Iris

Iris, (Ἶρις in Ancient Greek) is the Goddess of the Rainbow. She delivers Iris Messages for Gods, Goddesses, and if asked nicely and she's not too busy, to and for demigods. She is also the mother of Butch, and had one immortal son named Pothos. Interestingly, her affiliation is unknown, as she has been known to deliver messages for both gods, demigods, and Titans. It is possible that she was neutral in the Second Titan War because she was too busy carrying messages, as she wasn't among the minor gods and goddess who had switched over to Kronos' side. It is safe to assume however that Iris was on the side of the Olympians, as her twin sister Arke is on the side of the Titans, being their messenger.

History:
Iris is the daughter of Thaumas, one of the many minor sea gods, and the ocean nymph Electra, an Oceanid. Her sisters are the Harpies, Aello, and Ocypete. She also has a twin sister, Arke, who served as messenger for the Titans in the first war and was thrown into Tartarus with her masters by Zeus (after ripping her wings off). As the sun unites Earth and heaven, Iris links the gods to humanity. She travels with the speed of wind from one end of the world to the other, and into the depths of the sea and underworld. She is married to Zephyrus, who is the god of the west wind. Their son is Pothos. She also wields a pitcher of water originating from the River Styx. Whoever promises to tell the truth and lies, she uses it to put the liar to sleep. She was said to bear golden wings of a butterfly and she is commonly underestimated as goddess of rainbows, but her children are, in the case of Butch, rather powerful.

Iris-Messaging
To Iris Message someone, you must find or make a rainbow (easier in modern times with the advent of the water hose with which you can get a fine spray) and throw a drachma through it, then say:

"O, Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow, accept my offering."

and name who you wish to speak to and where they may be found.

She is also friends with Chiron, (and has been for centuries), allowing him to eavesdrop on some Iris-Messaging as shown in The Sea of Monsters.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Iris is mentioned to be on good terms with Hermes, as they are both messenger gods, and always helps the demigods in moments of peril. Chiron also says they've been friends for centuries and she's known to do favors for him. A cabin is built for her demigod offspring after The Last Olympian at Camp Half-Blood.

Throughout the series, Iris' services are called upon (by throwing a drachma into a mist) so that the characters may communicate with each other.

The Lost Hero
Iris is the mother of Butch in the series. Even though Zeus forbade the gods to interact with the surface, Iris still sends Iris Messages for the demigods; making an exception for her as a messenger. The demigods also use her to contact their allies.

Powers/Abilities
Most of her powers are unknown but the following is known because her son Butch has demonstrated a few powers:


 * Iris' powers are summoning pegasi, rainbows, and blasts of multicolored energy.
 * She can also move at extremely fast speeds (so she can deliver messages)
 * She can use rainbows to reflect off objects so she can project them off as rainbow– colored beams that can cause great damage in buildings.
 * She can manipulate light, as Apollo and his children possibly can.

Trivia

 * 7 Iris, a large main belt asteroid, is named after her. It is one of the brightest objects in the asteroid belt.
 * Iris is a species of flowering plants with showy flowers, named after her.
 * Iris, the colored part of the eye, is named after her.