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View Full Version : How should I personify Zeus?



Dr.Epic
2011-02-09, 07:27 PM
So in an upcoming campaign I'm DMing and we're using the Olympic gods from Deities and Demigods. I like to give all my characters and gods a unique twist to them. I'm not sure if the players will ever meet Zeus, but I would like to at least plan that bit out. Initially I was just going to play him using my best Christopher Walken impression. Than a though occurred to me. What if I made Zeus out to be like Captain Kirk from Star Trek (if you're familiar with Greek mythology and Star Trek you know they both have a similar appetite for women) and I made Hades out to be like Spock (an unemotional god of the underworld, cold and logical) and Poseidon would be like McCoy? Hit me with feedback and give me you opinions.

Silus
2011-02-09, 07:31 PM
With regards to Zeus, maybe throw in a hint of the Fonz? Maybe just with relation to meeting a female character (assuming you have some).

Katana_Geldar
2011-02-09, 07:33 PM
Zeus angers VERY easily, as does Posiedon if you piss him off enough.

Psyren
2011-02-09, 07:34 PM
Zeus is a good Cpt. Kirk; just make sure he's (even) more petty and spiteful.

Lurkmoar
2011-02-09, 07:34 PM
That could work. Zeus, Hades and Poseidon fit that trio quite well. How close are you planning on sticking to the Greek myths?

arguskos
2011-02-09, 07:38 PM
Read the Theogony, by Hesiod, then come back to the concept. Zeus is portrayed there as an all-encompassing mastermind, full of brilliance and awesomedeliciousvictory. Seriously, he is! I mean, it even calls him such in no uncertain terms, saying things like "no force could oppose his might" and that his mind was "unable to be deceived". He's also portrayed as somewhat petty and easy to anger, lashing out much like an alcoholic in the throes of the drinkrage. The best textual example is also the most famous one, "Zeus Outwits Prometheus".

Just an alternative depiction for ya.

Jothki
2011-02-09, 08:36 PM
Remember that he's a Greek god. He doesn't care about you at all unless you somehow offend him, and will take everything that you do for him for granted.

Asheram
2011-02-09, 08:38 PM
As I remember my greek mythology, all the gods are vain, lusty and cruel.
They're gods and they know it, looking upon mortal affairs as they playthings; Their litte toys that are there just to satisfy their lusts and boredom.

Deities and Demigods lists some of them as good. I laugh at that.

Apollo, CG. God of healing, magic and the sun:
Let's hear about the tale of Cassandra, the woman who Apollo gifted with foresight, but when she wouldn't accept his advances he cursed her so that no one would believe her.
Or The tale of Niobe, who boasted to Apollos mother that she was better than her for bearing more children, which Apollo and Artemis prompty murdered (and later her husband according to some)

Afrodite, CG. Godess of Love and Beauty.
Remember the Trojan war? Yup, that's mostly her fault. Also one of the gods that slept around the most (Except Zeus.)

Zeus? CG. God of Fate, Nobility, Lightning.
Oh dear... where to start.
Prometheus? Sentenced to eternal pain by having a eagle tear out his liver every day. All from giving fire back to the mortal race.
Chelone, the nymph that didn't want to attend Zeus and Heras marriage and were turned into a tortoise
Phineas, the king gifted with foresight was blinded and put on an island with abundance of food, but zeus sent the harpies to steal the food away when he got too close to it.

In my eyes, the gods should be portrayed as extremely arrogant but also somewhat amused by the "insignifigant beings" before them. Humoring the players until they've either served their purpose, the players question any of the gods, the players show lack of respect (crawling on the ground and not looking at their visage is not quite enough) or until the god simply tires of them.

Amnestic
2011-02-09, 09:01 PM
Remember that he's a Greek god. He doesn't care about you at all unless you somehow offend him, and will take everything that you do for him for granted.

Correction: He doesn't care about you unless you offend him or he wants to make whoopie with you.

Katana_Geldar
2011-02-09, 09:03 PM
But there's the story of Hermes and Zeus and that old couple, it's my favourite Greek myth as it shows how nice Zeus can be...when he wants to be.

Tvtyrant
2011-02-09, 09:25 PM
Actually Zeus is rather similar to Thor in many ways; same personality and interests. The idea of playing greek gods as star trek characters is too amazing not to do; I say go with it! Though Hades technically wasn't an Olympian and the greeks did not consider him as such...

Dr.Epic
2011-02-09, 09:31 PM
That could work. Zeus, Hades and Poseidon fit that trio quite well. How close are you planning on sticking to the Greek myths?

Let me put it to you like this:

I did another campaign about a year ago that used the Greek Gods (well, all the gods in D&D but they only encounter a church for this one god) and a church of Dionysus was basically just a frat. house. My current campaign is going to be just like that.

arguskos
2011-02-09, 09:40 PM
Though Hades technically wasn't an Olympian and the greeks did not consider him as such...
Weeeeell, that's pretty debatable. Though he did not reside on Mount Olympus, he was of that generation of godly beings and counts among their number. For instance, myth suggests that he was welcome among their ranks and held as much authority as Poseidon, one of the major gods. Now, if you meant to instead say he is not a member of the Twelve Olympians, who lived on Mount Olympus and were among the chief gods, then you'd be entirely correct. I'll assume that was your intended meaning. :smallcool:

/mythnerd

ffone
2011-02-09, 09:52 PM
Great ideas so far. Using Star Trek characters is hysterical. Agreed that Zeus is probably not Chaotic Good as listed, CN at best, Faerun's storm god Talos (CE) is possibly a better Zeus than DaD's Zeus (except for having more nautical associates, like Poseidon) and possibly modeled on Zeus.

Scotty or Jordi laForge for Hephestus? (sp?)
Worf for Ares?

Dr.Epic
2011-02-09, 09:57 PM
Great ideas so far. Using Star Trek characters is hysterical. Agreed that Zeus is probably not Chaotic Good as listed, CN at best, Faerun's storm god Talos (CE) is possibly a better Zeus than DaD's Zeus (except for having more nautical associates, like Poseidon) and possibly modeled on Zeus.

Scotty or Jordi laForge for Hephestus? (sp?)
Worf for Ares?

I'm not basing the entire Greek pantheon on Star Trek characters. I'm just looking for a hilarious and awesome ways to roleplay Zeus. And as Kirk I might as well make his brothers the two other most known and active characters on the original show. I have my own ideas for the other gods and my knowledge of Star Trek isn't good enough to do this. Someone else want to run a campaign were each (Greek) god is based on a Star Trek character fine with me.

Saintheart
2011-02-09, 09:57 PM
Deanna Troi as Venus? :smallsmile:


...sorry, I just have a thing for girls with long dark curly hair, dark brown eyes, and tightfitting catsuits. *slurp* :smallbiggrin:

Tvtyrant
2011-02-09, 10:00 PM
Weeeeell, that's pretty debatable. Though he did not reside on Mount Olympus, he was of that generation of godly beings and counts among their number. For instance, myth suggests that he was welcome among their ranks and held as much authority as Poseidon, one of the major gods. Now, if you meant to instead say he is not a member of the Twelve Olympians, who lived on Mount Olympus and were among the chief gods, then you'd be entirely correct. I'll assume that was your intended meaning. :smallcool:

/mythnerd

That is indeed the meaning I meant :P He was always my favorite of the Greek gods, excepting Typhon (last son of Gaia, thought I'm not sure if he is counted as a god... Oh well, still beat Zeus in a straight fight).

arguskos
2011-02-09, 10:11 PM
That is indeed the meaning I meant :P He was always my favorite of the Greek gods, excepting Typhon (last son of Gaia, thought I'm not sure if he is counted as a god... Oh well, still beat Zeus in a straight fight).
Typhon is neither a god, nor did it defeat Zeus in a straight fight, unless the passage where Typhon gets slaughtered by Zeus in like 10 lines in the Theogony just doesn't count. :smalltongue: I think there's another source somewhere for that battle, but it's still worth noting Hesiod's depiction.

Also, I too liked Hades. He wasn't my favorite (that's actually the deity Hekate, who Hesiod loved and everyone else seemed to hate), but he's nice.

Katana_Geldar
2011-02-09, 10:12 PM
Typhon is a wind monster, a monstrosity create by Gaia like Echidna

Amnestic
2011-02-09, 10:17 PM
But there's the story of Hermes and Zeus and that old couple, it's my favourite Greek myth as it shows how nice Zeus can be...when he wants to be.

He was pretty decent to Tiresias (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiresias) after Hera lost a bet too.

Tvtyrant
2011-02-09, 10:24 PM
Typhon is neither a god, nor did it defeat Zeus in a straight fight, unless the passage where Typhon gets slaughtered by Zeus in like 10 lines in the Theogony just doesn't count. :smalltongue: I think there's another source somewhere for that battle, but it's still worth noting Hesiod's depiction.

Also, I too liked Hades. He wasn't my favorite (that's actually the deity Hekate, who Hesiod loved and everyone else seemed to hate), but he's nice.

The depiction I read had him ripping Zeus' sinews out in round one, and then Hermes put them back in. I don't remember the name of the account, but checking it also comes up on wikipedia. Also I think his immortality could be an argument for him being a deity; Echidna was later killed but even blown to pieces he couldn't die.

arguskos
2011-02-09, 10:36 PM
The depiction I read had him ripping Zeus' sinews out in round one, and then Hermes put them back in. I don't remember the name of the account, but checking it also comes up on wikipedia. Also I think his immortality could be an argument for him being a deity; Echidna was later killed but even blown to pieces he couldn't die.
Can you find me a source on that? I'd love to read it, cause looking at the Wiki article for Typhon, I'm not seeing it. All I see is that Zeus trapped him under a mountain. Understand, I'd ABSOLUTELY LOVE to read that account. I love the Greek myths, especially the divine myths, simply because I'm a polytheist myself and love reading about such things. If you can find me a source for it, please let me know.

On this note, none of Gaia's monsters are considered gods, because they have no place in cult, the method by which the Greeks worshipped (and I can't discuss this further, due to board rules, so let's leave it be for now). The Greeks didn't worship them, but instead used them for aetiological myths, myths that explained the world.

Zaydos
2011-02-09, 11:40 PM
Actually Zeus is rather similar to Thor in many ways; same personality and interests. The idea of playing greek gods as star trek characters is too amazing not to do; I say go with it! Though Hades technically wasn't an Olympian and the greeks did not consider him as such...

... ...


Actually Zeus is rather similar to Thor in many ways; same personality and interests.

What?

I'll give you both were interested in being known as the best but Thor is pretty much your standard good-aligned D&D adventurer: he goes around bashing monsters to defend people and living up on the fame.

Zeus is much more like Odin in personality than Thor. Just with a shorter temper (on that note Odin slept around). Both even travel their domains in disguise and mete out reward and punishment based on how guests are received. Both are cunning, confident (arrogant perhaps), powerful, smart.

But yes Kirk would work for Zeus, just make him angrier and petty.

Lord.Sorasen
2011-02-09, 11:52 PM
Zeus angers VERY easily, as does Posiedon if you piss him off enough.

If you get Poseidon angry he angers easily? I am not sure what this means.

Katana_Geldar
2011-02-09, 11:52 PM
If you get Poseidon angry he angers easily? I am not sure what this means.

Ask Odysseus.

Ason
2011-02-09, 11:54 PM
I'm not basing the entire Greek pantheon on Star Trek characters. I'm just looking for a hilarious and awesome ways to roleplay Zeus.

The student in me who nearly became a classics major is dying a little inside as I say this, but the rest of me finds it hilarious. Okay, here's a high comical twist you could take, if comedy is something you're after:

We know that Zeus sleeps around a lot, is generally regarded as the head-honcho of the Greek gods, sleeps around a lot, kicks butts and takes names, and sleeps around a lot. I think a great individual to base this on would be none other than...

Duke Nukem.

(I may or may not also be stoked that the new game is coming out soon)

Lurkmoar
2011-02-10, 12:28 AM
Ask Odysseus.

Odysseus carried the idiot ball after escaping the cyclops. As if Poseidon wasn't already ticked off at him.

Zaydos
2011-02-10, 12:41 AM
Odysseus carried the idiot ball after escaping the cyclops. As if Poseidon wasn't already ticked off at him.

More his crew disobeyed his orders on multiple occasions and died because of it. Odysseus himself was just stupid enough to trust his crew to listen.

arguskos
2011-02-10, 12:43 AM
More his crew disobeyed his orders on multiple occasions and died because of it. Odysseus himself was just stupid enough to trust his crew to listen.
He actually told Polyphemos his name and what he does for a living (be King of Ithaka). He probably knew the Polyphemos was the son of Poseidon. He deserved what he got, cause he blinded the son of god and laughed it off. Odysseus made a damn bad call on that one.

Zaydos
2011-02-10, 01:03 AM
He actually told Polyphemos his name and what he does for a living (be King of Ithaka). He probably knew the Polyphemos was the son of Poseidon. He deserved what he got, cause he blinded the son of god and laughed it off. Odysseus made a damn bad call on that one.

For some reason I was thinking that they were referencing every set-back Odysseus had after that. Yeah telling Polyphemos his actual name was really really stupid.

Shpadoinkle
2011-02-10, 01:17 AM
Pretty much all of Greek mythology can be summed up as "Everybody being massive jerks to each other just because they can. Also, SEX AND VIOLENCE."

Keep that in mind and you should be able to portray Zeus flawlessly.

satorian
2011-02-10, 01:37 AM
Zeus is Q. Done.

Triskavanski
2011-02-10, 01:39 AM
Zues should appear as a pimp, because that is pretty much what he was and why he is one of the greatest gods ever.