Prometheus was a lesser titan who ascended to a position of lesser godhood within the Olympian pantheon.[1][note 1] Those who knew of him widely considered the titan to be both a scoundrel and a champion of humanity.[4]
Abilities[]
Prometheus was allegedly omniscient, able to tell prophecies,[5] and he was considered to embody wisdom. In addition, he could create any mortal creature from clay.[1]
History[]
Prometheus was born to a pair of greater titans known as Clymene and Iapetus.[1] When the children of his king Chronus began a war to usurp him, Prometheus was one of the few lesser titans who allied with them.[1][2] For this he was among the few lesser titans that the Olympians did not cast down into Tarterus.[2]
In the years that followed Prometheus would deceive the leader of those children, Zeus, on multiple occasions. One such incident involved deciding what portions of a sacrificial bull should be offered to the gods and which should be kept by worshipers. In another incident, he made mention of a prophecy he foresaw, one in which Zeus mated with a woman who would bear a son that surpassed him — Zeus was unable to ever pry the specifics of this prophesy from him by any means.[6]
Prometheus stands in anticipation of his daily assault.
The final straw for Zeus was when Prometheus circumvented his prohibition of bestowing fire upon the Olympians' worshipers[6] by stealing it from the sun. For this Zeus had him chained to a mountaintop,[1] the summit of the colossal Mount Aetna in their home plane of Olympus. These magical chains were virtually impossible to break unless Zeus willed it.[5] In this state Prometheus was sentenced to have his liver torn out each day by either a griffon or a vulture, which would then regenerate so it could be torn anew the next day.[1][7]
Over time the chained Prometheus gained a reputation for sharing his wisdom with anyone that would fend off his beast tormentors.[5]
Recent History[]
Some time prior to the Time of Troubles, a group of Promethean worshipers from another world brought their faith to the Raurin Desert on Toril They built several temples to him across the River Athis that seldom depicted him, with his altar and symbol instead usually taking the form of a brazier. Within one of their windows would be installed a lens to catch the sun's rays and direct them on to the brazier, thereby kindling it each day.[7]
One such structure was the Temple of Prometheus in the city of Medinat Muskawoon, which was built facing southeast towards rising sun in recognition of the god's daily assault.[7]
Many centuries later a group of adventurers on Toril came to the island of Achea and ascended it, bringing them into the plane of Olympus. Finding themselves trapped there they sought a means of escape, which eventually lead them to undertake three labors for a wood elf king named Hiyawat. The third of these labors took them to the chained Prometheus, who they defended from one of his vulture torturers. For their aid he informed the adventurers of the fate of Hiyawat's people, then for saving him a second night he informed them that they were pawns in an elaborate wager going on between the Olympians Apollo and Hermes.[5]
Some time after this, Zeus permitted Prometheus his freedom and he was invited to join the Olympians as a member of their pantheon. But as a token of his punishment he had to wear a ring that was made from those same chains that had long bound him.[1]
Realm[]
Prometheus lived within the hinterlands of Olympus, rarely ever coming to the pantheon's mountain.[8]
Worshipers[]
Clerics of Prometheus committed themselves to helping humanity everywhere, though they preferred teaching people to solve their own problems.[9] They also always took any opportunity to kill a griffon, one of the fabled tormentors of their god. on some occasions he would reward his clerics with an animal companion.[1]
Rumors & Legends[]
The legends of the Olympians claimed that on the world they originated from Prometheus had taught humans the medicinal use of plants, the cultivation of grain, and how to domesticate animals.[1]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ In 1st edition sources, such as Deities & Demigods and Manual of the Planes, Prometheus was labeled as being a greater titan. However, in 2nd edition the concept of lesser titans was introduced, making Prometheus and all other titans that were born to titans retconned as being ones.
Appearances[]
Adventures
References[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 James Ward, Robert J. Kuntz (August 1980). Deities & Demigods. Edited by Lawrence Schick. (TSR, Inc.), p. 74. ISBN 0-935696-22-9.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 James M. Ward and Troy Denning (August 1990). Legends & Lore (2nd edition). (TSR, Inc), p. 118. ISBN 978-0880388443.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 James Ward, Robert J. Kuntz (August 1980). Deities & Demigods. Edited by Lawrence Schick. (TSR, Inc.), p. 138. ISBN 0-935696-22-9.
- ↑ Mike McArtor, F. Wesley Schneider (January 2007). Complete Scoundrel. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 5. ISBN 978-0-7869-4152-0.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Gary L. Thomas ed. (May 1988). Tales of the Outer Planes. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 61–62. ISBN 978-0880385442.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Craig Barret, Jr. (April 1993). “The Goals of the Gods”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #153 (TSR, Inc.), p. 14.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Tracy Hickman, Laura Hickman, Philip Meyers, Peter Rice, William John Wheeler (May 1987). Desert of Desolation. (TSR, Inc.), p. 101. ISBN 978-0880383974.
- ↑ Wolfgang Baur and Lester Smith (1994-07-01). “The Travelogue”. In Michele Carter ed. Planes of Chaos (TSR, Inc), p. 21. ISBN 1560768746.
- ↑ Fraser Sherman (April 1993). “Following in their Footsteps”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #153 (TSR, Inc.), p. 31.