The Olympian Times

  Explanation:      In the ancient sands of Egypt a grandson of Amun-Ra was revered until its fall, the Earth itself, Geb. Geb had a twin sister, Nut who was the sky and from the moment of their creation they held onto each other. Their father, Shu, was god of the air, and he separated them by putting himself between them, giving us the air we breathe. Geb was considered the father of snakes. He was also thought of as the origin of the Pharaohs bloodline. The throne of the pharaoh was heavily associated both with Geb and snakes because of this. The rulers of Egypt were far from his only famous offspring. His son Osiris was the ruler of the underworld and its chief judge. His daughter Aset, or as she is more famously known Isis, was the goddess of magic, protector of women, and in later years the goddess of fate. Seth was the god of thunder, earthquakes, and the desert which all indicate his immense power. Nephthys was the goddess of embalming, beer, and the dead, her...

  Explanation:  This next god is much less severe then the others I have discussed. A god of nature and avid musician, Pan. Pan is the god of shepherds, the wild, and rustic music. Of these music is the one he is least accredited for, and the one he was told to enjoy the most. He was so proud of his musical ability that he challenged his uncle to a competition, this uncle being the god of music Apollo. Apollo played his lyre and beat Pans pipes. The lyre was a gift from Hermes, messenger of the gods, who, with Penelope (wife of Odysseus), fathered Pan. His biggest contribution to the modern world is the word “panic” which is derived from his name and ability to invoke deep fear and cause even gods to run in terror. The only instance of this is when Olympus was under attack by the Titans and Pan screamed causing them to retreat, giving the gods time to prepare a defensive. In addition he had an association to promiscuity, as a nature god he was consequently considered a fertili...

  Explanation: This god has a position unique to Norse mythology, keeper of the apples, Iðunn. She is the goddess of youth and fertility, this title is not at all comparable to her task. In Hellenism (Greek mythology) the two most important goddesses of fertility, Aphrodite and Hera, play a minor role compared to their kin. Iðunn grants immortality, she protects an apple grove, hidden away in Asgard. The gods require these apples, otherwise the wither and age as mortals do. This is a very clear weakness, and one their enemies are said to have tried to take advantage of once before. Þjazi, a giant, captured Loki and forced him to bring Iðunn out of Asgard, in exchange for the trickster's life. After a solemn promise Iðunn was lured out with Loki's talk of a new grove. After her kidnapping the rest of the gods, aging and furious, threatened him and he swore yet another vow. He took a cloak that allowed him to transform into a raven and went to Jötunheimr, where Þjazi lived. He ...

  Explanation: In norse mythology, Odin and Thor are by far the most well known gods. This god is an Æsir just like them, the other son of Odin, Víðarr. Víðarr was the god of vengeance and was considered the strongest outside of Thor. For this reason, the gods considered him paramount to their martial strength. He was described as silent, with his few words being listened to with the same weight as Odin and Thor. He was foretold in the prophecy of Ragnarok to slay Fenrir. Fenrir is one of the spawn of Loki, the trickster god, said to slay Odin in the end of times. Jormangander, brother to Fenrir, is said to slay and be slayed by Thor. The monarchy is said to pass to Víðarr upon Odin's death, whereafter he rebuilds Asgard, which had been burned by the Jotunn chief Surter during the twilight of the gods. His name translates to “the wide ruler” which fits incredibly well given that after Ragnarok he rules all of creation, for it was him that saved it for the Jotunn. He imprisoned Loki...

  Explanation: Norse mythology sees four celestial beings that are part of the Æsir. The fiery Sól, who is the shining daughter of Mundilfari, personifies the sun. Her brother was Máni, the god of the moon. These siblings both drive a chariot carrying them across the sky, a common belief in the ancient world. Stories from both Greece and Egypt tell of sun gods carried through the heavens. In the early days of Ragnarok, the sun and moon are eaten by the wolves Sköll and Hati. These are a pair of Fenrir's children, and it is heavily implied that Hati will eat Sól and Sköll will eat Máni. The missing sun and moon are the signal that Ragnarok has begun, leading to Fimbulvetr; a three year long winter that leads to humanity's downfall. Sól is said to have married Glenr, the one who drives her chariot. The pair had a daughter, though her name is unknown, possibly Álfröðull or Sunna; these names, however, are also other names for Sól. Whatever her daughter might be called, she is said...

Explanation and Impact This next god very shortly followed Khaos as the second primordial god, Erebus. The personification of darkness and shadow, he, with his siblings, began to create the cosmos. He coupled with Nyx, the primordial goddess of night, together creating Aether, Hemera, and Hypnos. These primordial beings, in order of both birth and list, were the representation of light and air, day, and sleep. As an ancient god of darkness he sounds threatening, but was often depicted as a fundamental action of the universe. His bringing of darkness allowed for the seasons and change of day. Later they had six more offspring, the Moirai, Thanatos, Geras, and Nemesis. The Moirai are three beings that govern fate itself, Thanatos is death, Geras is old age, and Nemesis is the goddess of retribution. Each of the offspring mentioned here went one to be core parts of both reality and myth. Thanatos is sent after Sisyphus and his refusal to go with him causes his most infamous punishme...