Celedon

Celedon
A Celedon's beauty is simply radiant...
Information
Alternate Names/Spellings	Celedones, Keledones
Origins
Alignment	Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral, Lawful Evil
Element	Air/Wind/Sky, Earth, Light, Metal/Magnetism, Sound
Species	Artificial Creature (Humanoid Construct)
Appearance	Lovely golden songstress...

Origins

A Celedon (Keledon) is a humanoid with origins in Greek mythology, legend and folklore. The first Celedones were forged from the purest gold, by the Greek god of fire, metal, volcanic activity and craftsmenship, the Blacksmith of the Gods, Hephaestus. As such, they are originally considered a type of Automaton.

Shortly after their creation, Hephaestus endowed them with life, to delight the halls of the god Apollo's Temple at Delphi, with their songs. Some were even forged directly into the ceilings of the temple, and above the entrance doorway, as a kind of living decoration.

Eventually, though, the temple at Delphi disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Some say the temple was swallowed up by the earth; others say it was destroyed in a fire; still others believe it was plucked up from the earth by (and taken along with) the gods themselves, after they departed from among mankind.

"What shall I sing for you today?"

Whatever the case may be, afterward, it is unknown what exactly happened to the first Celedones. However, as beings favored by the gods Hephaestus AND Apollo, it can be safely assumed that the Celedones were rescued from whatever fate befell the Temple, and either taken back up to Olympus to live among the gods, or allowed to live lives on Earth among mortal men.

Some speculate that the first Celedones were actually made into minor goddesses themselves. Their name 'Khryseiai Keledones' ('Khryseai Keledones', 'Chryseai Celedones') is translated as 'golden charmers', but they are often referred to as 'soothing goddesses'. It is unknown if this epithet is meant literally.

Appearance

The first Celedones were originally inanimate statues, forged from the purest gold, by the hands of a god. As such, they and their descendants are not only entirely golden, but strikingly beautiful, in appearance and voice. One thing that separates them, however, is what forms they take.

The beauty of the golden Celedon is simply radiant...

A few of the Celedones had forms like exceptionally beautiful women, with striking golden hair and skin, stunning curves and amazing beauty all around; the garments they wore were of a similar radiance. However, others were said to look like birds. Specifically, they resembled a species of woodpecker called a wryneck bird (called, in Greek, Ιυνξ [Iynx, Jynx or Jinx]). Some even resembled bird-women; a woman from the waist up, and a bird (with or without wings) from the waist down, similar to some breed of Siren.

After this fashion, some speculate that the god Hephaestus intended them to have similar appearance and powers as the Sirens. Likewise, Ιυνξ [Iynx] is also the name of a goddess, a daughter of the god Pan and the goddess Echo. For this reason, when some people read accounts of Celedones being 'like Ίυγγες [Iynges or Jinxes]', they speculate that it means the Celedones were made to look like doppelgangers of that goddess. These and many other speculations, so far, all seem viable.

Behavior

The original Celedones were golden in every aspect; they were beautiful, charming, eloquent, demure, and they loved laughter and song. They were intelligent and thoughtful, philosophical even. They were obedient to the masters they were sent to serve, and very pleasant to see, to talk to and to listen to.

"Just...relax..."

However, since the Celedones of old were a single-gender race, they had to reproduce with humanoids outside of their race. They branched out among humans and similar humanoid races; likely dwarves, elves and numerous fay and nymphet species.

The progeny of these interracial unions (and their descendents, from then to the present day) have just as much chance of mannerisms like a true Celedon, as they have of mannerisms like a non-Celedon.

What's more, the term 'Celedon' typically refers to females of the species, while a male (whether his body is golden or not) is properly referred to as a 'Half-Celedon'.

Abilities

Due to its lineage, the Celedon is possessed of flawless golden skin, which has many of the same properties as true gold. However, due to being divinely blessed by the touch of the god Hephaestus, the body of a Celedon is physically stronger and more durable than the relatively soft gold of which their ancestors originally forged (despite the fact that their skin is closer to ordinary flesh than to metal).

In addition to high resistance to physical impact, the Celedon is also immune to the negative effects of heat, and is capable of physically conducting heat through its body without harm to itself. Its skin is also shiny enough to reflect light, thus making it also immune to light-based attacks (along with its eyes being immune to intense light).

Furthermore, it is not unlikely to cross a Celedon who retains an Automaton's immunity to psionics, radiation, poison, disease, sonic attacks, and bodily needs (breathing, eating, sleeping, etc).

Not to mention, some Celedones have wings, which allows them to glide/fly, or are at least heavy and strong enough to fight off foes. Some Celedones even have the lower half (or entire body) of a bird, specifically the woodpecker.

Moreover, the Celedon is incredibly beautiful. Not only is the skin of a Celedon flawless, but it is composed of the purest gold. That, combined with their sultry curves, effortlessly perfect hair and demure feminine charms, often stuns people in the thought of the Celedon's beauty, upon first seeing them.

Still, the most famous (and most powerful) of the Celedon's abilities is the ability to produce an entrancing ethereal song, similar to that of the Sirens. The song of the original Celedones was enough to soothe a god, as evident by their role in singing for the god Hephaestus. It is perfectly safe to assume that their descendents may produce a song of similar magnitude.