Mythology Creature 1: Hekatonkheires

The Hekatonkheires

"Hundred-Handed Ones", were figures in an archaic stage of Greek mythology, three giants of incredible strength and ferocity that surpassed that of all Titans whom they helped overthrow. The three Hekatonkheires became the guards of the gates of Tartarus.
Two of the three have been featured in the God of War series so far.

Greek Mythology

The Hekatonkheires were children of Gaia and Ouranus. They were three creatures baring hundreds of arms and fifty heads. They were thus part of the very beginning of things in the submerged prehistory of Greek myth, though they played no known part in cult. Their names were Briareus (or Aigaion/Aegaeon), the "Vigorous" or the "Sea-Goat", Cottus the "Striker" or the "Furious", and Gyges (or Gyes) the "Big-Limbed". If some natural phenomena are symbolised by the Hecantonchires then they may represent the gigantic forces of nature that appear in earthquakes and other convulsions or in the motion of sea waves.
Soon after they were born their father Ouranus threw them into the depths of Tartarus because he saw them as hideous monsters. In some versions Ouranus saw how ugly the Hecatonchires were at their birth and pushed them back into Gaia's womb, upsetting Gaia greatly, causing her great pain and setting into motion the overthrow of Ouranus by Cronos, who later imprisoned them in Tartarus.
The Hecatonchires remained there, guarded by the dragon Campe, until Zeus rescued them, advised by Gaia that they would serve as good allies against Cronos and the Titans. During the War of the Titans, the Hecatonchires threw rocks as big as mountains, one hundred at a time, at the Titans, overwhelming them. While Gyges and Cottus sided with the Gods, Briareus is known to be the one to betray them and joined the Titans. After Briareus' defeat, he was buried under Mount Aetna