All I ask is that you use technology to your benefit. Meaning: Spell check is your friend. All 'i's should be capitalized when used to refer to oneself or a character's self in dialogue. Capital letters begin sentences. Chat speak, as per guild rules, is forbidden.
Honestly, I just thought it would be fun to see the different tales some people could come up with. ^.^ Here is one I wrote, based on the premisis of a "Transformation Myth":
Quote:
Artemis has long since been the elusive daughter of Zeus, her spirit refusing to settle down. Much was the same with her followers. They enjoyed running through the woods, caring for nothing but the exhilaration of the hunt, and the haven of the shelter the trees gave them. One such huntress was Zenobia, the daughter of a wealthy man in Piraeus. Zenobia had once fallen in love with Orpheus, the musician whose voice and talent was unsurpassed by mortals, perhaps equaling the harmonies of Apollo’s lyre, but when he had married Eurydice and soon after died of grief of his new wife’s death, Zenobia felt betrayed by Eros’s bitter arrow and had fled. She took refuge in the silvery light of Artemis, becoming fond of the bow and the scent of the wood in her hair.
However, Zenobia’s father, Pavlos, was not about to give up his only child. He prayed to Hera that she might marry a wealthy man and settle, bringing marital fortune to her family. Hera heeded Pavlos’s prayers, and sent Iris upon her medley of colors to Artemis to request that she may find Zenobia a husband. As Hera had predicted, Artemis refused the offer, not wanting her huntresses to ever be bound by men. So instead, Iris went to Apollo with Hera’s message. Once there, she told of Hera’s plight. Apollo agreed to attempt to persuade his sister into releasing Zenobia from her protection and watch.
Curious as to who this mortal girl was, he looked down upon her with his golden light, and fell in love. He watched her as she slept beneath the laurel tree, his tree, hair just as beautiful as it was wild. He recalled the love Zenobia once had for Orpheus, and came down upon the earth. He began to play the sweetest melody upon his lyre, striking each chord as tenderly as a mother caresses her newborn child. As Zenobia slept beneath the laurel tree, she heard the music, and Apollo sent her visions of love into her head. A few tears fell from her eyes as she remembered Orpheus, the love who never loved her back, and awoke. She gasped as she saw the radiant youth of Apollo before her, sitting upon a rock as his fingers worked the instrument masterfully.
“Do not be frightened, child of Artemis. Oh, dearest Zenobia, whose spirit is as wild as that of Pegasus, beauty unmatched even by Aphrodite herself, I love you.” Zenobia sat, awe-struck, but was reluctant to be bound to any man, never mind a God. She had heard the tales of those who had once loved the gods, such as Io, and feared such an idea. Unknowing what else to do, she fled from him. Apollo became a magnificent stag, and pursued her. She ran, confused and frightened, calling out to Artemis. One of Artemis’s sacred stags came forth to protect her. However, as Apollo turned to meet Zenobia at the other turn, Artemis’s sacred stag took his place. As Zenobia turned, she struck down the stag with one shot from her bow, believing it was Apollo.
“Cease your pursuit, immortal Apollo, for I wish not to be loved by you. Rise up from your form and return to the Muses to which you play!” But the stag did not rise. It was then with a grave heart Zenobia realized she had struck down one of Artemis’s favorite stags. She collapsed to her knees, tears falling down her utopian face. Apollo trotted up to her, and revealed himself to her, hand tenderly wiping away her tears. As he attempted to comfort the mortal child, Artemis appeared before them, and lamented over the loss of her stag. With a face of fury, she glared at Zenobia as the girl accepted the love of her brother.
“Do you wish to look upon his face? You, Zenobia, wish to bask in his radiance? Then I bid you so! But you will never again look upon me, as I wish not to see your disgraceful form!” And with that, Zenobia became a sunflower. Now everyday, she gazes up at the sun, following it as it moves across the sky, watching Apollo and basking in his love for her. Every night, she shies away from the moon, golden petals wilting in the silvery light as Artemis’s fury remains.
Pavlos heard the rumors of his daughter’s demise, and he wept over her transformation. Believing that Hera had failed him, he cursed her, and no longer left offerings for the goddess in her temple. Furious with Pavlos for this, Hera destroyed his marriage, and left him in poverty as the Fates had destined him to be.
However, Zenobia’s father, Pavlos, was not about to give up his only child. He prayed to Hera that she might marry a wealthy man and settle, bringing marital fortune to her family. Hera heeded Pavlos’s prayers, and sent Iris upon her medley of colors to Artemis to request that she may find Zenobia a husband. As Hera had predicted, Artemis refused the offer, not wanting her huntresses to ever be bound by men. So instead, Iris went to Apollo with Hera’s message. Once there, she told of Hera’s plight. Apollo agreed to attempt to persuade his sister into releasing Zenobia from her protection and watch.
Curious as to who this mortal girl was, he looked down upon her with his golden light, and fell in love. He watched her as she slept beneath the laurel tree, his tree, hair just as beautiful as it was wild. He recalled the love Zenobia once had for Orpheus, and came down upon the earth. He began to play the sweetest melody upon his lyre, striking each chord as tenderly as a mother caresses her newborn child. As Zenobia slept beneath the laurel tree, she heard the music, and Apollo sent her visions of love into her head. A few tears fell from her eyes as she remembered Orpheus, the love who never loved her back, and awoke. She gasped as she saw the radiant youth of Apollo before her, sitting upon a rock as his fingers worked the instrument masterfully.
“Do not be frightened, child of Artemis. Oh, dearest Zenobia, whose spirit is as wild as that of Pegasus, beauty unmatched even by Aphrodite herself, I love you.” Zenobia sat, awe-struck, but was reluctant to be bound to any man, never mind a God. She had heard the tales of those who had once loved the gods, such as Io, and feared such an idea. Unknowing what else to do, she fled from him. Apollo became a magnificent stag, and pursued her. She ran, confused and frightened, calling out to Artemis. One of Artemis’s sacred stags came forth to protect her. However, as Apollo turned to meet Zenobia at the other turn, Artemis’s sacred stag took his place. As Zenobia turned, she struck down the stag with one shot from her bow, believing it was Apollo.
“Cease your pursuit, immortal Apollo, for I wish not to be loved by you. Rise up from your form and return to the Muses to which you play!” But the stag did not rise. It was then with a grave heart Zenobia realized she had struck down one of Artemis’s favorite stags. She collapsed to her knees, tears falling down her utopian face. Apollo trotted up to her, and revealed himself to her, hand tenderly wiping away her tears. As he attempted to comfort the mortal child, Artemis appeared before them, and lamented over the loss of her stag. With a face of fury, she glared at Zenobia as the girl accepted the love of her brother.
“Do you wish to look upon his face? You, Zenobia, wish to bask in his radiance? Then I bid you so! But you will never again look upon me, as I wish not to see your disgraceful form!” And with that, Zenobia became a sunflower. Now everyday, she gazes up at the sun, following it as it moves across the sky, watching Apollo and basking in his love for her. Every night, she shies away from the moon, golden petals wilting in the silvery light as Artemis’s fury remains.
Pavlos heard the rumors of his daughter’s demise, and he wept over her transformation. Believing that Hera had failed him, he cursed her, and no longer left offerings for the goddess in her temple. Furious with Pavlos for this, Hera destroyed his marriage, and left him in poverty as the Fates had destined him to be.
