King Grimhelm, Knight of the Silver Tree

Medium Human  

20th Character Level

10th Fighter/10th Knight of the Silver Tree

Hit Dice: 10d10 + 10d12 +80 (200 hit points)
Initiative: +4 (Dex) 
Speed: 30 ft
AC: 30 (+2 Dex, +5 Shield of the Silver Tree, +13 Adamantine Full Plate)
Attacks: Nodolanté +36/+31/+26/+21 melee; +2 Lance +32/+27/+22/+17 melee (reach)
Damage: Nodolanté 1d8+14 (+2d6 vs Evil) [N.B. 15-20 threat range]; Lance 1d8 +9 [N.B. 19-20 threat range]
Face/Reach: 5 ft x 5ft/ 5 ft

Special Attacks: Mounted Lance Bonus, Sword Bonus, Bludgeon Bonus
Special Qualities: Aura of Courage, Chosen Weapon Block, Followers, Vault, Heraldic Awe, Swift Steed, Glorious Steed, Remain Conscious
Saves: Fort +14, Ref +8, Will +11 
Abilities: Str 27  Dex 18, Con 18, Int 18, Wis 18, Cha 26
Skills: Ride +29, Handle Animal +31, Intimidate +31, Diplomacy +31, Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) +27, Heal +14, Sense Motive +18 
Feats: Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave, Sunder, Skill Focus (Ride), Weapon Focus (Longsword), Weapon Specialization (Longsword), Leadership, Combat Reflexes, Improved Critical (Longsword), Improved Critical (Lance), Mounted Combat, Trample, Ride by Attack, Spirited Charge

Climate/Terrain: Indor, Silvergate, Lamapacher, Shindo, Drychtnoth
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 20
Treasure: Triple Standard
Alignment: Lawful Good
Advancement: by Character Level

King Grimhelm is the founder of Silvergate, as well as the founder of the renewed religion of The Silver Tree.  Descended from the line of Æroth, King Grimhelm restored the god to the knowledge of men, for The Silver Tree had been forgotten by the men of Inzeladun.  King Grimhelm personified the tenants of Chivalry, and is renowned as the greatest Cavalier of all Inzeladun, and its greatest king.

King Grimhelm is 6'7" in height, and would now appear as a 45 year old man (He would be 45 in 7 VIII).  He dresses in silvered full plate armor, and has a holy air about him, for he is the chosen champion of the Silver Tree.  

His battles have become legendary throughout Inzeladun.  His clashes with Lord Komaaks, including the failed defense of Shinto (40 VI), have been told and retold for the past two decades.  He battled Princes of Hell, Lords of the Abyss, and banished Set from Inzeladun. He and his fellow Guardians of the Silver Tree (Gunnthryd, Thumedan, Ahgy, Alphonse, Nepankhra, and Thó'ef the Elf) recovered lost artifacts and propagated a new religion.

King Grimhelm is highly religious, and extremely honorable and chivalrous.  He relies on his fellow Guardians for advice, but ultimately makes his own decisions.

Combat

Grimhelm fights from horseback when outdoors, but is very deadly on foot as well.  He most often fights with Nodolanté, also called The Sword of the Silver Tree (detailed below).  He dresses in +5 full plate armor, and uses The Shield of the Silver Tree, a +3 large metal shield with a Silver Tree device.

Nodolanté is a +5 keen holy longsword.  This sword is the Holy Sword of the Silver Tree.  It does +2d6 damage to any evil creature it strikes.  It Detects Evil at will, can shoot a Lightning Bolt (8d6 points of damage, 200 ft range, DC 13) 1/day and a Fireball (8d6 points of damage, 200 ft range, DC 13) 1/day.  The sword has a 22 Cha, 17 Wis, and 14 Intelligence. On a successful critical hit against an evil creature, it transforms the critter into silver if it fails a Fortitude save (DC 15).  It has 26 Ego Points, and is of Lawful Good alignment.  When a personality conflict occurs, the wielder must make a Will save (DC 36), or the sword will dominate him. Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, holy smite, good alignment, keen edge, lightning bolt, fireball, detect evil; Market Cost: 183,315 gp.

The Shield of the Silver Tree is a +3 large metal shield made of a special meteorite iron steel.  It's device is a silver tree.  The shield bestows a +2 holy bonus to Strength 1/day; it will reflect a spell once per day; the shield can throw a half globe of force around one person for two rounds, or two people for one round twice a week (this power cannot protect the holder of the shield); the shield will disintegrate (DC 30) anyone who does an evil act while holding it; the shield gives the bearer a +2 deflection bonus to AC above its usual armor bonus against Orcs and Half-Orcs, and casts fear upon Orcs and Half-Orcs (DC 14); the shield can teleport one willing creature (not the bearer of the shield) to the vicinity of the incarnation of the Silver Tree; grants Haste 1/day on bearer (unless the bearer plans on using that power to run away in fear); can cast Magic Circle against Demons around three persons (not the bearer) 1/day; protects the bearer against involuntary alignment changes; the bearer can opt to land on the shield in a fall exceeding 30', taking only half damage; Immunity to Normal Missiles at all times; Detect Evil 2/day; Time Stop 2/year; Move Earth 2/month; Friends 2/week; Raise Dead twice.  Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, good alignment, detect evil; Immunity to Normal Missiles; Time Stop; Move Earth; Friends; Raise Dead; Teleport; Disintegrate; Fear; Market Cost: 217,315 gp.

Remain Conscious (Ex): As the Champion of the Silver Tree, he is granted the Remain Conscious feat as a bonus, which allows him to take one partial action every round after he is reduced to zero hitpoints or less, until he reaches -14 hit points.

Mounted Lance Bonus (Ex): King Grimhelm has a +2 competence attack bonus with the lance, if used while mounted. The plus does not apply to damage, nor does it allow the cavalier to cause full damage to those opponents whose damage reduction is equal to the bonus given. 

Aura of Courage (Ex/Su): King Grimhelm is immune to fear (magical or otherwise). Allies within 10 feet of the cavalier gain a +4 morale boost on saving throws against fear effects. Granting the morale boost to allies is a supernatural ability.

Chosen Weapon Block: Sir Grimhelm is well enough trained in his class weapons that, when using a chosen lance, sword, or bludgeon and a shield, he may take extra blocks during a combat round, equal to the to hit bonus he gains with the equipped weapon. Similarly, the Cavalier may choose to substitute a shield block for one of these extra actions. A shield block subtracts a further point from the attacker's roll, plus an extra point subtraction for each point bonus of the shield. However, after a shield block, subsequent attackers may ignore the AC bonus given by the shield for the rest of the round (the shield is extended too far beyond reach to effectively defend).

Followers: The prestige of the King Grimhelm has caused 54 armed followers to take up his cause. These followers do not demand wages or salary, but must be fed, cared for, and rewarded as suitable for the conditions. 

Sword Bonus (Ex): King Grimhelm has a +2 competence attack bonus with the longsword.

Vault (Ex): King Grimhelm may vault into the saddle with bulky armor and have the steed underway as a free action.

Heraldic Awe (Su): Any intelligent creature of same or fewer hit dice as and similar alignment to the cavalier has a chance of joining the King Grimhelm as a temporary follower. When the cavalier encounters the creature and is allowed time to speak, he may display his heraldic devices and speak of his service in honor to the Silver Tree. The creature, if vulnerable to Enchantments, must make a Will save (DC = d20 + Cavalier class level + Charisma modifier) or else be awed by the noble presence before him. The awed creature be favorably disposed toward the Cavalier, and may be convinced to join with him on a quest if the two's goals match up. Any creature of opposite alignment and less hit dice must make a similar save, or be struck with fear at the sight. This is a supernatural power, and will have no effect against a creature immune to enchantments or of bordering alignment. Neutral creatures are immune to either effect.

Bludgeon Bonus (Ex): King Grimhelm has a +2 competence attack bonus with the heavy mace. The plus does not apply to damage, nor does it allow the cavalier to cause full damage to those opponents whose damage reduction is equal to the bonus given. This bonus is cumulative with any other bonuses the cavalier might have with the chosen weapon.

Swift Steed (Ex): King Grimhelm can urge his mount to greater speed than normal. The additional speed possible equals a 10' bonus to movement rate, and can be sustained for up to an hour. The additional speed thus gained has no ill effect upon the mount, although normal rest and feeding are always required.

Glorious Steed (Ex): King Grimhelm's ride skill translates to other mounts as well. He can handle and ride a Pegasus, a hippogriff, or a griffon as he would a normal mount. 

Magic Items

Ring of Regeneration

Amulet of Magic Missile Protection (absorbs 22 hit points of magic missiles)

Rod of Rulership (450 minutes of use left)

Scepter of Might

Gauntlets of Giant Strength (+2 Enhancement bonus to Strength)  Note:  This is superseded by his Belt.

Belt of Giant Strength (+4 Enhancement bonus to Strength)

Lyre of Building

Gloves of Missile Snaring

Silver Crown (+10 enhancement bonus to Cha when dealing with Elves, Summon 3 supernatural elves 1/day for council, Skate power)

Helm of Brilliance

Emperor Crown (Feign Death 1/day, +4 enhancement bonus to Cha, creates and garbs Grimhelm in clothing of the finest fabrics, plus adornments of furs and jewels, Crisis of Breath 1/day, Immune to Undeath, +30 enhancement bonus to Scry skill).

Nodolanté (+5 keen holy longsword) - see details above

Shield of the Silver Tree (+3 large metal shield) - see details above

+5 full plate armor

+2 Lance

Taragarth (+3 longsword) - Feather Fall

Gomorrow (+2 Red Dragon Bane Longsword)

+5 Defender Longsword

+2 Ogre Bane Longsword (Invisibility 1/week, Heal 1/month)

History of King Grimhelm

King Grimhelm was born to Trumhygulf Ærothson in 20 VI (the twentieth year of the Sixth Age).  The future king was nearly killed five years later when Thigru Thorkisen read an ancient prophecy and discovered Lord Komaaks was doomed to failure (insofar as his goal to make Orcs the dominate species on Inzeladun) if one of the sons of Æroth built Silvergate.  Thigru and Troonankhset set about to destroy all of the Sons of Æroth.  Grindill, the Arch Mage Sovereign, interfered and took 5 year old Grimhelm from his family, replacing him with a simulacrum.  One day later, Grimhelm's former home was destroyed by Thigru.  Grimhelm's father, Trumhygulf, crawled out of the destroyed house, wounded and near death.  His death came by the way of Troonankhset, who slew him in cold blood.  Grindill gave the young Grimhelm to King Gorack of Northern Indor.  King Gorack and Sir Adilbrand began to train him as a knight.  As an Armiger of  King Gorack, young Grimhelm slew a beholder that an assassin sent to destroy King Gorack in 37 VI.  

After that, Grimhelm began a series of quests.  He soon met Gunnthryd (Paladin of Tyr), Thumedan and Ahgy (Mage and Druid), and Alphonse the Gnome (Fighter/Illusionist).  Grimhelm returned to Indor after a year of adventures (during which he found the sword Taragarth) and heroic good deeds and was knighted by King Gorack.  Later that year, Sir Grimhelm, after finding Nodolanté (the Sword of the Silver Tree) and the Shield of the Silver Tree, founded Silvergate.  Tho'ef the Elven Archer, rescued by Sir Grimhelm, began to travel with him just prior to the founding of Silvergate in 38 VI.  Grimhelm caused a new Silver Tree to grow in the courtyard of the old castle he found Tho'ef in.  A new city began to grow around the castle.  The city took the name of the nation, Silvergate, as its own. 

Collectively, King Grimhelm, Gunnthryd, Thumedan, Ahgy, Alphonse, Nepankhra, and Thó'ef the Elf were known as the Guardians of the Silver Tree.

King Grimhelm died in 47 VI (at the age of 27) fighting alongside his old rival, Lord Komaaks, while freeing Drychtnoth from the grip of an evil despot.  He was resurrected eleven years later (11 VII) to cast Set out of Inzeladun again, and to fight alongside his old king against Sir Adilbrand.  The following year (1 VIII) he declared himself Emperor of Inzeladun.   39 years old, he began to build his armies.  By 3 VIII (two years after his declaration), Emperor Grimhelm had conquered Nytoj, Jyrune, Nyandar, and (with the help of Isaxar the Vile) Drychtnoth.  Odhirran allied themselves to him, as did Indor and Ingara.  Later that same year, Emperor Grimhelm voluntarily dissolved the Empire.  He placed Drychtnoth under the direct control of the Council of Warlords.  Grimhelm left Inzeladun and traveled to the Seven Heavens, where he lives in glory under the Silver Tree.

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