Hades
Known by many names—King of the Underworld, Lord of the Dead, the Rich One, the Unseen One. I think of Hades and I see impressive corridors of shadow; dark, expansive halls where the spirits of the dead wander. In the hidden vaults, massive hoards of treasure—diamonds, emeralds, rubies, platinum, silver, and gold.
But who is he, really? Hades has appeared in many myths and popular media as the villain—the god who captures the souls of the dead and uses them for nefarious deeds—the evil one, the crazy one.
But as the deity I work with—my Patron—I've seen him in a starkly different light.
The god himself has a dark, sharp, and stern veneer. Powerful, commanding, and terrifying—expected of the god of the underworld. The Wealthy One, the Discerning One, the Dark One.
But what's strange about this Shadow King is that he welcomes all. Look more closely at his hoard and you will see—agates, jaspers, volcanic rocks, aluminum, copper, nickel, tin. And how much is the fare to cross the black river into his realm? 1 obol. A little more than half a dollar.
"Polydegmon" is what we call him. "The Receiver of Many". He welcomes all, indiscriminately. For us—the outcast, the beaten, the unacceptable—to be welcomed at the table offers us a profound sense of solace.
So who is he really?
He has shown himself to me as the Kind One, the Fair One, the Accepting One. The Patient One, the Diligent One, the Hospitable One. He is the teacher of all things mortal and immortal. The one who has given me permission to take up space, because the space I take is mine to have.
The Great Unseen: keeper of shadows, giver of light.
— Raqui ()
