[Hourglass of Zihaja] Chapter 10: Adventuring

[Zeta Kai]

Bearer Gamal

Quotes

• “There are things in this world which we all must endure.”
• “Would though I may suffer in their stead, it seems that I cannot be burdened enough.”
• “Like all things, pain shall pass away & be forgotten. Afterward, we are better for it.”
• “This is a torment that I shall not abide.”

Background
Gamal was born in the city of Qaziz, the eldest son of the sultan’s chief astronomer. After an embarrassing incident in the palace turned into a minor scandal, his father was banished from the sultan’s sight. His father sold all of his family’s assets & fled the city in disgrace, but before he did, he sent Gamal to join the church of Limalia as a priest, in the hopes that he would benefit from the strict, austere lifestyle. His father begged the clergy to instill in his 10-year-old son a strong, virtuous character, one that could resist the vices that led to the astronomer’s downfall.

In the 35 years since, Gamal has grown to become everything that his father (who never returned to Qaziz, even after the sultan’s death) could have wished for, & then some. He has proven his piety & moral rectitude time & again, & his conservative, pragmatic outlook has served him well in the church’s sometimes-cutthroat politics. He was eventually promoted to the title of Bearer, one of the highest ranks in the city’s clergy, second only to the Enduring. As a high-ranking member of the Limalite church, he feels responsible for all of the citizenry, & wants to end the current drought, as well as the resulting famine.

Personality
A man of few words, Gamal is a direct, no-nonsense speaker, one who cleaves right to the point of any issue. He can appear grim & overly-stern to some, but it is simply a religious affectation, done to appeal to Limalia’s harsh will. He genuinely cares for his congregation, & wants the city to recover from the Queen of Trials’ latest tribulations as quickly as possible. He tries to help the citizens by fostering their recovery in his own way, but his efforts are not always appreciated by those who don’t understand the Limalite philosophy.

Appearance
Gamal has a very unremarkable face, one that seems almost pointedly nondescript. The only notable feature of his face is the fact that, unlike most men of Qaziz, he is clean-shaven. He walks slowly & purposefully, with his hands clasped behind his back. He wears only a simple brown robe (underneath which a suit of chainmail is hidden), a pair of sandals, & a plain blue cloak.

Goals
Despite outward appearances, Gamal wants what is best for the people of Qaziz, & is struggling to cure the city’s many ills. He believed that Limalia brought the drought to Qaziz as a test of its strength, but has recently learned that the drought may be the work of some evil creature, unrelated to the will of the Sultana of Winds. So, in a break with his church’s doctrine, he is coordinating efforts to bring food-bearing merchants from nearby regions. In his mind, his hard work has not been enough, & so he seeks to end the crisis in a more direct fashion. He is determined to face the famine-causing creature in combat, & is assembling a team of intrepid individuals to that end.

Combat Tactics
Gamal is not a cloistered priest, one that is sheltered from the harsh realities of life & death. He has served Limalia’s stern will wherever he was needed, including the battlefield, & his combat style strongly reflects his church’s principles. He fights with a merciful katar, inflicting non-lethal wounds with each cut of his enchanted blade. He does this to teach opponents the virtues of adversity & the benefits of overcoming it. He avoids rebuking undead unless he has to (a self-imposed restriction, one to test his own spirit), & he will only take one of his many healing potions as a last resort (so that he may endure more privation in the future). He favors the casting of domain spells (especially those of the Hardship domain) on his opponents & allies as often as possible, the better to spread understanding of his faith.

3E Stats

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RACE: Human male
CLASS: Cleric 8
ALIGNMENT: True Neutral
DEITY: Limalia (The Khaziima)
SIZE: Medium
AGE: 45 (born 310 AF)
HEIGHT: 6’0”
WEIGHT: 162 lbs.
EYES: Gray
HAIR: Brown
LANGUAGES: Common, Gnoolun, & Qamilai
HIT DICE: 8+7d8+8 (48HP)
INITIATIVE: +0
SPEED: 30’
ARMOR CLASS: 18 (+8 armor); touch 10; flat-footed 18
BASE ATTACK BONUS: +6
GRAPPLE BONUS: +5
ATTACK: +5 Merciful Katar (AKA Punching Dagger, 1d4+1, ×3, piercing)
FULL ATTACK: +5 Merciful Katar (AKA Punching Dagger, 1d4+1, ×3, piercing)
SPACE/REACH: 5’/5’
SAVING THROWS: Fortitude +9, Reflex +4, Will +12
ABILITIES:

• Strength 8 (-1)
• Dexterity 10 (+0)
• Constitution 12 (+1)
• Intelligence 15 (+2)
• Wisdom 22 (+6)
• Charisma 13 (+1)

SKILLS: 59 points

• Concentration +12
• Diplomacy +7
• Heal +17
• Knowledge (Religion) +11
• Profession (Ecclesiastic) +17
• Spellcraft +13

FEATS: Combat Casting, Combat Expertise, Diehard, Endurance (bonus), Extra Turning, Grim Determination**
WEAPON: +1 Merciful Katar (AKA Punching Dagger, 8,302gp, 1d4+1, ×3, 1 lb., piercing)
ARMOR: +3 Chainmail (9,300, +8, maximum dexterity bonus +2, check penalty -4, 30% AFC, speed 20’, 40lbs.)
EQUIPMENT:

• 48gp
• Cloak of Resistance +2 (4,000gp)
• Periapt of Wisdom +2 (4,000gp)
• 10 Potions of cure light wounds (500gp)
• 2 Potions of cure moderate wounds (600gp)
• Potion of endure elements (50gp)
• Potion of mage armor (50gp)
• 2 Potions of protection from evil (100gp)
• Potion of remove fear (50gp)

SPELLS: 6/6+1/4+1/4+1/2+1 (Caster Level 8th, save DC15 + spell level)
CLASS FEATURES:

• Rebuke Undead.
• Domain: Hardship**.
• Domain: Travel.