What Is Atlantis?
Once upon a time there was a great island beyond the Pillars of Hercules. It reached 345 miles east to west and 230 miles north to south. All of its north was mountains as were most of its shores. Its inland was a great plain. A lone mountain sat within this plain. It was low on its sides and the top was flat save for gentle hills.
Upon this lone mountain was the Palace of Oceanus, the Titan-God of rivers, and surrounded it with three circular moats, each one wider than the one before. Between the canals and around the palace a beautiful city grew. The walls of the buildings were of red, white, and black stone.
Canals were dug in a strange river that spiralled slowly up to the first moat. One flowed uphill and the other flowed down. Down below, canals were dug that reached out ot the sea, one for the upflowing canal and another for the downflowing canal. Thus, ships could sail from the ocean to the beauteous city surrounding Oceanus' palace.
More canals stretched from the low mountain to the other mountains. Roads came down the mountains from cities to the canals. These cities were built around mines and all of them had at least one mine that dug for the most precious Orichalcum. These smaller cities were each ruled by kings of great and marvelous power. They formed a confederation of kings beneath Oceanus.
The Legend
Altantis was a fertile island, rich with culture and trade. Oceanus ruled his confederation of kings as a just and caring god, building a grand empire upon his island. Altanteans sailed the coasts of the Mediterranean, expanding their trade.
It was not until they began sailing the seas north and south, exploring the coasts of Europe and Africa that things began to change. Poseidon ruled the deep oceans and had no interest with the Mediterranean or Atlantis. But with the Atlanteans sailing his waters, this changed. Poseidon came to Atlantis where he became to covet Oceanus' Empire. To appease the god of seas, Oceanus introduced him to the not yet married daughters of the kings.
"Chose one daughter to be yours, Poseidon," Oceanus offered.
"I don't want one, Oceanus, I want them all."
"Preposterous! These are my people and one woman is more than fair!"
"What I cannot have, I will take!" Poseidon roared back.
It was war between the two gods. The very earth quaked, knocking down buildings. Mountain sides crumbled and mines collasped. Then, the island began to sink beneath the sea. Oceanus fought valiantly to try and safe his people and his island but Poseidon proved too power and treacherous.
The island sank to the bottom of the sea. Its people drowned or killed by the quaking island. Mighty waves crashed and splashed about the Mediterranean, even reaching so far inland as to nearly drown the Pyramids of Egypt. When the sea settled, no amount of prayers could reach the benevolent Oceanus as Poseidon had dragged him away to Chython where he locked him in the vile abyss, Tartarus.
The Real History
Atlantis was indeed a fertile island, rich with trade. Giants ruled humans, who were forced to toil beneath cruel masters. Displease their master and they would be the master's next meal. The city of Atlantis was the most beautious city on the island and home to Oceanus who ruled his giants with an iron grip. The confederation of giant-kings bowed to him and revered him for the opulence his harsh rule brought them.
As Poseidon rose and forged his mantle of power, he contested with Oceanus. These skirmishes were minor but rumbled through the world. Finally, the day came when Zeus gathered his fellow young gods and declared it was time to break the rule the Titans held over them and the mortals. Poseidon faced off against Oceanus. There battle raged across Atlantis which quaked from their battle. Buildings fell, mountain sides crumbled, mines collapsed. But their fight did not make the island sink. That came from the battles of the other gods cracking throguh the world.
Poseidon asked for a truce so they could save the mortals and Oceanus laughed. He cared nothing for neither his giants or their human slaves. After all, he could just get more. The battle changed after that. Poseidon fought with more demermination than before, and he made a choice. The giants, who were all still fighting with Oceanus he flung off the island. They splashed down miles and miles away from Atlantis and left to sink or swim on their own.
At the same moment, he began to cahnge all the humans to survive beneath the waves and held the island together as it sank. Oceanus, weaker now without his giant army, did not consider that and charged Poseidon, thinking the Olympian was too distracted to fight with strength. It was a mistake. Poseidon skewered Oveanus on his trident and pinnned him to the ground and returned to saving the island as it fell to the bottom of the sea.
Once the island landed on the seafloor and the billowing silts settled, Poseidon left. He took Oceanus with him to Chthon, where he kicked him off his trident and down into the terrible Abyss, Tartarus. That done, he joined the other Olympians until the rest of the Titans were defeated and the war was over. Only then, did he return to Atlantis to rebuild and guide his new merfolk in how to live beneath the seas. Upon the low mountain, he took over the temple and made it his.
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