SC / Ariston

Name: Ariston Pythias
Class: Soldier Trainee -> Knight -> General
Humanity: Medium-High
Character Skill: Guard
Affinity: Terayvere
Class Skill: Brace for Impact: Instead of attacking during his turn, Pythias can set his Evasion to 0 to gain +2 DEF and +1 RES.
Personal Fault: 'Fat Rolling': If Pythias is attacked on the Enemy Phase, he has -15 EVA against every subsequent enemy attacker.
Personal Skill: Familiar Weaponry: If Pythias is wielding a weapon of the Bludgeoning category, +2 SKL.
/Personal Skill: A Wall Is Meant To Protect: When Ariston is not within 3 spaces of 3 enemies, +1 MOV
//Personal Skill: The Stone Wall of Mir: When using Guard, Pythias gains +2 DEF.
Preferred Stats: Defence, HP
Weapon Proficiencies: Bludgeon (C), Axe (D)

Level: 4
Total Level: 8

Progression Spent: 330/330

Class Skills:

Special: Armoured
Passive Effect
Knights have a damage threshold of 2 + 10% of their Defence or Resistance (rounded down),
depending on the enemy's attack. Any damage that deals less than the threshold is reduced to 0.
Hold The Line
Activated Effect
If the character with this skill hasn't used any of their MOV points this turn, they can choose to spend
all their MOV to remain in place, and prevent the enemy from entering melee range with the character
until the start of the character's next round.

Current Stats:

HP: 20 (60%)
STR: 4 (60%)
MAG: 0 (0%)
SKL: 3+2 (60%)
CON: 5
AID: 4
LUK: 1+2 (60%)
DEF: 5 (60%)
RES: 0 (10%)
SPD: 2 (25%) (promo+5%)
MOV: 4

Current Stats

HP: 25
STR: 8
MAG: 0
SKL: 8
CON: 9
AID: 8
LUK: 7
DEF: 14
RES: 0
SPD: 2
MOV: 4

Inventory:
Name 		| Type ( ) | Rng | Wt | Mt | Hit | Cr | Ql
Hatchet 	| Thrw (E) | 1-2 |  5 |  4 |  85 |  5 | 5/35
Estus Flask |	2/2	   | 10HP
Rusted Axe 	| Hack (E) |  1  | 10 | 7  | 75  | 3  | 0/5 Broken!
Iron Axe 	| Hack (E) |  1  | 10 |  8 | 75  | 0  | 36/45 [E]
Rubbish		| Worthless rubbish. Utterly useless.

W/ Hatchet		w/ Rusted Axe	W/ Iron Axe
MT: 12			MT: 15			MT: 16
Hit: 104		Hit: 94			Hit: 94
AS: 2			AS: 2			AS: 2
Eva: 10			Eva: 10			Eva: 10
Crt: 9			Crt: 7			Crt: 4
Dg: 7			Dg: 7			Dg: 7

Supports:
Damon C: Hit +2.5, eva +7.5, crit +2.5, dg +2.5

Levels:
Lvl2: +HP, +SKL, +LUK, +DEF
Lvl3: +HP, STR, LCK
Lvl4: +LCK, +DEF from pref stats
Promo: HP +2 STR +1 MAG +0 SKI +0 CON +4 AID +4 LUC +0 DEF +4 RES +0 SPD +0 MOV 4

Lvl2: +STR, SKL, LCK, DEF
Lvl3: +STR, +DEF
Lvl4: +HP, +SKL, +DEF

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Bio: You can find some of the details of Pythias's life in any serious history book, but the best account of his story is found in the works of Gilroy Mac Aodha - specifically, the second volume of his romanticization of the civil war of Mir, which lasted for two hundred years before the land was unified under a new name. Of course, this all happened several hundred years ago, and what Mir became has long disappeared, absorbed by a larger kingdom which in turn fell to another, and another, until no one is quite sure where it was or what it stood for.

According to Guardians And Lions (Volume two of four: Children Of The Revolution, Guardians And Lions, Duke Without Shame, and The Last Days Of Mir), Ariston Pythias was born in a small farming village near the castle of Mir, and grew up strong and humble as he assisted his father and uncles. When Duke Kleisthan started his rebellion, it is said that the young Pythias reported immediately to the castle and joined the army, where he would meet his closest ally and fiercest rival: the captain of the unit he was assigned to, Damon.

It is unknown if Pythias and Damon butted heads in history quite as often as they do in the story, but it is known for certain that despite their differences Damon proved to be an effective mentor for young Pythias, and he learned the ways of war quickly and effectively. Having always been strong from working the land, Pythias is romanticized with the title 'The Stone Wall of Mir', and many times in the book he is credited for holding strategic locations with just his war mace, tower shield, and heavy armor. It is not mentioned as much in historical records, though a letter from one general that was found noted that Pythias and Damon together were, indeed, likened to a 'stone wall' in the defense of a certain bridge, holding it for several hours on their own until reinforcements could arrive. Historians interested in Mir debate whether this was due to their skill or their choice of an effective chokepoint, but regardless, this does seem factual.

In Guardians And Lions, resentment flares between Ariston and Damon for several chapters when the young Pythias is chosen for promotion to a general position over the more experienced Damon, although again it is uncertain if this is Gilroy adding drama or historically accurate. Historians of Mir do note that the country's habit of picking their generals based on physical rather than mental prowess is probably what led to its fall. Regardless, the two continued to work well and effectively together, until a chapter known as The Siege Of Karthmere Citadel.

The most dramatic chaper of Guardians And Lions, it details how the rebel general Cyrus Simonides manages to trick Pythias into dividing his forces to attack both entrances of the citadel, and how this tactical error led to the capture of many of his soldiers, including Damon. Cyrus threatened to execute Damon unless Pythias surrendered, and in what is romanticized as the ultimate act of friendship, the Stone Wall of Mir set aside his shield and mace and gave himself up to free his friend.

His sacrifice was for naught, as Cyrus hung them both from the gallows and tore apart the now-leaderless battalion. And that is where Pythias's story ends.

History is less kind to him than even Gilroy's works.

When Pythias surrendered, he was taken down to the dungeons beneath Karthmere along with his soldiers, where they were locked up... and Cyrus then proceeded to have his own troops brick over the stairs leading down to the cells, leaving them to die a slow death of dehydration and starvation. Even the young and strong Pythias wasted away, dying within the week. His life was over, but his existence was not.

Ariston Pythias became one of the first, if unknown, Undead.

For centuries, he was kept human by his feelings of despair, guilt, and rage, and by his friend Damon who was the only other person who shared his ultimate fate. But as year followed year there in the darkness, he felt himself slipping away, wondering what he was holding on for... until the day something changed. The sounds of stone crumbling. Light. Human voices; rough, coarse voices. Footsteps approaching his cell. Words he could barely remember the meaning of; "search for anything valuable." He could smell, almost taste their existence. He grabbed one of the rusted, mostly broken swords of one of his soldiers, knowing Damon was doing the same, and instinctively the pair fell upon the intruding grave robbers and took their Humanity back for themselves.

The pair escaped the crumbling ruins of Karthmere Citadel and, refreshed by their newfound if ill-gotten Humanity, tried to figure out what to do. Ever the smarter of the pair, Damon eventually suggested they head for the gates of Truskhang, to appeal to the gods and try to figure out how to break the curse. Ariston agreed, and the duo set off for the sealed gates...

In terms of physical appearance, Ariston still looks to be the same young man he was when he died, about 21 or 22, tall at 6'5, muscular, a bit handsome in a sort of folksy country-boy way. His armor consists of layers upon layers of dark steel plate, lined with a crimson metal for effect, and a brown surcoat with white lining and a high collar. He carries a helmet, but only wears it in battle to protect his head. His clothes are rarely visible in the chinks of his armor, but appear to be the same dark gray color.