Knosson the Bronze Bull

<i>‘Near-certain death, or guaranteed dishonor. An easy choice.’ – Knosson, accepting the punishment of the Bronze Bull</i> * Knosson is famed as the mightiest son of Lakon, a warrior society whose heroes are forged in metal, sweat, and blood. The Lakonites’ way of life relies on an underclass of captured slaves, as well as livestock, acquired through coastal raids on other polities. With the slaves doing basic tasks, the ruling Lakonites are free to pursue martial training above all else. Their cruel and brutal training produces hardened, grim-faced warriors of few words and incredible skill. In this harsh environment, Knosson thrived. He began life thin and frail, but strengthened his muscles by lifting a baby calf, day in and day out; as the calf grew bigger and heavier, Knosson’s sinews grew stronger and stronger. He refused to accept his weakness, always pushing himself to the limit. In his education in the arts of war, he was passable, though never an outstanding student or tactician – he preferred fighting on the frontline to shouting orders from the rear. Word of his exceptional physique and prowess slowly percolated through Lakon, but what made him famous was his survival of the Bronze Bull. This was a method of torture and execution on Lakon: a hollow bronze statue of a bull, into which the condemned was sealed, before the statue was hurled down the side of a steep, rocky slope just outside the city walls. What was found inside the blood-soaked interior of the bull afterward could scarcely be identified as Human remains. Nevertheless, Knosson volunteered to endure the ordeal on behalf of a companion, Kimikos, when the latter was falsely accused of a crime. When Knosson emerged from the hollow statue at the bottom of the ravine, he was bruised and battered, his brain rattled and his body broken bloodied, but he survived – the first to ever do so. In fact, he crawled back up the slope under his own strength afterward, shocking the assembled crowd who were compelled to celebrate his 'impossible' achievement. Since he had conquered the Bronze Bull, he became known as the ‘Bronze Bull’ himself, a fitting sobriquet for the hulking, musclebound warrior. Having proved himself, Knosson’s future lay open to him. He had no interest in embarking on a career as a slave-raider, since preferentially targeting helpless and undefended populations seemed a task unworthy of his power. He had always wished to compete in the Gymnastikon, especially in bull-leaping, which he saw as a perfect display of strength and agility. In this sport, which also functions as a mystical religious rite, contestants vault over charging bulls, clearing them entirely or else springing off the head or back of the beast, while performing acrobatic feats to be judged by the crowd. Failure usually meant mangling or death, but for Knosson, if he did not like his chances at a jump, he was strong enough to grapple the bull by its horns and avoid the worst harm. Knosson took the sport by storm, and his fame led to steady work as a mercenary and trainer. He is selective in taking these jobs, only choosing the most dangerous and exciting challenges and the most promising athletes to mentor.