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This article is about Order of the Ancients member. You may be looking for the Lydian general or the Huntsman Animi Avatar.
"You are Tainted. The blood flowing through you has the power to raze kingdoms, to alter the course of entire civilizations... You could burn this world. We must burn you first."
―Pactyas to Kassandra, c. 429 BCE.[src]-[m]

Pactyas (died c. 429 BCE), also known as the Huntsman, was a member of the Order of the Ancients who served as the Magus of the Order of Hunters branch in Persia and Greece during the 5th century BCE.

Originally a member of both the Persian elite and a secret group alongside his friends Amorges and Artabanus, Pactyas worked with them to plan the assassination of King Xerxes I of Persia in 465 BCE due to his tyrannical rule of their homeland. Following Artabanus' failed attempt to assassinate Xerxes' successor Artaxerxes I, Pactyas was convinced by Amorges to turn on Artabanus and join the Order of the Ancients to bring peace to Persia.

As the leader of the Order of Hunters, Pactyas was tasked to eliminate Artabanus, now known as "Darius", and his family, as well as the "Tainted Ones", individuals who were directly descended from the Isu, due to the perceived danger they posed. His hunt eventually brought him to Makedonia, which was home to the legendary misthios Kassandra, a Tainted One. In the end, Pactyas and his Order were the ones who were hunted down, as they all met their end at the hands of Kassandra, Darius and his son Natakas.

Biography[]

Joining the Order[]

"We—we trusted him! Loved him! We were all as brothers, but he drew his blade against us!"
―Pactyas talking about Darius, c. 429 BCE.[src]-[m]
ACOD LotFB Artabanus Amorges Pactyas

Pactyas alongside Artabanus and Amorges

At some point in his early life, Pactyas was rescued from a group of attackers who had knocked him out by a large grey wolf. As he woke up, Pactyas saw the wolf licking gore off his now deceased attackers. Coming to the self-proclaimed conclusion that nature had chosen to preserve his life, Pactyas adopted the alias of "the Huntsman" and became a self-proclaimed protector of nature.[1]

Pactyas eventually rose to become a member of the Persian elite, alongside his friends Artabanus and Amorges. They later formed a group to oppose King Xerxes I, whose tyrannical rule of Persia was backed by the Order of the Ancients.[2] In August 465 BCE, they succeeded in assassinating Xerxes when Artabanus killed him with a Hidden Blade.[3]

After Xerxes' death, his son Artaxerxes I ascended the throne and Artabanus, fearing his possible allyship with the Order, plotted his assassination, one which was foiled by Amorges, who had defected to the Order. Amorges later recruited Pactyas to the Order, claiming that Artabanus had betrayed them and Persia. Afterwards, Pactyas was appointed as the Magus of his own branch, hunting down his former comrade, who took on the name "Darius". In addition, he was assigned to hunt down the "Tainted Ones", individuals who were directly descended from the Isu that the Order regarded as a threat to peace. By the 420s BCE, Pactyas had successfully hunted a number of them throughout Persia and other regions.[2]

Pursuing the Eagle Bearer[]

Around 429 BCE, Pactyas and his order tracked down another Tainted One, the Spartan misthios Kassandra who had made a name for herself during the Peloponnesian War. Arriving in Makedonia, Pactyas decided to draw the misthios to them, unaware that Darius and his son Natakas had coincidentally taken refuge in the region.[1] The Magus subsequently had one of his men set fire to the village of Potidaia and then attempt to eliminate Kassandra once she arrived. However, the plan failed as Kassandra and Natakas saved the villagers,[4] while the Order Elite was killed by Darius.[3]

With his plan foiled, Pactyas brought in the rest of his Order and found a hidden glade within Mount Pangeon which he made his hideout in the region. He also converted the grove outside into a training ground where he tamed and taught the various beasts to do his bidding and attack the "Tainted Ones" at sight. These included wolves, wild boars and crows.[1]

Last fight and death[]

Pactyas: "Yes "Darius," tell them about our promise."
Darius: "To protect Persia... Our children. Their future."
Pactyas: "Then—then why did... Why did you betray us?"
Darius: "To keep that promise."
—Pactyas final conversation with Darius, c. 429 BCE.[src]-[m]
ACOD Whimpers Through the Fog 12

Pactyas having the actors surround Kassandra

Eventually, Pactyas decided to meet Kassandra in person, and lured her to a grisly display he had crafted within the Therme Wetlands, made of the corpses of soldiers she had killed in battle. He sought to shake her resolve with the display, and brought forward actors to pretend to be her victims' relatives seeking revenge. While his underlings attacked Kassandra, Pactyas escaped, leaving behind a scarecrow in the marsh and a taunting message.[5]

Pactyas' location was ultimately discovered by Kassandra, who pieced together the information she had gathered with Natakas.[6] When the misthios arrived at the glade outside his cave hideout, he taunted her from the shadows while sending his men to attack her. After Kassandra killed them, however, Pactyas was forced to face the misthios himself. Unable to defeat her, Pactyas fled to his hideout, hoping to lure his opponent into a trap. Kassandra followed the trail of his blood to his home turf and confronted him again, along with his wolf familiars.[2]

ACOD LotFB Protector of Persia - Pactyas Death

Pactyas' final moments

Despite his belief that this advantage would allow him to finally slay the misthios, Pactyas was proven wrong as he was ultimately defeated by Kassandra. Although he summoned more men to deal with her, Darius and Natakas arrived at that very moment and killed them. Realizing he had been bested, Pactyas accepted his fate and revealed his and Darius' shared past to Kassandra and Natakas before succumbing to his injuries. Pactyas was subsequently given a proper burial by his old friend.[2]

Legacy[]

"In your absence, my old friend, we shall continue to keep our vow to protect Persia. Your death will not be in vain."
―Gergis's memorial to Pactyas.[src]-[m]

Following Pactyas' death, the rest of the Order of the Ancients was alerted to the presence of Darius, Natakas and Kassandra, and the threat they posed to the Order.[2] Later on, Gergis, a fellow Magus from the Order of Dominion branch, erected a memorial for Pactyas alongside Phila and The Immortals on a small hill near Pedasos Camp in Messenia.[7]

Personality and traits[]

Pactyas sought to protect his homeland and as such believed that all his actions ultimately benefited Persia. After joining the Order of the Ancients, he became convinced that "Tainted Ones" such as Kassandra posed a threat to order and peace and sought to eliminate them for the betterment of humanity. However, he took enjoyment in tormenting his victims before killing them, as shown in the psychological games he played with Kassandra, trying to get her to doubt her actions by presenting a gruesome display of her victims,[5] and taunting her while hidden during their fight.[2]

Pactyas was hurt by his friend Darius' supposed betrayal and wished to make him pay for it. After learning that Darius had lied to Natakas and Kassandra about the true reason why he had to flee Persia, he sought to expose the truth during his final moments.[2]

Equipment and skills[]

While Pactyas was a skilled swordsman, his most useful skill was his ability to tame wild animals, such as wolves and boars, and get them to follow his commands. He would also typically avoid getting into direct confrontations unless absolutely necessary, and get his beasts or his soldiers to fight in his place.[1]

Trivia[]

  • Pactyas (Παχτύασ) is a Greek name possibly derived from the Thracian city of Pactya in present day Turkey.

Gallery[]

Appearances[]

References[]

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