Reolus of Fulda's page

Ammunition
sling bullets (10) X X X X X X X X X X
arrows (20) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Spell-Like or Racial Abilities
Healing Surge 1d6 (3)

Class Abilities
None

Sir Gunthar was a knight of some renown, gaining fame and prestige among the forces of Pepin the Short in his campaigns to reclaim papal lands from the Lombard kingdoms in northern Italy. Granted lands and titles by the king himself in 751, Sir Gunthar returned to Cologne and his three new manses. While hunting with his men on one of his estates near the Saxon border, his party was set upon in ambush by a Saxon raiding party. The well-trained warriors easily repelled the barbarian attackers, tracked them back to their settlement, and slaughtered many women and children. Sir Gunthar, however, found himself betwitched by the beauty of Athelinda, the Saxon chief’s daughter, and took her back with him to his estate. His men warned him to be rid of the woman, accusing her of Satanic witchcraft and casting beguiling spells on their leader, but the truth of the matter was that the attraction was quite mutual. Sir Gunthar instructed Athelinda in the Christian faith, and she converted shortly before their marriage in 755, taking the name Sophia. Sir Gunthar and Sophia were soon blessed with three strong and healthy sons: Asselin (born 756), Orderic (born 758), and Reolus (born 761).

As the eldest, Asselin received training in warfare and in running the estates, though said estates were dwindling quickly. While Pepin the Short continued to support Sir Gunthar, even after his marriage to his once-pagan wife, Pepin’s successor Carolus was not nearly so open-minded. Sir Gunthar’s wealth soon dried up, and he was forced to sell off two of his estates and split a third with Sir Vicelin, a cruel and larcenous neighbour. Not one to take too many chances, Sir Gunthar also saw to it that his second son, Orderic, was also prepared to serve as heir, and just to completely hedge his bets and garner whatever divine goodwill he could, he dedicated his third son Reolus to the church.

Reolus traveled to Hersfeld Abbey, at the age of 12, and studied theology and history with the monks there. Although he grew quite fond of the place, the monks there recognized his superior intellect and capabilities, and transferred him to Fulda, to study at the great school there. Under the personal tutelage of Abbot Sturm, Reolus took vows at the age of 16, not only as a Benedictine, but as an ordained priest. Reolus studied the art of diplomacy, and every manuscript Fulda’s scriptorium had on the healing arts. He apprenticed himself to Brother Arbogastes, the head of Fulda’s infirmary, a much lower position demonstrating great humility in the pursuit of knowledge. Together, Arbogastes and Reolus traveled throughout the neighbouring countryside, tending to the sick and infirm in many of the villages and hamlets, especially among the poor. Many among the monastery pegged Reolus as the abbots eventual successor, but the Lord had a different plan for the brilliant young man.

In the year 780, Brother Reolus received word at Fulda that his father and eldest brother Asselin had died from plague, and his mother was gravely ill. With Father Sturm’s blessing, Reolus set out at once, arriving home in time to bring his healing arts to bear and save his mother from death. Reolus planned to winter at his family home, help his remaining brother manage the estate, then return to Fulda in the spring. In the spring of 781, however, Orderic (who never possessed a strong work ethic or sense of duty) went hunting with his friends, only to be ambushed by Saxon raiders. Not possessing the same skill at arms his father had thirty years prior, Orderic was viciously slain by the barbarians, leaving Reolus as the sole remaining heir. Although the monastery called to him, his family obligations called more strongly, and he resigned himself to care for his mother and tend to his father’s lands, striking a balance between his vows of poverty and his management of his family wealth, much of which he donated to Fulda, or used to establish services to help the poor in the neighbouring countryside. The Lord blessed his generosity, and his half-estate prospered.

In 782, Charlemange decreed a draft of knights of the realm to lead the offensive to conquer and convert the Saxons to the northeast. Graf Theoderic lumped Reolus in with Sir Vicelin and four other land-owners, who all nominated Reolus to answer his king’s call. Father Reolus, eager to spread the Faith to his mother’s people (and knowing he could do so with words instead of swords), accepted the nomination. The other five land-owners were also happy to have the priest away, planning and scheming ways to claim his lands in his absence, and they gleefully contributed their shares to equip and outfit the young cleric. Father Reolus reported to Graf Theodric’s camp in Westphalia, and was soon appointed as a chaplain.

Reolus is thin and frail of frame. He stands at 5’7” tall and wears a simple alb, except when forced by duty to clad himself in armour of boiled leather. His head is shaved in the Benedictine custom, and his features are gaunt.
Description
Ht: 5' 7"
Wt: 112 lbs
Age: 21
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Skin: Pale and pockmarked

Reolus is devout and sincere. He makes every effort to model his entire being after Christ, as he knows he is supposed to do, even though he also knows that he will fail from time to time, as all men do. As a member of the First Estate, he prays regularly for others, celebrates all the Daily Offices, even if he can only recite the words and psalms under his breath as he rides, and only insists that his companions celebrate Matins and Vespers with him.

Reolus was not present when his father and brother took sick, and was not with his second brother when he was ambushed and killed. Intellectually, he knows there was no way he could have known to be in those places, or that there was necessarily anything he could have done to prevent those deaths, but the what ifs continue to haunt him. He becomes very over-bearing and tense when those he cares about become sick or injured, and downright panicked when a close friend suffers a grave wound. He thanks the Lord everyday that he was able to get home in time to save his mother.