Archelaus, the first Emperor of Atlantis Real Name: Archelaus, first name unknown
Aliases: King of Atlantis, Emperor Archelaus, King of the Seven Seas, Lord of the Deep, Son of Atlantis, Archelaus the Great, Aquatic Ace
Height: 6'5"
Age: Unknown
Species: Mutant/deity hybrid
Birthplace: Atlantis
Orientation: Heterosexual
Relationship Status: Single
Family: Unknown.
Occupation: King and Emperor of Atlantis
Archelaus the Great
Millenniums ago, the aquatic world of Atlantis was a prospering, utopia nation. Living in harmony with nature and at peace with one another, blissful solitude far below the chaos and destruction of the surface.
Until one day, a tyrant was born.
His true name was lost in the chaos of time, yet his legacy was to forever shape the fate of the unprepared Atlantis. Due to the lack of conflict both internally and externally, Atlantis was an almost pacifistic nation. A mere five hundred men carried weapons out of an astonishing population of over three million.
The tyrant was named Ortheox by historians, the word meaning "evil" in the ancient lost language of early Atlantis, he was considered a sick man. A man which only knew of death, and destruction. He was born of good noble parents and attended a safe, gentle school, as did all. And yet he turned out differently. The true cause of his tyrannical behaviors was never established, some say that a foreign force influenced his mind, paving a way to the destruction of the Utopian world, although this was never verified.
Ortheox, however, was not alone in this world. He had a brother; Archelaus. A brother, which would eventually strike him down.
Slowly Ortheox with both his twisted mind and mangled morals climbed to the top of the Atlantis political ladders. For he was the first corrupt official in the lands, using violence, threats, and intimidation and even blackmail to ascertain his power. None stood in his way, for the nation had no concepts of war -- They were peaceful, naive and almost innocent to true brutality. Due to the nature of their race, all Atlanteans live for hundreds of years. Ortheox took advantage of this fact and slowly engineering and influenced national policy, slowly yet surely brewing a more violent culture. The start of the end for the once great utopia of Atlantis.
It wasn't a surprise when a scholar tasked with logging city records of hospital visits uncovered the gradual increase of violence within the city. Slowly but surely he saw a rise, and it disturbed him. Seeking the King, the scholar was tasked by his highness to seek out the cause of the increase, a type of social study to try and establish how to prevent it from furthering. Three years later, it was traced back to Ortheox.
As the three years of investigation passed, unknown to most, Ortheox had amassed a mighty following of galvanized men and women of Atlantis to lay a coup on the capital and seize power. However, just before this event surfaced, the scholar told the Atlantis King of Ortheox's doing in causing unrest, the King quickly acted on this information and sought to arrest the traitor, and on the same day... Ortheox staged his coup upon the capital.
It was a deadly battle and one which Ortheox won, the King and his most loyal followers were executed in front of the masses.
This caused even more unrest. And more, and more.
In the end, there was another war. Those who supported Ortheox (who wanted to expand the empire out of the ocean, and become more aggressive after generations of boring peace) and those who wanted to keep the peace, and protect Atlantis from the outside world. Unfortunately the only way to maintain that peace was to fight for it. The following civil war lasted over 100 years, in which many people died; starved, and were enslaved by the opposing sides.
Archelaus stood against his brother, and fought him in the final battle for the throne. Slicing his kin through the heart with his golden trident in a triumphant battle, he claimed the throne and swore to protect and weave together the damaged nation -- Making it strong once again. He was proclaimed Archelaus the Great for his heroics during the war, and become the first Emperor of the New Atlantic empire, an empire which has stood till this very day.
King of the Seven Seas - Power & Abilities
No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. Immense strength, speed, and durability
Naturally gifted with a physically imposing amount of strength, the Lord of the Deep is capable of lifting amounts far greater than that of even most high-tier superhumans, without any recorded limit.
This is a combination of many lifetimes worth of rigorous physical training, fighting, and most importantly, a consequence of being of Godly conception, his father being a deity of the ancient times. He is able to fight for extended periods of times; sometimes weeks on end without breaking for sleep due to his muscles abilities to recharge themselves via utilizing water in the atmosphere, when their is a lack of water in the immediate vicinity, he is capable of fighting for days, rather than weeks, without rest. His speed is just as immense and impressive as his strength, capable of travelling via footwork alone at phenomenal speeds, besting even light on some rare occasions. When submerged in water he is almost unbeatable, he is among the strongest known combatants in the Seven Sea's, rarely challenged by lesser individuals... Most people.
As durable as a God, he is gifted by birth skin that is able to ward off virtually any caliber of gunshots and even survive multiple intercontinental ballistic missiles with no more than a wince. He has never had his might tested by a nuclear bomb but the King of Atlantis would proudly stand and hope to survive, for his upper limits are yet undecided. However, when deprived of water for extended periods, days, usually, his durability slightly declines and he is left more vulnerable to attack from any particularly imposing enemies.
Preternatural language, and senses
Due to his divine nature, being so harmonic and the sea being intrinsic to his very existence, Archelaus is able to somehow communicate with all aquatic lifeforms, be them dolphins, wales, sharks, or even, microbes for various uses. He can conjure millions upon millions of little microbes to eat away at even the most durable opponent, or sneak into weaknesses in their armor and cause further vulnerabilities. His senses are boosted dramatically, capable of when underwater a form of precise sonar sense, and when on land, a lesser version of echolocation, rendering him capable of hearing through walls and other obstacles; although at further distances of around a mile, he loses the hearing. His sense of touch, smell, balance, and all others are so acute, he can not only hear a pin drop onto the ground from distance, but hear it moving through the very air.
Water mastery; The Aquatic Ace
The Aquatic Ace is master of a particularly prowess form of energy, water, it is graceful, yet deadly all the same. The King of Atlantis is capable of manipulating all forms of water at a molecular level, be it solid, liquid, or even a moisture in the air; his greatest advantage lies in its versatility. Archelaus may decide to simply send water hurling at supersonic speeds at an opponent to crush them, or solidify the water into ice constructs and impale an opponent. He sometimes uses his powers to summon gigantic whirlpool like tornado of solid ice, wrecking havoc against all. Or deadly yet, he may use a more esoteric form of his abilities such as the ghastly power to manipulate the moisture in an opponent's body, he has been known to simply suck the fluids out of a person before, killing them instantly. With this hydrokinetic prowess, he can even force and contort people to his will, move them around, before killing them or making them kill themselves. Not possessing the ability to conjure water himself unless accompanied by his Trident, it is imperative it is held by his side.
Η ροή του πολέμου (The Flow of War) - Trident Fighting
An unparalleled grandmaster of Trident-based combat, both in and out of water, dubbed 'Η ροή του πολέμου' or 'The Flow of War', is Archelaus' personalized trident-fighting system, one that opportunistically combines the elegant weapon's considerable reach, it's three-pronged tips penetrating ability, with the Atlantis King's dexterous footwork and supreme physical swiftness to construct an armed fighting style of exceptional martial potency. A complimentary system of intricate principles that dictate that offensive and defensive capability are adjoined to the fighter's personal technical ability and martial philosophy, 'Η ροή του πολέμου' is prided by the Aquatic Ace as a style of admirable versatility and deceptive deadliness, he is renowned throughout the lands for his ability to humiliate virtually any opponent.
Thrusts, sweeps, slashing maneuvers etc. comprise the style's offensive techniques while incorporating nimble footwork and acrobatic twisting of the body while executing attacks. Integral to the fighting style is the development of Archelaus' flexibility, internal and external strength, speed, and stamina, with an equal emphasis on balance and coordination. Though the style itself is characterized by a transitional smoothness between it's vast array of techniques, it does not adhere to the tendency of certain martial arts to elaborate it's forms etc. beyond combat application. The necessary body mobility required for the proper employment of this fighting art in a bout requires the conditioning of one's tendons, muscles, and joints in order to appropriately execute the circular, spinning aerial movements of the style.
The intensive acrobatic movements and rigorous athletic demands of the fighting style are endorsed by the Atlanteans superhuman physical attributes and infamous explosiveness. And though clearly a combat art of unrelenting physical demands, The Flow of Battle imparts an equal degree of importance on the mental aspect of combat. It is imperative that the Lord of The Deep remain aware of the fact that there is no one method of commencing and terminating a bout with a Trident, or any other weapon for that matter. Only what he sees his adversary leave open to him in their stance or attack and how he opts to exploit it. However, he remains equally aware that such openings may be deceptive lures, and thus he too employs feinting and the art of deception. A primary staple of his is that the style does not value counter-attacking as primary focus.
Instead, a practitioner is made not to wait to be attacked, but to seize and hold the initiative in order to force the adversary into a defensively reactive position, rendering them unable to form a strategy of attack. The Emperor argues that if the opponent has the initiative, one should work to seize it from them as it is both a physical and psychological tool in that the adversary may be overwhelmed by one's attack and lose the will to resume the bout, prompting a flight response. The following are the most prominent aspects of the fighting style:
--Technical Combat--
When compared to the heavier bladed forms of weaponry, the Trident's advantages are clear. It is light, possesses a longer reach, and it's techniques are simple but highly efficient. Integral to Trident fighting is the ability to use a trident to amass power by applying necessary body movements that dynamically stretch the tendons and open up the joints. Stiff joints and a lack of flexibility only result in the impairment and limitation of the range of movements accessible to a combatant. Wrist and waist movements are implemented to emit powerful circular movements. Full body coordination is fundamental to the style's philosophy that a trident in constant, flowing movement with unrelenting pace is the most difficult to defeat. Twirling, swinging, thrusting, and even hitting and deflecting with the base of the Trident rank among the various elements found in the Emperor's style. Perfection of one's technical ability is required in order to make use of combinational movements such as the upward slash and the jab-thrust. Intelligent footwork coupled with free-swinging smoothness and confusing, fluid body movements and foot patterns are applicable to this brand of technical combat.
--The Thrust--
The trident's most dangerous parts is it's various blades, and their tips. As a result, the undisputed king of trident-fighting attacks is the thrust. Learning to thrust the tip of the trident quickly and with flawless accuracy in any direction is among the most important necessities of the style. Movements must be agile and precise, as well as speedy and ferocious. The trident is held with the front hand to balance the weapon while the back hand is used to control and guide. The basic principle of this style is that one must "begin like a soaring eagle, then dart towards the target like an attacking viper". In essence, the tassel should be moving as one unit with the trident. When one learns to thrust with unimpaired straightness, the thrusting movement has been perfected.
However, movement is not the sole constituent of what makes a thrust successful. Certain thrusting techniques require the rotation of the trident's head to be as minuscule as the circumference of an orange. Achieving this effect with consistency showcases one's mastery of the striking ability of trident-fighting. Why the thrust is prized as the greatest of trident strikes is that it delivers the full force and weight of a blow into three very small areas. In essence, it squeezes all the PSI of one's attack. The thrust however, is a precise attack, therefore, one dictates that it should be used to target vulnerable areas such as the neck, the armpit, the joints, the groin, the ribs, the eyes etc. The ability to identify sensitive areas in armored foes is an important quality in competent trident-fighters.
Sensitive areas are targeted because they are not spongy enough to absorb the majority of the impact's force. Quick thrusts at opportune targets can be performed without changing sides or as part of a change in one's stance. The basic principle of wielding a trident is that it does not use blunt force trauma, but penetration. Softer areas should be targeted by the thrust, areas that will not be protected by thick layers of bone.
--Shifting Sides & Additional Strikes--
During combat, the desire or requirement for one to change sides while fighting with a trident can be accomplished from many of the available guards documented in traditional trident-fighting. In order to complete a change however, either by moving forward to thrust or by moving rearward to create space, it is imperative that one loosen their grip with the forward hand so that the trident's pole may pass through it easily. With the rear hand, pushing the trident through the front hand until the two hands meet is necessary, so that the fully extent arms exercise extra reach. Immediately letting go with the rear hand while simultaneously pulling sharply backwards with the front hand is the following step.
One that is proceeded by using the free hand to catch the trident and take it's place as the front when the practitioner steps forward or backward. The footwork employed should allow the practitioner to conclude the change in a proper guard. Changing sides is used to gain an advantage over the opponent, or at least to match their stance. Though the thrust was previously discussed as the most important strike once can execute with the trident, it is not the only one. Several strikes that one can perform with a sword can be replicated with a trident. For example, by sliding the forward hand toward the forward the tip of the trident while pulling to the rear with the rear hand, one can (while maintaining a firm hold with the forward hand) slide the trident's pole through the rear hand while swinging the weapon in whichever arc one wishes to strike from. The power of one's body weight is added should a step be taken when striking.
The option to attack from the top, bottom, middle or by angling up or downwards are one of the many possibilities of a trident-fighter's arsenal. From a half-guard, the King is capable of striking or thrusting with immense speed and ferocity towards any of the striking directions with a variety of available options. Using the power of the hips with this guard is important, as well cocking the body somewhat when striking because it generates more power than striking only with the arms would. In order to maximize the speed and force of a strike, Archelaus strikes with the few inches close to the tips for maximum force and damage, and not closer to the center.
Quietus, the Ancient Trident
The trident is named Quietus, the word meaning death, or something that causes death. It was an ancient relic handed down from Atlantis King to King, and finally, passed down to Archelaus. It was forged in the wake of a dying God, as a tribute to his life and a desire for immortality, the God transferred his very essence into the weapon, rendering the chosen wielder as strong and mighty as the God himself, granting a generous attribute boost, although if one is already mighty, the effects are less noticeable (as with Archelaus). However, it's true glory lies in it's more esoteric uses. It has the extraordinary capability of manifesting water from it's tip and controlling the waves like Poseidon himself. The wielder is also able to control weather patterns even at a global level if they are water based, making one country rain more than the other or causing destructive and life-threatening droughts. It is also able to summon and cause lighting strikes, not natural lighting, but Godly, meaning it is far more potent, and deadly. It grans the wielder the ability to transfer himself via teleportation to and from a location by opening up magical portals, and is enchanted to be held by the owner, and the owner only, it always returns no matter the distance to it's owner with a mere thought. Other mystical abilities of the trident;
- Creating barriers of magical energies to act as forcefields, capable of containing explosions for example.
- It can track someone or act as clairvoyance, Archelaus merely has to tap the trident upon the ground and any illusions are scattered, and sometimes, he can "see" the location of a desired individual with a vision.
- It will always return to his hand despite any intervening obstacles or distance, even traveling through planets to return to it's owner. When it has been dropped or set aside, it takes a fixed position, from which it cannot be moved except by Archelaus.
- Although it cannot absorb energy, it can sometimes redirect it back to a foe.
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