Athena Supporting Cast
Real Name: Pallas Athene.
Occupation: Goddess of war, domestic craftsmanship, and wisdom.
Identity: Athena's existence as anything other than a mythological being is unknown to the general public.
Legal Status: Citizen of Olympus with no criminal record.
Other Aliases: Athene, Athena Parthenos, Minerva (her Roman name), Virgin Mary (a case of mistaken identity), Molly Pitcher.
Place of Birth: (presumably) Olympus.
Marital Status: Single.
Known Relatives: Zeus (father); Metis (mother), Poseidon, Hades, the Potamoi (uncles), Demeter, Hestia, Hera, Styx, the Oceanids (aunts), Artemis, Eris, Ilithyia, Hebe, Persephone, Nyssa Savakis (half-sisters), Apollo, Ares, Dionysus, Hephaestus, Hercules, Hermes (half-brothers), Pallas (first cousin once removed, deceased); Oceanus, Cronus (grandfathers), Tethys, Rhea (grandmothers). For more details on her extended family tree, which includes all of the major gods and many of the ancient Greek heroes, consult Hesiod's Theogeny and other works.
Group Affiliation: Gods of Olympus.
Base of Operations: Mount Olympus.
First Post-Reboot Appearance: HERCULES: THE LEGEND CONTINUES #1.
History: Athena is the daughter of Zeus, king of the Olympian gods, and his first wife Metis, a second-generation Titan, born of Oceanus and Tethys. According to myth, the primordial earth goddess Gaea, progenitor of the Olympian pantheon, prophesied that Zeus's children by Metis would be powerful; any son by Metis would overthrow him, as he had overthrown his own father, Cronus, and Cronus his father Ouranos. Fearing this, Zeus tricked Metis into taking the form of a fly and then swallowed her. Athena was later born when Zeus received intense headaches, leading his son Hephaestus to cleave his head open with an adze; Athena then leaped out of Zeus's head, fully armed and armored. (One myth indicated that it was Metis forging Athena's armor and weapons inside him that gave Zeus the headache.)
How much truth there is in the mythological account is unknown, but it is unlikely that Zeus swallowed Metis or that Athena sprang from his head. Metis's own whereabouts since Athena's conception are unknown, however. At present, both Zeus and Athena hold that there is "little truth" to the myth, hinting that Metis was exiled after Athena's birth or possibly even before, with Athena being accepted as Zeus's daughter only after achieving adulthood.
Athena's activities in Mycenaean times are well documented by mythographers. The city of Athens has always been "her" city from the time of its founding, and the center of her worship in Classical times was in the Parthenon of Athens (which replaced a temple constructed during Mycenaean times). Her chosen name of "Pallas Athena" comes from when she accidentally killed her cousin Pallas, the daughter of Triton (son of Poseidon), while sparring. She is known for her cursing of Arachne, and for her actions in assisting Perseus, Bellerophon, Hercules, and Odysseus in their respective heroic deeds. Her actions in the events leading up to and during the Trojan War, where she sided with the Achaeans (the Greeks) put her in conflict with her half-brother, Ares, who favored the Trojans. In Roman times, Athena was worshipped by the name Minerva and sought mainly for her wisdom rather than her blessing in war. Like the rest of the Olympians, however, her worship faded with the rise of Christianity and Islam.
Unlike the other Olympians, however, Athena was not content to let the reverence of the Olympians fade. Acting subtly, she used the Muslims to preserve the knowledge and myths of the Olympians in written form from the Christians who were actively destroying those works. When she appeared to occasionally aid early Eastern Christians, she was often mistaken for the Virgin Mary (who became known in the early Eastern Roman Empire as a warrior maiden as a result). During the 15th and 16th Centuries, it was Athena who inspired many of the Italian Renaissance artists to render scenes out of Classical Greek antiquity. (There is some debate over whether she posed for the Mona Lisa.)
Athena has appeared in many other guises over the course of history. During the American Revolution, she inspired the folk tale of Molly Pitcher, appearing as or inspiring many women working the Colonial artillery. She has also been or inspired Harriet Tubman, Susan B. Anthony, and several other suffragettes, and has inspired many women soldiers in the late 20th and early 21st Centuries. She has even alluded to flying sorties for the United States over in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Athena's first confirmed appearance in modern times coincided with the awakening of deific power in her mortal half-sister Nyssa Savakis. At the time, she was having lunch with Hercules in Los Angeles, and investigated when Nyssa called down a bolt of lightning from the clear sky, thinking Zeus was up to no good. She soon came to the conclusion that Nyssa was Zeus's child and hence her half-sister, promising Nyssa assistance should she ever ask. It was Athena who proposed the "wait and see" approach to see how Herc's assistance of Nyssa would turn out to the other Olympians.
Age: Indeterminate.
Height: 5' 10".
Weight: 510 lbs.
Eyes: Gray.
Hair: Brown with a slight auburn tint.
Uniform: None; will occasionally wear armor patterned after that of a Greek Hoplite, often complemented with a Corinthian helm and long red cloak. Her armor and helmet are made of orichalcum, a coppery metal forged by Hephaestus which is for all intents and purposes indestructible.
Strength Level: Athena possesses superhuman strength enabling her to lift (press) around 80 tons.
Known Superhuman Powers: Athena possesses the normal traits of an Olympian goddess, including superhuman durability enabling her to withstand incredible blows, and immunity to terrestrial diseases and poisons.
In addition to these powers, Athena has the deific ability to alter the appearance of others. She normally uses this power to assist mortals by disguising them to be nondescript, as she did with Odysseus, but on occasion has used it to curse people with animal forms like she did Arachne. This alteration normally lasts until a particular condition is met or until she dismisses the disguise.
Other Abilities: Athena is skilled in the arts of war as practiced by the ancient Greeks, and has kept up on military skills throughout the ages, including becoming an artillery woman and a skilled fighter pilot. She is also a highly skilled weaver and gourmet chef.
Allies: Athena is usually accompanied by a snow-white barn owl named Bubo, who often acts as both a familiar and a second set of eyes. She has also been seen on occasion with a brass and iron clockwork barn owl built by Hephaestus, which also answers to the name Bubo; it is not known how many clockwork Bubos she has access to. These owls, despite not speaking in the traditional sense, can make themselves understood to select mortals if they or Athena so chooses.
Weapons and Paraphernalia: Athena's orichalcum shield has the head of Medusa the Gorgon mounted on it, enabling her to petrify her enemies at will. Normally the petrification lasts for an hour. Her sword, spear, and armor are enchanted for increased ability, but otherwise have no special abilities.
2,389 points
| ST: 33/320 [10*†] | HP: 33 [0] | Speed: 8.00 [0] |
| DX: 16 [120] | Will: 16 [0] | Move: 8 [0] |
| IQ: 16 [120] | Per: 20 [20] | |
| HT: 16 [40*] | FP: 16 [0] | SM: 0 |
| Dmg: 3d+2/6d (33d/35d) | BL: 218 lbs. (20,480 lbs./10 tons) | |
| Dodge: 12 | Parry: 17 | DR: 50* (tough skin) |
| Block: 17 | ||
| IT:DR: /3 | ||
Languages: Ancient Greek (Native) (Native Language) [0]; English (Native) [6]; Latin [6]; Modern Greek (Native) [6].
Cultural Familiarities: Mount Olympus [0]; Western [1].
Advantages: 360° Vision (Granted By Familiar, -40%) [15]; Affliction 1 (Alter Other) (Advantage: Morph, +20%; Extended Duration: Permanent w/ Dispelling Conditions, +150%; Malediction (-1/yd), +100%; Magical, -10%) [134]; Ally (Bubo the Owl; 25% of Point Value) (15) [3]; Ally Group (Bubo the Clockwork Owls; 25% of Point Value; Group Size: 6-10) (9) [6]; Appearance (Very Beautiful) [12‡]; Born Tactician 4 [40]; Classic Homemaker 4 [40]; Damage Resistance 50 (Tough Skin, -40%) [150]; Energy Reserve 6 (Drains Familiar, -50%) [9]; Enhanced Block 3 [15]; Enhanced Parry (All Parries) [30]; Enhanced Time Sense [45]; Gunslinger [25]; Mind Reading (Accessibility: Only the Bubos, -80%; Multiple Contacts, +50%; Plane-Spanning (Includes Same Plane), +100%; Sensory, +20%) [57]; Mindlink (2-9 People; Plane-Spanning (Includes Same Plane), +100%; Sensory, +20%) [22]; Natural Athlete 4 [40]; No Low TL +4 [20]; Olympian God [605]; Special Rapport (Bubo the Owl) [5]; Super ST +13/+300 [80§]; Telecommunications (Telesend) (Accessibility: Only the Bubos, -80%; Plane-Spanning (Includes Same Plane), +100%; Sensie, +80%) [60]; Trained By a Master [30]; Truth-Seeker 4 [20]; Very Fit [15]; Wealth (Multimillionaire 2) [100]; Weapon Master (All Melee) [40].
Perks: Acceleration Tolerance [1]; Alcohol Tolerance [1]; Classic Greek Features [1]; Fearsome Stare [1]; Focused Fury [1]; Grip Mastery (Spear) [1]; Improvised Weapons (Karate) [1]; Off-Screen Reload [1]; Power Grappling [1]; Sea Legs [1]; Shield Wall Training [1]; Style Familiarity (Greco-Roman Wrestling) [1]; Style Familiarity (Heroic Spear Fighting) [1]; Style Familiarity (Hoplomachia) [1]; Style Familiarity (Krav Maga) [1]; Style Familiarity (Sword-and-Shield Fighting) [1]; Tracer Eyes [1].
Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Soldier's) [-10]; Jealousy [-10]; Pacifism (Cannot Harm Innocents) [-10]; Stubbornness [-5]; Vow of Chastity [-5].
Quirks: Blunt [-1]; Confident [-1]; Decisive [-1]; Intensely Dislikes Ares [-1]; Perfectionist [-1].
Skills: Acrobatics (H) DX+4 [20] – 20]; Animal Handling (Owls) (A) IQ+4 [2] – 20#; Artillery/TL8 (Bombs) (A) IQ+4 [16] – 20; Artillery/TL8 (Cannon) (A) IQ+4 [16] – 20; Artillery/TL4 (Catapult) (A) IQ+4 [16] – 20; Artillery/TL8 (Guided Missile) (A) IQ+4 [16] – 20; Artist (Pottery) (H) IQ+4 [4] – 20#; Axe/Mace (A) DX+4 [16] – 20; Breath Control (H) HT+4 [4] – 20¥; Broadsword (A) DX+4 [16] – 20; Climbing (A) DX+4 [16] – 20; Computer Operation/TL8 (E) IQ+1 [2] – 17; Disguise/TL2 (Human) (A) IQ+4 [16] – 20; Driving/TL8 (Heavy Wheeled) (A) DX-1 [1] – 15; Driving/TL8 (Tracked) (A) DX-1 [1] – 15; Engineer/TL8 (Combat) (H) IQ+0 [4] – 16; First Aid/TL8 (Human) (E) IQ+0 [1] – 16; Games (Wrestling) (E) IQ+0 [1] – 16; Gunner/TL8 (Cannon) (E) DX+4 [11] – 20¶; Gunner/TL3 (Catapult) (E) DX+4 [12] – 20; Gunner/TL8 (Machine Gun) (E) DX+4 [12] – 20; Guns/TL8 (Light Anti-Armor Weapon) (E) DX+4 [11] – 20¤; Guns/TL8 (Rifle) (E) DX+4 [12] – 20; Hiking (A) HT+4 [2] – 20¥; Housekeeping (E) IQ+4 [1] – 20#; Immovable Stance (H) DX+0 [4] – 16; Intelligence Analysis/TL8 (H) IQ+2 [1] – 18£; Intimidation (A) Will+2 [8] – 18; Judo (H) DX+4 [20] – 20; Jumping (E) DX+4 [1] – 20¥; Karate (H) DX+4 [20] – 20; Kiai (H) HT-1 [2] – 15; Knot-Tying (E) DX+2 [3] – 18€; Lance (A) DX+4 [12] – 20©; Leadership (A) IQ+4 [2] – 20£; Lifting (A) HT+4 [2] – 20¥; Mathematics/TL8 (Applied) (H) IQ-2 [1] – 14; Mimicry (Bird Calls) (H) IQ+0 [4] – 16; Observation (A) Per+0 [2] – 20; Piloting/TL8 (Helicopter) (A) DX+0 [1] – 16@; Piloting/TL8 (High-Performance Airplane) (A) DX+4 [16] – 20; Poetry (A) IQ+0 [2] – 16; Polearm (A) DX+4 [14] – 20©; Professional Skill (Dyer) (A) IQ+4 [2] – 20#; Professional Skill (Tanner) (A) IQ+4 [2] – 20#; Professional Skill (Weaver) (A) IQ+4 [2] – 20#; Propaganda/TL8 (A) IQ+0 [2] – 16; Riding (Equines) (A) DX+0 [2] – 16; Running (A) HT+4 [2] – 20¥; Savoir-Faire (High Society) (E) IQ+0 [1] – 16; Savoir-Faire (Military) (E) IQ+4 [1] – 20£; Sewing/TL8 (E) DX+4 [1] – 20#; Shield (Buckler) (E) DX+4 [8] – 20®; Shield (Shield) (E) DX+4 [12] – 20; Shortsword (A) DX+4 [2] – 20¢; Soldier/TL8 (A) IQ+4 [2] – 20£; Spear (A) DX+4 [16] – 20; Staff (A) DX+4 [8] – 20©; Stealth (A) DX+0 [2] – 16; Strategy (Land) (H) IQ+4 [4] – 20£; Strategy (Naval) (H) IQ+4 [4] – 20£; Swimming (E) HT+4 [1] – 20¥; Tactics (H) IQ+4 [4] – 20£; Teamster (Equines) (A) IQ-1 [1] – 15; Throwing (A) DX+4 [2] – 20¥; Thrown Weapon (Spear) (E) DX+4 [12] – 20; Two-Handed Sword (A) DX+4 [14] – 20¢; Wrestling (A) DX+4 [16] – 20; Wrestling Sport (A) DX+1 [1] – 17♫; Writing (A) IQ+0 [2] – 16.
Techniques: Targeted Attack (Spear Thrust/Vitals) (H) def+2 [3] – 19.
Starting Spending Money: $160,000,000 (80% of Starting Wealth).
* Includes +9 to ST and +2 to HT from Olympian God.
† Includes +13/+300 from Super ST.
‡ Upgraded from Appearance (Attractive) from Olympian God.
§ Upgraded from Super ST +11/+150 from Olympian God.
# Includes +4 from Classic Homemaker.
¥ Includes +4 from Natural Athlete.
¶ Defaulted from Gunner/TL8 (Machine Gun).
¤ Defaulted from Guns/TL8 (Rifle).
£ Includes +4 from Born Tactician.
€ Defaulted from Climbing.
© Defaulted from Spear.
@ Defaulted from Piloting/TL8 (High-Performance Airplane).
® Defaulted from Shield (Shield).
¢ Defaulted from Broadsword.
♫ Defaulted from Wrestling.
| KARATE | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TL | Weapon | Damage | Reach | Parry | Cost | Weight | ST | Notes |
| – | Punch | C | – | – | ||||
| – | – Super ST | C | – | – | ||||
| – | Kick | C, 1 | n/a | – | – | |||
| – | – Super ST | C, 1 | n/a | – | – | |||
Bubo the Owl
Bubo is a snowy white barn owl who is Athena's near-constant companion. Slightly larger than most owls, he measures a full 18 inches tall. As her familiar, he possesses intelligence far above that of regular owls, and in fact is smarter than most mortals. He is also a consummate know-it-all.
As a native of Mount Olympus, Bubo is of denser flesh than most owls. This grants him a modicum of increased resistance to injury.
373 points
| ST: 6 [-40] | HP: 10 [8] | Speed: 6.00 [0] |
| DX: 12 [40] | Will: 13 [0] | Ground Move: 2 [-20] |
| IQ: 13 [60] | Per: 16 [15] | Air Move: 12/24 [0] |
| HT: 12 [20] | FP: 12 [0] | SM: -4 |
| Dmg: 1d-4/1d-3 | BL: 5 lbs. | |
| Dodge: 9 | Parry: 10 | DR: 0 |
Languages: None.
Cultural Familiarities: Mount Olympus (Native) [0].
Advantages: 360° Vision [25]; Affliction 1 (Advantages: Speak With Animals (Specialized: Owls, -60%), +100%; Based on (Target's) Will, +20%; Malediction 2 (SSR Table), +150%; No Signature, +20%; Magical, -10%) [38]; Claws (Sharp Claws) [5]; Dark Vision (Color Vision, +20%) [30]; Enhanced Move 1 [20]; Flight (Winged, -25%) [30]; Injury Tolerance (Damage Reduction /3) [75]; Mindlink (Athena) (Plane-Spanning (Includes Same Plane), +100%; Sensory, +20%) [11]; Telecommunications (Telesend) (Accessibility: Athena Only, -80%; Plane-Spanning (Includes Same Plane), +100%; Sensie, +80%) [60]; Parabolic Hearing 3 [12]; Silence 2 [10]; Special Rapport (Athena) [5]; Teeth (Sharp Beak) [1]; Unaging [15].
Perks: Feathers [1]; One-Way Fluency (Understands Ancient Greek) [1]; One-Way Fluency (Understands English) [1]; One-Way Fluency (Understands Latin) [1]; One-Way Fluency (Understands Modern Greek) [1].
Disadvantages: Cannot Speak [-15]; Foot Manipulators (2 Feet) [-6]; Sense of Duty (Athena) [-2]; Social Stigma (Valuable Property) [-10]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25].
Quirks: Condescending to Everyone Except Athena [-1]; Deadpan Snarker [-1].
Skills: Aerobatics (H) DX-1 [2] - 11; Brawling (E) DX+2 [4] - 14; Flight (A) HT+1 [4] - 13; Observation (A) Per+1 [4] - 17; Survival (Woodlands) (A) Per+1 [4] – 17.
| BRAWLING | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TL | Weapon | Damage | Reach | Parry | Cost | Weight | ST | Notes |
| – | Wing Hit | 1d-4 cr | C | 10 | – | – | 6 | |
| – | Kick | 1d-3 cut | C, 1 | n/a | – | – | 6 | |
Bubo the Clockwork Owl
A clockwork owl of brass, iron, and orichalcum, crafted by Hephaestus for Athena when she circumvented an order by Zeus to send her beloved Bubo to one of the ancient heroes. It's unknown how many of these owls Athena has; she has said that one was stolen in the distant past by one of the Sumerian goddesses. Unlike the actual Bubo, these owls have a cheerful and helpful personality.
383 points
| ST: 6 [-40] | HP: 12 [12] | Speed: 6.00 [0] |
| DX: 12 [40] | Will: 13 [0] | Ground Move: 2 [-20] |
| IQ: 13 [60] | Per: 16 [15] | Air Move: 12/24 [0] |
| HT: 12 [20] | FP: 0 [0] | SM: -4 |
| Dmg: 1d-4/1d-3 | BL: 5 lbs. | |
| Dodge: 9 | Parry: 10 | DR: 3 |
Languages: None.
Cultural Familiarities: Mount Olympus (Native) [0].
Advantages: 360° Vision [25]; Affliction 1 (Advantages: One-Way Fluency (Bubo's Clicks and Whistles), +10%; Based on (Target's) Will, +20%; Malediction 2 (SSR Table), +150%; No Signature, +20%; Magical, -10%) [29]; Claws (Sharp Claws) [5]; Damage Resistance 3 [15]; Dark Vision (Color Vision, +20%) [30]; Doesn't Breathe [20]; Doesn't Eat or Drink [10]; Enhanced Move 1 [20]; Flight (Winged, -25%) [30]; Injury Tolerance (Damage Reduction /3) [75]; Machine [25]; Mindlink (Athena) (Plane-Spanning (Includes Same Plane), +100%; Sensory, +20%; Magical, -10%) [11]; Telecommunications (Telesend) (Accessibility: Athena Only, -80%; Plane-Spanning (Includes Same Plane), +100%; Sensie, +80%; Magical, -10%) [57]; Parabolic Hearing 3 [12]; Special Rapport (Athena) [5]; Teeth (Sharp Beak) [1]; Unaging [15].
Perks: One-Way Fluency (Understands Ancient Greek) [1]; One-Way Fluency (Understands English) [1]; One-Way Fluency (Understands Latin) [1]; One-Way Fluency (Understands Modern Greek) [1].
Disadvantages: Cannot Speak [-15]; Dependency (Mana; Constantly) [-25]; Foot Manipulators (2 Feet) [-6]; Hidebound [-5]; Pacifism (Cannot Harm Innocents) [-10]; Reprogrammable [-10]; Sense of Duty (Athena) [-2]; Social Stigma (Valuable Property) [-10]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25].
Quirks: Cheerful [-1]; Friendly [-1]; Helpful [-1].
Skills: Aerobatics (H) DX-1 [2] - 11; Brawling (E) DX+2 [4] - 14; Flight (A) HT+1 [4] - 13; Observation (A) Per+1 [4] - 17; Survival (Woodlands) (A) Per+1 [4] – 17.
| BRAWLING | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TL | Weapon | Damage | Reach | Parry | Cost | Weight | ST | Notes |
| – | Wing Hit | 1d-4 cr | C | 10 | – | – | 6 | |
| – | Kick | 1d-3 cut | C, 1 | n/a | – | – | 6 | |
Design Notes:
1. Athena's Wealth and Starting Cash reflect that she has the resources of Mount Olympus to draw upon, and that she doesn't use as much for her day to day living compared to mortals of the same effective Wealth.