Archelaos ex-Nikephoros's page

Five background and concept elements important to Archelaos.
1) The Project. Archelaos is part the first batch of Hermeans conceived under the Càlina Project. The Epaphras scouts were tasked with bringing back a nymph from Avistan by the Rhodean gene-planners. Càlina, the unlucky fey, found herself mind-controlled in a beautiful pond terraformed to welcome her, enclosed under a stainless glass dome. Selected couples were encouraged to mate there, where Càlina would “willingly” become a sexual facilitator. The goal of the project was to give a touch of fey blessing to the batch of newborns.
2) Bred for art. The children from the Càlina Project had from an early age a tutoring aimed focused on creative and representative art. While some were deemed fit for other tribes, most children of the Project were destined for the Nikephoros tribe, made of artists and entertainers.
3) Early struggle. Archelaos developed a limber and quick body, perfect for the dance. However, his mastery over his voice and vocal cords was less than stellar, and Jubastus ex-Origines was worried about Archelaos not being deemed fit to join the ranks of the citizens. Archelaos ended up bonding with Hephaistion, a wonderful singer and skilled in mimicry, who faced similar problems due to his lack of physical stamina and grace.
4) The accident. While working in the fields between a lesson and the next one, Archelaos and Hephaistion were tasked to operate a piece of machinery for the harvest. In a stunningly unfortunate coincidence – one so dire that could almost be believed to have been caused by an enraged fey – the boys’ weakness to the cold iron that composed the machine manifested suddenly, stunning them on the spot and leaving the reaping machine uncontrolled to ravage the land. In the accident that ensued Hephaistion lost his life and Archelaos was hospitalized for weeks, a grievous wound on his throat and lower jaw who threatened to render him mute. After a miraculous recovery, his teacher Jubastus cleared him of any guilt and pushed him to succeed in his training, keeping the memory of Hephaistion alive, saying that his singing lived through Archelaos.
5) Kalamnes. After earning his citizenship and last name, Archelaos’s career focused on theater – currently his representation of Kalamnes’ Quest is much lauded and Archelaos seems to be having a bright future.
The tale of Kalamnes is one that tribune Homerus et-Nikephoros claims Mengkare himself told for the first time – that of an Osirian warrior of such bravery and valor that first made the dragon see the potential in humans.
Archelaos is completely lost in his performance – he does so to shut off the fears he is having about his heritage. See goal 2 and secret 1.

Two goals that are important to Archelaos.
1) Once perfected, Archelaos desires to bring his play across Garund and Avistan – he is constantly pleading with Epaphras officers to arrange for plays on the continent.
2) Archelaos is still having troubles getting Kalamnes’ struggle on stage. This is due to the fact the Kalamnes’ story is routed in doubt for authority and absolutes: to truly find the character, Archelaos will have to embrace the idea of an imperfect government. Archelaos will experiment in many ways until he is satisfied with his performance.

Two secrets about Archelaos, one that he knows, and one that he not yet aware of.
1) Fey are by nature capricious and indomitable, and Càlina can’t be kept a slave for long. The fey has already escaped a few times the mind-control of her caretakers and managed to send visions and dreams to her “children”. Archelaos seems to be particularly receptive of her messages, usually brief flashes of anger and pain – and a few astonishing moments where he spoke with a voice not his own. I was thinking that Càlina could be any kind of muse-like fey – even something way more mysterious and/or powerful than a nymph.
2) Hephaistion broke both of his knees and femurs in the harvesting accident, but didn’t die. Rather than having two crippled young men doomed to fail the trial of citizenship, the surgeons killed Hephaistion and transplanted his larynx, lower jaw and vocal apparatus in Archelaos’s body. With pharmacological bonding agents and healing magic the tissues were attached to his nervous system; Archelaos went on to enjoy a spectacular career, and the Rhodean tribe could report one more success for the Càlina Project.

Four people that are tied to Archelaos, three are friends and one is an enemy.
1) [/i]Ikatia ex-Lucarus[/i] is the first prospect mate for Archelaos. The two of them have been introduced for six months already – she is a skilled swordswoman who is teaching him the finesse of blade movements to better represent Kalamnes on stage. Their union still hasn’t produced a pregnancy after six months, but they are enjoying a relationship more friendly than romantic.
2) Jamides ex-Hagne is about the same age of Archelaos and a frequent observer to his performances. She is a young historian working on the Hermeans Ante Litteram – a collection of tales about great men who would’ve been worthy of Hermean citizenship but who lived before Mengkare founded Promise. She and Archelaos started talking about Kalamnes and ended up bonding as friends. If the relationship between Archelaos and Ikatia keeps on being fruitless, they will likely petition for a pairing in the near future. I don’t think historians fall into any of the assigned tribes, so I used an unassigned one – if historians would be Diocles, then let’s change her tribe.
3) Jubastus tal-Origenes is now a legate for his family, in small part thanks to his success in educating Archelaos. Jubastus is who stood by his side during his convalescence and the loss of Hephaistion and for Archelaos is the closest thing to a father he knows.
4) Aribbas ex-Nikephoros was the runner-up, and is now the understudy, for the role of Kalamnes. Aribbas is slightly older than Archelaos and does not come from the Càlina Project. He is envious and feels – appropriately – upstaged.

Four memories, mannerisms or quirks Archelaos possess.
1) Most visions he receives from Càlina are the nymph herself enraged, or screaming in frustration, or deeply despaired. Upsetting as they are, this shots of pure emotion are a gold mine for an actor, and even though he tries to keep them secret, are usually to the top of his mind.
2) Archelaos enjoys the spicy and spiced food of Garundi tradition – especially Osirian food – and is a teetotaler. The one time he had a drink… the visions and dreams were there waiting for him.
3) Archelaos is fond of quoting plays and poems – not so often to result annoying, but enough to be noticed.
4) He has a gut dislike of heavy machinery built with cold iron – something clearly just due to his past trauma.

Archelaos ex-Nikephoros
Male Human (Hermean) Bard 1
NG Medium humanoid (human)
Initiative +2; Senses Perception +5

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Defense
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AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10 (+2 dex)
HP 11 (1d8+3)
Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +3

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Offense
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Speed 30 feet
Melee longsword +3 (1d8+3, 19/20 x2), dagger +3 (1d4+3, 19/20x2)
Ranged dagger +2 (1d4+3, 19/20x2)

Bard spells known (caster level 1st, Conc. +5)

1st (2/day) – saving finale, silent image (DC 15)
0 (at will) – ghost sound (DC 15), dancing lights, mage hand, message

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Statistics
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Str 16, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 18
BA +0; CMB +3; CMD 15

Feats: Lingering Performance, Arcane Strike (+1), Combat Casting
Skills: Diplomacy +8, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (Arcana) +8, Knowledge (Engineering) +8, Knowledge (History) +8, Knowledge (any with no ranks) +4, Linguistics +7, Perform (act) +10, Perform (dance) +8, Perform (sing) +8, Perception +5, Stealth +6
Languages: Common (Taldane), Ancient Osirian, Draconic, Elven, Silvan, Infernal
Traits: Savant (act), Overwhelming beauty
SQ: bardic knowledge, bardic performance (standard action, 8 rds/day, fascinate, inspire courage +1, countersong, distraction)

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Gear:
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WIP

whisperline
pen and paper
whistle
torch
water
lighter
mirror

???
Entertainer's outfit (free)
Kalamnes' armor (as Parade armor - 25 gp)
Stage longsword (15 gp)
Dagger (2gp)
???