Giahem: King of the Gods
In religions where multiple gods reign in the heavens, there was typically one god that was acknowledged by the others as their ruler. In some mythologies, this architype was named Zeus, Odin, or Osiris. Even the predecessor to the Greek gods, Kronos—sometimes spelled Cronos—held this title. For Theriomorphs, this god is Giahem.
The Greco-Romans believed that Zeus (Jupiter) served as the chief god. His wife, Hera (Juno) sat by his side as queen. He reigned over the sky and was associated with thunder and lightning, which he would use to strike down the wicked. His offspring—some legitimate, others the result of his many affairs—included both the god and goddess of war: Ares/Mars and Athena/Minerva respectively. Zeus’s infidelity caused problems not only between him and his wife but also between Hera and his illegitimate children.
Regardless, he was the one god all others would turn to whenever a conflict needed to be resolved among themselves. The most notorious myth centered upon a golden apple that ultimately caused the Trojan War. When the golden apple labeled “To the Fairest” was thrown among the guests at a wedding celebration, three goddesses each claimed the prize for herself: two were Zeus’s daughters and the third was his wife, Hera. All three asked Zeus to decide which goddess was the fairest. Realizing that the pair not chosen would hold a grudge, he wisely decided not to make the choice himself. Instead, he randomly selected a human man, Paris, to have the “honor” of choosing the fairest. The resulting conflict not only led to the Trojan War but also split the support of the pantheon of gods between the Greeks and the Trojans. Once again, Zeus remained neutral during most of that ten-year war as he understood that deities neither forgave nor forgot.
Kronos (Saturn) is another ancient deity revered in Greco-Roman culture. Kronus overthrew his father, Uranus (Caelus), the first sky deity, and became king of the Titans. The Titans’ generation gave birth to the gods. Zeus, the son of Cronus, overthrew his father’s reign, which led to the rise of the Olympians.
The Norse revered Odin as the Allfather, the king of the gods. Unlike Zeus, this god represented wisdom, sorcery, death, healing, war and poetry; like his Greco-Roman counterpart, people turned to Odin whenever they sought wisdom or guidance. He not only served as the personal deity to the ruling and warrior classes but also held a special place in his heart for warriors. The best half of warriors who died in combat were brought to Odin’s personal mead hall, Valhalla. There, they trained and feasted in preparation for the end of the world known as Ragnarök. Odin, dressed in golden armor, would lead the charge into the final battle against the giants and monsters.
Osiris was the original ruler of the Egyptian gods. Like Odin, he was known as the god of death and the afterlife. He also oversaw life and flooding. Although Osiris was benevolent and just, his brother Set was jealous and slew him in order to assume the role of pharaoh. Osiris’s son, Horus, overthrew his uncle and became pharaoh. Eventually, Osiris was partially resurrected and descended into the underworld to rule the dead.
The final god that was inspirational in the development of Giahem is Indra from India. Indra is very similar to Zeus as he is also the god of thunder, storms, rivers, rains, war and the king of the highest heavens. Both Indra and Zeus were often depicted holding a lightning bolt.
Giahem is the god of fathers, sky, heavens, males, husbands and also serves as the king of the gods. He cares for his children, both legitimate and not, and works hard to alleviate conflict among his fellow deities. He is able to see the best in others even when they do not view themselves in that way. He is also associated with storms and lightning. Giahem gave life to both races of beings: humans and Theriomorphs.
Giahem’s dual form is an eagle with golden feathers, which mirrors Zeus whose chosen animal was also the eagle as opposed to Odin whose animal was the raven. Eagles are magnificent, aerial birds who are often associated with power since they are devious and deadly predators. This is perfect for the sky god which rules and watches all from the heavens.
Calm, reserved, and surprisingly quiet, Giahem is the most powerful of the gods, yet he does not utilize his gifts nor exert his authority unless absolutely necessary. In order for Giahem to feel the need to intervene, the world would have to be on the brink of self-destruction.
Please note that this image is from: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/423971752392318274/?lp=true
