About LycaneusBackground:
Born to Athena by Hesiod, the twins were quickly parted. Hesiod did not want his great wealth to turn the boys against each other, so when Athena brought him his sons, he begged her to leave Leandros, the elder, and see to the well-being of the younger. The elder's place was as well assured as any could be, so she took the younger son, whom she named Lycaneus, and gave him to her servant, Nike. Nike was instructed to find the boy a foster home where he could learn the things he would need to take his own place in the world as an adult, and to watch over him to ensure that he would have the opportunities to do so. Knowing that hardship, dedication, training and, above all, yearning for success are key components of victory, Nike took young Lycaneus and fostered him with Prochoros, an older, retired soldier who kept a meager flock of only a few sheep. Prochoros neither had nor truly wanted more after surviving his time away at war. But his home was in the village of Tiryns, home of Chiron, the trainer of great and mighty heroes. Nike took the form of Euthymia, a local crone known to be a follower of Persephone, and came to Prochoros' home at dusk, carrying the toddler boy. She told him that the goddess had made it clear to her that he was the best choice to care for and raise the boy, Lycaneus, and that he would continue to thrive as long as the boy lived under his roof. Nike did not reveal anything of Lycaneus' parentage. To many a young man, the difference between living a long life and thriving towards the end of a long life goes unnoticed. To an old man, however, the difference is very significant. Prochoros could not refuse an offer to return to being more physically capable while raising the boy. He correctly reasoned that he had been identified as the best choice because of how he went about his life, and so he changed as little of it as he could while including the boy into it. The lack of material goods and wealth as Lycaneus grew built a desire to have the things that he saw others acquiring. This provided both a basic hardship and the yearning. Prochoros provided the basics of training, as any warrior should to a boy growing under his care and guidance. Thus, Nike's choice of a foster home was proven. While still a young boy, Lycaneus took to running. He quickly proved to be faster than boys a handful of years older than himself, and much quicker than other boys his own age. Prochoros taught Lycaneus to properly throw a spear, though the spears they practiced with were mostly wood gathered for their fires and not true instruments of war. They also spent time grappling. As is normally the case, the adult easily dominated the small child. As Lycaneus grew, however, his skill at grappling seemed to grow far faster than his body. Nike ensured that Chiron saw the boy out-running and out-wrestling his peers. The centaur recognized the potential, but had no desire to separate the boy from the father who had managed to do so well raising him to this point. As he approached puberty, Lycaneus demanded a place in the competitions during a harvest festival. The organizer started to refuse, ready to cite the boy's youth. Chiron was present with his students of the moment, including Heracles, and he chose to speak up at this point, instructing them to allow the child to compete. After all, there was no fear that the child would defeat the men . . .. During the footrace, of course, Lycaneus did exactly that, outrunning the older competitors. He still lost, but he lost to one of Chiron's students. He fared far more poorly during the spear contests, falling into the middle of the performances. The majority of the young men found Lycaneus difficult to hold onto during the grappling contest, though. His smaller, lither form allowed him to avoid being pinned multiple times and a purely opportunistic response garnered him more pins than anyone expected. Several rounds before the grappling tournament would be concluded, though, one young man, Praxiteles, decided that he could not bear the insult of being bested by a child and attacked Lycaneus from behind, with no warning, after the match had been declared finished. Nike was watching, and she did something she had never before done for Lycaneus, or since, she warned him. Lycaneus simply felt hands attempting to grapple him before Praxitelese actually reached him, so that he responded before he was actually trapped. As this grapple was quickly becoming less competitive and more aggressive, the young Heracles stepped in and pulled the two apart, holding each at arm's length on either side. Lycaneus didn't win the grappling competition, either. That one was won by Heracles, of course. After this competition ended, but the festival was still being celebrated, Chiron offered to take Lycaneus on as a student. His performance in the competition made it clear that Lycaneus was at least favored by the gods, if not descended from them. Such favor has always been enough for the trained, prepared and dedicated to become great heroes. Lycaneus almost refused, not wanting to leave his father alone. Prochoros cried, realizing that his vigor was surely ended, but knowing without a doubt that Lycaneus had to have sprung from the loins of a god and that Chiron's training was obviously what the boy needed. Thus, Prochoros accepted the offer from Chiron on Lycaneus' behalf. Trying to be the good son, Lycaneus found himself obliged to learn from Chiron or refuse the very father he had been trying to honor. Prochoros did not wake the morning after Lycaneus moved into Chiron's training camp. Chiron trained Lycaneus to increase his athleticism beyond where it had already developed, and improved his concepts of warfare and the uses of the three primary kinds of spears (throwing, short and long), but was always clear that the training was preparation to learn, not all that should be known. Lycaneus knows that he was fostered, but he knows nothing of his parents or that he has a twin. He's been told that others think one of his parents was a god, but nobody knows which one it could be. At this point, Chiron and the other students are the closest thing he has to a family. Athena was angry with Hesiod for refusing to take both of his sons, but she chose to temper her anger in order to see Leandros have the best opportunities that he could be provided. He had all the advantages of wealth and position, including focused training and leisure. He was also made aware of his heritage. His father actually advertised it, playing to his own ego at having bedded a goddess while also instilling fear that the city and his people had the favor and protection of his son's mother. Leandros developed an inordinate expectation of privilege for himself and subservience from others as a result. Shortly after hair declared Leandros a man, Hesiod met with an unfortunate accident, as Athena finally expressed her anger over his refusal of the second son those many years before.
Combat:
Init +3
Move 30' (x5) Lawful Good BAB+0 Melee+2 Ranged+3 CMB+2 (Str+2, Dex+3)
Unarmed can do lethal or non-lethal at no penalty
AC16 T16 F13 CMD18 (Dex+3, Wis+3, Str+2, BAB+0) +2 CMD for Grapple HP10 (8+[Con+2x1]) Fort +4 (Con+2)
+2 Trait vs Charms, Compulsions & Emotional effects See Invisibility 1/Day - Spell Like ability
Skills:
4+1 Int+1 Favored Class
Modifier Skill Attribute+Ranks+Class+Specified(+Conditional) +10+Acrobatics 3+1+3+2 Racial+1 Acrobat(+4 on Running Jumps) + 1 Appraise 1+0+0 - 1 Bluff 1+0+0-2 Principled + 6 Climb 2+1+3 (Only -2 for accelerated climbs) + 1 Craft 1+0+0 + 5 Diplomacy 1+1+3 + 1 Disguise 1+0+0 + 3 Escape Artist 3+0+0 + 5 Fly 3+0+0+2 Racial + 3 Heal 3+0+0 + 1 Intimidate 1+0+0 + 5 Knowledge (Religion) 1+1+3 + 3 Perception 3+0+0 + 5 Perform (Oratory) 1+1+3 + 3 Ride 3+0+0 + 3 Sense Motive 3+0+0 + 3 Stealth 3+0+0 + 3 Survival 3+0+0 + 6 Swim 2+1+3 Feats & Traits:
Feats (as planned)
.1 Run M1 Improved Grapple M2 Endurance .3 Athletic/Acrobatic/Dodge ?? .5 Defensive Combat Training M6 Greater Grapple .7 Weapon Finesse .9 Weapon Focus (Unarmed) MA Rapid Grapple Traits
Generation Notes:
Attributes
Points Race 5 14 S 14 +2 5 14 D 16 +3 5 14 C 14 +2 3 13 I 13 +1 5 14 W 16 +3 2 12 H 12 +1 Aasimar - Plumekith
Monk (Greco-Roman Athlete) 1
Greco-Roman Athlete Monk Archetype:
Unlike Monks of the Far East and India, the Greco-Roman Athlete does not engage in mystical meditation, but focuses on the principles of Arete -- or Excellence -- in Athletic pursuits. The Adventuring Greco-Roman Athlete also learns Pankration -- a Martial Art that specializes in utilizing all of the body's strength to defeat one's foes. The name means "All Powers" or "All Strength" depending on the translation. It's a no holds barred martial art where it's Olympic form does not embrace biting (for reasons of hygiene, a human can transmit Tetanus through biting), or eye gouging -- however Adventuring Athletes will use these techniques.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Greco-Roman Athletes are proficient with the club, crossbow (light or heavy), dagger, handaxe, javelin, discuss, shortspear, shot-put, quarterstaff, sling, and spear. Pankration Style: at 1st level, the adventuring Greco-Roman Athlete learns the Pankration style feat. This replaces the stunning fist feature. Bonus Feat: Add Endurance to the Greco-Roman Athlete's bonus feat list at 1st level. Add Greater Grapple to the bonus feat list at 6th level. Add Rapid Grapple to the bonus feat list at 10th level. Pankratic Expertise: At 4th Level, the Greco-Roman Athlete gains the Combat Expertise feat, and his specialized training grants his unarmed attacks the ability to count as magical weapons. This ability replaces the Ki Pool. Pankratic Crippling Strike: At 7th level, she gains the Crippling Critical feat, and her specialized training now grants her unarmed attacks the ability to count as Cold Iron and Silver weapons. his ability replaces Wholeness of Body. Advanced Pankration Training: At 10th level the Greco-Roman Athlete gains the Vital Strike feat and his unarmed attacks now count as Lawful weapons. At 15th level, he gains the Improved Vital Strike feat. At 16th level, he gains the Deadly Stroke feat and his unarmed attacks count as Adamantine weapons. At 19th level, the Greco-Roman Athlete gains the Greater Vital Strike feat. This ability replaces Abundant Step, Quivering Palm and Empty Body abilities. ---- Pankration Style (Combat, Style)
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