to: all, with apologies to nico di angelo

[areou]

( the message is deliberately written in ancient greek. for most summoned, the network will auto-translate, but she's hoping there might be others who recognize the original text. )

WILL SOLACE COME RETRIEVE YOUR EMOTIONAL SUPPORT GOTH I'M NOT HIS BABYSITTER

( helpfully, she adds an illustration that no one asked for: )



( then, because nico seriously needs more friends and it's her duty as former head counselor of the ares cabin to embarrass any and all younger campers: )

↖  BTW THIS IS NICO
HE LOVES LONG WALKS THROUGH THE UNDERWORLD AND BROODING IN GRAVEYARDS
HE'S SPOKEN FOR BUT I'M SURE HE'LL BE THE AFTERLIFE OF YOUR NEXT PARTY
CHALLENGE HIM TO A GAME OF MYTHOMAGIC TODAY!!!

ALSO IF ANYONE OUT THERE HAS SEEN THESE DEMIGODS CONTACT ME ASAP
LOOKS LIKE ZEUS IS SUPER FUCKING PISSED AGAIN AND WE NEED A GAMEPLAN

( more shitty doodles follow, this time vaguely resembling percy and annabeth, although this time she labels them: )



— CLARISSE LA RUE, DRAKON-SLAYER, DAUGHTER OF ARES

( she figures she may as well cover all her bases here since all of this feels like a ren faire on steroids anyway.

ooc | threadjacking is more than welcome and, frankly, encouraged. let's all go hog boar wild. 🫡 )

Comments

[inthenameofhades]

Well until I arrived here, I was under the impression that I didn't have any siblings.

I am glad to meet you, Nico.

[demigoth]

Half. My mother was mortal, and your mother

[ The writing stops abruptly. Persephone doesn’t like Nico for reasons he can’t correct. ]

[inthenameofhades]

[Zagreus waits a while before responding. But nope, apparently his brother isn't going to continue?]

Yes, my mother Persephone?

I do admit that it was surprising to learn you existed. Since Father is bound to the Underworld...well, for him to actually meet a mortal woman, while she's still alive, would be astonishingly unlikely. But after speaking further with Will, it's become clear that there are differences in the histories of our family. I'm not from the same world as you.

But I would still like to call you family. Though if that would make you uncomfortable, I understand.

[demigoth]

She doesn't like me much. So you can call us brothers - that's probably the normalest thing our family's ever done, but I won't hold you to it.

[inthenameofhades]

She doesn't? Why not?

And you're my father's son. I know our family isn't quite the same, where you and Will come from...but to me, that makes you my brother. I hope I can get to know you more.

[demigoth]

I don’t think she likes the reminder of why I exist. She’s pretty quick to turn demigods into plants.

[inthenameofhades]

Why do alternate versions of Mother keep behaving appallingly?

[Because his mother and his family are part of the Greek pantheon, that's why, but nevermind that]

Regardless, please be assured that I don't want you turned into a plant. And I'd certainly have something to say to Mother if she tried it.

[demigoth]

I would rather drown in the Phlegethon than answer that.

[ He was not born yesterday. Someone else can explain to the god of rebirth that Persephone has a real mean streak and Demeter has a cereal obsession. Nico wants to live to see sixteen. ]

If she turns up - which she might, we have 2 gods and I saw at least 5 demigods using this writing magic - can I get a running start before you tell your mother no?

[inthenameofhades]

Oh, you don't want the Phlegethon for drowning. The magma would burn you to a crisp long before you get the chance. The Styx is a far better choice.

[Things are different in Zagreus's world. That goes both for the gods themselves, and the rivers.]

And we have more gods than that, actually. But if Mother does make an appearance, I promise that you can run very far in the other direction while I talk to her. Though if the she's the one I know, from my world...I know you will find this hard to believe, but you won't need to worry.

[demigoth]

That was the joke.

And thanks. I don’t think I’ve got anything I can offer you in return.

[inthenameofhades]

Oh, of course! I see now - that's quite good. Though communicating this way does rather make reading intend rather difficult.

And you don't need to offer me anything. You're family. That's not how this works.

private

[demigoth]

Since when? I've talked to two gods today, and nobody's asked for anything. I don't get it.

Re: private

[inthenameofhades]

What, is that what our family does in your world? Go around demanding things from people any time someone shows up? I know our family can stand to do better in any universe, but that really is setting the bar very low.

[demigoth]

[ “Can you entertain the notion that I might be here to help you, not simply because I want something?” Nico frowns at the memory of his father - at himself. And then he realizes Zagreus can’t see that. ]

Not ALWAYS. But Father can’t directly intervene with me. There are rules with demigods, and he breaks them more than most Olympians. I think. I don’t know the other gods.

Except Apollo. It’s hard to remember he counts.

[inthenameofhades]

I don't know these rules. They're not like any I've ever heard of. And if they mean going around treating people differently just because they happen to have a mortal parent, then I'd say they're rules we could do without.

...You know Mother's father was mortal. Demigods are a little different where I'm from, they can kind of...go either way. Mother just happened to be more on the immortal side of things.

[demigoth]

It doesn’t work that way where I’m from. Percy only got the gods to acknowledge their kids before they turned 16 like two years ago. If you have a mortal parent, it matters.

Maybe your world is better.

[inthenameofhades]

I'm not sure exactly what being 'sixteen' means, but waiting until some arbitrary time to acknowledge your own children is...not right.

I believe it is better, in my world. But I admit I also don't really know much of what goes on on the Surface. Not unless I hear about it from any of the recently arrived Shades, at least.

[demigoth]

I don't think it has any special significance. Ask Percy, he picked it. And I never said it was right. It's stupid that he had to ask the gods to promise.

[inthenameofhades]

Percy is one of the other demigods who've just arrived? So he made Father and the other gods make a promise to do...what exactly? I'm not sure I understand.

[demigoth]

Claim their kids and at least let them know who they are.

[inthenameofhades]

Wait, are you telling me that me that before this, the gods didn't acknowledge their own children at all?

[demigoth]

They did when they needed them. Or if someone did something impressive. But not always, and usually not until they were teenagers. Why? Do they claim the demigods immediately when you're from?

[inthenameofhades]

Well...I suppose I don't really know exactly how it works where I'm from. Demigods are born on the Surface, not in the Underworld. We're a bit lacking in mortals, after all.

Usually though, if someone's a demigod...it's not a secret who their parent is.

[demigoth]

Don’t you ever go to the mortal world? Everyone else does.

I didn’t know until I was almost 11, and Father made sure nobody knew we existed.

[inthenameofhades]

Oh, I visit the Surface all the time! But then I also die not long after I get there, so I don't really get to visit for long.