Heliod
My time will come, when every soul will bask in my glory and obey my lawHeliod is the radiant god of the sun. According to myth, he ensures that the sun rises every day to provide light and warmth to the world. Every inhabitant of Theros acknowledges his dominant presence, and nearly everyone at least pays lip service to the idea of giving him worship and honor.
Myths and Legends
Battle with Purphoros.Divine Domains
Sun, light
Artifacts
Spear of Heliod. Heliod wields the spear Khrusor, which can strike any point on Theros, even in the depths of the Underworld. One tale describes how a wrathful Heliod used his spear to smite a human polis whose people angered him with their hubris: the entire city of Olantin sunk beneath the sea when Heliod struck it with his spear.
Divine Symbols & Sigils
Heliod personifies the light of day, and by extension, he is associated with many metaphorical aspects of the sun's circuit.
Tenets of Faith
The brilliance of Heliod's sun is impossible to ignore. Thus, virtually everyone on Theros pays at least grudging respect to the sun god in forms of worship that range from simple gestures to days-long celebrations.
Some families, particularly in the polis of Meletis, follow a practice of bowing in the direction of dawn's first light—or winking, in a gesture of respect for the sun god's luminous "eye." More dedicated worshipers offer short litanies at dawn, noon, and dusk, acknowledging the sun's passage across the sky.
Some families, particularly in the polis of Meletis, follow a practice of bowing in the direction of dawn's first light—or winking, in a gesture of respect for the sun god's luminous "eye." More dedicated worshipers offer short litanies at dawn, noon, and dusk, acknowledging the sun's passage across the sky.
Divine Goals & Aspirations
In Heliod's mind, he is the ruler of the gods, and he wants merely for his rightful place to be recognized. He imagines Nyx rebuilt as his personal palace, where all can witness him in his glory. He considers himself a kind and beneficent ruler—a benign autocrat, not a tyrant—and he doesn't expect abject servility from anyone, god or mortal. He just wants everyone to defer to his will and carry out his orders. He believes that his decisions are always just and right, and that if his sovereignty were properly respected, there would be peace and order in Nyx and the mortal world alike.
Personality Characteristics
Likes & Dislikes
Heliod hates and fears Erebos, his dark twin and his shadow. He views the god of the dead as a pathetic liar and coward who wallows in self-pity in his exile.
Relationships
History
On numerous occasions, Heliod has attempted to assert himself as the true god of Nyx. More notably in recent memory, when Heliod returned Daxos to destroy any mention of the other gods from Meletis.
Relationship Reasoning
Heliod, whom Kruphix sees as an arrogant, dangerous threat to the balance of power among the gods. He seldom acts against Heliod openly, preferring to warn others about the sun god's efforts to seize power at their expense.
Divine Classification
God
Alignment
Lawful Neutral
Current Status
chained in the Underworld beneath a giant boulder
Current Location
Species
Ethnicity
Realm
Circumstances of Death
Slain by Elspeth
Spouses
Siblings
Children
Gender
male
Related Myths