Dante of Alikandri

The Champion of Aeronwen

> Aldor: "*It's clearly a trap."*
>
>
> Taldos: "*What should we do?"*
>
>
> Dante: "*Let's spring the trap"*
>
>
>
> - A conversation with friends.
>
>

**Dante of Alikandri,** formerly **Androkles the Magnificent**, is the greatest (and most handsome) warrior of all time. Since returning to the material plane, he has conquered everything in his path with fierce determination, finely tuned instincts, expertly practiced manoeuvres, and some help from his friends.

## History

### Before Hell

Born some years ago, Androkles showed promise in the sporting circles of Ancient Partha. He won his first gold at 14, and by 16 he was placing in the top 5 at every event he attended. The people of Alikandri and across Partha revered him as a champion and this adoration coupled with his affluent upbringing lead him to be impatient and arrogant. Although he was only predicted to improve, Androkles was impatient to be the best athlete of all time and sought a sorcerer of House Papadopoulos who was reputed to have the ability to grant any wish.

The sorcerer summoned a beautiful devil by the name of Circe who had long ashen hair and piercing red eyes. Androkles was immediately besotted. Circe promised Androkles ten years of fame, riches and glory, and that he would be remembered as the greatest athlete of all time. Besotted by her beauty and swept up in the promise of his deepest desires coming true, Androkles signed the contract without reading it, a mistake he would never make again.

For ten years, Androkles enjoyed a life of fame and renown. His prowess at every skill meant that he won easily and with each passing year, Androkles became more careless and arrogant. He fought and killed without remorse, he took any woman he wanted without thought, and earned a reputation as the cruellest man alive. After ten years, Circe appeared to him in the night and dragged his soul down to the Nine Hells where he was to serve for the rest of his existence on the front lines of the Blood War.

### In Hell

Androkles spent 4,121 years in the Nine Hells, fighting almost constantly against demons more horrific than his worst nightmares. Across the millennia, Androkles began to repent his actions and realised the error of his ways. He accepted his eternal servitude in the Nine Hells as his punishment for all the suffering he caused.

### After Hell

On the 5th of the Radiant Moon, during his return to camp for his break, the world shifted, and he was suddenly no longer in the Nine Hells but in a street by the ocean. Before him stood a figure which he later could not describe, other than it was glowing bright gold and had the most gentle voice which seemed to caress his soul. The glowing figured was Erogas, God of Glory, and explained to Androkles that he was now to be known as Dante, and that Erogas had heard his repentance and was giving him a second chance. He was assigned to protect a group of adventurers and if he should complete this Holy Mission, he would be rewarded with his soul being freed from Circe's grasp forever. Dante conveyed this information to Aldor, Mirror, and Marcie who loved him.

Dante was devoted to Erogas, but during his travels Erogas noted that Dante was impulsive and passionate. His love for Dante could not ignore these traits and he gifted Dante to his most precious friend and Goddess of Hope, Aeronwen. Dante has served Aeronwen faithfully and without fault, and in return she grants him her power and use of her Holy items. She has great hope for Dante.

In his travels with The Chosen, Dante has acted bravely and selflessly. He sold his valuable Alikandrian coins to obtain money for the party, he made friends with the rulers of the city who provided accommodation for the night. The following day, Dante secured passage on a ship to Rondill where his friends were headed. On the way, the Gehenna Hound was attacked and had to stop at Devil's Wharf where the party recruited Taldos and Ser Jules. In Devil's Wharf, The Chosen were attacked by the Drowned Dead and barely made it out alive while Devil's Wharf burned behind them. They travelled on to Sartosa where the main crew were arrested and The Chosen were hired as mercenaries by the guards.

In Sartosa, Dante and his friends disposed of rat men who worshipped Athera, saved the city from Sauhagin who were murdering smugglers, and saved a tavern from a Water Weird where Dante bravely dove into the well where the Weird dwelled and travelled to the elemental plane of water. Having dealt with the threats in Sartosa, the party were directed to the north of the island where they might find a boat to get them to Aeronwen's Rest where Dante had been told to visit. Marcie however, decided to stay in Sartosa working in a high class tavern as their singer. Dante would miss her forevermore.

The Chosen braved the Dead Fens, walking through deadly acid rain and fighting disease as they travelled. Midway through, the party found a corrupted shrine of Annera which they cleared of the presence of Nefet, causing the cursed god to develop a personal hatred for the Chosen.

The Chosen emerged from the Dead Fens to encounter a Hag who they benevolently killed to save future travellers from her clutches. They travelled on to Green Hill, and then to Scuttler's Point in search of a boat. In Green Hill they found more of the Drowned Dead and fought them off, saving the town's people. In Scuttler's Point, the party encountered Captain Nightingale of the Golden Gull who agreed to take them to Castlegar where The Chosen could sneak into Barrenmoor under the guise of merchants.

In Barrenmoor, the party were followed and attacked by sneaky and honourless foes known as the Sworn Swords. Taldos was familiar with them as they were from his homeland in the South of the world. After meeting with a member of the Hand, an organisation known to Taldos, The Chosen discovered that their contact had been bought by the Sworn Swords and the party were attacked in a place they deemed to be safe. After defeating their enemy, the party followed some stragglers to an abandoned warehouse where they found a half-dragon, an old enemy of Taldos, and some more rat people. The cowardly vampire and the old enemy fled from the might of Dante and his friends, and The Chosen killed the rat people who were an affront to nature.

The following day, rested and healed, Dante and friends returned to the warehouse where they found a secret entrance to a sewer where they thought the remaining rat people might be hiding. In the sewers they found the vampire Sin Keizer, or something, and Taldos' enemy. Taldos fought, knocked out, and kidnapped his enemy while Dante fought Sod Keeler, duelling him and fending off his psychic attacks until his friend and companion, Ser Jules had his mind overtaken by the foul vampire. Dante downed Ser Jules to save Mirror, and bargained with Sed Kreeper for their lives while leaving Ser Jules behind. With a final prayer and goodbye to his friend, Dante fled his foe, vowing to revisit the fight and best him to avenge his fallen friend.

Emerging from the sewers broken spirited, The Chosen found Barrenmoor to be overrun with the Drowned Dead. Members of the Hand lead them from the overrun city to the wild hills of Sartosa. They split in order to confuse the drowned dead with a plan to meet at High Cove and sail a ship to Aeronwen's Rest to investigate the strange lights which had appeared above the island.

The Chosen arrived to find High Cove in control of the Drowned Dead who had killed the people who fought them but left those who surrendered. They snuck through to board their boat and made their way to Aeronwen's Rest. There, Aeronwen blessed Dante and aided The Chosen in halting Ker Seizer in performing a macabre ritual to summon a great evil. As reward for his faith, Dante is permitted to wield the fearsome Starscourge, infamous blade of Aeronwen.

On their return to Sartosa, emboldened by their victory against Sip Peeler, The Chosen dove deep underwater to face the Kraken of Sartosa, besting it in its own home and ending the sea glim which had been the bane of sailors for decades. By stopping the kraken and closing the portal it had opened to the elemental plane of water, the drowned dead disappeared and The Chosen rid the Island of Sartosa of all of its problems.

## Personality

> *"Hi, I'm Dante. I'm from Hell. I'm over 4,000 years old."*
> - Dante, upon meeting his friends for the first time.
>
>

## Relationships

> *"I'm beginning to learn that women aren't just sexual objects"*
> - Dante, on women
>
>