Calypso Aeaea
Calypso Aeaea was the High Priestess of the Old God (Ichthultu) of the Atlanteans and, thus, the first human priestess of the Cult of Ichthultu. She was also the one to whom Ichthultu revealed the Old Craft’s ways, the Atlanteans’ original magical practises.
Calypso is a nymph from Greek mythology, best known from Homer’s Odyssey. She resides on the remote island of Ogygia, where she detains the hero Odysseus for seven years, offering him immortality if he stays with her as her husband. Here, we repurpose her as an early Atlantean sorceress. We layer her story with elements inspired by Hurrian-Hittite Mythology, specifically making her the enigmatic figure who aids Kumarbi (Kronus) in his revenge against his father, Teshab (Dyeus/Zeus).
Biography
Rise of the Cult of the Old God
Calypso Aeaea was born in 2987 BOC as the daughter of Atlas, one of the Ten Princes of the Atlanteans. While the Atlanteans were still in Lansinar, the young Calypso was approached by a charismatic seer called Kumarbi (secretly the Old Power Kronus seeking revenge against the Lansinarians). He taught her stories of her grandfather, the Old God (Ichthultu) and how to communicate with him through her dreams. In time, she succeeded her grandmother Cleito as the High Priestess of the Cult of the Old God.
Unlike Cleito, who was directly linked to the Old God, Calypso received her powers through knowledge gifted to her in visions and dreams. This unique gift allowed her to become a powerful sorceress and to teach the other Atlanteans the early foundations of the Old Craft. The shrouded, enigmatic Kumarbi was always close by, ready to push her further into darkness and offer reassurance. We cannot say for certain what their relationship was like, but it appears to have been genuinely affectionate, if mutually and unhealthily obsessive.
As the Cult grew in power, Kumarbi taught her the rituals and sacrifices to awaken the Old God, but her escalation of the Cult’s activities led to the Atlanteans’ exile from Lansinar and her father’s imprisonment. During the March of the Atlanteans, she solidified her position and openly claimed full leadership of the group following the death of her brother, Atlan, at the Battle of the North Shore. Calypso excommunicated her nephew, Orin Atlaneas, for arguing with her mentor, Kumarbi, and refusing to support her blood sacrifices to the Old God.
Kumarbi finally taught Calypso the final sequence of magic rituals to break the Old God’s confinement and awaken him. However, at their moment of triumph, a quartet of heroes, including Orin, broke the Old God’s psionic song, freed the Atlanteans, and bound it back into slumber in a specially prepared Zodiac Vault.
Exile and Revenge
Calypso and her followers were driven from the Capital in a popular uprising. By the time Kumarbi found her, she was scared, wretched, and barely breathing. He took her to safety, to a village in Hy-Brasil that still venerated the Old God, and slowly nursed her back to health. In their absence, Orin was pronounced King of the Atlanteans.
Calypso bided her time until Orin’s death. In 3052 OC, an elderly Calypso led a War of Succession in an attempt to claim the throne of Atlantia, this time against Kumarbi’s recommendation. The Cult briefly held the Old City and constructed the Temple of the Old God. However, Orin’s son Calculha returned with an army alongside Majistra of Mu. Calculha would have shown Calypso mercy, but not Majistra. She slit Calypso’s throat after she tried to kill Calculha.
Timeline for Calypso Aeaea
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Atlantean Chronicles Birth of Calypso Aeaea
In this year Calypso Aeaea, the daughter of Atlas (574) is born.
— Atlantean Proto-Chronicles Fragment #88 -
Calypso meets Kumarbi
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Atlantean Chronicles Calypso becomes High Priestess
In this year, in concealment and shadow, Calypso Aeaea (986), daughter of Atlas (1560), the first sorceress of the Craft, becomes High Priestess of the Dreamer and is favoured by the Old God. The faith of the Princes is strong. — Atlantean Proto-Chronicles Fragment #160. This and other fragments suggest that the faith of the Old God was an underground cult within Lansinar even in these early times. We know little of the Cult’s activities, but it seems that Calypso’s ascension was important in galvanising an underground “club” into a full religion. Her investment also saw Atlas properly recognised as the people’s secular leader for the first time and the ritual marriage of several the Princes and their descendants. Mention is also made of her mentor, a shadowy seerer called Kumarbi.
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Atlantean Chronicles The Shadow Heresy
This year, the Shadow Heresy is called. Calypso (2906), High Priestess of the Dreamer, declares resistance to Gifting to the Old Old as blasphemy. Orin (2069) denounces Calypso. The Priesthood seizes control of the towns; their powers are magnified. — Atlantean Proto-Chronicles. The Cult of the Old God makes a power play against Orin and those who had opposed their bloody sacrifices.
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Atlantean Chronicles The Seventy Year Terror
In this year, Orin the First (2072) is excommunicated by Calypso (2909). The Seventy-Year Terror begins. Orin flees with his companions. He is taken in by Euryplus of Thule and taught the ways of the Old Craft.
— Atlantean Proto-Chronicles. Orin had a run-in with “Kronus”, Calypso’s seer mentor, who then engineered his removal by way of excommunication. -
The way for the Old God is prepared
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Atlantean Chronicles First Citadel built
505 year of reign of Orin Atlaneas:
The Old Faith is outlawed. Calypso (2988) flees. Construction begins on the First Citadel.
— Atlantean Proto-Chronicles. The First Citadel was built directly over the site of the Zodiac Vault. However, its significance was lost after the Orichalcum Age. Calypso flees after being lynched by those she had just led; she barely escapes with her life and is found by Kronus. -
Atlantean Chronicles The First Atlantean War of Succession
3555 year of reign of Orin Atlaneas:
Great Orin Atlaneas (5201) the First, Archmage of Atlantis, King of the Atlanteans, second of the Sorcerer-Kings, dies of old age. The War of Succession, the First Atlantean Civil War, begins. Brother Prince is set against Brother Prince by lies and deceit.
— Atlantean Proto-Chronicles. It is telling that Orin is said to die a mortal death. Many of his immediate successors abdicate as they are transfigured or otherwise move beyond human affairs. Orin and his wife Brasilea are interred in a side chapel in the Tomb of Cleito. Calypso Aeaea returns to lead the insurrection against the advice of her lover and mentor Kumarbi. Calculha is initially unable to rally enough support to completely suppress the revolt. -
Atlantean Chronicles Old Atlantis occupied
In the second year of the War of Succession, Great Atlantis is seized by the banished. The exiles of the Old Faith return through lies and seduction. A profane Temple to the Old God is raised between days at the heart of the Capital.
— Atlantean Proto-Chronicles. Calculha and his loyalists are driven into exile in neighbouring provinces. -
Atlantean Chronicles End of the War of Succession
In the fifth year of the War of Succession, Majistra rallies the western armies of Mu and Thule to Calculha's side in the east. The Great Host of the Atlanteans drives the army of the Old God’s followers from the Plane of Atlas. The Old Faith is seen in Atlantis no more within this Age.
— Atlantean Proto-Chronicles. The rebel’s leader, Calypso, is captured but is killed by Majistra when she attempts to assassinate Calculha (who had wanted to put Calypso on trial).
Change Log
- 10/03/2025 – Incorporated Hurrian-Hittite Mythology aspect, added Kumarbi as mentor, strengthen her post-exile story.
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