Skeleton King

"The warmth of life stands before me. Prepare yourself, mortal, to serve my masters for eternity!"

Character Name(s): Augustus Gennaios / Skeleton King

Good or Evil: Evil

Age / Birthday: 53 / January 16

Physical Appearance: stands approximately seven feet tall; despite having a wiry frame, remains quite heavy; body consists of a bare skeleton with patches of rotted flesh remaining, especially around the face; wears random light armor on his body, mostly leather clothing and plate armor combined with chain mail, as well as his crown from when Gennaios was the mortal King of Caerleon (the crown is now enchanted); his face is lean and soft, with a wide, lipless mouth, empty black eyesockets and puckered, doughy flesh remaining, with stringy white hair at the back of the head.

Personality: Like all undead, the Skeleton King has no true personality, although attributes from his previous life remain. The Skeleton King is interested only in tampering with the processes of life and death, as well as battling Soldiers of Light: he harbors an intense hatred for the Light and life. He is both very intelligent and clever, possessing speech abilities and decision-making powers.

History: Augustus Gennaios was, until recently, the King of Caerleon. He and his wife ruled over the original Moon Kingdom, proving to be a wise and popular King. He raised a daughter, Theia Caerleon, who later beame a Soldier of Light. Like his father and forefathers, Gennaios's greatest trouble was the Order of Azazrael, which had been terrorizing the Moon since the first Kings. Gennaios was able to keep the Order reasonably contained, but his efforts were in vain: recruiting new forces strengthened the Order, and an assault on the Lunar Palace resulted in the King and Queen being assassinated. The demons were driven from the Palace and Gennaios buried. Unfortunately, the cemetary used was also the lair of the Order's second-best, The Flayer. Gennaios was revived and his tortured spirit, now a miserable specter, possessed his old body and rose as a Servant of Darkness. Gennaios is now known as the Skeleton King, as he possesses powers to summon undead and lords over a variety of skeletons, zombies, ghouls, and other horrors from beyond the grave. His base of operations is Gennaios's crypt, where he wallows in his shame over failing to contain the Order, guilt at his present fate, and anguish against his earthly prison.

Strengths: physical strength; immune to physical pain and all forms of poison; able to revive the dead.

Weaknesses: the inevitable decay brought by nature weakens the Skeleton King's physical form, but his necromantic powers keep his corpse in shape. He can be harmed by positive energy (that used by the Light) in all its forms (especially fire).

Hobbies: reviving undead from the mortals he slays

Favorite Color(s): none

Likes / Dislikes: death, pain necromancy / the Light and all it stands for

Weapon (if one): Sword of Kings (greatsword with mithril blade)

Attacks:

Bone Warrior Recruit
As a powerful undead figure, the Skeleton King can control the skeletal remains of deceased creatures. Invoking this spell causes a nightmarish jumble of animated bones to rise from a fresh corpse. Animated partially through their own will and partially through the summoned spirits of ancient warriors, the King always maintains a small host of these reanimated soldiers to do their bidding.

Bone Mage Recruit
Dead warriors are not the only heroes that the Skeleton King may summon to inhabit his creations: he regales in raising the corpses of long dead wizards and bending them to his will.

Bloom Golem Summon
The Skeleton King gives life to a creature neither living nor dead, yet formed of human tissue. This homunculus gains nourishment from the fresh blood of its slain enemies, from which it replenishes its strength. Tied to the Skeleton King through the undead's own blood, the Blood Golem is able to share this stolen life force with his master. Unfortunately, the link flows both ways, and any damage taken by the Golem is also transmitted to the caster.

Revive
Summoning and reviving the dead is a skill inherent in the more powerful figures of death. The perfect reanimation and control of a dead creature, maintaining the purity and properties of its body while releasing its soul, allows the Skeleton King full control.

Resist Life
Powerful heat, freezing cold and intense electrical attacks can take a serious toll on the bound servants of the Skeleton King. Having developed this skill, the King can permeate his summoned minions with a protective energy that strengthens their protection to the natural and mystical elements alike.