Nauplius son of Clytoneus (Nauplius the Wrecker, The Beacon-lighter, The Ship-sinker)

Nauplius son of Clytoneus, also known as Nauplius the Wrecker, was a character in Greek mythology known for causing shipwrecks by lighting false beacons along the coast.

• Alias – Nauplius the Wrecker, The Beacon-lighter, The Ship-sinker
• Gender – Male
• Race – Human
• Occupation – King, Pirate, wrecker, smuggler
• Religion – Hellenic Pantheon 
• Allies – Aegisthus, Other pirates and outlaws who share his love for the sea, as well as those who pay him for his services as a wrecker.
• Enemies – Sailors, coastal towns, and any who oppose his schemes. Nauplius is particularly despised by those who have lost loved ones or possessions to his wrecks.
• Abode/ Base of operations – Nauplia, Nauplius operates out of a small island fortress that he has built on the coast of Greece. From there, he can keep watch over the sea and launch his schemes when the time is right.
• Nationality – Nauplia
• Languages – Greek, Latin, some Arabic and Italian
• Alignment – Chaotic Evil
• Affiliation (s) – Nauplius is not affiliated with any particular organization or group, but he often works with other pirates and smugglers to carry out his schemes.
• Significant others – Nauplius had many lovers throughout his life, but none that he was particularly attached to. He was married to a woman named Clymene, with whom he had several children, but he left them behind to pursue his dreams of adventure and fortune.

Nauplius son of Clytoneus, also known as Nauplius the Wrecker, is a cunning and mischievous character in Greek mythology. With a lean and agile frame, he has piercing eyes that seem to dance with mischief and a mischievous smile that is ever-present on his lips.

From an early age, he was fascinated by the sea and the power it held over men. He would spend hours on the rocky coastlines, watching as ships sailed by, mesmerized by their sheer size and the might of the ocean. As he grew older, Nauplius became more and more obsessed with the idea of controlling the sea and the ships that sailed upon it.

To this end, he began to light false beacons along the coast, tricking unsuspecting sailors into thinking that they had found safe harbor, only to run aground on the treacherous rocks hidden beneath the waves. He took great pleasure in watching as the ships were wrecked and the sailors forced to swim for their lives.

As he became more skilled in his craft, Nauplius began to amass a great fortune through the spoils of his wrecks, becoming one of the wealthiest men in his region. But his ultimate goal was not wealth, it was power. He wanted to be known as the most feared man on the sea, and his cunning schemes were the means to that end.

His ruthless nature, greed and desire for power often blinded him to the consequences of his actions, and he would stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Many sailors cursed his name, and some even went so far as to try to hunt him down, but he always seemed to evade capture.

Nauplius has a lean and wiry frame, with piercing eyes that dance with mischief and a mischievous smile that is always present on his lips. He wears a weather-beaten cloak and tunic, and carries a wicked-looking dagger at his waist. His sun-bleached hair is often tied back in a loose ponytail, and his skin is tanned from years spent under the sun on the open sea.

In the end, Nauplius’ greed and desire for power proved to be his downfall. His schemes were eventually uncovered, and he was sentenced to death for his crimes against sailors. But even in death, his legend lived on, and his name became synonymous with treachery and deceit on the high seas.

Nauplius the Wrecker

Medium humanoid (human), chaotic evil

Armor Class: 15 (leather armor)

Hit Points: 110 (13d8 + 52)

Speed: 30 ft., swim 40 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
16 (+3)	18 (+4)	18 (+4)	14 (+2)	12 (+1)	16 (+3)

Skills: Acrobatics +8, Athletics +7, Deception +7, Perception +4, Stealth +8

Senses: passive Perception 14

Languages: Ancient Greek

Challenge Rating: 10 (5,900 XP)

Actions:

Multiattack. Nauplius makes two attacks with his dagger or one attack with his trident.

Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d4 + 4) piercing damage.

Trident. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage. If the target is a creature or an object in contact with water, it takes an extra 7 (2d6) lightning damage.

Sea Magic. He can cast the following spells at will: control water, fog cloud, gust of wind, water breathing.

Equipment:

Nauplius carries a trident, a dagger, and leather armor. He also has a stash of stolen goods hidden away in his cove, including gold, gems, and magical items.

Abilities:

Shipwrecker. He has an uncanny ability to navigate treacherous waters and guide his ship through storms and dangerous currents.

Poseidon’s Favor. He has the favor of the sea god Poseidon, which grants him enhanced abilities when he is near water or on the open sea. He has advantage on all checks and saves related to swimming, and can breathe underwater. Additionally, he gains a +2 bonus to all attack rolls and damage rolls while fighting in water or on a ship.

Sea Witchcraft. Nauplius is a skilled practitioner of sea witchcraft, and can cast a variety of spells related to the sea and weather.

Lair Actions:

Nauplius’s cove is filled with hidden traps and defenses to protect his stash of stolen goods. When fighting in his lair, Nauplius can use the following actions:

1. Whirlpool. Nauplius summons a powerful whirlpool in the water around his lair, which pulls all creatures within 20 feet toward the center. Each creature must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw or take 2d6 bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone.
2. Sea Foam. Nauplius creates a wall of sea foam in a 20-foot radius around him, which blocks line of sight and grants him advantage on all Stealth checks.
3. Lightning Strike. Nauplius calls down a bolt of lightning to strike a target within 60 feet. The target must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 4d10 lightning damage.

Overall, Nauplius is a powerful and cunning pirate who uses his knowledge of the sea and his magical abilities to outmaneuver his enemies and protect his treasure. His CR of 10 makes him a challenging foe for a group of mid-level adventurers, especially if they are caught in his lair with its treacherous traps and defenses.

His abilities as a Shipwrecker and practitioner of Sea Witchcraft make him a formidable opponent on the open sea, and his Poseidon’s Favor gives him a significant advantage in aquatic combat. With his array of spells and deadly melee attacks, Nauplius is a versatile combatant who can adapt to a variety of situations, and his stash of stolen goods provides a tempting target for those who dare to challenge him.

In Myth

The Cretan king Catreus suspected his daughter Clymene of plotting against him, so he handed her over to Nauplius to sell. Instead, Nauplius married her; Clymene later bore to Nauplius two sons, named Palamedes and Oeax. Palamedes fought in the Trojan War, but he died as a result of treachery hatched by his fellow Greeks.

Consequently, Nauplius swore revenge against King Agamemnon and the other Greek leaders. When the Greeks were sailing home from Troy after the close of the war, Nauplius lit beacon fires along the perilous coastline of Euboea, and many ships were shipwrecked as a result. Before this point, he also convinced many of the lonely wives of the Greek commanders to be unfaithful to their husbands, and to conspire against them – including Clytemnestra, wife of Agamemnon, and Meda, wife of Idomeneus.

This Nauplius was counted among the Argonauts.