#zagreus.

❝ dreams aren’t real. that’s why they’re called dreams. ❞

This is SUCH an adorable image, and we're all absolutely obsessed?? And yes, those found and taken to the House of Hades by Nyx would be raised there with the rest of the Asphodel squad! Decidedly not the Best place to have a bunch of children wreaking havoc, but we imagine they learned the ropes and boundaries quickly, and it was usually Zagreus at the root cause of Hades' migraines more often than not during this time of collective childhood for the squad.

Good morning, anon! Based on the resources we found for Bright, he looks a wee bit too young for Zag, who is meant to be in his late 20's.

Hello anon! We're thinking Lorenzo might just be a tad young for Zagreus, who is in his late 20s. Feel free to send any other suggestions our way!

Did you mean, one of my favourite parts in all of Tartarus? So! The asphodel squad is a group of friends (lately also coworkers) who grew up together in the underworld. They were all more or less born there, which, as you know, is both fairly rare and not ideal for self-actualization. Some were children of the old regime before Hades took over (and either smote down or co-opted their parents). Others were conceived in Khton and then left there (what happens in Elysium stays in Elysium, and so on). The only exception to this is Alecto, who came from the Aegean Archipelago while very young. And Zagreus, who is the son of Hades - although he fancies thinking himself an orphan and abandoned (🙄).  

Since Tartarus has very few permanent residents, children are few and far between - which means there was no need to build an infrastructure to support them. Nyx obviously did as much as she could, creating a homeschooling system of sorts, but it’s no match for the rigorous rules & stable environments of other regions - regions created to be inhabited, not just monetized. Their childhoods were so particularly.. Khtonic... that the Asphodels are convinced no one else could understand them. As a result, their friendships are tight-knit, with inside rituals, mutually-goaded fuck ups, and memories of shared punishment. Even when they fight (which they do, constantly) they would never break the bond.

A sudden change came to this dynamic with Orpheus. Perhaps one of the oldest Asphodel members, Orpehus wanted to find a better life and make it as a musician ‘in the real world’. Some Asphodels admire them for this choice, and maybe even wish to follow in their footsteps. Others resent it, considering it a betrayal - and an abandonment of their values. Because the only Asphodel club rule, of course, is that you never leave Asphodel behind. 

ABOUT

Name: Zagreus Rhea. Occupation: Part-time worker in Elysium, Styx, or wherever he remembers to show up. Heir to Khton Corporate. Age: late 20s. Gender & Pronouns: utp. FC Suggestions: David Corenswet, Deakan Bluman, Maxence-Danet Fauvel. (negotiable). Can be seen: planning rooftop parties with Hypnos, struggling to make it as a media celebrity, competing in virtual reality games, trying out shirt after shirt, bored at the Styx till, even more bored over ledgers, practicing with Achilles, avoiding The Furies. 

STATS

Influence  ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Charisma  ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ Protection  ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Information  ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Experience  ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

CODEX

The day Zagreus was born was marred with great peaks of joy... and incomparable valleys of grief. His mother’s death in childbirth reveals once more the nature of The Fates. Hades cursed Chaos and welcomed his son in one breath. That night, he buried his wife and cradled his boy with the same hand. Even if Zagreus may not recall a moment in which his father was tender, I remember Hades’ soothing the wailing babe in Persephone’s gardens. He would be there night after night, while his grief - and his empire - were still young and raw. ‘He knows someone is missing,’ he once said, with a rare hint of sorrow in his gaze.

Of course, these days, Hades’ sorrow has different reasons. The wailing babe has grown into a smiling heir, who prefers quick indulgences over the grit of daily business. Some of his pastimes are harmless. Others might even prove useful in another family branch. Just look at his knack for making connections - and his innate charm, which makes him both unforgettable... and utterly forgivable. Does it not echo the ways of Olympe?

Yet, every now and then, his actions deal real damage. Look no further than last month’s business meeting, where Zagreus turned up dressed in silken pajamas. ‘I was told it’d be online’, he apologised, his glittering winkle in tow. I feel compelled to defend him... but the people willl not. Tartarus is not Olympe, and one needs discipline to survive it. Such scenes cast a stain on his father’s image - which, as I suspect, is actually their purpose. 

It is difficult to account for their animosity. As a young child, Zagreus was desperate for Hades’ approval, and tried to impress him at every turn. Perhaps praise was slow to come. Perhaps too much was asked - not just of son, but also of father. Perhaps neither understood the other’s pain - an the absence that bound them. Whatever the reason, the wedge grew. 

The tipping point came with an attempt on the boy’s life. Peleus, a rival from the old gangs, moved against the King. His plan was as ancient as Chaos itself: topple the throne from its weakest link. As everyone knows, he failed. Peleus’ own child betrayed him to Hades, and pledged themself in his service—where brave Achilles remains ever since. Yet here lies the difference. What Hades remembers from that sordid night is retribution: the blow that razed Peleus’ family to the ground, and the strategy it took to cover the bloodshed. What Zagreus remembers is his hospital bedside: empty, with not a trace of his father in sight.

Nowadays, Zagreus is perfectly healthy... as his Tala profile too often shows us. But he is living on borrowed mercy. Whenever a new scandal crops up, everyone expects this is the last we will hear of the Lively Prince. Surely, this is his final strike. Surely, he will be shipped off to some remote corner, enrolled in a high-security academy, disowned for good. Yet his father extends chance after chance. Which is not to say he doesn’t also extend punishment. Just recall how he forbade the prince to leave Tartarus. I think the embargo is still ongoing... though perhaps the recent invitation to Olympe will change that?  

CONNECTIONS

Familial connections: Hades (father, ought to lower his expectations.... and just quit being such a prick). Persephone (mother, deceased, a wound with no closing). Zeus (the badass uncle). Poseidon (the fun uncle). Hera (aunt, awkward affection). Artemis (cousin, irreplacable companion). Apollo (cousin... kinda snobby, yea?). Athena (cousin, intelligent and lets you know it... like ten times an hour). Hermes (cousin, way cooler than anyone who knows math should be). Dionysus (cousin, best event organizer, absolute goals). Ares (cousin, intimidating, annoyingly detached).

Professional connections: Nyx (supposedly employer, actually supportive mentor). Charon (always seems to know where he is). Theseus (insufferable bore). Minotaur (insufferable bruiser). Megara (coworker, exes, don’t ask). Tisiphone (fascinating to watch at cards, a menace to play with). Alecto (coworker... can’t she just let you win once?).

Social connections: Achilles (former instructor, forever a guiding hand). Orpheus (happy they got out, morose over their absence). Dusa (partners in misery, makes a mean Arcadian Mule). Eurydice (best karaoke buddy... though kinda odd lately). Hypnos (drug supplier, friends since time immemorial). Thanatos (will he, won’t he?).