Introducing Philamon “The Lion of Nemea”: From Concept to Creation

The Evolution of a Pirate's Crew, by Darren Evans

Philamon “The Lion of Nemea”

• Role: Recruiter, Enforcer
• Origin: Corinth, Greece
• Description: Draped in a lion's pelt (or so he claims, others seem to think it a stage prop or a collection of unfortunate local wildlife stitched crudely together!) Its head serves as his hood.

Philamon came about from my thoughts on how a Napoleonic Royal Navy recruiter might look back in the times of Rome BC.

As I doodled the concepts, I formulated his image after a normal-looking Hercules, a bit cash-strapped and worse for wear.

He strides through life with the swagger of a demigod, despite his regular stature.
His beard is a mass of curls, threaded with bronze rings, and his laughter shakes the beams of any tavern he enters.
He carries a gnarled club, rumoured to be carved from the mast of a Roman warship, a ship he sank (supposedly) with a previous crew before meeting Zenobius.
An amphora of wine is his constant companion; none have seen him without it in hand.

We gave the sculpting brief to Paul Hicks (check out his halflings here), and we crafted Philamon as a character who brought added flavour to Zenobious' crew.

It's only natural to expand on a character such as this down-and-out pirate crew member; you can have so much fun delving into a backstory of your gang members so that they spring to life as you model them.

Philamon claims direct lineage from Herakles himself, boasting of feats that seem too grand to be true, but he has the scars to back it up.
His recruitment methods are… unconventional. He either drinks you under the table, Hermes’ gambit he laughingly calls it, or he knocks you out and lets you wake up on the Clytemnestra, Zenobius’ ship “for your own good,” he says.

Adding a bit of depth by looking at his personality allowed us to experiment with special traits to try out in our games.

"Philamon is boisterous, always the loudest voice in the room. He considers himself a "force of nature"; people either bend to his will or break under it. Despite his brutish tendencies, he’s surprisingly philosophical, often quoting passages from The Odyssey between deep gulps of wine. He’s also fiercely protective of Zenobius' crew, treating them as his own family, whether they like it or not."

In Gangs of Rome

Character stats & Special Traits (Some unofficial Gangs of Rome mechanics to try in your next game, with your opponents' permission, of course)

Philamon “The Lion of Nemea”:

• Vitality 7
• Attack 6
• Defence 3
• Agility 6
• Cost N/A
• Equipment: Club

Abilities

• Drunken Resilience: Philamon shrugs off the first wound he receives in any game, laughing it off as a “love tap.”
• Lion’s Roar: Once per game, Philamon can bellow a challenge, causing weaker foes (Mobs, Gang members, Incola and Rome's Most Wanted) to flinch 1 Gradus away.
• Hermes’ gambit: If he grapples an opponent, Philamon may elect to issue the gambit, resolve it as you would a grapple, but should his opponent lose, the figure is removed from the scenario and is now "recruited" into the crew of the Clytemnstra.

[If you try these rules, please be sure to give us your feedback in our
Official Gangs Of Rome Facebook group]

Join the Crew

As Gangs of Rome continues to explore the shadowy streets of Republican Rome and its surrounds, Zenobius and his crew stand poised to lead players into uncharted territories and rich, unfolding tales. Explore the next scenario for Zenobius' crew... The Lion’s Share

Darren Evans

Discover more as Darren explores the origins of Gangs Of Rome from game to Characters and the future...

Check out the previous article in the series: Part 1: Introducing Zenobius.

Start Here

An exciting new chapter in partnership with Sarissa Precision sees a new Starter Set arrive this August...