The Myth: According to the mythology of ancient Greece, King Lycaon was the king of Arcadia. He was known for being extraordinary cruel and to regularly challenge the gods themselves. It was this last vice which drew the attention of Zeus who arrived in mortal disguise to test and challenge King Lycaon. Lycaon was able to see through this disguise and decided to test the true might of a god, to see if Zeus was as omnipotent as others claimed the King of the Gods was. To test the god, King Lycaon killed his youngest son of Nyctimus, cut him up and served him in a dish as meat for the god. Zeus immediately detected the treachery, threw off his disguise to appear in his full godly glory, and proceeded to use his lightning bolts to destroy Lycaon’s palace. As for King Lycaon, Zeus turned him into a wolf and brought Nyctimus back to life. There were many who believed that King Lycaon stalked the night still, developing a taste of human flesh due to the horrific act of cannibalism that he performed.
The Truth: The true story is that King Lycaon was indeed a cruel and impious king of Arcadia and that he wishes to test the true powers of the gods. Perhaps even to storm Mount Olympus itself and overthrow the gods. To achieve his goal, the king turned to sorcery and began to gather as much magical knowledge as he could. King Lycaon tested many of these magical formula and studied what sources he could to become a sorcerer of some talent. As he did so, his ego grew and magnified. Eventually King Lycaon had his servants and slaves build a tower for ritual to try and achieve his ultimate goal: to reach out to Zeus and challenge the god. To do so, he needed a special sacrifice which was his youngest son, Nyctimus. The poor lad was killed by his father in the ritual and consumed in a cannibalistic ritual which would open a way to Zeus. In truth, the Zeus of the ritual was Yog-Sothoth, the Key and the Gate, and it was this Outer God whom Lycaon challenged. Yog-Sothoth barely acknowledged the human sorcerer and with a twitch of a globular pseudo-pod, the Outer God flung King Lycaon out of curved space and time, into the angels of time and space. It was here that King Lycaon encountered the dangerous Hounds of Tindalos as well as their angular and wolfish Lords. Using the knowledge and magic he had obtained, King Lycaon was able to make bargains with these creatures but with a terrible price. When he returned back to his own palace, or rather what was left after the summoning of Yog-Sothoth, the King had found that the strange blue ichor that the Tindalosians had covered him in had transformed him into a hellish hybrid of their kind. The King had a strange angular wolfish appearance, his teeth and claws of a crystalline material. It was this form which gave rise to the later werewolf legends. Now King Lycaon had a new goal, to gain revenge on Yog-Sothoth by advancing the schemes of the Tindalosians. King Lycaon descended into the shadows and into legend, but even in the time of the Roman Empire, he is still out there plotting.
Using King Lycaon in Cthulhu Invictus: The former King of Arcadia very much yearns for revenge on Yog-Sothoth/Zeus, desperate to challenge the Outer God itself. This takes the form of schemes against the temples of Jupiter/Zeus as well as the cults of Yog-Sothoth. He also will assist the Tindalosians in any schemes, whether to unleash them on our reality or to punish those who dare to travel through the time-stream. While he largely haunts the hills of Arcadia, he will absolutely travel further out in pursuit of a goal or some type of magical knowledge or power. Perhaps he will eventually seek to come to Rome, reaching out to agents there to arrange for him to travel to the capital of the Roman Empire where he can continue his dark deeds. In a sword and sandals version of Dracula, these unsuspecting agents would travel to the wilds of Arcadia and bring forth an ancient monster to the advance city of Rome where the Tindalosian Hybrid can extend his talons even further out across the Empire.
Appearance: King Lycaon usually disguises himself in kingly purple robes, gloves, as well as a golden theatrical mask. Those who ask about his appearance are told that the king was struck with leprosy and this mask is his way to hide the horrible effects of the dreaded disease. Often he will wear a simple golden circlet as a crown. Without the robes and mask, King Lycaon’s true appearance becomes apparent. The cursed King’s form is always shifting, appearing to be made up of many points and angles, often taking on a wolfish appearance like the werewolf hybrid of some legends. His fangs and claws are of a strange crystal substance, his tongue able to extend outwards like some Lovecraftian frog. Sometimes he drools a blue ichor-like substance, which coats his tongue.
King Lycaon, the first Tindalosian Hybrid and Sorcerer
STR 130 CON 120 SIZ 70
DEX 80 INT 60 POW 110
Hit Points: 19
Damage Bonus: +1D6
Build: 2
Magic Points: 22
Move: 10
Tindalosian Powers
Charnel Odor: King Lycaon is able to summon forth the stench of all the death he has brought throughout the long centuries. All humans within 5 yards/meters must succeed at a CON roll or be unable to do anything but vomit for 1D6 rounds.
Hyper-Sight: King Lycaon can spend 1 magic points for 1 round to see in the 4th dimension within a 5 foot (3 m) area. This allows him to see in all directions and through obstacles such as walls. However, he can not see into an area that has been magically protected or behind a curved or spherical space. If he tries to attack through these, a victim is granted a Dodge roll despite any surprise.
Step-Through: King Lycaon can spend 4 magic points to step through via hyperspace from one sharp angle to another. It takes one round to open the way and another round to step through, during which time mist trickles out from the two points.
Twist Space: King Lycaon can spend 5 magic points to twist local time and space around himself. To see him twist time and space around him is worth a Sanity point loss of 1/1D4. Anyone within this area must make an Extreme POW or CON roll otherwise they are incapacitated for 2D6 rounds/ Anyone outside this area must make a Hard Spot Hidden to be able to accurately fire ranged weapons into the distorted area. To do the same within the area is an Extreme Spot Hidden roll but even then ranged attacks gain a penalty die. If outside the area, a Cthulhu Mythos or Hard Mathematics or Physics roll, and sacrificing 1 Sanity point will allow one to understand and ignore the angles of distortion.
Combat
Attacks per round: 2 (claws or 1 (tongue lash or bite). Lycaon typically goes for the opponent with the highest POW first.
Blue Ichor: When a victim is struck by a Fighting attack, they will find themselves smeared with the blue goo which drips from Lycaon at times. This goo deals 2D6 damage every round as long as the ichor is on them. It can be removed with a bit of cloth and a successful DEX roll if in combat. Water can clear it off as can fire but the victim will take 1D6 damage from burning it off themselves.
Bite: Lycaon may swallow anything up to SIZ 100 whole. Victims who have been swallowed have 1D10+6 rounds to escape before they disintegrate. Spells and enchanted weapons can help them break free with a minimum of 12 points of cumulative damage. For each round inside Lycaon, the victim takes 1D4 damage and looses 1D10 points of STR, DEX, CON and APP. Lost STR, DEX and CON returns at 5 points er day of rest but the APP loss is permanent.
Tongue: Lycaon can lash out up to 2 yards/meters with his blue goo covered tongue. It penetrates into his victim and Lycaon drains 1D10 points of POW and 3D10 CON every round it is attached to the victim. POW loss is permanent but CON loss returns at 5 points of bed rest per week or a blood transfusion. For every 5 points of POW and CON stolen, Lycaon gains 1 magic point and 1 hit point. The tongue can be targeted while attached with a penalty die and will be severed if it takes 8 points of damage (it heals at 1 hit point per round).
Phasing: For 4 magic points, Lycaon can phase into hyper-dimensional space, becoming immune to mundane weapons
Fighting 50% (25/10), damage 1D4+1D6 plus blue ichor.
Bite 50% (25/10), damage 1D4+1D10 STR, DEX, CON, APP per round.
Tongue 60% (30/12), damage 1D10 POW+3D10 CON drain.
Dodge 40% (20/8)
Skills
Cthulhu Mythos 60%, Detect Humans 85%, Jump 70%, Listen 70%, Spot Hidden 75%, Stealth 80%.
Armor: 2 points; regenerates 3 hit points per round. At 0 hit points, Lycaon shatters into crystalline fragments.
Spells: Contact Hounds of Tindalos, Contact Tomb-Herd, Contact Zeus (Yog-Sothoth), Eyes of the Zombie, Final Feast, Grey Binding, Move Gate.
Sanity Loss: 1D4/1D8 to see King Lycaon without his robe and mask.
