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TechnOkami
2010-11-26, 11:56 PM
Hello Playgrounders.

I am finding myself at a corssroads in a game, and must decide whether I want to play as a samurai or a holy knight. I have a wonderful background for the samurai and I know the character and his goals inside and out, but I feel a lingering regret for favoring him over the holy knight...

..so I've enlisted your help.

Would anyone mind posting their character background for a holy warrior/paladin type of character please? I find myself at a lack of ideas for mine own.

Domo.

The Glyphstone
2010-11-26, 11:59 PM
What is your samurai fighting for? They're not that much different in concept - try copypasting your Samurai background and replacing every instance of 'Lord/Daimyo' with [insert deity here]. If it's a particularly vengeful deity that demands harsh punishments for failure, even better.

Glyphic
2010-11-27, 12:04 AM
Lyra calls the splendor and ritual of Arsinimare's Temple in Lerulia home. As a youth, she pledged herself to Dragon, Empire, and Temple. Under the Tutelage of Disciple Marlin, Lyra studied what lore the temple had to offer on their Praised Dragon, and her siblings. While young, she found herself playing page for the elder members of the temple, running errands and greeting those that came for worship. As she grew, the Temple decided to entrust her as one of the Temple's Guard. She and the other Temple Guards were largely ceremonial. They served in watching over services, patrolling and helping wayward civilians near the temple, and escorting the Disciples when they left for shadier sections of Askess-El.


With years spent in service at a young age, Marlin decided Lyra had seen too little, and her faith to Arsinimare and the ideal of a hero... Overly fanatic; with heavy heart, he sent her away from Temple and city. In two years time, the temple doors would open again for her.

Lyra’s faith is paramount to her being. In modest amounts, Humans can harness the powers the Bractea used to infuse Gelantrafell with life. They live, they grow, and they can create. They mold and shape the world around them; and leave their legacy for the future. There are two sides to this, as humans may also channel malice, hatred, and the destructive urges of the Candesci. It is in her nature to nurture, to protect and shield that which others have toiled with sweat and blood to etch into this world. Far more important, is the impetus to still the essence of the Bractea in those wise enough to listen. And for those who will not repent, be swift and fair in Justice.

Her flighty passion from heroism stems the Grand Battles of Dragon and human, whom fought for more than their lives. While often romanticized, Lyra chewed through religious tome and less virtuous novellas embellishing the trials of these heroes as they sacrificed every aspect of their being and soul, for progeny. What she finds particularly intoxicating about heroism is that another Hero –must- arise to combat the darkness, as well as the unwavering strength of their convictions and the hope they leave the world when they pass.

She spent her first night from home, dazed in the streets and alleys of Lerulia. She carried a modest savings and simple belongings. A gloomy rain splashed on the cobble stones as drifted through lonely districts. Dusk became night, but Lyra was not lost to Darkness. A faithful man, Teran Chaskell, invited her into his home for the night, bestowing upon her the warmth of family and a sturdy meal. Besides her cold induced sniffles, Lyra spent that night in quiet contemplation, watching the harmony of family she’d given up to attend temple. She felt a peculiar numbness, observing Teran and his son Rilan. Lyra’s teachings were a legacy of duty, while Rilan’s was that of love, and blood.

The very next day, Lyra returned to the familiar scene of Discipline, Hierarchy, and Ritual. Teran lead her to a good friend of his, whom recruited for the grand army of Askess-El.

She spent the entirety of her exile in service, her unit traveling from Eagle Nest to Dras. She served with Honor on battlefield and in barracks, but never received promotion. During her second year, Lyra found her self stationed in Fort Elarrin. A specter from her past arouse on a fog-shrouded night. Assigned to a late patrol, Lyra found herself early to her post. No other watch man stood with her, as Rilan Chaskell kept into view, laden with rope and file, and a grim countenance. Each recognized the other, and stood with the unease of conflicting Duty. Rilan spoke first, and urgently, “The Bractea bless me with sympathetic ear! Listen, and do not shout; this tale conflicts the image I present! My own father lies within this keep, convicted and condemned of traitorous crimes; but you know him as a kind hearted and loyal Man! Help me uncover the true defector, the very Robber Baron of this Fort!”

And Lyra knew the son’s words rang true in the occluded night. She bid him, as the watch drew closer, “Impetuous Rilan! Turn back, for what you aim will only land with you beside your Father, forgotten in a cryptic cell! Your Father will be safe for one night more. This Lord will not be undone by knaves that stalk in the fog; His deeds will be uncovered in the light of day, and your father will be free without the brand of a fugitive! The Guard comes! Away, away! And May Arsinimare protect all that you love!”

And without a sound, Lyra found her self alone with the footsteps of her comrades. The Rogues words gnawed at her fibers, for she knew his accusation to be right, and the Lord’s actions concealed crimes against her Beloved Dragon and Empire. With resolve, implored the vigilant watchers to seek evidence of their lord’s crimes, and speak out that very morning.

And on that morning, the Disciples accused the Lord of Elarrin of crimes vile and corrupt; they tore at his coffers and stripped him of title; but there was no Teran or Rilan found in any room of the Fort. In time, Teran returned with more evidence of the Lords lies and schemes. He also bore a subtle praise for Lyra, who found herself promoted with rank.

Those events fall into the past. Two years past, Lyra heart was bound for Home. On a day that celebrates the retirement of a Hero, and all the glory that he brings with him.

Archpaladin Zousha
2010-11-27, 12:05 AM
Holy Warriors are a specialty of mine (in case the name didn't already clue you in :smallwink: ). Here are a few that I've used in the past and present:

Aegohr
Aegohr was born to a small family of traders who wandered the world trying to eke out an existence after the fall of the Mad Tyrant. He was the eldest of three brothers, Mannovai and Jaeto following after him. After thier parents passed away, the three brothers tended their parents' caravan briefly, until a bandit attack ruined their profits. Faced with an uncertain future, the three of them attempted to decide what to do, when they were greeted by an amazing vision. Three immortal beings, an Archon, a Demon and a mysterious cloaked figure appeared before them, and offered the brother three different paths.

The Archon offered the chance to develop the power needed to help heal the land of the Mad Tyrant's evil, and asked that the brothers resist the taint within them to purify themselves.

The Demon offered limitless power to the individual, power enough to do whatever they wished. All they had to do was embrace their taint and use it to develop their power in new and heinous ways.

The cloaked figure offered them not so much a choice but the choice not to choose. He claimed that both the Archon and the Demon would end up becoming their masters in the end, whether that service was willing in the case of the Archon or unwittingly in the case of the demon. He said the way to go was to ignore the taint. It was a part of them, as much as their heart or lungs, and was only natural. Instead, the figure told them to trust in the power of themselves. The ability of mortals to overcome challenges and take their destinies into their own hands.

Aeghor, who had seen the damage caused and wished for a way to stop it, chose the Archon, who taught him the ways of a holy man.

Mannovai, eager for greater power, chose the Demon, who whispered foul sorceries to him in his sleep, driving him mad.

The youngest, Jaeto, was dissapointed in his brothers for being so willing to give up themselves, and took the middle way. He became a mercenary and later a minor warlord, who managed to carve out a small fiefdom of his own.

Aeghor still wonders if he made the right choice, for while the Archons' power causes him pain, he feels more at peace than he ever has. He's come to believe that none of their choices were wrong ones, and that eventually a time will come when they all have a part to play in the future.

Adair "Steel" Saxton
Adair's early life was among the slums of Westcrown in an unhappy household. His father was a poor laborer whose alcoholism led him to an early grave, after an unfortunate accident down by the docks, and his mother was a religious fanatic who blindly clung to her extreme (sometimes even blasphemous) beliefs about the Iomedean faith and would lash out at anyone she deemed wicked or vile, which in her mind was everyone except her. She hated men because of abuse she'd suffered in her teenage years and because of her late husband's irresponsibility, and she held her son to impossibly high standards of behavior. One night, Adair couldn't take the abuse anymore, so he ran away into the streets of Westcrown, with his mother hot on his heels. During the chase, however, the shadowy creatures that stalk Westcrown at night found them, and soon both mother and son were fleeing for their lives. Adair managed to reach the safety of a lit street, but his mother was not so lucky.

Unsure of what to do now that the only family he'd ever known was gone, Adair turned to the only place he could think of, the local temple of Iomedae. He thought he was insane, since what had Iomedae ever given him but grief through his mother's abuse? But when he told the priests what had happened, they did not turn him away. They taught him how to read, and what the Acts really meant. For a time, Adair was angry that his mother had twisted the Inheritor's words to act as a justification for her cruelty, but eventually he came to believe that if those beliefs had been nipped in the bud, she'd have been a better person. Demons and other monsters were a threat, to be sure, but Westcrown was in need of Iomedae's help more than ever in his mind.

So instead of aspiring to be a sword knight and joining the Mendevian Crusades, Adair sought to become an inquisitor, equipped to strike at threats to the faith from within, and able to protect the faithful from those who would corrupt them. He finished his training surprisingly quickly, learning in months what many inquisitors took years to learn, and now has left the temple to seek out the cause of the shadows that took his mother. He hadn't been able to save her that night, but he would bring Iomedae's light into the darkness of Westcrown so that no child would ever have to suffer the way he had.

Caradoc "The Vigilant"
Caradoc was born the second son of a noble family in Neverwinter, shortly before the Second Shadow War. His early life was one of travel, as his family fled the city to escape the dangers of the King of Shadows' undead army. Caradoc remained in the countryside following the war, while his parents returned to Neverwinter to manage their affairs during the flurry of reconstruction.

When he came of age, Caradoc needed to decide what to do with his life, as he would not recieve much in the way of inheritance due to the reconstruction payments his parents were making and the fact that he was the second son. He decided to go into the clergy, but he didn't feel any particular pull to the churches of Tyr or Lathander, the predominant faiths in the city, or even to the newly established temple of Waukeen. His attention was instead drawn to an older faith, one that had a poor reputation in Neverwinter: the church of Helm.

Helm's church had recieved a major public-relations black eye many years ago, when it was discovered that Helm's Hold had been infiltrated and taken over by an evil cult that poisoned Neverwinter with the terrible plague known as The Wailing Death. Though new Helmites had come to Helm's Hold, the faithful of the Watcher were still not trusted in Neverwinter. Caradoc hoped to change that, despite his parents' protests.

He quickly rose in the ranks, travelling on many adventures that did wonders to improve the opinion of Helm's priests in the eyes of Neverwinter. However, his travels have lead him further and further from the Sword Coast, finally causing him to arrive at Daggerford. The ever-increasing attacks have stoked his defender's heart, and now Caradoc will give his all to protect against the drow incursion.

Orianna, The Blazing Empress
Orianna is the scion of one of Bael Turath's ruling houses, the daughter of Damakos, a late Infernal Strategist, and Nemeia, a late Life-Stealer. Both of Orianna's parents were worshipers of Asmodeus, and they sold their souls to him together, shortly after they married. Damakos and Nemeia had plans to use the powers Asmodeus gave them to rebuild the ancient tiefling empire of Bael Turath, with themselves ruling as emperor and empress. Damakos's military prowess, coupled with Nemeia's dark magic allowed them to make great strides to this end, carving out a small duchy and enslaving the local humans to aid in rebuilding the empire. Orianna was raised with all the trappings of a ruler's child, her every whim indulged and her every hurt nursed, blissfully unaware of her parents' evil god and the cruelty they inflicted on the peasants. One fateful night however, all that changed.

Damakos and Nemeia's dreams of becoming conquerers was dashed to bits when an alliance of elves and dragonborn came with a small army to liberate the duchy from its opressors. While Damakos engaged the enemy on the battlefield, a band of adventurers, all of them Pelorians, snuck into the castle to kill Nemeia, and stop a ritual she was conducting that gave her husband's soldiers infernal strength. Their plan was a success, and soon after Nemeia was assassinated, Damakos was slain in battle. As the adventurers smashed the Asmodean idols and slew the mordai priests who formed the inner circle of nobility, one of them, a half-elf paladin named Tamino, found Orianna in her room, hiding under the bed. He saw the fear in the tiefling girl's eyes, and immediately took pity on her. He lead her to safety, and waited for the rest of his comrades to catch up. Tamino's companions were shocked that the girl was there. One of their number, an human avenger of Pelor by the name of Monastatos, proposed slaying her on the spot, to prevent her tainted blood from causing more harm in the future, but Tamino would have none of it. Orianna travelled with Tamino's group for a few years after that, doing menial things for the adventurers such as cleaning their armor and weapons and tending their horses. For someone of noble birth, this was demeaning work, but Orianna was smart enough to know that mouthing off would get her into trouble, especially with Monostatos, who made it clear that he believed she was evil to the core and if he ever caught her outside of Tamino's protection, she would be sent straight to the Hells to join her parents.

The party eventually went their separate ways, Orianna following Tamino as he went to a remote Pelorian monastery in the mountains. There she learned smatterings of history and religion. The truth about Bael Turath and the truth about Asmodeus. These discoveries spurred her to make an unusual request of Tamino. She asked him to teach her how to be a paladin. Tamino accepted, and Orianna became his squire. It wasn't long before they were adventuring together in Pelor's name. Orianna even met Monostatos again, who was shocked and humbled by the young tiefling girl's piety, and eventually apologized for his harshness to her before. To Orianna, Tamino was like the father she thought Damakos had been, and more. But fate intervened again and soon Tamino too was gone. While investigating a strange magical affliction in a major city, Orianna and Tamino split up to find more information. Then Tamino was ambushed, and Orianna arrived too late to save him. Tamino breathed his last as he said to Orianna just how proud he was of her, and how she would be a great beacon of Pelor's light. In a rage, Orianna slew the remaining cultists, all of them tieflings like her, except for one. She beat him until he would talk, and he revealed that he and his cult worshiped Asmodeus, who had told them he would help them restore the ancient tiefling empire of Bael Turath to its former glory. Orianna was immediately reminded of her parents, who had done the same thing for the same reasons. This lead her to a realization that has guided her thoughts ever since:

Asmodeus didn't really care about the tiefling race, and his promises to help them restore Bael Turath were nothing but lies so he could steal their souls.

Shortly after this tragic event and the epiphany that came with it, Orianna was knighted and ordained as a true paladin of Pelor. Immediately she began making plans for her future. As long as the only god who cared about the tiefling race was only interested in buying their souls and killing them off to get them when they were no longer needed in the world, the tieflings would never truly unite as a race, and Bael Turath would be only a bitter memory forever. Since not even Pelor was too interested in the tieflings' plight, Orianna decided that the tieflings would need a new god. Her. Everything she does now contributes to her grand design of attaining a divine spark, and then an astral domain, to make her a true deity. When she has achieved this, and has built up a following among the tiefling race, she will set about the next great task of leading them to rebuild Bael Turath, but this time free of the taint of Asmodeus and his honeyed lies.

Orianna has since had many adventures, eventually earning the accolade "The Blazing Empress," which she wears as a badge of pride. Her adventures have included:

One of Orianna's closest friends is the tiefling wanderer, Atropos the Fateslayer. Orianna met him during a tumultuous conflict involving a devil-worshiping cult both of them found themselves investigating. Atropos adventured to escape the predestinations the gods place in some mortals lives. While Orianna disliked his badmouthing of the gods, she saw in him a kindred spirit, and revealed her plans to him to change the fate of the entire tiefling race. Atropos swore himself to help Orianna in this monumental goal, which surprised and delighted her.

Orianna met another of her current companions due to a bizzare misunderstanding. During her travels, she heard the name "Goldclaw" used as a curse by a number of fiends she put to the sword, and eventually learned that this "Goldclaw" was a powerful dragonborn warrior, who sought nothing less than the restoration of Bael Turath's ancient enemy, the empire of Arkhosia. Orianna was unaware, but "Goldclaw", a paladin by the name of Khrasenn Aurigix, had heard of Orianna as well. He thought she was another deluded hellspawn trying to restore the evil empire he'd heard so much about. When Orianna found out Goldclaw's location, she sent him a letter challenging him to a duel. Much to her surprise, she recieved a letter from Goldclaw the very next day, issuing a similar challenge, but with no acknowledgement that he'd accepted hers. She accepted his challenge in the form of another letter, but as soon as it was sent, she got a reply from Goldclaw accepting HER challenge. Despite the unusual circumstances, Orianna headed for the glade she and Goldclaw had both specified, and prepared for the duel.

When the two paladins saw each other for the first time, they barked challenges to one another, each demanding the other to stand down. But Orianna's pride would not allow it, and apparently, neither did Goldclaw's. The battle was riveting, Orianna matching Goldclaw's massive strength and speed with her own cunning and guile. The two were so evenly matched that the battle went on for hours, through one day and into the next. The locals gathered and watched the duel in shifts, one fellow sleeping and another awake, then they'd swap places and fill each other in. Finally, Goldclaw made a powerful strike that shattered Orianna's blade. She responded with a blow from her shield that knocked Goldclaw's sword from his hand. Still, they refused to give up, and immediately began pumelling each other with their fists, which lead to wrestling in the dust, which led to both combatants collapsing from exhaustion. They lay on their backs near each other for hours. At first, they were unwilling to give up, and spewed insults and bravado at each other. When both were too hoarse to keep shouting, they began to talk about themselves. When Orianna found that the man she was duelling was a paladin himself, her face went even redder than it usually was. She imagined that Goldclaw felt just as embarrased. As they talked, they realized just how much they had in common, and how ridiculous this whole duel had been. Then they burst out laughing. They gathered their things, and then headed back to town. The locals, who thought for sure this would end in blood, were surprised to see the scions of two enemy empires holding each other up as they staggered into town, lauging and chatting like they were old friends. Goldclaw decided to travel with Orianna following that duel, since he believed that in helping her reach her goal he could reach his as well. Orianna and Goldclaw still have a strong competitive streak with each other, and will often hold impromptu competitions with each other on the battlefield, usually who can slay the most evildoers.

In order to take an astral dominion, Orianna knew she would need someone who knew war to help guide her conquest efforts, and in the eladrin warlord Vail Corvalis, she's found one of the best. Orianna met Vail when she and Goldclaw signed up to help a beleagured nation fend off a devilish invasion. Goldclaw saw it as a chance to bring some stability to the region and JUSTICE to the hellspawn, while Orianna never passed up a chance to fight against devils. Vail had been hired by the king as the army's tactician and commanding officer. While the situation looked bleak, Vail had drawn up a strategy that had a slim chance of success. For the first part of the battle everything went according to plan, but Vail hadn't counted on the two paladins getting competitive. Orianna and Goldclaw broke ranks with the other hired men and charged into the fiendish ranks, cutting down foe after foe, and keeping track of who killed more. This caused confusion in the ranks, and nearly cost Vail the pincer movement he'd been planning, and the battle came very close to having been lost. Luckily, Vail was able to keep the rest of the men organized enough to drive the foe to retreat. The battle became known as the Battle of the Hellbreakers, both because of the victory over the devils and the memorable scene of Orianna and Goldclaw cleaving a path through the fiendish ranks alone. Vail gave the two paladins a stern talking-to following the battle, and Orianna never forgot it. When she started her quest for godhood, she immediately sought Vail out. He initially refused to work with her, remembering the Battle of the Hellbreakers and what a loose cannon she'd been there. Orianna countered with all the information she'd obtained from Ioun's library about what her quest would detail and hinting that it would be a great challenge. Never one to back down from a formidable challenge, and impressed with the planning Orianna had done, Vail allowed Orianna to hire him.

CubeB
2010-11-27, 12:06 AM
Yeah, it really depends on what deity you have in mind.

For example, my Holy Warrior character (who is a Barbarian/Fighter/Dragon Lord who likes to think he's a Paladin on occasion) is a Dragonborn of Bahamut who was originally a bastard Half-Orc. He adopted Bahamut as a sort of surrogate father figure after some missionaries came to his village and underwent the Ritual of Rebirth to shed himself of his bastard status. As it turns out, he had a tiny bit of dragon in him to begin with, so... Yeah.

He's not exactly a preacher, and he doesn't go out and hunt dragonspawn very often. But when he's faced with some Dragonspawn, he breaks out the Divine Rage and won't stop fighting until he literally cannot remain conscious.

Heliomance
2010-11-27, 10:08 AM
This. (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19873326/Horik,_Human_Paladin_of....._Olidammara?pg=1)

Disclaimer: I didn't write this. I only wish I did.

Savannah
2010-11-27, 04:11 PM
This one is quite short, and intended for a straight dungeon crawl:
Rianna. Young, idealistic paladin of St. Cuthbert.
Rianna's parents were poor workers and she grew up in the streets until she was 7 when her parents were murdered. She was taken in by the curch of St. Cuthbert, where she dedicated herself to hunting down her parents' murderer(s). To date, however, they have not been found.
In her time at the church, Rianna realized her greatest desire is to hunt down evil-doers, especially those that harm children. If she can find her parent's murderer(s), she will be even happier.
When a gnomish wizard, Glim Garrick, offered his serivces to the curch in order to pay off a debt, Rianna lept on the chance to adventure with him.
One day, the pair of them followed some bloody footprints to a strange dungeon neither had seen before...

RP notes: Picked St. Cuthbert and backstory so that she might tip over to using evil means to achieve her goals, and therefore go blackguard. Don't know yet if she will; depends on how story progresses and other player's & DM's input.

The two next backstories are closely related; I came up with Dawn's first and Edric's when I was thinking about what would have happened if Dawn's had run differently.

Dawn Miller. Middle-aged, motherly paladin of Pelor.
As her name might suggest, Dawn was born to a miller family in the small village of Greenbrook. Unlike her older brother, Jory, she wanted to do more than work in the mill; much to her parents’ dismay, she spent more time training with town watch than at home. When she was fourteen, in an attempt to keep her away from fighting, her parents sent her to the temple of Krin in Gair’s Keep, a larger town a few days away. At first, Dawn was upset to have been sent away, but her sunny personality soon won out and she took to temple life like a duck to water. It didn’t hurt that the temple in question had a long history of training holy warriors.

Dawn excelled in her training as a paladin, and was always pushing to be assigned to an active post, rather than staying in the town. Her chance finally came when Lord Kevan began a war against the neighboring goblin tribes, and Dawn was among the warriors sent to assist him. She served eagerly, believing the war to be a just cause and the goblins an evil force.

She would have stayed in the army even after the campaign ended if it wasn’t for one fateful day. The main goblin defenses had fallen, and her unit was deep in goblin territory when they discovered a goblin village. The first door Dawn kicked in lead to a small mill, much like her parents’ mill, and a goblin woman and her children cowering in the corner. Dawn was horrified; she had never even considered that the goblins might have families like hers, with innocent children. Her captain, coming in behind her, ordered her to ‘eliminate the resistance’. Dawn refused, as the goblin family was clearly no threat. The captain drew his sword to kill them himself, and Dawn made a split-second decision. As the captain walked past her, she knocked him unconscious, and told the goblins to run. When she stepped back outside, she discovered that the rest of her unit had slaughtered the other goblins. Sickened by what she had been a part of, Dawn fled the army.

She didn’t dare go back to her temple, as she feared that the clerics would say that she had allowed evil creatures to escape and go on to cause more trouble. But Krin hadn’t turned his back on her, so she knew that what she had done must have been the right thing. Her parents had been furious when she was accepted into the paladin order; they’d wanted to keep her away from fighting and death. She hadn’t spoken to them since then, and she didn’t want them to know what she had almost done. So she just left, heading towards the rising sun, in the hopes of finding a new life.

She wandered the lands for half a year, doing her best to help those in need, and praying for guidance and forgiveness. Eventually, she met Richard Liadon, a half-elf woodcutter living in the village of Maple Grove. He offered her a place to sleep during a storm, in exchange for her help hauling wood the next day. Winter was coming, and after he discovered that Dawn had no permanent home, Richard suggested that she could stay with him for the season, as he could always use a hand. She accepted.

By the time spring came, the two were married. The village priest of Krin was quite old, and Dawn often helped him with the services, until he finally died in his sleep three years later and she took over.

For twenty six years, Dawn and Richard lived happily in Maple Grove with their three children: Maddy, Adam, and Rose. Richard worked as a woodcutter, while Dawn served as the priest of Krin, as well as organizing and training the town guard and always helping those in need. The older she got, however, the more restless she felt. Despite loving her husband, children, and grandchildren dearly, Dawn felt that something was missing. Something that she should have been doing and was not.

Eventually, Dawn understood. Life was quiet and safe in Maple Grove. It would continue to be quiet and safe without her. Rose was ready to take over as the priest of Krin, Adam was leading the town guard; Dawn wasn’t needed anymore in Maple Grove. Out in the world, there were places where she was needed. Where no one stood between those who could not defend themselves and those who would harm them. Dawn needed to be standing there.

When she finally told Richard what she was feeling, he just smiled sadly. He told her that he had always known he would lose her; being a half-elf he would outlive her, so losing her to adventuring was just hastening the inevitable. He had always loved her spirit, her drive to right the wrongs in the world, and he knew that she could never be truly happy living the quiet life.

Leaving Maple Grove and her family was the hardest thing that Dawn had ever done, but she knew that she had no choice. She could not rest while there was even one soul in need of aid. And so she wandered, older and wiser than when she first left her home, helping those she could, until one day she settled down to sleep in an old oak grove and woke up somewhere else entirely...

Edric Reynol. Young, occasionally headstrong and stupid paladin of Heironeous....fallen and atoned. (*** is a break between journal entries.)
Serena gave me this journal when I left the church, saying that writing in it might help me to understand why the past happened as it did. Why ….the event… happened. Gods, I can’t even bear to write it.

***

I still can’t bear to think about it so I’m going to start at the beginning instead. Maybe that will make it easier.

I grew up in the town of ________, the eldest child of a rich merchant family. As a child I was, well, I suppose I was spoiled rather severely. I always had anything I asked for, and a lot more besides. The best tutors money could buy, as well. Mum and Da had worked hard for our wealth, and still did, but they were determined that Roxana and I would not want for anything.

Poor Roxana, I miss her so much. She was quite the little demon. She got Da’s head for numbers and Mum’s charm! A dangerous combination. Especially since she was the most headstrong child you could imagine. She bullied my fighting instructor into teaching her as well, and somehow had Mum convinced that she was up working on needlework the entire time. She even bullied me into helping with her needlework so Mum wouldn’t suspect that she was sneaking out!

Of course, I miss Mum and Da as well. But they were always so busy with the business, the only time I got to spend with them was when they were teaching me how to run it. Or when they were telling me what I would be doing next. I always did as they asked, as I could see how hard they were working and I didn’t wish to cause them any trouble. Roxana could do that on her own. I always ended up convincing her to go along with Mum’s plans in the end, but in the meantime, she could be so disobedient.

***

When I was fifteen, Mum and Da decided that I should join the temple. Well, Mum decided. Da just went along with it, like he always did. I think Mum had finally realized that I was hopeless at numbers, and that Roxana would make a much better merchant than I would. She couldn’t really marry me off, as any girl would expect to be inheriting the business eventually. So I think she figured that if she sent me to the temple, I might have a chance at becoming the high priest, or at least a high ranking priest. I didn’t really want to join the priesthood; I’d never been interested in becoming a priest, but I did as I was told, like always. Mum had wanted me to go to the temple of Fharlanghn, but I begged her to send me to Heironeous instead as I’d always felt closest to Him. She agreed.

At the temple, all the new acolytes were given physical tests and each spoke with a senior priest to determine where they were best suited to serve Heironeous. They decided to send me to be trained as a paladin, given my weapons training and the fact that I didn’t really want to be a priest.

It was wonderful. I was among people like me, people interested in the same things I was interested in. And more importantly, I could feel Him smiling down on me. I can’t even begin to describe the feeling, when you know that you are doing what is right, and Heironeous himself approves. There’s not much more to describe of my training. There was a lot of practical training, with weapons and horses, and more training in the teachings of Heironeous.

In hindsight, I was too sure of myself and too quick to follow the commands of my superiors. But what else was I supposed to think? I was fifteen. I’d always done as I was told. I was a fool.

***

I think I begin to see what Serena was talking about. I had thought that it all started with the war. But I can see now that it was much before that. The beginning wasn’t even in the temple, although that was a large part of it. My feet were set on this damned path in childhood, in my blind obedience to my betters. Never again will I obey simply for the sake of obeying, but only because what I am being asked to do is the right thing.

***

The war. Well, we called it a war, but it hardly qualified. The goblins living to the north had always preyed on the caravans and settlements in that area. This time, they just went too far and we responded with far more force than they were expecting.

I had been declared a full paladin several years before, and had been in many minor engagements. I was eighteen. Like so many young warriors, I was eager for battle, and was thrilled when I was sent to the front.

The fighting was terrible. We would best the goblins, it was obvious from the beginning, but they were determined to make us pay for each step we took. Good men died, good friends of mine, to goblin traps and ambushes. I nearly died time and time again, but Heironeous was watching over me and I always managed to scrape through.

Finally, after weeks of fighting, we had eliminated the strongest resistances. All that was left was to mop up the remainder. How I wish now that I had not been assigned as the paladin on one the strike teams. If only I had been assigned to help one of the settlements rebuild. Although, if I’m honest with myself, it would not have mattered. It would still have happened, just later.

We heard of a goblin camp nearby. Our orders were to leave no goblin alive. When we arrived, we caught the goblins completely off guard. It was a slaughter. Then I heard something in the trees. I slipped around as best I could, hoping to catch the creature by surprise. But it wasn’t a goblin soldier, as I had thought. It was a goblin woman, and her three children. Two little ones, and one almost the size of an adult. I had heard the littlest one, a girl, sobbing and her mother trying to hush her. Oh, Gods, why? Why couldn’t the little girl have been silent? Why couldn’t they have heard me approaching? Why couldn’t I have seen what I see now?

The woman saw me and begged me not to hurt them. And I swung my sword.

I don’t remember exactly what happened. But I remember like it was just a moment ago the feeling when the earth fell out from under my feet and my heart stopped beating. Everything I knew, everything I believed in, was gone. I remember the screaming. I’m not sure if it was me, or the children as the eldest dragged them away from their mother’s corpse. I remember her blood on my hands, feeling like it was burning me. I remember being held down while the healer tried to figure out what was wrong, not letting me wash the blood from my hands. Even now, when I look at them, all I can see is her blood.

***

I guess I calmed down after a bit. I think they must have carried me back to the main camp, since the next thing I remember is being curled up on a bed in the healer’s tent. The clerics and other paladins knew what had happened to me, of course. And with the description of where I was found, next to the woman’s body, they knew why.

They tried to help me, I suppose, but nothing they could do would fill the emptiness inside me. And I could hear them on the other side of the tent wall, discussing what should be done with me. I couldn’t go back to the temple and face them knowing what I’d done. I couldn’t go back to my family and disgrace them like that. It was several weeks, I believe, before I left the camp in the middle of the night. Looking back on it now, it was the coward’s way out. But at the time, there was nothing else I felt I could do. I still wonder what they told my family.

I’m not sure how long I wandered; the entire period is a blur until that winter. It was snowing horribly, and I was trying to make it to the next village before it got any worse. Finally I saw lights and heard singing through the snow, and made my way towards them. It was a church of Pelor, run by a woman named Serena. The church was serving as a kind of inn for anyone on the road, as the nearby village had caught some sort of horrible disease. I slipped in, trying to avoid notice, and paid a few coins for a night’s rest and food.

That night, Serena came and woke me out of one of my nightmares. She had seen that I was broken inside, and asked to help me. I thought I was beyond help, but she finally convinced me to tell her my story. After I had finished, she spoke of forgiveness and redemption, and said there was still hope for me. I hardly believed her, of course, but she did remind me of the teachings that I had paid so little attention to back at the temple, of second chances and forgiveness.

The next morning, she explained that the disease affecting the village seemed to be of an unnatural origin and quite deadly. She believed, however, that it might be treated, especially if the source was found. I volunteered to take her medicines to the village and seek out the source of the plague. What did I have to lose?

The cause was simple enough, a necromancer was attempting to raise an army by killing the village. Finding him was less simple, but I managed. What I cared more about, however, was the feeling that Heironeous was watching over me again. It wasn’t the same as being a paladin, not yet anyway, but I began to feel that I was doing right again.

When I finally returned to the church, the disease had been nearly eliminated, and the remaining sufferers seemed to be on the mend. Serena brought me back to her private chapel, and we spoke for several hours about why I had fallen from Heironeous’ grace. I believe she was trying to ensure that I fully understood my crime and would not repeat the error. Finally, while I prayed to Heironeous for forgiveness, she performed a ritual for my atonement and I felt Him smile on me once again. I think I could have walked on air that day.

***

It wasn’t all easy of course. I could hardly bear to think of what I had done, and I sometimes wondered why He still trusted me to serve him. But I have come to accept it more, now. I know to trust in what I know is right, not act rashly. I hope it will be enough.

There’s really little else to tell. I stayed with Serena’s church for some time, helping with any local threats, until I felt it was time to move on. She made sure I was well equipped and gave me this diary, in the hopes that it would help me to heal. I think it has. I feel much more at peace with what has happened. What I did was unforgivable, yet He has chosen to give me a second chance. I don’t intent to waste it.

Strawberries
2010-11-27, 05:59 PM
I have only one. Usually I don't play paladins, but this one is for a pbp where arcane magic is a forbidden art and paladins function as witch-hunters of sorts (detect evil doesn't exist and is replaced by detect magic instead). Paladins in a gray-morality world are fun to play because they're pretty much screwed up by definition. :smalltongue:.


Audiric, human paladin (barely). The "good" part of is alignment is not in question, the "lawful"..well, gives him more trouble. And I'm not so sure he'd want to atone should he fall for that. :smallbiggrin:.

The day Pelia, Audric's mother, discovered she was pregnant again, a serious discussion was held in the household. His family couldn't afford to raise another child - their only income was from Audric's father, Laer, who worked as an assistant for a tailor, and there were two older sisters to consider. The only solution seemed, at the time, to commit the child to Aldaran: the temple would provide a small sum for raising the kid for the first years of his life, and, at the right age, the boy would enter the temple and begin training as a champion of good. He would still be permitted of visiting his family from time to time, but his education would be entirely decided by the proper authorities.

That was exactly what happened – for the first six years of his life Audric was raised by his family – his fondest memories of that time are teaming with his youngest sister, Naara, only a year older than him, against their older sibling, who fancied herself a proper little lady already, being a full five years older than her sister.

Those carefree years come to an ending when Audric entered the temple. Then the studying began, and the teaching of the faith that was supposed to be the children’s guidance for the years to come. The first period was the tougher: Audric chafed under the restrictions that were placed on him – he was disrespectful, made irreverent questions, and in general demonstrated himself ill-suited to the life of a paladin. But he wasn’t a stupid boy: he soon learned that there was more gain in keeping his head down, do as the rest of the children were doing, and make his teachers happy… and if sometimes happened that he slipped outside past curfew, and none was the wiser, what harm could there be?

It was in one of those escapades that Audric met the man who would then become his mentor – or rather was caught by him. Audric was twelve at the time, and Kalan was one of the paladins at the temple. When asked what was he doing outside at that hour of the night, he thought quickly and then answered that he wanted to be outside to be closer to the gods. The boy fully expected a formal punishment, or at the very least a harsh reprimand, instead Kalan just laughed, gave him a sweet roll that he kept in his pockets (the gods only know why) and send him back to bed. But from that day on he took a special interest in his progress, and sometimes helped him with his studies: without even knowing how, Audric had found a guide and a friend.
With Kalan’s help, Audric made good progress in the path that would bring him to paladinhood – he liked his training and his studies, and didn’t question the doctrine that he was imparted: being raised among those belief since he was of such a young age sorted its effect. However, a bit of a restless streak hadn’t been completely driven out from him. When he was fourteen, in fact, he became infatuated with a girl his age.

Her name was Raeann, she wasn’t very beautiful, but had a nice laugh and the prettiest eyes Audric had ever seen. At that age, all the boys made big talk of wooing the girls (even if, at the temple, such activities were prohibited). Audric didn’t brag about how he was going to conquer the….heart of the girl he liked, but one early morning her father, who was a farmer, found them both in one of his fields, with very little on in term of clothing. There followed a big scandal at the temple, which was going to end with Audric’s ousting…if Kalan hadn’t intervened, putting in a good word once again – after all, a young man being naked with a girl was nothing unheard of… Audric’s mistake was only getting caught. At the end, the scandal was hushed, the girl was sent to some parents in another town, and Kalan sat down with Audric and gave him an ultimatum: he had to decide, then and there, if he wanted to commit to the path of paladinhood. If he decided to, no more escapades were permitted; he would dedicate himself heart and soul to his responsabilities. If he didn’t feel up to it , he was free to go, but he had to decide.

Audric can’t tell why he decided to stay – maybe he was scared to lose the friends he had, or to delude Kalan, or maybe it was just that the temple’s life was almost all he had known since he was more than a toddler, but he stayed, and when the day came, he proffered the vows and became a paladin.

One of his first assignments was a disaster. He was with a patrol, investigating the reports of unnatural magic in the area, when he saw the person people were saying was responsible: a skinny lad, who run away as soon as he saw the paladins. Audric was young, and hotheaded, and chased him without thinking of calling the others, but when he managed to corner him, he looked in his eyes and saw just a frightened boy. They stood still for a second, looking at each other, both with their hands half-raised – the paladin to smite, the lad probably to cast some sort of defensive spell, before Audric lowered his weapon and told the lad to run away, which he promptly did. The paladins returned to the temple empty-handed, and as of this day, Audric never told anyone the truth about that mission.

A couple of years have passed, and Audric has raised a bit in the ranks. Not too much, as the most shining careers are made by the zealots, and he is far from one, but he is content with what he has. He is currently on a solo assignment, investigating reports of strange happenings in the sewers of the nearby city…..and that’s where the story begins.

Other notes (possible NPCs tied to the character)
FAMILY

Pelia and Laer, his parents, are both still alive and reasonably well. Laer quit being an assistant long ago, and relieved the tailor’s shop when his master become too old. His wife now lends him a hand in the business.
Pelia is a small lady, and though her hair has begun to become white, she still looks reasonably young. Laer, on the other hand, is a giant of a man – he is the one whom Audric inherited his size from, and his eyes, too – he has his same gray eyes.
His youngest sister, Naara, (a pretty, lithe girl with blue eyes and an upturned nose) was the black sheep of the family. She always was a bit of a tomboy, and seemed immature for her age: Audric, even being a year younger, was often the wiser of the two. The last time he saw her, six years ago, on one of his visits, he remembers her talking about the elves. She seemed fascinated by them. He didn’t put much thought in it at the time (Naara was always going off on some weird tangent), but she must have shared her opinions with someone else, too, because when she disappeared, just a couple of months later, the prompt rumor that originated was that she run off to find the elves.
Audric isn’t very close to his oldest sister, Adria (a somewhat matronly woman, whose eyes are also blue, but less pretty than Naara). She married some time ago, with a decent, reliable merchant from outside town, and moved with him. She sometimes writes: Audric knows he has become an uncle of a couple of twins, but has never seen them. However, he is happy that his sister seems to be happy.

CONTACTS IN THE ORDER

Let’s start with his mentor. Kalan is a rather unremarkable man, physically. His only remarkable feature is his red hair, which now has more than a bit of gray in it. He is around fifty years old now, doesn’t go out on assignments so much anymore, but has taken a more official teacher’s role. To his credit, he is one of the few that knows how to treat children ((OOC: I had this rough idea about him having an illegitimate son or daughter and thus being driven to be kind towards children – of course it never has to come up ever, but it makes sense in my head)).

Audric has more acquaintances than friends inside his order – he founds easier to be friends with non-paladins. He is however close to a couple of people, the ones he grew up with. Both are somewhat more relaxed than the typical paladin. One of those, Aamir, is a willowy young man, who’s had his share of troubles with the paladin code as well, as he is physiologically incapable of being near a woman without attempting to flirt with her. Audric has covered for him more than once, and is firmly convinced that his friend is going to be sooner or later kicked out of the order over a matter of ladies.

If it’s true he has few close friends, people he doesn’t care about, however, are plenty. Take Jarett, for instance. He has Audric’s age, was an obnoxious jerk when they were kids and is an obnoxious jerk now, with the only difference that he is now one of the most highly regarded young paladins in the order. Or Ethin, who is the main source of petty rumors for miles around – he just won’t shut up about how [i]strangely[/] some of Audric’s assignments have failed, but really, what could you expect when his sister run off with elves, of all things? Him and Audric have almost come to blows in more than one occasion.

The one that absolutely creeps Audric out is Keon. He is a young man, and could be considered by all standards attractive, but he never smiles, never cracks a joke, and never talks about anything else but his duty. Audric doesn’t know what’s wrong with him, but keeps an healthy distance and tries not to get in his way – he has the uncomfortable feeling that all it would take was a little word out of place and he would be the one getting smitten.

BenTheJester
2010-11-27, 06:19 PM
I'm not too sure this will fit your needs, but the only "holy warrior" I played was a Winged(template) Illumian Duskblade/Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil(refluffed so instead of being the 7 classical colors, each veil represented a layer of the 7 heavens).


My character was born with wings due to people of his cabal doing experiments with forbidden magic.

When the local group of inquisiting paladins came to destroy the eviiiiilllll cabal, they stumbled upon my character(who was still an infant). Thanks to his sigils being gold(mistook for a halo) and his bright white wings, the paladin believed that he was an angel.

The archpaladin took my character under his wing and instructed him how to be a holy warrior.

My character was then sure for the whole campaign that he was indeed an angel, and that his magic powers came from a divine source, and acted as a holy warrior until the very end.

TechnOkami
2010-11-27, 06:26 PM
What is your samurai fighting for? They're not that much different in concept - try copypasting your Samurai background and replacing every instance of 'Lord/Daimyo' with [insert deity here]. If it's a particularly vengeful deity that demands harsh punishments for failure, even better.

Nonononono, I have both a Samurai character AND a Holy Warrior character. The Samurai has a good background, but the Holy Warrior really has none, thus, can I read your Holy Warrior's background?

TechnOkami
2010-11-27, 06:29 PM
As per what you should be thinking about when I say Holy Warrior, its more like Holy Knight, so basically Paladin and Cavalier as one class.

P.S. This class isn't in D&D, it's in Hackmaster for those who care.

The Gilded Duke
2010-11-27, 06:32 PM
Tiberius the Liar, Paladin / Horizonwalker of Tyr


Tiberius long a trainer of younger fresher and stupider paladins had grown tired of training. He had heard long ago of a great badlands to the north, patrolled only by vile goblins and even fiercer orcs, a place where men seldom survived and the very land tried to kill you.

He resigned and traveled to these lands with his friend Sticks the druid. While the goblins and orcs were indeed barbaric, they found that they were not inhuman.

And so he put away his sword, and took out his truncheon. Every goblin that he knocked out was cared for and fed, many were released, each were told of the existence of other paths, and how they need not repeat the brutality of their surroundings.

There were few converts. But Tiberius always felt that a few good goblins were much better then many dead ones. Good works take time. And good takes the occasional lie. Instead of presenting the world as it was, he presented it as it should be, to create hope in a place without it.

While most paladins might condemn lies, Tiberius thought that Tyr of all gods would understand.

TechnOkami
2010-11-27, 06:51 PM
This. (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19873326/Horik,_Human_Paladin_of....._Olidammara?pg=1)

Disclaimer: I didn't write this. I only wish I did.

Wow... just wow... I really liked that. ...though I'm not sure if I HAVE to choose a good aligned God to work for, you've given me the idea, so thank you.

The Glyphstone
2010-11-27, 08:07 PM
Nonononono, I have both a Samurai character AND a Holy Warrior character. The Samurai has a good background, but the Holy Warrior really has none, thus, can I read your Holy Warrior's background?

yeah, that's what I was saying. You already have a Holy Warrior background, it just says 'Samurai' at the top right now. Heck, if you posted it, someone here could probably do the tweaks for you - and then it's you own creation, instead of copypasting someone else's.:smallsmile:

TechnOkami
2010-11-27, 10:30 PM
yeah, that's what I was saying. You already have a Holy Warrior background, it just says 'Samurai' at the top right now. Heck, if you posted it, someone here could probably do the tweaks for you - and then it's you own creation, instead of copypasting someone else's.:smallsmile:

Ok, except I'm not that low to copy and paste someones work as my own. I write my own backgrounds, and had no inspiration (nor idea where) to begin with for this holy knight character, which thanks to everyone, now I do.

Besides, I'm still using that lovely background story Serpentine wrote for me, http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=167389.