Thaddeus "Thudd" Kromwell's page

About Thaddeus "Thudd" Kromwell

Ten Defining Questions
Thaddeus Kromwell

1. Why are you a Pathfinder?
When I was initiated into the Cavalier Order, I dedicated my life to protecting the innocents from the vile things that lurk in the darkness. Pathfinder Society gave me an opportunity to expand my sphere of influence and my radius of operations. Cavalier Orders in my nation take their work seriously and they are getting the job done, but this was a chance to strike against evil on a much larger scale. I can now actively seek out lairs of the fiends with the help of capable and versatile companions and bring the battle to them.

2. Do you have a name and surname that is not ripped straight out of existing Earth mythology or popular culture?
Earth mythology? Popular culture? What nonsense is this? I am Thaddeus Kromwell and I wear my name with pride. It is one of the few things that still connect me to some of the people I've lost in the past.

3. Which nation did you grow up in? How did this nation influence you?
I hail from a little village in Lastwall. It was a good life. For a while. Lastwall is a place where a son of a farmer can become a knight, a crusader, a cavalier, someone who can make a difference, and for that, I'll always swear allegiance to Vigil and Lastwall, wherever I may roam.

4. What do you look like? What are your wearing? How does this vary when you’re stalking through forests, sewers, deserts or in glittering cities?
I'm not what you might call handsome. I might've been once, but I am 47 years old now, I've spent the last 30 years fighting, organizing rescue missions and charging after one monster or another. And I'm far from done. But such a life will reward you with a broken nose, cuts and bruises, and your body will be a map of scars and old wounds. Still, being just a centimeter shy of a full two meters will still leave you with somewhat of a commanding presence. My hair and moustache are still mostly black, which, some folks have been known to say, compliments my grey eyes. I wear either scaled or full plate armor, and you'd be crazy not to in my line of work. Of course, when I'm forced to skulk through the regions with hot or cold extremes, I'll modify my attire. My trusty steed Vigil – named after a city where I've learned everything I know - is always there for me to hang my steel breastplate on and don something lighter. Or warmer.

5. What do you love?
I'd say I love my work, but it's closer to the truth to say that I've almost become addicted to it. It's what keeps me going. I tried life on the farm, didn't work out. Soldiering is all I've ever been good at. I do draw some satisfaction from planting my mace on top of a demon's skull with a resounding thud. And it feels good to live to talk about it. Riding relaxes me, I guess. My mount and I understand each other perfectly. Sharing a drink after a fight with your comrades – also one of life's little pleasures. Also, I do consider myself a bit of a history buff. People think I'm a bit on the oafish side because of my constitution, but that's their loss - I actually love reading historical texts, visiting monuments and collecting artefacts from my travels.

6. What do you hate?
Creatures that derive joy from the misery of others. Thieves that take from the less fortunate. Tyrants and arrogant people. Also, I don't really like magic. Eradicating evil magic users is something of a hobby of mine, because they tend to combine all these particulars I just mentioned. Not too big on tech and science, also, but I'll not actively seek to destroy it. Siege weapons, balistas and an occassional powder keg – all good, but I'm actually drawing a line here. You won't catch me using a firearm. God forbid prancing around in some sort of self-propelled apparatus. Unless it's a ship, although I'm not too fond of them as well. Give me a hammer, a sword, a shield and a solid piece of armor and watch me go. If I have my mount beneath me, all the better.

7. Which other Pathfinders do you rely on for teamwork, survival and butt-kicking? Do you have a bro? A mentor? A father figure? Maybe a rival?
I can work wonders with a squad or a regiment, and that's what I was used to before I tried my hand at cooperating with Pathfinders. As long as they follow orders, I have no problem with them. I'm not above following orders myself, if they make sense, and I'll follow a good leader and a capable tactician to the gates of the Abyss.

8. How does your race influence your views? Are you a stereotype of a certain race? How are you different from most humans/elves/gnomes/orcs/tengu?
It was always more about my profession than my race for me. I have Chelish roots, which one can probably tell from my pale skin, and I've lived most of my life in Lastwall, but I don't think my heritage moulded me in any profound way. What I've learned during my life and my career, that's another matter entirely. My loyalty to the tenets of a Cavalier order defines me.

9. What are you afraid of? Do you have any phobias or worries?
I dread the day when I won't be able to be self-sufficient. My contempt towards magic, tech and science probably stems from the fact that I've earned everything I have with my own two hands. I've always been self-reliant. I don't need the favor of the gods, or the eldritch energies to define my destiny. I just need my wits, my will, my reason and my body to carve my path in this world. I wouldn't want to lose any of that, but as you can see, I won't live my life beneath a rock to protect that. I will keep throwing myself against the challenges I deem worthy, and what must happen will happen. Maybe the only thing I fear worse than losing my faculties is not doing all I can with what has been given me.

10. What is your most treasured possession?
My horse Vigil, but don't tell him I told you.