Pandora's Box and the Birth of Evil

Once, a very long time ago, when the first men walked upon Zeimia, Zeus looked down on the mortals. He was unsure how to treat these beings as they had just recently been created by Prometheus. Whether or not they were worthy of the Gods' attention or of life in general. It was in his ponderings that he set his eyes on Pandora. He could see her burning curiosity and a cruel and clever plan came to him then.
It is important now to describe the world as it had been then. The people did not hunger or fear or hate or fight. They felt neither anger nor despair. All was well and all thoughts were pure and good. Love bonded all humans and they could not comprehend the very concept of evil. Oh that if the world could be so again.
Back to the center of our tale, Zeus had approached Pandora. He greeted her most politely and introduced himself most graciously as not only the leader of the Olympians, but as their ambassador. Zeus pledged to Pandora that the Olympians would protect the humans and would help them whenever they had need. In exchange, Zeus asked for but one thing and one thing only. He handed Pandora a small metal box and told her that she must keep it but never ever open it. Opening it would be very dangerous and seen as an insult to the Olympians. Zeus then left.
Pandora was left alone with her box. She examined her sudden gift. It seemed light, yet also seemed full to bursting. The box had but a simple latch, but one that would not open unless acted upon. Pandora thought that she could hear voices slipping through the cracks of the box but only silence came to a strained ear. She put the box under her bed and went to sleep.
Pandora was filled with dreams of mysterious box. In one dream she opened the box to find a powerful prince that she instantly fell in love with. Another showed the box filled with valuable objects. Enough to be able to feed her village for some time indeed. These dreams caused Pandora to wake in a cold sweat, her attention fully focused on the container under neath her bed.
Pandora took hold of her box, her finger gently toying with the latch. She knew that she could not open it, but what harm could just a little peek do? Who were the Olympians to deny her such a treasure? How dangerous could something in this little box be? Pandora opened the latch.
The lid swung open and out poured the great evil of the world. Hate and greed and anger and fear and hunger and sadness and jealousy and dishonesty and all other negative forces poured from the box. It was from that point that all these things infected humanity and beyond. It was then the furious Zeus appeared, as he had been watching.
Zeus said that humans have broken their promise and so were unworthy of the Gods' protection and help. They would be cursed with this evil for all time unless they could cleanse themselves and put the evil back in the box. Until then, all humans have a great debt to the Olympians for breaking their pact and must give homage and sacrifice if they want the Gods' protection and service.
Pandora swore to correct her mistake and save the world. She tried to persuade the evil. When that didn't work, she tried to intimidate the evil. When that didn't work, she tried to seduce the evil. When that didn't work, she tried to kill the evil. When none of that worked, Pandora decided to take the evil into herself and imprison herself within the box. She pulled the evil into her spirit and turned to the box to find it gone. No one knows what then happened to Pandora or her box after that fateful day...

Summary

Zeus wanted to test humans and gave Pandora a box while telling her not to open it. Pandora, humans being the curious beings that they are, ended up opening the box and releasing all the evil into the world. Zeus demanded that the Olympians deserve sacrifice until this wrong is righted. Pandora tried to contain the evil, but the box went missing.

Historical Basis

The Olympian pantheon typically references this myth as the reason that they deserve sacrifices and why they do not offer their assistance freely. While the story itself may or may not be true, Pandora's Box certainly does exist. It has appeared at times throughout history before disappearing just as quickly.

Spread

This myth is taught to children throughout the Olympian Isles and so most if not all who reside there know this myth. Outside of there, only avid theologians, magical researches, or perhaps treasure hunters would know this tale.

Variations & Mutation

There are a few variations of this myth that change some details such as "Pandora" being a man, the box being a metaphor for chastity, or even introducing an antagonist working against the humans. Most of these details don't tend to gain much traction and are hard to trace the origin of.

Cultural Reception

Within the Olympian Isles, this myth is usually seen as historical fact. It is the base for a lot of their religious worship and the spontaneous appearances of Pandora's box is seen as evidence of that.
Elsewhere in Zeimia, Pandora and her box are seen as but a story and not considered historical or relevant.

Date of Setting

The beginning of the First Era, thousands of years ago.