For me, I think what makes any kind of mythological element most enjoyable is that they don't think the same way we do. They don't have the same concerns, they don't have the same lifespan, and the fundamental differences in thinking there can create interesting tension. There's a bit of a spectrum there, it's interesting to see something so alien that it's hard to relate, but it's also interesting to see similar issues that we go through, just magnified through lifespan and power.

Some good examples for me would be the writing in Hades for the Greek Pantheon. For demons, Abyssus Abbey, by PenDarke: https://www.sofurry.com/browse/fold.....p;folder=73555

I think what particularly engages me about Abyssus Abbey is the solid and consistent rules for interacting with demons; even though there's a LOT of room in them to make things happen however the author wishes, it doesn't feel cheap and it leaves lasting scars on everyone who tries. There's also a lot of similar themes there in terms of how they don't fundamentally think the same way as mortals.


As for what makes me uninterested in them, I think it'd have to be flat portrayals. They don't have to be the most nuanced things in the world, but if Zeus is just made up of Zeus memes then I don't really care. If they're excuses for things to happen in the story, then I wish they weren't there.

As maybe a useful example for contrast, the pantheons in Omniscient Reader, I feel like, are "good enough". Some of the individual gods are more interesting than others, but it's clear at least that the pantheons at large have their own motivations, and in some ways are as limited by the duties and archetypes they're made up of, as they are empowered by them. The story isn't really about them, but they're good enough that I don't wish they weren't there.

In general, ancient gods/mythology were more powerful than a human can imagine, but they were not omnipotent, and there were multiples of them of varying powers.

So god(s) could exist of low power, and god(s) could get into situation even they couldn't easily resolve, as opposed to modern day god(s) that can make a boulder too heavy for themselves to lift, and lift it anyways.

One thing that's always intrigued me about gods in both history and fiction is how they often mirror the best and worst traits of people despite their incredible power and how different they are from mortals.

What I love about Greek mythology is that they didn’t think they were created in their gods’ image, they created gods in their own image, to explain the different aspects of human nature.

It depends very much on the setting.

In a broader sense i'd probably say that they are removed from the flow of time in a sense but still interacting with it.
Also that, to a degree at least, some gods are just not changing with their experience. Be it because they are incapable of doing so or we just can't perceive their inner workings.
For example, gods that are attributed to some certain thing: war, wisdom or even hedonism.
How do they do what they do, experience what they do and still, seemingly at least, just continue being.
Do "war"-gods experience the tragedy of battle or do they just perceive the "glory" of winning? Do they even care?

... maybe i'm already taking this too far but it's things like that that keep me interested in mythology (be it ancient or new) if it is done well. Which can be a very, very narrow path to walk and in the case of ancient mythology probably isn't the right way to look at it.

My favorite part of Mythologies is how they interact not only with each other but also mortals. The powers they have and why they have it. The explanations about why things happen in our world. The gods don't need to be interconnected but I feel like they, at the very least, need to be aware of each other. Be reactive or at least knowing of it.