[3.5 - OOC] Answering the Call

I may be interested, but would I be taking over an existing PC-turned-NPC or making a new character? And what's the active party makeup now?

Taking over an existing or making a new is up to you. The current party consists of:

* Branden of Alt Wad, human cleric: This is the character whose player is no longer available
* Orinar Giantsblood, half-giant psychic warrior
* Menno, human sorcerer
* Xaiel, halfling scout
 

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Hm. Branden doesn't seem a very useful sort of cleric to me, especially without knowing if the campaign will include hordes of undead, since that's about the only thing he looks to be capable of handling.

Would a paladin be okay? There aren't any evil PCs in the group, are there? Lay on Hands seems like it would be very helpful in emergencies given the ban on healing spells.

Hmm. In that vein, would an Aasimar Paladin 1 be okay? (Aasimar are under Planetouched in the Monster Manual)
 

...would an Aasimar Paladin 1 be okay?

That's fine with me. I guess a quick word about my views on paladins are in order. Paladins must be very aware three unalterable facts about morality:

1. Morality is not merely a matter of opinion or the result of culture. An evil act is always an evil act, regardless of time or place.

2. Circumstances or intention cannot render an evil act anything other than an evil act.

3. It is never acceptable to commit an evil act, even to accomplish a good goal.

Paladins who violate by action these axioms violate the paladin code, with results the severity of which depend on the specifics of the situation.
 
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That's already in the paladin's code, anyhow (given how D&D alignments are defined, and the paladin's code saying they cannot commit any evil act). And it's how I handle paladins anyway; acts are evil or not, regardless of the circumstances or beliefs behind them.

I'll try to keep my paladin from being a stick in the mud, but he's gotta follow his code, after all. Here's his sheet as it stands (threw it together last night); I'll post it in the Rogues' Gallery later if he's accepted. Too bad 3.5 moved Lay on Hands to 2nd-level, so for now he just as a few potions for healing. I dunno how to actually spell the last name properly, so it may be a bit off....


Lars Crichton
Aasimar, Male, Lawful Good
Silver eyes, short platinum-blonde hair, small chin-beard and mustache, tan skin
Age 23, 6'-2", 201 lbs.
Languages: Celestial, Common

Level 1 Paladin of Heironeous
Total Character Level: 1
Experience Points (XP): 750

Strength 15 (+2), Dexterity 12 (+1), Constitution 13 (+1)
Intelligence 10 (+0), Wisdom 10 (+0), Charisma 16 (+3)

Total HP: 11, Current HP: 11, Nonlethal Damage: 0, Nonlethal Conversion: 5 (armor)
AC: 14 (+1 Dex, +1 BAB, +2 Shield), Touch AC: 12, Flat-Footed AC: 12
Base Attack Bonus: +1, Melee Attack Bonus: +3 (+4 axe), Ranged Attack Bonus: +2
Initiative: +1 (+1 Dex), Speed: 20 Feet (armored)
Fortitude +3 (+2 Base, +1 Con)
Reflex +1 (+0 Base, +1 Dex)
Will +0 (+0 Base, +0 Wis)

Feats: Weapon Focus (battleaxe) (General)

Skills: Diplomacy +4 (1 rank, +3 Cha), Handle Animal +4 (1 rank, +3 Cha), Knowledge (religion) +4 (4 ranks, +0 Int), Profession (cook) +1 (1 rank, +0 Wis), Ride (horses) +2 (1 rank, +1 Dex)

Aasimar Racial Traits: Medium Outsider (Native), +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma, base speed 30 feet, Darkvision 60 feet, +2 Listen and Spot, Daylight (spell-like ability 1/day, 1st-level caster), Acid Resistance 5, Cold Resistance 5, Electricity Resistance 5, favored class Paladin, Level Adjustment +1 (ignored for this campaign).
Class Features: Proficiencies (all simple and martial weapons, all armors, all shields except tower shields), Aura of Good (his aura of good alignment is equal to his paladin level, under Detect Good spells and effects), Detect Evil (spell-like ability at will, 1st-level caster), Smite Evil (1/day, supernatural, adds Charisma bonus of +3 to attack roll and paladin level of 1 to damage with melee attack), Associates, Code of Conduct.

Cold Iron Battleaxe (One-Handed, 20 gp, 1d8+2 damage, 20 threat range, x3 critical multiplier, Slashing, 6 lbs.)
Silver Dagger (Light/Throwing, 22 gp, 1d4+1 damage, 19-20 threat range, x2 critical multiplier, Piercing or Slashing, range increment 10 feet, 1 lb.)
10 Javelins (Throwing, 10 gp, 1d6+2 damage, 20 threat range, x2 critical multiplier, Piercing, range increment 30 feet, 20 lbs.)
Heavy Wooden Shield (One-Handed, 7 gp, 1d4+1 damage off-hand, 20 threat range, x2 critical multiplier, Bludgeoning, AC +2, armor check -2, arcane spell failure 15%, 10 lbs.)
Breastplate Armor (Medium, 200 gp, nonlethal damage conversion 5, max Dex to AC +3, armor check -4, arcane spell failure 25%, speed 20 feet, 30 lbs.)
Traveler's Outfit (free starting outfit, 5 lbs., worn outfit doesn't count towards encumbrance)
Spare Traveler's Outfit (1 gp, 5 lbs.)
Backpack (2 gp, 2 lbs.)
2 Belt Pouches (2 gp, 1 lb.)
Bedroll (1 sp, 5 lbs.)
Rope (2 gp, 100 feet, 20 lbs.)
Grappling Hook (1 gp, 4 lbs.)
Whetstone (2 cp, 1 lb.)
Soap (5 sp, 1 lb.)
Flint & Steel (1 gp, 0 lbs.)
2 Torches (2 cp, 2 lbs.)
4 Trail Rations (2 gp, 4 lbs.)
4 Waterskins (4 gp, 16 lbs.)
Wooden Holy Symbol of Heironeous (1 gp)
3 Potions of Cure Light Wounds (150 gp, each heals 1d8+1 lethal and nonlethal damage)

24 Gold, 12 Silver, 16 Copper
Carrying 129 lbs.
Light load is 0-66 lbs.
Medium load is 67-133 lbs.
Heavy load is 134-200 lbs.
Can lift up to 200 lbs. over his head
Can lift up to 400 lbs. off the ground
Can push or pull up to 1,000 lbs.

Background:
Lars Crichton has served Heironeous since he was twelve years of age, shown at that time that his fate was to serve the Archpaladin in pushing back the tides of evil and protecting the meek. Lars grew up in a nameless thorp at the edge of the Borderlands, lost 11 years ago when the orcs started ranging further out from the mountains and pillaged the place for what food and silver they could scrounge up. Lars saw Heironeous that day, as a few villagers tried desperately to protect the women and children from rapacious orcs, and the Archpaladin told him how to make those men's deaths mean something. When Lars' mother, Diedre Crichton, carried him off to the city of Sheffield for protection, Lars knew that he must return someday to avenge his father and fellows. In Sheffield, his mother had to leave Lars with the local priests at the temple of Heironeous, for lack of any money to take care of the boy, as she struggled to earn enough to feed herself. Lars knew that it was meant to be so, that he would be alright if he trusted in the Archpaladin. After many years of training and slowly learning that vengeance would not be just, Lars found his way as a chosen paladin of Heironeous. He would go back to the Borderlands and fight the orcs, the goblins, the giants and anything else wicked that threatened Haven's former lands. But not for vengeance. For justice.

Description:
Lars is fairly vivacious and high-spirited, but grim when it comes to matters of justice and duty. He knows that his fate is to punish evil and protect those like his late father and fellow villagers, and takes this duty very seriously. Fighting is grim and dirty, unpleasant business, but those of able body and spirit like himself cannot merely stand back when good people are suffering or in danger. So he learns to fight, and tries not to think of vengeance or rage when he must fight. He uses an axe because it is Heironeous' traditional weapon, and he thinks it gets the job done better than a sword, even if it is less 'noble'. He doesn't know why exactly he is different from normal folk, other than his apparent destiny as a paladin, and his mother doesn't seem to remember anything about their celestial forbearer.

As long as there is nothing that requires him to fulfill his duty as a tool of the Archpaladin, Lars enjoys eating, drinking, and making merry. Banter and witty insults are an amusing distraction from the grim reality of war, but not one he can be comfortable indulging in very often. He's a bit pudgy around the middle from enjoying so much food and drink, but tries to moderate his habits and avoid slipping away from the path fate has set him on. Whenever he can, he returns to Sheffield and brings his mother what coin he can spare, but much of what he earns in the fight against evil has to go towards the armaments and supplies to continue that fight. When he's not in Sheffield, he likes the company of the ladies, but avoids anything that might shame the Archpaladin's name, since he's unmarried and carries the burden of being a chosen icon of Heironeous' will. Cooking holds his interest when he has nothing to fight, no one to save, and no one to woo. Good food begets a good mood, he always says.
 
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That's already in the paladin's code, anyhow (given how D&D alignments are defined, and the paladin's code saying they cannot commit any evil act). And it's how I handle paladins anyway; acts are evil or not, regardless of the circumstances or beliefs behind them.

Looks good to me, and glad to hear we're on the same paladin page. It's amazing how many times I've heard people try to justify, for example, a paladin commiting murder because "he'd save a whole lot more people" in the process.

:D
 




I am terribly sorry about me dropping the ball with the game. My new job teaching middle- and high-school students in a residential treatment center has been kicking my backside. Fortunately, most of the problems which have made it difficult to get lessons prepared and materials ready have been solved. I'm going to get the game moving again before this coming weekend is over.

Again, mea culpa maxima.
 

New player

Are you still taking new players?

I'll check on monday for eventual answer.

I can post most work days, only rarely on weekends.
 

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