>>5585924You know Achilles is not a god.
He's not in the top 6 mortal warriors because I realized later I forgot about somebody who should be there, and he deserves his own tier anyways. Homosexuality as a distinct and exclusive kind of sexual attraction does not exist yet just like heterosexuality, male-on-male relations largely (but not exclusively) occurring between vast social unequals- rape of POWs, gods raping mortals, liberal nobles having sex with their slaves/servants, etc. If you want to know what Achilles likes, ask him. Remember, you're not a slave of the Peleids or even a retainer- you pay taxes to them, but that's essentially it. Your 50 soldiers are yours and yours alone to command as you see fit (at least, this is what you think now). Where I studied we never really gave the Homeric sexuality topic much consideration. >20, 16, 8: great success, normal success. normal failureAs you pass from the lands of Peleus to the lands of his close ally Philoctetes, you notice little changes. The roving bands of soldiers are gone, left by you to continue their impossible search. The roads remain good but the occasional bump jars you. The plants change in an imperceptible way you cannot quite place. Still, it's easy travel as far as that goes. The seat of Philoctetes, Meliboea, sits to your north. He is one of the men bound to the Oath of Tyndareus, so you expect to meet the wielder of Heracles' bow in the future anyways.
Of course, nothing is ever perfect.
Bandits. Rarer in the north relative to lawless Central Hellas, but not a wholly uncommon thing to be seen either. You don't spot their main encampment but their sloppy picket is easily spotted with your superior vision and interpreted by your military mind. Their arms are shabby- a club for one man, a spear for the other, worn linothorax armor, no helmets or shields. They have likely noticed you, but do not realize you have see them as you motioned your charioteer to slow down rather than stop. How do you want to play this?
>Ride past. Policing Philoctetes' lands isn't your problem, and the chance that they'll be able to intercept you is not worrisome to you. Although, if the rest of their band is ready you could be riding into a problem. (No check for you, they'll roll to intercept)>Stop the chariot and get your charioteer to arm you fully. Your father's armor and shield and your own spear should make these mortals, even if there be a dozen of them, easy pickings. (Roll initiative (agility) to get armored before they reach you)>Stop the chariot to get your father's shield and your spear alone. The risk of arrows or slingers increases somewhat. (You'll automatically win initiative) 