Olympian
Pantheon
Gods & Demigods

Hephaestus

(pronounced he-FI-stes)
Workman of the Immortals, God of the Forge
Intermediate Deity
Hephaestus
Hephaestus is the god of blacksmithing, fire, and crafts. Hephaestus is a patron of all the civilized arts, though smiths are his special charges. Bards' tales say that volcanoes mark the sites of his forges. He was also known as Vulcan in Rome.

Despite being ugly and deformed, Hephaestus is highly honored among the gods as their armorer and smith. He served as the blacksmith of the gods, and was worshipped in the manufacturing and industrial centers of Greece, particularly Athens. The cult of Hephaestus was based in Lemnos.

Worshipers, Clergy & Temples

Clerics of Hephaestus are charged with maintaining civic life. They perform a wide range of public ceremonies, most importantly welcoming children into family and community. They also see to educating the young and especially to training apprentice smiths and other craft workers.

Temples

Every temple or shrine of Hephaestus has a fire that is kept perpetually lit, and most include a smithy or other workshop. Hostels and sanctuaries for the infirm and the handicapped are also common.

Dogma

Hephaestus is a peaceful deity who teaches the value of hard labor, honesty, dependability. He emphasizes loyalty to family and to whomever else loyalty is due: superiors, just rules, and elders most of all. He encourages his followers to tackle their problems with vigor and persistence, like smiths hammering bits of metal into more desirable shapes.

Appearance, Manifestations

Hephaestus, usually appears as a tall, bearded giant with a club foot and a hunchback. Among the comely gods of Olympus, only he is ugly.

Relationships & History

Hephaestus is married to Aphrodite but secretly loves Athena, who either does not notice or does not deign to acknowledge his affection. He was either the son of Zeus and Hera or he was Hera's parthenogenous child.

In one branch of Greek mythology, Hera ejected Hephaestus from the heavens because he was "shrivelled of foot". He fell into the ocean and was raised by Thetis (mother of Achilles and one of the 50 Nereids) and the Oceanid Eurynome.

In another account, Hephaestus, attempting to rescue his mother from Zeus' advances, was flung down from the heavens by Zeus. He fell for an entire day and landed on the island of Lemnos, where he was cared for and taught to be a master craftsman by the Sintians – an ancient tribe native to that island.

Hephaestus is one of the Olympians to have returned to Olympus after being exiled. Dionysus intoxicated Hephaestus with wine, and took the subdued smith back to Olympus on the back of a mule accompanied by revelers
Quick Descriptions:
Hephaestus is a tall, unattractive bearded giant with a club foot and slight a hunchback. He is wearing a leather smithing apron and a simple tunic.
The temple is made of large stone bricks with solid rectangular columns. The heat is intense and you can smell a burning of wood and metal. Lit braziers line the walls, which are covered with murals depicting smithing and metal work. Small windows can be seen high near the ceiling, probably for smoke ventilation. Against the back wall is a large raging forge with a huge anvil. A rack of smithing tools and a stone table rest against the left wall, and a large iron vat and kegs sit against the left wall.
The priest is a strong burly man wearing a simple tunic and a black leather smithy apron. He has a long beard that is tied neatly at the bottom and tucked into his apron, probably to keep it from catching fire. He has on intricately engraved leather bracers, and a tool belt.
The Symbol of Hephaestus - Hammer and anvil
Symbol: Hammer and anvil
God Alignment: NG
Worshipers Alignment
LG NG CG
LN N CN
LE NE CE
Domain:
Forge, Knowledge, Community, Earth, Fire, Good
Portfolio:
Smithing, crafts
Worshipers:
Dwarves, gnomes, artisans, fighters
Plane: Olympus
Weapon: Warhammer
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