Lucor, Champion of the Fallible

Few beings in the world are as well known or as well regarded as Lucor, Champion of the Fallible. Lucor first made his appearance nearly a century ago we he bested the Emperor of Ladoga’s personal man-at-arms in single combat after the Emperor’s caravan pushed his fruit cart off of the road. After a heated argument Lucor became a friend and champion to the Emperor for decades to come.

The following years were rife with tales of Lucor besting overwhelming odds with the highest of chivalrous standards. He single handedly saved the 99 virgin maids of Plerth from the rampaging Hydras of Chagman. He slew the Beast of Twelve-Eyes unarmed, and carrying a wounded knight upon his shoulder. He saved the cinnamon crop in Vamarine by moving a river with a donkey and a spade. He freed the frost giants from the subdual of Reopejiaen and was proclaimed their Thane. He caught a falling star out of the sky saving Bohtan from certain doom. And so forth - Each tale was more lavish, and more unlikely than the last.

While almost certainly some of these are untrue, most of which did indeed have a grain of truth to them. Lucor’s reputation grew to such heights that a city was named after him, Lucorstead and many of citizens of old Ladoga are named Lucor to this day. Over time Lucor found himself besieged with the plight of peasant folk and nobles alike. He did his best however, and spent the following decades wandering the lands of Ladoga thwarting what evil he could and setting matters to a fair state. Indeed to the people of Ladoga he was a living legend - all would stop, kneel and stare at his passage.

The enemies of Ladoga likewise feared and respected him. Lucor was the only human to receive a ‘flee upon sight’ order from the Chagman of Ideon should he show his face upon a battle field. Lucor also aided the Elves, Dwarves and Halflings on numerous occasions becoming a hero to them as well. Lucor is said to be the only Human honorary Sheriff in Halfling lore, and likewise one of the few who are welcome in the verdant deeps of the Elfish forests.

Tragedy struck when Lucor’s wife fell to a simple robbers blade in the imperial city of Bohtan. Stricken with grief, Lucor grew listless and was pitied. Unknown to most, Lucor received a vision from the ghost of his wife who said they would once again be together once he found his honorable death¹. And so, Lucor was renewed with purpose and sought to finally find a death and an end to his legacy. At this time he was 50 years of age and he had though it would simply be a matter of time before he grew too old and too weak to thwart his foes.

This turned out to not be the case, and Lucor became stronger and stronger with each passing year². It infuriated him that those friends around him grew old and weak while he could best any mortal with little effort. Worst of all, he found it increasingly difficult to find events that would peril his life. Most enemies simply ran from him. Villagers would practically worship him, and even the worst criminals would lay down their arms and confess upon his passage. Even the supernatural beings of the world could sense something was drastically different upon this man and were very wary in his presence.

And so for further decades Lucor served the folk of Ladoga at an age where most men could hardly leave their death bed. Age did however effect Lucor’s mind. He became forgetful and his mind wandered even in the most perilous situations. In a well documented battle against the pirates of Sheneborne, Lucor swathed into a pile of bloodthirsty sea-dogs with nothing worn except loincloth and flail. Naturally the troops with him noted his extreme bravery, but in truth he simply forgot to don his armor and clothing. It was not too long after when Lucor simply vanished from Ladoga.

Lucor and his horse took the wrong road in Orobia and ended up in the sands of Derth. He was far too senile at this point to find his way back and wandered the lands aimlessly. Today, Lucor is well over 100 years old and likely the oldest human alive. He has long since forgotten his former life, but he does know that he needs to find his glorious doom (for some reason). He will plunge headlong into any peril and likely return unscathed.

For his age Lucor is remarkably able and hearty. He indeed appears ancient with a long wispy white beard. He is strangely well muscled underneath his wrinkled ashen skin however and otherwise seems inexplicably different. He clearly appears as an old knight, with a rusty breastplate, old shield and a chained flail strapped to his belt. Lucor is terrified that other folk will attempt to steal his bones, although he does not know why³. He will wander about at random times but thankfully his steed will usually follow him. Lucor is prone to take naps at inopportune times and will listlessly follow whatever interest him at the time. Lucor is fond of a pretty face and will (chivalrously) flirt with any young nubile women in his presence.

Lucor will gladly accept any aid from wanderers like himself who aim him in finding a death worthy of a knight4. He has also long forgotten his name and most who would know his face have long since perished. He truly does want to die and every night he will dig his own grave just in case he does die, someone can toss him in.

¹ In truth this vision was caused by the Spirit-Lady Jieria, whom Lucor bested on more than one occasion. She waited for years for an opportunity for payback and finally found it. The end result is not quite what she had imagined however.

² The many blessings of decades of heroism bestowed upon him from a plethora of spirit, divine, magic and natural powers. It is uncertain which one or which combination continued to increase his might, but it was undeniable that something drastic had occurred somewhere. At this time it was not uncommon to see this 80 year old man unhorse the best knight of the day.

³ Long ago there was a fad in Ladoga in which the bones of saints where highly sought after for aphrodisiacs. Attempts at Lucor’s bones as a living legends were attempted more than once.

4 A death worthy of a knight, which is usually some heroic or selfless act against overwhelming odds. Obviously simply stabbing or poisoning Lucor will not be honorable at all, and he likely would not die to such mundane methods anyhow.

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Lucor has been a reoccurring character in most of my campaigns for about the last 20 years. Sometimes as a rude and perverted old-man with a cane, other times more prominently figured with a party actively trying (unsuccessfully) to get him killed.