Hero Worship in Ancient Lyrinth

Origin of Hero Worship

The Reign of Progenitor Gods

For as long as humans have shared stories, heroes have been defined by the presence of an opposing force, the antagonist. As such, a hero cannot be understood without first investigating the villain.

Progenitor gods had great influence over mankind. They could whisper in dreams and influence minds, even directly controlling weak-willed men. Most commonly, however, they were understood to be primordial beings made of the element of their mastery, such as fire or earth.

Ancient civilizations did not have the science to describe natural phenomena, so they turned to fantastical explanations. In Lyrinthian lore, progenitor gods created the world in a series of violent natural events, such as hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, floods, droughts, and more. Different progenitor gods held domain in differnt elements, believed to be air, fire (which doubled as the human soul,) water, and earth. The progenitors' mastery of their domains was complete; early man had no agency in comparison. They were forced to suffer the whims of the progenitors, enduring countless natural disasters as the progenitors shaped and reshaped the world.

Constant seismic activity made Lyrinth nearly unsuitable for life for many years. Photo by Toby Elliot on Unsplash.

Modern schools of thought suggest that the region that became Lyrinth suffered an unfortunate series of seismic events that disrupted the development of society. Lyrinth, once a scattered series of aggressive groups, united under a common enemy in the progenitor gods. This union gave birth to a new mythos: heroes.

The Rise of Heroes

The common man could not stand against progenitor gods, but heroes could. In hero worship, heroes were considered a race above mankind, not individual men greater than others. An important distinction between mankind and the hero race was that men could be controlled by the progenitors while heroes could not. The arrival of these heroes gave Lyrinthains resolve that their union was the correct choice, as it gave birth to the hero race that ended the calamities. In reality, it was likely that gradual lull in natural disasters allowed for unification, then a coincidental cessation of seismic activity solidified the belief that heroes, likely just exceptionally strong, gifted, and beautiful individuals, ended the reign of the progenitor gods themselves.

In the relative paradise that followed the reign of the progenitor gods, society thrived. Lyrinthians, used to great hardships, were able to build cities and infrastructure in an impressively low amount of time. They were led by heroes or descendents of heroes, though it is uncertain whether they were chosen for leadership upon this basis or if heroic status was bestowed upon them upon becoming leaders.

Lyrinth stayed relatively small, but Lyrinthian society thrived. Heroic traits, such as athleticism or beauty, were praised, leading to prevalence of sporting events. The arts were also important, as arts were considered purely of man and heroes, not of progenitor gods. What resulted was a society of artistic, athletic people united in their worship of heroes and aversion to ancient gods.

Theater was one of the most popular arts in ancient Lyrinth, and some ruins still remain. Photo by Emy Nguyen from Unsplash.

Heroes in Relation to Daily Life

Worship Practices

The most common worship practice was simply engaging in heroic activities. The heroes were subjects of worship, yes, but they were people who walked and fought among men. The greatest tribute to them was thought to be to strive to become them. As such, gymnasiums were common. Even in times of peace, men learned spearmanship, which doubled as a fishing method. It is unclear wether Lyrinthians, who lived in a coastal region, first used spears to fight or fish, though most believe they first fished with spears. The arts were important as well, mainly theater and music.

One of many portrayals of the heroes. Photo by Jianxiang Wu from Unsplash.

More direct forms of worship included animal sacrifice. Livestock was scarce and mainly raised for this purpose, so days of sacrifice were usaully the only times common Lyrinthians could have meat. Playwrights wrote plays about the heroes, and theaters performed them. Icons of the heroes were common on pottery or statues, and many prayed to them directly.

Descendents of Heroes

Exceptionally gifted individuals were considered descendents of heroes. Even if they were lowborn, they could move up in society and recieve preferential treatement. This status could be attained at birth through great beauty or prodigious talent, or it could be attained through extreme mastery of attractive skills. Of course, this system was abused by nobility, who had the sway to declare their children and entire bloodlines as descended from heroes. Eventually, this led to a clogged noble class, and the first to fall from grace were, of course, the merit-based descendents of heroes, not the children of old nobility.