Telchines

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In Greek mythology, the Telchines were the original inhabitants of the island of Rhodes, and were known in Crete and Cyprus. They were regarded as excellent metallurgists. By some accounts, their children were the goddesses Ialysa, Kamira and Linda. The Telchines raised Poseidon and were associated with the Cyclopes, Dactyls and Curetes. The gods killed them because they turned into evil wizards. They apparently lost one of the titanomachias, the battles between the gods and the Titans. In another story there were nine Telchines, children of Thalassa and Pontus. They had flippers instead of hands and dogs' heads and were known as fish children.

Origins

Research suggests they were the original gods of Rhodes, before the advent of Greek monoculture. In the classical records of the post-catastrophe period, the Telchines tend to play an important part which link them to myths involving Atlantis. This race of artificers, artists and magicians, connected with the sea at every stage in their history, were entrusted by Rhea with the upbringing of Poseidon, which they accomplished with the aid of Caphiera, the daughter of Oceanus.

Another version says that Rhea accompanied them to Crete from Rhodes, where nine of the Telchines , known as the Curetes, were selected to bring up Zeus.

They were said to have been destroyed by the flood. They were skilled metal workers in brass and iron, and made a trident for Poseidon and a Sickle for Cronus, both ceremonial weapons. It is this ability to cast metal that would make them appear magical to early societies, and may have been a real, but advanced race of people. They could bring about hailstorms, snow, and rain at will, and produced a mixture of stygian water and sulfur, which killed animals and plants. Their habits have been variously given on most of the islands of the Eastern Mediterranean.

Named

Seventeen were commonly named:

1. Aktaios (Actaeus)
2. Argyron
3. Atabyrius
4. Chalcon
5. Chryson
6. Hormenius
7. Lykos (Lycus or Lyktos)
8. Megalesius
9. Mylas
10. Nicon
11. Simon
12. Zenob
13. Skelmis
14. Damnameneus
15. Damon (Demonax)
16. Megalesios
17. Ormenos

The only female known was Caphiera, mentioned above, which shows that Oceanus was linked to the Telchines.

Video games

In the PC videogame Titan Quest, the Telchines appear as Telkines and are powerful enemy sorcerers with grey skin and glowing eyes that act as bosses. Although many Telchines are referenced in the game, only Megalesios, Aktaios and Ormenos are ever encountered (and fought against) by the player.