Ah, me and deadlines, always rushing towards the end. Anyways, here we go. And good luck Torx! I'll be heading to read the competition in a moment.
Torx vs. theRuinedOne
NPC Levels: 2, 6, 10, 16
NPC Race: Small-sized, ECL <= 1
Ingredients:
- Golden Raiment
- Hobgoblin Platoon
- Ignorance of the Law
- Jilted Lover
- Kyton Kidnapper
- Lost Religion
Horace Silverfell, the Annointed of Yondalla
The first twenty years of Horace Silverfell’s life were spent in the quiet hillside village of Tumbledown. Horace’s father was a vintner, and he was expected to follow the tradition, much like his younger brother and sister would. The young halfling had other interests however, and found himself spending more and more time with the local priests of Yondalla. When he announced his decision to his parents to follow the calling, he expected disapproval and talk of familial responsibility. Instead, he found that his parents were greatly pleased and supportive of his decision. Soon, he entered service to Yondalla and bore no regrets.
Most of Horace’s time was spent learning doctrine and the arts of healing. He excelled at his studies when he applied himself, but he was not as rigid as some of the elder priests that had served Yondalla since time immemorial. Horace occasionally shirked his responsibilities within the church to pursue paths he found of greater worth. He was more likely to be found in the town, tending to the sick and wounded, instead of pouring over gilded tomes in church halls. When he could arrange it, sometimes he would satisfy his wanderlust by accompanying traveling adventurers or mercenaries to nearby locales. His services as a healer would rarely go unwanted.
Horace Silverfall, male halfling, Clr2: HD 2d8+2; hp 14; Init +2; Spd 20 ft; AC 17 (scale mail, +2 Dex, +1 size); Melee short sword +2 (1d6/crit 19-20/x2); SA spells, turn undead; SQ halfling traits; AL NG; SV Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +7; Str 10, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 17, Cha 15.
Skills and Feats: Climb +2, Concentration +4, Diplomacy +5, Jump +2, Heal +7, Hide +6, Knowledge (religion) +6, Listen +7, Move Silently +4, Sense Motive +4, Spellcraft +4, Spot +6; Alertness.
Cleric Spells Prepared (4/3): 0–cure minor wounds, detect poison, guidance, read magic; 1–cure light wounds (2), magic weapon.
Domain Spells (Yondalla, Good and Protection): 1–Protection from Evil.
Equipment: masterwork short sword, scale mail armor, healer’s kit.
Horace’s irresponsibility eventually caused him more problems than needed within the priesthood. Called before Maester Godfrey, he was chastised and given a mandate to correct his ways. After lengthy discussions, a compromise was met between Horace and the Maester – Horace would travel abroad and apply his lessons in new towns following the path of the wanderer. It was not unheard of for younger halfling priests to tread this path and accomplish great miracles for their faith.
After saying his farewells to family and friends, Horace headed West towards human settlements. The first major city he arrived at was Heartsvale, a major buyer for his family’s wines. The roads were thick with local travelers moving towards town, some speaking of marauding bandits and hobgoblins. Horace’s first night within the city nearly became his last when a drunken man singled him out for no reason and tried to kill Horace with his blade. Horace defended himself well with his short sword, the chosen weapon of Yondalla. Horace left the man beaten and bleeding, but alive, yet when the guards came, both he and the man were arrested. Horace had no forewarned knowledge of this, but drawing weapons to fight, even in self-defense, was strictly prohibited within the walls of Heartsvale.
Horace guessed that they would keep him overnight and then release him with a small fine. He learned otherwise the next morning, as he was carried to the local militia unit. Within short order, he was conscripted into service under the standing militia until a year had passed. Horace railed against this decision, but only earned himself beatings and warnings of greater sentences. Horace had little time to speak against these orders, as the militia moved out in two days’ time to fight the threat of approaching enemies.
Horace saw much of the surrounding countryside over the next few months. His unit fought a number of skirmishes against smaller goblinoid enemies. He found many opportunities to exercise his abilities as healer and priest to the wounded human militiamen. He also found more than enough chances to hone his skills in battle. Respect was earned among many of his fellow soldiers, and ones that had mocked him when he first joined the unit now came to him seeking advice and solace.
Horace Silverfell, male halfling, Clr5/Ftr1: HD 5d8+1d10+12; hp 49; Init +6; Spd 20 ft; AC 18 (scale mail +1, +2 Dex, +1 size); Melee short sword +7 (1d6/crit 19-20/x2); SA spells, turn undead; SQ halfling traits, 25% chance critical hits and sneak attacks against Horace are negated; AL NG; SV Fort +9, Ref +4, Will +9; Str 10, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 17, Cha 15.
Skills and Feats: Climb +3, Concentration +7, Diplomacy +6, Jump +2, Handle Animal +3, Heal +8, Hide +6, Knowledge (religion) +9, Listen +7, Move Silently +4, Ride +4, Sense Motive +5, Spellcraft +5, Speak Language +1, Spot +6; Alertness, Expertise, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse (short sword).
Cleric Spells Prepared (5/4/3/2): 0–cure minor wounds, detect magic, detect poison, guidance, read magic; 1–cure light wounds (2), magic weapon, obscuring mist; 2-cure moderate wounds (2), sound burst; 3-daylight, inflict serious wounds.
Domain Spells (Yondalla, Good and Protection): 1–Protection from Evil, 2-Shield Other, 3-Magic Circle against Evil.
Equipment: masterwork short sword, scale mail of light fortification +1, 2 potions of cure light wounds, healer’s kit.
As Horace’s year of impressed service neared an end, his unit found itself in dire straits. They had moved into position at a set of old ruins to spy upon a small group of hobgoblins massing to the South. Their intelligence had been wrong, and soon their force found itself surrounded by a platoon of hobgoblin marauders. It was only a matter of time before the great numbers of hobgoblins learned of the soldiers’ position and wiped them out, and so they waited, trying to concoct a plan.
A member of Horace’s unit brought an item to him – a sealed clay bottle with a chain design criss-crossing it. The bottle had been found hidden within the ruins, and the men had been unable to open it. Horace examined it and noted ancient runes of questionable meaning. If he had more time, he wanted to study the bottle, but soon enough the hobgoblins discovered the soldiers and began to descend on their position. As the battles began, Horace discerned that the ancient bottle was magical, and the runes mentioned something of a servant. Deciding that there could be no wrong done in their final hour, Horace voiced the runic words, causing a thick grey cloud to issue from the bottle. A supernaturally deep voice asked what service Horace required. Thinking quickly, he asked the apparition to stop the advancing army. What happened next was a nightmare.
A figure emerged from the smoke, demonic and wrapped in chains. This creature, a deadly kyton, proceeded to slaughter hobgoblins as they approached, ripping them to shreds with barbed chains. The hobgoblins were not the only casualties, as the deadly chains killed any humans that were near. Horace watched in horror as this creature decimated the battlefield, destroying the hobgoblin platoon and a number of his own forces. When the carnage was done, the kyton simply disappeared from the battlefield. What was worse, Horace no longer felt the comforting presence of Yondalla in his heart. He spent many days in constant prayer and vigil, trying to return to the grace he once held, but to no avail. In one grand misstep, he had forsaken the path he walked for years on end.
Returning to Heartsvale in bloody triumph, Horace was freed from his conscription and allowed to leave. Surprising even himself, he chose to stay with the militia. Now that he no longer felt a connection to Yondalla, there was no need for him to continue his pilgrimage or to return to Tumbledown. A solemn halfling, Horace returned to life as a soldier and focused on the teachings of his fellow warriors.
Horace Silverfell, male halfling, Clr5/Ftr5: HD 5d8+5d10+20; hp 86; Init +6; Spd 20 ft; AC 18 (scale mail +1, +2 Dex, +1 size); Melee short sword +12/+6 (1d6+1/crit 17-20/x2); SA none; SQ halfling traits, 25% chance critical hits and sneak attacks against Horace are negated; AL N; SV Fort +9, Ref +4, Will +9; Str 11, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 17, Cha 15.
Skills and Feats: Climb +3, Concentration +7, Diplomacy +7, Jump +2, Handle Animal +5, Heal +9, Hide +6, Knowledge (religion) +9, Listen +7, Move Silently +4, Ride +7, Sense Motive +6, Spellcraft +5, Speak Language +2, Spot +4, Swim 1; Alertness, Expertise, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse (short sword), Weapon Focus (short sword), Weapon Specialization (short sword).
Cleric Spells Prepared: Unavailable to Horace until atonement.
Domain Spells: Unavailable to Horace until atonement.
Equipment: keen short sword +1, scale mail of light fortification +1, 2 beads of force, healer’s kit.
After a number of years, Horace had become one of the most accomplished swordsmen within his ranks. He could no longer use grace to heal his fellows, but his teachings from the priesthood still served him well as a medic when needed. Eventually the countryside settled down, and there was little need for a large military arm. Horace took this as a sign and decided it was time to return to Tumbledown and see what he could make of life.
His friends and family were thankful to see the errant son return, although many were saddened to see him no longer a priest of Yondalla. He joined his family to work as a vintner, work he found very dull and unsatisfying. One facet of life did improve for him, as he began to court a girl named Lorna that he knew from his childhood. She did her best to fill in the gaps in Horace’s heart, and their love blossomed. Within a year, a date was set for a Silverfell wedding. Horace’s streak of unfortunate luck would continue to haunt him.
The day of Horace’s wedding, Lorna was nowhere to be found. Rumors abounded, but no one had seen her leave that morning or the night before. Horace despaired, unable to guess why she had left him with no warning, but there was little he could do. Three days later, a message arrived at the Silverfell house, demanding that Horace come forth with a grand ransom if he wished to see Lorna alive. Gathering what moneys he had brought back from Heartsvale and a good amount of the Silverfell supply, Horace went forth to meet with the kidnapper.
At the caves where the instructions led him, Horace found Lorna chained up by the very kyton that he had released years before. By some cruel desire, the devil had chosen to find the one who released it and torture them. Horace attempted to fight it, but the creature used Lorna as a distraction until it could capture Horace. The creature taunted him, seeming to know the great loss Horace had suffered after he had freed the kyton. The devil tortured and tempted Horace for hours on end, but did not break him. It did not release Lorna as promised, using her as additional leverage against Horace.
As Horace faded in and out of consciousness, chained up in the cave, he had an epiphany. It was not the careless freeing of the kyton that had caused Horace to fall from Yondalla’s favor. Instead, it was that he had allowed the kyton to exist and not correct the situation. A wellspring of faith opened itself to Horace, lending him the strength necessary to combat this devil. While the kyton was unprepared, Horace pulled his sword to himself and used it to sunder his bonds. A great battle between the two ensued, deadly chains against a blade imbued with holy might. The kyton attempted to flee once the battle turned against him, but Horace used the energy available to bind the devil and vanquish it from the world.
Lorna survived the encounter, and the two soon returned to Tumbledown. They did not marry immediately, as Horace requested time to re-enter the priesthood and set his affairs straight. News of his battle spread, and within a few months, Horace was called forth to meet with the (high priest). Godfrey was growing older and had neared the point where he needed to step down from his position. He warned Godfrey of the appearance of more infernal creatures in the area, and that they would need someone to stand vigilant. To Horace’s surprise, Godfrey wanted him to take the post. With the town and visiting priests watching, the mantle and golden raiment of high priest was passed down to the youngest halfling to ever old the position.
Horace spends most of his time in Tumbledown, coordinating the efforts of junior priests and communicating with other temples father away. He stands ever-vigilant against the threat of outsiders, and has led groups on more than one occasion to confront and exorcise demons from the lands. To temper this grim duty, Horace and Lorna were married in a small ceremony, and they currently are at work on building a family. This has breathed more life into the priesthood, and the ranks are beginning to grow in number.
Horace Silverfell, male halfling, Clr11/Ftr5: HD 11d8+5d10+32; hp 130; Init +6; Spd 20 ft; AC 21 (scale mail +1, robe of protection +3, +2 Dex, +1 size); Melee short sword +17/+8 (1d6+1/crit 17-20/x2); SA spells, turn undead; SQ halfling traits, 25% chance critical hits and sneak attacks against Horace are negated; AL N; SV Fort +15, Ref +9, Will +16; Str 11, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 18, Cha 16.
Skills and Feats: Climb +3, Concentration +9, Diplomacy +11, Jump +2, Handle Animal +5, Heal +12, Hide +6, Innuendo +5, Knowledge (religion) +11, Listen +7, Move Silently +5, Ride +7, Scry +7, Sense Motive +8, Spellcraft +7, Speak Language +2, Spot +6, Swim 1; Alertness, Combat Casting, Expertise, Improved Initiative, Scribe Scroll, Weapon Finesse (short sword), Weapon Focus (short sword), Weapon Specialization (short sword).
Cleric Spells Prepared (6/5/5/4/2/1): 0–cure minor wounds, detect magic (2), detect poison, guidance, read magic; 1–cure light wounds (2), detect evil, magic weapon, obscuring mist; 2-bull’s strength, cure moderate wounds (2), lesser restoration, sound burst; 3-cure serious wounds, daylight, invisbility purge, summon monster III 4-dimensional anchor, divination; 5-scrying.
Domain Spells (Yondalla, Good and Protection): 1–Protection from Evil, 2-Shield Other, 3-Magic Circle against Evil, 4-Holy Smite, 5-Spell Resistance.
Equipment: keen bane (evil outsiders) short sword +1, scale mail of light fortification +1, golden robe of protection +3, healer’s kit.
-- perhaps this is making things hard on myself, but I think this contest is hard enough without the length limit. Unlike plot summaries (*cough*IronDM*cough*), NPCs live best in a sea of details.
