Στυξ

Styxwas the goddess of the underworld River Styx and the eldest of the Okeanides, a daughter of Oceanus and Tethys. She was also the personification of hatred. Styx was a firm ally of Zeus in the Titan Wars, who brought her children Nike (Victory), Zelos (Rivalry), Bia (Force) and Kratos (Strength) to stand beside the god in battle. Zeus rewarded her by making her stream the agent of oaths which bound the gods.

Saturn’s moons Tethys and Hyperion appear to be near neighbors in this Cassini view, even though they are actually 930,000 miles (1.5 million kilometers) apart here. Tethys is the larger body on the left.

Saturn’s moons Tethys and Hyperion appear to be near neighbors in this Cassini view, even though they are actually 930,000 miles (1.5 million kilometers) apart here. Tethys is the larger body on the left.

On an unrelated note, if you go to The Cosmotographer’s homepage you can see the new design. I changed it pretty drastically so there is only one image per page, but you can use the arrow keys to navigate from one page to another so its pretty nice looking. Check it out

Solar System - Tethys

Tethys is one of the Titans, a daughter of Uranus and Gaia.

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2015 June 2

Pluto and Outer Planet Satellites Montage

Explanation:Björn Jónsson’s montage comparing the best released New Horizons Pluto images so far to several outer planet satellites at similar resolution. This version of his image shows the bodies at approximately their correct relative albedos.

Image credit: Björn Jónsson.

Hiraeth Creature #1186 - Uri-Tolvi

“There are many tales of the Sea Beast Armada that once patrolled the oceans that surrounded Hiraeth. Tethys hid many things in her seemingly endless depths, both sacred and terrifying, and by her will the sea beasts would safeguard whatever she desired. With her absence, her soldiers have become wild monsters, doing battle with one another, hunting after all things, and living as they please. A few still hold these bonds closely though, one being the Uri-Tolvi. Most imagine serpentine, scaled leviathans emerging from dark fathoms when they picture a sea monster— Uri-Tolvi defy this expectation, flying down from the clouds on giant wings. They perch themselves on sea-bound cliffs and archipelagos to oversee the waters around them. Despite being the size of a large vessel, they appear and disappear into the sky with hardly a noise, their subtle nature setting them far apart from their compatriots who often create ear-shattering dins upon their arrival. Tethys valued the Uri-Tolvi for both their strength and guile, able to watch her enemies from a great distance, planning carefully before striking. 

Uri-Tolvi save most of their trickery for their enemies, which nowadays are hungry sea monsters they once fought alongside, but occasionally they do still do battle with vengeful drowned ghosts and sea spirits twisted by malice— ethereal entities who would look to corrupt the waters. When fishing for prey, they usually don’t mind being spotted by seafarers, but will still keep a careful eye on them. Sometimes, they soar over the waters and skim for prey with their beak, creating a powerful gust as they glide by, but they prefer to wade through lagoons and sandy shallows to try and methodically nab large fish. Uri-Tolvi collect a lot of sea water as they hunt, which they store in a special organ that lets them blast it outwards in a short, sharp javelin, strong enough to split boats in twain. This is usually their warning shot during close combat, as they prefer to save water to turn into a misty vapour that they use to cover their escapes. The fog they spew is a misdirection, as it masks their actual getaway. Many find it outlandish that such a large creature can vanish that quickly, and that’s because of the real source of their power. Uri-Tolvi are attuned to celestial magic, and are able to vanish into a far off plane to conceal themselves. They hide within a frozen realm, where one can walk upon meteors and stars encased in ice. They come here to rest from time to time, but in the midst of a conflict they will either flee here if they deem it not worth their time, or they will return in a barrage of icy debris to punish their foes. Elder Uri-Tolvi are able to call upon the powers of this place whenever they wish, holding their beak up to the heavens to signal a volley of icy comets down upon their foes. These heavenly abilities have put them on-par with spirits— it’s no wonder Tethys valued them so highly as scouts, warriors, and dear friends, keeping some of her most clandestine isles safe under their gaze.”

Hiraeth Creature #1177 - Tideforged

“The land of Hiraeth is known for its balance and guidance— folk, spirits, and other magical beings find a way to work in tandem that ensures survival and fair judgment. This cannot be said for the seas of Hiraeth, which are known for their overwhelming scope and monstrous fury. The realm of Tethys is beautiful and teeming with life both gentle and ferocious, but in the absence of a ruling power, the oceans can be deadly to travel with no reservation of swallowing innocent souls whole if they cower beneath her waves or catch the eye of a hungry sea beast. In her unending waters, Hiraeth feels like a whole different world, and this separation loosens the connection spirits and other beings out in the open water have with the folk travelling there, and makes communication difficult if it is even possible at all. The epitome of this harsh reality is the Tideforged— magical constructs who guard areas of the ocean sacred to Tethys.

Created by sea spirits, the originals were shaped by Tethys herself as guardians for hallowed ground beneath the currents and spiritual hunting waters. They rise from the depths and wade through crashing waves to let their presence be known to interlopers, giving them a chance to turn their ships around before they get shattered to splinters. As the Tideforged march across the ocean floor and move their limbs, they make a thunderous creaking and clanging that reverberates through the water around them, creating a somber and nerve-wracking chime. Their bodies hold immense strength and resilience, able to brace against titanic waves and create them with a strike of their limbs. Primal water flows through them and they can use it to create geysers, whirlpools, and massive deluges. They can bend water’s form even further by hurling javelins of ice or erupting the ocean around them into boiling steam. Tideforged primarily guard against those deemed as trespassers, such as seafarers and malicious spirits, but they are occasionally known to wrestle with temperamental sea monsters looking to exhaust some inner rage, making for dynamic and vicious spectacles.

Each Tideforged is said to look somewhat different depending on the crafter: some are bipedal, others are quadrupeds, and those made for the deeper parts of the ocean resemble purely aquatic creatures. Though each is unique, they are all made from the same parts. Four key contributions are needed, each from Hiraeth’s four bordering seas: the bones are taken from departed sea monsters resting in the Sea of Naga, sinew is braided from sea flora from the eastern Sea of Flowers, flesh grows from eternal ice found in the northern Silver Sea, and life is seeped into their frame from embedded shards of fertile coral from the southern Sun-Fire Sea. Those adept at primal magic may be able to make their own Tideforged if they can make the journey to each sea, but it would take unfathomable magic to make one at the colossal scale of the ones roaming Tethys freely.”

Hiraeth Creature #1198 - Medimere

“Tethys is often regarded for the cruelty born from her apathy. There are very few safeguards between explorers and any untimely fates hiding under rolling waves or descending from blotted skies. The few kindnesses found across the open ocean are revered by seafarers, one of these being the Medimere.

Little is known of the Medimere’s nature as a creature of the sea, other than their habit to rise from deep waters at night to mingle near the surface. Schools of Medimere cluster together to form a barrier, their backs covered in lashing tentacles and their heads emitting some kind of arcane light. Though this makes them sound formidable, seafarers welcome the glow of the Medimere, as their lights seem to always form a pathway to sanctuary. Following the winding trails these creatures leave will lead explorers to peaceful islands that might be overlooked during the dark of night. Even when a Medimere trail seemingly leads nowhere, it is believed there is something under the water keeping danger away, giving a rare opportunity to explore below the waves.

In the ruins of coastal towns that once thrived in the face of Tethys’s whims, totems and other artifacts can be found to honour the beings believed to keep sailors safe. Those who stayed home made bulbous lanterns adorned with a ribbon of flowering vines to represent the Medimere. Kindly villagers would leave these lanterns outside their homes to signal to the needy that they could stay the night if they wished to. The vines from these lanterns never withered, and now grow along the old homes of these gentle souls.”

marisa is having a good time, that’s just what her face looks like

TethysfromFire Emblem: Sacred Stones didn’t deserve this!

Tethys above Saturn’s moon, taken by Cassini.