Hades is the son of Cronus and Rhea and one of their five children who was swallowed at birth. After the Titanomachy Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades divided the realm up. The land would be for everyone and they played dice for the sky, the sea, and the Underworld. Hades got the Underworld where he rules, dispensing punishment to those who challenged the gods and watching over the dead. All mortals are considered Hades’s eventual servants and he takes offense if a mortal becomes immortal. Therefore he does not like intelligent undead who have kept their souls, but is okay with the animate bodies of wights, zombies, and skeletons. Hades is also the god of all things that come from the under the earth’s surface such as precious metals and iron.

During the time of the Conclave Hades continued to guard his subject prisoners and prevent them from leaving the Underworld. After the death of the Dwarven King Karnafaust, the rules changed. Thousands sacrificed to Hades, asking that he return Karnafaust to life so that he could rule over them once more. Hades granted the request and established rules for others to return, as long as sufficient sacrifices were given to the god of the Underworld. This amnesty only extended to those who performed the proper rituals to honor Hades. King Aeëtes of Colchis prolonged his life outside the bounds of the Resurrection Pact. Due to divine restrictions, Hades could only attack Aeëtes to reclaim his soul during a solar eclipse. Hades tried for centuries and eventually one of his high priests claimed the bounty and brought Aeëtes in for judgement.

Hades had many faithful followers throughout Cimmeria’s history. Four cities name him as one of their patrons, Crux, Petar, Yuettencal, and Restnor’s Point. Hades and Persephone’s son, Darnard, was born on the surface of Gaia. Outside of his father’s domain he was mortal, but Darnard’s life was filled with success. He provided the building blocks that would lead to the founding of the Aractrashan Kingdom by his descendants.

In recent history, Hades meddled in the Second Alliance War in an attempt to claim the throne of Mount Olympus. He installed Tagenadi as his unwilling puppet on the surface world. He allowed the revival of thousands of Alliance soldiers in exchange for Kruk-Ma-Kali’s soul and the Lots that decided the split between Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus at the start of the Heroic Age. Hades used these Lots and his willing agent, Alkmene Halkias, in an attempt to corrupt the Druid’s Prophecy. The attempt failed, but Zeus was merciful towards his younger brother and gave him no punishment. Hades continues to rule in the Underworld as the dark master of the dead.