About Gabriel LeoniStatistics:
Gabriel Leoni
Pitborn Tiefling Paladin 7 (Holy Guide, Oath of Justice, Warrior of Holy Light) LG Medium Outsider (Native) 6'0 ft, 180 lbs. Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft, Perception +0 -------------------- Defense -------------------- AC 21, touch 10, flat-footed 21 (+1 Natural Armor, +10 Armor) hp 67 (7d10+14) Fort +11 (+16 to resist cold weather) (Immune to all diseases, including supernatural), Ref +6, Will +9 (Immune to Fear, Magical or Not) Resist 5 Fire, 5 Electricity -------------------- Offense -------------------- Speed 30 ft. Melee +1 Lead-lined Falchion +12, +5 (2d4+15/18-20x2)(Using Power Attack) --------------------
Non-Standard Skill Bonuses
Languages: Common, Abyssal Favored Class Bonus: (1 per level) +7 to the amount of damage the paladin heals with lay on hands, but only when the paladin uses that ability on himself. Special Abilities:
-------------------- Special Abilities -------------------- Blessed Touch You heal 1 additional point of damage when using lay on hands, channeling energy, or casting a cure spell. Ease of Faith You gain a +1 bonus on Diplomacy checks, and Diplomacy is always a class skill for you. Savant Chose a performance type (Sing). You gain a +2 trait bonus on all Perform checks made using that performance type. Perform is always a class skill for you. Inattentive -2 to perception checks, gain an addition trait. Aura of Good (Ex) The power of a paladin's aura of good (see the detect good spell) is equal to her paladin level. Detect Evil (Sp) At will, a paladin can use detect evil, as the spell. A paladin can, as a move action, concentrate on a single item or individual within 60 feet and determine if it is evil, learning the strength of its aura as if having studied it for 3 rounds. While focusing on one individual or object, the paladin does not detect evil in any other object or individual within range. Smite Evil (Su) 3/day
In addition, while smite evil is in effect, the paladin gains a deflection bonus equal to her Charisma modifier (if any) to her AC against attacks made by the target of the smite. If the paladin targets a creature that is not evil, the smite is wasted with no effect. The smite evil effect remains until the target of the smite is dead or the next time the paladin rests and regains her uses of this ability. Shatter (Sp) 1/day (7d4 dmg)
Used as an area attack, shatter destroys non-magical objects of crystal, glass, ceramic, or porcelain. All such unattended objects within a 5-foot radius of the point of origin are smashed into dozens of pieces by the spell. Objects weighing more than 1 pound per your level are not affected, but all other objects of the appropriate composition are shattered. Alternatively, you can target shatter against a single solid non-magical object, regardless of composition, weighing up to 10 pounds per caster level. Targeted against a crystalline creature (of any weight), shatter deals 1d4 points of sonic damage per caster level (maximum 10d4), with a Fortitude save for half damage Prehensile Tail Many tieflings have tails, but some have long, flexible tails that can be used to carry items. While they cannot wield weapons with their tails, they can use them to retrieve small, stowed objects carried on their persons as a swift action. Divine Grace (Su) At 2nd level, a paladin gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all Saving Throws. Lay On Hands (Su) 10/day (3d6+1 (+8 on self))
Alternatively, a paladin can use this healing power to deal damage to undead creatures, dealing 1d6 points of damage for every two levels the paladin possesses. Using lay on hands in this way requires a successful melee touch attack and doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity. Undead do not receive a saving throw against this damage. Favored Terrain (Ex) At 3rd level, a holy guide chooses a favored terrain from the ranger favored terrains table. This otherwise functions like the ranger ability of the same name. This ability replaces the mercy gained at 3rd level. Every time a holy guide would be able to select another mercy, he can instead select another favored terrain and increase his bonuses for one existing favored terrain, just like a ranger. Favored Terrains Chosen: Desert Aura of Courage (Su) At 3rd level, a paladin is immune to fear (magical or otherwise). Each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects. This ability functions only while the paladin is conscious, not if she is unconscious or dead. Divine Health (Ex) At 3rd level, a paladin is immune to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases, including mummy rot. Channel Justice (Su) When an oathbound paladin reaches 4th level, she can spend two uses of her lay on hands ability to gain an extra use of smite evil that day. Power of Faith (Su) The warrior of the holy light gains one additional use of her lay on hands ability per day. She gains one additional use of lay on hands per day for every four levels she attains beyond 4th. She can spend a use of her lay on hands ability to call upon the power of her faith as a standard action. This causes a nimbus of light to emanate from the warrior of the holy light in a 30-foot radius. All allies in this area (including the warrior of the holy light) receive a +1 morale bonus to AC and on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws against fear as long as they remain in the area of light. This power lasts for 1 minute. Divine Bond (Sp) 1/day Summon Mount magically. Once per day, as a full-round action, a paladin may magically call her mount to her side. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the paladin's level. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the paladin. A paladin can use this ability once per day at 5th level, and one additional time per day for every 4 levels thereafter, for a total of four times per day at 17th level. At 11th level, the mount gains the celestial creature simple template and becomes a magical beast for the purposes of determining which spells affect it. At 15th level, a paladin's mount gains spell resistance equal to the paladin's level + 11. Should the paladin's mount die, the paladin may not summon another mount for 30 days or until she gains a paladin level, whichever comes first. During this 30-day period, the paladin takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls. Teamwork Feat (Ex) At 5th level, a holy guide gains a teamwork feat as a bonus feat. He must meet the prerequisites for this feat. As a standard action, He can expend one use of smite evil to grant this feat to all allies within 30 feet who can see and hear him. Allies retain the use of this bonus feat for 3 rounds plus 1 round for every 2 levels the holy guide possesses. Allies do not need to meet the prerequisites of this bonus feat. Evil creatures do not gain the benefit of this teamwork feat, even if the paladin considers them allies. (Feat Chosen: Shake it Off) Vest of Surgery (Item) The wearer is always treated as if using a healer's kit when making Heal checks. Once per day, the wearer can make a DC 20 Heal check as if attempting to treat deadly wounds. If the check is successful, it cures 1d4 points of ability damage instead of hit point damage. Bonded Companion:
Pegasus CG Large magical beast Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., detect evil (60 ft. radius), detect good (60 ft. radius), low-light vision, scent; Perception +12 -------------------- Defense -------------------- AC 25, touch 13, flat-footed 21 (+7 Natural Armor, +5 Armor, +4 Dex, -1 Size) hp 57 (6d8+18) Fort +8 (+13 to resist cold weather), Ref +9, Will +3 (+7 vs enchantment spells and effects) -------------------- Offense -------------------- Speed 60 ft., fly 120 ft. (average) Melee bite +8 (1d3+5), 2 hooves +8 (1d6+5) Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th) Constant—detect evil (60-ft. radius), detect good (60-ft. radius) -------------------- Statistics -------------------- Str 20, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 13 Base Atk +4; CMB +10; CMD 24 Feats: Armor Proficiency: Light, Outflank (Teamwork Feat), Hover Racial Bonuses: +4 Perception Skills: (12 points; 12 Animal Companion) (4) Fly +10 (4) Perception +12 (+14) (4) Sense Motive +8 (+10) -------------------- Special Abilities -------------------- Link (Ex) Gabriel can use handle with his animal companion as a free action, or push it as a move action, even if he doesn’t have any ranks in the Handle Animal skill. He gains a +4 circumstance bonus on all wild empathy checks and Handle Animal checks made regarding an animal companion. Shared Vigilance (Ex) A bodyguard and its master both gain Alertness as a bonus feat whenever they are adjacent. Tenacious Guardian (Ex) At 3rd level, a bodyguard can always act in a surprise round (though it remains flat-footed until it acts). As long as its master is adjacent, a bodyguard remains conscious (though it becomes staggered) when its hit points fall below 0. While below 0 hit points, the bodyguard loses 1 hit point per round but gains a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks, dying only if its hit points reach a negative total equal to its Constitution score plus its master's class level (-23). Devotion An animal companion gains a +4 morale bonus on Will saves against enchantment spells and effects. Constant Detect Good and Evil (Sp) Constantly has Detect good and evil going, each with a 60ft radius. Gear/Possessions:
------------------------------ GEAR/POSSESSIONS ------------------------------ Carrying Capacity Light 0-100 lb. Medium 101-200 lb. Heavy 201-300 lb. Current Load Carried 0 lb. Pegasi 4,000 gp Alluring Headband of Charisma +2 4,000 gp Vest of Surgery, 3,000 gp Healers Gloves, 2,500 gp Goggles of the Hunter 2,500 gp +1 Full Plate 2,650 gp +1 Lead-lined Falchion 2,400 gp +1 Chain Shirt, Barding 1,550 gp Exotic Military Riding Saddle 60 gp Book of Anatomy Holy Charm Bracelet (Shelyn, Abadar, Iomedae, Sarenrae) Brush, Dandy 2 gp Saddlebags 8 gp Outfit, Cold-Weather 8 gp Cold-Weather Blanket 50 gp Kit, Survival 50 gp Soldier's Uniform 1 gp Snowshoes 5 gp Rope 1 gp Compass 10 gp Map of Andril 50 gp Map of Xilres 50 gp Map of Mountains Money 0 GP 0 SP 0 CP Wish List
Background:
Gabriel. The boy that was given the name considered it ironic when he was younger. 'Strength of god' or 'god's strong one'. No one looking at the lad would ever consider him truly blessed. The worst thing about it, the harshest thing that always rested on his mind, was the fact that he was so close to being a beautiful child. Though he never knew it, and may never know it, his ancestry was far less ruley then devils. He was born of a far more chaotic evil. His horns, two ram horns curled along the side of his head, turn in different directions. And his eyes change color almost every day, a physical embodiment of the chaos he was born of. Even his tail is an thing. Long and thin, only half of it has the typical arrow head ending that one expects of such a creature. The other half is layered with small spines instead, soft to the touch. And yet, even evil, even by mistake, can sometimes forge something beautiful, the way a dark time might bring out the best in a person, or a horrid event might inspire heroism rather then hate. The chaos inherent in his nature formed something beautiful, if a bit uneven. Despite the demonic features he bore, Gabriel had fair features, fair skin, long blonde hair, and his eyes, ever changing in color, always seemed to find the most beautiful form of a color and often looked like gems.
So close was he. So close to looking like a normal lad. And yet, in another city, in another country perhaps he could have lived that normal life. But not in Hielra. The city was controlled by several lesser nobles, those who knew for a fact that they had not enough power to contend with their grander rivals in the capitol and instead settled in this trade town for their scheming and games. They ruled the city with an iron fist, and much that would be seen as depraved or horrid was allowed behind closed doors. Gabriel, for instance, was born a slave. His young mother, abandoned by her husband and his father and left destitute, had to self herself into service to pay off her debts. The birth of Gabriel eight months later, a month after the last she had seen of her husband, only added further to the cost of housing and feeding her, making her freedom all the more distant. In this, as in many things, Gabriel was actually lucky. His mother, abandoned by her husband and left to pay off all of his debts, could have hated the child that made it all the harder to earn her freedom, and she could have hated the child simply for what he was. But she took one look at the stubbed forehead, one look at the swinging tail, and one look at those eyes that, in his earlier life, changed colors every few seconds and... and she smiled. Gabriel. It was not a name of what was, but a prayer of one could be one day. 'Let his true beauty shine through, let him find a god, a purpose, a life.' She kissed her forehead then, just between the two bumps that would one day curl backward and forward to become the mismatched ram horns. It earned a giggle from the child. 'Let him always have a reason to smile.' Gabriel grew up knowing both love and hate. Though it was hard, he never had to steal for his food, never had to resort to violence to gt along. He had to work the day he was old enough to, at 6, and each year the work got harder and harder. But in his mind, and in truth, he was helping work his mothers debts away that much quicker. So he was not resentful of his servitude, but grateful that he could do something for his mother. But not all was perfect. By the age of 9, Gabriel already had scars that would last him the rest of his life. Thugs, bullies, children and adults loved to pick on him. Whether they truly feared his countenance or whether they simply vented their frustrations on him Gabriel was often the but of many jokes and the victim of many attacks. Once, it may have very well been his death. Nine years of age, tough and quick of tongue, Gabriel was still pressed to his limits. Beaten to a bloody pulp, left to die in an alley way with the scattered remains of his and his mothers groceries, the young tiefling wept, the pain lancing through his body all that he could think of. Despite having one longer, pointed ear he did not hear the footsteps that echoed through the alley way. He did not hear the curses from such a musical voice. He hardly felt the hand gently touch his shoulder. All he could think of was his pain. A broken arm, cracked ribs, a couple knife wounds. All he could think was of the pain they brought, and all he could do was cry. A brilliant light filled the alley way, accompanied with the soft sound of a singing voice praying. A woman's voice. Another joined it shortly there after, the light growing. A young girls voice sang along with the woman's. Slowly, the pain receded and his body began to put itself back together. Bones shifted beneath him without eliciting pain, melding back together into their original positions. The knife wounds closed, the skin forming together again as if it had never been touched. Blood began to fill his body, somehow, though the blood he had lost still stained the ground. In seconds, Gabriel felt strong. In minutes, he was fully healed and slowly pushing himself to a sitting position. The rough cobblestone beneath his hands felt warm, damp with his pale red blood. But now it was this he failed to notice. For, standing before him, were two glowing angels. One, looking to be a full grown woman, wore billowing white robes with a golden circle emblazoned on her chest. In the center, a bird with a tail of many colors, each as fantastical and brilliant as the colors his eyes took on. The woman, of dark skin and a large smile, continued the song, though instead of beseeching her goddess now she thanked the deity. The other, a small girl, wore a much simpler robe, though the same bird rested on her robes chest as well. She was grinning and no longer singing. A hand raised up and a finger pointed at Gabriel. The young man trembled, fearing the angel before him shining with such radiance. "Look at his eyes! I've never seen such eyes before!" Gabriel would learn that neither the girl nor the woman were angels. The woman, Aries, was the mentor to the girl, Arlene. The latter was studying under the former to become a cleric of their goddess Shelyn. They had been walking home when they spotted Gabriel in the alley way bleeding to death. At this point, the young lad asked them why they would save one such as him. The two looked to each other and laughed. "Why wouldn't we? There is beauty in all life, young one, including yours. We would not condemn you for that beauty simply taking another form." His mother was hysterical when she learned of what happened and tried to stir the guards into action. But not even Aries word to them could get them to act on behalf of a tiefling. So, to make up for the cruelty of the world, Aries offered Gabriel something else. "Shelter and sanctuary, should you and your mother ever need it. And a friend to show you around the temple." She gestures to Arlene, who laughed and, with a nod of permission from her mentor, quickly grabbed at Gabriels hands and began showing him around. The two would become fast friends, and over the years Gabriel would learn to love this girl as she became a young woman. The love of a friend or family, but perhaps of something more? Arelene was an interesting girl, even when she was young. Gifted in many forms of art, she had been chosen as one with potential to be a cleric of Shelyn not for her magical prowess but for her artistic skill. She was bubbly, cheerful, and far more intelligent then one might expect of such a happy go lucky girl. Though much of her mind was often focused on spacial and aesthetic things, she had more then once stumped her tutors with questions of philosophy. In Gabriel, she found a curiosity first, but soon found a friend beneath that. She accepted him for what he was with never a moments doubt or concern, and showed him all the kindness she would anyone. Together they often stole sweets from the temples larder. She taught him to sing, though he did so poorly for the most part. Though she was three years his senior, Arlene never looked down on Gabriel for his youth. And as they grew older, it became clear to all but them that there was definitely something more between them. What that was, however, they would never know. Their chance to find out would, unfortunately, be shattered on the day of his 16th birthday. Arlene was not the only friend Gabriel had, but she was probably the most reliable. Another of note would be Helen. Helen was a tiefling, like Gabriel. But unlike Gabriel, she was a full red skinned, horned, devilish tiefling with glowing eyes. Unlike Gabriel, who grew up with at least a mother that loved him, Helen had nothing and no one. Save her gang that is. See, she was an orphan on the streets of Hielra. Crime was... hard to get away with unless you had influence. and the punishments for it were much harsher. Thieves lost hands for the first offense, and their heads for the second. So leading a small gang of orphan thieves required intellect. More over, there were other gangs to compete with, some with the backing of merchants trying to make more money, or older criminals with gangs of their own. So one had to be strong and merciless too. Helen was both. In abundance. And instead of hating her appearance as Gabriel sometimes did, she reveled in it, using her devilish nature to scare away other gangs and cut out a territory for herself and those that followed. She was Gabriels age, 13, when they met. And she was preparing to move on up to the more adult gangs, stepping up from pick pocketing to drugs. They happened to... stumble across each other. In truth, Helen tried to pick pocket him, but Gabriels tail got in the way. The two tumbled into an alley way and, for the first time, met another tiefling. Oh, there were others about the city of course. But they chose to keep to themselves and any attempt for Helen or Gabriel to ask questions often earned the two a slap or a strike to the head. So instead of turning her in, or instead of running from him, the two, amazed as they were simply talked. They spoke of their lives, and each envied the other. Gabriel envied her for her friends and allies and freedom, while she envied him for his home and his mother and his friend Arlene. Though he tried, time and again, Helen refused to give up her thieving ways, and refused to believe the church of Shelyn would really take her in. Experience had taught her that the only way to live life was to do it on your own terms. When they were 15, Helen vanished from the city, and Gabriel never saw her again. The army of Andril had come not a week earlier. With the help of some treacherous nobles seeking to stay in power, the army easily swept aside the defenders and took control of the city. Little blood was lost and Andril was now free to continue on their way. But little changed for the residents. Whether the nobles simple hid much of the horrible things they did and allowed, or whether the army didn't care, Gabriel did not know. What he did know was that in another year he and his mother would both be free. No longer would they have to accept slave wages. And she had been saving too, slowly earning enough to buy their own home! Gabriel was ecstatic, and using his own money had purchased, what was to him at least, a large meal and enjoyed it with both his mother and his friend Arlene at the temple. The temple and her people took any excuse to celebrate, and taking what little he had offered them, they made it into a large party in his honor. Many of the clerics and priests of Shelyn looked on Gabriel not as a monster but as another lad. Some of their artists, Arlene included, took inspiration from him to compose songs or paint portraits of exceptional quality. Though the city as a whole still hated him. Gabriel had found a place that accepted him for who he was. His mother and he, slightly drunk on both the fun and the ale that had been passed around, set off for home in the middle of the night. Their steps were swaying and their stomachs threatening to let loose their fine dinner, yet each wore a brilliant smile. What a night it had been! The only reason they had left the party, still going on, was because they did not wish to cause trouble with their owner. A year yet and they would be free. A year yet, if they weren't late a day and did not break a thing. Only a year. And then a shadow fell upon them, cast by one of the street lamps behind them. A figure of platinum hair and waring beautiful silver armor stood behind them, smiling. As if to contrast Gabriels fair skin, the mans own was deep bronze, no less brilliant for it. Gabriels pointed ear twitched and strained, yet he heard no footsteps upon the hard stone road as the armored man stepped forward. Gabriel had never seen an Aasimar before. He had heard the stories of course, and perhaps even prayed once to wake up as one of them instead, but he had never seen or met one. It is unfortunate then that this was his first meeting with such a well spoken of creature. On any other day, a man of any other race armed like that, Gabriel would have taken his mothers run them back to the church. He had a large greatsword on his hip and his hand was resting on it. But the week had gotten him used to seeing armed and armored men, and the tails of an Aasimars kind nature stayed his suspicion. He should have known. He, a tiefling not anything like the stories, should have known never to trust rumor and fairy tale. It.... it cost him his mothers life. In a blur, the Aasimar charged, his feet carrying him far too fast along the cobble stone for one as heavily armored as he. With a hiss, his sword was freed from his scabbard, and along the blade a brilliant white fire erupted. The mans smile was twisted now, crazed. Before his eyes, Gabriel saw his mothers head taken from her shoulders. The man laughed as he did it and turned his attention to Gabriel. "Tsk tsk. Stupid woman should have drowned you when you were born. Is what she gets for letting something like you come into this world." Gabriel trembled and fell to his knees. He had seen violence before, suffered at the hands of cruel men and women all his life, but never... never this... never his mother. A hand reached out to one of hers, splayed out limply across the ground. He ignored the blood pooling around her, ignored the sightless eyes of the head that had rolled away. It was a dream. He had passed out at the party, had too much ale. He was dreaming. And sure enough, when he grasped her hand, he could feel warmth. For a moment, for a brief moment, hope flickered in his heart. But it snapped away. The mans sword descended again, removing the arm from the shoulder. Gabriel blinked. Then he screamed. As always, Gabriel was a lucky one. Perhaps he wished that luck had been with his mother instead, but as always, it was his. Someone heard the scream, the raw pain and horror in the sound, and quickly made his way to the scene. Standing over a now bleeding, burnt and horribly injured Gabriel, the crazed Aasimar, lit as much by his sword burning with white flames as he was by the dim street lamps, razed the blade up high to end it. "SMITE..." The Aasimar turned and just in time. He stepped back quickly, avoiding the blade the very nearly took his life. "EVIL!" Geoffrey charged onto the scene, his sword nicked the mans cheek, drawing pale red blood that matched Gabriels blood almost perfectly. The blade, a longsword of much simpler quality then the Aasimars, shone with a golden light. It did not burn, as some swords did in a paladins hands. It did not radiate with brilliance unmatched as others did. No, it shone with a simple, solid gold light, unwavering. Even as he turned, Geoffrey was slowly gaining that same golden light around him. He leveled his sword at the Aasimar and prepared for battle. The sound of armor clinking against stone rang out across the night. The Aasimar turned left, then right, and saw that the soldiers of the conquering army, a dozen all told, were swarming down the street trying to catch up to their Colonel. He grimaced and eyed the tiefling, then the paladin, as if trying to judge whether he could take them both before the soldiers arrived. And then he vanished. The guards cried out and Geoffrey immediately organized them into a search party, but he knew it was too late. Whatever he was, the criminal had escaped. The paladin glances down to the woman's body and grimaces. That grimace turns darker when he sees the tiefling, bloodied and surely dying, trying to reach out to the woman's hand. He had seen the like before, had suffered the loss of his parents himself. He watched for only a moment as Gabriel wept, and then he knelt down and poured what healing he could into the lad, saving his life. He recalls waking up in a very soft bed. It was too soft to be his own, the sheets to clean and the room to large and bright. No, he was not in the manor of the noble he belonged to. He was in the temple of Shelyn. There was pain when he sat up, incredible pain, but he forced himself to do so anyway. His chest was wrapped in cloth bandages smelling faintly of herbs. Likely he was to be healed again shortly, but to clean the wounds these had been left around him over night. He knew that only because time and again Arlene and told him that, every time he got himself injured. His mother would always lecture him about avoiding fights, at least the ones he could avoid, and Elanore and always made him thank the clerics in the temple for tending to his injuries. It took Gabriel several moments to realize why his hands were wet and his cheeks were warm. Before he had more then a few moments to cry alone, Arlene was there, carefully hugging the injured tiefling. She said little, after all what could be said after what had happened, but when she was certain he was calmed down enough she healed the rest of his injuries and removed the bandages. But the pain he felt, the incredible pain that made keeping his eyes open every moment agonizing, did not recede. The injuries had, for the most part, been healed or numbed by magic and medicine. The pain was the hole in his heart threatening to consume him. The funeral was a day later. Gabriel's mother had saved a great deal over the years, but the tiefling refused to touch it for his own gain. He spent it on a grave marked, a relatively fine one, and a nice place in the cities local cemetery. Her body was not buried there of course, it had been damaged beyond recognition by the Aasimar. But her ashes were. That was enough for Gabriel. He sang that night. He had been learning, with Arlene's help, for years. In truth, he had quite the singing voice and a head for songs most did not, but always before his fear of being judged kept him from doing so in public. That night, Gabriel didn't care who migt mock in. In front of the dozen or so of Shelyns followers that knew him and his mother, he stepped forward and sang the first song that came to mind. It was a slow, deliberate song often reserved for fallen soldiers or heroes of true valor. Not a one complained to hearing it now at the funeral of a simple slave. No doubt the soldiers there, the ones who had witnessed the horrid scene, or even Colonel Geoffrey, would have silenced any who dared. 'Do not mourn, do not cry.
"Thank... thank you mom. For your sacrifice. For all you've done. I..." Tears streamed down the young mans face, but he did not shake this time, and when he spoke he refused to let his voice waver. "I love you mother." He was one of the last to leave the funeral, mostly because he did not for the entire night. He sat there before the gravestone with Arlene, who had fallen asleep beside him, and simply recalled all the good times he had spent with his mother. The emptiness continued to hurt, and he did not think the pain would ever lessen, but beside it something else began to grow. Were Arlene awake, she might have seen the fire in his eyes, the determination that overcame his expression, and the anger and hate that screwed his features into a scowl. Gabriel has always been a lucky one. A loving mother, a wonderful friend or two, a place he could truly relax in most of the time. Despite all that had gone wrong in his life, he could have honestly said that he was happy. Until she was taken from him. Gabriel let the image of the Aasimar and his grinning, sick features fill his mind, burn into his memories. "I'll find him. I'll find him and kill him, no matter the-" A gauntleted hand rested on his shoulder, the cold steel biting through the simple cloth shirt he wore. Despite the metal, the grasp was somehow gentle and supportive. Gabriel stopped before the last of that horrid oath could be muttered and looked up. His eyes met that of his saviors, Colonel Geoffrey. "That was a beautiful song you sang for her lad." Not a word was ever spoken of what he had almost over heard, of the dark vow he interrupted. Instead, Geoffrey spent the evening and early morning asking about Elanore and her life. With gentle prompting, he brought back all those good memories of her that Gabriel had spent the night thinking over, only shining a new light on them. By the end, Gabriel, tears in his eyes, was smiling just a little as he recounted the time his mother chased him from the temple of Shelyn for nabbing a couple cookies with his tail while no one was looking. The clerics and priests had laughed, not really caring, but Elanore had always been careful to be respectful to the people that watched after her son and gave him a home away from home. Geoffrey was laughing along with him, the sound deep despite the mans own youth. In the end, the man had given Gabriel what even Arlene, pretending to rest not a foot away, could not. An unbiased ear to listen, someone who understood the sorrow he was going throw but did not share in it and did not pity Gabriel for it. In the end, he had stopped Gabriel from making an oath that would have destroyed the lad. And he took it one step further. "I... know what you're going through lad. And I can tell you that there's ways to go on. You've got a friend here beside you who will always be there for you. You've got a place at the temple. Likely, with a voice like yours, you might even be able to become a cleric or a priest for them one day. Whatever path you choose, just make sure... make sure its for the right reasons. Make sure its a path your mother would be proud of." Gabriel turned away from the man and toward the grave marker. It said simply 'Loving Woman, may the good gods watch over her.' He read those words again and again, and then asked a question he was pretty sure he knew the answer to already. "What path did you choose?" He wasn't sure why he asked those words in particular. Little about Geoffrey suggested a similar choice had ever been before him and Gabriel wasn't keen enough with people to pick up on the small hints. But they felt right to say, and Gabriel often went with his gut when it came to things like that. Geoffrey hesitated for a moment. He knew what the lads next question would be if he was forward with his answer. But he couldn't deny the lad the choice, and he knew, he just knew, that if the lad asked it he would take up the responsibility of guiding him down that path. "I chose the path that would see me protecting people from the same fate I suffered." Gabriel stood, gently laying Arlene down on the grass, and turned to look at the Colonel. He asked the question Geoffrey knew he would. The day the army of Andril left, Gabriel went with it, squire to Geoffrey, and paladin in training to the goddess Iomedae. The Colonel knew why the lad had chosen as he did and refused to argue or try to change the mans mind. He was no longer a child, after all. And Iomedae, though a bit more direct then his preference as a judge of Abadar might have preferred, was a fine goddess to serve. Gabriel, showing maturity few his age did, payed respects to all the good gods. He had grown up sheltered by Shelyns followers, had been saved by a follower of Abadar, and knew in his heart that Iomedae was his goddess to serve. But he saw in all of them good, and to all of them he offered a prayer and respect. The Colonel had, unfortunately, thrown around some weight to see the lad freed of his indentured servitude. While it was technically still legal under Hielran law, Geoffrey was certain foul play was involved in keeping a servant for 16 years, nonetheless a mother and her son. He was right, of course. To avoid needing to buy off yet more debts, the lesser noble that had owned Gabriel and his mother had been fudging the payments for years. In truth, Gabriel and his mother had only needed to serve four years. The lesser noble was handed over to a judge by Geoffrey with a recommendation for less leniency then one might normally get. The man was sentenced to serve time equal to that of all of his servants wronged in such a way. 320 years. It was too bad, perhaps, that the man was human. Gabriels life continued. His training was harsh and as his mentor suspected the tiefling excelled at both the physical and spiritual aspects of the training. There was some trouble, at first, with the other squires. Still some see him as an offense to the good gods. A tiefling as a paladin? They still laugh and scorn him. But the worst of them, Joshua, quickly learned when Gabriel saved his life from a pack of wolves that appearance was not all. It is, perhaps, Gabriels first time of truly fighting. Given the issues he faced as a tiefling seeking the way of a paladin, he often avoided the sparring grounds the army would set up. He spent enough time their with Geoffrey to learn what he needed, but when he went alone he would often be insulted, derided or even attacked (though that only happened once). The other squires in particular, especially those to paladins rather then just knights, looked on him with disdain and disgust. But Joshua was the worst. He saw only evil in Gabriels form, and believed Geoffrey and the other paladins that accepted him to be deceived by Gabriels quick tongue. So, one night, he followed the tiefling during the evening, and waited until Gabriel tired himself out against the trunk of a tree from a small forest the army was skirting. Then he attacked, attempting to kill the one he thought was deceiving his comrades. Or he tried too. Unknown to him, a group of wolves, afraid to hunt their usual pray because of the large army foraging in their woods, had been chased to the edge. Angry and hungry, they prowled through the underbrush, coming across Joshua in wait. They attacked just as Joshua sprang up and tried to attack Gabriel. And in this moment, the young tiefling showed his true colors. Instead of turning and running, or simply calling for help, the exhausted tiefling fought side by side with Joshua to defend against the wolves. They did not kill a one, but they managed to do enough harm to scare them away. Gabriel, however, was injured in the fight, taking an attack meant for Joshua. The human was left with a decision. He could lie, and leave the tiefling be, and no one would ever be the wiser. Or... he could help the young man that just saved his life. Joshua revealed his true colors too that night. And after dragging the tiefling back to the army, and accepting punishment for what he tried to do, the two have been friends ever since. Though sometimes Joshua does show his more bias nature, Gabriel has been a good influence on the lad, and now Joshua tries his best to give everyone a chance. He does not always succeed, but he tries. They are now brothers in arms and close friends, and though Joshua follows the ways of Abadar, the two are like real brothers now, four years later. Gabriel still writes weekly to Arlene, and thrice a year has gone back to visit her. But what they once had seemed... stalled. Their love for each other as friends was still there, and the visits rekindled often their feelings for more. But Gabriel was no longer willing to settle down and live such a normal life. And Arlene, one who had been chosen at a very young age and one who was quite intelligent, understood completely what it was like to be swept up into the service of a god or goddess. Now Gabriel trains daily, learning to harness the power gifted to him by his service to Iomedae to protect those around him. The events of his 16th birthday were a spark that lit a flame of passion he would have never known he had. Perhaps he sometimes wishes he had never learned, but he is determined to make the most of his life now and do his mother proud. Appearance and Personality:
Gabriel: Gabriel is 20 years old and is a 6'0 tiefling who weighs about 200 and something pounds. He has fair skin, golden blonde hair long enough to fall into a cascade of curls, and a series of odd and mismatched features that mark him for what he truly is. He has two rams horns. The one on the left is faced properly, curling forward with the tip pointing back. The one on the right is faced improperly, curling backward with the tip facing forward. His left ear is sharp, pointed, and longer then his right, which is rounded like a humans. And his eyes change colors every couple minutes, and are never both the same color. Present Day: Gabriel is slimmer then he once was. Any of the baby fat he might have had left over from his time as a soldier and squire is gone, replaced with lean, almost hungry, looking muscle. He has several scars he didn't before as well, including a long one running across the center of his chest, courtesy of Calios. Personality wise, Gabriel is an odd mix of serious and cheerful, determined and relaxed, and passionate and driven, yet unfocused. The man is a paladin and, by definition, upholds the virtues of law and order. But he was born of chaotic demon energies, and though they do not truly influence his mind, they have left him a rather difficult challenge. Focusing is hard for the young paladin in all but the most serious of circumstances. His mind often wanders and it has proven difficult for him to over come this for his more scholarly training. At the same time,as he had shown with the more physical and spiritual aspects of his training, he has the potential for focus bordering obsession. Gabriel, growing up as he did, is a very open minded paladin who tries to take after his master. He believes he is too young to judge, but takes this a bit further then Geoffrey, and believes he needs to be careful when dealing with anyone. Those in need of help will obviously get it, but taking things at face value has cost him much in the past. He tries to be kind though, and truly believes in doing good, helping others and delivering justice simply because it is the right thing to do. That said, his upbringing has left him a bit... looser then some paladins, and he can sometimes be seen enjoying drinks or parties with the soldiers that accept him despite his heritage. Traits: Ease of Faith: Gabriel befriended a cleric of Shelyn, served under a paladin of Abadar and he himself is a paladin of Iomedae. He greatly respects the other two gods, and other goodly gods in general. His beliefs stem from bits from all three though his loyalty and his ideals ultimately align with the warrior goddess more often then the other two. This divisive nature would be confusing for some, but for Gabriel, who has never been anything but in his life thanks to his heritage, it has ultimately found him a shred of peace in a world that is often quite harsh. This peace, along with his understanding that there is no one right answer, makes it far easier for others to talk and converse with him. Other paladins tend to preach. Gabriel, if asked, will give answers asking someone to choose their own path. Savant: Perhaps it was inevitable, considering Arlenes interest in the arts, but Gabriel knows how to sing. Very, very well. Despite years of serving as a squire though he has only ever sung in public once when not inebriated. The few who were there for that song called it heart wrenching, both because of the song itself and the emotion behind it. Blessed Touch: Gabriel has always been a kind lad, but he has recently learned that he can channel shreds of positive energy. Unlike a cleric, or even other paladins, his gift to summon it is far more varied. But in particular his healing is just a bit stronger then that of a paladin as far along as he is in his training. As if he were born to it, perhaps, despite his tiefling nature. Drawback:
Character Blurbs:
Arlene: Arlene is a 5'4 human at the age of 23 winters. She is, in one word, cheerful. But that word hardly does her justice. Her deep brown hair is cut short in an uneven manner, one that she somehow makes work with a pretty smile. Her green eyes shine brightly with cheer, but also intellect. Indeed, Arlene is far more cunning then she lets on. Being both an artist, a philosopher and a cleric for nearly 12 years means she can probably talk circles around anyone too. She is accepting of nearly everyone, and believes very few people truly deserve hate or ridicule. She often goes out of her way to heal the sick and injured in the more dangerous parts of the city, relying on her status as a Cleric of Shelyn for free passage to even the harshest of gangs to heal those who are injured, even gang members. Few people touched by her remain unchanged. Helen: Helen is a 20 year old tiefling. What she looks like now isn't certain, but she was relatively tall for her age at 15. She has red skin, a tail, horns, and smoldering orange eyes, looking every bit the tiefling she is. She is, more then most, proud of her heritage. Or was, at least. She was also a thief of some skill and sharp cunning. Where she is now is uncertain, but she is likely living life the way she wants too. Elanore: Gabriels mother. She was barely 5'2 when she was alive. It is wildly believed that those who knew them both that it was her that Gabriel got the golden tresses and fair skin from, despite his tiefling nature. She was a simple woman, seeing neither extremes of good or evil. All she truly cared for in life, after her husband abandoned her, was her son Gabriel. Everything she did, she did for him, and in the end her association with her son cost her her life. Her funeral was the only time Gabriel sang in front of an audience. It was a... haunting song of love and joy for the life she lived, and thankful of all she had done. Gabriel does not often speak of her anymore, but sometimes one might think when he was staring off into the distance he was thinking about her. The Aasimar: What little there is to know about this platinum haired and bronze skinned man is rumor and conjecture. They say someone like him has been hunting down and killing tieflings for well over 200 years. They say he is a master swordsman. They say he is a paladin. They say he is a wizard. An assassin. A demon in disguise. But all agree that he is insane and very, very dangerous. And he has something against tieflings. NPC Relationships:
Shen: Current Relationship: 7
Raul: Current Relationship: 7 Whitecloaks: Current Relationship: 7 |
