Bayard the Axeman's page

Bayard, the Chief Executioner of Korvosa, is a man who has seen a lot, and little of it good. He was born to a Belkzen orc tribe near the Lastwall border. At an early age, he was selected as an apprentice to the tribe's Shaman. He had spent three years under the shaman's brutal tutelage when his tribe was wiped out nearly to an orc during an assault by Lastwall cavalry. The eight year old half-orc was the last survivor, defiantly wielding his master's battleaxe (though it took both his hands to do so). Something in his fearless stand caught the attention of one of the group's paladins, a hard man who worshipped Damerrich, the Weighted Swing. The man called off the other soldiers, easily disarmed he young half-orc, and pinned him to the ground. In a few minutes, he was able to convince the young half-orc to trade his old, dead master for a different sort of holy man, and took him as his own page. In the succeeding years, he poured everything into the half-orc, whom he had given the name Bayard; he taught him Damerrich's holy scriptures, how to ride and fight, to care for arms and armor, how to split a man in one blow of an axe and how to heal with energy of the celestial planes. Bayard was a quick learner, and drank it all in eagerly. His new master was scarcely less brutal than his old, though. The Paladin had never married or never raised a child, and when Bayard failed or disobeyed, his master treated him the way one might a truculent soldier. For a decade Bayard bore up under every weight, fought through every challenge, persevered in the face of the discrimination a half-orc always faces in Lastwall. Finally, he was named a full paladin in his own right. Then he set out from Lastwall in the company of a few friends he had made, never to return.
Bayard's precise deeds in the next six years are unknown, but accounts are told of a group matching his on the Nirmathas/Molthune border, fighting for freedom. Other tales place them in the Mindspin Mountains, waylaying isolated giants. Still further stories of a heavily armored knight and his doomed love of an ulfen shieldmaiden are told in the Ironbound Islands. Some even say he sailed with White Estrid.
Whether these tales are true or false, none can say. People have stopped asking Bayard himself. What is known for sure is that he arrived in Korvosa five years ago on a northern longboat, and has scarcely left the city since. No friends accompanied him then. He rarely speaks, except to extol Damerrich's virtues and counsel others on the necessity of duty, especially when it's hard. Within a year his zeal for the Empyreal Lord of judges and executioners had been noted, and a High Arbiter offered him a job acting as one of Korvosa's official executioners. He took to the job like a shark to a whale carcass, and when the High Executioner retired two years ago, Bayard was unanimously chosen to replace him. These days he is scarcely seen outside the Longacre Building, where both his office and quarters are found. Occasionally he can be found patrolling North Point, assisting anti-undead patrols. Curiously, he is known to have made an early enemy of the city's rogue Imp population, and it is well known that Imps pester him whenever he leaves North Point. This is not without peril, though, for Bayard has honed his skill in killing devils, which he calls a foul pollution of the city. His silvered axe has split more imps than criminals, over the years. Unsurprisingly, this has not endeared him to the Academae. Some professors have even called for his removal, though these petitions go nowhere with the Arbiters. It was a surprise to none more than himself when he was asked to participate in the Breaching Festival, and he is quite suspicious of what fell beasts have been summoned within to end him, But he looks forward to proving Damerrich's might superior to any summonings from Hell.

Bayard has grown over the years into a huge and hulking half-orc. Yet, beneath his executioner's hood and all-encompassing black plate armor, some do not even realize that he is not human, so rarely is his face seen. Only his dark and brooding eyes are have been seen by more than a handful. No one knows if he ever takes it off; even when off duty, he is never seen without it (then again, so few recognize his face, how would they know?). If they could see his skin, they'd see that it is mostly covered with tattoos. Largely these are of Damerrich's holy scripture and symbol. But generally, he is completely encased within his black adamantine plate, with a further hooded black tabard on top of it. On one arm he carries a massive shield with Damerrich's symbol, which it is whispered can fly on its own and intercept blows meant for him. The only thing he carries that bears any ornamentation is what he calls his "staff of office"-a magically enchanted, silvered greataxe. Many think that its silvering is merely decorative, but the city's imps whisper that no devil survives that silver blade's caress. This is truer than they know; not only is it an evil outsider-bane weapon, but he often uses his paladin's powers to make it Holy as well.

If you can get Bayard to talk at all, it is probably to sing Damerrich's praises, or to extol the virtues of sacrifice and the bearing of burdens, and of doing one's duty no matter the cost. It is clear that he speaks from experience, that he has suffered much loss and done hard but necessary things. If you couldn't hear it in his voice, you could see it in the fleeting haunted look in his eyes. Few dare ask about his past anymore. Those who do meet a withering stare and stony silence. Some compare him to a priest of Groetus, and that is one of the few things known to make him chuckle. What they don't know is just how haunted he is by the friends he's seen die. The allies he's killed with his own hand when they turned to evil. The beloved he watched die in his arms, whom his paladin's healing abilities could not save from the Linnorm's curse. He soldiers on because he knows it's right. He wonders how it is that other can bear to live without the crutch of faith. Oblivion in the bottom of a bottle, he supposes. That way is too easy for him. Burdens exist to be borne, and Damerrich has not seen fit to relieve him of them yet. He takes on the burden of acting as executioner first so that others don't have to, and also so that no sadistic madmen take pleasure in what should be a sorrowful duty. His one joy in life is how much the city's imps hate him. Killing devils is one of the few acts of violence a paladin of Damerrich can take pleasure in. He truly hopes there's bigger devils in the Breaching Festival. Imps are too easy to kill.

Bayard
Male half-orc (mystic) paladin (tortured crusader) 13 (Pathfinder RPG Horror Adventures 65)
LG Medium humanoid (human, orc)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +20
Aura courage (self only), resolve (self only)
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Defense
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AC 30, touch 13, flat-footed 29 (+12 armor, +2 deflection, +1 Dex, +2 natural, +3 shield)
hp 134 (13d10+52)
Fort +17, Ref +11, Will +17
Defensive Abilities last stand, sacred tattoo[APG], second chance; DR 3/—; Immune charm, disease, fear; Resist acid 5, cold 5, electricity 5, fire 6
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor)
Melee +1 evil outsider-bane vicious silver greataxe +16/+11/+6 (1d12+21/19-20/×3 plus 2d6 vs. Evil Outsider and 2d6) or
dagger +15/+10/+5 (1d4+14/19-20)
Ranged mwk orc hornbow +15/+10/+5 (2d6+6/×3)
Special Attacks smite evil 5/day (+4 attack and AC, +13 damage)
Paladin (Tortured Crusader) Spells Prepared (CL 10th; concentration +14)
4th—greater angelic aspect
3rd—angelic aspect (2)
2nd—blade tutor's spirit, ironskin (2)
1st—bless weapon (2), divine favor (2)
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Statistics
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Str 22, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 12, Wis 18, Cha 8
Base Atk +13; CMB +15; CMD 32
Feats Additional Traits, Cornugon Smash, Creature Focus, Diehard, Endurance, Improved Critical (greataxe), Power Attack, Vital Strike
Traits bruising intellect, deft dodger, fate's favored, unscathed
Skills Acrobatics -5 (-9 to jump), Intimidate +17, Knowledge (geography) +9, Knowledge (history) +9, Knowledge (nobility) +12, Knowledge (planes) +17, Knowledge (religion) +17, Linguistics +3, Perception +20, Sense Motive +14, Spellcraft +10
Languages Celestial, Common, Draconic, Infernal, Orc
SQ alone in the dark, divine bond (weapon +3, 3/day), lay on hands 12/day (8d6), mercies (blinded, cursed, diseased, poisoned), orc blood
Combat Gear bottled lightning[UE] (8), bottled lightning[UE] (7); Other Gear +3 adamantine full plate, +1 animated heavy steel shield, +1 evil outsider-bane vicious silver greataxe, arrows (40), dagger, mwk orc hornbow (+6 Str), amulet of natural armor +2, belt of physical might +4 (Str, Con), bracers of the merciful knight[UE], cloak of resistance +3, headband of inspired wisdom +2, ring of protection +2, bandolier[UE], bandolier[UE], bedroll, belt pouch, flint and steel, hemp rope (50 ft.), holy text (Damerrich)[UE], masterwork backpack[APG], mess kit[UE], pot, silver holy symbol of Damerrich, soap, torch (10), trail rations (5), waterskin, wrist sheath, spring loaded, wrist sheath, spring loaded, 502 gp
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Special Abilities
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Alone in the Dark Can use lay on hands only on self, use 2 to gain use of smite evil, and auras only affect self (not allies).
Aura of Courage +4 (self only) (Su) Allies in aura gain a morale bonus to saves vs. fear.
Aura of Resolve +4 (self only) (Su) Allies in aura gain a morale bonus to saves vs. charm.
Cornugon Smash When you damage an opponent with a Power Attack, you may make an immediate Intimidate check as a free action to attempt to demoralize your opponent.
Creature Focus (Favored Enemy [Evil Outsiders]) +2 to Perception, Survival, and weapon damage vs. chosen type.
Damage Reduction (3/-) You have Damage Reduction against all attacks.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white only).
Diehard You are stable and can choose how to act when at negative Hp.
Divine Bond (Weapon +3, 13 mins, 3/day) (Sp) Weapon shines with light and gains enhancement bonuses or chosen properties.
Endurance +4 to a variety of fort saves, skill and ability checks. Sleep in L/M armor with no fatigue.
Energy Resistance, Acid (5) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Acid attacks.
Energy Resistance, Cold (5) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Cold attacks.
Energy Resistance, Electricity (5) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Electricity attacks.
Energy Resistance, Fire (6) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Fire attacks.
Immunity to Charm You are immune to charm effects.
Immunity to Disease You are immune to diseases.
Immunity to Fear (Ex) You are immune to all fear effects.
Last Stand (Su) Use 2 smite evil, gain 2x normal damage bonus but duration only 1 min.
Lay on Hands (8d6 hit points, 12/day) (Su) As a standard action (swift on self), touch channels positive energy and applies mercies.
Mercy (Blinded) (Su) When you use your lay on hands ability, it also removes the blinded condition.
Mercy (Cursed) (Su) When you use your lay on hands ability, it also removes curses, as per the remove curse spell at a caster level of your Paladin level.
Mercy (Diseased) (Su) When you use your lay on hands ability, it also removes disease, as per the remove disease spell at a caster level of your Paladin level.
Mercy (Poisoned) (Su) When you use your lay on hands ability, it also neutralizes poisons, as per the neutralize poison spell at a caster level of your Paladin level.
Orc Blood Half-orcs count as both humans and orcs for any effect related to race.
Power Attack -4/+8 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Sacred Tattoo +1 to all saves.
Second Chance (1/day) (Su) Use 2 lay on hands and establish a trigger to apply healing and a known mercy to self.
Smite Evil (5/day) (Su) +4 to hit, +13 to damage, +4 deflection bonus to AC when used.
Vital Strike Standard action: x2 weapon damage dice.