Ansgar Ercanbald's page

Destructive Smite (Su): You gain the destructive smite power: the supernatural ability to make a single melee attack with a morale bonus on damage rolls equal to 1/2 your cleric level (minimum 1). You must declare the destructive smite before making the attack. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.

A small town outside Magnimar, ten years ago

“Ansgar, your probably no better than your father” a voice shouted from behind him.
I’m almost out, I’m almost out Ansgar thought as he approached the end of the alley way, fleeing those chasing him with the intent of punishing him for his fathers crimes. It was then that he slipped and fell, hearing the rapid approach of those chasing him. Splayed out on the ground he scrambled to his feet in time to feel something, fist or piece of wood perhaps, connect with the side of his head.

Pain flashing and his mind going blank, a vision of flame with behind a sword crossed over a wing was emblazoned on his mind. Fight, Stand, Avenge something screamed as he fell into unconsciousness.

Upon awaking, Ansgar noticed he was on a bed, head bandaged, someone sitting beside him.

“Ahh, you are finally awake then good. Come eat and then we will see about getting you on your way” said the someone as they helped him to the table.

Getting up Ansgar and moving to the table, Ansgar had a few questions, “Who are you and why have you helped me, sir?”, for it was obviously a man helping him.

”I am known by most Argent, a member of the cult of Ragathiel in Magnimar. I am helping you because I came across you being beaten, and the call of Vengeance blossomed in me.” Sighing, Argent continued ”lets get you fed than and on your way home”

Beginning to eat and starting to feel better, Ansgar decides to inform Argent of his familial status. ”With the death of my father, my mother has been driven out of town as well, leaving me to fend for myself, I’ve no where left to go”

”Why has this happened?” Argent replied.

”My father was found guilty of murder, of an entire family. They hung him three days ago. Since the, the rest of the town has been pressuring my mother and I to leave. My mother was beaten and left town yesterday. I was merely trying to get my things before I too left, though she told me not to follow her...”

”Then I shall take you to Magnimar. There, in return for what I have done for you, you shall stay and learn the ways of Ragathiel for a period of two years and a day, being fed and housed the entire time. Given the mutterings in your sleep, he seems to have taken a hold on your conscience”

Ansgar spent two years and a day with the Cult of Ragathiel in Magnimar, learning what he could of Ragathiel’s tenets, history, and the planes upon which he fought, trying to better understand the being he in turn sought to worship. Over this period he began to train in arms and armor as well, eventually learning to fight well enough to hold his own as well as be able to cast minor magics.

In his training, Ansgar found that his anger rose and concentrated into a point, unable to let him concentrate on other things. He began to pray when he found himself in training or in fights when he and the others left Magnimar to carry out Ragathiel’s will, speaking to himself in celestial as a calming mechanism, and hoping Ragathiel would hear and answer him. These prayers may have brought him victory, but they did nothing to stem the bloodlust that led him to fight far more brutally than needed to win.

Between the teachings of the Cult of Ragathiel and his experiences, Ansgar created for himself a code to follow, for though he tried to do good, his drive to prove himself as an equal to others tainted it in many ways.

Ansgar ended up spending 10 years with the Cult of Ragathiel, and after the first two, he began to visit and study the other religions and factions within the many Cults of Magnimar. While holding Ragathiel as his ideal, Ansgar found that many other deities and faith’s were worth respecting, even if they were not right for him. It is because of this seeking out of knowledge that Ansgar found himself in Sandpoint waiting to view the newly made cathedral...

1. A life for a life. One death does not justify a hundred acts of Vengeance. The path of the sword is one of balance, and every act of Vengeance may beget another. In service to Ragathiel I seek to balance the scales, not fill them to overflowing.
2. Torture is not Vengeance. There is more than enough suffering in the world. I shall not add to it in Ragathiel’s name. A clean death can be an act of just Vengeance, but a torturous one is almost always an act of evil.
3. No Vengeance for myself. I may never entreat myself for Vengeance. I take Vengeance for others, at their request, and only if they are worthy and willing to follow the rules set out for them.

Rule of Vengeance 1 - No Vengeance but Ragathiel's. Once I, in the name of Ragathiel, have agreed to take vengeance for someone, the matter is finished. The wronged party must move on with their life as soon as I agree to enact the Vengeance. They are not to witness the deed itself. They are not to seek further Vengeance against the friends or family of the target. To do so is to cause Ragathiel’s Vengeance to be enacted upon themselves so as to balance the scales.

Rule of Vengeance 2 - The Silence of the Grave. The matter is never to be spoken of again. You are never to speak of the Vengeance you request with anyone. Ever. You may only make a silent sacrifice to Ragathiel one a year in remembrance. Otherwise you are to act as if your loved one died a natural death. Mourn them, but do so with no anger.

4. I shall not suffer a Fiends to Live. Fiends, of all types, are Anathema. All fiends are assumed to be worthy of Vengeance. I am called to destroy fiend-kind wherever I find them, or spend my life attempting to do as much damage as possible. This is not a requirement that I throw my life away. It will likely be that a I may do the most damage by raising an army, or training to become powerful enough to slay the beast.

5. It is my duty, as an honorable and chivalrous follower of Ragathiel, to protect those close to me as if they were my kin. My allies depend on me a I shall not falter in their times of need.

Because of his code, Ansgar lives a less pragmatic life than his instinctual desires would lead him to. However, following the path of Ragathiel gives him free reign to grow more powerful to the point that others will have to accept him for who he is, and not for the crimes of his father.

Ansgar is of average height and weight at 5’ 5” and 155 lbs. He is built lithely from all the training and work he has done in his life. His body is weathered from spending a good amount of time out doors, and his dark hair begins to show signs of grey at the temples already, despite his young age.

Ansgar is talkative, though somewhat shy around people at first. He is also fiercely loyal and always trying to aid others, for it is his duty to in life. His code helps for his out look on life and keeps him from doing anything that would tarnish his name or that of Ragathiel.
Ansgar is used to working in groups, and can easily find reasons to help out in the group and continue with it until he feels that Ragathiel needs him elsewhere.

From an in character perspective, I expect Ansgar to start out by being wrapped in his code, needing its structure to help guide his interactions with others so that his blood lust and drive to prove himself stronger than others (and to prove himself worthy of their respect) do not overwhelm him into doing evil deeds. Over time, as his faith grows and he comes to understand more, he will need to rely on the code less and less, becoming more a champion of good in its own right than a person following a strict set of codes so that their actions end up being good. Mechanically, this would represent a shift from his LN alignment to a LG or NG one eventually.

From a mechanical perspective, Ansgar prepares his spells every day to aid himself and his group in battle. Spells like bless, divine favor, bull strength and rage routinely make in onto his spell list, though he does favor group buffs over self buffs. If needed, Ansgar will prepare curative spells, such as lesser restoration or cure blindness/deafness as needed, and will eventually be leaving a spell slot or two blank to allow for more flexibility during the day. From a melee perspective, Ansgar will grow as a two weapon fighting sword and shield user over the course of his career, wearing medium armor the entire time.
Also, I know some people are hesitant about a cleric starting with 13 wisdom, but if I am staying away from DC related spells and can get the appropriate items then it will be fine. The reasoning behind Crusader Cleric as opposed to a Warpriest is that the Crusader get the same number of base spells if not more and has access to the entire 9 levels of spells, even if I get fewer per day than a normal cleric.