example). Their children spread far and wide across the globe. Perseus is the only warrior to marry two powerful women of myth, for his marriage to Andromeda was real and loving and eventually founded the Persian Empire through their son Perses. Medusa remained his second, secret wife because she loved him and owed her life to him.

Orpheus – One of the few God-Sons not to rest during the Great Slumber, Orpheus was the son of Apollo and Calliope. Apollo had great power among the Gods. The Roman’s, unlike the Greeks, were afraid of the Gods and used their powerful Magi to bind each of the gods to a planet; Zeus to Jupiter, Ares to Mars, etc. Apollo remained free, for he alone did not frighten the Roman people. His journey to rescue his wife from Hades was one of histories greatest love stories. He was a skilful musician and had a great charm and intelligence. His great honor and moral character grated on the nerves of Dionysus. The two feuded for decades, perhaps centuries, until Dionysus eventually slept alongside the other Gods. Orpheus laid his harp and helmet at the feet of his father Apollo and disappeared into the East. The harp is believed to have fallen into the hands of a strange individual known as The Songsmith, who can transform the emotions into music.

Prometheus – Although thought of as a “Titan”, Prometheus was the first super-human to stand against the Gods. A mere mortal, Prometheus used his uncanny athletic abilities to steal power from Zeus himself, making himself super strong, fast and nearly invincible. Zeus in anger created a race of Amazon’s known as ‘The Pandora’ and sent them to capture Prometheus. Their leader carried a jar containing the worst magical spells Zeus could conjure, had Prometheus not surrendered the jar would have released evil so great it would have ravaged the Earth. After his surrender Prometheus was chained to a rock, his liver eaten daily by a large vulture. He remained there for many years until Hercules freed him from his chains. Prometheus spent his last days in the city of Argos, protecting men from the wrath of the Gods.

Beowulf – Known as War Wolf, he was one of the greatest fighters to have ever lived. His raw strength and power continued to increase throughout his life so that when he died he was as strong as any God. Like Prometheus, Beowulf despised the Gods and their meddling ways. Grendel’s Mother was in fact a descendant of Perseus and Medusa. Grendel’s father was a Titan, possibly Atlas himself. After her sons death Grendel’s mother attacked and killed most of the men in the camp Beowulf was protecting. Beowulf followed her back to her underwater lair and tried to slay her but she was either too powerful for him, or seduced him. Their battle lasted all morning until past noon. Just as Beowulf was about to fall, he spotted a sword in the waters of the cavern; illuminated by the noonday sun coming in through the cave roof. Beowulf removed the head of Grendel’s mother with the sword and then returned it to the waters. The sword was known as Excalibur.