Buy me a coffeeAtreus: The Cursed King of Mycenae
He fed his brother his own children—discover the twisted legacy of Atreus, the king who cursed a dynasty!
- Alias – None widely recorded; sometimes referred to as King Atreus or Atreus of Mycenae
- Gender – Male
- Race – Human (Mortal, though descended from divine lineage via Tantalus)
- Occupation – King of Mycenae
- Religion – Ancient Greek religion (Worship of the Olympian gods, especially Zeus)
- Allies –
- Zeus (initial divine supporter)
- The Mycenaean nobility (during his rule)
- Aerope (initially, though she betrayed him)
- Enemies –
- Thyestes (brother and rival)
- Aegisthus (nephew and murderer)
- Thyestes’s bloodline (long-term vengeance cycle)
- Abode/ Base of operations – Mycenae, in the Peloponnese
- Nationality – Mycenaean (Ancient Greek)
- Languages – Ancient Greek
- Alignment – Lawful Evil (uses laws and order to justify revenge, but commits horrific acts)
- Affiliation(s) –
- House of Atreus (his cursed bloodline)
- Royal House of Mycenae
- Significant others –
- Aerope (wife; later unfaithful with Thyestes)
- Pelopia (niece and second wife, mother of Aegisthus, unknowingly)
A King Shaped by a Curse
Atreus, king of Mycenae, stands as one of Greek mythology’s most tragic and tormented figures. Born into the infamous House of Atreus — a bloodline plagued by divine curses, betrayal, and unspeakable crimes — Atreus’s life was a tapestry of ambition, revenge, and fate-driven madness. Best remembered for orchestrating one of the most grotesque acts in myth — serving his brother a feast made from his own sons — Atreus wasn’t born evil. His story is one of a man desperately trying to secure power, justice, and legacy in a world governed by cruel gods and treacherous kin.
Origins: Bloodline of the Damned
Atreus was the son of Pelops, a resurrected prince who had once been served to the gods as a meal by his own father, Tantalus. Though the gods restored Pelops, the family was cursed — a generational doom brought on by Tantalus’s hubris and Pelops’s own crimes. Atreus grew up in a royal court haunted by whispers of divine wrath and ancestral guilt.
His mother was Hippodamia, and he had a brother, Thyestes. Both boys were raised amidst political games and silent omens, destined to become rivals not just for a throne, but for their very survival.
Struggle for Power: The Feud with Thyestes
After their father’s death, Atreus and Thyestes vied for control of Mycenae. In an attempt to cement his legitimacy, Atreus declared that whoever possessed a golden-fleeced ram would become king. Atreus had the ram — a divine gift — but his wife Aerope, secretly having an affair with Thyestes, gave it to her lover. Thyestes became king through deceit.
But the gods (specifically Zeus, who favored Atreus) intervened. An oracle instructed Atreus to demand that Thyestes surrender the throne if the sun reversed its course — and, miraculously, the sun did just that. Atreus reclaimed the crown, but his thirst for justice turned into a lust for vengeance.
The Vengeance Feast: A Crime Against Nature
After exposing his wife’s betrayal and Thyestes’s treachery, Atreus sought a punishment so profound it would scar his brother’s soul. He lured Thyestes back under the guise of reconciliation, then murdered Thyestes’s young sons. He cooked their flesh and served them to their unsuspecting father at a banquet. When Thyestes finished eating, Atreus revealed the truth — even showing the severed heads and hands of the children as proof.
This act, while securing Atreus’s revenge, ensured the curse on the House of Atreus would never die. It offended both gods and men. Even Zeus, who had favored Atreus, could not undo the doom that followed.
Downfall and Death
Thyestes fled, broken and desperate, to consult an oracle. He was told to have a son with his own daughter, Pelopia, and that this incest-born child would avenge him. That son was Aegisthus, who was raised secretly.
Later, Atreus — unaware of Aegisthus’s parentage — took Pelopia as his wife and raised Aegisthus as his own. In a cruel twist of fate, Aegisthus eventually discovered the truth and murdered Atreus, fulfilling the prophecy and ending his reign.
Character Analysis: Who Was Atreus, Really?
Atreus was not a monster by nature, but a man deeply shaped by fear, betrayal, and the overwhelming weight of legacy. He feared losing control, feared being humiliated, and above all feared becoming irrelevant in the eyes of the gods and his peers. His entire life was a desperate attempt to reclaim honor in a world where honor was constantly stolen by treachery and fate.
His actions — however heinous — stemmed from a need to impose order on chaos. In a family where curses ruled and betrayal was second nature, Atreus tried to be the one who outsmarted destiny. Ironically, in doing so, he fulfilled the very doom he tried to escape.
Legacy: A Blood-Stained Throne
Atreus left behind a kingdom soaked in blood and heirs destined to continue the cycle. His sons:
- Agamemnon, who led the Greeks in the Trojan War and was later murdered by his wife, Clytemnestra.
- Menelaus, whose wife Helen was taken to Troy, sparking that war.
Even generations later, Atreus’s shadow loomed large — a reminder of how ambition, unchecked vengeance, and divine curses can warp kings into monsters.
Conclusion
Atreus’s story is not just one of horror — it is a mirror held up to the darkest corners of human ambition and fear. He was a king who sought justice but unleashed chaos. A man who tried to escape a curse by becoming its sharpest instrument. In the grand tapestry of Greek mythology, Atreus stands as both a cautionary tale and a tragic figure: not because he lacked greatness, but because he pursued it at any cost.
Atreus 5e
Atreus, Pathfinder
Atreus 3.5
Atreus, The Cursed King of Mycenae
Medium humanoid (human), lawful evil
Challenge Rating: 17 (18,000 XP)
Proficiency Bonus: +6
“Justice is not mercy. Justice is reckoning.”
Ability Scores
| Strength | Dexterity | Constitution | Intelligence | Wisdom | Charisma |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 (+3) | 14 (+2) | 18 (+4) | 16 (+3) | 14 (+2) | 20 (+5) |
Defenses & Senses
- Armor Class 18 (Breastplate of Mycenae)
- Hit Points 240 (32d8 + 96)
- Speed 30 ft.
- Saving Throws Con +10, Wis +8, Cha +11
- Skills Persuasion +11, Deception +11, History +9, Insight +8, Intimidation +11
- Damage Resistances Psychic, necrotic; damage from divine or cursed sources
- Condition Immunities Charmed, frightened
- Senses Passive Perception 12
- Languages Ancient Greek, Infernal, Common
Traits and Features
Curse of the House of Atreus (Mythic Trait)
When Atreus is reduced to 0 hit points, he does not die. Instead, at the start of the next round, he rises in his Mythic Form, regaining all hit points. This transformation occurs once per long rest.
Royal Strategist
As a bonus action, Atreus can issue a Tactical Order to an ally within 60 feet. That ally may immediately take the Attack, Dash, or Disengage action.
Vengeance Made Flesh (1/Short Rest)
If a blood relative or loyal ally dies or betrays him, Atreus gains the following benefits for 1 minute:
- Advantage on all attack rolls and saving throws
- His attacks deal an additional 1d10 psychic damage
Unbreakable Will
Atreus has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened, and he cannot be possessed.
Actions
Multiattack
Atreus makes three attacks with his Sword of Kingslayer, or commands one ally within line of sight to make a melee attack.
Sword of Kingslayer (Mythic Weapon)
Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target
Hit: 12 (1d10 + 6) slashing damage plus 9 (2d8) necrotic damage
- On a critical hit, the target must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of their next turn.
- Against nobility, royalty, or divine-blooded creatures, the weapon deals an additional 2d6 radiant or necrotic damage (DM’s choice).
Blood Feast (Recharge 5–6)
Atreus targets the corpse of a creature killed within the last minute. Ancestral power erupts from it.
Each creature within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or take 8d8 psychic damage (half on a success).
Undead and cursed creatures are immune.
Voice of Authority (1/Day)
All creatures of Atreus’s choice within 60 feet must make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw:
- On a failed save, friendly creatures are charmed, and hostile creatures are frightened for 1 minute.
- Creatures may repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns.
Mythic Form: Curse Incarnate
Upon entering his mythic form, Atreus is wreathed in dark ancestral energy. He regains all hit points and gains the following benefits:
- All weapon attacks deal an additional 2d8 psychic damage
- Blood Feast recharges every 3 rounds
- Legendary Resistance (2/day)
- Gains limited spellcasting (Charisma-based, DC 18):
- Bestow Curse (1/day)
- Dominate Person (1/day)
Legendary Actions
Atreus can take 3 legendary actions, using one at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn.
- Command Ally. One ally within 60 feet makes a melee attack or moves up to 15 feet.
- Terrifying Glare. One creature within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of its next turn.
- Kingslayer Strike (Costs 2 Actions). Atreus makes one Sword of Kingslayer attack with advantage.
Lair Actions
When encountered within Mycenae or his ancestral palace, Atreus can take lair actions on initiative count 20 (losing ties). He may choose one of the following:
- Echoes of Betrayal. Illusions of betrayal lash at the minds of his enemies. All enemies must make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or suffer disadvantage on attack rolls and lose reactions until the start of their next turn.
- Ancient Shadows. A spectral ancestor strikes a target within 60 feet. The target takes 3d10 necrotic damage and must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or suffer disadvantage on all saving throws until the next lair action.
- Cursed Blood Awakens. All royal-blooded or noble-background creatures within 60 feet take 1d10 psychic damage at the start of their turns for 1 minute or until they leave the area.
Equipment
- Sword of Kingslayer (Mythic Weapon):
- Bonus damage against royalty, nobles, and divine-blooded
- Causes fear on critical hits
- Breastplate of Mycenae (Magic Armor):
- +1 AC
- Resistance to psychic damage
- Bronze-forged with ancestral motifs
- Signet of the House of Atreus (Wondrous Item):
- Once per day, cast Command or Compel Duel (DC 15) as a bonus action
Roleplaying Atreus
Voice: Commanding, noble, with an edge of quiet rage
Personality: Cold, calculating, obsessed with order and justice; burdened by betrayal
Motivations: Maintain the power of Mycenae, avenge dishonor, cleanse the family name, escape the generational curse
Tactics: Atreus avoids recklessness. He manipulates others into conflict, uses fear and authority to dominate the battlefield, and controls allies and enemies alike through intimidation, psychological warfare, and ancestral might.
Atreus, King of Mycenae
CR 16
Medium humanoid (human), lawful evil
DEFENSE
AC: 28, touch 15, flat-footed 24 (+8 armor, +2 Dex, +3 deflection, +5 natural)
HP: 210 (20d8+120)
Fort: +15, Ref: +10, Will: +14
DR: 10/magic and evil
Resistances: Psychic 10, necrotic 10
Immunities: Frightened, charmed
Defensive Abilities: Legendary Resistance 3/day, Unbreakable Will (immune to charm and fear effects)
Weaknesses: Cursed blood (vulnerable to bloodline or ancestral magic effects)
OFFENSE
Speed: 30 ft.
Melee:
- Kingslayer Sword +18/+13 (1d8+8/19-20 plus 2d6 necrotic damage and fear on critical)
- Multiattack: Three attacks per full attack action
Special Attacks:
- Blood Feast (Su) (Recharge 5-6): Targets a corpse slain within the last minute. The corpse erupts in psychic energy, dealing 8d6 psychic damage to all enemies within 30 ft. (DC 21 Fortitude half; undead immune).
- Voice of Authority (Sp) (1/day): All creatures within 60 ft. must succeed on a DC 21 Will save or be charmed (if ally) or frightened (if enemy) for 1 minute.
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15th, Charisma-based):
- 3rd level (3/day): Bestow Curse, Dominate Person
- 2nd level (5/day): Mirror Image, Hold Person
- 1st level (7/day): Command, Shield
- 0 level (at will): Detect Magic, Ray of Frost, Prestidigitation
| Str | Dex | Con | Int | Wis | Cha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 (+5) | 14 (+2) | 22 (+6) | 18 (+4) | 16 (+3) | 24 (+7) |
- Base Attack Bonus: +15
- CMB: +20
- CMD: 33 (cannot be tripped, disarmed, or sundered except by magic weapons)
- Feats: Power Attack, Improved Critical (Longsword), Combat Reflexes, Weapon Focus (Longsword), Greater Weapon Focus (Longsword), Weapon Specialization (Longsword), Improved Initiative, Toughness, Iron Will
- Skills: Intimidate +27, Diplomacy +26, Knowledge (history) +22, Sense Motive +20, Bluff +21, Perception +19
SPECIAL ABILITIES
- Curse of the House of Atreus (Su): Once per day, when reduced below 0 HP but not killed outright, Atreus immediately recovers to half his maximum HP and gains ancestral wrath for 1 minute. During this time, attacks deal an extra 2d6 psychic damage and he gains +4 to all saving throws.
- Royal Strategist (Ex): As a swift action, Atreus can grant one ally within 60 ft. an immediate attack of opportunity or a move action.
- Vengeance Made Flesh (Ex): When a trusted ally or blood relative is betrayed or slain, Atreus gains a +4 morale bonus on attack and damage rolls for 1 minute.
TACTICS
Before Combat:
Uses Mirror Image and Shield to bolster defenses; commands allies strategically.
During Combat:
Focuses on eliminating key targets with multiattacks and Power Attack, utilizing Blood Feast to punish clustered foes or recently fallen enemies. Uses Voice of Authority to manipulate battlefield morale. Employs Royal Strategist to enhance allies’ effectiveness.
Morale:
Relentless and driven by vengeance and honor, Atreus fights until decisively defeated or betrayed.
ECOLOGY
- Environment: Ancient ruins, royal courts, cursed battlefields
- Organization: Solitary or leading a band of loyal warriors or cursed kin
- Treasure: Standard treasure plus powerful relics such as the Kingslayer Sword and ancestral heirlooms
DESCRIPTION
Atreus exudes regal authority, standing tall clad in dark armor etched with ancient Mycenaean symbols. His cold, commanding gaze pierces foes and allies alike, reflecting a legacy stained with betrayal and blood. Wielding the fearsome Kingslayer Sword, Atreus blends strategic genius with brutal efficiency, driven by an unyielding desire to reclaim honor and break the curse haunting his bloodline.
Atreus, King of Mycenae
Male Human Aristocrat 5 / Warrior 10 / Blackguard 5
CR 18
Alignment Lawful Evil
Size/Type Medium Humanoid (Human)
Initiative +4
Senses Listen +6, Spot +6
Languages Mycenaean Greek, Ancient Greek, Infernal
Defense
- AC 25, touch 12, flat-footed 21
(+8 armor, +2 Dex, +2 natural, +3 deflection) - HP 228 (20 HD: 5d8 + 10d10 + 5d10 + 120)
- Fort +18, Ref +11, Will +13
- Immune fear, charm
- Resist DR 10/good, fire resistance 5
- Aura Overwhelming Evil (as detect evil)
Offense
- Speed 30 ft.
- Melee Kopis of Royal Blood +25/+20/+15 (1d8+7/18–20, plus 1d6 Con damage on crit, DC 20)
- Ranged Bronze throwing spear +20 (1d6+5)
Special Attacks
- Smite Good (Su) 3/day: +7 to hit, +20 damage
- Aura of Despair (Su): Foes within 10 ft. take –2 on all saves
- Blood Curse (Su): 1/day curse a blood-relative or bloodline target; target takes –2 on all rolls per round for 3 rounds (Will DC 21 negates)
- Voice of Authority (Su): 1/day cast greater command (DC 22), affecting all within 30 ft.
- Oath of Blood (Su): Designate one foe per day; against that target, gain +2 attack, +2 AC, ignore DR
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th, DC 17 + spell level)
- 3/day — Unholy Blight, Desecrate, Bestow Curse
- 1/day — Contagion, Command, Darkness
| Str | Dex | Con | Int | Wis | Cha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 (+5) | 14 (+2) | 22 (+6) | 16 (+3) | 14 (+2) | 24 (+7) |
- Base Attack Bonus: +20
- Grapple: +25
Feats
Power Attack, Cleave, Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (Kopis), Leadership, Iron Will, Great Fortitude, Combat Reflexes, Intimidating Strike
Skills
Intimidate +30, Diplomacy +25, Bluff +24, Sense Motive +22, Knowledge (Nobility) +18, Knowledge (History) +20, Ride +15
Possessions
- Kopis of Royal Blood – +3 bronze curved sword. On a critical hit (18–20), target must succeed on DC 20 Fortitude save or suffer 1d6 Constitution damage.
- Bronze Breastplate of Mycenae – Ornate +2 breastplate styled after the Dendra panoply. Grants +2 natural armor and immunity to fear.
- Lion Mask Helm – Grants mind blank 1/day and +3 deflection bonus to AC.
- Signet of Tantalus – Grants +2 to all Charisma-based skills and death ward 1/day.
- Royal Cloak of Tyranny – Allows dominate person 1/day (DC 21)
Unique Abilities
Fall of the House (Su)
When reduced below 50 HP, ancestral spirits cry out. All enemies within 30 ft. must make a DC 22 Will save or become panicked for 1 round and shaken for 1 minute.
Ancestral Vengeance (Ex)
Each time Atreus is damaged by a descendant or family member, he gains a cumulative +1 morale bonus on attack and damage rolls (max +5), lasting 3 rounds.
Tactics
- Before Combat: Begins with unholy blight and command. Activates Mind Blank and equips cloak.
- During Combat: Focuses on key enemies with Oath of Blood and Smite Good. Disrupts with Voice of Authority. Strikes fast with kopis, curses and fear-based effects.
- Morale: Will not flee. If overwhelmed, activates Fall of the House as a final stand.
Lair Actions (Ancient palace or tomb)
On initiative count 20 (1/round):
- Echoes of Betrayal: Ghostly whispers confuse all creatures in 60 ft. (DC 18 Will or dazed 1 round)
- Ancestral Warding: Spectral shields grant Atreus +2 AC and saves until the start of the next round
- Throne of Judgment: Force a creature to make DC 20 Will save or be paralyzed for 1 round
Description
Atreus appears in gilded bronze armor, his leonine helm sculpted in the image of his dynasty’s pride. He is broad-shouldered, with a cold, calculating stare. Every step he takes echoes with the weight of ancestral guilt and wrath. Both king and curse-bearer, Atreus seeks to bend destiny and avenge a bloodline steeped in betrayal.