Category: Mythology

Thoth

Thoth is a lesser god of the Egyptian pantheon but played a major role in the mediation of the gods. He is the god of wisdom, writing, science, art as well as magic. Thoth taught the arts of magic, science to others and was the one who taught Isis the magic she used to resurrect Osiris temporarily.

Objects associated with him is the Papyrus scroll, reed pens, writing pallets, stylus and scales as well as the Ibis which he has for a head.

When to invoke

Thoth is best invoked in matters related to education and learning magic. He is known for teaching Isis magic and is associated with various writing materials. Amulets and charms connected to him would be of great use to those currently in the education system as well as those who are seeking to learn more about magic.

Cernunnos

About

Cernunnos is the name given to the horned god depicted in Celtic mythology. He was a god of life, fertility, animals, as well as the underworld. He has also become a major figure in Wicca and is representative of the male side of the duotheistic system.

Smite Lore

Standing upon the edge of the wooded realm of Cernunnos, one can feel the invitation and the threat. “Come and feast,” it calls. “Nature provides an abundance of crops and wild game.” Yet, the same voice turns dark. “Treat everything with due respect,” it warns. “This is not your home.” And, should one peer intently enough through the shadowed branches, a figure can be seen, horned as a stag, clothed in moss and leaves, eyes burning like untended embers. Cernunnos is master here, and although he has much to offer, he will not tolerate greed.

Time turns on the Sacred Wheel, Spring to Summer, Summer to Autumn and Autumn at last to Winter. Cernunnos was there at the shaping of the wheel, born of the womb of the All Mother before Gods were Gods and the land was shapeless. This wheel is not of his making. He is both master of it and slave to it, transforming with the seasons like the world beneath his feet. He bears a heaving metal torc around his neck as a permanent pledge of loyalty to this cycle of life and death that only he can drive.

Once, it was said, there was no break between his realm and this world. They were the same. Perhaps a time will come when the world shall once again be his. Then, all can walk among the whispering leaves. So long as they remain humble. For the arrogant, Cernunnos hunts. What are these other Gods? Guest or prey?

When to invoke

Cernunnos is best to invoke in situations regarding nature as well as the changing of the seasons. He is a god associated with many animals and can be worshipped during spring and fall festivals for a bountiful hunt.

Image Source: https://smite.gamepedia.com/Cernunnos

Hestia

Hestia is the Greek goddess of the hearth, home, family and domesticity. She would receive the first portion of sacrifices in the home. Hestia represents the importance of the hearth and the importance of maintaining the home in Greek civilization. Hestia is associated with the hearth (fireplace), fire, as well as donkeys who protected her virginity in one of her myths.

She was the first born child of Chronos and Rhea and thus the first to be eaten by Chronos. Given that she was the first to be born can be symbolic of the view that maintaining the house and the family comes first before everything else.

When to invoke

Hestia is best invoked in matters relating to the house. Whether it is maintaining a happy home, a safe home, or just wanting to improve the home Hestia is a useful goddess to invoke in those situations.

Image Source: https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Mortals/Hellen/hellen.html

Isis

About

Isis was the wife of the god Osiris and is the Egyptian goddess of marriage, motherhood, kingship, the sky as well as magic and knowledge. She was the daughter of Geb and Nut and was the mother of Horus. She is strongly associated with motherhood given her role as the mother of Horus as well as kingship since she is said to have nursed all the pharaohs

Lore

When her husband was murdered by Set she traveled all over Egypt to gather the 26 pieces of Osiris and reassembled them and used magic she learned from the god Thoth to bring him back to life temporarily. Isis’ magic was able to resurrect him long enough for her to become impregnated with the god Horus.

Once the magic wore off Isis mummified his body and gave him a proper burial which allowed his soul to descend to the underworld where he ruled justly. She eventually gave birth to Horus and kept him safe until he reached the age where he could fight Set and avenge his father.

After defeating Set, Horus became the god of the sun while Isis became the goddess of the Sky and helping.

When to invoke

Like with most queen goddesses she can be invoked during marriages though the best time to invoke her is during pregnancy. She is well known for giving birth to Horus as well as protecting him during his childhood. She is a good goddess for mothers with young children to invoke. Like with Hecate she can also be invoked in matters regarding magecraft or wisdom.

Image Source: https://smite.gamepedia.com/Isis

Ratatoskr

Ratatoskr is a squirrel in Norse mythology who runs up and down Yggdrasil, the world tree, carrying messages from the gods while also bringing insults and threats from the serpent, Nidhoggr, to the eagle perched at the top though they are unable to reach each other.

He often embellishes each party insults in order to escalate their anger towards each other for his amusement. It is unknown how this feud started though it might have been started by Ratatoskr. Regardless of who started the feud Ratatoskr derives amusement from their feud. He is also favoured by Loki for obvious reasons

Image Source:https://smite.gamepedia.com/Ratatoskr

Banshee

The banshee is a ghost from Irish and Celtic Folklore. The appearance of a banshee differs depending on the story as well as the family but is commonly a dead woman, the state of decay depends on the individual banshee.

Banshees are spirits that are said to foretell of death, either to the one who hears it or of a family member. Despite there appearance and their role in foretelling death they are not evil figures or the cause of such death. Banshees are often a signal for the family that someone has or will die and gives them time to prepare to morn the person. In some cases the banshee appears long after the person had died and can be seen as a spirit that mourns for those who have passed.

Their are cases of banshees having a pleasant or youthful appearance and taking on the form of a family member who had died young.

Image Source: https://lorrs33.wordpress.com/2015/10/26/irish-folklore-the-banshee/

Artio

About

Artio is the goddess of bears, nature and fertility in the Celtic Pantheon. She was primarily worshiped in the region of Gaul and associated with spring and the guardian of the cycle of seasons and the cycle of life and death. She is known to be able to change into a bear as well as a woman wearing an outfit made out of a bear skin. She is also associated with the constellations Ursa Major and or Ursa Minor.

When Gaul was conquered by the Romans they likened her to the goddesses Artemis and Diana.

Smite Lore

Ice melts in cascading waterfalls from jagged mountain peaks, pouring into rivers roaring white to the cold sea. Straightening slowly, like aged men, trees and fauna of the underbrush, now free of snow-weight, reach for the sun. It is spring; the world awakens from darkness and death to grow green again. Her hibernation ends. Coat wet with fresh rain, Artio, Goddess-Bear, roars into the chill morning air.

She is guardian of the cycle. Not the passage of time, but the balance of things. There is no spring without winter, no death without life, no darkness without light, no goodness without evil. Nature declares these opposites into law and Artio is the enforcer.

Among the ursine she runs, sometimes in the shape of a woman, lithe and wild, sometimes as a bear, brown and fierce. Nowhere in the forest do there stand shrines in her name, for Artio is less worshipped and more respected. Perhaps, instead, she looms overhead, a constant presence in the twinkle of the stars, a connection of glistening light; the constellation Ursa Major.

When to invoke

The best time to invoke Artio is during spring and fall celebrations given her association with the cycle of the seasons.

Image Source:https://smite.gamepedia.com/Artio

Osiris

About

Osiris is the central god of the Egyptian Pantheon as well as the god of the afterlife, the dead, resurrection, life, fertility, vegetation and agriculture. He was the son of Geb and Nut, the husband of Isis, and the father of Horus as well as Anubis in some accounts. He is the ruler of the Egyptian underworld and the judge of the dead.

He is associated with the crook and flail, Alef crown, mummification, gauze, djed, ostrich feathers and fish.

Lore

Osiris ruled over Egypt alongside his wife Isis, he was a just ruler who taught agriculture to the people of Egypt. His brother Set grew jealous of Osiris and devised a plan to murder him. Set had a luxurious box built specifically to Osiris’ measurements and held a competition that whoever fit inside the box would receive it.

When Osiris laid in the box, Set sealed it with molten lead and sliced it into twenty-six pieces before throwing them into the Nile river. Isis searched vigorously for each piece and once she found them all rejoined them. She performed a sacred ritual to revive Osiris long enough for her to be impregnated with their son Horus.

Isis then mummified Osiris’ body and gave him a proper burial which allowed him to descend to the underworld where he would fairly judge the souls of the dead.

Personal Thoughts

Osiris’ story represents the Egyptians relationship with death. Death is not limited to simply mortals but even the Gods can die and nothing can prevent it. The major difference between the Egyptian Pantheon and other Pantheons is that their belief system focuses more on the afterlife given that the head God of their pantheon is the ruler of the afterlife instead of the skies/heavens.

When to invoke

Given Osiris’ association with the afterlife and mummification when to invoke him is fairly obvious. It is best to invoke Osiris after someone has passed away and has been buried.

Image Source:https://smite.gamepedia.com/Osiris

Heimdallr

Heimdallr is the guardian of Asgard and stands guard over the rainbow bridge Bifrost in his house Himinbjorg. He posses the horn Gjallarhorn and has keen eyesight and hearing to keep watch for invaders or the beginning of Ragnarok.

Being such a dedicated guard there aren’t many stories about Heimdallr but there is one revolving around Heimdallr turning into a seal to fight Loki after he had stolen Freya’s necklace. It is foretold that during Ragnarok Heimdall and Loki would battle and that they would slay each other.

Image Source: http://historyofvikings.com/god-heimdall/

Fenrir

Fenrir is the most infamous wolf in Norse mythology. He is the son of Loki and is the father of Skoll and Hati. He was destined to grow to be quite powerful and ferocious and because of this was kept in Valhalla. Many of the gods feared Fenrir except Tyr who fed him.

As he continued to grow the other gods feared that if left alone he would spread destruction across the nine realms and thus decided a plan to restrain him. They attempted to bind him in chains with the assertion of a test of strength for Fenrir. Fenrir with the intent to impress the gods broke free of the chains each and every time.

After realizing that no simple chain would be able to hold him they went to the Dwarves for assistance who forged a binding that resembled a ribbon but would be able to hold Fenrir.

They brought it to Fenrir who upon seeing its appearance suspected the gods of some trickery. He would only let them rap it around them if one of them put their hand in his mouth and if there was an enchantment on it he would bite down and devour the god’s hand.

The only god who stepped forward was Tyr who upon the binding of Fenrir had his hand devoured. It was foretold that during Ragnarok Fenrir would brake free of his confinement and kill Odin only to be killed in return by Odin’s son Vidarr.