P L U T O
:: god of the underworld and the judge of the dead in Roman mythology ::
:: god of the underworld and the judge of the dead in Roman mythology ::
Summary:: -- Pluto, son of Saturn and Ops, assisted Jupiter in his wars, and after victory had crowned their exertions
in placing his brother on the throne, be obtained a share of his father's dominions. Pluto's regions being supposed to lie under ground;
and as he was the first who taught men to bury their dead, it was thence inferred that he was king of the infernal regions, whence sprung
a belief, that as all souls descended to him, he bound them with inevitable chains, and delivered them to be tried by judges, after which he
dispensed rewards and punishments. Although Pluto was brother of Jupiter, none of the goddesses would condescend to marry him, owing
to the deformity of his person, joined to the darkness of his mansions. Enraged at this reluctance in the goddesses, and mortified at
his want of issue, Pluto ascended his chariot, and drove to Sicily, where chancing to discover Proserpina with her companions gathering
flowers in a valley of Enna, near mount Aetna. The grisly god, struck with her charms, instantly seized her, and forcing her into his chariot,
went rapidly off to the river Chemarus, through which he opened himself a passage to the realms of night. His whole domains are washed
with vast and rapid rivers, whose peculiar qualities strike horror into mortals. Cocytus falls with an impetuous roaring; Phlegethon rages with
a torrent of flames; the Acharusian fen is dreadful for its stench and filth: nor does Charon, the ferryman, who wafts souls over, occasion any
less horror; Cerberus, the triple-headed dog, stands ready with open mouths to receive them; and the Furies shake at them their serpentine
locks. Pluto was extremely revered both by the Romans. He had a magnificent temple at Pylos. Near the river Corellus, in Boeotia,
he had also an altar, for some mystical reason, in common with Pallas. His chief festival was in February, and called Charistia, because
their oblations were made for the dead. Black bulls were the victims offered up, and the ceremonies were performed in the night, it not
being lawful to sacrifice to him in the day time, on account of his aversion to the light. The cypress tree was sacred to Pluto, boughs of
which were carried at funerals. He is usually represented in an ebony chariot, drawn by his four black horses, Orphnaeus, Aethon,
Nycteus, and Alastor. As god of the dead, keys were the ensigns of his authority, because there is no possibility of returning when the
gates of his palace are locked. Sometimes he holds a sceptre, to denote his power; at other times a wand, with which he directs the
movements of his subject ghosts. Homer speaks of his helmet as having the quality of rendering the wearer invisible; and tells us that Minerva
borrowed it when she fought against the Trojans, that she might not be discovered by Mars. Perseus also used this helmet when he cut
off Medusa's head.
in placing his brother on the throne, be obtained a share of his father's dominions. Pluto's regions being supposed to lie under ground;
and as he was the first who taught men to bury their dead, it was thence inferred that he was king of the infernal regions, whence sprung
a belief, that as all souls descended to him, he bound them with inevitable chains, and delivered them to be tried by judges, after which he
dispensed rewards and punishments. Although Pluto was brother of Jupiter, none of the goddesses would condescend to marry him, owing
to the deformity of his person, joined to the darkness of his mansions. Enraged at this reluctance in the goddesses, and mortified at
his want of issue, Pluto ascended his chariot, and drove to Sicily, where chancing to discover Proserpina with her companions gathering
flowers in a valley of Enna, near mount Aetna. The grisly god, struck with her charms, instantly seized her, and forcing her into his chariot,
went rapidly off to the river Chemarus, through which he opened himself a passage to the realms of night. His whole domains are washed
with vast and rapid rivers, whose peculiar qualities strike horror into mortals. Cocytus falls with an impetuous roaring; Phlegethon rages with
a torrent of flames; the Acharusian fen is dreadful for its stench and filth: nor does Charon, the ferryman, who wafts souls over, occasion any
less horror; Cerberus, the triple-headed dog, stands ready with open mouths to receive them; and the Furies shake at them their serpentine
locks. Pluto was extremely revered both by the Romans. He had a magnificent temple at Pylos. Near the river Corellus, in Boeotia,
he had also an altar, for some mystical reason, in common with Pallas. His chief festival was in February, and called Charistia, because
their oblations were made for the dead. Black bulls were the victims offered up, and the ceremonies were performed in the night, it not
being lawful to sacrifice to him in the day time, on account of his aversion to the light. The cypress tree was sacred to Pluto, boughs of
which were carried at funerals. He is usually represented in an ebony chariot, drawn by his four black horses, Orphnaeus, Aethon,
Nycteus, and Alastor. As god of the dead, keys were the ensigns of his authority, because there is no possibility of returning when the
gates of his palace are locked. Sometimes he holds a sceptre, to denote his power; at other times a wand, with which he directs the
movements of his subject ghosts. Homer speaks of his helmet as having the quality of rendering the wearer invisible; and tells us that Minerva
borrowed it when she fought against the Trojans, that she might not be discovered by Mars. Perseus also used this helmet when he cut
off Medusa's head.
:: Traits of his children ::
⇛ Children of Pluto are very stoic children. They are often very closed off and mature, preferring solitude to being in a sea of people.
⇛ Children of Pluto can take their antisocial attitude to a point where they genuinely dislike people in general. While this is an extreme case, it does vary in degree.
⇛ Children of Pluto often have dark thoughts. Maybe not evil thoughts, but they are questionable and types of ideas that are shudder inducing.
⇛ Children of Pluto are rule followers. They are not goody two shoes, but the do respect limits and laws that are set in place by those of higher authority.
⇛ Children of Pluto can take their antisocial attitude to a point where they genuinely dislike people in general. While this is an extreme case, it does vary in degree.
⇛ Children of Pluto often have dark thoughts. Maybe not evil thoughts, but they are questionable and types of ideas that are shudder inducing.
⇛ Children of Pluto are rule followers. They are not goody two shoes, but the do respect limits and laws that are set in place by those of higher authority.
:: Basic powers of his children ::
⇛ Children of Pluto can call upon ghosts and hellhounds to aid them in battle. At first they would start out bringing smaller hellhouds and everyday people out to the battlefield, but as they gain strength so do their allies that they bring forth. They can get to a point where they bring back great warriors from anywhere in the world and hell hounds so large, their paw could squash a man.
⇛ Children of Pluto can communicate with and see dead people that walk aimlessly in the void between the underworld and the living world.
⇛ Children of Pluto can surround their enemies in a swirl of darkness that causes them to be blind. It starts off just on one person, but as the child gets stronger it can reach a maximum of twenty enemies.
⇛ Children of Pluto envelop themselves and disappear within shadows to hide themselves from enemies. The weaker the child, the larger the shadow must be, but as the demigod or demigoddess gains more power the shadow can be just the width of their hand.
⇛ Children of Pluto can communicate with and see dead people that walk aimlessly in the void between the underworld and the living world.
⇛ Children of Pluto can surround their enemies in a swirl of darkness that causes them to be blind. It starts off just on one person, but as the child gets stronger it can reach a maximum of twenty enemies.
⇛ Children of Pluto envelop themselves and disappear within shadows to hide themselves from enemies. The weaker the child, the larger the shadow must be, but as the demigod or demigoddess gains more power the shadow can be just the width of their hand.
