The Keres, Spirits of Violent Death

The myth

The Keres were the spirits of violent death, daughters of Night according to Hesiod. In the Shield of Heracles they are dark beings with white teeth who fight over the fallen on the battlefield, thirsting for blood, sinking their claws into each warrior who drops. On the shield of Achilles in the Iliad, a Ker drags away the dead and wounded. The word also meant each man's fated death: in the Iliad Zeus weighs the keres of Achilles and Hector on golden scales, and Hector's sinks.

Why it has this power

An Uncommon level-5 card with 1800 ATK and 1300 DEF: a spirit that comes only to take, with high attack and little endurance. A Darkness Spirit, daughters of Night, they bear the Moon and Fox constellations. Fused with any Undead they yield Thanatos, the Gentle Death: violent death finds its serene form.

Did you know

In the Iliad, Achilles says his mother told him of two possible keres: a long life without fame or an early death with everlasting glory.

Connections

• Fuses into: + Undead → Thanatos, the Gentle Death
• In Theron, Priest of the Underworld's deck

Where to get it

• Campaign drop: Elena, Huntress of Artemis (Aegean of Heroes) — grade S: 25% · grade A: 25% · grade B: 14%
• Campaign drop: Kassandra, Daughter of the Oracle (Aegean of Heroes) — grade S: 20% · grade A: 20% · grade B: 20% · grade C: 13%
• Campaign drop: Theron, Priest of the Underworld (Aegean of Heroes) — grade S: 17% · grade A: 17% · grade B: 17% · grade C: 17% · grade D: 17%
• Daily Offering: 0.45% per pack (Uncommon 33% per card)
• Welcome Pack: 1.1% per pack (Uncommon 30% per card)
• Traveler's Pack: 0.96% per pack · 5.6% in the themed pack (Uncommon 29% per card)
• Bronze Reliquary: 0.94% per pack · 5.5% in the themed pack (Uncommon 29% per card)
• Silver Reliquary: 0.96% per pack · 5.6% in the themed pack (Uncommon 33% per card)
• Golden Reliquary: 0.94% per pack · 5.5% in the themed pack (Uncommon 35% per card)
• Daily Showcase: Shows up on about 0.98% of days · 400 gold
• Craft with card dust: 100 dust
• Crossing of Myths: Can be offered as a reward during a crossing (the card stays in the crossing deck).

Sources

1. KERES - Greek Spirits of Violent Death — Aaron J. Atsma, Theoi Project
2. Shield of Heracles — Hesiod (trans. H. G. Evelyn-White), Theoi Classical Texts Library
3. Iliad, Book 18 — Homer (trans. A. T. Murray), Theoi Classical Texts Library