Name: Diomedes
Title: Spear-Famed, Son of Tydeus
Class: Rider
Gender: Male
Birth and Death Dates: Unknown
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Bio: Diomedes was born to Tydeus and Deipyle, an Aetolian and an Argive respectively, and he was descended from royalty on both sides of his family; his father was the only son of Oeneus, King of Calydon, while his maternal grandfather Adrastus was the King of Argos, whom he later succeeded.
Tydeus died while Diomedes was still very young, having taken part in an unsuccessful attempt to conquer Thebes along with six other champions who were collectively known as the Seven Against Thebes. At his father’s funeral Diomede vowed alongside the children of the other champions to vanquish Thebes in order to avenge their fathers. They were called "the Epigoni" because they were born "after everything has happened". Ten years later the Epigoni set out to launch another expedition against Thebes, one that was ultimately successful. Having achieved their objective, the Epigoni returned home, but not before they installed the son of the instigator of the first Theban expedition as the city's new ruler.
Returning home Diomedes found that his grandfather had died of grief upon learning that his son Aegialeus, one of the Epigoni, had perished in the battle; as such, Diomedes was left as the last of Adrastus' male descendants. That being so, upon returning home to Argos, Diomedes ascended to the throne. In order to secure his grasp on the throne, Diomedes married Aegialeus' daughter, Princess Aegialia.
In later years Diomedes became one of the suitors of Helen and, as such, he was bound by the oath of Tyndareus, which established that all the suitors would defend and protect the man who was chosen as Helen's husband against any wrong done against him in regard to his marriage. Accordingly, when the Trojan prince Paris stole Menelaus' wife, all those who had sworn the oath were summoned by Agamemnon (Menelaus’ brother), so that they would join the coalition that was to sail from Aulis to Troy in order to retrieve Helen and the Spartan property that was stolen.
Diomedes entered the Trojan war with a fleet of 80 ships, the third largest fleet in the war after Agamemnon’s and Nestor’s. Although he was the youngest of the Achaean Kings Diomedes was considered the most experience leader by many, having fought in more battles than any other including the assault on Thebes, at that point the most important war expedition prior to the expedition to Troy. He was also considered to be one of the mightiest and most skilled warriors among the Achaeans, second only to Achilles and on par with Telamonian Ajax. He and Odysseus were the only Achaean heroes who participated in covert military operations that demanded discipline, bravery, courage, cunning, and resourcefulness.
The favourite warrior of Athena, he was also the only hero except Heracles, son of Zeus, that attacked - and even wounded - Olympian gods, most notably Ares, whom he struck with his spear. Once, he was even granted divine vision in order to identify immortals.
Apart from his outstanding fighting abilities and courage, Diomedes is on several crucial occasions shown to possess great wisdom, which is acknowledged and respected by his much older comrades, including Agamemnon and Nestor. Diomedes, Nestor and Odysseus were some of the greatest Achaean strategists. Throughout the Iliad, Diomedes and Nestor are frequently seen speaking first in war-counsel.
Unlike many Diomedes survived the Trojan war and managed to return home, whereas many other Achaean leaders were assailed with troubles on their return as punishment from the Gods. However, he did not escape the war completely unscathed, as upon returning home he found that while he was away at war his wife had taken on a lover and he was prevented from entering the city; this was punishment from Aphrodite who had not forgiven him for wounding her during the war.
Weapon(s): Spear, Sword, Shield, Chariot
Parameters:
Strength: B+
Endurance: B+
Agility: B
Magical Energy: C
Luck: E
Class Skills:
Riding B: Most vehicles and animals can be handled with above average skill, even vehicles that did not exist in the time period one was alive in, for they are no exception. However, cannot ride the likes of Phantasmal Species such as Monstrous Beast.
Magic Resistance C: Cancel spells with a chant below two verses. Cannot defend against magecraft on the level of High-Thaumaturgy and Greater Rituals.
Personal Skills:
True Sight A: The Goddess Athena granted her champion the ability to see through the illusory disguises used by the other Gods as they manipulated the events of the Trojan War to suit their own desires. Illusions crafted through magecraft, especially those intended to be used as a disguise are nothing to his eyes.
Goddesses Favour (Athena) EX: Diomedes was Athena’s chosen champion. She aided him many times during the Trojan War, even driving his chariot for him in a charge against her rival Ares, and at times was able to count on and receive her blessed even when he did not request it. This skill activates during times of dire need and temporarily grants Rider the skill “Protection of the Goddess” at rank A; at this level the skill offers Diomedes protection from his enemies and guides his weapons to strike true almost as if Athena herself was diverting attacks or guiding his hand, as well as restoring his Luck stat to its true value of B and further boosting it to A.
Military Tactics B: Although the youngest of all the Achaean kings who embarked on the expedition to Troy, Diomedes was the most experienced when it came to military matters, having previously marched on Thebes as a member of the Epigoni. Diomedes wisdom and experience was valued even by Agamemnon, leaders of all the Argives at Troy, and Nestor, who was by far his elder.
Noble Phantasms:
Title: Árma Me Odigó Theótitas – Famed Warrior's Chariot, Guided by the Goddess of Wisdom
Rank: A
NP Type: Anti-Army
Range: 2-50
Maximum Number of Targets: 50
Description: During the Trojan War Diomedes fought and defeated the Trojan hero Aeneas, but was unable to kill him; during this battle his friend Sthenelus managed to steal two of Aeneas’ horses, horses which were descended from Zeus’ immortal horses, thereby giving Diomedes the second best pair of horses among the Greek army, second only to Achilles own immortal ones. Later that same day Diomedes rode his chariot, led by these horses, in a charge against the Olympian God of War Ares, with the invisible Goddess Athena holding the reigns making it appear as if Diomedes only was riding the chariot. With Athena's assistance on the chariot, Diomedes was able to injure Ares with the very same spear that wounded Aphrodite.
While not as powerful or as fast as Achilles chariot, Diomedes chariot is still formidable. Requiring no driver, Diomedes is able to focus all of his efforts on attacking while riding while the chariot guides itself charges across the battlefield, mowing down everything in its path at blinding speed.
Title: Theótita Apothíthike- Spear that Shakes Olympus
Rank: B
NP Type: Anti-Divinity
Range: 1-50
Maximum Number of Targets: 1
Description: Originally just an ordinary spear wielded by Rider, after wounding two Olympic Deities in a single day this simple weapon was elevated to the status of Noble Phantasm possessing the ability to ignore "one's divine protection". As long as it is counted as a "divine protection" in any form materialized, this Noble Phantasm will ignore that defence as well as dealing additional damage should the target possess the Divinity Skill; the more Divinity the Servant has, the greater its additional damage output.
Title: Theía Panoplía – Armour Blessed by Athena
Rank: C
NP Type: Anti-Unit (Self)
Range: None
Maximum Number of Targets: 1
Description: Golden armour bearing a crest of a boar on the breast. Created by a mortal smith and blessed by the Goddess Athena, who them granted it to Diomedes father Tydeus. When Tydeus passed away the armour was passed to Diomedes. When wearing this armour Diomedes’ Magic Resistance skill is raised to A.