[Companion] What to do with Teros of Atlantis?

[wyrdhamster]

So I want to introduce Atlantis and it's gods - Theros Pantheon - to my Scion game. The bit problem I have is simple - What to do with Theros AFTER 'first contact'? The big part of Scion is on Titanomachy - however Atlanteans almost not have Titans itself - and more importantly, they not have canonical stance on Titanomachy itself. 😕

More to it, if assuming that Titans returns because of Climate Change made by humanity - would Theros want to stop the Change? I suspect that yes, Theros would do that - but I'm not sure. Would then Theros became heralds of stopping humanity ecological dismay - de facto wanting to become Gods leaders on changing humanity's ways?

What do you think? What would you do with Theros in larger setting of your games?

I think about also adding Dragons to the mix - but will need to wait for Scion: Dragon Kickstarter text before to judge on that...

[Dataweaver]

Bear in mind that the Teros predate the original Titanomachy. Even their destruction predates it. I could easily see their “stance” upon their resurgence being somewhat similar to the Òrìshà; though instead of their reaction being “the God/Titan divide is an artificial construct imposed by Divine politics”, I could see the Teros being “agnostic” about the whole affair: a fresh set of eyes, as it were, that hasn't yet made up its mind as to what Titans are and what they should do about it.

[PXGentleman]

I feel like saying that "a big part of Scion is the Titanomachy" is... just straight up wrong? I've been in three games now and GMed in one and pretty much never touched the Titanomachy. Arguably a Titan appeared in the one I GMed (King Ravana of Lanka) but there wasn't talk of an all out war... that being said, I have to give you credit, not all the authors seem to have decided whether or not the Titanomachy is important, I can understand the confusion.

Moving on to the role of the Theros, I would not personally use them, but I like the idea of them being the "fish out of water" who, having been locked away for so long, are struggling to come to terms with modern humanity. And there would be plenty of factions interested in their supertech, so perhaps they could be the victim of manipulation or politicking.

[Nicolas Milioni]

I had them as villains at a campaign. They wanted to take oveer the world!

[wyrdhamster]

I had them as villains at a campaign. They wanted to take oveer the world!

Could you write more about premise of that game? Some details?

[Nicolas Milioni]

Could you write more about premise of that game? Some details?

Sure thing,basically the Atlanteans usually stayed on their homeland and didn't interact with the outside world too much but someone, i never specified who, decided that since they're have the best tech they should run things. they tried to take over a long time ago,and the other pantheons banded together to kick their asses. they all died. Of course,they had the Reirncanation Machine. It allowed them to come back,bit by bit,the Player Characters found the Incarnations and destroyed them and the Reincarnation Machine. condening the Atlanteans to Oblivion.

[FallenEco]

I like the new Atlanteans, and I can retcon the 1e ones into being previous mantles. Basically the 1st edition Atlantean pantheon (after coming to power via usurping their predecessors) was wiped out by their Titans after being a bunch of jerks. The 'current' pantheon is made up people who reclaimed their original mantles and tracked down the twins. The modern Atlantis is in a bit of a bind as the rest of humanity is catching up in certain tech areas and the other pantheons can observe more of the population, making it harder to steal technological advancements required to keep up to speed.
They really, really don't want to be in the position of "Opium Wars China".
So when encountered outside of their home, they are almost always spies. Frequently brainwashed to prevent 'idealogical contamination', though not all the deities are aware of this, as it is a program run by the isolationists. This has led to some issues with the goals of the program; particularly the goal of acquiring the Internet.

[Kyman201]

The big part of Scion is on Titanomachy - however Atlanteans almost not have Titans itself - and more importantly, they not have canonical stance on Titanomachy itself. 😕

1. Yes they do. They're called the Deros. They're mentioned briefly in the Companion. Akrath, the Broken-Faced Laughter, embodiment of all nightmares. Hastatar the Fool, who corrupts all wisdom with pettiness and turns students from their teachers. Z_Z_Z, the Unspeaker who ate her own name until she was full and vomited out all the monsters of the World. Page 88 of the Companion.

2. Even if the Teros didn't have Titans, neither do the Loa or the Orisha and you can still do plenty of baller stories about them.

Now, IMO, there's a few stories that the Teros would lend themselves well to. As noted above, since their isolation is a big part of them, a big thing post-contact should be dealing with this. I'd play up how the people of Atlantis are torn with some being curious about these quaint outsiders, and some going "We decided that the World had nothing to offer us, we should isolate ourselves again".

Also, Atlantis being revealed is a big shift. Oh hey, this place is real. There are Gods that are old enough and might have interacted with them, given cultural location and eras. So, here's a few ideas

• Badarus has always had an appreciation for the World at large, and has Visited a Scion from outside the island. Perhaps they are a major tech expert.
• There's a MASSIVE demand for Atlantis God-Tech so that it can be studied and misused. Feature fancy spacial-warping crystals or the like in a massive artifact smuggling ring, have the PCs try to track down where this came from and how.
• Hesbon, the Teros of the Wilderness, has a love for the unclaimed wilds, and has of late been taking up cases helping other Gods who want to protect the wilderness. She has released beings from her Wild Reaches on a fast food company that's cutting down forests to make grazing fields for cattle. I personally like using the Machines from Horizon Zero Dawn for the image of the wildlife in Hesbon's reaches.

[wyrdhamster]

Copying Mateus Luz ideas on Cthulhu Mythos 'gods' usage, Theros can be Pantheon that 'crossed paths' with Great Old Ones eons before - and now they are galvanizing humanity and other Gods for this cosmic threat, for example.

To play a Mythos themed game you must embrace the thematics, the same way as to play a Ragnarok themed game you must embrace it’s thematics. Adding Mythos to Scion, as adding Dragons, is not different from adding any other pantheon and how it changes the general theme of the original legends.

You can make the great old ones titans and make them adversaries of the gods, maybe as old enemies (the Titans were “corrupted” gods) or as an invasor army (the Theros may have crossed paths with them and came back to advise the other gods on the fight coming in their way). It would keep the general theme of a Titanomachy game without the “Titans are gods that were victims of prejudice” aspect.

[pohuhofa]

Copying Mateus Luz ideas on Cthlhu Mythos 'gods' usage, Theros can be Pantheon that 'crossed paths' with Great Old ones eons before - and now they are galvanizing humanity and other Gods for this cosmic threat, for example.

good method, I must try!

[FallenEco]

Space Gods* vs the Great Old Ones?
I can get behind that.

*Remember when we got the Mysteries of the World book's outline? Teros are meant to be Jack Kirby-eske. New Gods (ie; Mister Miracle, Darksied, Orion, etc), Eternals (including Thanos), Fantastic 4's weirder space adventures...all Onyx Path approved inspiration.
Heck the 2021 run of Eternals starts with a Resurrection Chamber bringing them back, not unlike Nicolas Milioni's idea upthread.

[Penelope]

This makes me wanna go back and reread the part in Mysteries of the World about Atlantis and the Teros.

[Nicolas Milioni]

Space Gods* vs the Great Old Ones?
I can get behind that.

*Remember when we got the Mysteries of the World book's outline? Teros are meant to be Jack Kirby-eske. New Gods (ie; Mister Miracle, Darksied, Orion, etc), Eternals (including Thanos), Fantastic 4's weirder space adventures...all Onyx Path approved inspiration.
Heck the 2021 run of Eternals starts with a Resurrection Chamber bringing them back, not unlike Nicolas Milioni's idea upthread.

Interssting!

[Dataweaver]

There's another Nexus product, the New Gods, that describes a Pantheon representative of science, technology, and modern humanities such as politics and economics which immediately made me think of the “modern gods” in Gaiman's American Gods. They're nothing like Kirby's New Gods. But I could see using them in a couple of ways here:

1. As a counterpoint to the Teros. Both have strong “tech” aesthetics; and New God “Relics” are definitely sci-fi in nature.
2. As Mantles for various gods of different Pantheons to take up. I could see Hephaestus taking up the Mantle of Industry, for example.

[wyrdhamster]

My two series ideas after the Scion Dragon & Masks of the Mythos Kickstarter – with using the Theros…

Enemy Within - Hero to Demigod game ( possible God ) – Using Scion Dragon
Myth Level: Heroic ( to Bronze, I suppose? )
Espionage/secrets game. PCs are Heroes in Pantheons. Lately, they uncover literal Ancient Reptilian Conspiracy – with biggest Dragons at the reign of it. All the Titanomachy conflicts between Gods and Titans are just next machinations of Dragons. And Big Lizards are just to sweep the Gods and Titans alike, once and for all…
Option: If Theros of Atlantis are used in game, they bring news to modern Pantheons about return of ancient enemy – Dragons – that once defeated Atlanteans.
Ending: PCs build coalition of Pantheons to stop Great Wyrms from return to World en masse – and defeat Dragons overloads?
Twist: ???
Problem: ‘Ancient Reptilian Conspiracy’ maybe hard too pull realisable – as with any Ancient Conspiracy Trope. Especially, with Gods level Dragons planning it.
Inspirations: ( Reptilians Conspiracy Media? ), V (2009 TV series)

Horror from Outer Space - Hero to Demigod game ( possible God ) – Using Scion Dragon
Myth Level: Heroic ( to /very dark/ Silver, I suppose? )
Pulpish horror game – so called Lovecraft Lite. PCs are Heroes in Pantheons. Lately, they uncover that Great Old Ones are coming! PCs need to build Pantheons coalition to beat the literal Horrors from Outer Space…
Option: If Theros of Atlantis are used in game, they bring news to modern Pantheons about return of ancient enemy – Great Old Ones – that once nearly wiped out Atlanteans and whole life on Earth.
Ending: PCs with coalition of Pantheons stops Old Ones more and more faster invasion on the World?
Twist: ???
Problem: Starts maybe as a bit pulpish horror – with finding cultists, then Lesser Servants, etc. But can come to truly apocalyptic proportions – with literal End of the World finale. Think of Call of Cthulhu RPG where PCs are Scion Heroes…
Inspirations: ( Cthulhu Mythos media – especially, more action oriented ), Robert E. Howard's Conan stories and its Hyborian setting are tangentally connected to the Mythos, as are a number of his other works (Kull of Atlantis, Bran Mac Morn, etc.) – all about Heroes beating ancient horrors, many time literally taken from Mythos.