Pessimistic Paladin [Archive] - Wizards Community

Pessimistic Paladin [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Deadlion
08-09-07, 07:44 AM I just had an idea, and wanted to a) share it and b) get some feedback on whether you lot think it would work.

Basically, a Paladin who was just a simple warrior before "seeing the light" and gaining his Paladial abilities. During his soldiering career he saw far too much of the dark side of human(oid) nature, and he is now far too cynical and jaded for the stereotypical Paladin's viewpoint.

Basically, he's less of "We must purge the evil and save the innocents! Then all shall be well in the world!" and more "Well, I suppose we'd better go smite some evil and save the supposedly innocent villagers... Not that it'll make much difference overall..."

He still follows the Paladin's code, and is kind and generous to most people he meets, he's just moody, cynical and very pessimistic at the same time.

So, do you think it's a valid character concept? I think it'd be great fun to play!
Stormbrand
08-09-07, 08:07 AM My opinion is that the paladin, by definition, believes in his cause - believes it will work, believes it is worthy, believes in innocence.

On these boards I once read of a paladin with a similar background who was embittered by his soldiering career, and he turned out to be the most excellent and inspiring paladin I have ever read of. The paladin is Nemerov, played by Timespike. Here is some of the examples of him.

My current PC is very grim; almost totally humorless, actually. He rarely smiles, fights with brutal efficiency, and takes punishment with extreme stoicism. He also would willing die for the rest of the party, and they know it. He almost has, on several occasions. Self sacrifice comes as naturally to him as breathing, but he has no tolerance for those who would harm the innocent. Faced with a mob of mind-controlled innocents, he waded in with fists for subdual damage (tears streaming down his face at having to harm innocents even slightly) and then, upon reaching the bastards controlling them, cut them down without comment and finished with a smite-augmented coup de grace. He has stood alone against a tide of monsters to protect a couple of people who had no significance to anything, except that they were innocent. No prophecy saying that the woman or her child were destined for something important; nothing like that. He's had his face ripped off and continued fighting. He's had his face slashed open and continued fighting. He's climbed a wall of razor-sharp rocks with someone he didn't fully trust ON HIS BACK, because it was the only chance they had of righting some grievous wrongs. He's challenged what he assumed was a superior opponent to single combat to save a friend. I have done no less than a half-dozen things that I thought "okay, he's going to die here" because they were the right thing to do.

He's five parts Solomon Kane, one part Gallahad, three parts Maximus Decimus Meridias, and one part Wyatt Earp (as portrayed in Tombstone). The innocent and the righteous have nothing to fear when he is around. The wicked, on the other hand, quake.

Look at the fact that he wept when fighting mind-controlled innocents.

"Never trust a man who can't cry." -Norman Schwarzkopf

The fact that he can weep, and weep openly is indicative of several things; it was a conscious decision.

1. No cynicism. He may be hardened and grim, but he still believes in innocence, and hates to see it harmed.

2. He's still got compassion.

3. He's very honest, on a basic level. He can hide his emotions when it's necessary. When it isn't, he doesn't, including his tears.

4. He's got enough self-control to weep, but keep fighting, rather than sitting down and wailing ineffectually.

After a smite-augmented coup-de-grace.

Yeah, I felt pretty cool afterwards for thinking of it. It's a waste of a smite, mechanically-speaking, but it is SUCH a paladin thing to do. I turned a ceremonial glove strike to challenge an opponent to a duel into a smite, too. Turns out that guy wasn't evil, though. (And after the duel was over, and the other guy had several broken bones and was generally a bloody mess, the paladin offered to patch him up with his lay on hands ability.)

Also, I've given some thought to a good way of boiling down what I consider to be essential paladin philosophy to one simple phrase. The results:
"It is better to do right and die than to do wrong and prosper."

Be a hero. Never give up. Remember that you are supernaturally afraid of nothing. Not death, not humiliation, not pain. And when in doubt, sacrifice yourself with a smile on your lips. "Hero" is your job description. You don't have to go after everyone or everything that detects as evil, but you should definitely note what sets off your "radar". Fight courageously. Be aware of your abilities, and use them to maximum effect, and I'm not not just talking mechanically. Give some extra RP value to your aura of courage by telling allies to "stand fast" to "fear not" and to "stay with me". Be inspiring, not annoying.

My paladin has climbed a wall of razor-sharp rocks with a passenger he didn't trust on his back, challenged someone he wasn't sure he could beat to a duel, then when he had him at his mercy, actually showed mercy, smashed a powerful evil magic item he knew would explode because he had no other means of destroying it, and has otherwise given of himself, both to his party and to innocent strangers.
Artifact
08-09-07, 02:34 PM So, do you think it's a valid character concept? I think it'd be great fun to play!

Absolutely I think its a valid character cocept. I bet he'd be a blast to play ;).

Pessimistic Pal: "Why does it have to be a half-orc trying to save? Do you have any idea how much I hate half-orcs?"

Optimistic Bud: "Uhh, actually I think I 'member you sayin' orcs were cool 'cuz they tell it like it is; don't take no nonsense, that sorta thing."

Pessimistic Pal: "Did I ask you?"

Optimistic Bud: "Uhh, actually . . ."

Pessimistic Pal: "Well come on then . . . let's go find 'im! One ugly, stinkin' half-orc can't be that hard to find. If we don't find him before the witch does, there'll be hell to pay."

Nothing says paladins have to be bright and cheerful all the time (or at any time). In fact, if that were the case, I would've tired of 'em years ago. A paladin is just a stand-up guy or gal who can be counted on to do the right thing when it matters most, although it may seem if that's the last thing on their mind up until that point.
Meikle_641
08-09-07, 04:24 PM Well, I started playing a Paladin for the first time several months ago who is somewhat similar. The experience has been very challenging, since my natural impulses often run opposite to that of a paladin, so it has been interesting.

Basically, as a youth he was a mob enforcer and helped support his siblings and parents in the slums. One day he was having a meal with them at a restaraunt when they did a hit on him and his family, killing all but him. As he lay dying on the ground, a bolt in an eye socket, a paladin who was dining there managed to patch him up.

He ends up serving time in prison (around 17 years) for various crimes he'd done, but the paladin thought he had potential. Ended up visiting frequently and got him educated by a priest friend. Eventually due to good behaviour and the fact that the he was going to be under strict probation, he got released to join the Aldenthage Order (a multi-faith order of Holy Soldiers, paladins and clerics alike)...Know what, I'm just gonna paste his backstory, which is told by him.

Dov Bar-El leans back in his chair, balancing it on two legs and lets out a puff of cigar smoke. He doesn't look like much, just a scruffy looking man aging man past his prime, but that's what he wants people to think. He looks up with his good eye and says "So ye wanna know 'bout who ah am an' what ah've done, huh? Well, ah suppose I ken tell ya, on account of ya seemin' trustworthy."

He takes another puff, then he begins. "Back when ah was a youngun', around ten er so I got an offah from ah gang called th' Black Dragons. They gave meh an offer ah couldn't refuse, as it were. Ah did messenger runs an' deliveries for 'em, an' they protected mah family an' gave me money fer my family."

He leans forward to tap the ash off of his cigar and take a sip from his flask, but then offers it. "Man, gret stuff. Wan' any? It's some peach schnapps. No? Meh." He gets comfortable again, then begins his tale once more.

"Well, as a young punk ah was migh' bit strong an' handy with a blade. Ah become what yuh could call a 'hatchet man' or an enforcuh. Somethimes it wasn' so bad, ju' scarin' some shop keepers an' people who owed the boss money. But other times me an' the boys'd go an do raids on th' rival gangs or sometime's some who weren't."

"But then, 'round seventeen'r so, things changed," his gaze takes on a haunted look. "Ah was jus' at ah restaurant with mah folks when It happened. Ah'd just handed my brothah a bowl a salad when I thought ah'd heard somehting, so a turned ta look. See while ah was never too stealthy ah was famous in tha gang fer havin' good instincts...Well, this time it was jus' in time ta catch a bolt to th' face as a hit squad from the White Tigers let loose."

He takes a deep breath and looks a little pale, but he looks a little better after another swig of the sweet liquid. "Wouldn't call it luck, but th' shot didn't manage ta kill me, but it did drop me like a rock. Jus' b'fore ah was out ah managed ta get a glimpse of my folks, but nevuh got a chance ta say anythin'...The next thing ah remember is this old man with a big ol' sword tellin' me ta not ta give up an' to try to hold on. 'course ah tried m'best, but ah'd lost a lotta blood an' all."

"Well, as it turned out tha old guy was one o' them Aldenthage holy men. Said he'd been in there havin' some dinner when he saw it happen, but wasn't able t' stop 'em. Managed ta get a few of 'em before they ran off, but he tried his best ta save me an' mah family. While he was good with his hands, th' Whites' shots were better. He managed ta keep mah lil' sister alive fer a lil' bit, but sh' lost t' much blood. Said it was a miracle ahd lived at all, on account of th' shot."

"Well, he'd brought m' too th' station while ah was out so that ah statement could b' made. 'course, he didn't know what ah'd done in th' town. Nah, ahm sure he suspected...A hit on a family, 'couldn' be fer no reason? An' a probably was glowin' like a on tha' sense they have anyway, but ahm sure he also knew I was hurtin bad. Well, ah statement was made all right', fer all the good it did. Right afterwards th' cops arrested me on a big ol' rap sheet th' size of m'arm."

He lets loose a sigh, blowing a small cloud of smoke. "Well, ah was put into a prison after a short trial an' was given an awful long sentence. Fifteen years give yeh an' awful long time t' thing 'bout things. Ah mean, why would a 'champion of good an' justice' save a punk like me? Why din't he jus' let meh bleed out like some of th' people ah'd killed in their own houses an' in alleys? I dunno... Mebbe he jus' din't wanna see another ligh' snuffed out that day, or mebbe he saw some goodness in this here soul."

"After a while ah was awful surprised t' see the old man 'gain. Wanted t' see how ah was holdin' up an' if ah needed someone t' talk ta. Got me hauled t' a private room t' talk, an' talk we did. Ah told him 'bout the things ah'd done in mah life an' asked 'bout a lot ta things, like why he saved meh. After ah was done ah jus' broke down, th' tough guy image fell away leavin' a scared an' lonely kid in it's wake."

"He 'splained that' his name was Ari Al-Rashid an' he was a servant of Pelor, the 'lluminated one. Pelor's followers believed in forgiveness an' mercy an' above all doin' all they can ta make tha world better. He did 'is best not jus' ta console meh, but t' try an' set me on the righ' path, even if ah was gonna be in prison a long ol' time. At th' end of th' session he left meh with a much calmer mind an' a book of Pelor. Honestly, ah couldn't read t' well at that point so ah couldn't even read th' thing, but ah managed ta have a coupla meetin er two a week with th' joint's padre. Over time he taught meh t' read the teachins o' Pelor an' even some fancy plays by some old writer. Them years were some o' th' most important o' m' life. Mah mind an' eyes got illuminated t' the corruption an' badness in th' world, but also summa the good stuff like readin' and stories."

"So over th' years ah studied an' read mostly, 'ccasionally fightin' off other inmates. So ah spent fifteen years in tha joint 'fore the padre an' Ari managed ta convince th' courts ta let m' out a bit early on th' condition ah work with th' church. An' that's how a guy like m'self got into th' order. What? Yeh wanna hear about what happened after? Bah. Fine, ya young brat..."

"Well, ah gotta say they di'n't make it easy, kid. Th' time in prison was both a blessin' an' a curse fer me. Prison gave meh some organizing skills an' taught me how to keep m' cell clean, but at th' same time a lot o' the pallies gave me a hard time. I don' blame 'em much, after all ah was an ex-con with a history o' some rather dark stuff, but ah did m'best ta give 'em no reason ta punish meh. Got taught a lot more not jus' 'bout religion an' the world, but how ta use some tricky weapons. 'course the weapons weren't jus' the steel sorta if yeh get meh. Over time ah was able t' hone my natural instricts an' eventually was granted the ability t' sense th' evil in people's hearts. 'course ah was of th' opinion that jus' 'cause someone had evil in 'em that it don't mean they 'ave ta be smited, which'd get me lectured by more'n a few people. I mean, jus' 'cause a guy cheats on his taxes an' that don't make a murderer, yeh get meh? Evil, jus' like good has it's shades. It ain't black an' white like they want ya t' think."

"Dis'greements aside, ah managed t' comeplete mah trainin' with more'n passin' grades. Next they put on a team with a veteran pally as a mentor for the firs' few years t' make sure ah wasn't gonna screw things up, y'know. Ah found that mah experiences as a thug an' my now supernatural senses served me even better'n my mentor, since he tended ta look down on 'dirty fightin' as he called it. Bah! Jus' 'cause we're fightin' evil don't mean we have ta be stupid an make it a fair fight. Yeah yeah, as one o' the books ah read said 'He who hunts monsters must beware. When ones looks too long into the abyss, the abyss also looks into you', but mah ways definitely made a diff'rence."

"So after he gave the order a good word fer meh ah was 'llowed t' start patrollin' Baelgurn an' doin' missions fer the order. 'course, ah couldn't keep workin' like ah wanted in the uniform, so ah managed t' get a magical hat t' make me look like a regular ol' hood. An' after that ah got m'self a plain lookin' magic ring that hid mah sould from bein' sensed fer good'r evil, makin' it easier ta be overlooked. Set me back a fair bit, but it was worth ev'ry copper ah think."

Dov lets out a few more puffs from his cigar before putting it out. "Well, that's jus' 'bout all ah care t' say right now. Ahm gonna go an have a nap now 'fore supper. Hey, don't yeh laugh at me, brat! Damn kids..." He then scratches himself a bit and takes a few swigs from his flask as he leaves for bed.

Basically, he uses underhanded tactics (sneak attack) and deception and his gut instinct (+29 Sense Motive), but never lies, cheats, etc. He's a bit of a black sheep in the order, but he gets generally gets them valuable intel when he goes undercover with his Mind Shielding ring and Hat of Disguise. As of late he's now in the 2nd highest (or was it 3rd) echelon of the organization, and the campaign is ending in 2 sessions.

His standing has definitely changed, I can tell you that much. Why, two sessions ago we walked into the streets of a city infested with vamps after dark, against the warning of a new pally recruit...And managed to kill 30 vampires and their vampiric mindflayer leader. Sure we lost two party members to brain devouring, but they're fine now...Wait, what was my point again?

Oh yeah, it's definitely fun and rewarding to break the usual paladin mould. Go for it.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Deadlion 08-09-07, 07:44 AM	I just had an idea, and wanted to a) share it and b) get some feedback on whether you lot think it would work. Basically, a Paladin who was just a simple warrior before "seeing the light" and gaining his Paladial abilities. During his soldiering career he saw far too much of the dark side of human(oid) nature, and he is now far too cynical and jaded for the stereotypical Paladin's viewpoint. Basically, he's less of "We must purge the evil and save the innocents! Then all shall be well in the world!" and more "Well, I suppose we'd better go smite some evil and save the supposedly innocent villagers... Not that it'll make much difference overall..." He still follows the Paladin's code, and is kind and generous to most people he meets, he's just moody, cynical and very pessimistic at the same time. So, do you think it's a valid character concept? I think it'd be great fun to play!
Stormbrand 08-09-07, 08:07 AM	My opinion is that the paladin, by definition, believes in his cause - believes it will work, believes it is worthy, believes in innocence. On these boards I once read of a paladin with a similar background who was embittered by his soldiering career, and he turned out to be the most excellent and inspiring paladin I have ever read of. The paladin is Nemerov, played by Timespike. Here is some of the examples of him. My current PC is very grim; almost totally humorless, actually. He rarely smiles, fights with brutal efficiency, and takes punishment with extreme stoicism. He also would willing die for the rest of the party, and they know it. He almost has, on several occasions. Self sacrifice comes as naturally to him as breathing, but he has no tolerance for those who would harm the innocent. Faced with a mob of mind-controlled innocents, he waded in with fists for subdual damage (tears streaming down his face at having to harm innocents even slightly) and then, upon reaching the bastards controlling them, cut them down without comment and finished with a smite-augmented coup de grace. He has stood alone against a tide of monsters to protect a couple of people who had no significance to anything, except that they were innocent. No prophecy saying that the woman or her child were destined for something important; nothing like that. He's had his face ripped off and continued fighting. He's had his face slashed open and continued fighting. He's climbed a wall of razor-sharp rocks with someone he didn't fully trust ON HIS BACK, because it was the only chance they had of righting some grievous wrongs. He's challenged what he assumed was a superior opponent to single combat to save a friend. I have done no less than a half-dozen things that I thought "okay, he's going to die here" because they were the right thing to do. He's five parts Solomon Kane, one part Gallahad, three parts Maximus Decimus Meridias, and one part Wyatt Earp (as portrayed in Tombstone). The innocent and the righteous have nothing to fear when he is around. The wicked, on the other hand, quake. Look at the fact that he wept when fighting mind-controlled innocents. "Never trust a man who can't cry." -Norman Schwarzkopf The fact that he can weep, and weep openly is indicative of several things; it was a conscious decision. 1. No cynicism. He may be hardened and grim, but he still believes in innocence, and hates to see it harmed. 2. He's still got compassion. 3. He's very honest, on a basic level. He can hide his emotions when it's necessary. When it isn't, he doesn't, including his tears. 4. He's got enough self-control to weep, but keep fighting, rather than sitting down and wailing ineffectually. After a smite-augmented coup-de-grace. Yeah, I felt pretty cool afterwards for thinking of it. It's a waste of a smite, mechanically-speaking, but it is SUCH a paladin thing to do. I turned a ceremonial glove strike to challenge an opponent to a duel into a smite, too. Turns out that guy wasn't evil, though. (And after the duel was over, and the other guy had several broken bones and was generally a bloody mess, the paladin offered to patch him up with his lay on hands ability.) Also, I've given some thought to a good way of boiling down what I consider to be essential paladin philosophy to one simple phrase. The results: "It is better to do right and die than to do wrong and prosper." Be a hero. Never give up. Remember that you are supernaturally afraid of nothing. Not death, not humiliation, not pain. And when in doubt, sacrifice yourself with a smile on your lips. "Hero" is your job description. You don't have to go after everyone or everything that detects as evil, but you should definitely note what sets off your "radar". Fight courageously. Be aware of your abilities, and use them to maximum effect, and I'm not not just talking mechanically. Give some extra RP value to your aura of courage by telling allies to "stand fast" to "fear not" and to "stay with me". Be inspiring, not annoying. My paladin has climbed a wall of razor-sharp rocks with a passenger he didn't trust on his back, challenged someone he wasn't sure he could beat to a duel, then when he had him at his mercy, actually showed mercy, smashed a powerful evil magic item he knew would explode because he had no other means of destroying it, and has otherwise given of himself, both to his party and to innocent strangers.
Artifact 08-09-07, 02:34 PM	So, do you think it's a valid character concept? I think it'd be great fun to play! Absolutely I think its a valid character cocept. I bet he'd be a blast to play ;). Pessimistic Pal: "Why does it have to be a half-orc trying to save? Do you have any idea how much I hate half-orcs?" Optimistic Bud: "Uhh, actually I think I 'member you sayin' orcs were cool 'cuz they tell it like it is; don't take no nonsense, that sorta thing." Pessimistic Pal: "Did I ask you?" Optimistic Bud: "Uhh, actually . . ." Pessimistic Pal: "Well come on then . . . let's go find 'im! One ugly, stinkin' half-orc can't be that hard to find. If we don't find him before the witch does, there'll be hell to pay." Nothing says paladins have to be bright and cheerful all the time (or at any time). In fact, if that were the case, I would've tired of 'em years ago. A paladin is just a stand-up guy or gal who can be counted on to do the right thing when it matters most, although it may seem if that's the last thing on their mind up until that point.
Meikle_641 08-09-07, 04:24 PM	Well, I started playing a Paladin for the first time several months ago who is somewhat similar. The experience has been very challenging, since my natural impulses often run opposite to that of a paladin, so it has been interesting. Basically, as a youth he was a mob enforcer and helped support his siblings and parents in the slums. One day he was having a meal with them at a restaraunt when they did a hit on him and his family, killing all but him. As he lay dying on the ground, a bolt in an eye socket, a paladin who was dining there managed to patch him up. He ends up serving time in prison (around 17 years) for various crimes he'd done, but the paladin thought he had potential. Ended up visiting frequently and got him educated by a priest friend. Eventually due to good behaviour and the fact that the he was going to be under strict probation, he got released to join the Aldenthage Order (a multi-faith order of Holy Soldiers, paladins and clerics alike)...Know what, I'm just gonna paste his backstory, which is told by him. Dov Bar-El leans back in his chair, balancing it on two legs and lets out a puff of cigar smoke. He doesn't look like much, just a scruffy looking man aging man past his prime, but that's what he wants people to think. He looks up with his good eye and says "So ye wanna know 'bout who ah am an' what ah've done, huh? Well, ah suppose I ken tell ya, on account of ya seemin' trustworthy." He takes another puff, then he begins. "Back when ah was a youngun', around ten er so I got an offah from ah gang called th' Black Dragons. They gave meh an offer ah couldn't refuse, as it were. Ah did messenger runs an' deliveries for 'em, an' they protected mah family an' gave me money fer my family." He leans forward to tap the ash off of his cigar and take a sip from his flask, but then offers it. "Man, gret stuff. Wan' any? It's some peach schnapps. No? Meh." He gets comfortable again, then begins his tale once more. "Well, as a young punk ah was migh' bit strong an' handy with a blade. Ah become what yuh could call a 'hatchet man' or an enforcuh. Somethimes it wasn' so bad, ju' scarin' some shop keepers an' people who owed the boss money. But other times me an' the boys'd go an do raids on th' rival gangs or sometime's some who weren't." "But then, 'round seventeen'r so, things changed," his gaze takes on a haunted look. "Ah was jus' at ah restaurant with mah folks when It happened. Ah'd just handed my brothah a bowl a salad when I thought ah'd heard somehting, so a turned ta look. See while ah was never too stealthy ah was famous in tha gang fer havin' good instincts...Well, this time it was jus' in time ta catch a bolt to th' face as a hit squad from the White Tigers let loose." He takes a deep breath and looks a little pale, but he looks a little better after another swig of the sweet liquid. "Wouldn't call it luck, but th' shot didn't manage ta kill me, but it did drop me like a rock. Jus' b'fore ah was out ah managed ta get a glimpse of my folks, but nevuh got a chance ta say anythin'...The next thing ah remember is this old man with a big ol' sword tellin' me ta not ta give up an' to try to hold on. 'course ah tried m'best, but ah'd lost a lotta blood an' all." "Well, as it turned out tha old guy was one o' them Aldenthage holy men. Said he'd been in there havin' some dinner when he saw it happen, but wasn't able t' stop 'em. Managed ta get a few of 'em before they ran off, but he tried his best ta save me an' mah family. While he was good with his hands, th' Whites' shots were better. He managed ta keep mah lil' sister alive fer a lil' bit, but sh' lost t' much blood. Said it was a miracle ahd lived at all, on account of th' shot." "Well, he'd brought m' too th' station while ah was out so that ah statement could b' made. 'course, he didn't know what ah'd done in th' town. Nah, ahm sure he suspected...A hit on a family, 'couldn' be fer no reason? An' a probably was glowin' like a on tha' sense they have anyway, but ahm sure he also knew I was hurtin bad. Well, ah statement was made all right', fer all the good it did. Right afterwards th' cops arrested me on a big ol' rap sheet th' size of m'arm." He lets loose a sigh, blowing a small cloud of smoke. "Well, ah was put into a prison after a short trial an' was given an awful long sentence. Fifteen years give yeh an' awful long time t' thing 'bout things. Ah mean, why would a 'champion of good an' justice' save a punk like me? Why din't he jus' let meh bleed out like some of th' people ah'd killed in their own houses an' in alleys? I dunno... Mebbe he jus' din't wanna see another ligh' snuffed out that day, or mebbe he saw some goodness in this here soul." "After a while ah was awful surprised t' see the old man 'gain. Wanted t' see how ah was holdin' up an' if ah needed someone t' talk ta. Got me hauled t' a private room t' talk, an' talk we did. Ah told him 'bout the things ah'd done in mah life an' asked 'bout a lot ta things, like why he saved meh. After ah was done ah jus' broke down, th' tough guy image fell away leavin' a scared an' lonely kid in it's wake." "He 'splained that' his name was Ari Al-Rashid an' he was a servant of Pelor, the 'lluminated one. Pelor's followers believed in forgiveness an' mercy an' above all doin' all they can ta make tha world better. He did 'is best not jus' ta console meh, but t' try an' set me on the righ' path, even if ah was gonna be in prison a long ol' time. At th' end of th' session he left meh with a much calmer mind an' a book of Pelor. Honestly, ah couldn't read t' well at that point so ah couldn't even read th' thing, but ah managed ta have a coupla meetin er two a week with th' joint's padre. Over time he taught meh t' read the teachins o' Pelor an' even some fancy plays by some old writer. Them years were some o' th' most important o' m' life. Mah mind an' eyes got illuminated t' the corruption an' badness in th' world, but also summa the good stuff like readin' and stories." "So over th' years ah studied an' read mostly, 'ccasionally fightin' off other inmates. So ah spent fifteen years in tha joint 'fore the padre an' Ari managed ta convince th' courts ta let m' out a bit early on th' condition ah work with th' church. An' that's how a guy like m'self got into th' order. What? Yeh wanna hear about what happened after? Bah. Fine, ya young brat..." "Well, ah gotta say they di'n't make it easy, kid. Th' time in prison was both a blessin' an' a curse fer me. Prison gave meh some organizing skills an' taught me how to keep m' cell clean, but at th' same time a lot o' the pallies gave me a hard time. I don' blame 'em much, after all ah was an ex-con with a history o' some rather dark stuff, but ah did m'best ta give 'em no reason ta punish meh. Got taught a lot more not jus' 'bout religion an' the world, but how ta use some tricky weapons. 'course the weapons weren't jus' the steel sorta if yeh get meh. Over time ah was able t' hone my natural instricts an' eventually was granted the ability t' sense th' evil in people's hearts. 'course ah was of th' opinion that jus' 'cause someone had evil in 'em that it don't mean they 'ave ta be smited, which'd get me lectured by more'n a few people. I mean, jus' 'cause a guy cheats on his taxes an' that don't make a murderer, yeh get meh? Evil, jus' like good has it's shades. It ain't black an' white like they want ya t' think." "Dis'greements aside, ah managed t' comeplete mah trainin' with more'n passin' grades. Next they put on a team with a veteran pally as a mentor for the firs' few years t' make sure ah wasn't gonna screw things up, y'know. Ah found that mah experiences as a thug an' my now supernatural senses served me even better'n my mentor, since he tended ta look down on 'dirty fightin' as he called it. Bah! Jus' 'cause we're fightin' evil don't mean we have ta be stupid an make it a fair fight. Yeah yeah, as one o' the books ah read said 'He who hunts monsters must beware. When ones looks too long into the abyss, the abyss also looks into you', but mah ways definitely made a diff'rence." "So after he gave the order a good word fer meh ah was 'llowed t' start patrollin' Baelgurn an' doin' missions fer the order. 'course, ah couldn't keep workin' like ah wanted in the uniform, so ah managed t' get a magical hat t' make me look like a regular ol' hood. An' after that ah got m'self a plain lookin' magic ring that hid mah sould from bein' sensed fer good'r evil, makin' it easier ta be overlooked. Set me back a fair bit, but it was worth ev'ry copper ah think." Dov lets out a few more puffs from his cigar before putting it out. "Well, that's jus' 'bout all ah care t' say right now. Ahm gonna go an have a nap now 'fore supper. Hey, don't yeh laugh at me, brat! Damn kids..." He then scratches himself a bit and takes a few swigs from his flask as he leaves for bed. Basically, he uses underhanded tactics (sneak attack) and deception and his gut instinct (+29 Sense Motive), but never lies, cheats, etc. He's a bit of a black sheep in the order, but he gets generally gets them valuable intel when he goes undercover with his Mind Shielding ring and Hat of Disguise. As of late he's now in the 2nd highest (or was it 3rd) echelon of the organization, and the campaign is ending in 2 sessions. His standing has definitely changed, I can tell you that much. Why, two sessions ago we walked into the streets of a city infested with vamps after dark, against the warning of a new pally recruit...And managed to kill 30 vampires and their vampiric mindflayer leader. Sure we lost two party members to brain devouring, but they're fine now...Wait, what was my point again? Oh yeah, it's definitely fun and rewarding to break the usual paladin mould. Go for it.