Mythology Codex

This is a list of mythology characters and mythological locations mentioned in the Turning Creek series and a brief description of each. If the myth has been included in my Mythology Mondays series on the blog, I have linked to the post. The information in this codex is for the mythology as it relates to this fictional series. As an author, I have taken some liberty with the original myths. If you would like to know more about Greek mythology as it was written historically, the internet has a plethora of information for you. I suggest Theoi and Greek Mythology.

This list will be updated and added to as the Turning Creek universe grows.


Achilles – The original Achilles was fatally wounded by a shot to his heel because this was the source of his power, speed, and strength. Thomas, the Remnant of Achilles, has the gift of speed and delivers mail in Turning Creek.

Aegis – The aegis is the name for the four warriors who make up the Shield of Zeus which is the title for his bodyguards and henchmen. They are Ioke, Alke, Eris, and Phobos.

Alke – Alke is the personification of strength. He is part of the Shield of Zeus and his main weapon is a sword.

Aphrodite – The Greek goddess of love.

Asclepius – A Greek physician who was granted the power over life and death by the gods. Lee Williams is a Remnant of Asclepius and the doctor in Turning Creek.

Atlanta – Atlanta was a famous huntress who made an oath of virginity to the goddess Artemis, but was later tricked into marriage by Aphrodite. Atlanta, named for the first of her name, travels with her companion and partner, Cyrene, in a quest for the next adventure and hunt. (also known as Atalanta in the Greek myths)

Bellerophon – Bellerophon was one of the hundreds of bastard sons of Zeus who spent his life trying to attain acknowledgement and vindication from the gods.

Cerberus – A three headed dog, the son of Echidna and Typhon, who guarded the door to the underworld for Hades.

Charon – Charon is the ferryman who took souls across the River Styx on their way to the god Hades in the underworld, sometimes also referred to as Tartarus.

Chimera – A monster, sired by Echidna and Typhon, whose front and torso is that of a lion and whose bottom half is that of a snake.

Cyrene – Cyrene was a princess and huntress who once wrestled a lion with her bare hands. The current Remnant of Cyrene travels the world with Atlanta in search of the next greatest hunt.

Demeter – Demeter – Goddess of the harvest and agriculture. She was one of the few gods who had close ties with humanity because of her purview.

Dionysus – Dionysus, god of the vine, stayed neutral during the battle and Fall of Olympus, making him unpopular with those on both sides. The Remnant of Dionysus, Daniel Vine, owns the saloon in Turning Creek.

Dryad – Similar to a nymph, a dryad is a spirit of the forest, the trees, or other natural phenomenon. This affinity to nature can give them the power to communicate with nature or similar abilities.

Echidna – The original Echidna was called the Mother of All Monsters in the time of the old myths because her children became the nightmares of the Greek era.

Eris – Eris is the personification of strife. He is part of the Shield of Zeus.

Hades – The god and ruler of the underworld.

Harpy – A harpy has the body of a bird of prey and the head of a woman, though their face is more angular in this natural form. They have the ability many Remnants have of taking the form of a mortal when needed. There were four harpies who stood against Zeus in the uprising; Aello, Celaeno, Ocypete, and Podarge. The Remnants of the three surviving harpies lived in isolation from each other, and most of the world, until the current generation. I also wrote a mythology post on Harpies and Redemption.

Hephaestus – Blacksmith to gods, he had the ability to craft weapons of magic and power in his forge, lit by the fires of Olympus. The Remnants of Hephaestus carry some of this original power and are marked with a clubfoot. Henry Foster of Turning Creek is a Remnant of Hephaestus.

Hera – Hera was the wife and queen of Zeus. By the time of the uprising, she had became angry and bitter over Zeus’s many affairs and bastard children. She turned a blind eye to the work of the harpies and fled before Olympus fell.

Ioke – Ioke is the personification of onslaught and pursuit. She is part of the Shield of Zeus and her main weapon is the crossbow.

Iris – The original Iris has golden wings, delivered the messages of the gods, and had the gift of prophecy. She shared parentage with the harpies and argued on their behalf often, softening their punishment when Zeus’s anger turned against them. The Remnant of Iris, also called The Messenger, is marked with a birthmark of golden wings. The Messenger chronicles the history of the Remnants and the harpies in particular.

Ladon – The Ladon is the serpentine monster child of Typhon and Echidna. Also known as a dragon or a drakon.

Laelaps – A mythical hound, created by Zeus, who never failed to catch its prey

Lernean Hydra – The hydra is another serpentine-like child of Typhon and Echidna. It is a nine headed serpent who occupies bodies of water and spits acidic venom on its victims.

Medea – A powerful and vengeful witch who helped Jason of the Argonauts in many battles and later became his wife, bearing him six children.

Maenads – Maenads are women controlled by Dionysus who turn into raving, mad women. They have been known to tear apart men with their bare hands in their rage.

Manticore – This creature has the head of a woman, the body of a lion, and the tail of a scorpion. It was a meliai, a kind of nymph from the island of Melos.

Medusa – Medusa, in the old myths, was a creature with snakes for hair and eyes who could hypnotise a man. Lily Hughes, the Remnant of Medusa, has the power of persuasion if you look into her eyes.

Mount Olympus – The mountain that was the seat of Zeus and the center of his kingdom during the time of the old myths.

Nemean Lion – The Nemean Lion can only be killed by strangulation. It is one of the monster children of Typhon and Echidna.

Nymph – A nymph is a fairy-like creature with an affinity for nature.

Orthus – Orthus is a two-headed hound and the son of Typhon and Echidna.

Phobos – Phobos is the personification of fear. She is part of the Shield of Zeus.

Satyr – A creature with the lower body of a goat and the upper body of a man. They were creatures of Dionysus and known to harass and sometimes rape women during festivals.

Scylla – Scylla was a sea goddess with a woman’s head and torso and the body of a serpent.

Sphinx – The Sphinx had the body of a lion and the head of a woman. It was the offspring of Typhon and Echidna and was known for asking riddles of men and then eating them when they answered incorrectly. The Remnant of the Sphinx is Pearl Nasso.

Styx, River – The River Styx is the body of water that separates the underworld from the living. To swear on the River Styx is to give a binding oath.

Tartarus – Another name for the underworld where souls go to be punished for their bad life choices.

Theoi Meteoroi – The gods and goddesses who controlled the sky and weather. Their abilities and powers varied greatly. They were under the control and power of Zeus and Hera.

Typhon – Typhon was monstrous being. He had one hundred dragon heads sprouting from his neck, a human torso, and a snake body. He is called the Father of Monsters because he sired the worst of the Greek monsters with his wife, Echidna.

Zeus – The Father of the Gods, Zeus was the tyrannical ruler of Olympus. While heralded as an innovator of culture, he ruled with violence and vengeance and held his kingdom together with blood and war. He was notorious for his hundreds of bastard children. Zeus was unseated in the Fall of Olympus which occurred during the uprising led by the harpies.