Chrysis

"Hush my child. May Hera bless our sacred family."

―Chrysis's motto.

Chrysis (died 430 BCE) was a priestess of Hera and a member of the Worshippers of the Bloodline branch of the Cult of Kosmos. She was the mother of Dolops.

Biography

Early life

As a child, Chrysis was abandoned by her parents at the Sanctuary of Asklepios in Argolis. The priests of the sanctuary raised her as one of their own, teaching her all they knew about gods and healing. She was well-loved by the priests, as well as a fast learner and strong-willed.

Growing up, Chrysis became a priestess of Hera, serving at the nearby sanctuary dedicated to the goddess, and eventually rose through the ranks to be considered the sanctuary's greatest priestess.

Chrysis also became a mother at some point, bearing and rearing a son named Dolops. However, she kept his birth a secret, believing it brought shame to her. They eventually grew apart, and he pursued a career first as a healer, and then as a farmer in Epidauros.

Cult of Kosmos

At some point, the Cult of Kosmos approached Chrysis. Their ideals appealed to her and she left her old teachers' ideas for theirs. With the Cult, her power and influence grew, her role as a 'servant of Hera' protecting her from backlash. Eventually she held every priest of the sanctuary of Asklepios under her sway, either as her allies or as her subjects.

In the 440s BCE, when Myrrine came from Sparta to the sanctuary, the priests offered her food and a bath, but could not help her badly injured baby. Despite the priest Mydon's best attempts, he had to tell her that the baby would die. Thus Myrrine cradled the baby, sang to him, and left him at the Altar of Apollo Maleatas, "for the gods."

Instead of gods, though, Chrysis took the baby after Myrrine turned her back. She healed him, and then raised him as her own among many to serve the Cult of Kosmos, teaching him that the world is pain.

To ensure that her practice remained secret, and as a proof of loyalty, Chrysis forced Mydon to cut out his own tongue to prevent him from telling all that he knew, lest it reach wrong ears.

When the Worshippers of the Bloodline were commanded to scour the ruins and tombs for ancient artifacts, another Worshipper, Harpalos, sent a letter to Chrysis, telling her about the Followers of Ares he'd discovered and joined.

The Peloponnesian War

Chrysis threatening Sostratos

When stories began to circulate about an "eagle-bearing misthios", Chrysis tightened her hold on the priests of Asklepios, forcing them to swear not to tell the mercenary a single thing, especially about a Spartan woman and her baby, or face death. Most acquiesced, while some like Pleistos allied themselves with her, and others like Timoxenos protested.

Chrysis also publicly accused an Argivean healer, Hippokrates, of impiety. Kassandra happened to witness Chrysis and Sostratos, Hippokrates' assistant and student, exchanging words about the accusations, and Hippokrates' whereabouts at his clinic in Argos.

After Kassandra uncovered Chrysis' affiliation with the Cult of Kosmos, as well as her abduction of Kassandra's brother Alexios as an infant, she tracked Chrysis to the Altar of Apollo Maleatas. There, Chrysis had left a slain eagle as a warning. Following the cries of an infant, Kassandra found a small shrine nearby, as well as guards loyal to the Cult. After besting them, Kassandra entered the shrine.

Chrysis confronted by Kassandra

Inside, Chrysis laid the baby on the altar and spoke with Kassandra, entreating her to join the Cult and make Chrysis' family "complete." When the misthios refused, Chrysis set the shrine on fire, forcing Kassandra to either pursue her or stay and save the baby. However, while attempting to flee the altar, Chrysis was attacked and killed by her estranged son Dolops.

Legacy

By the time of the Peloponnesian War, Chrysis held the Sanctuary of Asklepios collectively under her thumb, either through fear or loyalty. According to her, she was the one who had raised multiple warriors and guards loyal to the Cult, with Deimos being only one of them, albeit the most powerful.

She was also regarded as "that crazy priestess" by Antonide, an informant working for Elpenor, a member of the Eyes of Kosmos branch of the Cult. Though Antonide suspected Chrysis held what Elpenor wanted to know, he was not willing to approach Chrysis, as she terrified Antonide.

Personality and traits

Initially, Chrysis was a devoted worshiper of the Greek gods until she was recruited by the Cult of Kosmos. Their teachings either "turned her heart black" or merely encouraged the "anger in her heart that could not be soothed." In any case, she became a cruel, psychotic and fanatical individual. As exemplified by her opposition to Hippokrates' medical practices, she believed that only deities could deliver healing and not the hands of man.

In her interactions with Kassandra, Chrysis demonstrated a delusional obsession with Leonidas' bloodline, believing herself to be more of a "mother" to the grandchildren of Leonidas than Myrrine had ever been.

Behind the scenes

Chrysis is a historical character who appears in Assassin's Creed: Odyssey as a member of the Cult of Kosmos. She was voiced by Greek actress Martha Tompoulidou.

Historically, Chrysis accidentally burned down the oldest temple dedicated to Hera at the Heraion of Argos in 423 BCE, and thus destroyed the sanctuary as mentioned in the Historical Locations overlay.

In Odyssey, the player can choose to either save the baby from the fire Chrysis started or assassinate the Cultist in "Ashes to Ashes". If the former option was chosen, Chrysis will be slain in the memory "Death Comes For Us All".

Gallery

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  Chrysis' first meeting with Kassandra
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  Chrysis' body

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Odyssey (first appearance)
• Assassin's Creed: Odyssey novel