“…I interacted frequently with him before the time of the Great War. He was as so many rebellious young irregular fighters from the southeast, deeply troubled by the state of the central Kingdom. I am not certain whether or not he used the name Leonidas before or after he arrived in Rinyldissen, but he was deeply in awe with the old Greek classics. I found him an inflexible, agitated, resentful fighter. He had this dark brooding glare. He always wanted to compete at every instance. In his early 20s he became enmeshed with the cult of Heiegos, which in good Nea Hemera practice he referred to in the old titular – Ares – and quicly roze through the ranks as temple warrior. His family was from inland north right of Eris, and they were very rich – wine, distillates, horses, real estate, shipping. His father was ultraconservative and aloof of military matters, but died from an accident when Leonidas was a young boy. Leonidas pined for a bygone age that never existed and I believe the temple abused his fervor for their own ends. Leonidas was incapable of intrigue, and ws frequently challenged in duels, which he always won and which he always disposed off with no quarter. At age 28 he was an attractive, vey densely muscled but quite socially raw individual. The temple, as was their habit, set up miracles and Leonidas attracted a cult following of Greek irregulars (quite often of a more than moderately Orange persuasion). Several years after that the legends started and at age 35 he was inducted as Warrior-Priest, went through the cycle of exhibiting miracles, and aquired immortality in some undefined manner. Shortly after he became incredibly rich through some undefined manner. This was around the emergence of Yoric I, the first rebellion. It was a period of considerale political turmoil, rivalrous factions. The King at the time was weak and isolated at his court. When Yoric laid siege to Rinyldissen the city was teeming with cynicism. Half the city lay in ruins, population numbers never were as low as in that era, nothing fuctioned. Leonidas was not very friendly with the Purple at the time – he wasn’t an imperialist considering his Nea Hemera nationalism. He was only interested in war and conquest and glory. He didn’t give a damn about women or luxuries or power. In his own way he was therefore hard to corrupt. As Yoric I became the de facto Dictator of Rinyldissen the central Kingdom experienced a renaissance and Leonidas was instrumental in thousands of housing projects, rebuilding large sections of the city. Leonidas and Yoric barely interacted personably, but saw eye to eye about martial matters. Thus Leonidas was critical in the construction of the ill-fated Arena….”
— Korribis of Slanthe
“…When I arrived in Rinyldissen, the city was thriving. To be Rinyldissen was not a particularly big city – About half Dylath Leeen in population numbes at the time. Leonidas was firmly established and maintained some level of understanding with the most relevant powerplayers at the time. I saw him interact with Cyryn, Durad, Adaldor, Bulin, Shmee and many others that maxed out in their niche, and cooperate with considerable aloofness. Yoric II had been assassinated, and many were dabbling in the darkest arts. Several such folks closed a deal they shouldn’t have and summoned the Dark One. Leonidas stood idly by with mostly disinterest as the Dark One rose to power, became a Dragon. Although this may have saved the Kingdom of Mankind from the Abominations, the Great War was horrific beyond words. Daimion used up the Kingdom as if one slaughters livestock, using the darkest of magic to turn millions into horrendously ruthless monsters. Daimion called up the forces of Hell itself and in an alliance with all major political elites of the time was instrumental in bringing down the armies of Kothlothlu in the far east. But he was little better himself, and needed to be disposed off. I had to personally challenge Leonidas in single combat and sent one of my strongst clone-simulacra to fight him in a magic void zone. Leonidas greatly surprised me – he nearly disposed off my clone. I rarely misread and underestimated one so young – barely half a century old – but he was already one of the best fighters I had ever met, and specifiocally without magic he was a very effective killer. But my challenge did prompt him into action, and it took the Kingdoms several years to disposed off Daimion. I was a horrible period I don’t remember fondly, in particular on account of the plagues and the persisten treachery everywhere. Leonidas thrived. What we didn’t realize is he quickly after consolidated his hold over many of the former legions of Daimion. He became a demigod shortly after, attained near mythical veneration in Carthazar. With such a foul inheritance of power, Leonidas became widely hated. He was in a blind, unable to relinquish this power but he himself probably more disgusted by this legacy. He faded into obscurity as he could never publicly come out and openly act – he was one of the first to succumb to the War of Curses. The name Leonidas was forgotten over hundeds of years and he became known as The Master. So right now he is probably the singlemost hostile agent opposing the Kingdom. This ‘Master’ – or Leonidas – is deeply Orange and he actively seeks to undermine the Kingdom at every turn….”
- — Marcus Draaken
Leonidas is over a thousand years old, a demigod and a near indestructible killing machine. He is allegedly seven foot tall, densely muscled, strong as a giant and can shoot lightning bolts at will.
Other stories tell of a deeply flawed, tragic, exceptionally stubborn individual that is in a constant state of near hysterical outrage at the demands of his deity towards utter ruthlessness, a desire for honor and glory, a hunger for acknowledgement.
He isn’t regarded as particular competent in social matters, but his military power is considerable. Officially Leonidas acts as nothing more than a criminal mastermind – but since he is a saint of Heiegos, there are many in the Legions that care what he has to say.
Many centuries ago Leonidas used to be an opportunistic soldier from Nea Hemera that at one time started actively styling him after a more mythological (and possibly fictional) folk hero from apocryphal Nea Hemera mythology. Right now few people know of this backstory.
Leonidas hates the Kingdom and felt over and over betrayed, belittled or humiliated by the ambiguity. He hates Rinyldissen, as he invested a century in the city to turn it to Heiegos, and his works were left in a state of utter squallorous disregard (See : Arena). Leonidas was a contemporary of the likes of Durad, Cyryn, Turgond, Adaldor and others.
These days he is a major usurpur of what once constituted the power of Daimion I – Leonidas is associated with (or allied with) Hobgoblins and Werewolves, but primarily fosters and favors his “Myrmidon” shock troops.
Allegedly he operates outside the Kingdom “on one of the islands” west of Atlantis, but in practice he moves secretly underground from temple to temple in Nea Hemera. He is very much the subject of The Curse War (qv) and is effectively unable to exert any personal influence on events, and he is left to work through intermediaries, often at mediocre result. He is also on the “kill on sight” list of several Knights orders of the Kingdom.