Hello, I'm Ulap38. This is my first time posting on the Forum. I've been a viewer for years and have just a couple months ago become a contributor. So far this has mostly been adding to others' stories, though I do have a story of my own called The Kleins. I'm considering a new story, but I'd like to gauge interest before I put a real effort into it. This is the basic concept: The Greek gods of Olympus, contrary to what modern humanity believes were in fact real. However, once their worship died away to a few select followers, the Olympians seemed to vanish from existence. As interest in the old myths grew over time, it seemed to spark a new life into the essence of these formerly divine beings. They were reborn as something between mortal and the beings they once were. While they were basically immortal, they were no longer unkillable and possessed only a fraction of the powers they once wielded. Ex. Zeus can summon lightning, Poseidon can control water, Aphrodite can inflame passions, etc. Instinctively being drawn to one another, the former gods worked to create a new base of power on Earth. Seeing the vast influence of the monotheistic religions, the Olympians knew it would be foolish to attempt a blunt resurgence of their followings. So instead they founded a corporation that would become one of the most powerful on the planet, Olympus, Inc under new human identities. This is the status quo of today as the former gods rule a new empire from a modern-day Olympus. Of course being the Olympian gods, they still can't entirely reign in their bickering and amorous antics. As a result the company has a public reputation of sometimes undermining itself as one division chief does something to sabotage another despite the efforts of Chairman of the Board, Ethan Franke (the human identity of Zeus). Even his own wife, Raquel (Hera), a powerful executive in her own right, has been known to work against his interests. Another factor that keeps the corporation from becoming more powerful than it is is the extremely lusty nature of its board of directors, who are known to frequently engage in various illicit romps. In fact rumors of Ethan and Raquel's various extramarital affairs is a favorite topic of the dirtsheets. As much as such things are common knowledge, as they did in their immortal lives, Zeus and Hera remain steadfastly married inspite of their issues. In fact this is a good way to describe the modern Olympians, a dysfunctional but still very much a family. You guide a god or goddess of your choice in this new world. If you have questions and/or thoughts by all means. This is still very much a rough concept so input is welcome.
If you decide to go through with this. Why stop at just the Greek Pantheon? Perhaps other pantheons could be introduced eventually as rival companies, or love interests, or both. Of course, possibly well into the future of the story considering that even without the Twelve Olympians, Greek Mythology has a huge number of demigods and gods and other things that could potentially show up.
I seriously considered that idea, but that could get huge really quick. Not sure I'd want to handle that all by myself. If enough people would want that I wouldn't mind a collaborative effort, or perhaps even a rpg concept.
Well I would look into this story if/when it gets published. Just quick review, thier all related to each other and on occasion make-out with each other. I imagine some more kids may have popped out throughout the years?
I would be quite willing to add to this story a bit if it gets off the ground as long as you are willing to pledge that it won't be all 'rape happy' like the original Greek myths... (You know, new century, new parents, new moral outlook...)
Also, vis-a-vis Hera and Zeus? They are not sleeping around on each other: they just have an 'open' marriage... (Our culture has evolved far past what any man or woman of Ancient Greece would be capable of comprehending...)
Hera has a loooong history of taking revenge on women who Zeus sleeps with(and their kids). Io, a priestess of Hera, had two different and conflicting stories involving her. One involved Hera turning her into a cow to deter Zeus' advances and another had Zeus turning her into a cow either to secretly rendezvous with her or to persuade Hera that he wasn't interested in Io. Hera took custody of the cow and and set the 100 eyed giant Argos to guard her. Semele was tricked by Hera into asking Zeus to reveal himself in all his godly splendour and the sight immediately destroyed her. Hera turned Callisto into a bear and was hunted down by Artemis. She didn't do anything to Alcmene specifically, but she did do quite a lot to revenge herself for Zeus' infidelity on Heracles who was the son of Zeus and Alcmene. She convinced Tityos(son of Elara and Zeus) to try and rape Leto. He was slain by Artemis and Apollo and punished in Tartarus by having two vultures eat his liver every day(It grew back every night). If Hera and Zeus have an open relationship...It's only because she can't really stop Zeus from sleeping around. Her jealousy of Zeus's many lovers is well know in many greek myths...and variants of such. Perhaps their relationship has mellowed over the years, but I would be surprised and disappointed if Hera didn't hold some resentment or agitation with Zeus sleeping around. It's unlikely that he ever really stopped...
It would be fun if Hera found more creative ways to get revenge, maybe turning Zeus' lovers and children to her side. Whatever the Olympic equivalent of a paternity suit is, or something. Or Hera tricks them into interfering with Zeus' plans, or lets one lover discover Zeus busy with another one.
What I was saying in my comment above was not intended to imply that you should completely scrap Hera's personality: but rather that, since, as society has evolved in this area she would evolve with it: if her SO is going to sleep around on her, and the legends bear out your assertion that she can't stop him: what better revenge that turning the tables? If Zeus is going to be a man whore and fuck anyone who takes his fancy, why should Hera not do the same? This version of Hera grew up hearing the Greek myths, so she knows what all the jealous crap she pulled the first time around got her: precisely zip. Thus, new strategy, let Zeus be the jealous one this time: see how HE likes having his partner sleep around on him... I think all of these are good suggestions: and could be used in endless variations: Example: If Zeus will not wear a condom and stop siring children out of wedlock then force him to pay the price: child support, mandatory visitation, college tuition funds; the whole shebang. Hera meanwhile, being smarter, will have fully protected sex and take 'the pill' so no bastards on her end, and after a while with Zeus broke from paying for all his indiscretions, Hera owns the company and guess who's "King of the Gods" now: Or should we say "Queen"?
Something else we have not gone into yet: what about Aphrodite, Aries, Hermes, Athena, Hades, Poseidon, Hephaestus, and Gaia, et-all? All of them had major roles in various myth cycles, and could be worthy focuses for various plot threads in their own right... I mean, just one example: In the original myths Zeus cripples Hephaestus and chains him to his forge so he cannot quit making Zeus's Thunderbolts to work on his own projects: that's kind of hideously illegal in this era: so what happens when, not "if", when, Hephaestus modern incarnation decides to tell Zeus' modern incarnation to sod-off and goes to work for himself creating new wonders for the general public? His marriage and divorce from Aphrodite could be an entire story line unto itself. Even assuming he had been hamstrung as in the myths and was in a wheelchair, how does the game change with modern prosthetic legs: and/or reconstructive surgery? Do you think the modern version of Aesculapius might take exception to one of his fellow gods having a crippling condition that could be cured with a few hours in an O.R. and some rehabilitation services? Another example: Aries: think he might decide modern Greece is a bit stable and tame for his taste and bugger off to become a mercenary? There's plenty of bloodshed and violence just a short plane ride over in Iraq and Iran right now, and kicking the asses of a few Monotheists would probably be right up his ally. Next let us consider Hestia: Goddess of Hearth and Home. So what does she do for a living now that she has a mortal body to feed? I can think of several possibilities: A: If she is going to stay a virgin she could be an architect, designing customized family friendly houses for the rich and famous. B: A virgin goddess of homemakers never made much sense to me: what if she got married and is a housewife now? (And since this is CHYOA a very amorous housewife...) C: Going back to the virgin thing that's part of her narrative: she might have opened an orphanage: taking in children bereft of family and giving them a home... However the orphanage is constantly in financial or legal trouble and the other gods/goddesses have to save her bacon... D: Or, one that could go either way: what if she is a marriage councilor? Maybe part of her plot-line is trying to keep Hephaestus and Aphrodite together, then when it finally comes apart hooking Hephaestus up with Aglaea? These are only a handful of the things I have been thinking about with this story, and each of them, as well as many others, is worth some discussion on its own...
Damn, lot of responses since I've been gone. I'll try and answer what I can individually. I'm happy to see my idea has garnered a lot more interest since I've been away.
Absolutely, I won't tolerate that kind of crap in this story. Part of my thinking is as reborn semi-mortals the gods would gain more human sensibilities. That doesn't make them saints by any stretch, but it would definitely make them hesitant to do stuff they would have casually done in their first lives.
A lot of what the modern incarnations of the gods in this day and age would be left up to individual writer interpretation. The only guidelines being that said god or goddess would likely gravitate to something close to their divine portfolio in their prveious life. And of course different writers may have different interpretations, so long as it remains faithful in some way to the original myhtological figure's personality and interests.
I could definitely see a major story path being the contentious and often dysfunctional relationship between Zeus and Hera as being a running theme not just n a Zeus/Hera centric path, but something that affects others as well. These are interesting ideas.
I've decided that while the core story will at the time be centered around the Olympians, at least at first, gods from other mythos can be used. However, these would likely, at least in the beginning have to be spearheaded by other writers as I least what to get the established premise out there first. As for the main story concept, aside from Zeus and Hera being a major corporate power couple, I'm going to leave the occupations of the other gods open to interpretation. All of their personalities will be open and will be determined by the paths the writers take with their personalities.
Okay, I've drafted an intro chapter that hopefully will be published soon. In the meantime here's a rough draft of the guidelines: Guidelines 1. No rape whatsoever. I know this is something many of the gods did in the past, but they've gained more human sensibilities since then and now find the idea beneath them. I'll tolerate a little nonconsent, but it has to be mild. Also, I know a lot of these gods are associated with animals, but no bestiality please. A sentient, lycanthrope-like humanoid or something clearly an intelligent being and not an animal is acceptable. 2. New original gods born of modern-day unions is both permitted, and encouraged. These younger gods age at an accelerated rate. After birth they age first to the physical size of a ten year old, but mental acuity is typically sharper than a regular child their age. After a year's time they age once more, which stops at a point where they have the physical and mental acuity of an 18 year old. After that, they age at a much slower rate, though their minds are sharp. These new gods can have their own areas of divine interest based on writer ideas. I do ask that we please stay away from mind control, as its something I personally am not entirely comfortable with in a story that's likely going to involve lots of sex, these are mythological gods after all. Mind control is just a little too close to rape in mind. 3. While the initial concept is centered around the Olympians, I am not opposed to gods from other pantheons appearing and interacting with the Greeks. If a writer wants to do something focusing more on how another pantheon is adapting to the world, he/she is free to do just that. 4. For the gods with historical origins, while there are several ways their personalities could be affected by human sensibilities, I do ask that they be faithful in some way to who they were depicted as in myth. Zeus being a womanizer, Hera a schemer, Athena a strategist, etc. If you have any questions feel free to ask me here, in the comments of the published chapters, or send me a private message. I'm always open to discusses new ideas.
(Emphasis mine, it is key to the question which follows.) Any deliberate Sex Act that is non-consensual is a form of rape: so in the comment above; where do you draw the line between "a little non-consent" and RAPE? Perhaps stealing a kiss if you think the woman or man is already into you would be acceptable, and if you say grabbed a woman's breasts or butt completely instinctively because you tripped over a stone and were going to fall and hit your head: but in the first case you thought it was consensual and would most likely be abashed, apologetic, and take things no further if they rebuffed you; while in the second it was neither deliberate* nor sexual*, it was a pure accident* and if the person chooses to take it sexually that is in no wise under your control*. These are the exceptions that delineate the boundaries of the rule for me, so what I want to know before I start adding to your story is if you agree that these are the boundaries, or if you are one of those people that think RAPE is 'okay' if the woman/man is 'asking for it' somehow, like drinking till they pass out or wearing 'slutty' clothing? *(Do note that there is a key distinction between genuinely tripping over something and falling and feigning that this is what happened to avert suspicion from groping someone without their permission.)
I'm glad you asked as I realize while reading your response that I was lax in explaining this. For the most part I am not a fan of the non-consent genre. I've seen some done well, where no one is forced or blackmailed into doing anything, but for the most part I shy away from it. If it's playful "roleplaying" between willing partners that's fine. However, I'd much prefer fairly innocent stuff like what you mentioned in the beginning. I will say right now, I in no way shape or form condone the mentality of "she was asking for it", "look how she's dressed", etc. That shit doesn't fly with me.
