Barthomel the Hand of Justice

Role

Chapter 7

Barthomel journeyed to the area of the forest that his father had said he
made his home. It wasn't long before he found a small, by giant standards,
hut formed of cedar logs and covered in vibrant green peat. Tjirbin surprised
his son tremendously when he abruptly seemed to step out from a tree that
he'd been taking cover under. The older giant went somber upon hearing the
news. His demeanor was gruff, but Barthomel saw true sorrow in his fathers
watery eyes.

Just then from behind Barthomel came a rustling in the brush. The younger
giant began to smile as he watched his old friend Shadow emerge from the
bush, his one eye gleaming in the fading light of day. Before the untrained
Barthomel could react his aging father bolted to action faster than he could
fathom the older giant moving. A hastily intoned prayer came from the elder
giant, and the flash of a hefty axe and Tjirbin struck down Shadow,
dispersing the beast into nothingness.

Barthomel was dumbfounded a moment before questioning why Tjirbin had done as
he had. He explained that Shadow meant no harm and that it was his friend.
His father became heated, shouting that it was a beast of shadow and carried
the taint of evil. Doing less than he had was weakness and Barthomel aught be
grateful for his quick action. Nothing that Barthomel said reached his
father, and after a short argument Tjirbin bid him leave and not come back.

Frusterated and once again feeling the sorrow of grief, Barthomel spent the
night laying on the bed of the forest. When he rose in the morning, miserable
and covered with insects he resolved himself to joint the Adventurers Guild
and become like one of the many Paladins in Loch Terradian that he had
admired growing up. He spat a curse at his father as he walked out of the
wilderness.

In the Academy he learned many things, to heal, to protect, to fight, the
Paladin Code. In studying the Gods of Light he found that the story of Lady
Azorinne's ascension fascinated him. In her religion he saw a doctrine that
he could trust and believe in, one more devoted to protection than conflict.

Barthomel now travels the lands as an adventurer. He searches for the shrine
of Azorinne that he may offer to work in her name, should he be worthy. He
also contemplates where his path may lead. Knowing the Fortress of Light to
be a bastion of hope in the darkness, Barthomel would like to meet it's
members to see if his ideals would suit their cause.

Role

Chapter 6

On this last trip with his mother he again visited with Shadow. The beast was
quite friendly at this point. It would follow him around in his wanderings,
often out of sight if anything came near. Shadow seemed as though it was
still formidable, but wouldn't behave with aggression toward others any
longer, which was not always the case. On their last night in the forest,
Barthomel and Reeia were visited by Tjirbin, Barthomel's father.

The exchange went better than Barthomel had expected. When he had
eavesdropped on the conversations his parents had on these trips, Tjirbin
always had disdain and critical judgements to offer. Now, seeing his son in
the flesh his tone was lighter, and he wore what was close to a smile. A few
times his demeanor changed and he cursed about something to do with city
life, but at the end he offered to teach Barthomel a thing or two if ever he
had the stomach to live on the land.

Hopeful of what the exchange could mean for the future, Barthomel and Reeia
returned home to the Loch. Within the turn of a season Reeia had become
infirm. She had lived a very long time and done much in her life, devoted to
the gods as well as her son. When she passed in the following month it
wounded Barthomel like nothing he had felt. He grieved her well, but it took
him many months. The Elders of Loch Terradian offered that he could stay in
the town as long as he wished, but he was coming of an age where he must
decide his path.

Barthomel decided he would visit his father before anything else. Uncertain
if the elder giant had even heard of his mothers passing, Barthomel wanted to
at least inform him and speak with the man before deciding his next step.

Role

Chapter 5

Reeia had said the creatures sounded like shadow beasts, but as those
creatures were generally wicked in nature it was uncharacteristic behavior to
say the least. His aging mother chastised his curious nature but she was
doing so with the look she wore when she was proud of him, and so he thought
he had done well. In following years he would encounter the cat again in the
same area several times. Each time he would feed it, spend some time
together, and become just a little closer. He gave it the extremely unique
and original name of 'Shadow' and even taught it different behaviors.

Seasons passed and Barthomel was growing closer to his adulthood, Reeia was
growing older and more frail. She had lived a very long life, birthing
Barthomel when she was nearing her later years as it was. She explained that
this would be her last year tending to the forest temple and that this year
he would meet his father. Barthomel felt excitement as well as trepidation.

He had begun to suspect that the conversations his mother had in the night
each year could only be with his father, or an acquaintance of his. He had
gotten better at listening in and, guilty as he had felt for doing it, had
learned that his father hadn't much wanted a part in raising his city
dwelling son. A former shaman of Uller, he shunned civilization in all it's
forms and that seemed to include Barthomel, who seemed to wish to become a
paladin of all things.

Role

Chapter 4

Barthomel saw a selfish look, but also caution, expectation, and hesitation.
It seemed to be worried about a reprisal, but also he could tell that it
didn't wish to fight. Uncertain of what to do next, he let his instinct guide
him and reached out gently, rubbing the side of the felines snout. Barthomel
watched the tension leave the beasts posture and he heard the faintest of
purrs find purchase in the felines throat.

Suddenly a snarl sounded from behind. The other creature. The rustling of
brush was his only warning before another shadowy form lunged at him from his
flank. Diving at the last minute, Barthomel could not believe his own eyes
when the feline that he had just "fed" lunged at it's companion. There was a
short tumble where both forms lashed out furiously at one another before one
of the creatures darted off into the shrubs. Unsure of which creature
remained, the young storm giant clenched one of his hands into a fist,
steeling his nerve for a possible attack.

Instead of an attack, the remaining creature sauntered over to him slowly,
sniffing. He could tell now that it was the same creature that had eaten his
mintcake. It seemed injured, limping on one of it's forepaws. When it came
close he saw that one of it's eyes had been deeply gashed and was bleeding
out some odd, wispy, shadowy substance. It came over and bumped it's forehead
into his hand, blinking closed it's remaining eye. Taking pity on the
creature, and owing it his good health, Barthomel reached deep within himself
as his mother had often described how she communed with the gods, he intoned
a prayer to heal the feline.

Placing his free hand over the maimed eye, surprise gripped him as he felt a
warm light channel forth from his hand, closing what passed for flesh around
the wounded eye. When he looked again at the beast, the eye had healed
closed. However, the yellow light that shined from the pupil of the remaining
eye had doubled in intensity. The creature nuzzled his chest in thanks, and
without another gesture it strolled off into the bush, leaving a confused
Barthomel to consider the exchange alone.

Role

Chapter 3

A dark colored felid strolled forward from the shrub, shouldering the bushes
out of it's way. Something was different about this feline. He couldn't make
out any fur, just jagged lines on the edge of it's form which seemed to be
made up of a dull charcoal hide. It was difficult to tell in the shade. Where
the sun hit the creature, however, the dusky hide gave way to a misty,
shadowy substance that looked wholly incorporeal. The feline stared him down
with bright yellow eyes, slowly crouching down as it stepped fully from the
foliage, muscles coiling in preparation for a pounce, seemingly.

Again his body screamed out at him to flee, run, fight, anything. Barthomel
knew that there was another creature, however, and the one before him looked
to be sizing him up. If he ran they would most certainly attack. Instead
Barthomel sucked in a slow and deep breath. When he released the breath he
tried to let out with it the anxiety that was silently shouting at him to
act. He felt his muscles relax, but even in doing so he never broke eye
contact with the beast. It was not just a mindless beast, he could tell, but
nor did it seem to be a natural one.

The feline creature slowly inclined it's head at him, perhaps in confusion.
Thrusting it's head at him with a feint of aggression the creature narrowed
it's eyes in consideration when Barthomel did not act. Suspiciously it pushed
it's snout toward his hand and he turned his palm to the air and extended it
slowly, allowing the beast to catch his scent. A quick snort came from the
creature's snout and it suddenly pushed forward at him. He thought it was
attacking for a moment but quickly realized it was shoving it's nose up to
his breast pocket insistently, sniffing, nipping lightly at the fabric of his
tunic. Bewildered, he quickly pulled from the pocket the only object within.
It was a mintcake, a flakey morsel of sweetened bread that had a core of
candied peanuts and mint. The beast nipped it from his hand, nearly but not
quite biting him in the process. It pulled back, staring once again into his
eyes.

Role

Chapter 2

As years passed Reeia and Barthomel developed somewhat of a tradition. Every
year they would hike out into the forest west of Loch Terradian to an ancient
and open temple. They would use up a week or more cleaning and restoring the
various structures that were becoming overgrown or dilapidated. Barthomel,
growing out of his boyish years and into a youth, had been excited for the
trips each year. They afforded him a measure of peace, the people of Loch
Terradian were gracious and loving by and large but he still craved solitude
and serenity at times.

Indeed, there were times where he barely felt able to breath and needed
strolls away from others to abate the feeling. The annual trips seemed to
help with this immensely, and nearly every year he would hear a deep and
soothing voice speaking with his mother in the dead of night. He could never
make out the conversations but knowing the tones of his mothers voice well,
Barthomel knew that she was never worried about the speaker.

The trips were not without their dangers, of course. Many creatures lived out
in the woods, and many of them formidable. One year while Barthomel was
wandering through the forest near to dusk noting all of the different flora
when he heard the grumble of one such creature. Alone, his heart began to
race as he heard a second creature creep up on his opposing flank. He'd not
even sighted what they were and already he felt a sense that he was in a poor
position. A low raspy growl echoed from a dark shrub ahead of him. Barthomel
struggled to keep calm, every instinct in his young body screaming for him to
run.

Role

Chapter 1

Barthomel's earliest memories were of his hometown, and growing up there. He
hailed from the Storm Giant settlement of Loch Terradian which aught come as
no surprise, being himself a member of the race of kindly blue giants. From
childhood he had lived there with his mother, Reeia, in a quaint but
comfortable little house, by giant standards. His mother had once been a
Priestess of Lady Bria, a goddess long dead by the time Barthomel had been
born.

Now his mother tended a memorial of Bria and other lost gods at the Temple of
light worship, passing along knowledge and teachings of their ilk. She was
especially kind and encouraging, and Barthomel always felt safe and inspired
with her. Their life was comfortable but humble, Reeia's life of service
afforded the pair a good deal of charity from the pious folk of Loch
Terradian who were both generous and grateful to the old priestess for
helping maintain the Temple as well as stewarding the old religions that many
of the Elders still adhered to.

Many times as a boy, Barthomel asked after his father and he could tell that
there was much more to that story than he was ever told. His mother always
had a look of consternation when seeking to explain that situation, and
always Barthomel felt that she held back much. "Suffice it to say that he
does not care to embrace the trappings of civilized life." Reeia told him
that his father was alive and he did not live especially far from the Loch,
and that he would one day meet the man. While Barthomel was curious, he also
had grown to trust his strong and loving mother implicitly, and so he was
content to wait on her word that the time had come. Most of the folk of Loch
Terradian treated one another as family so there were no lack of noble role
models for him to aspire toward.

PK Gank-O-Meter

PK Statistics

Skill List

PK Wins

PK Deaths

Leveling History

Timeline

Mob Deaths