ToA: Hidden Oracle, Silly Thoughts?

ToA: Hidden Oracle, silly thoughts?

I finished the book! I also had some thoughts about it and some things floating around in my head, so let’s get to start. (A note for context, barely any idea what happens in the other books, I know the very basic like rough rough outline of the plot.)

First off, Austin’s YouTube channel. This one upset me so much when I read it and it’s so silly. Austin in his first appearance mentions his view count on a saxophone YouTube video. A monumental feat I’m pretty sure but also. The entire book drives in the idea that all the camps/demigods/demigod adjacents have been having trouble with anything internet or communications related. No one can call, text, video face time, Iris message, even physical mail isn’t working. So how is Austin able to YouTube? It’s an entire platform dedicated to communication, and demigods canonically can’t use much modern technology because it monster beacons. Is Austin risking the safety of camp to the monsters that live inside Camp’s forest every time he saxophones? If that is true then he skyrockets in my ToA character appreciations so far.

Now the actual stuff that I bookmarked in the book. This isn’t everything obviously (I marked a lot of stupid stuff like and mention of Harley or the talking arrow dialogue just to go back for laughs so obviously this is a summary of the more important stuff).

The actual content

(I forget to put page numbers after the 1st one)

Feral demigods! Mentioned on page 23 we get a confirmation that there are indeed demigods who are never found (which probably was a given) and the fact they have their own name. Also a set time where it’s most likely that monsters start their tomfoolery when a demigods is 13 (this puts Frank, and Leo, and Piper to still be funky.)

New Rome university specifics! Hehehe new Rome but we also get the introduction of the DSTOMP (the demigod standard test for mad powers). All we know is that there is a music and poetry analysis segment, but we can probably assume that each God (or important Roman God more likely) designed a segment of the test.

Ouranos mentioned of his face? It brings up what state Ouranos is in, how that works and affects him, if he’ll ever reform and that also brings up Gaea because they Ouranos’ed Gaea- albeit in a much different way but still.

Apollo recognizes that Octavian wasn’t the one at fault, even if he doesn’t voice it but at least Octavian gets mentioned, this is totally important enough.

Said that headaches on Olympus are from Gods and Goddesses in a Gods mind that were to be extracted via Hephaestus head splitting, how many immortals are we unaware of that have been formed this way?

Athena thinks that Olympus is going to move to Brazil at some point. Worth noting.

Demeter doesn’t often fall in love with mortals *OFTEN, IM SORRY I DIDNT TYPE. DEMEMTER DOESNT OFTEN FALL IN LOVE WITH MORTALS*. The myths seem to support this, but also that Meg is unusually powerful in relation to Demeter kids who “could do little more than make crops grow and keep bacterial fungi at bay” though considering some of the things that Miranda does near the end throws a karpoi into that statement. Along with that a could pages later we are noted that the Greek forms are indeed stronger (which also seems like a given, but brings up if their even older forms are more powerful.) and seemingly implied confirmation and gods can only claim you if you are in the right camp/domain area. As Apollo mentions that it couldn’t be Ceres because Demeter claimed Meg at CHB, and Meg is powerful.

Apollo mentions other deities (and science) also keeping the sun on track. But especially mentions Sol and the wolves (along with making Aztec and possibly all other mezzo American gods canon to pjo universe). However; and forgive me if I’m wrong. Sol is Helios’s counterpart and I know that Helios is currently chilling in an Ichor vat at the moment, so how is this..? Could possibly just be because Helios and his fading thing wasn’t thought of (even though he still is widely popular in this day and age) during Hidden Oracle’s writing, but still, I don’t.. like? Brain doesn’t function this.

Hades has a haunted house and also for the funsies canonically would sneak up on Apollo using shadow travel and make him mess up on plague arrow shots. Based on my knowledge of Hades I can only assume these were not malicious.

Harley is one of my favorites I love him so much he’s baby.

Upon listing demigods Apollo had seen turn against Olympus he mentions the Tantalus situation, King Mithridates, Clytemnestra and Agamemnon. Though this implied that Mithridates would be a demigod along with either Clytemnestra or Agamemnon (who if my memory wants to cooperate, I believe was either a grandson or great grandson of Zeus?) along with mentioning that the human sacrifice was to him. For context I believe Apollo is talking about Agamemnon’s daughter that he sacrificed, though I thought that was to Artemis? Oh well.

We get to see summaries of Octavian’s convincing, which like? It’s serviceable to fuel the imagination. Also feel like he might’ve been genuine in a few of these? They all feel like very Octavian things to believe (the War with CHB being quick and easy; which I don’t think he believed whatsoever. And then raising temples to Apollo and how much support he had, both of which I think were true).

Saturnalia mention. Just had to put it out there because apparently Sherman would’ve won most violent holiday decor. Which, knowing what Saturnalia is it doesn’t make much sense? Anyway probably a Saturnalia/CJ ‘Christmas’ festivities post soon.

We get some descriptors of monsters that are inside the Camp Half-blood woods. The named ones including a two-headed wolf that seems standard, and a DRAKON. I say it again, the giant serpent things which are wild and dangerous, a DRAKON living its best immortal life in CHB woods. Excuse me? And Myrmreke, I love the Myrmreke and I want one as a pet and to kiss on the forehead. They are very cute.

Gyser God oaths. Unsure if this applies to oaths made not just with a Gyser God. But uh, a random Gyser bursting forth from the ground and boiling you sounds like a solid reason to not be making Gyser oaths.

Rhea mentions how God-Emperors are made, this feels like it would imply that other important historical figures also reach some form of immortality (Achilles, Theseus, Elvis Presley, George Washington, the sorts). And what about the other Emperors who were deified? Of the original Octavian and like.. the other ones?

Mentions of how Meg can “hear the trees growing” and the idea that the Muses can hear ink drying of poetry pages? Is this another skill to add upon them, no idea and frankly that sounds painful.

Nero and me have the same laugh I think and I don’t know how to feel about it. The best resources I can give you to visualize my laugh would be looking at Dolphins or Hyena’s. His is described as, “a snide little barking sound in the back of his nose” and I’ll be honest if nose was turned to throat It’d be pretty identical. Felt that was important to add to the ever growing and non important Kleos lore.

Nero mentions how it’s impossible for him to fade now due to being permanently remembered through the internet. Man that’s gonna age poorly in tower of Nero isn’t it? Also God-emperors are like, in a weird limbo esque situation and idk how to feel about that? I can only assume the most comparable thing would be something like New Rome’s Lares, the most noticeable other than Vitellius would be the literal ghost of Cato (I assume the younger) in SoN’s senate meeting. He’s called a ghost but I wouldn’t be surprised if he were to be in this limbo like state.

Nero yelling about the Rome fire was so funny I put three flags on the monologue.

Ellis can identify the location of the Colossus and the fact it’s a war machine. Perhaps similar to the like Percy boat/nautical knowledge he has innately.

We’ve learned that automatons are possibly being fueled by primarily the life force of wind and water spirits like Apollo states which is.. dark. But also like uh, thought they were engineering? Does this imply Festus is powered by a poor nymph or anemoi?

Gatorade can help speed the recovery process of exhaustion due to shadow travel. My only idea is that it is partially due to the electrolytes and that shadow traveling has similar effects to intense long term workouts and that the sugar also helps. Along with the fact that one singular shadow travel has seemed to wear Nico out after we’ve seen him do much bigger feats and take longer to be passing out like this?

The arrow of Dodona is really funny I’m sorry.

The Colossus is mirrored after.. someone? I don’t know they threw around Nero and Apollo’s name when talking about it. This in context with Nero is no surprise but If talking about Apollo it meant that at some point in Rome’s lifespan and potentially more Apollo had sideburns. Take that information as you wish.

Plaguey, plaguey, plaguey.

Apollo mentioning how much humans truly do affect the gods and how much the gods truly don’t like that.

Leo’s back… yay.

I don’t think Patroclus and Brises had any beef. Please media stop potraying them as containing beef I want them to be buddies.

And Calypso’s back. After reading the Odyssey I like her much less. I mean I didn’t like her much to begin with either.

Okay, I might do this for all of the ToA books? It’s a nice way to quickly get thoughts down that wouldn’t naturally give themselves over to a full post, or a good resource for me to check back on things I didn’t like and therefore will be going back and making full posts.

But also this was fun, I tried to take out a lot of the things I marked just because I thought it was funny but like… oh well lol. Good night!

Got Cogsworth. GOT COGSWORTH!!!!

Ehhehehehehe the cast list came out and I get to be the silly clock man!!!

Also the first pass of the ranking post is soon. I wont be including certain things that get confusing (*the entire senior officer group because I need to figure out how they do the thing and how to either bend the story to my will or bend the rules to fit the story*) but hopefully it should be out.. tomorrow? Possibly?

Anyway, goodnight :3

The Octavian and Michael Quest; Story Snippet

Hahaha I’ve done it. I’m finally going mad, anyways after staring longingly at the Converse wedge high tops vowing to one day add them to my collection (and for some reason way more publicity on the post) I’ve decided that I’m making a like teaser for the Octavian-Michael fanfic I talked about all those weeks ago. Also I’m really bored this mid-winter break and I’m a mediocre narrative writer soo uh

Also if my google docs yell at me one more time because apparently the way I spell something is the British English way I’m going to scream. I’m sorry but it’s travelled. Anyways, I’d like to say again in no way am I an author nor do I think I write stories particularly well. There’s probably a reason why most of my big posts are formatted the way they are,

Also sorry no Michael in the sneak peak/ first bit I wrote, this is just the like. Set up? It’s mean to be short and sweet, enjoy! (also this isn’t proofread I’m so sorry),

I should’ve just chosen to use dice or birds primarily, Octavian thought as he pulled his dagger through another stuffed animal. It stung a bit, partially from the repeated weight of taking the golden blade through fabrics and partially because he had to. The dove between his hands looked pleading with its plastic eyes, the same sound of threads ripping apart while stuffing piled out. It caught in his ears again, the ringing that came before the voices. The same feeling of hair standing on end that Jason described when lightning was about to strike, and that’s when it began,

“Great strife shall befall the legion,” He had heard this voice before, the mixed harmony of several Gods murmuring before one truly broke through. It took awhile to get used to, his ears still rang after most of the Auguries, and Octavian could barely hear his own voice murmur in reply,

“What’s going on?” it felt odd to ask, Octavian’s own voice sounding desperate and panicked, though usually his tone reflected those of the Gods. The world around grew blurry while the harmony thinned out to one single melodious voice, humming in his ears, Venus, something in his mind decided,

“[the super duper cool prophecy that will be there at some point I pinky Promise]”

The world spun some more, and once Octavian’s vision settled the stuffed dove and his dagger had been dropped to the altar, his brows furrowed and breath a bit frantic while he tried to make some sense of what was just delivered to him. A prophecy. An actual prophecy. Octavian tenderly picked up the stuffed dove and dagger again, first giving the poor thing an apology and sewing it back up, gently holding it while he exited the Augurculanum. The blinding rays of the sun beat down on his eyes while Octavian made the run to the Principa from ground zero. His hand tightened around the dove, which was decidedly now named Beatrice. His boots crunched against the gravel roads that wound between most of the buildings. He opted not to walk on the main Via Principa; there would;ve been too many legionnaires walking back from the fields of Mars anyway.

Finally reaching the Principa was always a relief. It was great having most of the buildings Octavian had to go to in the Porta Praetoria; It meant everything was in arms reach. But also subsequently meant that heading to the Principa took longer and always felt more daunting (not to mention the Principa itself always felt impossibly big). Octavian rushed up the few steps and into the door, walking through the big halls and passing several doors and legionnaires before finally slipping into the main office. His eyes travelled to the Praetors; who snapped up once they realized he was there. Marcus spoke up first, already concerned,

“What happend?”

——————————————————————————

That’s it! Uh, I didn’t want to type up a giant thing so there’s the short and sweet version. It’s also a draft partially? It’s my first time writing this little section. I also tried to keep it from being like.. super ahdiajfbsj like how I usually write things. Also the actual one will probably be first person because that means I can do my super fun parenthesis bits in character and that makes me happy.

Anyway goodnight internet.

Octavian’s Pokemon team Hc

I bought the Pokemon Scarlet DLC and now I’ve decided that every pjo character I like now needs pokemon teams. With explanations

Octavian’s team I think came the most naturally. I’ll probably also be including like fully evolved teams and stuff but the first team I thought of (probably like baby Octavian’s team) would be,

Stufful, Poocheyna, furret, snivy, pidove, and evee.

(The pokemon in question from left to right,)

Why these little guys specifically for his like first team? Well Stufful is a stuffed animal and that’s the Octavian thing (I was tempted to put pancham on here for the joke but no-) poochyena just gives me Octavian vibes, feel like he’s on their wavelength and thinks their cute. Furret also just, feels like Octavian. That is my justification. Snivy is here mostly for the evo and how snooty it was in the anime, probably a family tradition pokemon, also its final evo is Octavian vibes. Pidove is there purely because of Auguries and because I believe Octavian thinks it looks funky and cute. Eevee is there partially because I just like eevee and a shorthand to show Octavian’s pokemon treatment in the future and like pokemon stuff, he probably wants it to become an umbreon.

Now Octavian’s final team in my head ends up being Bewear, mighteyna, serperior, unfeazant, meowstic, sylveon. (Sadly not pictured due to tumblr app restrictions on 10 pics per post.)

Bewear is Stufful’s evolved form, known for being absolutely massive, wanting friends, and then accidentally crushing people. I wanted to keep the Stufful on and I thought it’d like fit with Octavian because of his like constant push and pull in the pseudo-taking into account of canon in my mind of the character. Mighteyna is Poochyena’s evolved form. Octavian just got attached to it and it’s a dog/hyena/sort of wolf canine esque creature and Rome dog parallels. Serperior is Snivy’s evolved form and if you only look up one pokemon from this post look up Serperior because it actually is just Octavian’s pokemon. But it’s regal. Unfeazant, he evolved his little pidove. Just there for his Augury stuff and maybe even the Haruspex nature (a Pheasant is close enough to a chicken or something-). Meowstic is there for its wild psychic abilities, like future telling and stuff. Sylveon is a guilty pleasure because it’s one of my all time favorite pokemon (like many of these are) and it’s showing his dedication to his pokemon and passion and love for like New Rome.

I didn’t add Falinks just because I’d rather give it to other people (Michael Kahale or Reyna). But if it’s definitely a honorable mention along with crobat.

I did a thing

(Let it be known that I was going to draw him trying to make jokes in attempt to befriend a monster but my finger hurts and I’ve been at this for at least 2 hours and there’s 5 drafts of Chris with his book).

Pushing my Chris Rodriguez has a fascination with monsters agenda (not like the thing between Luke and Kelli tho) and yes this is all based on that one line of his in Sea of Monsters.

Chris Rodriguez who adores animals, who has a fascination with monsters. Who kept trying to befriend the sentient ones. Who has a scrapbook he filled with all the things he learnt about them. Who knows the best way to end conflicts with them without getting eating or fighting, knows the regular wingspan Stymphalian birds, food preferences of empousai, the exact PH of various dragons acids and how their reactions. Who regularly went into Princess Andromeda's cargo hold to sketch the monsters and spent hours there. Who gifts spare scales, feathers and tusks he finds to Ethan and Alabaster.

Alabaster doodling runes on his scrapbook. Ethan adding in information about poisons. Chris keeping the photos of his friends in the same book. Even after Ethan dies. Even after for all he knows Alabaster hates him. Because he may have left the Titan army. Doesn’t mean his memories did too.

A Chris Rodriguez rambling

I yap about Catholicism a little, and like I said two other times. This is just my experience! I am, once more, a silly black cat that is just talking about a connection I made. This is not a blanket statement on all Hispanic households, though you all probably understand that.

Also slight spoilers for Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth!

Hi, I’m back. And this is a thought I’ve been having.. since I read Titan’s curse really. After my thoughts circled back to Chris, it also came to Mary.

If anyone doesn’t know or wants a refresher. Mary is the person Chris calls out to while he’s in the whole madness state due to the labyrinth. I’d like to propose what my interpretation was when I first read it/what my interpretation still is whenever I re-read it.

I always thought he was calling out to the Virgin Mary. So uh- that’s obviously just a bit random. But let me set up the brain thought process, I am Hispanic, and for the sake of set up there is this one show, La Rosa De Guadalupe, specifically the 2007 stuff because that’s what I know,

La Rosa De Guadalupe has heavy emphasis on the Virgin of Guadalupe (the Catholic title for the Virgin Mary I think), and the Virgin Mary is a very important figure, she was a mainstay in my childhood in relation to my Mom, and is an important figure in Catholism I believe. Which- is the most prevalent religion in Mexico. All that to say that religion and specifically the Virgin Mary are very important figures that even in non-religious households are still held in high regard from my experiences (in my anecdotal evidence; this is just my interpretation and not a blanket statement on all Mexican/generally of Latin American descent households.)

I wouldn’t say it’s a far stretch for Chris (who’s said Hispanic I think?) to still have some ties to Catholism? In some way or form. And those factors always led me to believe that when he’s calling out for Mary, it’s always the Virgin Mary. What Chris knows, what’s ingrained in his brain from childhood other than Greek Gods, calling out for a miracle or to be saved.

Just my silly little head thoughts. But wowzers never thought I’d be talking about like- religion on here! Uh, yeah. Like I said this is all anecdotal from my experiences, and just my ideas as to what this mystery’s answer may be :] but that’s my funny haha headcanon. Also if you want a good laugh go find some episodes of La Rosa De Guadalupe’s 2007 run, I remember it mostly for how wild some of the episodes were but it’s all good fun.