Hephaestus

It's funny, I'm no longer exactly Christian, but I'd be a terrible pagan. I believe in gods and demons, powers beyond our ken. There are many gods that I know and love, but cannot bring myself to worship. It's sort of funny- I'll talk to certain ones quite often, never in a prayerful way (often, barely respectful) but they never seem perturbed by it. In fact, I seem to get better results by just talking to them like I would a dear friend or a sibling than trying to go the respectful way.

That said, there's a certain Pantheon I've just never been drawn to, though there are folks dear to me that adhere to it. While the mythology has always struck me as beyond lovely, the Greek deities never struck me as my sort of deities, save for one. Hephaestus.

He's the only one among them who isn't perfect and beautiful. He's sweet and kind, even though he's the god of fire and smithing and craftsmen, the forger of Zeus's greatest weapon, and the husband of the world's most obvious and fickle adultress. When the other gods are out raping people, causing havoc or getting revenge on girls who dare to be too talented or too pretty, he's at his forge, building, innovating, creating wonders by hand rather than (or occasionally with the assistance of) godlike magic. He's the responsible one, who keeps the fires of the earth stoked so that the world doesn't go cold.

Perhaps, as a crafter myself, my views are a bit prejudiced. But I adore Hephaestus, and it saddens me to see his lovely wife get all the attention. Ah well. If you've never dug into it, I'd readily suggest digging into Greek mythology, everything that you can find. There's more sex and violence in those things than Michael Bay could hope to compete with, and the pretty girl ALWAYS loses. Some versions and translations can be worded pretty drily, but don't let that fool you, the real stories are pretty juicy. Though... You might lose respect for a few deities, just sayin'.

This pendant just sort of screamed 'Hephaestus' the whole time I was making it. From the iridescent brick-red gem, like the dull glow of heated steel, to the spiral like radiating heat, to the swoop of red like a falling hammer blow, this was just sort hijacked by my favorite of the Greek gods.

It's for sale for $15+shipping, just note me if you need it. This is one of those pieces that, no matter how much I like it, it's not meant for me. Are you its proper home?

->Razzi