Circe is a monster Goddess, though doubtless she can appear in a softer more human form if she wanted. Our first encounter with Circe was about nine months into the project. We started in February and in November we first spoke her name in welcome. Nica bound our wrists together, we had no idea what to expect but assumed Circe would be fierce.
    By this time Nica had a set prayer of welcome for new deities but even he was apprehensive about this.
    For a long time nothing happened, then...

At first a strange light of orange and green entered the temple, it intertwined into itself and it moved around and above the altar for several minutes then drifted around us just above our heads.
    Then I heard her voice, close beside me, deep and sinister sounding.

“I am a great Goddess. Circe. All have feared me. Are you both courageous or fools welcoming me into your temple? Yet this I enjoy. You have been honouring other Gods and Goddesses for some time, but I am kept waiting. Now you make up for this. I test you to see how dedicated you really are.”
    Then I saw her face. She has darkish green hair, shoulder-length and it is snakey looking, in twisted thick strands. Her skin has a greenish tinge to it. Her eyes are mere slits, but there is something about her face, I don’t know what, but she looks animal-like. Circe is altogether very cruel-looking, cruel thin-lipped mouth. Of her age, I would say she seems ageless, neither old nor young. But she pulled very hard and I knew then I was in for a bad time. I was very frightened.
    Then I saw her. 
    Her eyes seemed red, glowing red. She was naked, with huge breasts and hips, almost disproportional to her body, though her legs and arms are big and sturdy.
    “Do you fear me?” she growled. I saw her teeth are sharp and pointed.
    I didn’t like to answer and she repeated the question so I said, a little.
    “So you should. You are the only mortal for many centuries who has seen me. You shake with fear at what is in front of you."
    Her nails are really long and really black. 
    She roared, literally, a low growling roar.

I felt I was in sand but I couldn’t see the sea, but everywhere was very fine sand, so it could have been the desert. She was standing near me and I noticed she had a thin rod in her hand, about 15 inches long, and as she touched me with it all over my body, terrible pain wracked right through me. She didn’t hit me, she only touched me gently. 
    I struggled to get away but couldn’t.
    She kept pushing and pulling and I was fighting but I knew I mustn’t use my arms so I fought her with my mind and body and kicked out. But I might as well have wrestled with a mountain. She just carried on and on with the rod. Twice she paused to look at me then started again.
    Eventually, though it seemed like the pain lasted forever, she stopped.
    “I am pleased that you have had the courage to fight me. This shows me that you will fight those who attack you who worship a god who does not exist. As for the priest he also fights, he fights by holding on to you. He has great powers and it appears he now has some power over you. You cannot move your arms.
    I give you gifts. To you priestess courage and plenty of fight in you. Your body is strong. And for you priest I give the gift of increasing your powers and your strength. And also courage.”
    Then she smiled and her face changed and she looked amazingly kindly.
    “You both have my blessing.”

The second encounter with Circe was even more terrifying...

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