Chrysis
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He who increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow. This article contains spoilers, meaning it has information and facts concerning recent or upcoming releases from the Assassin's Creed series. If you do not want to know about these events, it is recommended to read on with caution, or not at all. |
- "Hush my child. May Hera bless our sacred family."
- ―Chrysis[src]
Chrysis (died 420s BCE) was a priestess of Hera and a member of the Cult of Kosmos, operating under the Worshippers of the Bloodline branch. She was the mother of Dolops. She kept his birth a secret as it brought shame to her.[1]
Biography
Early life
When Chrysis was but a child, she was left as an orphan at the Sanctuary of Asklepios.[2] The priests of the sanctuary raised her as one of their own, teaching her all they knew about gods and healing.[3] She was well-loved by the priests, as well as a fast learner and strong-willed.[2]
Growing up, Chrysis became a priestess of Hera serving at the nearby sanctuary dedicated to the goddess,[4] and even rose through the ranks to become the greatest.[5]
Cult of Kosmos
At some point, the Cult of Kosmos approached Chrysis and she was seen with them. Their ideas 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.[3] Eventually she held every priest of the sanctuary of Asklepios in her sway, either as her allies or as her subjects.[2]
In 448 BCE, when Myrrine came from Sparta to the sanctuary, the priests offered her food and 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."[6]
Instead of gods, though, Chrysis came to the altar and 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.[6] 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.[6]
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.[4]
Chrysis also at some point was impregnated by an unknown person, and gave birth to Dolops. They grew apart, however, and he pursued a career first as a healer, and then as a farmer.[7]
The Peloponnesian War
When stories begun 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, some like Pleistos allied themselves with her, some like Timoxenos protested.[3]
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.[8]
After Kassandra figured out Chrysis' affiliation with the Cult of Kosmos, as well as her part in Alexios' life, Kassandra hunted Chrysis down 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.[6]
Inside, Chrysis laid the baby on the altar and spoke with Kassandra, entreating her to join the Cult, make Chrysis' family "complete." At the end, she set the shrine on fire, forcing Kassandra to either save the baby, or go after Chrysis.[6] Nonetheless, Chrysis was later killed by Kassandra.[6][9]
Personality and characteristics
In the beginning Chrysis was a devote worshiper of the Greek gods until she was recruited by the Cult of Kosmos. Their teachings either "turned her heart black"[3] or merely encouraged the "anger in her heart that could not be soothed"[2]. In any case, she became a cruel 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.[8]
In her interactions with Kassandra, Chrysis demonstrated a delusional obsession with the Bloodline, believing herself a "mother" to the grandchildren of Leonidas.[6]
Trivia
- In the novel Chrysis is killed by her son Dolops (who is a composite character of his game counterpart and Mydon) as she is fleeing the Altar of Apollo Maleatas after setting it aflame to stall Kassandra.
- In Ashes to Ashes, the player can choose to either save the baby from the fire Chrysis caused or assassinate the cultist. If the former was chosen, Chrysis was slain in Death Comes For Us All.
- Historically Chrysis accidentally burned down the oldest temple dedicated to Hera at the Heraion of Argos in 423 BCE, and thus destroyed the sanctuary.
- This makes Chrysis' date of death debatable.
Appearance
References
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – A Herald of Murder
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – Written in Stone
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – A Heart for a Head
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Assassin's Creed: Odyssey
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – Death Comes For Us All
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – Ashes to Ashes Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "Ashes to Ashes" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – A Herald of Murder
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – First Do No Harm
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedDeath Comes to Us All