Mascot Monday: Antonius the Great

Antonius was already a fierce frontier warrior and barbarian-fighter in the years before he became cursed; in the time since his transformation, he has become even more formidable.

Some years back, Antonius the Great and his companions (Gerfeldt the Lazy, a wizard; and Heathclyff the Rogue) were investigating ancient tunnels beneath the ruined city of Crumbledown when they came upon what they believed was an incomparable treasure: a massive cats-eye opal the size of an infant's head.  However, when one of them reached out to touch the precious stone, there was a flash of light, and the three adventurers were instantly cursed with a kind of lycanthropy.  Each of them were now trapped in a half-man, half-tiger form; and in the years since, none of them has located a cure or a counterspell.

Although the three trouble-seekers continued to seek their fortunes together for a few months, inevitably their compact was broken and they went their separate ways.  These days, Antonius has retired to a small ranch, only occasionally riding out when crisis rears its ugly head.  The doughty warrior has rejected multiple calls to join Thunderbolt Black's Amazing Action Show.  Neighbors describe Antonius as an eternal optimist, always seeing the up-side of any situation; he has a natural charisma, and if he wished it, Antonius could easily recruit a body of soldiers or set about building a castle.  But instead, the great Antonius merely wishes for a quiet life in the country.

Antonius the Great is a 6th-level Fighter.  His massive clawed paws do 1d8+3/1d8+3 (for Strength).  He has some small measure of wealth, and his equipment may vary, but he is at all times encountered with the following magical gear and effects:
Eye of the Tiger - The curse laid upon Antonius has made him into a bipedal weretiger in perpetuity; however, the transformation has boosted his strength and senses significantly.  An additional side-effect of the transformation seems to be increased speed, granting Antonius a +4 initiative bonus, insuring that he always rises up to the challenge of a rival.
Desperado's Bandana - A red scarf enchanted years ago by the Stump-Witch, this magic item improves any rolls made for stealthiness by +1.

Although Antonius has no grand desires to return to the adventuring world, he could serve as a suitable patron for a young warrior.  In addition, Antonius the Great has a good working knowledge of the catacombs beneath Crumbledown, and might be consulted regarding those secrets.

Hey, Antonius, what are those beaky tentacle brain things we saw in the catacombs?
"They're GRRRRRRRells!"