Astyanax

Astyanax was the representative for Bradel Fields on the Alliance War Council. He also acted as the main general of the Alliance forces in strategy and in battle. Astyanax was captured and tortured by a demon during the Second Alliance War leading to a profound change in his personality. While previously he had been a righteous paladin and champion of the weak, after his trauma he became a ruthless dictator over Bradel Fields. This transformation helped the war effort, but alienated his former friends. When Amalius took over the Second Alliance he found himself unable to manipulate Astyanax through diplomacy or magic. The warrior’s stubborn resistance to Amalius eventually led to his death by assassination.

Astyanax was born to Hector and Andromache of Bradel Fields. Hector had been the leading politician of Bradel Fields. Hector became friends with Terroc after the wizard and his adventuring group stopped an assassination attempt during Hector’s wedding to Andromache. Astyanax was born a few months after the wedding around the start of the First Alliance War. Hector perished in the war leaving Astyanax without a father during his childhood.

Astyanax would grow up to replace his father. He trained to be a knight in Bradel Fields’ famous cavalry. He gained promotions and acclaim for his performance in border skirmishes with Dalleer. Meanwhile, Andromache ran the noble family’s businesses and acquired or built more properties within Bradel Fields to improve the family’s voting power. The combination of military, economic, and political power made Astyanax a powerful force in city politics. When Bradel Fields joined the Second Alliance Astyanax stepped up to gain more power and fame for his family.

During the Second Alliance War the Alliance sought the Tome of Agamemnon in the tunnels beneath Bradel Fields. Astyanax went into the tunnels with other key members of the Alliance to retrieve the Tome. During the exploration Astyanax was captured by a sorrow demon and his companions were forced to retreat. They later returned and slew the demon, but were too late; Astyanax had been tortured to death.

Astyanax was too important to the war effort to leave him dead. The War Council arranged for his resurrection. While he returned to life, his mind remained broken by the torture and his face was still missing half its skin due to the damage the demon had inflicted. The once courageous paladin became a depressed recluse. Terroc sought to help his friend by giving him a magical mask that enhanced feelings of heroism. Astyanax recovered in private before storming into a War Council meeting to execute the Bradel Fields Council and take control as tyrant of Bradel Fields.

Astyanax’s steadfast morals of before shifted to victory at any cost. He drafted goblin slaves to refill Alliance ranks after the loss of Phoenix. His spoiled daughter, Cassandra, was married off to the madman of Dalleer, Björn, in exchange for a military alliance. He killed Talos to secure the Geyser of Talos for the soldier making ritual within the Tome of Agamemnon. Finally, he voted with Arendil to expel his friend, Amalius, from the Alliance due to the psion’s lineage.

Astyanax would continue to fight and die for the Second Alliance. He stood against the Brute during the sahuagin invasion of Bradel Fields and was slain. After resurrection he was killed by King Jevaninada II‘s necrotic bomb that devastated Bradel Fields. Astyanax was resurrected by Amalius once again, but their relationship was strained forever after. Astyanax celebrated when the Second Alliance War ended. He was left without a city, but at least the fight had gone their way in the end.

After the war, Astyanax led an effort to reclaim Bradel Fields with the goblin slaves he had drafted. Amalius disagreed with this abuse of goblin lives. He attempted to convince Astyanax, but failed. He failed to dominate the resolute paladin as well. Amalius was forced to assassinate Astyanax to prevent the deaths of thousands of goblins. The assassination was blamed on Amalgami. Astyanax was burned with great honors and he is remembered as the greatest and last hero of Bradel Fields.