Naming of Achlys · 11:53pm Dec 17th, 2015
While looking up some information I happened to look at the wiki page regarding the namesake of my villain Achlys. Now I of course read it before, but I didn't really realize how perfect the name was for the character:
In Greek mythology, Achlys[pronunciation?] (Greek language: Ἀχλύς "mist") was, according to some ancient cosmogonies, the eternal Night (perhaps the Mist of Death, which fell before the eyes preceding death), and the first created being which existed even before Chaos.
According to Hesiod, she was the personification of misery and sadness, and as such she was represented on the shield of Heracles: pale, emaciated, and weeping, with chattering teeth, swollen knees, long nails on her fingers, bloody cheeks, and her shoulders thickly covered with dust.
While I never explicitly said it, Achlys in the Alicorn Imperium universe is supposed to be the oldest of the alicorns and existed long before Discord (Chaos).
She is also the one who gave Luna the power that turned her into Nightmare Moon as part of a deal to free her from her prison. Luna tried to bring about Eternal Night.
The title of the story, Child of Misery is in fact, referring to her. This was actually intentional since Achlys in Greek Mythology was supposed to be the personification of Misery. I have a prequel in mind that will explain where the title came from in her case.
The description of her being pale and covered with dust is why I chose to make her gray in color, though I did ignore most the rest of the physical description.
Then there's this:
And beside them [the Keres (Deaths) and the Moirai (Fates) on the battlefield] was standing Akhlys (Achlys), dismal and dejected... she stood there, grinning forever, and the dust that had gathered and lay in heaps on her shoulders was muddy with tears.
She is miserable, surrounded by death and fate and despite her wretched state, she grins... That's very much how I see Achlys in my stories.
As I said, I have a prequel to Child of Misery in mind, so Achlys will be returning eventually. It will take place in the time of the purge and follow her involvement in the imprisoning of the Imperium High Council, and her interactions with a certain canon unicorn... Wonder who that could be...
