Crothian
First Post
I know what you're thinking: Who's Valen? Read and find out! 
Valen
The Church of Conitz raised Valen. Slavers sold him to them many, many years ago. His parents were presumed slaves or dead, it didn't really matter and no one ever cared. It took the priests of Conitz a few years to realize that Valen was different. His skin and hair was always oily, he spoke rare almost ancient languages, and he didn't seem to age as quickly as the other slave children. In a span of 20 years Valen seemed to age very little. Only a few priests who were around Valen for many years ever noticed it. None is quite sure how long Valen was a slave to the church before his ability was discovered. He was moved around from one area to another often. None of the priests really liked him so they found reasons to make him serve elsewhere. However, for reasons no one knew the priest where unwilling to allow Valen to leave the service of the church.
During these many decades of slavery Valen learned a lot about devotion to Conitz. She was the Illmaker to everyone, but to Valen she was the piece in his life that made life worth living. As a unwanted slave he thought about taking his own life, but through the teachings of Conitz he knew that she would decide when his time was up. The knowledge that he was supposed to be alive combined with the forced serving of the
Church started Valen on his daily devotions. A few of the other slaves did this hoping that the priests would be kinder because of it. However, the priests are impossible to fool. Valen’s devotion was sincere. He followed the laws of the church to the letter and knew the teachings of Conitz better then some of the priests.
It was Priest Stabach who first saw Valen’s potential and devotion to server Conitz. Stabach watched Valen for over a year before approaching the young man. Valen had been with the church for decades, maybe even a century. All the current priests had seen or heard of him when they entered the priesthood. Priest Stabach was one of the oldest and most revered members of the clergy. So, while many of the priests disliked the idea of freeing a slave, especially one as odd as Valen, no one said anything. However, many of them did not keep silent when Stabach decided to personally train Valen in the ways of Conitz. Stabach devoted his next ten years to helping Valen. Stabach had one assistant,
Fausser. Fausser was younger and more adept at weapons and arms training. However, Fausser resented Valen and always tried to make weapons practice dangerous and painful. Fausser also never taught Valen to use Adjucator (short sword). One of the first things Stabach did was name him Valen. Up until then he was just boy or slave. One of the most honored priests of Conitz was Valen, and so he was named after him. Many of the other priests thought this was an insult to the true Valen and said so. However, Stabach never changed his mind.
Valen stayed with Stabach until Stabach finally passed away. Stabach gave Valen a small, magical pearl to help him understand the world and how it would treat him. Valen was never good with people so did a lot of behind the scenes work to further Conitz’s name. After Stabach died, many of the other priests tried to get Valen to quite or forsake his vows. Valen, however, proved countless times he was highly devoted to Conitz. Even more devoted then many of the priests. None of the priests wanted Valen around so the sent him on journeys hoping in secret that he would be killed by others. Valen now travels serving Conitz however he can. He has little to do with the clergy, as they do not welcome him. He is well known as the aberration priest. It is obvious he is not human because of his unnatural grease and his long life span, but no one has a guess on what he could be.
After Stabach died the church did not know what to do with Valen. With Stabach gone the rest of the clergy was much less civil with him. However, Valen was a full Cleric now so he did have the rights of the rank. At first they sent him off to a remote location. It was a small temple located on an old caravan route. Few people used the route any more so the place had been abandoned for many years. Valen was instructed to get the place up and running and to be there for anyone who happened along the route. However, the Church gave Valen very little to fix up the Temple. They gave him some basic tools which he really had no training in, and a little extra money for food and supplies. Then they dropped him off and he was basically alone. He spent the days repairing the temple to the best of his limited ability. For the most part kept the place clean and tied of a single area that he determined to be unsafe. He spent many hours in silent devotion. He was able to walk to the nearest village, two days away. Valen usually made it in one long hike. There he traded his few abilities for food and supplies for the temple. He would perform a few spells when they were needed. The town, however, never took toward Valen. Conitz is not the most popular of the Gods and Valen’s unusual appearance did not help.
Valen’s only other activity was silent devotion. Many times he would go swimming in a small pond that was only a few miles away. Much of his time was spent thinking about an aspect of Conitz he had abilities from. He had the normal, and most common ability of knowing who was ready to pass from the mortal plan and who was not. However, Valen had another ability that had not been seen or even known about. He had an ability that dealt with Oozes. Oozes are not thought if in a positive light. Stabach had explained that it was through the will of Conitz that Valen had this ability. Word soon got out to the other clerics that Valen could do this, and it only furthered their disliking of him. One of the first spells of the Slime Domain (the odd ability that he had) was the ability to make grease. It was a small amount and lasted only for a few seconds. However, this same ability was something he was always able to do for as long as he could remember. Valen had never thought about where he had come from because the church raised him. They had owned him and told him never to worry about such pointless things. They instructed Valen to be mindful of the future, not the past. And so Valen had. However, this was the first clue he had gotten to his origins. The Slime domain made grease, and so could he. His hair was naturally oily and his skin was greasy and off in color. Valen concluded he must be, in some way, related to Ooze.
There was little Valen could do with this information. A few caravans came by and he was able to help people, but no one had any clue on Oozes except they were very dangerous and were destroyed on sight. All that ended when Dadler’s caravan came by. Dadler was a human Alchemist. Valen helped the Caravan by healing some wounded who had been ambushed. Valen expected nothing in return for it was not the time for these people to die. He say it as serving Conitz. However, Dadler felt he had to repay him. So, Dadler stayed a few days and talked to Valen. The conversation included Valen past and where he had come from. Valen was always open and honest with people so he spook of his past and of not knowing what race he was. He also told Dadler about possible being a distant relative of the Ooze. Dadler thought that was interesting and suggested that Valen explore that possibility. Valen had tried to do that, but had very limited resources at the temple. Dadler decided to give Valen a small Alchemy lab and some basic books. With this information Valen could look into the greasy and other things of his body and see exactly how ooze like it was.
For the next year Valen studied alchemy in his free time. He had limited supplies but his few findings only encouraged him more. He was able to unlock a way to become more Ooze like. Valen figured he was unlocking his own ancestry. Then there came a time when his clergy came to his Temple. It seemed that the Caravan route was becoming more popular so they needed to replace Valen. Despite all the good Valen had been doing in the past couple of years, the other clerics still resented him. One night Valen heard them discussing the Spring of Conitz. Valen had never heard of it, but the pureness of water permanently blessed and in favor of his Goddess someone appealed to him. Water that came from the earth sounded so pure, so perfect. That night while the others slept, Valen left to find the Spring.
Valen soon found that being a traveling Cleric was more difficult then he could have imagined. He was able to cast spells in barter for food and supplies as he went. He was able to acquire a good set of armor, a shield, and a mace. He had to have this stuff for protection from bandits and brigands. Valen never liked to fight, but he wasn’t bad at it. He was strong and tough. He was able to endure great physical pain and punishment. He was able to rely on his faith and spells to get him through the toughest situations. One of the bands of brigands had a Silver rod of about 3 feet in length. It was obvious they had no idea it was magical, they thought it was ornate. After Valen dispatched them he noticed the rod. After a little while he figured out what it could do. It fired a sticky glob so many times a day. Valen was fascinated by it. With it he was able to stop people almost a hundred feat away. Somewhere able to escape after a while, but while stuck Valen could leave, use his spells, or talk to them.
And from there will be the lead in into the next time we play.
Comments, questions?
Edit: Huge update on character info.
Valen
The Church of Conitz raised Valen. Slavers sold him to them many, many years ago. His parents were presumed slaves or dead, it didn't really matter and no one ever cared. It took the priests of Conitz a few years to realize that Valen was different. His skin and hair was always oily, he spoke rare almost ancient languages, and he didn't seem to age as quickly as the other slave children. In a span of 20 years Valen seemed to age very little. Only a few priests who were around Valen for many years ever noticed it. None is quite sure how long Valen was a slave to the church before his ability was discovered. He was moved around from one area to another often. None of the priests really liked him so they found reasons to make him serve elsewhere. However, for reasons no one knew the priest where unwilling to allow Valen to leave the service of the church.
During these many decades of slavery Valen learned a lot about devotion to Conitz. She was the Illmaker to everyone, but to Valen she was the piece in his life that made life worth living. As a unwanted slave he thought about taking his own life, but through the teachings of Conitz he knew that she would decide when his time was up. The knowledge that he was supposed to be alive combined with the forced serving of the
Church started Valen on his daily devotions. A few of the other slaves did this hoping that the priests would be kinder because of it. However, the priests are impossible to fool. Valen’s devotion was sincere. He followed the laws of the church to the letter and knew the teachings of Conitz better then some of the priests.
It was Priest Stabach who first saw Valen’s potential and devotion to server Conitz. Stabach watched Valen for over a year before approaching the young man. Valen had been with the church for decades, maybe even a century. All the current priests had seen or heard of him when they entered the priesthood. Priest Stabach was one of the oldest and most revered members of the clergy. So, while many of the priests disliked the idea of freeing a slave, especially one as odd as Valen, no one said anything. However, many of them did not keep silent when Stabach decided to personally train Valen in the ways of Conitz. Stabach devoted his next ten years to helping Valen. Stabach had one assistant,
Fausser. Fausser was younger and more adept at weapons and arms training. However, Fausser resented Valen and always tried to make weapons practice dangerous and painful. Fausser also never taught Valen to use Adjucator (short sword). One of the first things Stabach did was name him Valen. Up until then he was just boy or slave. One of the most honored priests of Conitz was Valen, and so he was named after him. Many of the other priests thought this was an insult to the true Valen and said so. However, Stabach never changed his mind.
Valen stayed with Stabach until Stabach finally passed away. Stabach gave Valen a small, magical pearl to help him understand the world and how it would treat him. Valen was never good with people so did a lot of behind the scenes work to further Conitz’s name. After Stabach died, many of the other priests tried to get Valen to quite or forsake his vows. Valen, however, proved countless times he was highly devoted to Conitz. Even more devoted then many of the priests. None of the priests wanted Valen around so the sent him on journeys hoping in secret that he would be killed by others. Valen now travels serving Conitz however he can. He has little to do with the clergy, as they do not welcome him. He is well known as the aberration priest. It is obvious he is not human because of his unnatural grease and his long life span, but no one has a guess on what he could be.
After Stabach died the church did not know what to do with Valen. With Stabach gone the rest of the clergy was much less civil with him. However, Valen was a full Cleric now so he did have the rights of the rank. At first they sent him off to a remote location. It was a small temple located on an old caravan route. Few people used the route any more so the place had been abandoned for many years. Valen was instructed to get the place up and running and to be there for anyone who happened along the route. However, the Church gave Valen very little to fix up the Temple. They gave him some basic tools which he really had no training in, and a little extra money for food and supplies. Then they dropped him off and he was basically alone. He spent the days repairing the temple to the best of his limited ability. For the most part kept the place clean and tied of a single area that he determined to be unsafe. He spent many hours in silent devotion. He was able to walk to the nearest village, two days away. Valen usually made it in one long hike. There he traded his few abilities for food and supplies for the temple. He would perform a few spells when they were needed. The town, however, never took toward Valen. Conitz is not the most popular of the Gods and Valen’s unusual appearance did not help.
Valen’s only other activity was silent devotion. Many times he would go swimming in a small pond that was only a few miles away. Much of his time was spent thinking about an aspect of Conitz he had abilities from. He had the normal, and most common ability of knowing who was ready to pass from the mortal plan and who was not. However, Valen had another ability that had not been seen or even known about. He had an ability that dealt with Oozes. Oozes are not thought if in a positive light. Stabach had explained that it was through the will of Conitz that Valen had this ability. Word soon got out to the other clerics that Valen could do this, and it only furthered their disliking of him. One of the first spells of the Slime Domain (the odd ability that he had) was the ability to make grease. It was a small amount and lasted only for a few seconds. However, this same ability was something he was always able to do for as long as he could remember. Valen had never thought about where he had come from because the church raised him. They had owned him and told him never to worry about such pointless things. They instructed Valen to be mindful of the future, not the past. And so Valen had. However, this was the first clue he had gotten to his origins. The Slime domain made grease, and so could he. His hair was naturally oily and his skin was greasy and off in color. Valen concluded he must be, in some way, related to Ooze.
There was little Valen could do with this information. A few caravans came by and he was able to help people, but no one had any clue on Oozes except they were very dangerous and were destroyed on sight. All that ended when Dadler’s caravan came by. Dadler was a human Alchemist. Valen helped the Caravan by healing some wounded who had been ambushed. Valen expected nothing in return for it was not the time for these people to die. He say it as serving Conitz. However, Dadler felt he had to repay him. So, Dadler stayed a few days and talked to Valen. The conversation included Valen past and where he had come from. Valen was always open and honest with people so he spook of his past and of not knowing what race he was. He also told Dadler about possible being a distant relative of the Ooze. Dadler thought that was interesting and suggested that Valen explore that possibility. Valen had tried to do that, but had very limited resources at the temple. Dadler decided to give Valen a small Alchemy lab and some basic books. With this information Valen could look into the greasy and other things of his body and see exactly how ooze like it was.
For the next year Valen studied alchemy in his free time. He had limited supplies but his few findings only encouraged him more. He was able to unlock a way to become more Ooze like. Valen figured he was unlocking his own ancestry. Then there came a time when his clergy came to his Temple. It seemed that the Caravan route was becoming more popular so they needed to replace Valen. Despite all the good Valen had been doing in the past couple of years, the other clerics still resented him. One night Valen heard them discussing the Spring of Conitz. Valen had never heard of it, but the pureness of water permanently blessed and in favor of his Goddess someone appealed to him. Water that came from the earth sounded so pure, so perfect. That night while the others slept, Valen left to find the Spring.
Valen soon found that being a traveling Cleric was more difficult then he could have imagined. He was able to cast spells in barter for food and supplies as he went. He was able to acquire a good set of armor, a shield, and a mace. He had to have this stuff for protection from bandits and brigands. Valen never liked to fight, but he wasn’t bad at it. He was strong and tough. He was able to endure great physical pain and punishment. He was able to rely on his faith and spells to get him through the toughest situations. One of the bands of brigands had a Silver rod of about 3 feet in length. It was obvious they had no idea it was magical, they thought it was ornate. After Valen dispatched them he noticed the rod. After a little while he figured out what it could do. It fired a sticky glob so many times a day. Valen was fascinated by it. With it he was able to stop people almost a hundred feat away. Somewhere able to escape after a while, but while stuck Valen could leave, use his spells, or talk to them.
And from there will be the lead in into the next time we play.
Comments, questions?
Edit: Huge update on character info.
Last edited:
