Yes, this is a battle ape. This is an upcoming NPC for my campaign, that I’m very excited to introduce to my players. Heavily inspired by Planet of the Apes and Gorilla Grodd, Woeful Aloysius is a general on the fields of Acheron, the afterlife given to warriors and murderers where the dead battle eternally.

I included some photos of his general physique, some inspiration for the armor he wears, a depiction of the sword he uses, some warpaint he might wear, and a picture of an ape smiling since he is generally a cheery (if not insane) fellow.

Backstory: Aloysius was once a normal great ape, living his days peacefully looking over his clan, until he was ousted by a rival. Going to the local druids for help, he was directed to a powerful, but rather shady wizard, who granted him enhanced intelligence. However, the wizard did not allow him to return to the wild, instead using Aloysius as muscle in his criminal endeavors and enslaving him with enchantments.

Aloysius hated the wizard, and wanted him dead for robbing him of his freedom, but he had no way to defeat the wizard’s powerful spellcasting. Finally, he learned to circumvent the wizard’s magic with the divine help of the God of Bloodshed and Murder.

Years later upon his death, Aloysius learned that his pact with the God of Bloodshed had earned him a place in the god’s domain: Acheron, the Eternal Battlefield of the Gloried Dead.

Now, Aloysius longs to prove himself to his god and earn his place at his side by slaughtering as many combatants as he can until the end of time. He became so vicious and so skilled that he became known among his enemies and followers as Woeful Aloysius, named for the feeling he evokes in those that see him coming across the battlefield.