Overview
Zeus is the king of the gods, though his command over the rest of his pantheon is far from absolute and his decisions are often challenged. Zeus is the god of the sky, the ruler of all high things, including the clouds, rain, wind, thunder, and mountain summits. He is the protector of laws, friend of the weak, and dispenser of justice.
Zeus is an efficient leader, but he is something of a despot. He is moved by anger more often than mercy, and makes his decisions on the basis of politics rather than justice. A confirmed lecher, he will go to any length to seduce a beautiful woman (even a mortal) — despite the jealous anger of his wife, Hera. Zeus is not above toying with the lives of mortals just to entertain himself and the other gods.
Zeus has fathered a tremendous number of deities and heroic or exceptional mortals, including the deities Ares, Hephaestus, Apollo, Artemis, Dionysus, Hermes, Hercules and Athena.
Description
Although he can assume any form that he wishes, Zeus typically appears as a robust and regal male human standing about 15 feet tall (4.6 meters). He has white hair and a long white beard, and wears a white tunic. He disdains armour and instead relies on his great shield, known as the Aegis, which bears the likeness of the head of the first medusa.
Zeus's true form is that of a ball of fiery light so intense that no mortal can look upon him without bursting into flames.
Holy symbol
Zeus's symbol is a fist full of lightning bolts.
Favored weapon
Zeus wields a spear in battle, and can cast a lightning bolt spell every round. His priesthood can select either the shortspear or the halfspear as their favored weapon.
Possessions
Zeus possesses a magical shield known as the Aegis. The great shield +5 is made from a goatskin with golden fleece, and bears the likeness of the head of a beautiful woman with snakes for hair (reportedly a depiction of the first medusa). If the bearer shakes the Aegis, anyone looking upon it may be overcome by fear and flee in panic for 1d10 minutes. At the bearer’s command, it also acts as a cloak of displacement. Aegis is usually carried by Zeus, but he sometimes loans it to Athena or a favorite mortal hero.
Realm
Great Wheel cosmology
In the Great Wheel cosmology, Zeus resides within the planar realm of Olympus, which is located on Arvandor (also known as Olympus), the first layer of the Olympian Glades of Arborea. Zeus's palace is located at the highest point of Mount Olympus, and its halls are inlaid with gold and precious gems. Statues of Zeus and Hera line the halls, and are rumored to be able to animate to remove unwanted visitors.
Olympian cosmology
In the Olympian cosmology, Zeus resides within the outer planar realm of Olympus, a great mountain which stands at the center of the world. This mighty peak rises so high above the world, that its heights form a distinct planar realm. It serves as home to the majority of the Olympian deities, not including Hades, and each deity maintains their own personal domain within this realm.
Worship
The priests of Zeus enjoy a position of prestige among the clergy of the Olympians. As Zeus is the king of the gods, so are they the leaders among their fellow clerics. Temples dedicated to Zeus are found in every settlement where the Olympians are worshipped, and even the smallest of towns will boast an impressive structure built in honour of the king of the gods.
Omens from Zeus take many forms, including thunder, animals acting in peculiar ways, and unusual celestial events.
In Spelljammer
Zeus is widely worshipped in Greatspace and as such is considered a native deity. The inhabitants of Greatspace revere the gods and goddesses of the Greek pantheon, especially Zeus. They believe that he created Greatspace after he grew tired of the petty actions of his mortal followers in some other sphere. He withdrew from their lives, and created the sun and the planets of Greatspace so that his most highly prized worshippers would have a home.
Because of their extreme reverence for Zeus, only Citizens of noble birth are permitted to become clerics of Zeus. They are considered to be the most highly regarded of all mortals and are afforded great privileges due to their grave responsibility as conduits between the mortals of Greatspace and the greatest of gods. Because of the intellectual and scientific inclinations of the people of Greatspace, the priests of Zeus must be highly educated innovators of science.