Classic mythology describes Hephaestus as the great blacksmith of Olympia and team-members confirm this description to be accurate.   
    We believe that Hephaestus' labours produce the treasures of nature, its elements, ores and minerals. His great responsibilities seem to range from the formation and maintenance of planetary bodies, their structure and their skin, to the purification of water. The existence of all life forms owe much to the presence of Hephaestus. Nature's mighty craftsman.
    No coincidence that his temple remains the best-preserved in Athens, near the old craft quarter of the ancient city.    
    

Virtually all encounters with him involve tests, and mostly these take place in intense heat and fire - volcanoes. Hephaestus never is gentle.
        Another aspect of his work is to sort out particular souls and mark them for their destination in the realms beyond...

Hephaestus generally appears from a fiery red light. He is immensely powerful, stern-faced and seriously threatening. He chooses to appear aged in his late 40s. His hair is dark, slightly curly and shoulder-length; his eyes are deep dark blue, piercing and hypnotic. He has a large aquiline nose and thick lips. Hephaestus usually walks barefoot and wears a belted tunic. He is angry-looking and without doubt is one of the fiercest of Gods, as he himself admits:

"I am the mighty Hephaestus. I see much, I see the minds and thoughts of mortals. Now I am making myself known. Many buildings are now under my control, factories, offices, temples and schools."

Most encounters with Gods and Goddesses involve three separate experiences, and with Hephaestus this usually involves two and sometimes three separate tests for courage in a volcano setting. 
    Occasionally he invites team-members to his workplace - a forge - where he stands amid anvils and flames. The following account was related by a team-member:

'...I found myself in a place of flames. There were anvils and a furnace. The furnace was vast and resting over the flames was a grid on which lay an assortment of irons and pincers, hammers and other tools. The furnace stands in the centre of the building, which is open on one side. The great room itself has an earthen floor, partitions and wooden barrels of water stand here and there. Beside the furnace is a massive anvil. Hephaestus was standing between anvil and furnace surrounded by a fiery orange light.
    He picked up an enormous hammer, tapped it on the anvil, then raised it high and crashed it down, sending an explosion of sparks into the air, a huge shower of sparks, but I saw some of them turn into strange living creatures, like insects but blazing fire. The rest billowed into the air up to the blackened sooty ceiling.

On the far side of the furnace I noticed a queue of people, men and women. The people seemed to be in different forms of clothing and a man I saw was dressed in black and white dinner suit; though the rest seemed more casual. Some were white skinned, some brown and others black. 
    Nearby stood two burly attendants, bronzed brutes with lank greasy hair hanging over their faces. They flanked the first three, a woman and two men. These were marched toward Hephaestus.' 
    "All these mortals have done evil things."
    Hephaestus watched them approach then picked up a branding iron from the grill. The man in evening dress was pushed forward and Hephaestus grabbed his thigh in one massive fist and ripped the cloth as though it were paper, then branded him on the thigh. There were screams and sizzling skin. The next man was pushed forward and grabbed by the hands, and was branded on his palms. The next on the stomach; then another half dozen men and women branded on legs, arms, stomachs and breasts and the attendants led each away into the shadows beyond one of the partitions.
    "These souls have to wait until I have time to deal with them. They have my mark. I am pleased to have them."

Then a man wearing a robe was marched before Hephaestus who grabbed him and ripped away the cloth. "There have been many mortals killed by this religious sect. Their murders have never been made public in your world. To kill anyone is a terrible sin, but a child even worse. Already three children killed."
    The man was branded and screamed but couldn't loosen himself from Hephaestus' grip. He seemed close to fainting before he was led away.
    "I am so angry with some religious sects in your world. I take a hammer and hammer them. Like this! Like this! And like this!"
    Each time he sent a tremendous shaking blow through the anvil and down into the floor while a cascade of fiery sparks exploded into the hot air of the forge.
    "The foundations of these faiths are being shaken and cracked."

The next man in the queue was pushed forward and Hephaestus glared at the cowering naked figure as he picked his way gingerly past the fierce flames of the furnace. Hephaestus seemed to be considering which branding iron to use, then rolled one over the flames as the man was brought closer.
    "This priest called me Satan. He would not listen and I will not be called Satan by anyone. Mortals beware, I am Hephaestus and not Satan."
    The man was branded on the rump and pushed toward one of the big burly assistants.
    "I appeared in a small temple and spoke to the congregation. Yet I was ignored. I warned the priest if he didn't listen there would be trouble. In a country in South America in another temple I spoke to the priest and the congregation, so many heard and saw me. This time they called me Satan, so I destroyed their temple too. One day new temples will be built on these places and they will be recognised as temples of Hephaestus."

Next up was a group of men who were steered across the forge to a place where large hollow stones were arranged in a row. There were several helpers there and each took hold of one person. Each was made to put their feet in the holes. Then I noticed nearby another helper stirring a vat of golden liquid and one of the helpers poured it around the men's feet. There was terrible screaming. Seconds later the men were lifted out and the gold set around their feet like golden boots. 
    "These were greedy souls; greedy for gold. Never thought of others. Never be greedy."

After that Hephaestus strode across the forge and grabbed  three men who were standing cowering behind a pile of horseshoes. With a gesture he had them doing horse impressions with their legs and feet while one of his assistants took a great hammer and set about nailing horseshoes to the men's bare feet, one by one. Hephaestus ignored their screams and just glared at their agony with huge intensity.
     " These men were cruel to animals."

It was a horrible sight to see, so piteous, but then Hephaestus led me away, out of the sweltering room and he smiled and suddenly his fierce stern face was transformed. His smile was so kindly and the sound of his laughter so full and jolly. It was amazing to see in one so fierce and frightening.
    "Many mortals now have seen me, yet they are scared to tell of this. They will see me again and hopefully will not be scared. Mortals will soon come to realise that the Olympian Gods and Goddesses are the true great beings.
    I am a strict God, but pay homage to me with respect and sincerity. To those who do I bring courage and strength, wisdom and love."

Festival of Hephaestus: 21st July