Lykus

## Blackguard Lykus Trodas

Lykus is a Paladin of Be'Torn hunting the Four Horsemen. He joined the party in Pavone, after learning the party had encountered the four horsemen in a dream. He is practical and harsh, but with a slightly softer undertone, uncharacteristic of your typical worshiper of Be'Torn.

The party does not trust him, but he is technically on good terms with them.

## Background

Lykus has not been forthcoming about his past, but some details have slipped out.

* He has lived on this plane since he was ten years old.
* He has been to Hades, the Astral Plane, and the Nine Hells
* The scar on his face was given to him by Nyle Carden.
* Five years ago, he played some essential role in breaking the siege of Salamondestron, and rooted out a traitor within their midst, saving one of Luracia's many allies from an undead invasion force.

## Campaign

### Aether Nightsong Arc

During the Aether Nightsong Arc, Lykus helped battle the Thri-kreen forces that invaded the city. He and the rest of Salvation's Grasp were kept out of the investigation until after the Psionic aether disappeared and he was able to persuade the party to let him accompany them in their hunt of the aetheryte crystal.

He supplied the party with limited information about The Four Horsemen, and their motiviations within the Drow civil war. He also served as a translator for Eero and Modokus with his psionics and as Minty's bodyguard as they travelled.

## Relationships

### Edric

Lykus sees Edric as an interesting man caught between what he wants to do, and what he wants to be done. He wants to roam a world ruled by men who see things the way he does, but is slowly coming to realize that if he wants the world ruled be people exactly like him, he has to be that ruler. Lykus quickly pegged Edric a man whose trusting nature has become a curse he inflicts upon himself. He is too quick to trust others' intentions, but fails to trust their competency. He allows anyone who volunteers to travel with him, but shuts down their input and sees them as nuisances more than allies. He's a man who can't feel safe unless he feels in control of everything and everyone around him. He is supremely competent in his craft, but is a far poorer judge of character than he thinks. Lykus has not been to Edric's home but he imagines Edric spent most of his time before adventuring in solitude, in libraries and workshops, preferring to stay around the inanimate things he can control, and avoiding the people he fails to contro. Lykus had hopes Edric could have become a powerful Acolyte of Be'Torn, but quickly realized this wasn't the case. With a different disposition, Edric could have been one of Be'Torn's greatest acolytes. But as he is, Edric has ironically become exactly what he sees his companions as: A tool blind to his greater purpose.

### Eero

Lykus pegged Eero as the party's ideal leader early on. He takes initiative, shows prodigal power and has earned the respect of his fellow warriors, despite coming from social disadvantage. With a blade, Lykus sees potential when he sees it, and o0n a battlefield, Eero has the potential to be a legendary soldier. But Eero falls critically short in his ability to plan ahead and in his conviction to do what's necessary. He's often paralyzed by indecisions. He has skill with his blade, but he doesn't know when to use it or why he should. He relies too much on others to tell him what she should want and has no vision for what change he wishes to exert onto the world. He uses values other have given him, never finding a philosophy of his own to stand on, and as such, he is always looking for someone else to tell him what he should do or want, preventing him from making a truly competent leader. He's not beyond saving, but he's become so addicted to peace, the thought of anything else frightens him.

### Elysian

Lykus has seen Elysian's type before, and he knows one thing: Men like Elysian are dangerous. Elysian bears an emotional wound that he wears like armor. His family was taken from him and that hurts him so deeply he is unable to process it. He has decided the only solution is to exact revenge and reclaim what was taken from him, then his wound will heal. Men like him are dangerous not only to their enemies, but also to their allies. When pushed where it hurts, Lykus is sure Elysian will throw caution and his allies' safety to the wind and accomplish his goal no matter the consequences. Lykus has seen adventurers similar to Elysian lead their allies straight to their deaths before. Lykus thinks Elysian stands a better chance at killing the party than anyone on their current list of enemies.

### Monana

Lukus thinks Monana is clever. She sees cause and effect in a way that few others do. Her training as an astrologian has not only taught her the craft, but it has internalized in her the concept of cause and effect, and she implements it well on the battlefield, turning disadvantage into advantage and using everything at her disposal to its greatest effect. She could be a politician if she could apply her knowledge of stacking the deck in her favor in instances of interpersonal motivations, rather than just in the stars and earthly terrain. She is surprisingly competent on the battlefield, but she cares far too much about pleasing the people around her to fully utilize her potential.

### Modokus

Modokus reminds Lykus of K, from his previous assignment. Frighteningly competent on the battlefield, content to stay quiet and observe, but quick to jump into action when the call arises. He listens to order well and his battlefield plans are good, but he lacks the tenacity to enforce them, and make the others listen to him. Perhaps he is so used to being shunned because of his mark that he forgot how much influence he truly has. Modokus, if nudged in the right direction, could become a powerful agent of Be'Torn.

### Leora

Lykus has pegged Leora as the mascot of the Barron's followers, as she exemplifies the main problem the majority of the Barron's party are plagued by. She has no conviction or direction, or change she wishes to impose upon the world. She drifts, drawing power from the authority of others without taking or holding any authority of her own. She chose this life as a distraction from her true burden she fears to face. Her time as a paladin will be short lived and uneventful if she is unable to confront her fears.

### Galvur

Galvur and Lykus' relationship is similar to the relationship of the most toxic siblings or rivals. They were raised together from when they were young teens in an environment where they both needed each other and needed to compete with each other to have their needs met. Their rivalry had more open animosity in the past. Their connection is nigh unbreakable, they both understand and resent each other. They work seamlessly together on the battlefield but would cut the other down in an instant if they thought it was in their best interest.

### Rothnar

Rothnar is the father figure Lykus looks up to. He doesn't love him, as love would have won Rothnar's disfavor, but he feel indebted to him and follows his teachings as best he knows how. Lykus doesn't truly understand Rothnar, and he wishes he did. Rothnar is an unshakeable rock, completely and utterly fixed in his conviction to War. He has a stability to his person that Lykus longs to understand and emulate in himself.

### Minty

Lykus is confused by Minty. Terrible things happen all around her and she remains unfased by them. He's not entirely sure if she just lacks the capacity to understand what is happening or if she truly has some quality inside her that allows her to hold onto her internal identity even when bad things surround her. He is intrigued by her, and keeps her sweater, both because it is the first gift he has ever been given for free, and because he wonders about her mindset often. In an odd way she annoys him, and also gives him hope for what might be possible in this world.

## Trivia

* Lykus was a player character in the Tesseralia Campaign.
* Lykus will never admit it, but he does like his sweater.
* Lykus' horse is named Umbrae, and it understands both common and infernal.
* Lykus can enter people's dreams using his psionics
* Lykus won his sword by killing a doppelganger of Galvur on Astral Island, and later improved it by integrating a shard of a Githyanki Kithrak's silver greatsword into it's blade.
* Lykus does like applesauce tea.